Word of Mouth Marketing...
For Small Business
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Last week I emailed out this…
> If you are discounting, then don’t muck around.
>
> Get your profits back by getting this blueprint video here:
> http://www.wordofmouthmagic.com/resources/blueprinttoprofits/
> ….
Well, it created a flood.
That link had more than triple the clicks of anything I’ve sent out in the past 12 months!
And now there is MORE.
This material comes from small business marketer, Paul Lemberg.
Back in 2007 I introduced Paul’s “lunch referral card” on my Word of Mouth Teleseminar series, and he has just gotten better and better.
Paul knows what businesses in this economy are crying out for – and I’m almost certain you need this…
—> More past customers coming back, more often!
Paul’s video not only shows you how to get them back, he GIVES you the blueprint.
He has a ‘done-for-you’ letter you can download, tweak and post or email out tomorrow.
Remember, referrals are your SECOND best word of mouth client.
The absolute best, easiest, and most profitable customer of all is the REPEAT customer.
So if you have been in business long enough to have ‘dead’ customers, sign-up for Paul’s ‘done-for-you’ blueprint:
http://www.wordofmouthmagic.com/resources/blueprinttoprofits/
And yes, the SOS video on “5 alternatives so you never need to discount again” is still there inside.
My sneak preview of this material last month lasted only 3 days before it was taken down. It’s back up now, and I don’t control how long this will be around this time, at least not for free.
-Martin Russell
“A referral is not an excuse to ignore due diligence.”
- a note to myself.
WARNING: Do not pay any money until you read this complete review of Aaachoo – a start-up that calls itself a “Professional Social Network” - from someone who signed up and then cancelled.
If you are, then don’t muck around.
Click on this link, enter your details on the page, and watch the video and download the Blueprint. All free.
If you are NOT discounting, your competitors almost certainly are, and you are under pressure to do the same.
So let me be clear.
If you ever do discount, it is a slippery slope.
Some businesses have great ‘word of mouth’, but their customers are saying to each other “… but don’t buy now. Wait until they have a sale or a discount again.” Dangerous.
In a tough market you want to be the one who outlasts your competitors, and picks up their business when they disappear. So you need to keep your profit margins to stay in business.
Enough of the word of mouth value, let’s get to the guts of this for your actions.
When I did my Word of Mouth Teleseminar series, Paul Lemberg was one of only about 4 people I referenced. He is good.
Here is the page for you to sign-up and discover 5 alternatives so you never need to discount again – no matter if you are a service business, retail, wholesale, or even a commodity business. Listen out for Paul’s salt example!
http://www.wordofmouthmagic.com/resources/blueprinttoprofits/
[My subscribers had an early-bird notice of this last month, just 3 days before it disappeared. It's back now, and I don't get to control how long this will be available - for free.]
- Martin Russell
You have 3 word of mouth goodies to choose from this holiday season.
Goodie 1. Some enticing holiday reading from Seth Godin, the most well known word of mouth marketer online today.
Seth has put together ideas from 70 ‘big thinkers’ into a collection that you can access here for free…
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/files/what-matters-now-2.pdf
Goodie 2. One of my most popular posts this year was about using video for small business marketing.
One of the people I profiled, Joey Sampaga, is expanding his Arizona mortgage business because of his use of video, and here he teaches you how he is doing it. Learn from a proven pioneer in 5 fun minutes…
(He also explains at the end why I love Christmas in Australia. Enjoy the grin!)
Goodie 3. For those who seriously want to ramp up their word of mouth results in 2010…
###################
[Um, sorry. The extra special ones are for my signed-up readers only, but to help YOUR word of mouth marketing in 2010 I've set up a FREE report for you here.]
All the best of the season!
-Martin Russell
On Dec 1st the US Federal Trade Commission is bringing out new rules for advertising by testimonials or endorsements.
Here is what one copywriter said…
“My testimonials are coming down … til I see which way the wind blows, for at least 6 months to a year.”
Incredible!
Has the FTC really banned testimonials?
No, certainly not.
But they have set new ‘guidelines‘ they plan to enforce.
And I have found you a couple of ways that you might be able to work this to your advantage.
But before we get to that,
—> What are the new rules for testimonials?
A rough summary of the FTC’s key new guidelines are that testimonials or endorsements…
- will need to be ‘typical’ or include the ‘typical’ results along with them [that would crack down on lose weight, make money products, etc etc who have hidden behind the phrase 'results not typical'.]
