http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/ Sun, 20 May 2012 00:50:30 Guerrilla Marketing Australia Articles http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Grow-Your-Business-Slowly:-A-Cautionary-Tale.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Grow-Your-Business-Slowly:-A-Cautionary-Tale.html I remember the night my friend Jerry called me in a panic, asking if my college roommate and I would come to his workshop and iron nightgowns for him. Jerry, a recent graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, had shown some samples to a buyer from a large chain store. The buyer was so taken with the flannel nightgowns that she ordered 500 and expected delivery in five days. Unfortunately Jerry had materials for 50. Nevertheless he... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/How-did-we-survive?.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/How-did-we-survive?.html Looking back, it’s hard to believe that we have lived as long as we have.  As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.  Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat.  Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paint.  We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes, we had no... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Getting-to-Tough-Decision-Makers.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Getting-to-Tough-Decision-Makers.html One of the biggest time wasters in the sales game is when the salesperson fails to get to the real decision maker, an end up and presenting their products and/or services to people who cannot say “Yes!” or only have the authority to say “No.”  Since many organizations are undergoing sweeping changes in management as well as the way they make purchases from vendors, it’s increasingly... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Find-Something-Beautiful….html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Find-Something-Beautiful….html There was a very special teacher in high school many years ago whose husband died suddenly of a heart attack.  About a week after his death, she shared some of her insights with a classroom of students.  The class was nearly over, and as the late afternoon sunlight came streaming in through the classroom windows, she moved a few things aside on the edge of her desk and sat down there.  With a gentle look of... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/When-times-are-hard,-service-matters-most!.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/When-times-are-hard,-service-matters-most!.html Today, we seem to be bombarded constantly with news of the difficulties faced by business.  A stock market struggling to recover from an almost unprecedented bear run, falling industrial investment, more bureaucracy, credit worries, high street spending in decline – are we in recession, or is it merely a ‘severe downturn’?    Is it all bad news?  Certainly... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Values.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Values.html Accuracy   Achievement Adaptability Adventure Affection Alertness Ambition Assertiveness Authenticity Balance Beauty Boldness Broadmindedness Calmness Capability Career Caring Clear thinking Compassion Competence Confidence Conscientiousness Consideration Contentment Contribution Cooperation Courage Creativity Customer... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Keys-to-Successful-Leadership.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Keys-to-Successful-Leadership.html If you want to be a leader who attracts quality people, the key is to become a person of quality yourself.  Leadership is the ability to attract someone to the gifts, skills and opportunities you offer as an owner, as a manager, as a parent. We call leadership the great challenge of life.  What’s important in leadership is refining your skills.  All great leaders keep working on themselves until they... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Four-Deadly-Sins-of-Leadership.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Four-Deadly-Sins-of-Leadership.html "Self-centeredness is one of the greatest obstacles to reaching total success as a leader," says Gene Swindell in Executive Leadership. He's right.  Employees can sniff out a selfish boss in a minute and will return his/her selfishness in the form of a reluctance to help him/her succeed.  Since these behaviors can be subtle or indirect, many selfish leaders aren't aware they are getting the... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Characteristics-of-Successful-People.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Characteristics-of-Successful-People.html I’ve spent many years studying successful people and have identified the skills, talents, and characteristics that enable them to succeed.  As you look at and study these skills, talents, and characteristics, you’ll realize that you possess many of them yourself. Some of these skills and talents are more dominant than others and will play a greater part in your being, or becoming, a success in the business of... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Best-Leaders-are-Followers.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Best-Leaders-are-Followers.html When we think of leaders, we often think of one person, sitting at the head of a boardroom table and calling the shots.  While images of famous "lone leaders" are forever burned into our memories, the image is misleading.  In fact, they all had key advisors, partners, and supporters by their sides.  They were successful because they enabled others to achieve greatness, and they allowed themselves... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Make-Failure-a-Friend:-How-to-Turn-Your-Setbacks-Into-Success.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Make-Failure-a-Friend:-How-to-Turn-Your-Setbacks-Into-Success.html What separates the achievers from the also-rans?  The ability to accept failure and learn from it.  Failing forward is the only way to take advantage of new opportunities for success.  