By Michael DeLon
Direct media is media that you create to go out to your target market with your focused message. Your direct media could be your brochures, it could be your white papers, it could be your "shock & awe" package.
Your direct media could also be contained on your website, in the blogs that you write or the videos your create for your YouTube channel. It could be information that you're sending in the mail. It could be postcards that you're creating and sending out to a prospect. It could be an email campaign that you have created that begins when somebody requests a copy of your book.
Smart marketers establish an automated system that initiates when someone requests a copy of their book. You then mail them a copy of your book with some other information about your company, then they get put into a drip email campaign where they are going to receive messages from you over the next three, four, five weeks (or months) educating them about their needs and their issues and how you can solve their problems and perhaps offer them a one-hour consultation to discuss their issue. That's direct media.
Read also : Position Yourself As the Expert: Focus Your Message
When they're requesting information from you, they obviously have a need. They're not going to be requesting your book if they have no interest in what you do. Obviously they have some interest, they've raised their hand, they've said, "Yes, send me a copy of your book."
Well, they're going to get a copy of your book all right, but they're going to get some other information-some direct media-that you've created that's going to make you stand out in a category of one. They're going to get all this and they're going to say,
"WOW!, this guy's incredible. He really knows what he's talking about. Look at this. Look at this. Let me go here."
They'll go to your YouTube channel and see some videos that you've created as direct media. They're going to see the information that you've provided. They're going to see you as different from everyone else.
Media is not just what the salespeople who are knocking on your door every day are trying to sell you; radio, television, magazines, newspaper, SEO, etc. Those are a different type of media.
Direct media is media that you create for the purpose of engaging directly with those interested prospects who are requesting information. People you are interacting with. People you are wooing to become a client. People who are searching for answers.
You want a series of direct media created specifically to position you as the expert in their mind. This doesn't happen immediately. It takes place over a period of time because people don't contact you, most of the time, having a need today. They have some interest, they know they have a need, but there's a process that they have to walk through.
In my book I call this process The Alphabet Maze. People have to walk through the Alphabet Maze to come to know, like, and trust you before they feel comfortable taking the next step with you. You have to be patient and be willing to wait for them to be ready to make take the next step.
Inside the Alphabet Maze is a lot of direct media that you create to show up like nobody else does. You're going to be touching them through a variety of media both online and offline - it's what we call Combined Media. It's combined direct media where you're touching them with emails, which are online, but also through physical products that you're sending them offline.
You're calling them to thank them for requesting information, making sure they've received everything, seeing if they have any questions. You and your staff, through direct media, personal media, and personal contact are winning their hearts. You're positioning yourself as the expert. You're not hounding them, you're not chasing them, but you're providing information and you're becoming the source of information, the expert, in their mind. That's the position you want. That's personal media and direct media.
Create your book as your personal media. Use your book as part of your direct media. Build a relationship by talking directly to them about their needs. When you follow these steps you'll build a thriving business that will serve many people for years to come.
To discover more about the 7 Steps to Expert Positioning, visit [http://paperbackexpert.com/the-7-steps-to-expert-positioning/]http://paperbackexpert.com/the-7-steps-to-expert-positioning/.
If you would like to learn about how to position yourself as the Expert by publishing your own book quickly and easily, request the FREE eBook "10 Ways to Grow Your Business with Your Own Book" at [http://paperbackexpert.com/10ways-mwm/]http://paperbackexpert.com/10ways-mwm/.
Article Source: Position Yourself As the Expert: Create Direct Media
Monday, 4 May 2015
Position Yourself As the Expert: Focus Your Message
By Michael DeLon
To position yourself as the expert, you must Focus Your Message.
This is where many people fail in marketing. They have a message that's all over the board. Nobody knows who they are or what they do. When you focus your message, you set yourself up to be known for something. Let's go back to our example of Federal Express.
Federal Express is known for overnight delivery. That's where they hung their hat. That is the nail that they have driven into our minds over and over and over again. Federal Express now provides a variety of services including three and four day shipping, but they got here by focusing their message.
Federal Express owns the word "overnight." That's what made them successful. It was a marketing strategy where they focused their message and eliminated everything else. They were not trying to be an international courier, they were not trying to be a four-day delivery service; they were an overnight delivery service of small packages. When you needed your package delivered overnight you thought Federal Express.
