Sales and Marketing Alignment Blog from Rod Sloane

Help Sales Understand Marketing

2011-12-23T12:24:00.002Z

In the recently (December 2012) Aberdeeen Report "Sales Performance Management 2012" , author Peter Ostrow has two recommendations to improve your sales performance.

Why bother?

Improved Sales Performance leads to more of your reps making quota, shorter sales cycles and bigger average deals. Sounds good to me.

Ostrow's first recommendation is to base sales compensation on team activities , the second is to

"Cross train sellers into other customer facing roles such as Marketing"

So what are your plans to help sales better understand Marketing?

My suggestion would be continue your work on jointly agreements on Culture, Language and People.

How about running more joint meetings, now if you need an external speaker why not ask....

Is your Marketing killing your Revenue?

2011-12-09T11:21:00.004Z

You've read how the new buyers journey is impacting on their decision making process.

Often suspects will research and validate what they need to know before approaching potential suppliers. Before approaching you!

Marketing's response to this new paradigm is content, more content, lots of content. A never ending avalanche of content.

And, you hold off giving that lead to sales and feed that baby more content.

The problem is your content is probably no better and just the same as your competitors.

Your webinars, white papers, seminars look the same.

Too much content will deluge your prospects.

Marketing think better content makes the difference,

Revenue focussed sales people know that better conversations make the difference.

Let your sales team off the leash.

Give them information to have better conversations, not more content.

Marketing Directors: Do you have access to the Sales Forecast?

2011-07-18T13:45:00.002+01:00

Can you tell me how the company revenue targets are doing YTD?

How many of the sales guys made quota last month?

How many will make their numbers this quarter?

Do you know these numbers? Do you have access?

In their Latest July 2011 Report on Sales Forecasting, Aberdeen Group state that 89% of Best In Class Companies share the sales forecast across the company. Less than 6 out of 10 of Laggard companies do.

So what, you might say.

The same report details a 17% year over year increase in Best In Class Companies team attainment of sales quota, Laggards are showing a decrease of 6.9%!

Get access to the sales forecast!

Demand access

Help your sales guys make their numbers.

What my Blog really looks like?

2011-06-30T00:35:00.001+01:00

The Wordle Cloud from the last six months entry.

What am I talking about?

'Taster' Seminar, London 21st June, Sales and Marketing Alignment Seminar

2011-06-13T10:12:00.002+01:00

On June 21st I will be delivering another 'taster' workshop on Sales and Marketing Alignment.

Why should you bother spending a morning with me?

Well, if you want to improve the customer buying experience, understand your buyer's journey and be able to understand when they are moving to their next stage, then please join me in Ealing on Tuesday June 21st.

More information here

This is an exclusive event for Sales and Marketing Directors only.

The Movie Intro...

2011-06-03T12:14:00.002+01:00

Who needs a Special Relationship when you can have something far more powerful: Alignment.

2011-05-25T13:51:00.001+01:00

Dateline London.

I am writing this during President Obama's state visit to the UK. Lots of pomp and circumstance, 41 gun salutes and posh banquets. Both the Queen and the President have used that term “Special Relationship" to describe something that's supposed to exist. Of course it's tosh, something just to appeal to the vanity in the Old Country. Earlier in the day the Prime Minister and the President had referred to an essential relationship, better, but still sugar coating.

What we have here is a failure to be realistic.

When the USA and UK's interests are the same then it makes sense to be aligned, not essential and certainly not special.

So it is in business when sales and marketing share the same interests and goals they will naturally be more aligned. Try telling one of your sales reps that you think she is special. Maybe not.

Alignment means no finger pointing when things go wrong. Working on your Culture, Language and People.

Alignment means common ownership of the pipeline and forecast. Goodbye to silos, hello to openness.

The end result meaning that you can improve the customer buying experience and generate more profitable revenue, more predictably.

Who needs a Special Relationship when you can have something far more powerful: Alignment.

Do You Need a Budget to Qualify as Lead?

2011-03-22T16:11:00.001Z

Should a prospect have a real budget for your services to be considered a lead/opportunity qualified to unleash your sales attack dogs, sorry I meant 'trusted advisors', of course.

Well, according to this Marketing Sherpa chart, 77% of marketers seem to pass leads to markerting that don't have a budget.

No frigging budget, dude!

Makes you wonder what qualifies for a lead in 2011?

How to Grab Attention

2011-03-18T14:20:00.000Z

Join me in London on Tuesday April 12th

2011-03-10T11:29:00.004Z

I am delivering a two hour morning seminar 'taster' on
Sales and Marketing Alignment in London on April 12th.

This complementary seminar is for Sales and Marketing Directors only.

We will look at the issues of:

> Increasing marketing's contribution to the sales pipeline

> Not delivering enough organic revenue growth

> Doing more with less

> Lack of respect between sales and marketing

If you want to know how to resolve these challenges,
then Reserve Your Place Now!

How do you know if your Marketing People are doing a good job?

2011-02-15T10:42:00.002Z

Can you tell?

It’s easy to tell if a sales person or account manager is doing a good job, you simply ask… are they making their numbers.

It’s easy to tell if a business development manager is effective, are they building a pipeline of quality opportunities.

So what about marketing? How do you if a marketing manager is doing a good job?

If you ask them to organise events and brochures without any day to day contact with business development and sales, I am going to suggest that it is virtually impossible. Is that a big claim?

Recently, I was talking to a Marketing Manager of a global software company. He had responsibilities for events, big global events. Any opportunities were then scooped up by sales and BD. If the business was won, then it was down to the brilliance of sales. If no sales were made then obviously marketing had put on a lousy event.

There was no communication between sales and marketing.
No Alignment. Not so much Mind The Gap as Grow the Gap.

Now, when I asked this Marketing Manager, who wanted to contribute to the Company’s overall success, how he was judged on whether he was doing an effective job, he said nothing. He just shrugged his shoulders. Sad, isn’t?

Now, I am not looking to point any fingers. If companies choose not to align their sales and marketing, not only are they missing out on opportunities and revenue but they are probably misallocating their scarce marketing resources. And the most expensive resource they are wasting is the talent of their marketing staff.
Shame!

Get Aligned!

Is there a Sales and Marketing Alignment Problem?

2010-10-28T16:36:00.002+01:00

What do your colleagues feel about the how well your Sales and Marketing teams work together?

Want a rough defintion of Sales and Marketing Alignment?

How about:

“A state of agreement or cooperation among Sales and Marketing, with a common cause or viewpoint.”

So is there coperation with a common cause, something like Revenue or not?

Tim Reisterer and Diane Emo wrote in "Customer Message Managment" a little section on "Is there a Problem". Tim and Diane suggest that you ask the following:

Is there a Sales and Marketing Alignment Problem?

My Role is:

I think that we have a Sales and Marketing Alignment problem because:

The challenges that could prevent us from correcting this problem are:

The company goals or projects that will suffer most if we don’t correct the problem are:

Could you answer those questions?

More importantly, could they be answered acrosss your company?

Would there be some agreement between Sales and Marketing on the answers?

Hey, you don't need any consultants to do this.

Why not give it a go?

If you want a nice Word Document or pdf with these questions , just drop me a line Rod Sloane.

Is there a Sales and Marketing Alignment Problem?

Interview with John Watton CMO of ShipServ

2010-10-01T18:54:00.003+01:00

My interview with John Watton

John has 20 years’ marketing leadership experience in the IT and telecommunications industry, spanning software, managed services and outsourcing. Before joining ShipServ, John was Director of Global Marketing for telecoms software pioneer Cramer Systems, where he was responsible for marketing communications and demand generation worldwide. In 2006 Cramer was acquired by Amdocs in one of the biggest ever deals involving a European software business.

Previously, John held marketing management positions at Microsoft, Ariba, SAP and Oracle.

John has received many awards in recognition of his marketing leadership and in 2009 was named Marketer of the Year by B2B Marketing Magazine. He has a B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Manchester.

Grey is the enemy of successful Sales and Marketing Alignment.

2010-09-29T14:09:00.001+01:00

You won’t achieve long lasting Sales and Marketing Alignment by fudging it, by compromising or by being fluffy!

Look at the CMO’s who have achieved successful new working practises such as Christine Crandell. You have to take a straightforward black and white approach. Know what you want, Know what you cab achieve and just do that.

Now, I’m not suggesting that you take outlandish risks or bet the farm on this. Your responsibility is not to change the world; it’s just to get a few sales and marketing people working closer together.

Why not start with those who are open to your ideas of collaboration and cooperation?

Remember don’t shoot the collaborators, instead praise them.

Keep it simple

Keep it black and white.

Ditch the grey!

