More Clients - the Online Marketing Newsletter
for Independent Professionals
from Action Plan Marketing
and Robert MiddletonIn This Week's Issue: Are you well prepared to climb the mountain of marketing success?
Marketing Climbing
Imagine being the greeter (if there is such a person) at Everest Base Camp and welcoming those who were about to ascend the mountain the next day.
And your job was to certify them before they were allowed to continue their expedition. You didn't want anyone to die on the mountain, so you were very careful to screen out those who were not prepared.
Outer preparation would be important, of course. Clothing, equipment, training, maps, support and physical fitness would all be carefully scrutinized.
But inner preparation would be just as, if not more, important. Clarity of purpose, teamwork skills, attitude, persistence, and the ability to overcome hardship might mean the difference between life and death.
As an Independent Professional, you've embarked on the climb to grow your business and reach the pinnacle of success. But how well are you prepared? If you had to pass a readiness test would you be sent back for more training?
Take this seven-question test and see how ready you are. Rate yourself from one (low) to 5 (high) in terms of your readiness to climb the mountain of marketing success.
1. You have a clear purpose, goals and plan for your journey. You haven't necessarily mastered everything you need to do, but you "know what you don't know" and have a plan to get the information and skills you need.2. You feel comfortable with the process of marketing yourself and your services. You realize you're not an expert, but that you have a grasp of the fundamentals. You know how to effectively use the marketing tools of networking, writing and speaking.
3. You are completely comfortable with the electronic aspects of marketing your services. You can get a web site developed, create an eZine, set up an online discussion group, and coordinate a teleclass with relative ease.
4. You have packaged your services for high value. You are well prepared to offer a very high level of service to your clients. You are confident in your ability to produce consistent results.
5. You are extraordinarily persistent and tenacious. You realize that it takes a certain amount of time, energy, and money to get the attention and interest of a prospective client. You can be counted on sticking with it until you land the project. And when you experience setbacks, you bounce back quickly.
6. You see business and marketing as a game. You like to play hard, play with integrity and excellence, and play to win. You are confident in winning because you have the knowledge, skills and commitment to make things work.
7. You get all the support you can. Realizing that mastering business and marketing takes knowledge and expertise, you tap into resources such as magazines, books, workshops, coaching and masterminding to keep you focused and on track.
Possible high score: 35 Your score: _____
How did you score? Are you ready to embark on your expedition or would you be sent back? Perhaps you've been on the expedition for awhile and you realize why you've been struggling so much.
What is your plan to get prepared to succeed?
More on "Marketing Climbing" in Marketing Flashes below.
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Marketing Climbing Manual
It certainly isn't the only thing you need to successfully climb the marketing mountain, but it's definitely indispensable.
You need a reliable guide of the peaks and valleys so you don't get lost in your journey. You need to know what, when and how to do certain marketing activities to get consistent marketing results.
THE guide, for the past 3 1/2 years has been the "InfoGuru Marketing Manual." Don't climb the marketing mountain without it. Complete details here:
www.actionplan.com/infoguru.htmlMarketing Action Groups are Full
The June through December groups are filled to capacity. We'll be starting another series that will go from October though March. You can apply now and when that group opens up, you'll be first in line. As you can see, groups fill fast.
Go here for complete details:
www.actionplan.com/actiongroup.html~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marketing Flashes on "Marketing Climbing"
What's the fastest and most effective way to get prepared to market your services? If I was starting tomorrow, this is what I'd do:
* STUDY THE MAPS - Over the next year or so, read at least 10 books on marketing, selling, and business. Happily, this is your least costly marketing investment. There's no substitute for it.
* HIRE A GUIDE - Your guide might be a marketing or business coach, a support or mastermind group. Whatever the structure you choose, make sure you get the guidance and support you need when you need it. Successful climbers never go it alone.
* GET OUTFITTED - The marketing gear you need includes a business card, a web site and perhaps a brochure. Find a professional designer and pay as much as you can afford.
* GET IN SHAPE - The way you do that is by engaging in as many low-cost, high-contact marketing activities you can possibly fit in: networking, speaking, writing, eZine. The more you do, the stronger you'll get.
* DEVELOP PROGRAMS - It's easier to sell a distinct program than a generic service. Work at developing and testing different programs/packages/pricing for your services and you'll get to the top of the mountain a lot faster.
Until next week, all the best,
Robert Middleton
ACTION PLAN MARKETING
Helping Independent Professionals Attract More Clients~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
210 Riverside Drive
Boulder Creek, CA 95006
831-338-7790© 2004 Robert Middleton, All rights reserved. You are free to use material from the More Clients eZine in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site link. Please also notify me where the material will appear. The attribution should read:
"By Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing. Please visit Robert's web site at http://www.actionplan.com for additional marketing articles and resources on marketing for professional service businesses."
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