What Have You Got To Lose?

I call today’s idea the how to become besties with your brand’s influencers hack. It’s inspired by my recent interview with Stu Gregor, the creator of Four Pillars Gin. Every business (including yours) has a group of people who have the ability to exponentially increase its customer base. Us marketing wankers call them brand influencers! They have the attention and respect of people that you’d love to get in front of, and often in quantities that you’d kill for. For my podcast business, having The Small Business Big Marketing Show available in-flight on Virgin Australia was a game changer. For my speaking business, ensuring that key personnel from speaker bureaus know about my keynote and emceeing skills (or lack thereof) means that I get plenty of conference work. And having my blog posts appear on small business association websites like The Small Business Institute has increased my website traffic by multiples. But partnerships like these don’t just happen. They require upfront work and ongoing nurturing. So, here’s my 3-steps to becoming besties with your brand’s influencers: Make a list of 20 people and / or businesses that you’d love to have talk glowingly about your business. For each one on that list, get crystal clear on what it is you’d like them to do for you … and just as (if not more) importantly, get clear on what you can do for them. Send each one a personalised, handwritten note of introduction, together with your product. If you’re service provider, then this could be a voucher to try your services. Pro-Tip: Follow each one up. Don’t just send and forget hoping that everyone will call you with gushing thank-yous. The money is in the follow-up. That’s my 3-steps to becoming besties with your brand’s influencers. To help you bring this low-cost marketing idea to life, here's some tips on How to reach out to influencers so they can’t say no As always, you’ll find more marketing inspiration in my popular marketing text The Boomerang Effect. So, what have you got to lose?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If your marketing budget is tight, you may not be able to always afford content writers to whip our content for your blog. So, insteadof creating something new, breathe new life into information that already exists on the web. I call today’s idea breathing life into old data. There are a ton of data studies and stats available online, and while some of these studies may get initial traction, many often go unotticed.  So, here’s my 3-steps to breathing life into old data: Find some research that relates to your industry, and that would be of interest to your customers. Give it a polish. Highlight the most important parts of the study, add some cool images, crank out some charts, and add your own thoughts and predictions based on the data. Post it to your blog (being sure to acknowledge the original source) then get the word out that the wait is over ... the world’s most amazing research study is now available. Pro-Tip: Get some influential people to contribute their thoughts and opinions. That way, when it’s time to share your ground-breaking blog post, they will as well. That’s amplification, right there! That’s my 3-steps to breathing life into old data. To help you bring this low-cost marketing idea to life, here's 5 proven ways to make your blog posts look amazing. As always, you’ll find more marketing inspiration in my popular marketing text The Boomerang Effect. So, what have you got to lose?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's enough boring presenters out there. Here's how to ensure you're not one of them by making your boring presentation interesting.  I call today’s idea the chunk it ‘til you make it hack. Over the years I’ve been a keynote speaker at hundreds of conferences all over the world. My most popular keynote is one in which I explain why and how to create insanely helpful marketing. It’s full of solid ideas that I know deeply resonate with my business owning audience. But it wasn’t always that way. For a long time, my presentations were simply a jumble of ideas, presented in a fairly non-persuasive way. That all changed when I learnt to package my ideas into chunks, made up of three key elements. So, here’s my 3-steps to chunking it ‘til you make it: Get crystal clear on the idea you want to communicate. Come up with a story and a funny that supports your idea. The story doesn’t need to be overly complicated and the funny doesn’t need to be side-splitting - just enough to put a smile on people’s faces. Write out the chunk word-for-word - that way you get to familiarise yourself with it, deleting unnecessary words and adding more appropriate one as you go. Pro-Tip: Use this formula for creating a 30-minute presentation, made up of say five chunks, create a slide deck and then find an audience to present it to. You’ll be amazed at how much easier it is get your points across. That’s my 3-steps to chunking it ‘til you make it. To help you bring this low-cost marketing idea to life, here's some additional resources: [Book] Stories for Work by Gabrielle Dolan [Book] Power Stories by Valerie Kkoo [Interview] Power Story's author Valerie Kkoo As always, you’ll find more marketing inspiration in my popular marketing text The Boomerang Effect. So, what have you got to lose?