Are you going to the 2010 Marketing and Sales Alignment Executive Forum?

2010-09-28T15:47:00.002+01:00

I am, it looks an excellent event that Corporate Visions have put together with some good speakers.
Particularly looking forward to the Case Study presentations.

If you are going, please say hello to this Englishman.

I've never been to Lake Tahoe or even Nevada before.

I bet that weather at Lake Tahoe is warmer than London, in October.
Now that is something you can bet on!

http://corpv.com/conference/index.html

Culture

2010-09-13T17:53:00.001+01:00

Does your company have a formal statement of it's culture?

Is it public?

Can I read it on your website?

If not, why not?

This statement is often referred to as your Core Values. If you think this is somewhat namby-pamby for my No-Bull style, can I just suggest that businesses such as IBM, Accenture and Tesco all publish their Core Values.
That’s good enough for me.

Do your Core Values document how staff are expected to behave to each other?

How are staff told about this & how is it maintained?

Does your culture effect hiring and firing?

Would you hire a "star performer" who could help the biz but who probably doesn't fit your culture?

Does your staff know it and believe it?

How are staff expected to include culture into their normal work practice?

Does this all come from top down?

Are you driven by the personality, focus & goals of your current CEO?

Do sales and marketing follow it?

If you have all this, then why do you have a Sales and Marketing Alignment problem?

Alignment on the SNCF

2010-08-24T11:17:00.001+01:00

I must have been a pretty horrible 16 year old.

Arrogant, spotty and sullen.

Correction….I was a pretty horrible 16 year old.

How did my parents decide to deal with this Rebel-without-a-Cause?

In the summer holidays they packed me off, on my own, to a family they knew in France. That was some selling job my father did.

So there I am with my Scout rucksack, sitting in a packed, 8 seat, old fashioned, compartment on the SNCF from Gare du Lyon to Dijon, surrounded by Gauloises smoking, Pernod drinking, L’Equipe reading locals. I was out of my comfort zone and to make matters worse I had an incorrect ticket and le chemin de fer inspecteur had just entered our compartment.

You know what was going through my mind?

‘These Frenchies are just pretending that they cannot speak English. In a minute they are all going to start helping me and speaking the Queen’s English.’

And guess what…they didn’t.

Quelle domage.

To the amusement of my fellow travellers, I had to muddle through with my dodgy O Level French. And I did, somehow. That inspecteur must have been a patient man.

Fast forward three weeks, and I am travelling back to Blighty on the ferry from Calais to Dover and I accidentally bump into a middle aged man. He apologised to me in English and I apologised to him in French. In French! I had even begun to think in French.

Had I achieved this by studying the systems, process and technology in France?

Non!

What I had begun to do was understand, appreciate and like the culture, language and people of France.

Culture, Language and People.

So, if you want your sales and marketing teams to start respecting, trusting and working together, rather than the current mistrust, then you need to get them understanding, apreciaiting and even liking their respective culture language and people.

The good news is that you don’t have to be stuck in a railway compartment to start your journey.

Allez!

A bientot!

Melting the Cold War between Sales and Marketing.

2010-08-13T09:42:00.000+01:00

I’m a child of the Cold War. Remember all that stuff? Spying, B52 Bombers and David Hasselhoff singing on top of the Berlin Wall, (sorry about that last image!) The only good thing to come out of that conflict was “Dr. Strangelove”.

But is it really over? Over in your business?

Are sale and marketing good buddies inside your business. Or are they just comrades?

What was the real cost or the real Cold War? Lots of budget spent on expensive hardware and systems that were never used. Thank God. Sound familiar?

So what resolved the real Cold War?

Was it computers and technology? No

Was it systems and processes? Uh?

Was it from breakthroughs thanks to consultants and trainers? You cannot be serious! Are you?

It was good old fashion economics, the allocation of scarce resources that caused one side to change. Thankfully they did.

And it’s only going to be economic and market forces that will cause the Cold War in your organisation to melt. You aren’t going to fix this with a blow torch or an ice axe.

That drive for change has started in most businesses and markets. Just remember technology cannot help you much, talking and dialogue can go a lot further.

When did you last have a Sales and Marketing Alignment workshop in your company?

I better the answer is never.

OK. Don’t worry I just made that term up. But what is stopping you?

Yes, I know your CRM will not allow you to schedule it, and it might ensure that you don’t hit your KPIs or it might negatively impact your value proposition.

Or maybe, just maybe it’s just time to get started on the real work, real détente, real discussion.

Please don’t stick your head into the ice, it maybe a cool way to prospect, but don’t expect to succeed for long.

Get Aligned Comrade!

What is the real benefit of working on Sales and Marketing Alignment in your business?

2010-07-16T14:03:00.003+01:00

Let’s be straight about this, Sales and Marketing Alignment isn’t easy.

If it was every business would have achieved it, wouldn’t they?

When you work on Sales and Marketing Alignment in your business you will
come across all types of responses from indifference to outright hostility.

So why bother?

Working on your Sales and Marketing Alignment is only worth the effort if you want to:

•Retain existing customers

•Acquire new customers

•Improve forecast accuracy

•Have more salespeople hitting quota

•Get more qualified opportunities/leads

If they are important to you, then get started, today..

You could do worse than pick up a copy of my latest book
“Alignment – The Secret to Getting your Sales and Marketing Teams Working Together!”

What ever you do…

Get Started …

…today!

All I am saying is give Sales and Marketing Alignment a chance

2010-07-12T12:26:00.000+01:00

Everybody’s talking about Sales2.0, Web 2.0 and Social Media
All I am saying is give Sales and Marketing Alignment a chance

Everybody’s talking about B2B, B2C, NBC and BBC
All I am saying is give Sales and Marketing Alignment a chance

Everybody’s talking systems, processes and technology
All I am saying is give Sales and Marketing Alignment a chance

Everybody’s talking about world-class effective customer conversations, differentiated marketing messages and buying process-aligned tools.
All I am saying is give Sales and Marketing Alignment a chance

Repeat for as long as you want

Apologies to Dr Winston O Boogie

Sales and Marketing Alignment Myth #1...Solve it with Technology

2010-06-18T10:07:00.003+01:00

Have you received the email?

You know, the one that tells you that you can solve all your sales and marketing alignment issues, develop more opportunities, make more revenue, date Beyonce if you just buy and install the new wiz bang software. It might be called CRM, ERP, Sales 2.0, Marketing 2.0, Buying 2.0 or by it's real name Bull 2.0

You have probably been invited to THE Conference or...

Sat through that all promising, lipsmacking, motavatin', acetalkin' webinar.

Buy the software, plug it in, buy some consulting too, and you're off to see the Wizard!

Well sorry , I have to disagree.

I'm no Luddite, yes technology is important but it's the icing on the cake, NOT the cake.

You have plenty of work ahead internally before you have to install some new software.

You need to focus on your Culture, your Language and your People.

Maybe, I should hire a programmer from Elance and write CLP 2.0

Why not sit down and watch my latest Sales and Marketing Alignment Webinar

2010-06-01T11:20:00.004+01:00

Here's the access to the latest webinar I delivered for BrightTalk on

How to Align your Sales and Marketing for More Revenue

Just click on the above link.

Do you need to change the way you market and sell your services in 2010?

2010-04-26T13:45:00.001+01:00

"Given the current economic climate do you think that companies need to review and change the way they market and sell their products and services?"

This was a question I was recently asked...

Yes, let’s face it prospects are now better informed than ever before, they can go and speak to your existing and past customers relatively easily. They have often formed an opinion about what you offer way before you enter into dialogue with them. What can you do?

Engage, engage, engage before you sell, sell, sell

We all need to market smarter, more often .

A good place to start is with your marketing plan, you do have a marketing plan don’t you?

April Webinar: How to Align your Sales and Marketing for More Revenue

2010-04-14T16:39:00.003+01:00

Please join me for my April 2010 Webinar: "How to Align your Sales and Marketing for More Revenue"

Date: Tuesday April 20th
Start: 2pm GST, 9am EDT
Duration: 30 Minutes

Register here

Hope you can make on the 20th.

Jeremy Nicholas interviews me about "Alignment"

2010-04-09T11:46:00.002+01:00

BBC Broadcaster, Jeremy Nicholas, recently interviewed me about my new book "Alignment"

Here is a link to the recording.

Hope you enjoy

What exactly is Sales and Marketing Alignment?

2010-03-25T13:32:00.002Z

There is a lot of buzz at the moment about Sales and Marketing Alignment.

A lack of sales and marketing alignment, has been given as the reason why so many sales guys never got anywhere near quota in 2009.

But what exactly is Sales and Marketing Alignment?

