Music Maestro

Posted on 2015/08/08 by Jerry Fletcher

My questions, as I took my seat at an alfresco table where the others were already gathered was, “What is the musical theme of our group? Do each of us have a couple of notes that might identify us? What is the melody of this group?”

Kate, our sales doyen put a hand on my forehead and said, “His temperature feels normal, but crazy doesn’t generate a fever, does it?”

“I’ve been thinking about this for a week,” I said. “I had my ears opened last Saturday. Arthur is one of my valued resources. He runs a very successful web site development company.

He is also a composer. (listen in here)

Last Sunday he revealed his work for a composer’s contest to a group of friends in a home concert. About 25 of us squeezed into his living room around a baby grand and were taken into his creative process.”

Rick asked, “What do you mean, taken in?”

“He literally walked us through how he developed a composition for this contest. This was one of those fortuitous situations when I was already thinking about music because a friend asked me what one thing I was going to do as a result of attending the National Speakers Association meeting in Washington D.C.My answer was I’m going to add intro music to my speaking website and my speaking introduction.

I’ve already got Arthur working on it.”

“Y’all know I couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket with a lid on it, said Rob, our branding wizard. But there’s things that music can do for a brand you cain’t do no other way. I may be a child of the south and I do like country rock but every kind of music can put a hex on you if it matches up with your perspective on a product or service. If it’s right, jus’ one or two notes touch the “wareness and preference centers in your brain.”

“You’re right on, Bubba,” I said. Arthur did variations on the theme that included a ragtime immediately followed by a tango. He made it silly and sad and joyous. In just a few minutes his composition took us on a life journey. Along the way he used that elusive ability of music to take us to places all of us have been and to show us how those emotions can be tapped into with as little as two notes.

”Gail asked, “Did he prompt you or just let you guess about the scores?”

“No prompting was required. He played two notes and all of us could see the fin breaking the water. He talked about how Star Wars had re-introduced the idea of a full movie score. He let us hear why we knew something foreboding was on its way and how music could help us envision someone on screen thinking about another character.”

Kate leaned back, took a pull on her iced tea and said, “So you’re suggesting that each of us has a theme and that somehow they combine to make a mini-symphony each time we gather.”

“No, I wasn’t but if I were producing these blogs as radio plays that would be a brilliant idea!”

The Takeaway:

Music has the ability to use your emotions to build memory hooks that resonate regardless of how long it has been since you heard as little as two notes.

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Jerry Fletcher’s blog recaps conversations with clients, prospects and the unruly mob of business development professionals he consorts with. They discuss marketing that works from solopreneur to enterprise level. Jerry Fletcher is the ringleader and “Watson” of the dialogue.

Jerry has been researching and implementing small business marketing that builds businesses, careers and lives of joy for 25 years as President of Z-axis Marketing, Inc. Learn more at www.JerryFletcher.com

Schedule a personal appearance. Jerry speaks internationally on Networking, Marketing and Contact Relationship Magic. www.NetworkingNinja.com

Your Story Is What?

Posted on 2015/05/16 by Jerry Fletcher

“We missed you last week. What were you doing?” asked our get right to it sales type, Kate, as I took my seat.

“Since you must know,” I said, “I was talking someone down from a ledge.”

“Mistah Fletcher,” Bubba oozed in his best Georgia peach way, “that is no job for the likes of you in my humble opinion.”

“That depends” I replied, “on a number of things. First, how high was it? Second, why was he up there? And third, was there a fire company with a net handy?”

Chris suggested in his digital director way, “Sounds like your leading up to the topic of the day and it doesn’t sound a lot like marketing or sales or all the stuff we usually talk about.”

“You are so wrong my oriental mastermind friend,” I said. “The guy on the ledge was me and I had totally screwed up my first column for a major forum. I didn’t need a net because the founder/editor is a gentleman and knows how to get the best out of a writer.”

Gail leaned looked over her glasses in her writer like way and said, “Back up. What were you attempting to write about?”

“My premise was that every company has a story. Each of us has heard and I’ll wager told stories about our companies and those we have advised. Most of us have heard how ‘when it absolutely positively has to be here overnight’ came to be and the legend of ‘just do it’ and others.”

“So where did you go wrong?” asked Rick our Direct marketing guy.

“I’ll bet I can tell you where he got all cattywampus,” said Bubba. I’m thinkin’ he went off the tracks on either Persona or Plot Line.”

