The Core Secret of Superstar Entrepreneurs

"Be the change you want to see in the world." -- Mahatma Gandhi

Now I’ve been at this entrepreneur thing for the better part of this decade and have studied with and modeled a wide variety of superstar entrepreneurs.

One thing that permeates all of my most successful mentors as well as all of the most successful entrepreneurs I’ve come across in my travels is simply that they understand and practice this one thing…

They give!

They give their time. They give their money. They give their wisdom. They give their love. They give their compassion. They simply give of themselves first and regularly. Not because they have to, but because they genuinely want to.

They don’t give with the expectation that they will get something in return. To them, that’s not really giving.

They give because they understand it’s not about them.

They give because they genuinely want to add value to others.

They give because it’s simply the right thing to do.

Need I say more?

So in closing, it’s all about giving.

Want more money… give more money!
Want more love… give more love!
Want more power… give more power!
Want more referrals… give more referrals!
Want more testimonials… give more testimonials!

The point here is that who you’re being has everything to do with what you’re doing each day which ultimately defines what you will have in your business and in your life!

Become the conduit that supports the natural flow of the universe and see the things you want flow to and through you regularly.

© 2008 Online Marketing Muscle -- All Rights Reserved.

Want to use this article in your newsletter, blog or web site? You have my blessing so long as you include the following complete blurb with it (including links).

Liked this article? -- Then check out Long Island-based marketing consultant, coach, and entrepreneur Dean Mercado’s highly acclaimed marketing blog 'The Motivational Marketer’s Journal' at http://www.MotivationalMarketer.com. Additionally, for even more small business marketing and success tips, sample the latest edition of his FREE marketing tips newsletter the 'Marketing Minute', -- a weekly multimedia e-zine designed to give you a jolt of marketing wisdom in less than 5 minutes.

Dean Mercado, Online Marketing Muscle, success articles, entrepreneurs, giving, give, referrals, testimonials

3 Tips to Getting Sizzling Referrals Every Time

I don’t know about you but if done right, getting referrals from satisfied customers in my book is the #1 way of connecting with new and qualified prospects… period!

Why? Well think about it… Whose advice would you take about buying something? Someone you may not know trying to sell you something or someone you know, like, and trust who just had an amazing buying experience and feels strongly that you’d be crazy not to purchase as well.

This kind of referral is powerful! And as a matter of fact, it should be a goal of yours to get at least three of these from every customer you serve.

I have to warn you though… these types of referrals don’t come easy. You have to earn them. How? Well here are three tips to help you do just that.

1. Set the Expectation Up Front
Make it a condition of doing business together that if you do what you said you would do and they are thrilled with your work… not just happy… but thrilled with it… that in exchange they will refer you to at least three people that you may be able to serve in this manner as well.

Another possibility could be to provide separate prices for your product or service. The first one is the full price for your product or service. And the second one is a discounted price based on their agreement to provide at least three qualified referrals by project’s end.

Either way it may help you to help them understand that this is how you get your customers and that this approach allows you to keep your marketing costs down… and that savings can get passed onto them.

2. Always Under-promise and Over-deliver
Yes, you may have heard this one before, however since I run into small businesses all the time not adhering to it I felt it should be addressed.

You want the referrals… you’ve got to blow your customers away. Don’t make the mistake that many inexperienced salespeople make of giving up the farm in initial negotiations just to get the deal. Make sure you hold some gold back that you can unexpectedly throw them as a bonus. Here are a few ideas for this:

• Refund them the difference if you were able to save them a few dollars on any product purchases you made on their behalf. For example, “Hey I was able to negotiate a better price for you on the widgets we will be using on this project, so here’s a refund check for the difference… enjoy”… How cool would that be!
• Throw in some training to help them use the solution you delivered more effectively.
• Or how about making a follow-up phone call a week or so after the transaction is complete to ensure they are still thrilled with the purchase.

