SOLO NEWSLETTER
Number 25
January 2009
From Albert Wright
020 8343 8558
www.successfulsolo.com
Albert Wright
This month there is no Outstanding Person and next month it will be Malcolm Gladwell, not Brian Tracy, as I read Gladwell’s new book while away on holiday and found it most interesting.
Having just come back from visiting Australia, Fiji and Singapore, I can report that the local news there is all about recession, stock market falls, job losses, business failures and falling house prices.
However, people were still spending money in shops and restaurants, the sun was shining (except in Fiji) and airports were busy and planes full.
During the trip I was constantly reminded of globalisation in the form of Macdonalds, Coca Cola, and Starbucks etc and even had Michel Roux the Chef and Restaurant owner from England doing a guest week in our Singapore hotel.
On the other hand local factors still come through strong with Australian Ribs and Rump eateries and Cold Rock ice cream parlours making a personal impact alongside a musical trio welcoming me to Fiji at the airport.
Unfortunately we never left the airport because of widespread flooding in the country and returned to Sydney on the first available flight the same day (at a ridiculous cost) leading to our first £1,500 Fijian pizza for three.
From a business point of view, the lessons learned were how, time and again, the quality and training of individual staff was what made a difference to how we felt about what we bought and where we stayed.
Millionaire Coaching Academy – update 4 Using Existing Millionaires to Accelerate Growth for New Millionaires
There is no update in this issue of SOLO as all readers will receive the first copies of the Millionaire Coaching Academy News by separate email in February.
Despite the Credit Crunch, the drop in House Prices, a recession and whatever else happens, a few people will still become millionaires in the next 24 months and if you want to be one of them, we can help you do it.
Phone me now on 020 8343 8558 or go to www.successfulsolo.com
Albert's Five Key Questions.
1 What do I want? What do I really want?
2 Why do I want it? What makes me want it?
3 How much do I want it on a scale of 1 to 10?
4 What am I prepared to pay to get it?
5 What will I do when I have got it?
If you would like a little work book we are putting together featuring ‘The Five Magic Questions’ that pulls all 5 questions into one place, provides additional commentary and examples and space for completing your own answers, then simply email Andrea with 5 Magic Questions in the subject box at andrea@successfulsolo.com and we will send you a copy as soon as it is ready.
Next month’s OUTSTANDING PERSON will be Malcolm Gladwell.
SOLO NEWSLETTER
Number 26
February 2009
From Albert Wright
020 8343 8558
Copyright www.successfulsolo.com
Albert Wright
This month the Outstanding Person is Malcolm Gladwell, author of several books including Tipping Point and Blink, which was discussed in a previous issue of SOLO.
This month my focus is “Outliers, The Story of Success”.
As with Blink, I am not convinced by everything he writes, but he makes you think. The ideas I liked most are where his comments on how people and what they do or don't achieve, must be seen in context of time, place and family background; the idea that to achieve mastery you need practice and experience and that people like Bill Gates don't leap fully formed from the womb and the idea that a slight advantage can, over time, turn into a major advantage making a major difference.
This last matter may link into another of his books (which I have not read) called "How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference."
Gladwell looks at successful sportspeople, particularly hockey players in Canada and Czech soccer players. By analysing their birthdays he concludes those born between January and April have a disproportionately high chance of being the most successful in their chosen career.
The theory suggests potentially top class players are identified at a very early age, around age 9 to 10. Looking at the playing year in hockey in Canada that runs from January, the boys that look the best are the oldest for that season when they start playing seriously and scouts go on the look out for talent.
They are the best because the oldest at nine or ten, born at the start of the seasonal year have had the most practice, (up to 11 months more than those of the same age in that year) and are the strongest, tallest, fittest - simply by virtue of being the oldest.
Once identified as the best, they get the best trainers, coaches, and support. They go into the best teams in the best leagues and by the time they are late teens / early twenties, they have become the outstanding players of their generation.
The initial small advantage they have at age nine becomes magnified over the years and builds up to a massive superiority if they respond well to the special treatment and support they are offered.
This concept fits with the idea that the best way to become rich is to be born into a rich family and be the first-born. It fits with the way that in societies where early streaming in Maths and English exists, it favours the older children who may appear more able but are simply more mature.
