“I Got A Guy” Syndrome

In decades past, great marketing was the province of ad agencies – think P & G, people with advertising and marketing degrees; think Super Bowl ads; think Coke versus Pepsi, Bud versus whatever cruddy yellow beer goes against Bud. With the advent of the internet and the decentralization of our economy, ushered in by layoffs of thousands and failures of inflated symbols of America’s consumer market, the “secrets” of successful marketing became available to ordinary folks dedicated to spending the time and money to learn and apply them. How that looks for the small business owner without the benefit of an ivy-league MBA, or even the self-made internet millionaire, is extensive, time-consuming and often expensive trial and error.

Most small business owners and entrepreneurs I know got into their particular field or niche because they are passionate or expert in a given enterprise, whether it is public speaking, woodworking, making and selling widgets, teaching Karate, etc., but they lack formal training in the intricacies of marketing. Internet marketing is even more challenging because it is constantly evolving and is not currently taught in most business degree programs or community colleges.

To summarize: as smart as they may be, even pioneers in their particular field, most business owners, entrepreneurs, etc. are not experts in traditional marketing or internet marketing. They may have gotten “lucky” finding some strategies that work, that they stick to. But the majority do not have the time, money, patience or inclination to make internet marketing mastery a full-time obsession. And that what it takes to be great. Hence the “I got a Guy” syndrome.

They may know someone who can put up a website, and maybe that person does a great job making a site that looks good. But does the web designer know how to drive traffic to the site? And does that business owner have control over making changes to the site as needed. Do they know how to make changes or even have access to make the changes?

Here is a true story: a local salon-owner paid “a Guy” to design her site. Then, she needed to make a minor change to it, like updating store hours, and “the Guy” did not return her calls. She even went as far as going to his wife’s place of business (they were acquaintances) and delivered a letter pleading with “the Guy” to at least contact her, so she could get the password to HER OWN SITE. And I asked, do you even know if he registered the URL in your name so you’ll have the chance to re register it? She answered “I don’t know.” She has given up on her site, after spending $1,500 on it initially. Down the drain. This situation is NOT Empowered.

Here is another real situation. A local internet marketing and web developer creates sites for his many prominent clients then charges them a monthly service fee. But if they ever want to change hosting or go with a different vendor, they can’t. If they stop paying him, their site goes down because HE has their URL. Nice job security for him. NOT Empowering for them.

Our team believes that internet marketing can and should be demystified and that business owners should have enough control to:

a) Understand what is involved in making informed marketing decisions

b) Protect their assets, and

c) Direct or engage in their own effective marketing.

After all, it’s their assets on the line.

A Marketing Survival Guide in the New Economy

Marketing Survival Guide in the New Economy:
Solutions for the 4 Most Pressing Marketing Problems

During tough economic times like these, small business owners are under increasing pressure to hold onto revenues and protect the bottom line. The harsh reality is that some may not be in business 6 months from now.

In these times, “business as usual” does not apply. In fact, business experts warn that cutting marketing expenses can be a fatal operating error.

It is more important than ever to spend your hard-earned dollars wisely for the greatest return on investment. But with so many choices, is it better to try new things or cling to what is tried and true (especially when what you’ve tried in the past, like your mutual fund portfolio, is yielding diminishing returns)?

In this article, we cover the most urgent questions small business owners are asking right now, as they navigate through a complex landscape of marketing choices. We hope to shed some much needed light on to your situation and are here to support your success.

The Power of Voice

Question # 1: Is your message being heard?

Problem: With so much competition for our attention, most advertising turns into so much noise. How can I assure my message is being heard?

Facts: Why Voice?

Broaden your Reach and Increase your Response Rate: Hearing is 10 times more powerful than reading alone. 53% of your clients are visual learners; 37% are auditory. Why not reach both?

Personalize your Message and Reinforce your Brand: Adding professional voice to your media increases credibility and recognition.

Make a Lasting Impact: People remember feelings, both positive and
negative. Voice is a powerful conduit. We provide the experience and
range; you select the tone that is right for you:

Authoritative and confident = credible
Provoke emotion = memorable;
Likeable and empathetic = trust

Audio Converts to Cash. Adding Voice and Video to your site provides these benefits:

Lends credibility
Provides social proof
Increases your site’s page ranking
Generates more traffic

Solution: Cut through the noise with voice to get your message heard.

The Power of the Internet

Question # 2: How are people finding you?

Problem: I know I should get my message online, but how does that stack up with traditional advertising that always worked in the past?

or… I already have a site, but I don’t know what it is doing for me.