Rick smiled and said, “I’ll do the Persona piece. My partner studied this for years. What he came down to was that there were only three or four personaes that work in a selling context. He called them archetypes. They are:

The Expert the person who has gathered the data, compiled the information, taken action to gain knowledge and with experience has come to wisdom.
The Knight who doesn’t know about something but goes looking to solve a problem and then reports back on the results of the quest.
The Collector who gathers experiences and along the way finds secrets that must, in his/her mind be shared. Sometimes the most powerful version of the Collector is a person reluctant to step into the limelight which makes the discoveries just that much more appealing.”

Rob said “Well done, Yankee!” He acknowledged Rick’s nod and went on, “Plot, according to Ray Bradbury is human desire let run, running, and reaching a goal. It cannot be mechanical. It can only be dynamic. Here are four plot lines that you are already familiar with if you’ve ever read a comic book, attended a Shakespeare play or sat through a George Lucas movie:

Challenge and Call can be a game of chance, a personal problem remedied or as simple as standing up to that voice on your shoulder. You respond to a negative situation and find your way out of it.
Transformation is the before and after story. It demonstrates the change you’ve learned which you can bring to someone else’s life or status or health or you name it.
Finder’s Sharers is when you relate the way you came upon something and the effect it can have for the buyer. A subset of this is often about revealing a secret discovered.
You and me against the world is a replay of the competitive thing that most business owners believe in. Just like the war of Yankee aggression, it divides the audience and will make some of them hardcore fans.

Theah’s more but that’s the bigun’s in the briar patch.”

“You guys hit the nail right on the head,” I said. “I went back to my notes on our discussions about stories and using them for corporate positioning and branding. It was all there. Thank you all for helping me down off the ledge.”

Jerry Fletcher’s blog recaps conversations with clients, prospects and an unruly mob of business development professionals. They discuss what’s new, what’s old, what’s good, bad and ugly plus creative thinking to find what works. Jerry Fletcher is the ringleader and “Watson” of the dialogue.

Jerry has been researching and implementing small business marketing that builds businesses, careers and lives of joy for 25 years as President of Z-axis Marketing, Inc. Learn more at www.JerryFletcher.com

Schedule a personal appearance. Jerry speaks internationally on Networking, Marketing and Contact Relationship Magic. www.NetworkingNinja.com

Go Where They Ain’t

Posted on 2015/04/25 by Jerry Fletcher

“Go where they ain’t,” said Rob, the southern fried branding guru we lovingly call Bubba.

Chris asked, “That is your great business development advice?”

“Yassuh,” said Bubba around a dinner roll slathered with butter. I’ll give you examples from every part of marketing ‘cause that is advice you can take to the bank.”

“Okay,“ I said, “if we use the seven P’s model of Marketing I’ll just set them up one at a time. Is that okay with you?”

“Bring it on, Watson” said Bubba, “and if any of y’all want to jump in, feel free.

“Prospect Viewpoint,’ I said, “out of all the people out there who buys or will buy your product or service and what do they think, feel and believe about it?”

Rick, our direct marketing expert said, “Let me take this one. If you really analyze both the demographics and the psychographics of buyers you’ll find that they have more than one reason for buying. Yes, one will be prevalent but reasons two and three are often just as viable as number one. You go where they ain’t by orienting your creative to one of those other reasons.

“Profitable Niche is next. I said when he finished. A niche is a way to minimize competition with a focused portion of a market that requires a product or service that is outside the mainstream either in the need it meets or the design of the product or service. “

Gail, the copywriter volunteered, “you know how the whole world is now into mobile? Well I have seen that work out really well for two industries not known for it. Our vet’s practice is all house calls. And our computer guy lately seems to live in our spare bedroom/home office.”

Kate asked, “Are the virus’s attacking again?”

“Don’t get her started.” Rick said.

“Positioning is the third item,” I said. It is how you differentiate yourself or your product or service.

Bubba cleared his throat and said, “I figure I oughta take this one ‘cause everybody confuses it with brand and names and logos and taglines and you name it. Positioning is how you tell people quickly and succinctly how our product or service is unique. The classic examples are: The Uncola for Seven Up or We try harder for Avis or when it absolutely positively has get there over night for Federal Express. All or part of it may appear in a tagline. It can be a product name. It will, overtime, be part of the brand.”

“Persona is next, I see it as the heart of any business, the operational strategies. It is a core of trust wrapped round by Product, Price and Passage (distribution) encased in your name. Any one of the key elements can take you where they ain’t. For instance: The Chronotherm (the world’s first automatic setback thermostat). Or how about a fixed price to get a Pilot’s license or to integrate reporting software into your corporate systems. Consider a vending machine in orthodontist offices to dispense the most common items used. TWo of those I helped put in place and they are killer!

