Charlie Cook's MArketing for Success Insider's Club

Archive for September, 2010

How to Spark Creative Genius Within Your Small Business

By Andrew Pek   |   September 22, 2010

Imagine showing up to work each day truly happy that you are there…getting energy from your colleagues, having fun in meetings, feeling like what you do counts.  It’s possible.  You can be happy at work and it doesn’t take much money, effort, or time – you just have to spark your small business creativity!

The creative genius is that part of each and every one of us who is stimulated – full of excitement, energy and ideas…the part of each of us that has a possibilities-oriented, “can-do” attitude and way of being that communicates to the world around us that anything is possible.  Follow these simple steps and you will find more happiness in your work: Read More »

8 Social Media Lessons From the Trenches

By Kim Sheehan   |   September 21, 2010

In my last post, I shared how I got my feet wet in building word of mouth and social marketing for a new book written by friend Lauren Kessler called My Teenage Werewolf, where she embeds in the life of an average American middle schooler—her daughter Lizzie. It’s “hilarious and insightful’ according to several reviewers, including me.).

Continuing my social media lessons from the trenches: Read More »

3 Easy Ways to Reach B2B Customers With Direct Mail

By Jeffrey Dobkin   |   September 19, 2010

Marketing is selling to a defined audience. Sales are to anyone, but marketing is devoted to finding and selling to the group who is most likely to make a purchase.

Reaching business to business (B2B) customers

There are three ways to reach B2B customers and prospects: Magazines, Direct Mail, and Trade Shows. Of course, there’s salesmen, and then there’s the phone, but I hate making selling phone calls almost as much as salesmen “just stopping by” my office. Read More »

The Importance of Silence In Sales

By Colleen Kilpatrick   |   September 18, 2010

I spend Fridays in an upbeat little café meeting with prospects and customers and sales training team members. Last week, I asked my newest team member, Molly, to join me in a meeting with a prospect while I introduced him to the customer retention tool I use. At the end of the meeting I asked Molly for some feedback.

She said, “I’m amazed how little you talked! You asked a couple questions then sat back and just listened intently while the prospect talked.  He told you all the reasons he needs what you offer and you hardly said a thing! Read More »

Bulldogs Don’t Build Sales Relationships

By Jeffrey Mayer   |   September 17, 2010

Tom has been selling for 13 years to businesses in the building and construction industry.

His approach was to be a bull dog. To persist. To NEVER take NO for an answer.

He was going to call on them till they Buy Or They Die. Read More »

Return to Sender

By Michael Katz   |   September 16, 2010

You know what word I have trouble spelling? Oppossed.

See what I mean?

Same with curiculum, entreprenur and envionment, although I blame that last one on having lived in Boston for 25 years, a place where the letter “R” has never been welcome.

Happily, I’ve got a spell-checker in Word and a spell-checker associated with my e-mail. And with 98% of my written communications occurring between those two, for the most part, nobody knows about my spelling weakness (Shhh). Read More »

Service Contract Anyone?

By Tom Borg   |   September 15, 2010

The other day I was in my local electronics store and during the transaction the salesperson asked me if I wanted to purchase a service contract. I politely declined.

Have you noticed the many companies selling service contracts for their products or service?

Some of the companies using service contracts are automobile dealerships, appliance stores, heating and cooling contractors. These are just a few of the companies that offer service contracts. There are many more. Read More »

How to Use “Regret” to Make Your Advertising More Effective

By Mike Jezek   |   September 15, 2010

When it comes to making a buying decision, many people back off because they’re afraid they’ll regret it. After all, they’ve spent money on things before that didn’t live up to their promises. Now what if you could harness the power of regretting making a bad decision and turn it around for you? Here’s how you do it.

First off, keep in mind that many people have some regrets for making a decision that caused them to miss out on various opportunities, products or life experiences. In light of this, you want to bring those regrets to the surface in your marketing advertising communication. Read More »

Why You Should Join Your Local Press Club

By Joan Stewart   |   September 14, 2010

Here’s an easy way to meet lots of journalists face-to-face in a relaxed social setting.

Join your local press club. Press clubs promote journalism excellence through a variety of programs, activities and monthly meetings. Most members are from the working press, but plenty of PR people also belong.

David Niles, former editor of the Small Business Times in Milwaukee and a former president of the Milwaukee Press Club, says Read More »

Is Video Marketing the Fix For Your Small Business?

By Charlie Cook   |   September 13, 2010

This past weekend I decided to fix the gears on my wife’s bicycle and found something shocking that could help you with your small business.

The gears had been skipping for over a month and a grey Sunday prompted me to decide it was time to fix her bike so it shifted properly, especially because I was hoping to talk her into a ride in the drizzle.

I like to think that I’m smart enough to fix simple stuff around the house and being an avid cyclist I should know a thing or two about bikes. Read More »
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