Creating a Nameless Faceless Entity… is for The Timid

Nothing worse than not knowing who your prospects are communicating to when it comes to a professional service. Or, for that matter, when dealing with any vendor or supplier of goods or services.

Personality and warmth, helps. 

Think of it like this: who would you rather deal with – a jeweller with exquisite diamonds and saphires, though no human touch… or… a jeweller with similar merchandise, however, the proprieter has a charm, a naturalness, a certain way when it came to interacting…

Who would you choose?

No question, right? 

So, if every product and service was reduced to a mere commodity, what then would be the governing factor in a prospect choosing US over all others out there who are doing pretty much the same as we are?

It seems ridiculously simple when we talk it through, breaking the question down into little fragmented building blocks.

A human face, and endearing personality, a charming way… will trump a faceless nameless enterprise or organisation, hands down.

What can you do to break out of the trap of the mediocre, the very same ones who are trying to get you to imitate what the masses do?

Walk the other way and let your authentic personality settle into the minds and hearts of your prospects and customers.

They’ll thank you with their purses and wallets.

Happy marketing,

Raja C. Hireker
www.RajaHireker.com   

    

  

Use This Killer Advert to Sell a Ton Of Your Goods Products and Services

Real marketing is all about getting results in the marketplace.

Take a look at the ad below. What do you think about it? Any good? Results?

Before you wield your magic opinion on it, remember this: YOU ARE NOT YOUR CUSTOMER.

Why’s that important?

Well, for the simple reason that what we think may or may not work, really doesn’t matter.

What counts, is what your customers’ say.

Put yourself in the mind of a prospect who is in the market for an interior designer. You’ve been bombarded with the usual catalogue of pomposity, bragging and down right ludicrious.

Then, along comes this ad. The one you see below. 

One thing you may agree on is that it certainnly looks and ’sound’ much different than most other ads and promotional pieces you find out there.

Did it make a trickle, or cause a stampede?

Well, I’ll be telling you the low down in a couple of posts time. 

The Interior Living Specialists

Give Us Just 30 Minutes and We’ll Show You How to Transform Any Room Into A Dynamic, Can’t–Stay-Away-From, Want To Live In, Cosy Pad!

Have you ever found yourself  stuck when trying to think of the best combinations for dressing up your windows? Have you ever wanted to find out which blinds, curtains, pelmets, matching curtain rods… would be suitable for you? Or, did you need expert advice about matching sofa covers, fabrics, re-upholstery and other useful help…  but have been turned off because the people you’ve gone to for help, seemed stuffy, unhelpful and woefully expensive?

Well, it seems you’re not alone! We’ve discovered that there are a lot of unhappy, disgruntled customers who are exactly in the same situation you are!

We here at  XXXXXXXX  have decided to do something about it. We’ve condensed all our knowledge and created a FREE, 30 Minute “Interior Design Audit”. It’s simple to carry out. It’s fun, it’s comprehensive and you’ll enjoy it. Your house may really really thank you! And, your friends may soon accuse you of winning the lottery!
HERE’S OUR BIG PROMISE TO YOU: We promise not to pressure you, Not to overload you with technical jargon. Not to smother you with irrelevant concepts, ideas or advice. We promise not to hard sell you on anything. If there’s something you feel comfortable with, and would like to proceed with things, you’ll be the ones to let us know.
As our “Interior Design Audit” diary is filling up fast, it’ll take upto a week or two to fit you in. So, we urge you to secure your place now. PLUS, when you book your spot, we’ll be sending you a copy of our special report called, “

10 Simple Ways to Breathe Life to Your Living Environment!”      
  CONTACT US QUICK AND YOU COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR OUR CHRISTMAS OFFER SPECIAL!
You can book your Interior Design Audit by email on XXXXXXXXXX By FAX on: XXXXXXXXX, or by phone on

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  Please ask for XXXXX or XXXXXX  Thank you

Falling in Love With Your Clients is the Most Endearing You Can Do For Your Business or Practice

Many business owners, consultants, elite service professionals, couldn’t give two hoots what their clients and customers think. Many are so self
engrossed about making their business or practice bigger, chasing after the new elusive client that they leave behind the geese that laid their existing golden eggs.

It’s not that chasing after new game is wrong. Heck, there needs to be a constant flow of new clients coming into the pipeline of every type of profit based enterprise!

So, where does it all begin, this falling in love with your clients mindset? Well, it all begins with the way clients and prospects are viewed in the first place. You see, there’s a glaring difference in viewing people who purchase from you, as customers, than it is if you view them as clients.