“Promotion Anybody”

Chris said, “I’ll take it. The internet has changed things but mostly just added another channel. The easiest way to go where they ain’t is to use direct mail. Use has declined so it stands out. Yes, it costs more than e-mail but used in combination with on-line activities it can increase acquisition geometrically.

“Performance is next, I said, “this is the way you, your company product or service interface with the client/customer/user.”

Kate, our sales doyenne said, “Got it. Have humans answer the phone. Actually help people find a competing product. Provide content that actually helps. Listen to your sales force when they tell you what people are saying about you and competitive products. Make it easy to opt out. Basically just treat people the way you’d like to be treated.

“Perception is the last one,” I said. “Bubba will you do the honors since Brand is your baby?”

“Sho’ nuff. Brand is the sum total of all the ways you or your company, product or service wind up on folks’ radar. What you want to have happen is for folks tell others Look what Mama gimme!”

The Takeaway:

Be different. You can do it with a name, a product, a distribution channel, pricing, delivery, after sale support, positioning, finding a niche. The better you understand your customer/client/user, the easier it will be.

Schedule a personal appearance. Jerry speaks internationally on Networking, Marketing and Contact Relationship Magic. www.NetworkingNinja.com

Visually Shameless Networking

Posted on 2015/04/11 by Jerry Fletcher

“So how was the conference?” Kate asked as I slid into the booth.

“I noticed something that was subtle but important,” I responded.

Rob grinned and said, “Wait for it y’all.”

I continued, “The best networkers also tend to be the best dressed or the least concerned about standing out from the crowd. In a room with over 200 of the top consultants in the country in attendance a dozen or so were just flat visually shameless.”

Gail asked, “so were they well-dressed or over-exposed?”

“It was subtly sophisticated in some cases, colorfully shocking in some but never overtly sensual. One guy was wearing a day glow orange sweater. Another wore an obviously expensive merino wool and silk ensemble. The women that stood out through color, quality and just looking comfortable in tailored outfits that ranged from suits to office casual.

The thing is that I identified those folks the first day and made it a point to meet them. On the last day of the conference they were the ones that led the table discussions after lunch.”

Chris said, “So if I’m at trade show or conference I should look successful.”

“That’s right,” said Kate, “but I’d extend that to any time you may be meeting prospects. And I would say it goes beyond the clothes. You should have a relatively new phone, an elegant folio for taking notes and carry a pen that is a cut way above the one you got from the local printer.”

Rick said, “I’ll take that a little further. So many people today really miss the boat because they try networking on line instead of in person. That is their first mistake. But more importantly they just take a selfie and throw it up on the social networks never considering the consequences. If your profile photo on LinkedIn is a low-res-looking-off-into-the-distance-wearing-a-T-shirt you have told me that at best you don’t care what I think and at worst that you really don’t want to begin a relationship with me.”

Gail added, “Visuals, especially quality ones, crack through the clutter. I saw some research on this the other day. Apparently:

Your brain processes visual data over 60,000 times faster than text
Visuals or videos on landing pages get conversion rates over 80% better that all text.
Posts with visuals are good for over 90% more views than those without.”

The Takeaway:

Rob said: “So if you want to be in high cotton you need to be the vision of success as your prospects see it. That means that you dress the part and you use visuals in your on-line persona that are a class act. All of them. One mistake can cost you.”

Jerry Fletcher’s blog recaps conversations with clients, prospects and a group of business development professionals. They discuss what’s new, what’s old, what’s good, bad and ugly plus creative thinking to find what works. Jerry Fletcher is the ringleader and secretary of the dialogue.

Jerry has been researching and implementing small business marketing that builds businesses, careers and lives of joy for 20 years as President of Z-axis Marketing, Inc. Learn more at www.JerryFletcher.com

Schedule a personal appearance. Jerry speaks internationally on Networking, Marketing and Contact Relationship Magic. www.NetworkingNinja.com

Secrets Of A Networking Ninja

Posted on 2015/03/14 by Jerry Fletcher

“I’ve been using and teaching networking as a primary business development tool for 25 years. I’m still in business so I must be doing something right I said to Chris, the digital marketing pro in the lunch bunch.”

“So there’s nothing new in this video,” he said.

Gail simply put a hand over my mouth to stop the explosion. Then she said, “I know him well enough to know that he has changed this information over the years continually to take into account all the changes in the way we live.”