My 30 years of training people to be high achievers has shown me that anyone can learn to fail forward... ● Don't take all the blame for failure.  No one fails simply because he/she isn't "good... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Life-and-Leadership-Lessons-from-UCLA-Coach-John-Wooden.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Life-and-Leadership-Lessons-from-UCLA-Coach-John-Wooden.html UCLA's John Wooden, the "Wizard of Westwood," is the most acclaimed basketball coach in the history of the NCAA.  His teams won 10 National Championships -- no other coach has won more than four.  Now 92 and retired for 27 years, he coached such superstars as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton. When I was vice president of a training company, I interviewed Wooden to learn the secrets of his success on the... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/How-to-Make-People-Like-You….html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/How-to-Make-People-Like-You….html Strategies of Instant Rapport If other people feel rapport with you…in other words, like you, the world can be a much more pleasant place for you... • people who like you are usually more eager to help take care of your needs and desires • enjoying relationships with other people is a major factor contributing to longevity and happiness Some people are naturally able to build rapport with... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/How-Successful-Entrepreneurs-Solve-Problems.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/How-Successful-Entrepreneurs-Solve-Problems.html The Wall Street Journal ran an article recently on entrepreneurs…how they often underestimate the problems they end up facing.  "Even the most realistic entrepreneur underestimates the difficulties in building a business," the article said. So true.  And a good thing.  Were it not for our inability (or not knowing what we don't know) to fully assess the difficulty of establishing a new... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Getting-Outside-The-Box….html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Getting-Outside-The-Box….html Thinking "outside the box" or (as it is sometimes known) "coloring outside the lines" is a popular idea in the business world today. People and organizations are told to think outside the box or color outside the lines as a way to stimulate creativity when they need to solve problems like streamlining production, establishing a new product, or developing a new process. And it's true that creativity and... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Focusing-on-Positive-Motivations.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Focusing-on-Positive-Motivations.html There's nothing wrong with competition when it's employed in a friendly manner to push one another to greater heights. (your culture)  But too often these days, people associate rivalry with aggression and find it difficult to conceive of competition that doesn't escalate into a free-for-all, with benches in opposing dugouts pouring onto the mound as they do in major league baseball every week or so.  There will always be a... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Conquering-Fear.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Conquering-Fear.html Fear is the greatest…and perhaps sneakiest obstacles to reaching our goals.  We may think we're stalled because of other people's objections, insufficient resources or circumstances outside our control.  But it is often fear that keeps us from seeing a way around barriers -- causing us to abandon our dreams. We can't eliminate fear.  But we can manage it -- and move past it. FEAR OF FAILURE You believe... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Conquer-Fear!",-.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Conquer-Fear!",-.html In her book, "Conquer Fear!", Lisa Jimenez, a charming Florida speaker I’ve had the pleasure of spending professional time with, lists "The Seven Truths" that can help anyone harness and overcome their fears.  I’ve paraphrased them for you here: Truth #1 Fear is the dominant challenge in your life today. Truth #2 Fear is a “gift” that was instilled in... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Connecting-Through-Integrity.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Connecting-Through-Integrity.html Integrity is adhering to the moral principles of life. Integrity is doing things with honor. Integrity is honesty.  And integrity is the glue that holds relationships together. Integrity says, "I wish to pay fair price for all value.  Getting something for nothing makes nothing of me.  Getting it cheap makes me cheap." In your enlightened self-interest, this is one of the better affirmations you... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Eight-Common-errors-why-organisations-fail-to-change.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Eight-Common-errors-why-organisations-fail-to-change.html 1 – Lack of a sense of urgency. 2 – Failing to create a sufficiently powerful guiding coalition.  Not just top managers! 3 – Underestimating the power of vision.  A sensible vision helps direct, align, and inspire actions on the part of large numbers of people.  No vision leads to lots of debate. 4 – Under communicating the vision by a factor of 10 or 100.  Lots of... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Challenges-are-normal.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Challenges-are-normal.html A true motivational "hero," the late Norman Vincent Peale once said, "there is only one group of people that don't have problems…and they are all dead.  Problems, or challenges are a sign of life.  So, the more problems you have the more alive you are."  An addition that might be made to Norman's quote might be, "if you don't have any challenges today maybe you... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Be-Generous.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Be-Generous.html Be generous!  Give to those whom you love; give to those who love you; give to the fortunate; give to the unfortunate; yes—give especially to those to whom you don’t want to give. Your most precious, valued possessions and your greatest powers are invisible and intangible. No one can take them.  