JWT CLOSED ITS CHICAGO OFFICE, ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS CLOSED ITS DOORS—WHY?

Could it be because people are not advertising as much? Could it be because INBOUND MARKETING is growing?

IT’S NO SECRET, AND IT AIN’T THE ECONOMY.

IF ANYONE EVER SENDS YOU A LINK TO THE TOP TEN SECRETS TO ACHIEVE ANYTHING, DELETE IT…THERE ARE NO SUCH SECRETS, (and if there were only ten, EVERYONE would be doing it.)

HERE’S THE LESSON FOR TODAY - You could learn ten things from me, and ten more things from someone else, and 6 things from another… some of which MAY lead you to “somewhere” or “something” that may lead you to your new conclusions, but that’s it.

If there are Ten Secrets to Stardom or Success, they are still SECRETS. I don’t have any secrets, but I know this…a good product doesn’t mean anything if you can’t get it in front of people who use it, eat it, taste, it smell it, throw it, fold it in triangles, or give it to someone else. But, that’s no secret. YOU KNOW THIS.

THIS is what I believe will work: If you bring your product or concept to a professional whose knowledge and experience can move your product to the next level, to get it into the hands of your target demographic, you’re probably five (5) years ahead of where you were yesterday…..You want people that can help move you along to your next ten things, and on, and on.

We have knowledge and experience, but I’m not selling that today. I’m giving it away. Here are some concepts and information I would like to share with you. You may find them important. You may not. But, if you are trying to launch a new business, or launch a new product or service, or need to expand your distribution network…you need to know that some of the brightest minds on the planet. BRILLIANT PROFESSIONALS that know how to get you in front of your buyers want you to succeed. And, if you read this long blog, you will pick up enough information to increase your profits this year-without contacting us. We’re giving the INFO to you.

If the information you find in this document makes sense to you…call us.you soon.

FIRST - EVERYTHING IS MARKETING. EVERYTHING YOU DON’T THINK IS MARKETING, IS MARKETING…EXCEPT FOR SALES. MARKETING IS EVERYTHING YOU TO THAT LEADS YOU TO THE SALE.

MARKETING IS YOUR SHIRT, YOUR LETTERHEAD, YOUR HANDSHAKE, YOUR LOOK STRAIGHT INTO THE EYE.

LET’S GET TO IT – LET’S TALK ABOUT MARKETING…SOCIAL MARKETING

Think of SOCIAL MARKETING as a get-together to talk about like interests. To talk about moving forward with a concept, with business leaders, champions and

influencers

to help introduce you to people you need to know, AND who need your products.

SOCIAL MEDIA IS INCREDIBLE… (when used correctly)
…it works because it is permission-based. It works because when you know the right tactics and strategies to get attention for your products and services, people will come to you. That’s the BIG SECRET that isn’t a secret.

DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?

The marketing programs of yesterday are not working today. (JWT CLOSED ITS CHICAGO OFFICE) Trade shows are less attended, Newspapers and Magazines are losing readership more quickly than they can recover. “FAMOUS NEWSPAPERS” are shutting down. (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS CLOSED…PERIOD). WHY? People are getting their news ONLINE.
MAGAZINES ARE LOSING readership. PAGE COUNT IS SMALLER. Weekly publications are changing to MONTHLY. MONTHLY PUBS ARE CHANGING TO QUARTERLY.

So, if people aren’t reading the magazines and newspapers, advertisers have no reason to advertise. If there are no advertisers – the publication has to cut pages, fire writers, close their doors. Just like any other business. No Clients – No Business.

This is just one reason to move toward social (INBOUND) marketing.

Let’s look at another – TELEVISION – Other than incredible examples of outstanding programming such as “American Idol” people are TiVO-ing. People are Blocking TV advertising by using TiVO, or similar products. Television is not what it used to be. You have TiVO, HBO, and HBO On Demand, and on and on.

This means that if you have television advertising, chances are they may be blocked by the people you are trying to reach. NOT ALL…but some. This is another reason to move toward social (INBOUND) marketing.