“That’s right,” I said. The story of why I’m called the Networking Ninja hasn’t changed but how I introduce myself has morphed multiple times. Some of the stories are new, some are old. But what works, the principles and how to apply them have been updated continuously. This video is a good 30 minute primer for those who are new to networking and a great reminder for those that have been at it for a while.”

Kate asked, “Is this one free to subscribers to the blog and their friends?”

“Yes,” I said. “You can watch Secrets of A Networking Ninja for FREE for a short time.”

The Takeaway:

If you can remember the colors of the rainbow you can remember these secrets:

Create an Identity Red
Make Contacts Orange
Develop Relationships Yellow
Provide introductions and Leads Green
Offer assistance and advice Blue
Seek advice and counsel indigo
Demonstrate your capabilities Violet

Schedule a personal appearance. Jerry speaks internationally on Networking, Marketing and Contact Relationship Magic. www.NetworkingNinja.com

Building Blocks of a Successful Sales Pitch

Posted on 2015/01/10 by Jerry Fletcher

“Martin called me Tuesday to let me know two things:
1. Prototypes of his new product will be available next week.
2. They changed the name of the company based on the suggestion I made for a URL in a planning meeting. Needless to say, I never had that in mind but…”

Rick, our Direct marketing guru, interjected,” Back up. Who is Martin and what is the product and why the name change?”

Kate, Madame sales, said, “And what does all this have to do with a successful sales pitch?”

“I was meeting with Martin and his partner, I replied. “They were updating me on the product development and timing for final prototypes. I asked what they were going to call the product.

When they told me I jumped on it and asked if they had purchased the URL.”

“Good idea,” said Chris our resident digital marketing director. “It can kill you if you can’t use a URL for a product that is the same as the name. If you can, it gives you real advantages. The biggest one is that owning the URL is, in terms of marketing, sometimes more valuable than having a registered trademark.”

“Right,” I agreed. “What happened was that Martin pulled out his smart phone, checked on availability of the URL and bought it in less time than it takes to talk about it. Because the name can easily be put into a catch phrase I suggested how to use it in presentations they have coming up for acquiring more capital for the business. I never thought they would change the name of the company.”

“Could y’all slow down a tinch,” said Rob our branding Guru. I’m gettin’ all tangled up in product names and URLs and Company names and I still don’t have a clue how we gonna get a sales pitch outa this briar patch.”

“Well, Bubba,” I said, I can’t tell you the names because I’ve signed a non-disclosure agreement but I can give you an illustration of how it works. Let’s say your product name is the Real Thing. It’s easy to tell somebody to ‘get the Real Thing.’ I’ve found that anytime you’re doing a presentation where you are trying to sell something it is a good idea to give people a simple summation of what you are asking them to do throughout the presentation. By incorporating the same catch phrase from beginning to end you give the audience a way to remember you and to agree on the action to take.”

Kate said, “You have a point, cowboy, it isn’t subtle but incorporating a repetitive phrase in a presentation particularly to a boardroom full of people can work wonders. But I’ve found it is even more powerful when you combine it with what makes the product unique. I think you call that Positioning, don’t you?”

Gail jumped in saying, “As the writer I have to say that positioning can make my job easier. If I can tell the people that get the greatest good from a product how it uniquely fits into their need or use or occasion it is a lot easier to make the sale in print or video.”

I said, “You’re absolutely right. Sometimes there is a real difference. Other times it is a perceived difference. For instance, do you want your car repaired with replacement or genuine parts? Would you prefer a clone or the real thing? Do you want the one that can sort of do what you want or the one that is optimized? Positioning can give you that advantage in the marketplace.

Bubba said, “And that all stacks up to build a better brand.”

The Takeaway Build a repetitive phrase that incorporates your name and positioning into sales presentations to achieve greater success.

Get a FREE copy of the ABCs of Marketing Without Money TM. Go to www.jerryfletcher.com/Profit.html and we will send you a link to get your copy.

This blog recaps the luncheon conversations of a group of business development professionals. They discuss what’s new, what’s old, what’s good, bad and ugly but mostly what works. Jerry Fletcher is the ringleader and the one that writes up their comments.

Schedule a personal appearance. Jerry speaks internationally on Networking, Marketing and Contact Relationship Magic. www.NetworkingNinja.com

Jerry Fletcher's Secrets of Small Business Marketing

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Tag Archives: Positioning

Music Maestro

Your Story Is What?

Go Where They Ain’t

Visually Shameless Networking

Secrets Of A Networking Ninja

Building Blocks of a Successful Sales Pitch