As a marketing consultant, your web site and your e-zine are your most effective ways of getting new clients.
Nothing else comes close.
Here’s how to get the most out of your e-zine…
An e-zine should be a personalized conversation with a singular person. Tell them what you watched on TV that week or tell them that you were in Vegas (if you were in Vegas), or wherever you were.
Add just a couple lines, “I saw this show, saw Love at the Mirage with the Beatles, Cirque de Soleil – it was really cool; go there when you’re in town.”
If I ate at a really cool restaurant, I’ll say “I ate over at Emeril’s, man you’ve got to go there, that was just really good.”
If I took my son somewhere else, I’ll say, “We went to Treasure Island and watched the sirens. You should bring your kids over there if you have the kids in town.” Things like that.
People get to know you. They get to know your weaknesses, which is really important.
They get to know you’re a real person and that you’re not Superman, and that you communicate like a person who has challenges in life – that stuff goes wrong for you too. “The IRS audited us, yuck, I hated that!” or whatever.
Then go in and talk to people, give people valuable information; articles. Give them really cool stuff that they couldn’t get anywhere else if they tried.
By doing this you set yourself apart.
You’re always welcome to put a little commercial into your e-zine, usually towards the bottom is good. Let people get through it.
Develop the relationship – don’t try to get rich fast. Getting rich slow is the same.
The greatest concern that you and I have when somebody comes to our door or we buy something; and by the way, this is probably one of the most researched areas out there right now.
Doctor Erik Knowles at the University of Arkansas has done a lot of research into this specific area.
It’s called the Omega Strategy. It’s a strategy that has nothing to do with creating more value with your product or your proposal.
Just let your prospect know you’re human. This will better your chance of gaining trust and getting the person to like you.
Literally by telling people your weaknesses or letting them know you don’t have a perfect success record – all the nuclear defense missiles go down.
The person realizes they’re talking to somebody who’s honest; somebody who isn’t B.S.-ing them. It’s like hey, the guy just told me he’s not perfect. I don’t have to go try to find his imperfection.
This goes a long way toward not only building rapport but making sales. And yes, it’s documented; you’ll make two to three times more money probably per person if you use that kind of concept.
People do business with people they know and trust. Let your e-zine help develop relationships that will expand your business.
