Top Ten Marketing Mistakes Talkback

So, Dominic Canterbury and I had a fine, fine time presenting "The Top Ten Marketing Mistakes Made By Small Business and What to do About it" last night.

For those of you who couldn't make it, we laughed, we cried, we laughed some more, we bobbed our heads to the pounding beats of the drum school upstairs (Ok, so the locale might need some changing next time) and I at least learned a lot.

So, dear attendees (and attendon'ts): What did you think of the class? Should we offer it again? Criticisms? Comments? Harsh invectives? Anything that we talked about last night that you have questions on? Anything you'd just like to chat with your fellow classmates on? This is the time. This is the place.

Posted by Hannah Albert, N.D., Minneapolis, Minnesota | Apr 26, 2006

I got alot out of the class, thank you Chris and Dom. Here are some food items for thought:

I acquired a newly distinct taste for how specific I could get re: who my ideal client is. I like the idea, yet have only mused about it up until now.

I realized I'm doing a lot of things right but my follow up needs H.E.L.P. How do I get people to actually come in and see me, after they are impressed by my website, my testimonials, my presence...? I need to create incentives for people to call.

I'm going to keep doing my newsletter after all. Blogsite will be focused specifically on case studies, aka interesting success stories.

Again thank you both! Hannah
Posted by Leila Anasazi, Seattle, Washington | Apr 26, 2006

Oh Chris, thank you for providing me with a forum for raving about your presentation. Because it's well worth a rave.

Obviously, you and Dominic Know Marketing. Your expertise is valuable. You presented us with the Top Ten Marketing Mistakes, using an array of examples sprinkled with in-the-moment problem solving.

By identifying Marketing Mistakes you gave us a path for thinking about our own approaches to "marketing" our businesses. You made it clear that there is a lot in the marketing realm that might better be left to the pros. However, you also gave us a lot of information and impetus to individually hone in on our "niche"--which is not the same as limiting our vision of our business; indeed, you were generous with permission for us to expand upon what we want in a client, thereby refining our market. For what worth does a great marketing plan have, if we don't really target our market?

The two of you have a delightful rapport, and your respect for each other shines through, adding to the merit of your information and my enjoyment of the evening.

Do keep the "ding". You invited us to pronounce, "ding" when your delivery was too speedy. We took the liberty of ding-ing you also at times when we didn't understand something you said. (Okay, so I also ding-ed you when you "threatened" to sing to us ;-) But seriously, this was just one way that you welcomed our participation, and this sent the message that even though you and Dominic are the "experts", our skills and views have value.

(Don't get a bell. Everone in the room was able to "reach" the "ding".)
Posted by Chris Haddad, Seattle, Washington | Apr 27, 2006

Yup, it's time for the bribe. It might just be a matter of making sure you get the contact info of potential clients so you can do your own follow up; or you could put toether some sort of honest bribe (Say a free consultation, a free report, etc etc) that talks to their particular issues.

Specifics are always more powerful than vaguearies (wow, I misspelled that), so saying "Come to Hannah Albert to Improve your health" is nowhere near as effective as saying, say "Come to Hannah Albert to shake off the run down feeling that's been plaguing your every working hour."

Or something. But the idea is to get specific and make sure that folks know your the answer to their problem.

Weee.
Posted by Chris Haddad, Seattle, Washington | Apr 27, 2006

Thanks, Leila. You're way too kind and I'm sure if Dom wasn't sulking over his computer being broken he'd say the same thing.

C