Thank you to all of you who reached out and touched Jane. She definitely needed the help!

Once again, you all proved to us how incredibly smart you are. You know your marketing stuff!

Here are just some of the great nuggets you gave her:

iThesius
“…my guess is that Jane isn’t charging nearly enough for her unique products…

Andrea
“Realize - there’s no less money in the world, it’s just doing different things than we’ve grown accustomed to. Right now people are looking for solutions to these problems. One of the things you could do is develop a product(s) that solves them….[move] instead [in] the direction of ‘how can I help you (via my jewelry and my jewelry business/making expertise) get what you want’?…Start saying to yourself ‘I am a problem solver’ and then be open to what the Universe might bring you to fill that new you.

Matt Hegedus
Instead of dwelling on what isn’t working (and feeling bad), build a new “ferocious” mindset that allows you to quickly find what IS working and implement THAT instead.

Susan Dowe
Think outside the box and look and leave no stone unturned. Even during the great depression millions were made.

John Melanson
A recession is and can be viewed as the largest opportunity for growth and advancement to ever occur in our lifetimes. NOW is the time to realize and potentiate that energy. Your glass right now is neither half full or half empty…it is literally OVERFLOWING with possibilities. Take the mind set of that group of top-selling, top producing marketers and know deep inside that they were right, just and correct in “toasting” the recession.

And the winner of the Flip Mino camera is…

Hank Rosen
Jane, Key Concept Numero Uno . . .

“No Matter What - - - Value is King”

This merry band of marketing overachievers also appreciates a key historical fact.

Fortunes are made in good times. They’re also made in the worst of times.

Do you recognize any of these names?
Motorola
Hewlett-Packard
Xerox
Revlon
Ryder
Converse
La-Z-Boy
United Technologies
Texas Instruments

Would it surprise you to learn that they all took root in the depths of the Great Depression?

Why did so many long-lasting companies and products spring-forth from the Great Depression?

The reality is that good ideas implemented and marketed well will always find room for success.

So what were these enterprising entrepreneurs celebrating?

Their businesses will prosper – even in “bad times” because of what they know.

They know that even in the darkest times, business goes on.

They know that people are always buying and selling…it never stops.

They relish the knowledge that costs are lower. Media prices go down.

They love it that talented people are available, sometimes at “a steal.’

They savor less competition. They know many will either never start, or those already in the market will just fold their tent and give up.

They understand that during a recession the best ideas and products have a better chance of success when the competition isn’t offering one key element:

Value!

So dear Jane, know this . . .

The recession is not the enemy.

Your perception and attitude is.

Entrepreneurs who offer a product or service of better perceived value in the marketplace will always thrive.

And to that, I raise my glass in toast . . .
“Here’s to the Recession!”

Hank, email us at tactic7 [at] gmail dot com and your Flip will be on its way to you in no time!

Thank you all for your participation – stay tuned for this week’s contest on Wednesday.

All we can say is WOW!

What a response – you all gave awesome input into how “John” can solve his problem.

Here is just a sampling of some of the great stuff you shared (and by the way, John, if you are listening dude, now is the time to get your act together):

Thomas J. Raef  says:
Start video taping some testimonials. Putting the testimonials on his site might improve conversions. I know that when I hear someone talking about how much weight they lost after following some training regime, I’m more apt to listen further and maybe even try the product/service knowing that others have had great success with it…Rarely do people who are over weight or out of shape want to workout, but they sure do want to look and feel better.

We liked this because video is killing it out there. Period.

Ian  said this:
Run ads in the newspaper driving them to your page where you offer your workout DVD’s. (if you can’t afford media, offer to write an article in the newspaper on keeping fit and get them to plug you or pay you with media credit)

We liked this because even in this uber-online world, we must all remember offline marketing.

Shawn LeBrun had three quick and smart tips:

Here’s what I’d do, and what I’ve done, in this same niche…
1. Highly targeted Google Adwords campaign. Also, try to joint venture with complimentary, but non competitive websites who can do an endorsed marketing campaign to their lists.
2. If he can afford it, rent a mailing list of targeted buyers in his niche and send out a direct mail campaign., directing people to his site
3. Try to get some remnant display ad space in targeted magazines like Men’s Health, Men’s fitness, Muscle and Fitness and try to offer a free report in those magazines to get people back to his site

Some more really smart stuff you gave us:
“Test until they say ouch.” – Steve Markowski

“Why would I want to make a product about how to do something that wore me out?” - Loren Woirhaye

“The second thing John needs to do is to take advantage of ‘Piggyback SEO’ where he gets a top placement in Google and other search engines by linking to other high ranking sites.” - Colin James 

“At the end of the day, what John has to do is make sure he’s offering the right product to the right audience via the right media.” Sarah M.