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having a website is one thing. Capturing the email addresses of your visitors is another. Do it, and you're on your way to engaging with them on an ongoing basis. Turning prospects into buyers. I call today’s idea the secret to getting your first 153 email subscribers. You’ve got a website, right? And unless it’s an eCommerce site where customers come back often to repurchase, your website probably gets visited once, maybe twice by prospects checking you out before they buy. If that’s the case, then it would be a damn good idea to offer something of high perceived value in return for their email address. That way you can have an ongoing email conversation with them over the coming weeks, months and years. So, here’s my 3-steps to getting your first 153 email subscribers: Decide on what you’re going to giveaway in return for their precious email address. It could be an eBook, a series of video tutorials or a free course that helps prospects make a more informed purchase decision. Subscribe to an email marketing service like MailChimp or Active Campaign, and embed the opt-in form these services give you onto your website. Set the form up so that when someone completes the it, they are automatically emailed your giveaway. Then, as your list grows you can choose to manually send broadcast emails to the entire list with special offers, helpful tips or useful news about your business. Pro-Tip: If you think email marketing is dead, then lose that attitude. It’s holding you back. Any marketing done well, that’s helpful by nature, will be welcomed by the recipient. That’s my 3-steps to getting your first 153 email subscribers. To help you bring this low-cost marketing idea to life, here's some additional resources: How to write high converting emails 9 irresistible incentives to grow your email list like crazy As always, you’ll find more marketing inspiration in my popular marketing text The Boomerang Effect. So, what have you got to lose?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every business could do with some free publicity and every journalist could do with a great story. I call today’s idea the free publicity hack. How’s this for a perfect storm? Your business would love some free publicity to attract more customers … and journalists have an endless need for stories to fill newspapers, magazines, TV and radio shows, blogs and podcasts. So, here’s my 3-steps to getting some earned media coverage. Identify 10 journalists who have the attention of people you’d love to sell to, then find their contact details - Twitter is a great place to start. Get crystal clear on something newsworthy you’d like to tell them. It could be the findings from a research study you’ve conducted, or a new product or service you’ve launched that’s never been offered in your industry up until now. Whatever it is, be sure it has the WOW factor about it. Send them a BRIEF tweet, email or video in which you introduce yourself and your news story. Pro-Tip: The likelihood of this idea succeeding the first time is low, but it doesn't make it a bad idea. Journos are busy people and they’re inundated with pitches on a daily basis. Instead, make this part of your on-going marketing strategy, sending through one idea each quarter. Doing so will build your profile in the journos mind. That’s my 3-steps to getting some earned media coverage. To help you bring this low-cost marketing idea to life, here's some additional resources: How to find a journalist on Twitter [Blog] How to get free publicity [Podcast] As always, you’ll find more marketing inspiration in my popular marketing text The Boomerang Effect. So, what have you got to lose?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Intimately know the most efficient way to solve your client's problems. Afterall, being the most efficient business in your industry can be a great point-of-difference in a world of sameness. I call today’s idea the customer efficiency hack. Everytime I fly to Sydney I arrange for taxi-driver Joe to pick me up. This is unusual on three counts - 1. I prefer Uber over taxis; 2. There’s plenty of taxis waiting already outside; and 3. Joe’s the most expensive option. So why Joe? Well, I was reminded exactly why only yesterday. As we left Sydney airport, Joe pointed out the banked up traffic on the freeway leading into town - it was bumper-to-bumper and would have turned a 30-minute trip into easily an hour plus. So instead of joining the cue, he calmly weaved his way through side streets and got me, stress-free, to my CBD hotel in the usual 30-minutes. The lesson? Intimately know the most efficient way to solve your client's problems. In a world where everyone is time poor, time is the new currency, and people will pay you above the odds if you save them lots of it. So, here’s my 3-steps to ensuring your customers choose you every time: Have an intimate understanding of your client's’ problems that your business can solve. Map out how you can solve each one in the quickest, most pain-free way for them. Provide your most efficient solution … every time; and if you have client-facing staff, then make sure they do so as well. Pro-Tip: Don’t make a song and dance about it. Joe doesn’t. He just does what he knows is best for my situation. As a result, I use him every time. And no, you can’t have his number! That’s my 3-steps to being a ridiculously efficient business, ensuring customers choose you … every time. To help you bring this low-cost marketing idea to life, here's some additional resources: 6 tips to help you understand your client 5 ways businesses can stop wasting customers’ time As always, you’ll find more marketing inspiration in my popular marketing text The Boomerang Effect. So, what have you got to lose?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The importance of empathy in sales cannot be understated. So, here's my three steps to being a highly empathic business.  