Is it simply sophisticated lead generation, an excuse for a larger technology investment or a new way of banging sales and marketing heads together?

Any ideas?

Here it is the cover of new book!

2010-03-10T15:22:00.003Z

Sales and Marketing Alignment Teaser Trailer

2010-02-24T09:45:00.002Z

"Even Usain Bolt can't run your Sales and Marketing Alignment for you!"

2010-02-04T20:12:00.002Z

Listen, the stats do vary. Now, if you're in marketing you'll say to me show me that stats. But the trends in North America may be different in Europe? If you're in sales, you might respond by saying let's not argue over the maths, interpret them for me and tell me what it means and what I can do about it.

So, here goes......

Sales Cycles are too long, way too long, aren't they?

The Cost on New Client Acquisition is too high, isn't it?

Most of the marketing material is incomprehensible, not relevant to my market, plain useless

The Leads that Marketing passes to Sales are a bunch of crap

And Sales is just too damn lazy to do anything with the great leads they receive from marketing

Something is rotten in the state of sales and marketing working together.

But luckily the Calvary is at hand, all we need to do is to install the latest technology, grab a dashboard and embrace Sales2.0 then we can all reach the new Promised Land of Sales and Marketing Alignment, all reach our targets and go party in Vegas or Blackpool (Blackpool is the UK's version of Vegas, honest!).

Technology can save the day for us, can't it?

Right...Wrong!!

Sales and Marketing Alignment is NOT all about the technology you employ. It's about your people, your language and your culture.

Now, don't get me wrong I'm not some sort of Luddite that belittles technology, but it's the icing on the cake not the basic cake mix itself. Let's bake a decent cake first with all those simple ingredients. You do know how to bake a cake don't you? No, neither do I.

Now' here's a bigger problem than cake making, this all takes time, people, language, culture and finally adding technology.

Even Usain Bolt couldn't get you to the Promised Land in less than 24 months.

So, if you are serious about improving the long term sales efficiency and results in your company in the next twelve months. Then, you need to start working on your Sales and Marketing Alignment, this quarter, this month, this frigging week, dude!

It take time, if you wait till 2011, to start your Sales and Marketing Alignment, then you are not only in danger of getting run over by your competition, but you and your team's earnings well drop and some may even lose their jobs.

Start on Sales and Marketing Alignment today!

Start Now!

Stamp out the Sales V Marketing culture in your Company

2009-10-26T10:48:00.000Z

Stamp out the Sales V Marketing culture in your Company

West London based business owner and author, Rod Sloane, said today that businesses that want to reduce the cost of new client acquisition and become more profitable need to first, end the internal fight between sales and marketing and then, increase sales and marketing alignment.

Rod Sloane, author of soon to be published book “Alignment...the Secret to getting your Sales and Marketing Teams working together” said “If your Sales and Marketing teams are fighting over language, leads and resources then your business is going to suffer. Most Sales and Marketing departments cannot even agree the definition of a lead. Get them to agree that first. Get them working together, not working against each other. That is the start to making wining new business easier and becoming more profitable”

“Alignment...the Secret to getting your Sales and Marketing Teams working together” is due to be published by Sunmakers Publishing in late 2009

# # #

ENDS

Editors Notes
1. Rod Sloane works with established businesses that want to grow their revenue and reduce their cost of new client acquisition. This is delivered through keynote speeches and in house company workshops. Sloane is also the author of “121 Marketing Ideas to Grow Your Business”.
Rod Sloane
12 Newland Gardens
Ealing
London
W13 9TR
P: +44(0)20 8940 0498
M: +44(0)7957 422203
W: http://no-bullbusiness.blogspot.com/
E: rod@rodsloane.co.uk
T: http://twitter.com/RodSloane

London Author claims Barack Obama should have won the Nobel Marketing Prize NOT the Peace Prize

2009-10-19T16:56:00.000+01:00

MEDIA RELEASE…………….
For Immediate Release For Further information contact:
Rod Sloane Tel: +44(0)208 840 0498

London Author claims Barack Obama should have won the Nobel Marketing Prize NOT the Peace Prize

Ealing based Author and speaker Rod Sloane claims that Barack Obama is the World's Leading marketing expert. Sloane will be speaking about Obama success at “How To Barack Obama Your Business!” at the King George Conference and Banqueting Centre, Eastern Avenue, Newbury Park 6pm on Tuesday October 20th.

Rod Sloane, owner of Rod Sloane’s Small Business Marketing, has studied the methods and tactics Barack Obama used to win the US Presidential Race. “Barack Obama brilliantly exploited Seven Marketing Tactics to win the 2008 Presential Election. He's World Class. I believe all businesses need to know about these successful tactics” says Sloane. “Thanks to the support of local sponsors, there's no fee to attend How to Barack Obama your Business.”

“How To Barack Obama Your Business!” starts at 6pm on Tuesday 20th October at the King George Conference and Banqueting Centre, next to the Holiday Inn, 713 Eastern Avenue, Newbury Park, Ilford, Redbridge IG2 7RH. Registration here: http://ow.ly/ukJW

# # #

ENDS

Editors Notes

1. Rod Sloane’s Small Business Marketing works with established businesses that want to grow to the next level. This is delivered by a free electronic newsletter, speaking, special reports, audio CDs, coaching, consulting and workshops. Sloane is also the author of “121 Marketing Ideas to Grow Your Small Business”.
Rod Sloane
12 Newland Gardens
Ealing
London
W13 9TR
T: +44(0)20 8940 0498
W: http://www.rodsloane.com/
E: mailto:rods@ducttapemarketingcoach.com

Why is Sales and Marketing Alignment so Difficult?

2009-10-14T12:42:00.002+01:00

Sales and Marketing Alignment is more challenging than it should be, this is often due to the fact that sales people are focussed on the short term i.e. this quarter and marketing is faced on the medium/long term.

In my recent podcast Christine Crandell gave a great ten point check list that you can use to help your company to get closer sales and marketing alignment.

2009 Top Ten Sales and Marketing Alignment Implementations

2009-09-29T14:01:00.001+01:00

Align your sales and marketing and you are likely to convert more marketing leads into sales and reduce the cost on new client acquisition. So who is doing this well? The purpose of this article is to find out who you would nominate as the best companies to to this world wide.

Now thanks to those smart guys at DemandGen Report who hosted the 2009 Sales & Marketing Alignment Awards we already have three.

Cisco
Automation tools are helping Cisco’s call centres prioritise which prospects to target and then improving the results in scheduling qualified appointments for sales partners. Cisco increased appointments with SMB/SME prospects by 25%.

Sourcefire
Sourcefire created an advanced lead-scoring program. The program allows Sourcefire to evaluate and adjust the quality and quantity of its leads based on feedback from the company’s sales organization. The lead scoring system has been able to show a 25% increase in sales productivity.

ADX
Employing a new eMail service in late October of 2008 allowed ADX to capture 60 qualified leads for their new service in the first 90 days.

Who would you add to this list to make the top ten?

Rebooting My Blog

2009-09-18T09:07:00.001+01:00

Did you miss me when I was away?
Yes, ah thanks.
No, yes I know that I need to try harder.

My last blog posting prior to this was August 19th, that's nearly a whole month ago.

So have I been on holiday or on retreat.

No!!

I have just been quiet.
Yes quiet!

But that's all about to stop now, and from next week.

From next week I will be blogging with purpose but maybe less often.

Trying to blog every day proved just too challenging for this Blackpool boy.
So from now on expect to see a couple of postings per week.

These will be much more focussed than before on Sales, Marketing
and the Alignment of Sales and Marketing.

I have lots of new stuff for you, but that's coming next week.

So all I have to say now that it's good to be back and I look
forward to speaking ( do you speak from a blog) real soon.

Chiao!

2009's Best YouTube Video So Far

2009-08-19T22:04:00.003+01:00

One mam's view on the collapse of the Old Media

Quite a singer too.

Don't worry if you don't get all the references I didn't

Join Me for a NetWalk on Friday August 21st

2009-08-17T09:48:00.003+01:00

Join me this Friday for a NetWalk along the Grand Union Canal

Why are business books so boring?

2009-08-06T11:47:00.002+01:00

Look at your bookshelves.

If they're anything like mike they're groaning under the weight of worthy business books. Lots with very exiting titles. “In Search of Excellence” “The Trusted Advisor” “Advanced Selling Techniques” All good stuff, they are nice to look at, the problem comes when you open them.

What do you see?

Words!

Lots of little words!

20,000 + Words!

That feels like work, brain work.

Why can't business books appeal to the child in us?

Why do they have to be so high brow?

I think it says more about the low self esteem of the author.

I need to write something that's worthy.