Read also : Creating Brand Strategy and Awareness Using Social Media
Theirs was a focused message and that's really what you need to do in your marketing as well. You need to focus your message. You need to be very clear about your message. You need to be as specific as you possibly can be.
You need to be willing to sacrifice everything else to focus your message on what it is that you do so that you will become known for that. When you're known for something like that you immediately become the expert in that and you will more easily position yourself as the expert. When you can do that consistently you're going to gain many more clients just like Federal Express has done.
Remember, Federal Express did not come into the market and say, "Hey, we're the overnight guys," by running two or three ads. No, they've been hammering that message for decades and we now we know them as the overnight delivery company.
Positioning yourself as an expert is not an overnight proposition. It is a long-term battle. You're going to be investing in marketing long-term regardless. Why not do it the right way? Focus your message, be known for something, be clear, be specific.
You can't be all things to all people. You have to give up to go up. In marketing, less is more. This is what we call the message to market match. You have to understand your market-what we just talked about, which was defining your target market. You have to understand who they are. You have to make sure that your position is right, and then you have to focus your message and you have to pound that message into their mind over and over and over again through a variety of media, through a variety of methods.
Focus your message so that you are known for something.
To discover more about the 7 Steps to Expert Positioning, visit [http://paperbackexpert.com/the-7-steps-to-expert-positioning/]http://paperbackexpert.com/the-7-steps-to-expert-positioning/.
If you would like to learn about how to position yourself as the Expert by publishing your own book quickly and easily, request the FREE eBook "10 Ways to Grow Your Business with Your Own Book" at [http://paperbackexpert.com/10ways-mwm/]http://paperbackexpert.com/10ways-mwm/.
Article Source: Position Yourself As the Expert: Focus Your Message
To position yourself as the expert, you must Focus Your Message.
This is where many people fail in marketing. They have a message that's all over the board. Nobody knows who they are or what they do. When you focus your message, you set yourself up to be known for something. Let's go back to our example of Federal Express.
Federal Express is known for overnight delivery. That's where they hung their hat. That is the nail that they have driven into our minds over and over and over again. Federal Express now provides a variety of services including three and four day shipping, but they got here by focusing their message.
Federal Express owns the word "overnight." That's what made them successful. It was a marketing strategy where they focused their message and eliminated everything else. They were not trying to be an international courier, they were not trying to be a four-day delivery service; they were an overnight delivery service of small packages. When you needed your package delivered overnight you thought Federal Express.
Read also : Creating Brand Strategy and Awareness Using Social Media
Theirs was a focused message and that's really what you need to do in your marketing as well. You need to focus your message. You need to be very clear about your message. You need to be as specific as you possibly can be.
You need to be willing to sacrifice everything else to focus your message on what it is that you do so that you will become known for that. When you're known for something like that you immediately become the expert in that and you will more easily position yourself as the expert. When you can do that consistently you're going to gain many more clients just like Federal Express has done.
Remember, Federal Express did not come into the market and say, "Hey, we're the overnight guys," by running two or three ads. No, they've been hammering that message for decades and we now we know them as the overnight delivery company.
Positioning yourself as an expert is not an overnight proposition. It is a long-term battle. You're going to be investing in marketing long-term regardless. Why not do it the right way? Focus your message, be known for something, be clear, be specific.
You can't be all things to all people. You have to give up to go up. In marketing, less is more. This is what we call the message to market match. You have to understand your market-what we just talked about, which was defining your target market. You have to understand who they are. You have to make sure that your position is right, and then you have to focus your message and you have to pound that message into their mind over and over and over again through a variety of media, through a variety of methods.
Focus your message so that you are known for something.
To discover more about the 7 Steps to Expert Positioning, visit [http://paperbackexpert.com/the-7-steps-to-expert-positioning/]http://paperbackexpert.com/the-7-steps-to-expert-positioning/.
If you would like to learn about how to position yourself as the Expert by publishing your own book quickly and easily, request the FREE eBook "10 Ways to Grow Your Business with Your Own Book" at [http://paperbackexpert.com/10ways-mwm/]http://paperbackexpert.com/10ways-mwm/.
Article Source: Position Yourself As the Expert: Focus Your Message
Saturday, 2 May 2015
Creating Brand Strategy and Awareness Using Social Media
By Carla Wynn Hall
Branding in the Virtual Universe
Every business today needs a hot and sticky brand.
Today is different than any time in our history when speaking on the topic of branding a business. In the virtual universe, it is very important to have a professional social presence.