I call today’s idea the empathetic business hack. Two days ago my P-Plater son ran the oil dry in his car. Not pretty. A quick diagnosis by the roadside mechanic suggested that he’d need a new engine. Guessing a new engine wasn’t going to be cheap, my anxiety levels started to peak. My self talk went something like “Be cool, Timbo. Be cool. Just ring an engine specialist and they’ll calmly walk you through what needs doing. Knowledge is king, right?!” So that’s exactly what I did. But instead of putting me at ease, not only did he lack any hint of personality, he hit me with a barrage of technical questions - “What’s the VIN number? What’s the engine size? What oil were you using?” He paid no regard for how I was feeling … so I paid no regard for him, and moved on. My point? Businesses that show empathy for how a customer is feeling will maximise their chances of getting the sale. So, here’s my 3-steps to being an empathetic business: Truly understand the importance of this concept. Don’t pay it lip service … instead, spend some time respecting the power of empathy in business. Run a workshop with your staff where you identify all the different emotions a customer may be feeling when dealing with you. For example, if you’re a travel agent, some customers may be excited, others confused, some nervous. Make sure all customer-facing staff are clear on how to treat different customers based on their different emotional states. Pro-Tip: When you first meet your customer, don’t be afraid to ask how they’re feeling about their impending purchase. This is particularly effective for more high involvement purchases. That’s my 3-steps to closing more sales by being a more empathetic business. To help you bring this low-cost marketing idea to life, here's some additional resources: 6 habits of highly empathic people 5 tips to becoming more empathetic As always, you’ll find more marketing inspiration in my popular marketing text The Boomerang Effect. So, what have you got to lose?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If your business’s website is difficult to view on a mobile device then you are losing customers. Every day. Here’s my 3-steps to creating a responsive business website design for beginners (with 14 examples). I call today’s idea the Get Responsive or Get Lost hack. Your business website might look great on a computer, but how does it look on  your smartphone or tablet? Eight years ago (maybe even three) it didn’t matter much, but these days, if people can’t easily view your products and services from their mobile devices, you risk losing them to a competitor who has taken the time to make sure their website is optimised for every type of viewing experience. Just think about your own Internet viewing habits. Still listening to Spandau Ballet is cool. Maybe you can get away with that bob cut. But if you haven’t gotten with the times and made your website mobile responsive, then it’s time to make the move. You ARE losing business! So, here’s my 3-steps to creating a website that respects people’s small screen viewing habits: Get familiar with responsive website design. Go through your existing website with a fine tooth comb, dumping old content and adding new, helpful content. If you have n’t got a blog, then here’s a great time to add one. Work with your web team (designer and developer) to bring this to life. Pro-Tip: Set a completion date. Remember what it was like getting your current website live. It was like pulling teeth, right? Well, don’t let that happen again. Remember, every day without a responsive website is another day with less customers. That’s my 3-steps to creating a website that respects people’s small screen viewing habits. To help you bring this low-cost marketing idea to life, here's some additional resources: 14 best examples of mobile website design 2017 mobile marketing statistics that support this idea As always, you’ll find more marketing inspiration in my popular marketing text The Boomerang Effect. So, what have you got to lose?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’d like your prospects and customers to make a bigger effort to interact with you and your business, then consider the following points to help make your business more human. I call today’s idea the Humanising Business hack, and it’s all about making your business appear more human to your audience. Have you ever heard the saying “People buy from people?” Never a truer word spoken, methinks! Think about your own shopping habits - do you find yourself gravitating towards that happy shop attendant, or that website that has a human face to it. I’m shocked at just how many businesses (especially service-based businesses) avoid the human connection. Walking into a department store and it’s not easy getting assistance. Visit a business website and it’s not uncommon for there to be no mention of the people who work there, much less a photo or video of them. Why is that when creating an emotional connection between you and your prospect can increase the chance of sale by multiples? So, here’s my 3-steps to my Humanising Business hack: Audit all the places in your business where you can add a human touch - your website, social media channels, in-store, your email signature. For each of these places, brainstorm clever, shareable ways to be more human - to do this, consider asking a killer question like “What would Walt Disney do?” Implement your ideas. Don’t question them. Don’t judge them. Just implement them. Pro-Tip: This is not a one-off exercise. Make it a key part of your on-going marketing strategy to attract and retain more customers. Doing so will not only humanise your business, but set you apart from your non-human competition. That’s my 3-steps to my Humanising Business hack. To help you bring this low-cost marketing idea to life, here's some additional resources: How to make your business more human on social media 10 ways to convert more customers using psychology The Outer Sanctum podcast - I love the bios of the hosts Mama’s BBQ Chicken Bar - I love how the owner puts himself out there in his dance videos As always, you’ll find more marketing inspiration in my popular marketing text The Boomerang Effect. So, what have you got to lose?