You, and you alone, can give them.  You will receive abundance for your giving.  The more... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Are-You-listening?.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Are-You-listening?.html One of the biggest weaknesses of most people in relationships is that they don't listen…that means really listen.  Listening is from hearing.  Hearing is a physical act that we do with our ears.  Listening is a mental act that we do with our brains.  Most people who fail to listen do it, not because they are poor hearers. Many factors contribute to a person's poor listening behavior or... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Good-leaders,-some-experts-say,-are-creative-rather-than-reactive.-.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Good-leaders,-some-experts-say,-are-creative-rather-than-reactive.-.html Good leaders, some experts say, are creative rather than reactive.  In other words, they anticipate future demands & trends and make new products or tailor the ones they already have to suit that future. For many reasons things are changing very rapidly, these days.  That's why it's more important than ever to be able to understand how those changes will affect your business…and establish ways to take... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/A-water-bearer-in-India-had-two-large-pots,-each-hung-on-each-end-of-a-pole-which-he-carried-across-.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/A-water-bearer-in-India-had-two-large-pots,-each-hung-on-each-end-of-a-pole-which-he-carried-across-.html A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full 2 years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/A-Powerful-Success-Secret.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/A-Powerful-Success-Secret.html During a meeting of top salespeople from around the country, the "the grand old man" himself, a man who’d consistently had the highest sales figures for the last 20 years, and who earned more money than even the owner of his company, got up to speak. “I'm now going to reveal the secret of my success,” he said.  “I wrote it on a piece of paper and put it in this... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/A-Just-Cause:-Creating-Emotional-Connections-With-Customers.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/A-Just-Cause:-Creating-Emotional-Connections-With-Customers.html What does your company stand for? If it’s largely to make more money than Bill Gates and pay executives outrageous salaries and perks, don’t count on customers, prospects and employees to believe in you. Who wants to support a company whose values are out of whack with the rest of society?  Companies driven solely by quarterly sales figures and stock price increases demonstrate they’re in business... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/A-Formula-For-Sustained-Success.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/A-Formula-For-Sustained-Success.html Eight management practices distinguish the 5% of companies that consistently outperform the market. by William Joyce, Nitin Nohria, and Bruce Roberson Optimize Magazine May 2003, Issue 19 Business is full of mysteries, but none is greater than this: What are the elements that contribute to a company's success? Executives have spent 100 years guessing about what makes a company succeed--and usually guessing wrong. In the best of times,... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Five-Levels-of-Leadership.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Five-Levels-of-Leadership.html Becoming an effective leader is a lot like being in the stock market. You don't make your fortune in a day; you make it daily, a little bit at a time. What matters most is what you do day after day, over the long haul. The secret to leadership success is investing in your leadership development, much like letting your assets compound. The final result is "Leadership Growth" over time. Leaders aren't born; their made. The... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Your-Value-–Can-it-be-Diminished?.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Your-Value-–Can-it-be-Diminished?.html A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a new, crisp, clean twenty dollar bill. To the room of 200, he asked, “Who among you would like this $20 bill?” Hands started shooting up and waving. He then said, “I’m going to give this $20 bill to one of you, but first, let me do this.” He crumpled the $20 dollar bill into a small, tight ball. Then he asked, “Who... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Why-Problem-Based-Positioning-is-a-Psychological-Magnet.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Why-Problem-Based-Positioning-is-a-Psychological-Magnet.html Are you struggling to create a memorable positioning statement for your marketing?  Do you want to stand out from your competition, but the uniqueness of your business seems to elude you? Here’s a sneaky, vital secret that turns conventional marketing psychology on its head.  By changing your positioning statement, find out how to transform your weakest link into your strongest marketing tool ever. Avis is Only... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/When-I-was-a-young-man,.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/When-I-was-a-young-man,.html When I was a young man, I met a striking lady.  She was very beautiful.  She seemed to remain very composed in all difficulties. We met several times and quickly decided to live together. Everything seemed to turn better and better.  After a month together, I used to get up in the morning to prepare breakfast for her.  In the evening, she massaged me gently and we exchanged our views on what had happened... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/What-Should-Your-Priorities-Be?.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/What-Should-Your-Priorities-Be?.html OK.  We’re all a mixed bag of emotions, motivations, strengths, and challenges. What is the ideal leader like? Your primary job at work is to make the business succeed.  