3. Hold Them Accountable
Hey if you did what you said you would do and more, then it’s their turn to do what they said they would… refer you some business. Now do yourself a favor here and don’t let them off the hook so easily… work with them to collect your referrals. If they’re unwilling to refer, find out why. Maybe they’re not as happy with you as you thought. You can’t fix it if you don’t know what it is.

For projects that are more than just a simple one-time transaction, it may make sense to prod them periodically along the way to ensure they focus on not only referring you, but referring you perfect prospects.

So in closing, remember if you don’t ask, you don’t get. So ask because it simply is the easiest and most lucrative way to grow your business.

© 2008 Online Marketing Muscle -- All Rights Reserved.

Want to use this article in your newsletter, blog or web site? You have my blessing so long as you include the following complete blurb with it (including links).

Liked this article? -- Then check out Long Island-based marketing consultant, coach, and entrepreneur Dean Mercado’s highly acclaimed marketing blog 'The Motivational Marketer’s Journal' at http://www.MotivationalMarketer.com. Additionally, for even more small business marketing and success tips, sample the latest edition of his FREE marketing tips newsletter the 'Marketing Minute' at http://www.onlinemarketingmuscle.com/marketingminute/ , -- a weekly multimedia e-zine designed to give you a jolt of marketing wisdom in less than 5 minutes.

10 Ways to "WOW" Your Clients Every Time

By Dean Mercado

Early on in my career I was fortunate to have come across a concept that has served me well in both my professional as well as my personal life. That concept was one I picked up from business visionary and author Tom Peters. It was about delivering "WOW" results… every time.

And in today’s fiercely competitive global economy, now more than ever, it’s critical to "WOW" your clients. Because I can assure you that if you don’t, someone else will!

So here are 10 ways to "WOW" your clients every time:

1. Refund the Difference
Got a better deal than you expected from your vendors for a particular product or service you quoted to your client? Refund them the difference.

2. Throw in Some Training
Teach your clients how to get the most value out of your products and services by offering some complimentary training.

3. Recommend Experts to Solve Other Problems
Have you become aware of other challenges or desires outside of your expertise that your client wants to solve? Refer other experts that can solve or satisfy them.

4. Follow-up to Ensure Satisfaction
You’ve made the sale… delivered the goods… now what? Whatever you do, don’t cut and run. I’m not saying overstay your welcome. What I’m saying is simply to touch base every so often to ensure they are still satisfied with what they purchased from you.

5. Refer Business to Them
We all want more and/ or better clients don’t we? Well the highest compliment we can pay our clients is to drive business their way. So if you trust that your client can deliver the goods, refer them.

6. Provide Detailed Documentation of Your Solution
Want to build your clients loyalty and trust in you? Then take the time to document what you did for them and why. For example, if you installed new computer network equipment, provide your client with a copy of the new network diagram as well as a copy of the configuration files of the equipment you installed; just in case someone else has to step in and pick up where you left off.

7. Invest Your Time in Really Getting To Know Them before You Sell Them Something
Simply put… the better you know your clients, the more they trust you. The more they trust you… the more they buy. A nice psychology side-effect of this is that when clients know, like, and trust you, they tend to be happier with what you sold them.

8. If the Shoe Doesn’t Fit, Don’t Sell It to Them In The First Place
Talking your client out of making a purchase from you is not typically natural to many of us. However your client will love you in the end for preventing them from making a mistake they may have regretted. The better solution… help them buy something more appropriate for them… and yes, that also means selling them a less expensive item if it’s a better fit for them.

9. Share Random Acts of Kindness
Every so often send them something of value… no strings attached! For example a complimentary special report, an article that you feel may interest them, free samples, etc.

10. Make Them Feel Special
Most everyone deep down has an innate desire to feel wanted, to feel needed, to feel special. Don’t wait for something life changing to make them feel special… it’s the little things that count most. For example, always greet them with a genuine smile, a firm handshake, and eye contact so captivating that they feel as if they are the only person in the room with you. Another example, send them a handwritten birthday card; Most of us never get too old for that.