C'mon appeal to the child in me!

I might just start to read it!

Does your friendly local Printer do this?

2009-08-05T11:52:00.001+01:00

Purbrooks are a Wimbledon based printing company that lead with being green, vegetable based inks, low wastage and stuff like that. So what you might think?

But it's what else that Purbrooks and Martin Stern does that is of interest. Along side the printing company runs a branding company Visual Direction that helps with design, brochures, identity and branding. A printing company that is also a marketing house. Wow!

I have long believed that printers should be the best marketeers out there and should be advising clients on marketing not paper size?

Does your printer help you win more business or just talk about delivery schedules?

What else should you really be helping clients do?

How can you really help their business?

Cricket, Beer and Marmite!

2009-08-03T10:21:00.001+01:00

Do you like Marmite?

The theory goes that you either love the dark stuff or loathe it. It's hard to be indifferent to Marmite. In fact go to their web site and you are asked whether you like or loathe it

Now I love Marmite so much so that when they bring out a Special Marston's Pedigree Edition for the Ashes, of course I buy it. Cricket, beer and Marmite...bloke heaven!

So how do you service the people who really like your stuff?
What else do they like? Offer them a special. They will love you for it.

What's your special?

Join me on the West London NetWalk Friday August 7th

2009-07-31T14:40:00.000+01:00

I am hosting a NetWalk on the afternoon of Friday 7th.

It's an opportunity to meet and network in a relaxed format.

Hope you can make it.

Details on Facebook

“How to Rod Sloane your Marketing!”

2009-07-30T13:02:00.000+01:00

Hey my mojo's pretty high today, how's yours?

Now even me, in all modesty, I probably wouldn't run ad ad or workshop entitled “How to Rod Sloane your Marketing!” I'm too modest..but you could promote it for me, OK?

However I have a presentation entitled “How to Barack Obama your Business!” that people get excited about. What does it mean? Innovation, Story-telling, Change? So...

Why not turn a real name into a verb. After all people don't carry out a search enquiry on Google.com they just Google it.

If I put your name in the place of “How to Barack Obama your Business!” e.g. “How to John Smith your Business!” what would it mean?

Do you know?

Tip: Ask people around you...

Find out what your name means as a verb and you have some real currency with your marketing “How to Rod Sloane your Name!”

Put your message on a t-shirt

2009-07-29T14:05:00.005+01:00

Vic Osteen suggests that you develop a catch phrase for your business.
Brevity is key here, you should be aiming for around a six word phrase.

A phrase that not only describes what you do, but how you do it.

Both content and style.

You know "Don't leave home without it" "The World's Favourite Airline"

Now would you say your catch phrase, more importantly would others?

Now, the acid test, put your catch phrase on a t-shirt.

Would you wear it?

Would others?

Would someone spend £10 on it

That's what mine sell for!!

Great for summer, autumn and ...

Start Ya Bastard!

2009-07-28T11:13:00.000+01:00

How much time do you spend marketing?

You know if I could just get the work in through the door then I wouldn't have to any of that marketing, admin or planning stuff. Maybe I could just automate or outsource all that stuff. I just want to do the work!

Ring true?

Doh! That is dumb thinking in my view and probably means you ain't charging enough, buster!

Yes you aren't charging enough!

Now I don't believe in the the so called 4 hour working week, but I do believe in the 24 hour work week. You should be able to do all the work you need to do, make all the money you need to make in three days a week. Chris Barrow who works with dentists suggests you work three days a week for 40 weeks a year. That is 120 fee producing days.

The rest of the time is free, planning or marketing. Make sense?

Here is my tip for 2009.

Double the amount of time you currently spend on marketing.

Not sure what to do with extra time then call me and I will tell what to do.

Go on all me now 07957 422203 and I'll tell you.

As the Australians would say “Start Ya Bastard!”

Call me!

How to Get Sales And Marketing Working Together

2009-07-27T12:15:00.000+01:00

The biggest concern for any business is to make a profit.

This goes for any type and size of business. If the business is not in it to make profits, what good is it for them to be in business?
How can a business become profitable? It boils down to two important elements. In order for a company to make money, they have to sell their products.
This is where the sales team gets into gear. They provide the product to the customer and close the sale.
But how can they do this if no person sees the product. This is where the marketing department comes in.
As you can see, both the sales and marketing departments must exist and work together if the company is to make money.

There is one problem however. Many companies are going under because there is no unity or alignment, if you will.
This causes problems for the company. The sales department starts blaming the marketing department for not giving them
solid and reliable leads. While at the same time the marketing department blames the sales department for going after
the wrong buyer, or uses the wrong sales tactics to do the selling.

On the other hand, businesses that report huge successes and profits, have their sales and marketing aligned perfectly,
or have made improvements in the way they earn and keep customers.

Based on a survey that was done in January 2005, out of 1400 businesses that responded, 32% of them have their sales
and marketing aligned. In fact, they consider the alignment of the sales and marketing team to top priority for them
and for any business.

If you look at trends and compare companies, you will notice something of interest.
The companies that are doing well know who and where to market their products to. They present their company in the best light possible.
The sales department or sales team takes what the marketing team develops, and uses the leads they are given wisely.
They focus on what the benefits of their product are, understand what the customer is looking for, and deliver it each and every time.

Many fortune 500 companies are like this. They focus on keeping their marketing and sales aligned.
They know how vital it is to the company's bottom line. The more the sales and marketing team are in alignment,
the better chance they have to sell their products.

Based on statistics, those who have their entire business flowing smoothly find their business growth is about
5% faster each year compared to their competitors, who do not have their businesses aligned.
And of these businesses, they find that they close 38% more sales than those who do not have their sales
and marketing people working in harmony together.

This is an astonishing number. If you look at the above numbers closely, it really tells a true story about the
state of companies who keep their sales and marketing aligned as compared to those who don't.

What do you think is the difference between companies who do great and those who don't?
The biggest factor is the way the sales and marketing team work.
If the sales and marketing team work together, a lot can get done, which can work in harmony with the company.
Each person can work together with another with the goal of accomplishing one task, and that is to gain sales and make profits.

But if the sales and marketing team work against each other, you have what is referred to as an internal problem,
which if not corrected quickly, can escalate to the point the company can go bankrupt and close its doors for good.
This is why a great strategy for aligning the sales and marketing team has to be in place, for the company to succeed.
As you read through this book, you will better understand this process of alignment as you are presented with facts
and examples from both sides - those companies in alignment, and those companies not in alignment.
By looking at both sides, you will better understand why companies, who have their sales and marketing in alignment,
succeed, while those who are not in alignment end up failing. The information will also help you see how important
unification within the company is so important for the natural progression of the company.

This is an excerpt from my next book "Alignment: How to Get Sales and Marketing Working Together"
Copyright © 2009 Rod Sloane

Please, Show Me How me to use Your stuff on Video!

2009-07-24T10:15:00.003+01:00

Video is excellent for marketing because

1.It makes your product or service come alive. It;s the closest I can get to touching and playing without having the physical product.

2.It can work as a simple tutorial after I have bought yr product. Great for non-techies like me. How do I get your thing to work and do...

3.It's fun . People watch TV for fun, they equate video with fun and entertainment.

Here is an example of "How to" use a product I have bought the Zoom H2 digital recorder. 90 second video, enough!
N.B.I have no relationship with Zoom apart from being a customer.

Now it might seem a little cheesy but it does the job. Message to Zoom...Where is your YouTube Channel?

Branding is really just Storytelling

2009-07-23T10:03:00.003+01:00

I'm not a huge fan of the branding culture.

And don't get me started on all that personal branding nonsense.

In my view there is a lot of hot air spoken by a lot of supposed experts.

However where I do agree with branding types is that there must be an idea at the centre of your business. An idea that is customer centric and then you must convey that idea to the market in the form of a story that your market gets.

So all branding is storytelling.

Is it that simple?

Remember simple is often not very easy!

What is the most effective way to get a decision maker (Director or VP level) to respond for an appointment?

2009-07-22T09:33:00.003+01:00

Cold calling can be hard.

Networking can be tiresome.

Why not save the planet and send more email?

OK, seriously.

Have you tried using Mike Southon's Magic Email?

It works, it's easy and you won't suffer rejection.

Check out the website below.

I get about a 14% response to cold emails when I am going after appointments and that was with Managing Partners in law firms.

http://www.beermat.biz/shop_item.php?id=8

What is your best solution to marketing despite the economic downturn?