Make that your first priority.  Don't let anything else come before it…and don't pretend to. Lets admit it…your primary motivation in working is self-interest.  You took the job to make more money, to... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/What-Are-You-Doing-Differently?.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/What-Are-You-Doing-Differently?.html The very nature of good marketing is that it needs to be different enough to capture your target audience’s attention.  If everyone in your market is using the same approach, how do you, or any of your competitors expect to stand out? Many years ago one of my associates worked in a young marketing & advertising firm of up-and-coming “creatives.”  He related how it had been fun designing... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Two-Critical-Communication-Factors.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Two-Critical-Communication-Factors.html 1) Active listening (or the lack of it): One of the greatest failings for most us is we simply don’t don't listen.  Listening is different from hearing.  Hearing is the physical act we do with our ears.  Listening is a mental act we do with our brains.  Most of us who fail to listen do it, not because they are poor hearers. So, what about listening?  Many factors contribute to a... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Turn-problems-into-opportunities..html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Turn-problems-into-opportunities..html Like the glass half full/half empty scenario, there are those who look at situations and see obstacles, where others see only opportunities.  Whatever the situation facing you, how you view it will affect the results you’ll get. Do you look at an adversity with sagging shoulders and imagine the worst…or rise to the challenge it presents to you?  The challenge of finding a way to succeed. The issue lies... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Top-10-Life-Lessons-from-Michelangelo’s-David.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Top-10-Life-Lessons-from-Michelangelo’s-David.html 1) You are able to create beauty even with a weak foundation if you have an attitude of constructive creativity.  The marble Michelangelo was given to create “David” was substandard and he worked with it, anyway.  What in your life has both a weak foundation and seems to be calling you to create something with it? 2) You can make the “same thing” as other people AND... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Think,-Believe,-Dream,-and-Dare.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Think,-Believe,-Dream,-and-Dare.html An eight-year-old boy approached an old man in front of a wishing well, looked up into his eyes, and asked: "I understand you're a very wise man.  I'd like to know the secret of life." The old man looked down at the youngster and replied: "I've thought a lot in my lifetime, and the secret can be summed up in four words: The first is think.  Think about the values you wish to live your life... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Steps-to-Creating-an-Infectious-Business.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Steps-to-Creating-an-Infectious-Business.html When customers evangelize you and your business to colleagues, associates, and friends, what they say is as important as the passion behind it. To make it easy for customers to describe what you do, they must easily understand the “idea” or premise of your company.  If people can quickly grasp the idea and benefits of your business, it’s considered to be infectious. As author Seth Godin says, in... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Importance-of-Punctuality.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Importance-of-Punctuality.html Lateness is a sign of poor time management skills Dan Kennedy, author of No B.S. Time Management For Entrepreneurs, emphasizes the importance of punctuality. He not only advises it from a time management standpoint, but also claims that everyone he has met who is consistently on time is successful, while those ignoring this discipline fails. He goes so far as to say, "Someone who cannot keep appointments on time, cannot keep... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Easiest-Way-Ever-to-Cause-Skeptical-Buyers-to-do-Business-with-You.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Easiest-Way-Ever-to-Cause-Skeptical-Buyers-to-do-Business-with-You.html Using testimonials -- quotations from satisfied customers and clients -- is one of the simplest and easiest ways to add instant credibility to your promotions.  Here's how to do it: • Always use real testimonials instead of made-up ones.  Even the most skilled copywriter can rarely make up a testimonial that can match the sincerity of genuine words of praise from a real customer or... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Art-of-Asking-.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Art-of-Asking-.html   By Dr. Rachna D. Jain Most of us have probably experienced the feeling of wanting to ask for something- a day off, a raise, maybe time to connect with a special person, but we sometimes don't know how to ask for what we want.  Maybe the following tips will help. 1) Take the time to get really clear on what you're asking for. This may mean making a list, or writing in your journal, or otherwise... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-10-Laws-of-Life.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-10-Laws-of-Life.html   Life Law #1:   You either get it, or you don't. 6     Strategy:   Become one of those who gets it. Life Law #2:   You create your own experience. Strategy:   Acknowledge and accept accountability for your life. Life Law #3:   People do what works. Strategy:   Identify the payoffs that drive... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Success-Story.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Success-Story.html The business executive was deep in debt and could see no way out.  Creditors were closing in on him.  