This past weekend my good friend John and I went out for a sail on my boat in dubious weather conditions. Dubious because there really wasn’t any wind, and you need wind to move a sailboat. But John and I are stubborn, and the sun was shining for the first time in many days, so we raised the sails and more or less drifted out of the harbor into Long Island Sound.

We made steady progress, but it was slow going in the light breeze. We covered a couple of miles, then turned and headed home. On the way in, a fresh breeze picked up, scooting us shoreward. Our perseverance paid off with a delightful bit of late afternoon sailing. (Use this link to see my boat >>)

Of course the fact we both know our way around boats made all the difference. Without the skill to trim the sails well for the conditions, and the knowledge of how to make adjustments to move the boat in the light air, we could still be drifting aimlessly around the Sound.

Perseverance pays off in small business marketing too, but not unless you know how to adjust to the conditions. You may be even more stubborn than my wife tells me I am, but if you’re not doing the right things to get attention and grow your business, you’re going to be adrift, at the mercy of the tide.

Are you the persistent type, too? Find out how to profit from this trait and get results from your marketing. Use this link to get the details >>

Bob wrote me this week about his photography business. In his words, the response to his marketing has been, “next to nothing”. In fact, his recent mailing to 1300 prospects generated only one response and when he returned the call, that prospect had already selected another studio.

Bob included a copy of the postcard he’d used in his mailing to seniors. A photograph of his was reproduced on the front, and the back featured 3 items:

– 50% off his services
– $25 prepaid card for itunes
– chance to win a free ipod nano

Should Bob repeat this type of mailing and hope it will start working, or should he be trimming his sails and adjusting his marketing? You guessed it —he needs to change his marketing strategies.

People buy solutions to their problems and the benefits you provide. No problem, no solution, no sale!

Persistence can pay off if you’re doing the right thing. If you’re not getting results, it can bankrupt your business. This almost happened to Jose. Here’s what Jose emailed me last week. It had been a while since I’d worked with him, and he wanted to bring me up to date. Here’s the email he sent me.

“It’s funny how people who own a business sometimes won’t spend a single dime to invest on any materials that will double or even triple their income as we did. When I came to you, I was going broke and my brother couldn’t stand the thought of losing our business. With a few thousand dollars left, I invested in your marketing materials and in our conversation you gave me so many ideas.

This is the funny part. When I applied the ad you wrote for me and used the 15 Second Marketing material, you changed my life for the better. Charlie, I’ve enclosed a new picture of my family and me. I’m a little heavier, that’s because I can afford to eat more and here is my wife Rachel, my 5-year-old daughter Leah and our new puppy, a Shepherd, in front of our new home. (Notice how happy we look.)

You are the best…. I love you, man.

PS. I still read every single email you send me because you give out so many secrets. The picture of the dripping faucet below represented me when my old ad was not working for me. Each drip that fell was money being wasted even as I slept. NOT ANY MORE…YOU ENDED THAT OVER NIGHT!!”
Jose Lopez, Hartford, CT

Use the wrong ad and business marketing strategy over and over and you’ll go broke. Use the right ad and marketing approach over and over and you’ll be outrageously successful.

For perseverance to pay off, it needs to be coupled with knowledge, skill and the right tools. Ready to find out what tools Jose used to double or triple his income?
Use this link to get the details >>