- “advertisers and endorsers may be liable for false or unsubstantiated claims made in an endorsement” [if you are the one claiming it then you better be ready to stand behind it. Sure.]
- must include full disclosure [so freebies, kickbacks, commissions etc must be clear, and to simplify things don't give compensation for testimonials.]
The wording in all these is loose, so it really comes down to how the FTC wants to apply these rules. That’s the reason for the frantic comments like at the top of this email.
But let’s get to two bits of silver lining.
1. It’s a really great time to get testimonials.
Why?
Here’s a quote from copywriting legend, and ultra-level-headed marketer, John Carlton, on his blog…
“[Testimonials] remain powerful tools for anyone in business. (In fact, let’s hope, real hard, that your competition gets so scared that they never use testimonials again in any way, shape or form.)”
Exactly!
Zig when the rest are sagging.
Go get more testimonials (or if you have none, get tho
se first few.)
Just make sure you can contact the person later, if you need to make changes once the FTC ‘guidelines’ settle in.
2. If you are marketing online then here is some great training material courtesy of the FTC.
It’s from a guy I trained with, Jeff Walker, and Jeff is hands-down the best marketer I know for building frenzied word of mouth, and giving step-by-step for others to build it too.
Jeff uses video Case Studies in his marketing, but the FTC ruling means from December 1st that has to stop.
So before then, he’s opening up all those Case Studies for a last chance to see them.
I’ve just finished watching the four he put up today, and the final one was under 5 minutes, and a great example of marketing that is solid relationship building at the same time.
But the Case Studies are only for this week.
http://www.wordofmouthmagic.com/resources/plf/
Testing the new FTC Disclaimer: If after opting in for Jeff’s no-cost material you end up buying from him, then yes, I do get a commission.
http://www.wordofmouthmagic.com/resources/plf/
And let’s see how this all pans out.
-Martin Russell
I have a whole heap of readers who rarely if ever contact me.
If that is you, then ask yourself what you are wanting from your reading.
Then take that reason, and check out below…
——————————-
As I type this I’m sitting in a hotel lobby in Salt Lake City the
evening before my 40th birthday.
My wife and 3 small kids are sleeping.
Tomorrow evening I’ll be in Disneyland for the final couple of
weeks of a 2 month holiday with my family. What a great way to
spend the 1/3 mark of my life!
My life has been truly blessed – and I’m not even religious.
It’s a special time for me to give back, and here is my birthday
present to you.
—> Pick the one biggest issue in your business today.
It doesn’t even need to be a marketing issue – and I’m going to
solve it for you.
Could you enjoy that as a birthday present?
Pick the one pain point – the one obstacle in your business today -
join up below, and then connect with me, and send me a note about
what that pain is…
http://www.perfectnetworker.com/network/signup.php?signup_referer=MartinRussell
I don’t guarantee I can solve it – but it would AMAZE me if someone
in my network couldn’t, so try me.
Let the power of word of mouth networks give you a birthday present
for a better future.
Oh and there may be a hidden bonus in this sign-up too. Fortune
favors the action takers.
-Martin Russell
Event time: 8:00AM – 12:00PM (speaker presents at 9:00AM)
Location: Harford Community College, Edgewood Hall Room 132*
Tuition: $37.00 (check or credit card collected at the door)
If the link does not work, please call 443-412-2237, Ext. 2
See the testimonials below,
It does NOT matter your business type or industry…not even which part of the world, “Word of Mouth Magic WORKS”!“Amazing! ‘Word Of Mouth Magic’ really is a fool-proof, step-by-step roadmap to a lifetime of endless referrals! Use the strategies in this book and you will skyrocket the number of referrals you get and the profits you make!” – Joe Vitale, International #1 Best-Selling Author and World Renowned Marketer.
Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of SBA. SBDC speaker(s) and sponsor(s)s are permitted to make a short presentation about their business.Maybe I’m just a sucker for a bunch of statistics crammed in with a Fat Boy Slim soundtrack, or maybe there might be something to this whole “social media” thing.
As for whether this is useful for your particular business, here is my tip. You can pick up and respond to trends if you “become your customer”.
THEY, and they alone, are the ultimate marketing expert – and they are the source of your word of mouth.
So, is this how people are talking about you?
And to save you a step, here is the link to the SocialNomics blog which has the written version – as well as arguments over the accuracy of the information.
Want to Social Media tango with me?
I deliberately don’t Tweet, and I barely Facebook, but I do hide out on a few networking sites.
Oh, and thanks to Aaron Brandon who reconnected with me on LinkedIn and pointed me to this video 
- Martin Russell