RADIO – Let me say one SIRIUS word about radio advertising…. OK, TWO WORDS…XM. And, as always, there are so many options, to just push the button, change the channel. If your advertising is on radio, you need to know, that radio is being blocked…more and more each day. Another reason to move toward social or INBOUND marketing.

BILLBOARDS – It is my opinion that billboards have become blight on our Scenic Environment. Besides…do you think you can put enough information on a billboard to change someone’s mind enough to use your products? If the answer is no, there is another reason to move toward social (INBOUND) marketing.

THINK ABOUT THIS - flyers, brochures, one-sheets, pocket push cards, eMail Blasting, all of this is PUSH Marketing, and may either be thrown away or “DELETED”.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a place for collateral material inside a TOTAL MARKETING SOLUTION. But to continue to market via PUSH methods alone, can be a continued waste of assets. ANOTHER THOUGHT What do you do when you’re looking for something? Go to the newspaper, yellow pages, or magazine? Do you look through your drawer, or basket of flyers and brochures? What do you do with all the direct mail you get every day? Do you have a direct mail file? NO!

If you want information about a specific product, you go to the internet. You GOOGLE it. Well, that’s exactly what 98% of everyone else ON THE PLANET-with a computer is doing, So……if everyone is looking online for their information, where do you believe YOUR MARKETING should be? Huh?

THAT’S RIGHT… “INBOUND MARKETING” ONLINE!!!

COMMUNITIES DISCUSSING YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ARE ONLINE - NOW. THEY ARE WAITING FOR YOU…ARE YOU THERE?

Have you been paying attention to all the DISCUSSIONS about the strength of places like LinkedIN?

Moving from a “PUSH” Marketing Philosophy to a “PULL” Marketing Philosophy shouldn’t scare you. There are millions of people and companies online right now, who want more information, so they can make IMPORTANT BUYING DECISIONS. ARE YOU THERE? GetFoundINBOUND©

WHICH MAKES MORE SENSE TO YOU?

Would you rather design, print, and mail 10,000 brochures or flyers, to 10,000 people who may or may NOT have an interest in your offerings? (Maybe 1%-2% response rate) MAYBE - Or, would you rather communicate DIRECT to 1,000 people whom you know have a high-level of interest in the type of products and/or services you offer, and have given you PERMISSION to contact them?

If you responded to the latter…then you need to begin transitioning to INBOUND marketing strategies.

There are NEW WORDS you need to include as part of Your New Business Vocabulary. You may have heard them mentioned in a recent after-hours “networking” meeting, in your city. They sound like this: LinkedIN, Twitter, Flicker, Digg, You Tube, Facebook…and on and on…there are hundreds.

You don’t have to understand what they mean. BUT…You MUST understand what they “DO”. And, when U DO…, you could turn your sales numbers around, substantially. We WILL help guide you through this a-MAZE-ing process.

OK, NOW, We’re In. How are we Heard?

Upon entering a community, you will begin to hear conversations. PARTICIPATE in these conversations. YOU are an expert. Begin to develop ongoing conversations, and participate in each of them. Let them know who you are. Become transparent. Become TRUSTED.

If you need help with content, let us know. We can help guide and create amazing content for these conversations. Then, Conversations can become Conversions…which become REVENUE.

Content will ALWAYS BE KING
You must place yourself in the position of being the expert in your field. CONTENT is informative, it embraces your prospects, and helps guide them through your eloquent presentation - (ELVIS IS NOT KING…CONTENT IS KING).

Absolutely NOTHING beats well-written, informative, and entertaining content. From Blog-posts, and podcasts…From creating a WEBINAR to presentation of a whitepaper…place yourself in a position of being the knowledgeable expert. From this position, you engage the community through conversation. From well-stated CONVERSATION, comes CONVERSION. By entering communities, you have secured a spot in the medium to communicate directly to buyers. You have the option of converting those conversations into revenue. You have been given PERMISSION TO SELL your products and services.

IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT try to sell in the conversation. This is a reward. As they ask for more, you can LEAD them to your site…send them an important document, and more information to engage them. Then, call/meet them, and enter into your selling proposition. They have given you PERMISSION to sell them something.