Suppliers were demanding payment.  He sat on the park bench, head in hands, wondering if anything could save his company from bankruptcy.  Suddenly, an old man appeared before him. "I can see that something is troubling you," he said.  After listening to the executive's woes, the... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Strictly-Business:--Your-6-Month-Check-Up.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Strictly-Business:--Your-6-Month-Check-Up.html June marks the halfway point of the year, and June is almost over.  Are you halfway to your goals?  Have you written or sold half of your annual budget?  Have you achieved the first half of your personal goals?  How do you know? One of the most important things that you, as a business leader can do today is to track the key “measurables” of your business and chart them against both the... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Something-to-Ponder……right-now..html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Something-to-Ponder……right-now..html There is no better time to choose to be happy than right now. Don't wait until: • your car or home is paid off • you get a new car or home • your kids leave the house • you go back to school • you finish school • you lose (or gain) 10 lbs • you get married • you get a... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Riding-Dead-Horses….html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Riding-Dead-Horses….html The tribal wisdom of the Dakota Indians, passed on from generation to generation, says that when you discover you’re riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount.  However in modern corporate North America, and the various levels of government & bureaucracy, a vast range of far more advanced strategies are generally employed.  Such as: 1. buying a stronger whip 2.  changing... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Resolve.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Resolve.html Thinking about quitting?  A job?  Career?  Relationship?  Project?  Anything?  Join the club.  Sooner or later everyone thinks about quitting something.  There is, however, a vast difference between quitting and wanting to quit.  On the one hand you quit, and on the other you just want to think about it…but ultimately don't. I have given up. ... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Reality-Management:-Keep-Your-Praise-Sincere-(and-focused).html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Reality-Management:-Keep-Your-Praise-Sincere-(and-focused).html At a recent meeting to review the results of one of her profit center responsibilities, Sharon began by talking about how "wonderfully" her profit-center manager had done and what a "sensational job" he'd done on it.  "Plus," she said, "I can see that he's really feeling good about his work." Her boss turned to the profit-center manager and quipped,... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Put-it-in-Writing….html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Put-it-in-Writing….html John was complaining about how his employees weren’t completing any of the work he had delegated to them. He would tell them what he wanted done, and when the work was needed.  Two or three days later he would discover that they hadn’t even begun working on it. To say that he was frustrated was an understatement. Here are several productivity-improving techniques that John learned.  When he began to... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Profits-and-Money…Very-Different-Motivators.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Profits-and-Money…Very-Different-Motivators.html Fred was motivated by money.  How much he was going to make consumed his thinking.  Every opportunity he faced, as well as every decision he made, was measured against a single question: How much money will it make me? Fred's marketing copy was outrageous -- big, boastful, and full of excessive claims.  Whenever it was suggested that he try something subtler, less direct, or more useful to the buyer, he'd shake his... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Product-knowledge..html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Product-knowledge..html People need to know how much you care, but they also want to know that you have the competence to guide, direct, recommend, or select the best option or choice for them, regarding your product or service.  Product knowledge is a vital sales requirement if you are to compete successfully and acquire satisfied customers. There are a variety of things you need to know from a product knowledge standpoint, such... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Pride-gets-the-job-done-right….html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Pride-gets-the-job-done-right….html Money may attract people to your company, and even keep them there.  But if you want to motivate your staff, you have to make them proud of what they do. Pride gets the job done right… John Katzenbach, author of Why Pride Matters More Than Money The Globe & Mail April 2, 2003   Perhaps money, and what it buys motivates you to excel at your job. But think for a moment about the exhilaration you feel... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Overloaded-Performance-Appraisals-Failing….html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Overloaded-Performance-Appraisals-Failing….html Business success is directly related to employee performance.  Love them or loathe them, most employers use appraisals to review staff performance and set objectives - appraisal is now one of the most widely used management tools in industry. However, based on research among almost 1000 UK managers, a new report from the authoritative Institute for Employment Studies claims that many performance appraisals systems are failing both... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/On-Asking-Questions-of-Your-Prospect….html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/On-Asking-Questions-of-Your-Prospect….html Let's set the stage: Suppose you're discussing a business problem with a prospect.  