“John is a LOT closer to success than he realizes. The market, while competitive, is ready for a new face with a new message. John just needs the right partner.” – Jay

“After the psycho-babble is over the truth is you do what is important to you. It doesn’t matter what it is, you will make time to do what you really want to do.” - Talmage Shipman

Tomorrow we will announce the winner of the Solve John’s Problem iPod contest
AND tell you about this week’s: Salute The Recession AND Win A Flip Mino Camera contest!

People wanted to get in on the contest but they are telling us that either they don’t have a business or they are just in the start-up phase.

So….we wanted to open this wider.

In addition to showing us how you solved a problem during the recession, you can also offer your suggestions and insight to the scenario that follows:

John would like to work full-time in Internet Marketing but he still needs a day job to bring home the family income. His wife encourages him to work online but knows that he is not yet ready to make that the primary source of their income.

John is a personal trainer whose clients get really good results. They lose weight, they get fit and trim and they enthusiastically recommend John to their friends. John trains in his clients’ homes and at the end of the day, he is physically (and mentally) exhausted, and, often, too tired to work on his Internet business when he gets home.

His website offers a 30-day training program that will allow people to jump-start their fitness and weight-loss goals. He offers effective diet and exercise solutions that people can do at home. He wrote the sales letter on the website himself and hired a graphic designer to lay out the site. He has lots of great information…but has no time to market and share it.

John thinks his biggest problem is that the weight-loss/fitness niche is too competitive and that there are many trainers offering programs similar to his.

He tried pay-per-click (PPC) but because the niche is so competitive, he couldn’t afford to stay in the running for long.

He doesn’t get enough traffic to his site to even evaluate whether his sales letter is effective.

So…here is the question for you:
What three specific steps should John take to bring traffic to his site and expand his online business so he can ditch his exhausting day job once and for all?

Please enter your suggestions below as comments. Be sure to leave your name so we can announce the winner!

Direct Marketing Superstar Joe Sugarman wants you to know there are great opportunities to be had in any era – and especially in a time of what most would call a bad economy.

And in fact, those who write direct response copy, Sugarman says, generally know before the general public when a recession is coming and, even better, when it is coming to an end.

Direct response is really a barometer of optimism. That’s because direct response is the best early indicator about what is happening in economy. Those who sell directly, such as mail order catalogs, are the first to feel the positive effects – people start buying from mail order stores before they go back to the brick-and-mortar stores.

And it is in this time that it is the most ideal to start marketing products and start advertising.

How?

• Link your product, service or expertise to the current trends. Example: During a recession (or a perception of one), people are more inclined to stay at home. For example, if people are staying at home, it makes sense that make money from home offers work better during a recession. And if people are reluctant to travel to seminars because of cost, than bring the seminars to them via webinars.

• Know their mindset. It’s not that people don’t want your product or service, it is that they are putting off buying decisions in many cases. They need an immediate reason to buy something now rather than later — show them they need the product now. For example, golf season is just beginning and it’s important you get the feel for this new driver so you can win big money off your buddies all season long.

• Use the recession to your advantage. As an example, media rates really start to drop at times like these. Drops in these prices represent amazing opportunities for direct marketers. Sugarman says much of his profit was made on the money he saved on media spending.

• Value, value, value. Build up to your offer so well and so convincingly that by the time you get to the price, your customer will see this as a mere number that is insignificant compared to the great value of your product or service.

Where are you right now in your marketing?
> Is your offer well-defined?
> Are you focusing on value over a price?
> Are you inside the mind of your customer?
> Is your solution clearly linked to something timely, current or newsworthy?

We have talked this week about the great marketer Dan Kennedy.

Dan is a really smart and successful guy. Dan knows what he is talking about. He also doesn’t mince words when it comes to pointing out what most people are doing wrong in their marketing.

One of the things Dan has talked about is math. Math in your marketing. As in, it’s really important to remember the numbers. And most people forget.