So, what is the difference? Well, a customer is just that, a customer – someone who purchases the goods or services you offer. It’s all pretty neat and tidy.

However, when viewing those same people as clients the attitudinal shift begins. Let me graphically explain this difference. Imagine you’re a lawyer. You’ve a prospective client who’s been referred to you by a previous satisfied client.  

If you were simply customer focused, you’d do what you can in the normal flow of things to secure this prospect as your client.  He can take your services, or not. Now, viewing them as a client, you’ve now taken it upon yourself to guide, steer, lead this person to a happy and productive outcome… even if you were not the logical choice for your prospect and he went somewhere else for what you offer!

You see, you’ve now taken this client under your wing, under your ‘authority.  You’re now looking out for your prospect’s best interest. The client is under your protection!  Seems an outrageous way of thinking, doesn’t it?

But let me tell you, this kind of ‘looking after and looking out for your client’  is what gives them security, gives them a cheer in their heart, gives them a trust factor that you’d work extremely hard at getting in any other way.

Again, you’re truly and sincerely looking after their best interests.  It’s you, telling them and showing them how to get out and steer clear of the pot holes in their life.  And then, showing them how what you do  in your business or service could be the best solution for them.     

It’s where the love affair begins, right from the outset.  This simple shift in thinking in terms of either a customer mindset, or a CLIENT MINDSET, could work wonders for you also. Try it. Evaluate it. If  it works for you (and I see no reason for it not to)… REJOICE!

Raja C. Hireker
http://RajaHireker.com 

P.S  There’s a corker of a special offer for serious Online Business owners only. All you have to do is send an email to RCHireker@Simple-Marketing-Solutions.com with the words SPECIAL-E-OFFER in the subject line.   

  

The Secret to Being a RICH Direct Marketer or Copywriter… Has Little to Do with Your Writing Ability

Did you know that there are lawyers, accountants, even surgeons… who are broke, destitute and living on life’s crumbs?

Unbelievable, but true.

But how could that be? We’re living in the most glorious of times that anyone could ever want to live in. Look and see. Opportunity is all around. Money is flowing in the streets. People are spending, left, right and center. Wealth is spreading like a virus

It couldn’t be that these ‘professionals’ are thinking there’s a downturn in the economy? Perish the thought.No.

The real reason that these people, and let me quickly add that this is the same scenario for a segment of people in ALL professions and industries – including professionals of every type - is that they’ve not marketed themselves to any sort of satisfaction, and, they’ve not practiced – THICK FACE, BLACK HEART.

“What!”…

Yes. You see, if it were left up to just doing the technical expertise, you know, the DOING of the profession, without the need for any sort of marketing, then everyone would be rich, right?

But, that’s not the case. See, once a person, a professional if you will, can keep a straight face when quoting the fee to the prospective client, the money will come.And…It’ll come in a rush.It’s like this – once you set your parameters of how you want to trade, how you want clients to act, what you’ll accept and what you won’t, you’ll attract the exact type and caliber of clients you’re looking for.

It’s a strange law of nature, but we’d all better heed its miraculous power if we’re looking to get rich. If we don’t act on its wisdom, we’ll soon be sharing the bargain bucket basement pad with the rest of those ‘poor professionals’.

For that’s what TIMID MARKETING will get us.

So, how does one go about getting this THICK FACE, BLACK HEART attitude?

Well, for one, go get the book with the same name. It’s by author Chin-Ning Chu, and there’s some priceless stuff in there.  

Like on page 119, where Chin-Ning Chu talks about moderate versus extreme criticism, she says… “ Use Thick Face to shield yourself from potential criticism and send your work to the world. You might be surprised at its reception.”       

Also, whilst you’re at it, get yourself a copy of Robert Ringer’s bestseller “To Be or Not to Be Intimidated? That is The Question”.What these books will do for you is something really quite remarkable. They’ll give you the inner strength to help you become immune to criticism. Your own criticism!See, we all talk ourselves out of a good deal, out of a good life, out of a good relationship. Don’t we?It’s not that we don’t want to do, achieve, aspire. Deep down we do. But, on the surface, there’s a lunatic critic lurking. And… it’s us!

We’ve just got to acknowledge that we self sabotage ourselves when the going gets good. And, we need to side step it, get out of our own way, and get good at valuing ourselves.  

Another way to get real focused about the value you possess as a copywriter and marketer, and, what you can do for others, is to get yourself a mirror! Maybe a square thing, 12 x 12 inches.What you’re going to do next is your going to look into it. And, without flinching, you’re going to act as if you’ve a prospect in front of you and you’re going to quote the fee that you feel you’re worth. Do it, and see how it feels. Note what occurs. Write it down. Go over it again. Record what your physiology’s telling you, your thoughts, your assessment of the whole thing.By doing this over a period of time (by the way, it takes 21 days for a practice, to become a habit) you’ll master the art of quoting without flinching and… you’ll feel totally comfortable about walking away if a possible client doesn’t accept your terms.