The prospect is using a manual system to handle her company's incoming payments from customers.  You're mid-discussion and she says, "I'm just tearing out my hair.  Sales volume has increased 10% this quarter and our average account size is dropping, so we're seeing a 17% increase in the number of incoming checks we need to... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Life-is-a-Contact-Sport.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Life-is-a-Contact-Sport.html While people in business take great pains to plan out their business, plan their marketing, and project their cash flow, few, if any, plan out the people they want - no, need -- to meet! In every industry there is a king pin. In every community there is a Mr. or Mrs. Who who makes things happen. In every media outlet there is a person that has the power to make you a star! It's your job to know who that person is in your industry or community... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Just-Say-No-To-Less-Than-Ideal-Clients….html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Just-Say-No-To-Less-Than-Ideal-Clients….html Here are some thoughts to keep you sane and profitable during your peak season: Remember who your top 20% clients are. • Know where you add the most value to the most people. • Develop a network of professionals who you can refer to. • Plan personal time to breathe and get centered. • Read your vision once a week. • "Instead of... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Nurturing-Creativity.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Nurturing-Creativity.html If it weren't for ideas, we would still be living in caves.  If not for ideas, companies would not exist.  If this is true, why then do companies do everything in their power to suppress their employee’s ideas to the point of not announcing those ideas for fear of the repercussions?  Companies are filled with brilliant people.  However, these brilliant people are not only the ones who run the... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/I-Would-Rather-Work-at-MacDonald’s-Than-Make-Cold-Calls.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/I-Would-Rather-Work-at-MacDonald’s-Than-Make-Cold-Calls.html "I would rather work at MacDonald’s than make cold calls!" Mary said. In speaking with Mary, a financial planner, who was talking about her business - or lack of it. she explained that because of the weakening economy and the bottom falling out of the stock market, business had turned soft. Actually, soft was an understatement.  During the past few months new sales had slowed to a trickle.  The... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/How-does-your-Doctor-do-it?.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/How-does-your-Doctor-do-it?.html Tom had a 10:00am appointment with his doctor.  He arrived a few minutes early, and started looking at the stack of People, Time, and Newsweek magazines that were on the coffee table. Shortly thereafter he was escorted into Dr. James W. Smith's office for his examination. Dr. Smith proceeded to tell Tom all about himself  Where he grew up, where he went to college.  He described his years at medical school at NYU... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Getting-What-You-Want,-Getting-What-You-Need….html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Getting-What-You-Want,-Getting-What-You-Need….html Here are two lists which should serve as a valuable guide toward helping you make progress in all of your efforts.  The first one is from Think and Grow Rich and describes the thirty-one (31) major reasons for failure and incorporates the thirteen (13) major principles through which people accumulate fortunes.  As you go through them, check yourself by it point by point for the purpose of discovering how many of these causes... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Effective-Delegation.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Effective-Delegation.html 1. Establish that a task is “delegatable” 2. Determine the best person(s) to handle the task, who could benefit most from learning more about how to complete the task 3. Use something like the Communication Planner to record details of the task and conversations you’ll have with the person you’ve chosen to deal with the task.  (see sample,... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Avoiding-a-Financial-Crisis.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Avoiding-a-Financial-Crisis.html Having a superb product, soaring sales and stupendous customer service are undoubtedly some of the things which go into making a successful business. But all of this is irrelevant if you suffer a financial crisis. Without a sound stable financial position the slightest shock can be enough to send your business crashing to the ground. So what can you do to ensure that all your hard work is not in vain? What can you do to make sure that a... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/10-Ways-to-Motiveate-a-Team-Member.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/10-Ways-to-Motiveate-a-Team-Member.html Every year a management consulting firm conducts a survey with 200 companies on the subject of what motivates employees.  When given a list of 10 possible things that would motivate most motivate them the employees always list appreciation  as the number one motivator.  When asked to rank-order the same list, the managers and supervisors ranked appreciation number eight.  This is a major mismatch, as the... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Guerrilla-Learning.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Guerrilla-Learning.html Let's start with the bad news. Much that you have learned in the past, although God's own truth at the time, has changed, leaving you misinformed or uninformed, so that a lot of what you know is wrong. In social situations, your lack of information is inconvenient, but in business, it's suicidal. You've got to realize that in business, just as in sports, people are constantly trying to become better... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Guerrillas-Don't-Spam!.