What do I mean? Some examples:

• Solidify your base. It takes time and costs money to acquire a new customer. It costs the same kind of time and money to replace a customer. Remember how important service is? Try not serving your customer and see what happens when you are constantly in “Replace Mode” instead of “Serving Mode” – not a great or profitable place to be.

• Mix and match. There is no one great new way of marketing. For that matter, there is no one “old-school” way either. There are enormous opportunities available to you when you find smart ways to combine new technologies with more traditional means of marketing. Find the match that works best for your business. Know your numbers. And you’ll know it when you get it.

• Give advice. Dan says, “Everybody should be giving advice, even if they are selling widgets.” Advice is money. Be someone worth listening to and learning from. Teach. Give. Inform. Don’t look at selling as just pushing and promoting.

• Respond! When someone asks you a question, gives you a call or, better yet, downloads or requests information from you, they are basically soliciting you. They want to give you their business. This is the lifeblood of your business! Know what they want and need and don’t screw it up!

• Realize that your competition is generally pretty stupid. You can out-do your competition pretty easily. As Dan says, most of the people you compete with are still in the dark ages! They don’t “get” marketing at all. They know less about the numbers than you do. In fact, your goal is to create a totally non-competitive environment. Why get caught up in that nonsense – you should be making the rules!

So…..where are you falling short when it comes to the numbers? What is your business math challenge?

Here’s a question for you: Has over-reacting to a situation ever served you well?

And by “served you well,” I mean did you gain from it in any real way?

And when you really thought about it, were you reacting or over-reacting to something that was even real in the first place?

Here’s why I ask: Chances are, you’ve watched TV or read the newspaper (or its online equivalent) lately.

Or maybe then nice lady in line at the grocery store told you.

Or you overhead it when you were out at dinner last night.

Wherever and whenever you heard or read it, the message sure was clear: The economy sucks. People are losing jobs. No one has money. Worse, no one has opportunities. Businesses are dying. Worst economy in a century…..

And so on, and so on….

Feel free to fall for the hype. That “go with the herd” and “over-react when the masses over-react” mentality is actually pretty common. (That’s why “the herd” and “the masses” have so many members!)

I hope you aren’t one of these folks, but chances are that you will be.

And the truth is that the vast majority of people will and do believe all the nonsense.

Dan Kennedy is kind of a successful guy, wouldn’t you say? (Ummmm.. yea!)

Dan Kennedy says that marketers should not over-react to circumstances. Times like these cause people to become conservative – which is exactly what the biggest successes do NOT do.

What happens is that the circumstances don’t cause some outcome (positive or negative).

The mindset causes the results – not the marketplace.

The most successful people take what is widely perceived as a negative and turn these things into what Dan Kennedy calls profound advantages. They take action with a positive outcome in mind.

Your actions depend on who you listen to. So why listen to trash? To garbage that doesn’t serve you or your business in any way?

Your mindset has nothing to do with what is going on “out there” or anywhere else. Your mindset is all yours. You control it. Not the lady at the grocery store or your negative neighbor or your grumpy colleague.

You are in control.

This is the time of great opportunity – listen to the marketing experts, to those who know how to work their minds and the marketplace to their profound advantage. The media is not concerned with your success. You can react to all the bad news hype or you can embrace the opportunity and, as they say, Rock The House in your business.

Here’s what we want you to do right now: Thing about what you perceive, right now, to be your biggest challenge or stumbling block in building or even starting your business. This would be that one thing that keeps you up at night and stresses you out during the day.

What is it? How real is it? How can you turn it into a Profound Advantage? Comment below and let us know….

Master marketer and copywriting guru Dan Kennedy wants you to know that the number one isn’t such a great thing in business.

In fact, The Number One is a dangerous thing.

It is a baaad number.

Hint: You don’t win when your business is all about the Number One.

Why?

Any time you find this number one, Kennedy says, you need to fix  it:

–> One source of leads? Fix it. Generate leads in numbers of ways. Word of mouth. Free info product. Social media. Good-old networking. Advertising. Marketing.

–>  One service? Fix it. Guess what? You’re an expert in more than you think. Work it! The “one-trick pony” thing is getting old. Expand your service line…now!

–>  One product? Fix it. No excuse for this. If you went to McDonald’s and had but one choice, a fish sandwich, and nothing else, you might not be a happy customer. You’d go to Burger King because their menu offered you more options — same with your customers and your competition. Give them every reason to stay with you!

