How can you stand out from the competition?

I’ll give you the answer in less than a minute, but first you should know…

Tomorrow is Friday the 13th and it’s my birthday! It’s my lucky day.

I’ll be headed into… NYC to celebrate with a dinner out with my son, daughter, their spouses and of course my cherished wife.

It’s a tradition in my family. We get together for every family birthday – which is the best present of all. Yes, I’m a sap for my family – now you know.

Then this Sunday I’ll be headed to Vermont, for a week of skiwork. As I write this, it’s snowing on the slopes and by the time I get there the skiing should be sweet. It’s been 8 months since I had my ACL replaced and I’m looking forward to putting it to the test.

As usual, I’ll be skiing mornings and then settling down to work after a hearty lunch in front of the fire. Hope you’re having as much fun too.

So back to the question… what’s the difference between you and your competition?

Hint: if you’re paying attention, I just gave away the answer above.

Do you know what it is?

No matter what business you’re in – the biggest differentiator, the one that clinches the deal every time is (drum roll) the strength of your relationship with your prospects and clients.

It’s not your services or products.

Yes what you do and sell is key, but unless you live in a tiny town, typically there are dozens of people who provide the same or a similar service as you do.

The biggest differentiator is how well your prospects know you, trust you and understand the value of what you do. And I’m not just talking about knowing what your company does.

I’m talking about you as a person, and the personal connections you make with prospects.

Over and over I hear from people on my subscriber list who tell me they love it when I tell them about my skiing adventures (of course that may just be the skiers talking – but what a great connection). Or before Christmas when I wrote about recipes and systems, I got a lot of positive feedback.

In this digital age, people, your prospects crave contact, personal contact – which is why every successful company I know not only uses email marketing, but picks up the phone and talks to prospects, does webinars and meets prospects in person.

Think about it, the more you know about your prospect, the more you know what they want and the easier it is to help them.

Conversely, the more prospects know about you and the other leaders in your organization, about your likes and dislikes, your pet peeves, your hobbies, travels, tastes in food, football or whatever, the more they can paint a clear picture of you in their minds – and remember you when they have a need for your products and services.

When people call to schedule an appointment to talk about working together, typically they’ve read, listened and heard from me and feel like they know me – that I’m more than just some anonymous dude after their wallet.

How about you?

Do your prospects know 3-5 things about you that differentiate you as a person (not just as a business) from your competition?

If not.. start talking about that yourself. Tell people the funny stories about when your car got towed on your first date with your then to-be wife, or what your Uncle Harry said at Thanksgiving that made the turkey leave the table, or… Most of all let your personality shine through – and you’ll connect with many more prospects and prosper.

To your success,

Charlie
MarketingForSuccess.com
ClientsDelivered.com

Sell More. Profit More. Live More.

P.S. Ready to have our crack team of twenty help you attract more clients? Currently we’re booked for the rest of the month, but if you’re interested in working with me personally and our team, our art director, web designers, copywriters, SEO and social media experts, make sure to schedule your free marketing strategy session.

Just email lauren at lauren [at] clientsdelivered [dot] com

P.P.S. Think snow! 2-3 feet would be a great birthday present.

©2012All Rights Reserved by Charlie Cook or Blog Post Author..

I’m sure you’ve heard other people say it. And I’m sure like many things you may have let it slip. But in my experience, there is one simple task which precedes profits.

Practically every modern thinker or speaker on the subject of success extols the benefits of… goal setting. I’m a huge fan of them myself since they helped me get and stay on track to earn my first million. I’ve been a goal-setter ever since. So let’s review the basic rules of putting the power of goals to work for you.

1. Write your goals down. Unwritten goals are wishes or dreams. When you write a goal down, it’s necessary to be very specific. You wouldn’t write, “I want to earn a million dollars.” You would write, “I will earn a million dollars by December 31, 2012 doing … (include how you’ll earn it). Written goals drive you to taking action.

2. Review your goals regularly. Otherwise they’ll fade from your memory and amount to zero. I suggest you hang them on your bathroom mirror. That way you’ll start and end each day with them. Reviewing them before you go to sleep at night is especially effective in staying on track.

3. Keep a copy of your goals with you. If you keep your goal with you on a 3X5 card, or as a screen saver on your computer or phone, or on a task list, you can review and revise them in spare moments throughout the day. The whole idea is to make them a living, vital part of your life and a powerful influence on your daily decisions.

4. Make sure your goals are realistic. Goals you don’t believe you can achieve are worse than useless because they blind you to goals you really could achieve. And, they discourage your belief in the whole goal-setting and achieving process. Your annual goals should make you stretch but not be so far from today’s reality that you can’t believe you’ll achieve them. Long term goals are for the bigger accomplishments in life. Plan those as well, then break them down into shorter goals until you know what you can accomplish today to be on the path to greater success in life.

The surprising thing about goals is that once they’re in writing, if you concentrate on them every day, they will become real.

©2012All Rights Reserved by Charlie Cook or Blog Post Author..

I’m stuffed!