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Guerrillas-Don't-Spam!.html Unsolicited commercial email (UCE), more commonly known as bulk email, "spam" or umail, is a growing problem on the Internet. Spamming means sending unsolicited email to a large group of people, either via individual emails or through email discussion lists or newsgroups. Proponents of bulk email say that there are huge advantages to using bulk email for your marketing. They point out that the costs of bulk email are... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Guerrilla-Generosity.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Guerrilla-Generosity.html These days, there seem to be two kinds of businesses: givers and takers. Giver businesses are quick to give freebies to customers and prospects. The freebies may be gifts, but more likely come in the form of information. The right information is worth more than a gift and often even worth far more than money. In fact I've added a new personality trait to my list of characteristics possessed by successful guerrillas.... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Guerrilla-Credibility.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Guerrilla-Credibility.html Every guerrilla knows that the number one factor influencing purchase decisions is confidence. The road to confidence is paved with credibility. Having the lowest price won't help you much if your prospect doesn't trust you in the first place. Offering the widest selection and the most convenience won't aid your cause if your prospect thinks you're a crook. You've got to face up to the... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Serving-the-Nightmare-Customer.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Serving-the-Nightmare-Customer.html "The customer is always right." How many times have you heard that phrase? What does it really mean to you? Does it mean that you indulge the customer's whims even when they seem irrational? Unfortunately, in order to provide terrific customer service, you sometimes have to bite the bullet and cater to these whims. It's helpful to try and see things from the customer's perspective. Here are some... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/High-Tech-Tools-for-Selling.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/High-Tech-Tools-for-Selling.html Guerrillas are busier and more mobile than ever. Remember the good old days when the workday was confined to eight hours spent in an office? If you are running a small business, repping a product or simply making yourself available to your clients after hours, you can utilize high-tech tools to improve productivity, reduce stress and keep you organized. Hand-held devices such as contact managers and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) can... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Sales-Letters-that-Sell.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Sales-Letters-that-Sell.html The sales letter is an essential part of your direct mail package and often stands alone when following up a cold call. Writing a good sales letter can be time-consuming if you care enough to get it right. Too many sales people overlook or minimize this aspect of marketing your business. Why? The simple truth is that most people just don't know how to write a sales letter. Here's some tips. 1) If possible, use the... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Guerrilla-Marketing-Yourself.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Guerrilla-Marketing-Yourself.html Whether you know it or not you're marketing yourself every day. And to lots of people! You're marketing yourself in a quest to make a sale, warm up a relationship, get a job, get connected, get something you deserve. You're always sending messages about yourself. Guerrillas control the messages that they send. It's all about intention. Guerrillas live intentionally. Non-guerrillas send unintentional... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Pushing-the-Envelope:-Direct-Mail-that-Gets-Opened.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Pushing-the-Envelope:-Direct-Mail-that-Gets-Opened.html Let's face it: we all judge books by their covers. And we judge the direct mail we receive by the envelope. In this column we'll examine why some envelopes get opened. Guerrillas are familiar with the two basic approaches to envelopes. One is a simple, elegant white #10 envelope. In "Guerrilla Marketing for the 90s," Jay Levinson states that the standard white envelope with a first class stamp and no... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/High-Tech-Tools,-Part-II-Voice-Communications.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/High-Tech-Tools,-Part-II-Voice-Communications.html Improve Your Productivity With High-Tech Tools, Part II Guerrillas know how important it is to be able to receive and respond to calls from clients, customers and business associates. For those of you who began your professional lives before answering machines or voice mail were widely available, the myriad choices can be staggering. By now you probably have set up your basic office telephone equipment. Some of you place a pager in... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Tough-Customers.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Tough-Customers.html Like most Guerrillas, you probably focus on your own attitude when approaching prospects, making presentations and closing sales, but when you are forced to deal with tough customers, you need to see things from their perspective. Guerrillas regard the selling field as a battlefield and know that difficult customers require a strategic battle plan. Let's examine some of the attitudes you may encounter and some techniques for... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Guerrilla-Marketing-With-Technology.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Guerrilla-Marketing-With-Technology.html Up until a few years ago, technology was not something associated with small business marketing. Perhaps it was connected with databases or inventory control, possibly with electronic spreadsheets and word processing. Anyhow, it was complicated and expensive -- and its affect on small business didn't stretch into the arena of marketing. My oh my, how times do change! Technology is currently in the process of revolutionizing... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Top-Tips-for-Yellow-Pages-and-Classified-Ads.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Top-Tips-for-Yellow-Pages-and-Classified-Ads.html We have previously explored the copy requirements for print ads. This time we'll examine yellow pages and classified ads. Guerrillas have found these media formats to be very effective in reaching a large number of people. Yellow Pages Anyone with a business phone line is automatically listed in the Yellow Pages. Many entrepreneurs also take out a display ad to magnify their marketing message. Only advertise in the... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Broadcast-Media-Ad-Copy-Tips.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Broadcast-Media-Ad-Copy-Tips.html In the first two parts of this series, we explored the fundamentals of writing copy for print media. This time we'll take a look at the unique copy requirements of television and radio. Even if you've written your own print ads, you may feel that you are in over your head in the world of broadcast media. It's tempting to take a radio or TV station up on their offer to write the copy for you. Resist the... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Truth-About-Customers.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Truth-About-Customers.html You may think you know why your customers buy from you, but there's a good chance they buy for reasons other than the reasons you think. Or they don't buy for reasons that may escape you. People seek a wide array of benefits when they're in a buying mindset. If you are communicating any one of those benefits to the people who want them this very instant, you've virtually made the sale. People do not buy... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Guerrilla-Entrepreneur.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-Guerrilla-Entrepreneur.html WHAT IS A GUERRILLA ENTREPRENEUR? The guerrilla entrepreneur knows that the journey is the goal. He also realizes that he is in control of his enterprise, not the other way around, and that if he is dissatisfied with his journey, he is missing the point of the journey itself. Unlike old-fashioned enterprises, which often required gigantic sacrifices for the sake of the goal, guerrilla enterprises place the goal of a pleasant journey... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Wonderful-and-Horrible-Advertising.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Wonderful-and-Horrible-Advertising.html Because more marketing funds are invested in advertising than in any other weapon of guerrilla marketing, and because an embarrassingly huge amount of that investment is just plain wasted, marketing guerrillas know home truths about copy, graphics, what makes commercials good or bad, and why so much advertising fails. Guerrillas know ten things that advertising copy should always be: 1. Readable 2. Informative 3. Clear 4.... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Breaking-Through-Sales-Resistance.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Breaking-Through-Sales-Resistance.html In order to be a successful salesperson, you must be confident of your product's value and able to break through the mental barriers that prospects build around them. By recognizing and accepting the natural tension and mistrust that potential customers possess, you can begin to build rapport and reduce the barriers. Establishing Rapport When meeting with prospects for the first time, it is crucial that you capture their... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Spreading-the-Word-of-Mouth.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Spreading-the-Word-of-Mouth.html It's as important to know what word of mouth marketing IS as what it ISN'T. Word-of-Mouth (W-O-M) is about involving, educating and satisfying customers. It isn't about abandoning your marketing plan and advertising campaign. It isn't enough to simply provide good customer service and wait for the buzz to build. Let's test your knowledge of W-O-M with this simple quiz. Select the most suitable answer... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Great-Marketing-Is-Kid-Stuff.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Great-Marketing-Is-Kid-Stuff.html The first time I went hiking in the hills of Marin County, California, it was a scorcher of an August day. Hot and thirsty from a six mile hike, I emerged from the trail onto a city maintained road. Up ahead of me I saw a lemonade stand. I had to shake my head to make sure that I wasn't seeing a mirage in the dust. But there it was, two little girls with glass pitchers and paper cups. They were sitting at a card table beneath a... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Reduce-the-Chill-of-Cold-Calls.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/Reduce-the-Chill-of-Cold-Calls.html It's natural to feel some apprehension when approaching a potential customer for the first time. And there's a reason they are referred to as cold calls. Every salesperson has tales of rejection from hung up phones to doors slammed in their faces. But more often, the reluctance is based on lack of preparation on the part of the salesperson. Guerrillas prepare themselves both internally and externally, by strengthening their... http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-True-Story-of-an-Accidental-Entrepreneur.html http://www.guerrillamarketing.net.au/articles/The-True-Story-of-an-Accidental-Entrepreneur.html When my father went into business for himself 35 years ago, he knew nothing about niche marketing and would have been surprised to learn that he was a bootstrapping entrepreneur. All my father knew is that he didn't want to work in a factory like his Russian immigrant parents. He tried office work but disliked office politics. When he married my mother, my father went to work with his new father-in-law in his dry cleaning...