2009-07-21T16:13:00.002+01:00

Live by your Marketing Plan

1. Agree your marketing strategy and stick to it.

2. Write your one page marketing plan that plans out the next 180 days.

3. Pick threeLead Generation tactics, mix online and offline, old and new technologies.
Do what others aren't!

4. Review and Adjust every 30 days

5. Hold yourself accountable to what you commit to.

6. Take action

"Unless you are doing everything you possibly can, you have a business development problem, not an economic one." Bill Bachrach

Market like a Salesperson and Sell like a Marketer.

2009-07-20T15:53:00.000+01:00

My marketing responsibility is to get prospects to Know, Like, Trust and Try my offerings.

Now you might argue that trust fellows the trial period, maybe.

Do you have a phrase that moves the prospect from marketing to customer. Stephen Shapiro's favourite phrase at this stage is “What do you think?” Simple isn't it.

My Sales responsibility is to invite prospects to Buy from me, Re-Buy and then to Refer me.

Do you or does your business have a system for doing this, or do you just wing it?

Please don't wing it...that's the style of the amateur

Please create and have a system, it might be simply ticking boxes or it might be a software solution.

Then you can “Market like a Salesperson and Sell like a Marketer.”

The Big Leap of Faith

2009-07-17T14:00:00.000+01:00

Marketing types (like me) will often talk about how prospective customers get to Know, Like and Trust you. They (and I) will bang on about techniques and tactics to lead prospects down this path as if at the end of it is something miraculous happens and they suddenly buy. Wrong!!

Have you ever bought a car from a car showroom?

Unless you had just won the Lottery, you probably don't walk into a car dealers you know, like and trust and say “I want that one in red!”.

What do you do?

You ask for a test drive. You ask for a try.

So how do prospects try you?

How do they sample you?

Do you offer a taster?

It should be simple, fun-size and no risk.

Go develop your “test drive” and market that.

Market the try!

The most effective way to get a decision maker to respond to your email?

2009-07-16T11:37:00.002+01:00

Who wants more email?

Do you?

I don't, but there is a simple way to use email to generate business meetings.

It was developed by my mate, Mike Southon and it's free!!

Have you tried using Mike Southon's Magic Email.

Check it out here.

I get about a 14% response to cold emails when I am going after appointments and that was with Managing Partners in law firms.

Try it

The "One-Thing" Marketing Tactic

2009-07-15T11:48:00.002+01:00

I have said this before but I'll say it again...

"How many marketing activities do you do?"

I bet there's a lot both off and on-line.

Have you ever just stopped and listed them all?

My suggestion is that you bin a lot and just focus on the one that gets you and your sales force talking to more prospects.

Go for that one.
I bet you don't even know what it is?
Stop 99% of the others.

Focus on THE one, put your efforts there, get better at it, become the best.
When you have gone as possibly far as you can with the one.
Then, and only then is it time to start on number two.

Most of my new prospects first see me speak at an event such as “How to Barack Obama Your Business!”.
They try me many times before they even consider hiring me as a marketing aid.

You know the old adage that you have to stroke prospects up to nine times before they are ready to buy.

Get stroking!

Where do prospects want to try you and your business out?

I know that it's easy to be seduced by the latest fad. Instead, take your time and work on your best.

There are no silver bullets in marketing.
No one shot.

But you will be better off doing fewer things better.

You will be better off doing just one thing better.

What is that one thing?

Stop emailing me...

2009-07-14T14:58:00.000+01:00

...I won't open it

Stop tweeting me, I'll ignore them

Stop texting me. I can't understand your abbreviations.

Stop blogging, hey just stop blogging.

I haven;'t got the time for all this stuff!

If you are serious about talking with me, then pick up the phone and call.

Call me, it's the best way you communicate.

Call someone today, even better now.

Go on, make that call!

Be on time!

2009-07-13T13:45:00.000+01:00

Is there really any excuse to be late?

Is there?

Taking away the major exceptions of War and Terrorism is there any reason?

Traffic and transport aren't, leave earlier.
If you car breaks down or the train or plane are cancelled you probably have to reschedule.

The weather isn't, Watch the forecast.

Sorry no excuse for being late, just your bad planning and leaving lack of your time.

It's your fault

It's rude

It's discourteous.

There is no such thing as fashionably late in business.

Be on time

Even better, never be late

Five minutes early is on time!

Review of Kintish's LinkedIn Training

2009-07-10T10:53:00.002+01:00

Listen!

"You're Born an Original. Don't Die a Copy"

2009-07-09T15:34:00.000+01:00

That's the title of a best selling book by John Mason.

Says it all, have the strength to be yourself not what other think you should be.

What are you an original at?

Do you know?

That's what you should be spending your time doing, finding out, not copying.

When you tell me what it is, please drop me a line.

And please, don't copy me!

Squeezing the Lemon

2009-07-08T10:19:00.000+01:00

The Lemon Song is a famous Led Zeppelin song from their second album. It is in turn based on many earlier blues standards. Now the phrase “Squeezable my Lemon” has many, well let's just say, adult overtones.

That's not what I mean when I say Squeeze the Lemon.

To me it means you have to “work” hard to get the maximum from any of your resources. Just having them in itself won't bring results. This is particularity true if you want better alignment between your sales and marketing teams.

To Squeeze the Lemon, your sales and marketing have to learn how to work together, speak the same language and agree on what they both want.

Squeeze the Lemon for the juice NOT the pips!

Is there More to Marketing than Lead Generation?

2009-07-07T11:30:00.000+01:00

Leads
Leads
Leads

Who generating them in your business? Marketing or Sales.

Who is responsible for the quality of those leads?

It's all Marketing's fault isn't it. Those guys live in an ivory tower and are out of touch with real world of sales, aren't they?

But doesn't marketing have an even more important role than lead generation?

What am I talking about?

Marketing's real role is to come up with a single idea that you tell as a message, a story.

Tell your story and you will start to attract the right leads.

All you have to do is the your single idea right.

Tie it into nostalgia, fear or happiness

What's “As good for you today as it's always been?”

Simple, but not easy?

What your single message?

How to Sell your Car in Less than Four Hours

2009-07-06T12:27:00.001+01:00

It's 9.35am on Monday June 29th 2009. The MOT and tax on my VW Passat run out at the end of the month, that's tomorrow! Time to sell my motor, but can I do it in less than 24 hours? I call some bloke who runs a business called We Buy Your Car. After a few questions, he decides he doesn't want to buy my car. Then a brainwave, well I'm slow. I'll put a ad on Gumtree.com.

Now I have to confess I'm not sure how much my Passat is worth. It has 163,000 miles on the clock and the paint work is not A1. So I look at other Passats on Gumtree and come to a decision. I pop outside and take 3 pictures of my motor. Write the ad and upload the images. Easy peasy. Within an hour the phone starts to ring. Some chap wants to buy my car and can come over by 12.15. We meet he makes me an offer which I accept and he gives me the cash, I give him the log book, MOT certificate and the keys. Done. My car is sold by 1.30pm. Less than four hours. BTW, I received about a dozen calls!

My tips, keep the price realistic and make your headline stand out. I was really subtle with the phrase 'Bargain Price' in my headline.

When I told my wife, she was amazed, I got seven times more than she expected!

My Twitter Follow Friday suggestions for July 3rd 2009

2009-07-03T11:03:00.001+01:00

Follow Friday is a nice little tradition on twitter where you recommend others. @NikkiPilkington has come up with the idea of writing a blog posting each week that recommends others. The Reason? Because twitter can get a little full with people's recommendations and it can have the opposite effect i.e. it turns people off.

So here is my first list of people you follow:

@NikkiPilkington writes about how to make sense of all this Web2.0 stuff. Now I don't always agree with Nikki, but she does make me stop and think. She also informs and comes from a good place.

@VicOsteen part Moses, part Darth Vader. The Godfather when it comes to the marketing of a professional speaker. Always on the money.

@BernieJMitchell Talks about networking especially in East London and Essex and yes he promotes some of my events.

@MediaCoach will show you how to get your name in the media and how to be comfortable and confident about it and finally...

@PaulSloane yes he is my brother. Teller of corny jokes and master of innovation. You can never go wrong following a Sloane!

How to create a Big Mac for your Business.

2009-07-02T10:11:00.000+01:00

Along with quarterpounder the Big Mac is one of McDonald's iconic products.

Now you probably thought that Ray Kroc, the Moses-type character, leading McDonald's, who came up with the Big Mac. That's what I tended to assume, but I was wrong too.

The Big Mac was created by a unknown and largely forgotten McDonald's franchisee, Jim Delligatti. And it took Delligatti two years to persuade McDonald's to accept his innovation.

At the Ray Kroc supported the introduction of the Hulaburger, which consisted of a slice of grilled pineapple, with some cheese, on a bun. The Hulaburger flopped!