Let me tell you, there’s a feeling of liberation and unusual ease when you don’t care what the client thinks. You know you’ve got the chops, the expertise, the skill that these people’ will kill for.

It’s just that YOU don’t quite believe it yet.Once you believe your value and worth, and what it is you can bring to the table for yourself, and for business owners, you’ll soar into the RICH ZONE.Like it?

Then… get practicing with the mirror, get the books and read them, and… get yourself a savvy accountant who’ll help you manage all the money that’ll soon flow your way.

Raja C. Hireker
http://RajaHireker.com  

Copywriting Mastery… From a ‘Down and Out’ Train Traveller!

You never know where your next piece of marketing brilliance, will come from!

You never can tell. Really!

I’m on the train, got my journal open, and I’m ready to pour out the info that’s built in my head for a project I’m doing for a client.

The ink flows, empty space on the page gets quickly swallowed.

And then, suddenly, the carriage atmosphere is rocked. 

A woman comes onto the non moving carriage, blurting her relationship woes into her mobile phone for all to hear. It’s possible the entire carriage knows “shaun”  is a naughty naughty boy!

And guess what? She decides to sit in the seats in front of me.

Great!! 

I’ve now got ’soap opera on a mobile’ in earshot.

But then again… so has everyone else!

I get back to my writing and thinking.

The train is now on its journey.

Barely two minutes pass and the interconnecting carriage doors whoosh open.

I look up. 

A scraggily looking, unshaven, 5 foot tennish pale guy, enters and immediately starts his talk…

“I’m sorry but I won’t take too much of your time, but I’m looking for eight pounds to get to (I couldn’t make out the place name he was talking about) so, if you can spare anything, then I’d be more than happy. Again, sorry to disturb you and please have a good journey”

Now, I may not have got everything corect there but, it’s close.

He came my way and I gave him… a £2 coin.

Here’s what’s instructive; here’s what’s important – see, this guy has ‘rehearsed’ his ‘ticket speech’ many many times over. And, he’s done it so it appears effortless.

He had just the right tonality, just the right word inflexion, just the right amount of emotion.

 Yes, in my books, this guy… was a PRO.

And, I’m sure he doesn’t even know it!

Do you realise how much people pay just to learn what this scraggily dressed young man did? How many ’selling’ and public speaking courses are out there trying to encapsulate what ths guy did?

I’d say it runs into the many millions.

This guy had practiced his ‘copywriting talk’ until he knows it inside out. It’s then that the fear leaves. So, for this guy, it’s never a question of timidity whatsoever. He’s over that.

And, the other thing; the sincerity of the guy is what got me to give.

I’m betting that whenever he gives his ’speech’ he’s taking in money. (Given you any clues about once you get a winning marketing document or speech under your belt, that it’ll perform for you… over and over again when rolled out to different audiences!)

KEY POINT: Reward excellence wherever you see it, for it will reward you in return!

Keep your eyes open, alert and curious. For you never know when your next marketing and copywriting ‘aha’ will hit. 

Happy Friday the 13th!

Raja C. Hireker
www.RajaHireker.com

  

The Consistent Key to Powerful Marketing Results… Every Time!!

I admit it. I messed up on the key to great marketing results.

Do you know the ‘mess up’ is I’m talking about?

Well, if you’ve noticed, since this blog’s innaguaration, there’s been a Copywriting and marketing post made… EVERY DAY.

Clicked yet?

Well, the key to marketing, to creating super precision copywriting is… to do it every day!

Seems ludicriously simple I know, but, know what?

IT WORKS!

How come I missed out a day?

Well, any excuse is as good as the next in the normal course of things, right?

All I can say in my defence is that my kitchen and bathroom have both looked like a bomb’s hit them.

And, quite frankly, it has –THE SLEDGEHAMMER BOMB!

Now of course, if you’re astute, you would’ve spotted the red herring — that being, there’s nothing the builders did that stopped me writing my post, was there?

I mean, it’s just a little scapegoat.

So yes, I did miss out on my marketing exercise routine.

But sure as day, I’ll be posting.

And come to think of it; today’s not better re the rubble and the dirt.

BUT…

I’m BLOGGING!

So there’s your precious key to accomplishing anything great or anything un-great for that matter…

DO SOMETHING THAT’LL MOVE YOU TO MASTERY IN WHAT IT IS YOU WANT… E-V-E-R-Y D-A-Y.