I’m up in Vermont, enjoying a few days with family – wife, kids and associated husbands and girlfriends, not to mention my wife’s jolly brother who flew in from Chicago. And while I’ve been getting… out for a bit of skiing it seems I’m doing more eating than ever.

Every Christmas it happens. The family pulls out their favorite recipes for everything from leg of lamb to wild rice to sticky toffee pudding – and it’s hard not to get stuffed.

Of course the same is true with any successful business. Each year they follow the same proven recipes and stuff their bank account with cash.

How about you? Do you feel like you have the right recipe for attracting clients and growing your business? Are you stuffing your bank account too.

If your bank account isn’t “stuffed”, it’s not your fault. The truth is lots of people are frustrated, and it’s because you aren’t using the right recipe.

85% of success in both cooking and business, is due to the system or processes you have in place – the recipe, not the people or the ingredients.

With average ingredients and great recipes you can create a dinner fit for a king. But without a good recipe, even the best ingredients will go to waste.

And in business, it’s the system you use to attract clients and generate sales that makes the big difference, not the people. Obviously great staff can’t hurt, but it’s the system that makes up 85% of the difference.

Want to make 2012 your best year ever?

Let me ask you a question. Where should you invest? In better people or in better marketing systems?

The correct answer, of course is, to start with a proven recipe, a proven system – and you’ll be amazed at how many more clients you can attract and how much more you can make.

Have a question about what systems to use to attract clients or increase sales?

Just let me know and I’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.

Gotta go. The gang is headed out snowshoeing and hoping to find the moose that left tracks down the road.

Happy Holidays

Charlie
MarketingForSuccess

Sell More. Profit More. Live More.

P.S. Think more snow!

©2012All Rights Reserved by Charlie Cook or Blog Post Author..

How much faster would your business grow if you had access to all the funding you needed?

Just imagine, everything you needed, plenty of staff, endless resources and a clear mind.My good friend Dave Lavinsky put together a video that reveals the #1 secret to raising money quickly and easily for smart business owners like you.

Watch the video >>

…and you’ll discover:

* How to get funded ASAP, whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been in business for years

* The Top 10 sources of funding, and which 1 is best for YOU right now

* Why you should STOP chasing the same funding sources as everybody else

Watch it now >>

Charlie

P.S. This video is only available for the next 24 hours, so if you need funding to start or grow your business, take a break and watch this video right now.

Watch it here >>

©2012All Rights Reserved by Charlie Cook or Blog Post Author..

Last week I let you in on a little secret.

My good friend Dave Lavinsky from Growthink has cracked the code on why… some entrepreneurs reach 8 figure success. Then, he put together a video of the tactics and strategies for my subscribers.

Watch the 8 Figure Formula here >>

What do 8 figure entrepreneurs know that you don’t?

How do 8 figure entrepreneurs make tons more money while working less?

What tactics and strategies do 8 figure entrepreneurs use?

Watch the video here to find out >>

Charlie

P.S. It’s only going to be available for a little while longer.

Watch it now >>

©2012All Rights Reserved by Charlie Cook or Blog Post Author..

Babies, teenagers, 20 somethings and 50 somethings all dress differently – I hope!

The same is true for your business. What you need to do to succeed depends on whether you’re just getting started,  struggling, profitable, or an established business. Make sense?

Find out what works for the stage your business is at now. Read More >>

©2012All Rights Reserved by Charlie Cook or Blog Post Author..

Last week I asked you to choose between one of two categories to put yourself in:

The first category meant you’d live a life of struggling to grow your business and scrambling to get clients.

And if you saw yourself in the second category, you’d have a flourishing business and more clients and income than you could handle.Which one would you belong in now? Which one would you like to belong in?

If it’s ultra-success you’re after, and you didn’t already grab the free offer from my good friend Brian Tracy, it’s not too late. Click here >>

Get rid of your bad habits and excuses that are keeping yo u from being truly successful.

Claim your CD here >>

To your success,

Charlie

P.S. Feel free to share this information with your friends, but be sure to reserve your copy, first here >>

P.P.S. This offer is absolutely free, and there’s no obligation for you to buy from Brian now or in the future.

©2012All Rights Reserved by Charlie Cook or Blog Post Author..

During a recent session with a small business owner, I explained to him how important it is to sincerely complement his employees.

This person tended to not pay genuine compliments to his employees. Instead, he would…make pretty embarrassing comments.

If you want to bring out the best in your employees and discover their strengths, one of the best things you can do is regularly praise them. They might not admit it, but they’ll love to be at the receiving end of some positive words every now and then. This is a gift you can give, that costs nothing, yet will definitely multiply in dividends. You’ll see their confidence go up, and their production and sales increase as well.

For a simple way to give a genuine compliment to someone else, use the SES formula:

The first S is for being “sincere”. Try to discover a quality that warrants a genuine compliment. Whether they’re great at customer support or are always a team leader, be sure to point out that quality to them.

E is for the “evidence”. Give them concrete evidence that helps cement your compliment. It’s hard for someone to deny a compliment when you’re sincere and show them what you mean with an example of their work.