So don't expect your leader to come up with all the bright ideas, it might just be time for the boys and girls in marketing and sales to come up with your next MoneyMaker product or service.

Step back, Moses!

Anyone fancy a Hulaburger?

Make Sure there is no Moses in Your business.

2009-07-01T12:11:00.002+01:00

Marketing and Sales can work Together to Develop and Execute a Profitable Business Strategy.

Yes, they can.

First though, we need to get past the centralised control v field operations barriers that exist.

This starts from having a open democratic company culture.

Do you have one?

If the culture is set by the business founder and distributed from a centralised temple, then it won't work.

You don't need a Moses coming down from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments.

Centralised control of marketing doesn't work any more. That's so last century, man. Come on, you can do better than that. Marketing and sales are bright people they need to come up with the ideas.

Take a look at how Zappos.com have developed their culture, from the bottom up. Not top down.

It's the staff who develop their culture, who work on it very day and deliver that to customers.

Consider having your marketing and sales own the business development strategy and delivering it to your market.

Let them create the plan. You don't need Moses.

And if you are Moses, remember he didn't make it to the Promised Land!

As Good As It Gets

2009-06-30T17:22:00.000+01:00

I love the argumentative and awkward character that Jack Nicholson plays in the movie “As Good as It Gets!” It's Jack, but even more obstreperous than normal. Coming out of the Doctor's surgery he turns round to all the patients in the waiting room and utters the immortal lines “What if, this is good as it gets?” to a bemused reaction.

And that's how most directors of marketing and sales seem to think when reviewing the lack of alignment between their teams. Well it's not very good, but it's as good as it gets.

Now there is plenty of both anecdotal and scientific research about what happens with this failure to align. However, what people are looking for is how to fix it.

I think people want simple, not complex solutions.

It's not about technology.

It's not about software.

It's about people, that simple.

If marketing is seen as Fancy-Dan head office function and sales is seen as a Neanderthal field function. Then why the surprise?

The first task is to break down that head office/field office barrier and get people mixing, talking and going on calls together.

Simply put, what they first need to do is they need to spend time together

What have you sold today?

2009-06-29T17:04:00.002+01:00

I sold my beloved VW Passat today in less than four hours from start to finish.

Placed an ad on Gumtree with an eye-catching headline

Sold it for cash.

I got seven times more than my wife expected.

So....

What have you sold today and if you have when are you going to get paid for it?

Meet Me in Newbury Park, Essex on Monday July 13th

2009-06-24T17:50:00.005+01:00

Stop Trying to be Liked!

2009-06-24T10:41:00.002+01:00

Your job is not to be liked!

Your job is not to be popular

Your job and role is to serve your constituency by spreading ideas to them that they find useful and practical through your products and services.

It takes a pretty immature attitude to need to be liked.

Have something of value to offer and go promote it.

Now, I'm not suggesting you be obnoxious or rude, and it's OK with being likeable, but please don't lead with your needs. Lead with your constituency's needs.

And stop talking about your family. I don't care!

Have to go now to pick my daughter up from her class. Have I told you she's the ...

Collaboration is Not a Dirty Word

2009-06-23T12:33:00.000+01:00

Having grown up on a diet of John Mills, WW2, Prisoner Of War movies on TV, I have must have heard the phrase “We don't collaborate with the enemy” and “Collaborators are cowards” countless times. Collaboration became a dirty word.

Now in business I have to reprogramme myself. Reaching out to others, running join ventures and joint promotions are ways of spreading the risk. Other promote my events. After all it's much easier to promote somebody or something else than yourself. It's more believable.

So..

Collaboration is Not a Dirty Word

Work with others, stop trying to control everything.
You can't and it doesn't bring great results.
Does it?

Collaboration should be your best friend and tool.

Start talking, pick up the phone.

Marry your Best Benefit!

2009-06-22T10:37:00.002+01:00

I was evaluating a client's marketing brochure the other day and ended up confused.

I couldn't see the purpose of the brochure. She was telling people how good their business was and what they did. But reading it as a prospect I couldn't understand what was in it for me

My conclusion?

Just one benefit in your market piece, please!

If you talked about one single benefit to the exclusion of all others what would it be?

Have you got one benefit that you can explain and that prospects want? I bet you haven't!

Is it measurable and deliverable?

“£75,000 worth of new clients in 17weeks”

Good, maybe

The toughest of you might even say that is too feature led.

What would this new business and in that time do for a business?

Think in terms of both hard and soft benefits, the mind and the heart, masculine and feminine...can I say that?

Go and focus on one single benefit!

Sell the Sizzle, Not the Steak

2009-06-19T13:09:00.002+01:00

It's an old fashioned sales line.

Focus on what excites people NOT the product, NOT the thing.

I love the smell of open air BBQs in the summer.

The smell and smoke makes me salivate and want to eat sausages!

What makes your prospects salivate?

It ain't your products, it's how it makes them feel.

Market that! Go on make them salivate!

Pass the ketchup.

Why most blogs are deadly boring and dull to read.

2009-06-18T16:08:00.001+01:00

Simple!

Because the writer goes on about themselves, their ideas, their business or worst of all their family,

Nobody cares about you, only your mother and she could be jiving you, too! Sorry BB

I don't care about you.

And you don't care about me.

When was the last time you picked up the phone to me?

Go on, when?

Never.

You see you don't care, do you!

Stop pretending you do, and stop listening to all those new age hippies who talk about this crap.

So stop talking about yourself and start talking about me and my interests.

And no, I don't care where you are going on holiday.

Have you been to Blackpool? See!

Your Logo and Colour are NOT your marketing.

2009-06-17T11:30:00.000+01:00

Logos, Themed Colours and websites are NOT your marketing.

Please don't obsess about these things, who notices them anyway?

Your marketing is YOUR message.

What do you have to say to your constituency and what can they repeat to the world?

L'Oreal market all their beauty products to women “Because they're worth it!” A powerful, repeatable message and improved from the original “Because I'm worth it!”

What is your message and how are you going to communicate that to your constituency?

Theo the Magician

2009-06-16T10:59:00.003+01:00

Theo the Magician does something to stand out and be different to other magicians.

He wears a bright blue jacket covered with rabbits. Other magicians hate it when Theo turns up, he looks like a magician, people get what he does.

How can you dress or show up and people get what you do straight away?

See what Theo looks like when he shows up.

How to prepare for a media interview

2009-06-15T12:37:00.004+01:00

Here is a quick Audioboo interview I conducted with Alan Stevens,
The Media Coach, about preparing for media interviews.

It's Friday and I feel good.

2009-06-12T10:04:00.004+01:00

Must be listening to James Brown full blast at 7.47am

Therefore, I want this to be about you, not me.
However it's kind of weird to write when it's about you and your business, not me.

So here's what I want to say, How can I help you get your message out to clients and prospects today. How? Call me. Text me, AudioBoo me and I will help you. No obligation. No fee.

Give it a try I want to help as I'm feeling particularly altruistic.

Get in touch.

In the meantime here's one of my AudioBoos to listen to.

Listen!

I feel good

Design in Marketing

2009-06-11T11:31:00.000+01:00

I received through the mail today a 5CD collection from a well known expert on Postcard Marketing. What strikes me is how cheap is looks, because no money, I mean no money has been spent on design. It's all black print on white paper even on the cover of the CDs.

Now the author of this material may claim that this is a white label pre-release version. I hope they are right.

Because there is no colour, no design, no graphics and no pictures. It looks like some bootleg from the 1970's. Hang on some of those bootleg albums had design even.

I encourage you to spend time and money, yes money, on designing your marketing materials and products. Start to collecting samples of stuff that appeals to your senses.

Remember as my friend Scott McKain says “all business is show business.”

Top Ten Ways to use AudioBoo

2009-06-10T15:49:00.003+01:00

Audioboo is a free iPhone application that allows you to make a 5 minute recording on your iPhone then upload it to the AudioBoo website. No chance to edit, you have to get it right in one take, although you can pause the recording. If you want to, AudioBoo will automatically distribute a link to your twitter and Facebook profiles. You can also cut and paste the embedded code and URL of the audio. Enough of the geek stuff.

I like AudioBoo in that in my opinion you start to get a real feeling about the personality of the broadcaster. We are all broadcasters now.

Quicker and dirtier than a traditional podcast. Is Audioboo the future of podcasting?

How can you use this technology? Here are some ways AudioBoo is being used

1. Simply to broadcast information, news, or promotion about you or someone else

2. Conduct a 5 minute interview

3. Record a speech or performance, yours or someone else.

4. Review a book, movie, performance etc.

5. Ask for boos from your constituency about what's happening. ITV did this during the FA Cup Final. BBC Radio London also asked for boos from the street during the tube strike.