So in closing, the key in implementing these is to under promise and over deliver. In other words, if possible refrain from promising these as part of the original deal. Instead, deliver any one, or combination of these, when your client isn’t expecting it and you’ll be well on your way to delivering a "WOW" experience for them. And just know that "WOW" experiences tend to get you more testimonials. WOW experiences tend to get you more referrals. And "WOW" experiences tend to get you more sales.

© 2008 Online Marketing Muscle -- All Rights Reserved.

Want to use this article in your newsletter, blog or web site? You have my blessing so long as you include the following complete blurb with it (including links).

Liked this article? -- Then check out Long Island-based marketing consultant, coach, and entrepreneur Dean Mercado’s highly acclaimed marketing blog 'The Motivational Marketer’s Journal' at http://www.MotivationalMarketer.com. Additionally, for even more small business marketing and success tips, sample the latest edition of his FREE marketing tips newsletter the 'Marketing Minute' at http://www.onlinemarketingmuscle.com/marketingminute , -- a weekly multimedia e-zine designed to give you a jolt of marketing wisdom in less than 5 minutes.

6 Ways To Help Turn New Contacts Into Sales

You attend local networking events meeting people and exchanging business cards; you participate in lead exchange groups like BNI in hopes of getting referrals; you create profiles on popular social networking sites like Ryze, LinkedIn, and MySpace; yet you’re still wondering why all this networking isn’t translating into increased sales.

Well while many business professionals work very hard to gather new contacts, the area where I see so many of them break down is in their ability to nurture those new contacts into long-term relationships. Relationships that can eventually turn into the increased sales that most of them are looking for.

So how do you go about nurturing those new contacts?

Well here are 6 ways that can help you take your professional relationships to a deeper, more prosperous level for all:

1. As humans, we’re never too old to enjoy positive attention. So if you stumble upon someone you know being quoted, discussed, or acknowledged publicly either in the media or by other professionals in their absence, give them a call or send them an email to let them know and congratulate them.
2. Acknowledge them on holidays, birthdays, and other cultural or religious special days. For example, in Greece, a person’s name day is highly celebrated -- so familiarizing yourself with what’s important to your contacts, and reaching out to them on those special days can go a long way in building a solid bond.
3. If you witness them doing something great or selfless, let them know how their actions touched, moved, or inspired you.
4. Always be on the lookout for opportunities to connect people. Someone’s looking for an electrician, refer one. Someone’s target market is Dentist’s and you know a few, introduce them. Someone’s looking to join a networking group, connect them with someone who runs one. Two people that you’ve met separately at the same networking event share a common interest, become the conduit and introduce them. My point is, helping others connect typically doesn’t go unnoticed, and is a win-win for all.
5. Forward along timely, useful, and/or entertaining information. Stumble across a great article on golf, send a copy to those you know who are golf enthusiasts. Read a great book on sales that has helped your business grow, recommend it to others who may also benefit from its wisdom. Don’t be stingy here, share the gift of knowledge whenever possible.
6. Inform them of events that may be of interest. Now when I say events, I mean any professional networking, entertainment, or educational events. Some examples might be, if you have a contact who is struggling with their finances and you know of a financial guru giving a free teleseminar, let your contact know about it. If you’re attending an event that you expect to be excellent for networking with real estate experts, and you happen to have a contact that serves that target market, invite them along. In other words, always be in the know of what events are happening around you and always ask yourself who else do I know that may be interested in this event?

Now in order to successfully carry-out these 6 ways I’ve shared with you here, there’s one key skill that you’ll need to employ and continually develop, and that is to be a great listener. No I’m not talking about the type of passive listening that many of us engage in most of the time. I’m talking about active listening -- The type of listening where you are actually paying attention well enough to learn what’s really important to the person you’re speaking with. It’s through the skill of effective listening where you’ll harvest the seeds necessary to ensure healthy relationships down the road.

So in closing, always remember that people buy from people they know, like, and trust. So it behooves you to continuously look for ways to nurture your professional relationships. Do that effectively and watch their value, and your success, soar.