The second S is for “short”. Keep your compliment short. There are two reasons for this – it’s more natural and easier to give, but also it’s much easier to receive.

Look at it this way: How do you feel to have some gushing about you non-stop? Sure it’s nice to receive the compliments, but still it makes most of us uncomfortable. So the easier you make it for them to hear it, the easier it will be for you to give. And when you’ve finished the compliment, simply change the subject or walk away.

An example of how to give a compliment might sound like this: “Tina, great work on your presentation. It was nice and to the point. Keep up the excellent work. See you later.”

So just remember, even though it can make you feel uncomfortable and maybe, even the recipient, too, giving compliments boosts the self-esteem of your team and helps you to feel better about yourself, as well.

©2012All Rights Reserved by Charlie Cook or Blog Post Author..

If you had to put yourself in one of two groups – average or ultra-successful – which one would you belong in now?

Which one would you like to belong in?

If it’s ultra-success you’re after, skip… the reading and take my friend Brian Tracy up on his free offer now. Click here >>

Do you know what sets apart the ultra-successful from the average?

Brian Tracy has studied the science of success for the past 30 years, and he’s now a best-selling author, sought-after coach and speaker, and a multi-millionaire who lives what he teaches. For a limited time, he’s offeringmy subscribers a chance to read the FIRST chapter of his book, “No Excuses – The Power of Self-Discipline.”

Claim your CD here >>

Stop developing bad habits, stop making excuses and start taking action to get everything you want in life. How? By developing your self-discipline, which Brian calls “the missing ingredient in many success formulas.”

In his book, “No Excuses – The Power of Self-Discipline,” Brian reveals exactly how you can hone your self-discipline and turn it into a tool that works for you.

Wouldn’t you like to know precisely what sets the ultra-successful apart from the average? Wouldn’t you like to STOP wondering why other people have the things you want – and START getting those things for yourself?

This is your chance – and if you’re looking for a teacher who walks the walk, look no further. Brian Tracy is THE success expert and I highly recommend anything he’s offering.

Get it today so you can sign up to download his free chapter and begin doing what you need to do achieve what you want to achieve.

Go here now >>

To your success,

Charlie

P.S. Feel free to share this information with your friends, but be sure to reserve your copy first >>

P.P.S. This offer is absolutely free, and there’s no obligation for you to buy from Brian now or in the future.

©2012All Rights Reserved by Charlie Cook or Blog Post Author..

Yesterday, my wife and I want exploring on our bikes over by the southern shores of Lake Champlain. We were looking to find some new places to go cycling and new views to admire during this spectacular fall foliage season we’re having here in Vermont.

And we’d planned on a moderate two and half hour ride but that wasn’t what we ended up with.A few miles after we headed into the unknown part of the ride, we rounded a corner to find a “Road Closed” sign, which in our typical fashion, we ignored. It turned out to only be notification of a slightly washed out bridge, which wasn’t a problem, but the gravel roads we ran into after that were.

I don’t know if you’ve ridden on a road bike much, but the narrow tires work great on a paved road, and not so great on gravel. It’s possible to ride on loose gravel but slow and tiring.

We cycled on anyway only to find that one of the main roads we’d been counting on to head us back north to our car, was pretty much a muddy ditch – which meant we had to take a 5 mile detour – all adding up to a lot of extra work and extra miles.

Which is okay if all you’re looking for is to see some stellar scenery and biking for three plus hours.

But here’s what amazes me… over and over, I talk to small business owners who plan their marketing the same way I plan back rides and they end up working way too hard and taking the long way around when they could take a quick shortcut.

They seek out the hardest and most challenging routes and struggle every week to get results. Which is nuts! It’s crazy enough to do when I go cycling but it’s no way to run a business.

To help you save time, get results with your marketing and prosper in this market I’m giving you a shortcut. The answers you need are loaded onto a CD that I have with your name on it. Your investment? $1 and I know your future is worth way more than that.

All you have to do is claim it >>

This bestselling report has been completely updated to help you grow your business this year… and I’ve put it on audio CD to make it even easier for you to benefit from the great ideas inside… you can put it in your car during your morning commute, load it onto your iPod for a business trip, or even listen to it on your computer while you’re working.

To claim your copy of this CD now, go here >>

Ready to find the shortcut to prosper this year?

Hurry! Get your CD today! >>

You don’t have to follow the hard and long path followed by so many other small business owners.  There is a better—faster way. I hope you’ll reach out and decide to take it.

To your success,
Charlie

P.S. My friends know not to follow me on skis unless they want to head into the deep snow and trees. But I’m going to add an addendum. Don’t follow my wife on a bike. She’s got legs of steel and is eager to explore and you never know where you’ll end up – though eventually we usually make it home.

P.P.S. So don’t follow me on skis or my wife on a bike – but do follow the easy to implement ideas detailed for you here, the powerful success formula I’ve used and teach all my clients. Just claim your copy today.

Claim your CD here >>

©2012All Rights Reserved by Charlie Cook or Blog Post Author..