Simple advice. Heed it if you want the results of your life and your business life… to SOAR!

Happy Thursday.

Raja C. Hireker
http://RajaHireker.com

  

  

For Heaven’s Sake You Pros’… Make it Easy For Prospects to Buy From You!

Life’s pretty amazing.

You struggle, get qualified, invest a ton of time, money, energy to get your enterprise into the hearts and minds of your potential prospects…

And then what?

“There’s no way to get to you!!”

Of course, I don’t mean “you”. But I think you get the picture.

You could’ve experienced something similar when wanting to buy some other product or service.

You know, you’re all eager to buy because you’ve done your homework on getting the right measurements for the unit you want in the living room. And then… you hop down to the store because of the offer you’ve seen splashed about in your local area.

Only to find that once there at the store… there’s no one there paying attention to you!

You think that maybe it’s a busy time of day, but as you scan around the shop, you see that it’s pretty nearly empty.

Not good.

In your own way, are you blocking people from wanting to hire you for your services?

You see, it’s very easy to let the world know who we are and what we can do for them. But, it’s an altogether different skill in making it easy for people to reach us once their interest is piqued.

Have you ever thought about using a dedicated voicemail system? That way, if people are trying to reach you, they can leave their message for you to pick up at a later time. 

Nothing worse for a potential client who’s trying to reach you, and all they keep getting is the engaged or busy signal.

Another way is to let clients and customers know that you’ll be available’LIVE’ on the phones between such and such a time on pre-defined days.

I don’t know about you, but when I’m in the middle of a project or I have to meet a deadline, I really don’t like being disturbed.

If you use email, use it wisely. Promote the fact that you have one. And, when people reach you that way, let people know that you’ll be in touch soon.

Nothing bad will happen if you dont’ respond to their email ‘there and then’.

Be kind, be respectful and let people also understand the valuable nature of YOUR time.

There’s various ways for people to reach you.

Respond accordingly without it leaving you bedraggled, puffed or panicked.

 ’Til tomorrow   
 Raja C. Hireker
www.RajaHireker.com

P.S. If you’re not a subscriber to the ‘Swinging for The Fences Newsletter’, why on earth not?
Just kidding. Here, have a peek at what you’ve been missing all this time: http://www.rajahireker.com/s4tfencesmar07.pdf

      

   

  

Crush The Marketing Myth That Says “Professionals – Thou Shall Not Advertise!”

The biggest trouble (and I get told this many many times) facing many consultants, coaches and elite service professionals,  is that they are in unchartered territory when it comes to… marketing, promoting  and selling themselves.

You see, now that you’ve become an ‘ELITE SERVICE PROFESSIONAL’,  and it’s absolutely the same whether we’re talking about …

… a dentist, a chiropractor, mortgage consultant, financial advisor, professional speaker, accountant, lawyer, doctor, Internet marketing consultant, chiropodist, healer, hypnotist, lifecoach… you name it…

You’ve now got to attract people in to use your services… right?

Well, you’d be surprised how many of us feel that just because ‘we’ve got the qualification, been through the academic and learning ‘process’… that there will be an automatic stampede to our doors…

… that somehow, our client book overflows to bursting… without a jot of effort on our part!

Let me tell you; there are starving professionals in every discipline and industry you care to name.

Maxwell Maltz was a pioneer in the area of facial plastic surgery in the 1960’s. When he told his family what he was going to become, they laughed, sneered, made fun of him.

The day soon arrived when he was officially anointed a ‘plastic surgeon’. He set up practice. First day, no clients. Second day, no clients. First week, no clients. Second week. No clients. Max would sit by his phone, waiting, hoping, praying that somehow, miraculously, there’s be a rush to his door.

Never happened.

It was only in the third week when a friend of Max’s dropped by with a person who would need the services of a plastic surgeon. On phoning back, the prospect wanted to know if such and such date was available.

Of course, Max had no clients, though he wanted the prospect to feel that he was a busy surgeon. So, Max proceeded to thumb through his diary, rustling pages as he went along, all the while saying ‘booked’, now let me see -booked’, ah yes, there’s a slot in a couple of week time, is that okay to go ahead and book?

And that’s how Maxewll Maltz, famous pioneering surgeon got his first client and how he then went on to be a mega-rich, successful surgeon, serving and providing facial cosmetic surgery to the stars and elite of society.

Now, frankly, I don’t think it’s a great way to conduct business, waiting, staring blankly, hoping for the phone to ring, for the doorbell to be rung, for a referral to come spluttering your direction.

There’s a better way.