To do business online in this changing landscape, it is going to be required of us to know how to use social media for branding. Branding is the concept behind all you do in business and even in your personal life. It is the element which people remember.
Remember the days of "cold calling"?
Cold-Calling is the process of calling a list of people to get them to say yes to what you are doing. It is a process which may be going away with the dawn of virtual marketing. There are a few things your business can start to do to increase brand awareness.
Read also : Creative Advertising Trends to Watch in 2015
Use referencing material such as hashtags when making social posts. A hashtag is the number sign and the word beside it will be what you would use. Simply do a search for the word and see what you come up with.
Have a complete social media profile. Using one over the other is perfectly fine, but a successful business will be branded everywhere a prospect resides.
Create a mission. Having a business is one of the greatest assets someone can possess, but often the business does not have a mission. What are your core values as a business owner?
Recruit a team. Using some of the group features found on many social networks is a great way to build your tribe. Once loyal, a consumer will return again and again. Within the groups, talk about your brand, products and outreach goals.
Be visible. Don't worry about being seen. Business that aren't seen, aren't in business very long. Use your social media to create a virtual fame factor.
Write a book. Writing a book establishes you as the expert in your chosen field. It is easier than ever to produce, publish and promote your book.
Be a testimonial junkie. Everywhere your business goes, be sure to collect testimonials. Even one sentence praise reports from someone famous can result in your business exploding with interested clients.
Be humble and authentic. In a virtual arena, retaining authenticity is key to attracting high-paying prospects who demand more of the "real deal".
Have a strategy. Having an outlined strategy for virtual branding goes a long way toward peace. Lay out each week what you are going to put out there and who will see it.
Finally, embrace change. Social media is a virtual Goliath in the world of branding. Your new "hot and sticky" brand will go with you through all of the change, but know, there will be changes.
It has been a pleasure to talk to you today about branding on social media. Stay cool and write your book.
#hotpinkattitude with Carla Wynn
Create your Brand - Then write a book! http://www.hotpinkpublishing.com
Article Source: Creating Brand Strategy and Awareness Using Social Media
Branding in the Virtual Universe
Every business today needs a hot and sticky brand.
Today is different than any time in our history when speaking on the topic of branding a business. In the virtual universe, it is very important to have a professional social presence.
To do business online in this changing landscape, it is going to be required of us to know how to use social media for branding. Branding is the concept behind all you do in business and even in your personal life. It is the element which people remember.
Remember the days of "cold calling"?
Cold-Calling is the process of calling a list of people to get them to say yes to what you are doing. It is a process which may be going away with the dawn of virtual marketing. There are a few things your business can start to do to increase brand awareness.
Read also : Creative Advertising Trends to Watch in 2015
Use referencing material such as hashtags when making social posts. A hashtag is the number sign and the word beside it will be what you would use. Simply do a search for the word and see what you come up with.
Have a complete social media profile. Using one over the other is perfectly fine, but a successful business will be branded everywhere a prospect resides.
Create a mission. Having a business is one of the greatest assets someone can possess, but often the business does not have a mission. What are your core values as a business owner?
Recruit a team. Using some of the group features found on many social networks is a great way to build your tribe. Once loyal, a consumer will return again and again. Within the groups, talk about your brand, products and outreach goals.
Be visible. Don't worry about being seen. Business that aren't seen, aren't in business very long. Use your social media to create a virtual fame factor.
Write a book. Writing a book establishes you as the expert in your chosen field. It is easier than ever to produce, publish and promote your book.
Be a testimonial junkie. Everywhere your business goes, be sure to collect testimonials. Even one sentence praise reports from someone famous can result in your business exploding with interested clients.
Be humble and authentic. In a virtual arena, retaining authenticity is key to attracting high-paying prospects who demand more of the "real deal".
Have a strategy. Having an outlined strategy for virtual branding goes a long way toward peace. Lay out each week what you are going to put out there and who will see it.
Finally, embrace change. Social media is a virtual Goliath in the world of branding. Your new "hot and sticky" brand will go with you through all of the change, but know, there will be changes.
It has been a pleasure to talk to you today about branding on social media. Stay cool and write your book.
#hotpinkattitude with Carla Wynn
Create your Brand - Then write a book! http://www.hotpinkpublishing.com
Article Source: Creating Brand Strategy and Awareness Using Social Media
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