–>  One type of customer? Fix it. Expand, offer your products and services to multiple markets. Don’t rely on one kind of customer. That market approach will never work.

–>  One source of revenue? Definitely fix it! A 7-figure business is all about multiple revenue streams — don’t limit yourself!

Think “ONE” sounds comfortable and dependable in during a tough economy or in a recession?

Think again. It is especially during a recession that change and, yes, massive opportunity make ONE the enemy. ONE is ugly. It’s boring. And it doesn’t work.

If you or your business is relying on one anything, you are setting yourself up for trouble. Guaranteed.

So what about you? What is your primary source of leads? Let us know — where do you get stuck with the NUMBER ONE? Add your comment below!

When it comes to pricing or putting a price on your product or service, there are different areas to consider…and all the more so during a recession or with customers who have a recession mindset.

What are some different considerations or pricing criteria? Here’s what you should not be basing your pricing on…statements like these:

• “My competitor charges X, so my price will be based (competition-based pricing)

• “I will make this price artificially high to create an illusion of higher value.” (and then lower it to look better in a prospect’s eyes – premium pricing)

• “I will be as aggressive and no-holds-barred as far as pricing my competitors out of the market.” (predatory pricing)

• “I will price my service or product at a number ending in a 99 or 97 instead of 00 – to give the perceiption of a ‘better’ price.) psychological pricing)

Here’s the thing with these and other not-so-great pricing rationalizations:
1. Being a competitor or beating your own competitor(s) based on pricing alone does not generally work in the long-run.

***If someone chooses you or hires you solely based on price, they will be unhappy when or if you change prices or alter any of the existing pricing structure. They will also be so focused on price that your services/product and accompanying service will become secondary. Not a basis for a long-term relationship.

2. Whether you are an online or offline business (or both), you will want to evaluate why your customers buy what they buy, how they make their decisions and what they really need and want. Then, price and connect with them accordingly.

***You are only as good as your information about your target market. Don’t ever assume something you don’t know for sure about the people you want to become your customers. Don’t price based on what you think – price based on what you know. And while you are at it, know very well what about pricing is important to them. Cater to them, speak their language and sell directly to them.

3. Connection is the way to go. Ultimately, your value to a customer is in your entire “package,” – service, longevity, flexibility, additional services, etc.

***Know that things like professionalism, accessibility and quality are those “priceless intangibles” that make all the difference. Connect with your customers and potential customers. Invest in your relationship with them. Price is but one factor in this multi-faceted equation.

So when it comes to the age-old question of how, when, if and how to re-price, you want to be sure to consider all factors involved – and, in most cases, you will want to consider them before you make even one pricing decision.

Naturally, your customers and potential customers consider price as a factor in their buying decisions. But you never want to be in a position in which price is the only deciding factor between you and a competitor.

Why?

Because what you offer and what you sell goes beyond a number or a price. It is about solutions. It is about value.

What is the value – not the price – of the service or product you are selling?

And, by the way, what are you selling? Your answer to this question should be more than the product or service you say you are selling. What you are selling represents the improvement in the business or even in the life of your customer. Is it more of something they desperately seek, like money or time? Is it freedom? Control?

Once you start thinking in these terms, you will find that the actual price tag you put on the solution is secondary - -though still important – to the bigger picture. Then the question becomes, how do you convey the importance, and the true value, to your potential customer?

* You speak their language. Know their problems, their issues and their concerns. Know them so well that you can hone in on what their pain is and on how your product/service will ease their pain. This is basic Marketing 101 stuff, and as important as ever.

* Don’t defend your price. Instead, show your potential customers how they cannot afford to be without your product/service. Think, instead, of what the cost for them of not taking advantage of what you are selling would be. Think, instead, of what their potential danger for “missing out” would be. Get good at conveying this, not just a bottom-line number, for them.

* Think in terms of saving, not spending. What would it cost someone who needs what you are selling to not have what they so need? (And you can even go beyond – how would they actually earn money by becoming your customer?)

* Don’t ever apologize. You are good at what you do. You offer a high-quality product or service. You are dedicated to customer success and satisfaction. Your pricing is not only reasonable and affordable – it is based on making your customer more money, and saving him time and other valuable resources along the way. He needs you and you exist to deliver to him!