Facts: Why Online?

Get in front of the very people that are searching for you: In 2008, there were 14 million searches for information on the internet PER DAY. Whereas five years ago consumers would turn to the yellow pages without question, 60% of them are more likely to go online to find a business listing or phone number and this number is growing exponentially.

Get Results by tailoring your message to more closely match what people need: 45% of people shopping online will take action if their selection criteria are met. To be viable, your service or product must meet a need. Our analytics department takes the guess-work out of your online campaign. We do the research, measure the results and make the course adjustments to get you in front of the audience most likely to buy.

Finding and reaching your target audience: Traffic generation and search optimization is a science that takes years to learn and changes rapidly. We are experienced navigators in this fast-moving current, using cutting-edge tools to help you effectively reach new markets.

Convert Searcher Into Buyers. Once they’ve found you, now what? The Sales Process, whether online or offline, is building a series of “Yeses.” Using a succession of appropriate “calls to action” for each step of the sales process, you will be more successful converting prospects into clients.

Effective Online Marketing is:

Affordable – new tools streamline a complex task, getting results fast while reducing costs

Trackable – unlike most traditional media, our online campaigns are d esigned to be fully measurable for an exact Return On Investment

Scaleable – you can start small and expand your campaign based on proven results

Solution: Use an online message to reach your target audience and help them say “Yes.” Selling Online is the Smart Way to Sell Directly to New Buyers.

The Power of Brand

Question # 3: Once they find me, how do I get potential customers to choose me over my competition?

Problem: Standing out in the crowd is difficult when you look just like everybody else. Everyone claims to be the best. How do make your offer irresistible?

Facts: What’s a Brand?

Your brand conveys who and what you are; it gives people a reason to buy, or not to buy. By definition, “A brand is a person’s gut feeling about a product, service or organization” (Marty Neumeier).

People do business with people they like and trust. Your brand must engage your prospect and encourage their trust and approval. Besides providing good service and a good product, the two most powerful ways to communicate your brand are: Good Copy and Good Graphics. Combined, they create the powerful, positive impression you need to stand out from your competition.

People make buying decisions when they are NOT confused. Hit them with too much information and they may just pass on your offer. People are looking for what you can do for them, not more information about you. Make it simple for them. Solve their problems, one-at-a-time.

Make it congruent. We saw an aerospace contractor who had a crumby website and hadn’t even bothered to set up the e-mail address on their site – they were using @yahoo.com. Now, would you hire someone to build a plane that couldn’t set up their own e-mail?

For a Brand that says “Buy,” Leverage the three Cs to:

Convert prospects to clients
Generate customer loyalty
Overcome price resistance
Keep clients coming back

Solution: If you are too close to the forest to see the trees, put your brand up through the three-Cs test: is it clear, compelling and congruent? If you aren’t sure, we can help you fine tune. And if necessary, we’ll add the fourth C: we’ll help you create one!

The Power of Integrated Marketing Solutions

Last Question (# 4): How can I work new methods into my marketing strategy without blowing my advertising budget?

Problem: Between the folks selling yellow page ads, radio spots, outdoor billboards, electronic signs, direct mail and print ads in newspapers and magazines, there’s nothing left of the pie! How does a person chose what works? Every advertising sales person claims they have the solution.

Facts: Money Talks

Our client went from generating $40K per month to $100K in less than a year. His success grew in part from implementing an integrated marketing strategy, effectively using online marketing to complement and enhance his offline marketing.

We combine positive branding, the power of multi-media and new traffic-generating technology to attract new prospective clients. When we drive targeted traffic to your optimized site, prospects become educated while you build credibility, gain trust and start building a relationship designed to last.

Every client is different, so every solution is unique. We work with your strengths and build on what is working. We can help you discover new revenue opportunities and either implement the plan for you or coach you to do it yourself. Either way, you will be EMPOWERED, or as we say, M-POWERED!

Schedule a Free 30-minute consultation. During your meeting, our team will:

Review your current marketing strategy
Review your brand and positioning
I dentify new potential revenue opportunities
Provide you with a written summary of our recommendations

Solution: Check us out now!

Note: As far as the pie, we can work with your other advertising partners to extend your message and your ad dollars. Since everything we do is trackable, measurable and scaleable, it is easy to monitor the results. Our goal is to increase that pie, so there is more pie left for you!

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Malia McKinney is the Director of M-Powered Media, a full-service agency specializing in integrated marketing solutions. Contact Malia at: malia@m-poweredmedia.com.