© 2007 Online Marketing Muscle -- All Rights Reserved.

Want to use this article in your newsletter, blog or web site? You have my blessing so long as you include the following complete blurb with it (including links).

Liked this article? -- Then you won’t want to miss Long Island-based marketing consultant, coach, and entrepreneur Dean Mercado’s highly acclaimed marketing blog 'The Motivational Marketer’s Journal'. Additionally, for even more small business marketing and success tips, sample the latest edition of his FREE marketing tips newsletter the 'Marketing Minute', -- a weekly multimedia e-zine designed to give you a jolt of marketing wisdom in less than 5 minutes.

Technorati Tags: Dean Mercado, Online Marketing Muscle, networking, target market, BNI, referrals, social networking, Ryze, LinkedIn, MySpace

2 Types of Marketing Strategies Every Small Business Must Have To Not Only Survive but Thrive

Let’s face it. There are an endless number of marketing strategies and tactics that a small business can employ. And when you factor in all the different combinations of these, the task at hand of choosing which ones to use can be both daunting and overwhelming. Do I join a networking group? Should we advertise in the local newspaper? Should we participate in a trade show? Do we need a web site? All these choices can confuse you if you let them and simply put, a confused mind typically does nothing, it tends to lock up, and worse yet it typically doesn’t take the actions necessary to grow -- actions such as marketing your small business.

So what I’ve done for you here is identify 2 types of marketing strategies that every small business must have to not only survive but thrive. So here goes:

1. A “Lead Generation” Type of Strategy

This type of marketing strategy at a minimum brings awareness to your target market of who you are, what you do, and why they should listen to you. It should help you generate interest amongst your target market in what you bring to the table -- enough interest where they inquire about your products and services -- they become a prospect for you.

Some examples of “Lead Generation” strategies and tactics are:

• Advertising in trade magazines
• Submitting articles to online article directories
• Joint venture arrangements with others who serve your target market
• Endorsements from others who have an influence over your target market
• Referrals from others who have an influence over your target market
• Ethical bribes -- in other words offering something of value for free in exchange for contact information
• Public speaking to position yourself as an authority in your field
• Trade shows
• Networking events to meet and greet your target market

And we can go on an on and on here. However as you are probably starting to see your choices are endless so where do you start? Well how about choosing one or two that resonate immediately with you and work those for a while. If they seem to be working, continue, if not try a different one. In other words do more of what’s working and less of what’s not. The point is get into action!

2. A “Keep-In-Touch” Type of Strategy

Once you’ve acquired leads using any combination of “Lead Generation” strategies and tactics, it’s critical that you find ways to stay in front of them -- stay in front of them long and effectively enough to persuade them to respond positively to your call to action -- eventually becoming paying clients.

Some examples of “Keep-In-Touch” strategies and tactics are:

• Sending out a weekly newsletter
• Participating in online forums and social networks
• Making phone calls to share something your prospects may deem valuable
• Attending regular networking events to reconnect with prospects
• Emailing prospects an article that they may find useful
• Send holiday and birthday greeting cards
• Refer business to your prospects
• Invite prospects to events
• Be a connector by introducing one prospect to another that you feel they should know

And once again, we can go on an on and on here.

So in closing, keep it simple. Choose one or two from each type of marketing strategy and work them diligently. Yes you will definitely find that some are better than others for you however, I firmly believe that any one of them, if diligently applied, will bear fruit -- you just need to take massive action.

© 2007 Online Marketing Muscle -- All Rights Reserved.

Want to use this article in your newsletter, blog or web site? You have my blessing so long as you include the following complete blurb with it (including links).

Liked this article? -- Then you won’t want to miss Long Island-based marketing consultant, coach, and entrepreneur Dean Mercado’s highly acclaimed marketing blog 'The Motivational Marketer’s Journal'. Additionally, for even more small business marketing and success tips, sample the latest edition of his FREE marketing tips newsletter the 'Marketing Minute', -- a weekly multimedia e-zine designed to give you a jolt of marketing wisdom in less than 5 minutes.

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