Being proactive, helps. Selecting the exact clients you want, finding ways to reach them, presenting them with sparkling offers, writing articles, creating newsletters, having client showcases… are all things one can DO.

Very few do any of the above. Why? The answer is rooted in a professional mindset that says something to the effect of ‘thou shall not advertise’.

That particular phrase has literally stopped many elite service professionals, consultants, business entrepreneurs… dead in their tracks. Instead, what they’d rather do is to simply trust their success to that age old thinking ‘because I’ve got a better mousetrap, people will automatically come and marvel at my invention, and… will all want one!’

Whatever profession, whatever, industry, whether selling tangibles or intangibles, whether it’s to individuals, teams, partners, owners CEO’s…it doesn’t matter; it all has to be strategised, marketed and communicated!

If you’re seriously looking to capitalise on the strengths and skills you’ve carefully assembled together, hadn’t you better take full advantage and serve the people who are literally begging that you show up on their doorstep?

Then, DON’T DO what the struggling solo entrepreneur or professional does. DO THE OPPOSITE!

The key to being successful in any discipline is to master one aspect, and then move on to the next. If you keep doing that, pretty soon, you’ll be a bona-fide expert, running rings around your competitors. And, at the same time, giving your clients extraordinary value that’ll have them telling others how fabulous you are.

Now that’s something they definitely DO NOT tell you at business school or business set up seminars!

Have a fabulous day!

Raja Hireker
www.RajaHireker.com

P.S. If you’re looking for assistance in cranking up your sales letters and marketing documents to bring you greater rewards, please checkout – http://RajaHireker.com/copywriting.html

Crank Professionals, Crappy Marketing… Making a Bundle! (part 2)

Picking up from the last post…

What it is about these ‘under developed’ service
providers, that allows them to enjoy the sweet
adulation  of their raving fans?

You’ve all heard about the motivational gurus
who have you so pumped up at end of their seminars,
you look like the goodyear blimp ready to launch
into the skies…

Well, the people I’m referring to have an in-built,
natural personality, warts and all… without the need
for a tank of helium by their side. 

Yes. With these people, there’s no pretence, no
smoke and mirrors, no impressive jargon, no
glossy brochure, no flash driven, bells and whistles
website.

What you see is what you get.

Yet somehow, somehow through the crowded jungle
marketplace, these people shine.  

They could be quiet, balding, language poor, appauling
marketing and technology skills, wear unpolished shoes…

But…

BOTTOM LINE:  they’re loved.

They’ve mastered the simple art of communicating from
the the heart, of being authentic to the core.

You’ll not find many.

But when you do, watch them like A hawk. For it’ll
be the finest marketing and human skills education you’ll
ever receive.

Listen to this: People will pay you in direct proportion to
how you make them feel. Make them feel great and you
can rake in a glorious bundle.

And when I say ‘make them feel great’, I’m not merely
talking about the false promise of the future…

I’m talking about…
the warm, sincere substance you’ll deliver that’ll set
about a permanent change in the heart and mind of your
prospects and clients.   

I hope you get that, I mean really really get that, for you’ll
see that you’ve no need to ever attend a high priced seminar
that proposes to teach you how to connect with your prospects,
clients and customers, better.

Promise me you’ll take this message to heart.

Happy March 2007 ending.
Raja C Hireker
http://www.RajaHireker.com

Crank Professionals, Crappy Marketing… Making a Bundle!

Who the heck said… life isn’t fair?

Let me tell you…
I’ve recently stumbled onto something. It’s BIG.

Also… It’s nauseous, it’s painful and it’ll ruin your appetite.
Your appetite for doing things… the RIGHT WAY!

Let me explain…

It’s come to my attention that there, in the darkest
alleyways, in the dimmest lit hovels, in the quackery
corner close to all our homes…

…breeds… a BEAST!

Strangely, that beast is making money, gobs of it, in many
currencies you’d care to name.

And yet, the beast has the fewest credentials, the
lowliest of manners, the crappiest of marketing
documents, and…

Is still loved and adored by his customers!

Yes, you read that right, no adjustment to your glasses
necessary.  

Who is this mysterious beast? Doctors, accountants, laywers,
marketers, Internet specialists, business coaches, therapists,
consultants and service pros of all kinds…

They’re all at it!So, how are they able to produce their money making
magic, when those who are respected, well mannered
highly qualified and enormously educated…

… are pottering around, head in hands, bills mounting?It’s a secret that you need to know about.
And… it’s coming, soon.

Stay glued to this blog.

For it’ll spark the creativity and desire within you to do great
things. 

RC Hireker
www.RajaHireker.com