By entering the community, you have been given permission to communicate. Through your communication, you will gain interest. From this interest, you will gain conversions. Do it again! Do it again!!

Be Selective. You don’t have the time to be in every community.

Since it is not possible to be effective in every social network, we’re glad to help you to be selective by researching the hundreds and hundreds of opportunities, and choosing the communities that have the highest potential to convert conversations into clients.

Here is the best advice I can give you TODAY. No charge. Ready? If you are not yet on LinkedIN, do it NOW…NOW! NOW!!!

LinkedIN is where you will begin to enter into business communities that can offer the most forward movement. Connect with people you know. Find people that you believe can be a positive LINK for you, and connect to them. If you need help, ask us.

“GIVE IT AWAY, GIVE IT AWAY, GIVE IT AWAY – NOW”

Remember the “Golden Rule”? “Do unto others, as you would have others do unto you.” As quickly as people (companies) enter communities, and begin to sell, sell, sell, is as quickly as the members of that community stop paying attention to them. If you think that just by being there, you have permission to go into your sales pitch, you would be absolutely, messed-up RWRONG.

As the lyrics from “The Red Hot Chili Peppers” song state: “GiveItAway, GiveItAway, GiveItAway Now”.

This is exactly what you should do, from the very beginning of your association with communities. SHARE your content. Let those within the communities know that you want them to succeed. And, you will help them to succeed by sharing the information you have, related to this community.

Become the source of information on your specialty topic. They will then come to you. They will learn to trust you, because you are GIVING not taking. Therefore, they too will become givers of information to you. ALL WILL SHARE…ALL WILL LEARN…ALL WILL PROSPER.

DON’T PLAY GAMES WITH SOCIAL MEDIA.

Social Media is becoming the highest form of marketing communication. Communities are filled with those who want and need information directly related to your company. FIND THEM. If you don’t have time, we’ll help YOU.

These are buyers, influencers, or champions, seeking quality information that will lead them to the products and services they need, and want. YOUR PRODUCTS/SERVICES.

Let it become a part of you and your company, and how you now operate your marketing strategies. BE HONEST, BE TRANSPARENT, BE GENEROUS with your information. CONTENT IS KING. HONESTY RULES. Let Social Marketing become your new, forward THINKING STRATEGY.
“EAT CHANGE FOR BREAKFAST” —Dr. Oren Harari- (www.harari.com)

THESE CONCEPTS ARE A PART OF CHANGE.
CHANGE OF THOUGHT PROCESSES and SALES PROCESSES - MARKETING PROCESSES and YOUR FUTURE BUSINESS PROCESSES.

One of my beloved mentors, Dr. Oren Harari, Professor of Marketing-University of San Francisco, in his best-selling books, “Leapfrogging The Competition” and “Break From The Pack” stresses that CHANGE is the impetus for SUCCESS. If you are prepared for change, and include change into your business mindset, based upon everything that is happening in your business, industry, vertical, competition, market and customers, then you are positioned for success. Change should not frighten you.

We believe you should EMBRACE CHANGE. When you are prepared for it, you can move with it. You can respond to it. You can control it.

We believe INBOUND MARKETING is the KEY to SUCCESS in today’s business environment.

With all other media suffering…by lack of readership, viewers, listeners, lesser content, falling subscriptions, leading to fewer advertisers, smaller advertising budgets, reduction of pages, M&A…on and on.

Your ads may be BLOCKED. There are fewer READERS seeing your print ads. TRADE SHOW budgets are plummeting. There are fewer participants spending money on travel. Fewer people to see your booth, and hear your story. What are you going to do now?

YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE ONLINE. WAITING FOR YOU.
GET FOUND INBOUND©

FINALLY-REALLY…FINALLY - EVERYTHING…everything is MARKETING! Even things you don’t think are marketing- ARE MARKETING — eVERyThinG. – that is…EXCEPT SALES… BUT…Marketing is everything you do that leads up 2 the SALE.

See you IN THERE.

Randall Montalbano
Senior Advisor
White Mountain Marketing
www.whitemountainmktng.com