6. Asking for feedback and comments, Tony Blackburn does asks for requests for his radio show.

7. Quizzes. Stephen Fry runs a Mystery Word and Mystery Person boo

8. Audio diary of a personal event, birth of a baby

9. Organising where to meet with friends or conspirators!

10. Testing whether you can deliver an Audioboo from your iPhone

My Audioboo recordings are here

Got any more?

How do you market and sell a commodity?

2009-06-09T12:21:00.001+01:00

What if your prospects see your products and services as being similar if not identical to other suppliers. Then, what do you have to market? Availability, service, price, delivery.

These are hard things to compete on, because things can go wrong.

People mess up

How about competing on you?
Yes, you.

Not invisible stuff like integrity and authenticity.

How about being able to tell your story? Why do you do what you do?

How about competing on your difference. How are you different to your competition?

Tell your market about these things

Simple questions, tough answers.

Marketing Monday

2009-06-08T13:15:00.000+01:00

Every Monday on twitter, some of the community enter into marketing Monday. You might want to share ideas or ask questions. I run a marketing clinic for 30 minutes where you can message me your marketing challenge, all on twitter.

So what?

How can you use a platform like twitter to showcase your expertise?

How can you help or add value?

There's also a Mum's Monday and a Money Monday on twitter.
How about a Magic Monday, Web Wednesday.
Enough of the alliteration you could also run a Project Manager's Thursday.

Twitter gives you a chance to broadcast to and interact with that follow you, your constituency.

It's easy and simple, go add value.

Penny Power

2009-06-05T10:09:00.002+01:00

Penny is the founder of Ecademy.com and takes a kindly maternal role to the members there. For that alone she deserves to be mentioned and written about. However it's her views on modern networking that will challenge you most

@PennyPower sees the majority of us wrapped up in a style of networking that is Closed, Controlled and Selective. Penny suggests that we choose to network with those who we see as useful to us and dismiss other as being of less value.

Penny believes that to be successful on-line we now need to be Open, Random and Supportive. Less hierarchical and trying to be in control.

You can see the former as being atypical masculine, corporate behaviour and the latter as being more feminine and family behaviour.

Now, I'm a bloke, so you can guess where I feel more natural. “Pass me the remote now, please!”

How about you, how Open, Random and Supportive are you?

Been on a tWalk?

2009-06-04T13:16:00.002+01:00

Oh my God! You haven't!! Why not?

OK ,I'll stop being a teenager.

A tWalk combines there things, twitter education/master-class,
networking and an organised walk.
The last two have been referred to as a netwalk.

I attended a twalk yesterday that was organised by Tom Evans
aka @thebookwright in the Surrey Hills.
Excellent day to learn and network.

You'll find my audioboo below.
Or you can search twalk on twitter.

Listen!

If you get a chance to attend to take part in a twalk, my advice is to take it!

"Shut Up, Now!"

2009-06-03T06:02:00.003+01:00

Sometimes we are better off saying less!

Do you know how hard that is for a professional speaker to say?

You hear enough from me, don't you?

You know what I do.

Today, I'm simply going to shut up and give you a rest.

I'll be back tomorrow.

Have a good day.

What is Twitter?

2009-06-02T10:48:00.001+01:00

It's a phenomenon, 10 million users?

No advertising

Free communication, but what is it?

I think that twitter is: A simple way to communicate your message to your constituency.

So,do you know what your message is and what your constituency wants?

Ah!!!!

That's your homework

That's marketing.

Can you See the Real Me?

2009-06-01T12:17:00.000+01:00

Track 2, Side One of the Who's Quadrophenia is one the boys best performances, the song is “The Real Me”. It has one of the best bass lines in rock music. Love it.

Now part of my goal with this blog is for you to see me, the real Roderick P. Sloane. I want you to see the real me, because.... I want you to see how I'm different. Dramatically Different!

Obviously, you can only get a flavour of what I'm like from my words, important even though they are.

So if you can see and hear me, then maybe you get an impression of how I'm different.

One way I choose to do this is with AudioBoo which is an iPhone application. It allows you to make a quick recording on your iPhone and then upload to your profile on AudioBoo. All happens very quickly. It's like an audio version of twitter, maybe!

You can listen to my AudioBoo profile here.

You can see my picture.

Be Different, Not Better!

Can you see the Real Me?

The Five Pillars of Apple's Marketing

2009-05-29T10:45:00.002+01:00

Steve Chazin was a former Apple marketing executive has explained 5 of its best marketing ideas in a powerful e-book "Marketing Apple: 5 Secrets of the World's Best Marketing Machine"

Chazin notes Apple:

1. Doesn't Sell Products
People but what other people have.
It sells club membership to the Apple tribe

2. Is Never "First to Market"
Make something good greater.
It moves into existing marketing places.

3. Empowers Early Adopters
Help your customers help you.
They become the Apple sales force.

4. Make their Message Memorable
Boil your story down to it's syrupy goodness!
People need to be able to rapidly absorb, retain, and
repeat your sales message in the first 2-5 seconds.

5. Goes One Step Further
Try and surprise and delight your customers.
Make the customer feel good about their purchase.

How many of these 5 can you claim to do?

KBO

2009-05-28T10:13:00.004+01:00

During World War 2, Winston Churchill was famous for his motivational acronym KBO standing for “Keep Buggering On” . It was Churchill's way of saying it's tough but keep on.

KBO could well be the mantra for all businesses from the world's largest to the guy that gives away the free evening newspapers in London.

It's what you need to do worth your marketing. Keep on, Don't give up.

It was what I said to my telemarketing guy today when he asked me what more I wanted from him. KBO.

Don't need to say any more, do I.

KBO!

Value

2009-05-27T14:31:00.000+01:00

When CEO's announce poor financial results, often they will talk about rising costs to explain their disappointing results. At the same time on-line message boards are flooded with that company's customers claiming it is poor customer service that is hurting the business. Take a look any any airline to see this pattern unfolding.

What customers are often saying is “You you're not giving me the value that I want”.

What value are you currently giving clients and prospects?

Not discounts, they want value.

Not freebies, they want value.

Assuming you don't do a straight pitch then a podcast offers value.

A blog offers value.

How do you offer value?

Offer some more!

What Tony Blackburn can teach you about Modern Marketing.

2009-05-26T14:41:00.001+01:00

Ever since I first started to listening to pop radio in the UK, Tony Blackburn ruled the airwaves, from being the first voice on Radio 1 to hosting Top of the Pops. Blackburn was every where. Then his popularity waned and he seemed a little cheesy and plastic. However he's still broadcasting in London on Smooth Radio and Radio London.

So what?

Tony uses Audio Boo a simple iPhone audio blogging tool to communicate with his listeners. He lets you know when he's appearing on the radio. You can Boo, those in the know just call it a Boo, Tony and he will mention you on the radio.

Think of it like an audio email.

You simply make a recording on your iPhone and send/ publish it to the Audio Boo web site. It take s minutes. No audio editing. You just add a picture and a simple title. You can then use twitter & facebook to let the world know.

It's a great way to review a book or movie.

Simple way to promote your event.

You might just to want to talk with Tony Popfantastic Blackburn.

Start booing!

So What?

2009-05-25T13:29:00.003+01:00

Just been listening to Jeremy Nicholas on the radio talking about the "so what" test that journalists use to determine what is the story in the news. When journalists read a press release they ask themselves that question. "Bank opens new branch in Lincoln"...so what "New Bank Manager ran slowest ever time in London Marathon" now that's a story.

So What?

how does that help your marketing?

Well, it obviously is a little test for all your media releases.

But it also helps with any marketing message you might have, any benefits you claim.

I can build a web site in a week....so what?

I can produce a set of financial accounts in three days....so what?

I have a one page marketing plan template....so what?

You have to work harder, think more and dig deeper to answer the so what question.

So what?

How to Barack Obama your Business! The London Movie Trailer

2009-05-22T09:29:00.001+01:00

Do you have the bottle to Be Different?

2009-05-21T10:20:00.000+01:00

“Having the bottle” is street language for having the courage to stand up and do something. Maybe it originates from Dutch courage. I hope that you are reading this totally sober, I maybe have some caffeine in my system, that's all.

Why do you need to be different?

Because nobody really cares, they don't.

Accept that we live in an instant gratification society, look at Twitter. I want it and want it now, Look at me now. As a professional speaker I am probably as guilty as anybody in wanting instant gratification. I want the audience to laugh at my jokes and be hooked on my stories. Yes, I want the applause. I know all about being shallow. Calling me deep is an insult to both of us!