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes clever marketing ideas can be found in the strangest of places. Like way outside of your industry. I call today’s idea the Look Beyond Your Own Backyard hack. AKA, where to look for fresh, new marketing ideas. Now, I know some of you are so flush with ideas to get more customers that you're spoilt for choice. Let’s face it, you’ve been listening to The Small Business Big Marketing Show for how long?, and you've got a list as long as your arm. If that’s you, then it’s time to implement. But what if that’s not you? What if you’re part of that group of business owners who are staring at a blank page … stuck for ideas? That is not a fun place to be. Don’t stress though, because the answer is just outside your door, over the fence and around the corner. Here’s my 3-steps to helping you look beyond your own backyard: Acknowledge that all the great marketing ideas DO NOT live solely inside your industry. In fact, if you only ever look to what others in your industry are doing, then you’re limiting yourself and holding your business back, in a very big way. Accepting this will place you in a mindset to be more open to other ways of getting more customers. Start to look at the way businesses in completely unrelated industries market themselves. If you’re a real estate agent, then flick through clothing catalogues. If you’re a vet, then go to a gaming conference. If you’re a cafe owner, then check out jewellery shops. When you see a marketing idea you like, ask yourself “How could I implement this in my business?” Don’t be too literal, as the idea may not translate directly into your business; but it may spark something that does. Pro-Tip: When you do see an idea you love, don’t be afraid to contact the business owner and ask them questions about it. Who designed it? Was it hard to implement? How has it worked for them? They're in an unrelated business, so they should be happy to share. That’s my 3-steps to Looking Beyond Your Own Backyard. To help you bring this low-cost marketing idea to life, here's some additional resources: 25 hotel marketing ideas Every episode ever of The Small Business Big Marketing Show 10 content marketing ideas for accounting firms As always, you’ll find more marketing inspiration in my popular marketing text The Boomerang Effect. So, what have you got to lose?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I call today’s idea the Find time for a little marketing magic hack. If you’re like most small business owners, you’re probably sitting on a marketing idea or two that you just can’t find the courage or time to activate. It might be an idea you’ve heard on The Small Business Big Marketing Show, or you’ve seen some other business try. You’ve then squirreled it away into a fancy leather bound journal or into your Evernote app, for that one day when your decks will be clear and you can give it all you’ve got. Well, guess what? Time’s up. No more squirrelling. No more cogitating. No more procrastinating. The time has come for action. So, here’s my 3-steps to creating a little marketing magic: Pick one marketing idea you’ve been sitting on that you’d love to try. Find 75-minutes in the next 48-hours to focus entirely on this idea. When your scheduled time arrives, tell those around you that you’re not to be disturbed, and imagine Facebook was never invented. Then do whatever it takes to bring this idea to life. Make calls, brief designers, write copy, ask questions of others. Whatever it takes! Pro-Tip: Know that this may not be the big idea that will grow your business exponentially. But also know that in taking action, you’re a whole lot further ahead than you were 75-minutes ago! That’s my 3-steps to (possibly) creating a little marketing magic for your business. Remember, nothing ventured, nothing gained. And here’s some additional resources to bring this idea to life including a blog post on 11 ways to overcome procrastination, plus a link to my very own marketing book, The Boomerang Effect. Which BTW, I procrastinated over for a long while! So ... what have you got to lose?!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I call today’s idea Tell Your Story, Sell More Products Methodology. It’s so important to know how to sue storytelling in your marketing messages. Whether it be fact or fiction, everybody loves a good story. As a business owner, it’s important you take the time to develop interesting stories to share with customers and prospects to get them emotionally engaged in what you have to offer, and view you differently from your competition. Here’s an example of a simple fictional story about a farmer’s shirt from an old J.Peterman Company clothing catalogue: “When a man puts on this authentic French farmer’s shirt, he may very well find that his hands look bigger. Is that woman over there giving him the eye, and nodding toward the haystack? Yes, and he knows exactly what to do.” Telling your brand story is also a great way to build trust and remind people that at the end of the day, your business is managed and run by real humans. So, here’s my 3-steps to my Telling Your Story, and Selling More Products Methodology: Spend a lazy afternoon with a cheeky glass of red identifying all the parts of your business for which you could tell a story - this could include your product range, your approach to customer service, your why you exist story, and stories about each team member, just to name a few. Start writing a story about just one of those aspects of your business. It doesn’t need to be long or hilariously funny. Just something that engages the reader enough for them to want more. And if writing isn’t your thing, then consider telling these stories on video or audio. Publish each story in the appropriate places - on your website, in your brochures, counter cards, incorporate them in your new-business slide deck - where ever they will get seen. Pro-Tip: Done well, storytelling is a game changer, so consider employing a copywriter to help extract these stories from the depths of your mind, and wordsmith them so that they pop off the page or screen. That’s my 3-steps to Telling Your Story and Selling More Products Methodology. Here’s some resources to help you bring this low cost marketing idea to life: [Book] Stories For Work - An essential guide to business storytelling [Blog] Storytelling - The secret ingredient of your marketing is missing The Story Behind TOMS Shoes As always, you’ll find more marketing inspiration in my popular marketing text The Boomerang Effect. So, what have you got to lose?