Growing up we want to be like everybody else, our mates. Going to work we have to fit in. Now that you run your business or want success in sales you need a different template, Charlie.

That old template won't work

Be different and you stand out!

Be different and you are remembered!

Be different and you may just be considered remarkable!

Be different and I may notice you enough to care

Please don't confuse this with all that personal branding tosh. It's not about whether you wear a black or pink shirt. A shirt is just a shirt.

Tell me how your ideas are different not your clothing!

Go on...Be Different, Not Better!

Getting Prospects to Believe in your Service Based Business.

2009-05-20T11:23:00.001+01:00

Are you a services or product based business?

Even if you are a printer or landscaper and you produce stuff; I would suggest that it's your services that are likely to differentiate you from your competition. Aren't they?
Those invisible things make all the difference?

So how do you market the invisible?

With testimonials?
Maybe, but I would suggest that people might read who has given you the positive comment, without reading the comment. “Oh they got so-and-so to give them a positive comment”
There's a much better ways to do this now.

How about a podcast, where you make your clients the star of the show?

How about a podcast for the association you belong to, where you make your fellow association members the star?
I do this with Moving Voices for the Professional Speakers Association.

How about posting a video on your YouTube Channel.

This stuff is very low-cost and easy to do.

Make your clients the stars of your marketing and people may start to believe more in you and your services.

My best marketing tip, stop all your marketing activities now, just stop, finito

2009-05-19T11:20:00.001+01:00

No, I'm not suggest you give up on marketing, just call a halt and think.

How many marketing activities do you?
I bet there's a lot both off and on-line.

Have you ever just stopped and listed them all?

My suggestion is that you bin a lot and just focus on the one that gets you and your sales force talking to more prospects. Go for that one. I bet you don't even know what it is? Stop 99% of the others.

Focus on THE one, put your efforts there, get better at it, become the best. When you have gone as possibly far as you can with the one. Then, and only then is it time to start on number two.

Most of my new prospects first see me speak at an event such as “How to Barack Obama Your Business!”. They try me many times before they even consider hiring me as a marketing aid.

You know the old adage that you have to stroke prospects up to nine times before they are ready to buy.

Get stroking!

Where do prospects want to try you and your business out?

I know that it's easy to be seduced by the latest fad. Instead, take your time and work on your best.

There are no silver bullets in marketing. No one shot. But you will be better off doing fewer things better.

You will be better off doing just one thing better.

What is that one thing?

I don't like your language

2009-05-18T11:45:00.002+01:00

I was speaking to the London Chapter of the Professional Speakers Association on Saturday about professional speaker marketing. I was explaining what I speak on and described it as “working with businesses who want to better align their sales and marketing” Yes I was speaking about alignment!

After my speech Michael Dodd gave me some feedback. You probably know Michael from his media reviews on BBC and Sky News. Michael told me maybe I should think of not using the word alignment. It was too management speak. And maybe the audience were unsure as to what it specifically meant.

Now of course, Michael is correct, or is he? Alignment is a jargon word my ideal target audience use, but I would be better of saying “working better together” for the rest of the world.

I needed to be more careful with my language for certain audiences. Do you use jargon or management speak that maybe your market is unsure of?

Maybe it's time to better align your key performance indicators

100 Not Out

2009-05-15T10:00:00.003+01:00

Sports fans like statistics, especially US sports fans. For the English we love our cricket stats and the most heroic of those is to score one hundred runs, a century, in a Test Match (please Wikipedia Test Match if unsure) hopefully against Australia.

I have to admit it's now highly unlikely that I will score a century against the Aussies. So I play out my fantasy through my blog. How sad is that! And today is my one hundredth blog entry since I stated this blog. Today I achieve my century.

So I'm some what chuffed and full of my own self importance. I also believe that:

1.)I have only just started, my target is 500 entries and then a thousand.

2.) If I can do this, so can you. I want to encourage you to take up the blogging challenge and share your thoughts, ideas and experiences. On whatever subject. Come on, you are the story!

Finally, thanks for reading, without you this is just my mind talk!

Meet Me in London on Monday June 15th

2009-05-14T10:31:00.003+01:00

I am delivering my workshop "How to Barack Obama Your Business!" at Old Bank of England, Fleet Street, London on Monday June 15th at 6.30pm.

This event is free to attend.

This event will be recorded for an audio CD release. Come and be part of the recording!

You can see the details over on the left there, click on the blue link for more details.

Hope to see you at the Bank the 15th.

What's your big provocative idea, Sparky?

2009-05-13T09:57:00.001+01:00

Improve your sales and marketing and you are giving your business a fighting chance.

So how do you make these disciplines more productive, efficient and effective?

Let's agree on what I mean by marketing.

Your marketing team comes up with the ideas and stories that you want to propagate.

Your sales team comes up with the individual message they take out to individual clients and help those clients and prospects to buy from you. OK, partner with you if you won't to go all lah-di-dah.

That makes it sound it all so easy, doesn't it? Well Sparky, that's because it is.

Do you have your ideas, clear?

Are they the same as everybody else or are they proactive?

Marketing should be coming up with big provocative ideas and stories to support them.
Selling then takes them to the market, individually.

What my big idea?

That unless you have a big provocative idea, you are are marketing a commodity, If you are marketing a commodity unless you are the quickest, cheapest or forget it, Sparky.

Twitter is a big provocative idea. Lager beer is a commodity.

What's your big provocative idea, Sparky?

How to Stand Out in Your Market

2009-05-12T08:55:00.000+01:00

1.Establish your Overt Benefit. What's In it for Me

2.Add a Reason to Believe. Why should I believe you?

3.Include your Dramatic Difference. Why should I care?

How does this work?

Michael is a friend of mine that offers accounting services.

If your accounting bill is over £1,500 per year he claims that he can save you over 50% off your next year's bill. Overt Benefit.

He has clients telling you this and he shows how on his YouTube videos and blogs. Reason to Believe.

He will push you, challenge you and hold you accountable to other cost savings in your business. A Dramatic Difference.

Can you do that in your business?

Yes you can.

If you need any help working out how to do this, you know where to turn. Was that subtle enough?

Why Should I Care?

2009-05-11T10:06:00.000+01:00

Back in the early 1970's I was just another spotty teenager.

Halcyon Days!

And like most kids I loved rock music. It was escape and fantasy, my favourite band in the early 70's were the Who. In 1973 they released a brilliant album “Quadrophenia” about a self obsessed 60's mod kid Jimmy. The classic song from that album is 5.15 about a train journey. Yes, a British Rail journey from Waterloo to Brighton. This song starts with Pete Townsend singing the line”Why should I care?” Now it was then introspective, but it is the line clients and prospects think all the time.

Why Should I Care about your...

Business?

Products and Services?

Latest email?

Blog?

Your profitability?

They are not going to unless.....

in the words of Doug Hall unless you can show a Dramatic Difference.

Your Dramatic Difference answers the question “Why Should I Care?”

Clue. The answer is what you do for your market!

It's not that you're the biggest, oldest etc

Can you answer that?

Why should I believe anything you say?

2009-05-08T11:39:00.000+01:00

Give me a Reason to Believe You

Why should I believe anything you say? You're in business and just trying to sell me your stuff! Aren't you, you evil capitalist?

Tough, hey! Doug Hall suggests Reason to Believe as his second law of Marketing Physics.

Now, most people will say OK look at my testimonials and what people say about me on-line. Quite frankly that's all bull. Isn't it?

Do you believe the comments movie makers add to movie posters outside the cinema? 'Course not.

Let me tell you, don't expect people to believe you, I don't. Expect people to be sceptical. They know that you after their dosh!

Give them something they can believe in. A demo, a test-drive, your book, your blog, your podcast, your ebook. Keep at 'em

As Tim Hardin sang “If I listened long enough to you, I'd find a way to believe that it's all true

What Overt Benefit does your business deliver?

2009-05-07T14:06:00.002+01:00

Doug Hall is somewhat of a contradiction. He's a geeky marketeer. A scientist interested in entrepreneurship. Maybe, he was attracted to the Dark Side? In his book “Jump Start Your Business Brain” Hall introduces the concept of the the Three Laws of Marketing Physics. See, I told you it was geeky.

Hall's first concept is that we should always offer an Overt Benefit, that answers the question What's in it for me? Can you answer that in a way that is meaningful, specific and measurable.

Not in some woolly, namby-pamby way like we build websites or put ink on paper. What hard benefit do you offer clients. Can you deliver profitable new clients in 13 weeks? Can you save me 33.5% of my tax bill? Can you make me 3 stone lighter in 3 months?

These results are specific make what you do the same?

What do I do?

I can show you how to increase your revenue by 15% in 17 weeks and double it in 23 months.