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I call today’s idea the Helpful Email Series. One of the best ways you can differentiate from your competitors, grow your email list, and boost conversions is to show prospects that you’re willing to go out of your way to help them. A great way to do this is by offering a free email course that potential customers can stumble upon and subscribe to when they’re looking for answers to their questions. It’s also another great way to build loyalty and trust, because it gives you the opportunity to position yourself as someone who is genuinely committed to helping solve problems and provide solutions, and less as someone who is obsessed with trying to make a quick buck. So, here’s my 3-steps to creating an insanely helpful email series: Decide on the topic of your course. Cut straight to the chase by having it focus on THE core question people have when shopping for something in your industry. Write the lessons for your email course - try to keep them to less than seven. Start with an introduction, then go deeper as the course progresses. End the course with a strong call to action that helps people understand what to do next. Create a drip campaign for your course using a tool like Mailchimp or Active Campaign, then promote it by sending an email, writing a blog post, creating a landing page, and sharing it with your social media followers. Pro-Tip: Don’t over engineer it. Don’t feel like you have to write a mountain of words. Or record highly produced videos. Simply focus on making your content unbelievably helpful. That’s my 3-steps to creating an insanely helpful email series. To help you bring this low-cost marketing idea to life, here's some additional resources: How to create an email course that converts like crazy 15 of the best email marketing campaigns ever As always, you’ll find more marketing inspiration in my popular marketing text The Boomerang Effect. So, what have you got to lose?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I call today’s idea the Unhappy Customer Exit Interview. Seeing a customer leave is never a fun experience. When unhappy customers leave, you have to be able to put aside any personal feelings you might have and recognise the situation as an opportunity to learn. f you want to improve your customer experience and retention over time, make a habit of conducting exit interviews with customers who have made the decision to walk away. Here’s my 3-steps to nailing an Exit Interview: Think about what kind of questions you want to ask your customers before they go. This is no time to hold back … find the courage to ask the questions that may result in negative feedback like - How was it doing business with us? What were we particularly bad at? What could we do so much better? Your goal is to figure out why your customer is leaving, what went wrong, and how you can make improvements going forward. If you can’t perform your exit interviews in person, use a tool like Qualaroo or Google Forms to create your exit survey. When a customer makes it known that they know longer wish to do business with you, ask them if they’d be willing to provide feedback by filling out your exit interview form. Review feedback and determine if there are any improvements that can be made at your business. Pro-Tip: If the customer gets angry or overly negative, don’t take it personally. Don’t get in an argument with them, don’t try and provide your side of the story … just smile and thank them. Once you’ve got your cool back, then figure out what improvements you can make to avoid losing another customer under the same circumstances. That’s my 3-steps to nailing Exit Interviews. To help you bring this low-cost marketing idea to life, here's some additional resources: Google Forms Qualaroo Survey Monkey As always, you’ll find more marketing inspiration in my popular marketing text The Boomerang Effect. So, what have you got to lose?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I call today’s idea the 185-Second Follow-Up hack. How many clients and prospects do you have on your I’ll get back to them one day list? If you’re like most business owners, it’ll be quite a long list. Business gets in the way, and you get distracted from following these people up; which is kind of silly given how close they are to buying from you. So, let me show you how to convert this low-hanging fruit into sales with this simple client follow-up idea … and all you need is your smart phone and a smile. Select the selfie video function on the Message app of your phone Record a short message to your client or prospect Hit send … then rinse and repeat Pro-Tip: If you’re a little nervous about being on video, then change your mindset. This is about your client, not you. So be less self-conscious, and know that you’re helping them make a more informed purchase-decision. That’s my 3-steps to the 185-Second Follow-Up hack. Here’s an additional resource to bring this helpful marketing idea to life - tips on how to record outstanding selfie videos. As always, you’ll find more marketing inspiration in my popular marketing text The Boomerang Effect. So, what have you got to lose?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.