If true, this reduces the impact of individual effort, putting it in a context of time and relative opportunity, which probably have a more important influence on the success or not, outcomes.
Gladwell concludes, "Success is what sociologists call accumulative advantage".
In his chapter entitled "The 10,000 hour rule" he puts forward the theory that to achieve excellence in any field generally requires at least 10,000 hours of practice first.
He examines the early careers of Bill Joy and Bill Gates from the IT sector in the USA and several world-class musicians including the Beatles, to prove his point.
This makes effort, persistence, application and experience important in the development / creation of genius.
He then does an analysis of the 75 richest people in history and attempts to show (with, for me, only moderate success) that the year of birth makes you "lucky" / successfully rich because of wider factors in society at the time. His list of greats neatly slot into birth periods of 1831 to 1840 and 1953 to 1956, both of which rule me out.
Other chapters address the concept of "enough intelligence" in IQ.
With the average person scoring 100, Einstein 150, most people between 130 and 170 have enough IQ to do well and those with over 200 might have too much, because at that score, many people have personalities that lack other types of intelligence in enough measure such as emotional intelligence or practical intelligence.
This fits well with my own theory that all things are only true within a defined range and at the ends of the range "node" points come into play that make the assumptions and expectations we have cease to be true.
For example, when heating and cooling water, what we expect to happen to the water between 0 degrees C and 100 degrees happens, but at 0 degrees C water freezes and at 100 it turns into steam, which is not what we would expect, until we know differently.
I believe most of life is like this, true up to a point, but we don't always know the points of change.
For example, in the context of battered spouses, the battering can go on dozens of time before the victim escapes in someway, sometimes by killing the aggressor after hundreds of incidents of battering. In queues on the motorway, at some point many people pull off the motorway rather than staying in the queue. With bank lending to sub prime clients, at some point the bubble bursts.
We should not be surprised at the fact that a "node" point, or tipping point has been reached but we may be surprised at the timing.
Everything is appropriate in the right context and time and inappropriate in the wrong context and time.
Other issues investigated include the affects of different types of parenting on children's academic and social performance, the coming to prominence of some types of Jewish lawyers in the USA at a specific time in history, the role of "demographic luck", herdsman culture versus cultivation culture, the ethnic theory of plane crashes, Hofstede's Dimensions with his "individualism and collectivism" scale of national types linked to the "uncertainty and avoidance" index plus the "Power Distance Index" and the importance of being rice growing Chinese if you want to be good at maths and have a better memory.
All fascinating stuff. So what did I get out of this?
An understanding that context makes a difference, that the debate over the affects on individual performance of nurture and nature will never end and that working hard and focussing do have a role to play in achieving success.
Do you find it hard to focus? Could you benefit from goal setting?
Would you like a free copy of the Nightingale Conant Personal Goal Setting Template: the 7- Step process to defining and achieving your personal goals with absolute clarity and conviction plus a FREE 30 minute session on how the template can best be used - then email info@successfulsolo.com or phone me on 020 8343 8558.
Millionaire Coaching Academy – update 5
Using Existing Millionaires to Accelerate Growth for New Millionaires
All readers will receive their first copy of the Millionaire Coaching Academy News by the end of February 2009.
Albert's Five Key Questions.
1 What do I want? What do I really want?
2 Why do I want it? What makes me want it?
3 How much do I want it on a scale of 1 to 10?
4 What am I prepared to pay to get it?
5 What will I do when I have got it?
If you would like a little work book we are putting together featuring “The Five Magic Questions” that pulls all 5 questions into one place, provides additional commentary and examples and space for completing your own answers, then simply email Andrea with 5 Magic Questions in the subject box at andrea@successfulsolo.com and we will send you a copy as soon as it is ready.
Next months OUTSTANDING PERSON will be Richard Denny.
SOLO NEWSLETTER
Number 27
March 2009
From Albert Wright
020 8343 8558
Copyright
www.successfulsolo.com
Albert Wright
This month the Outstanding Person is Dale Carnegie, Brian Tracy will have to wait and Richard Denny is featured in our first Millionaire Coaching Academy News, see below.
The book in focus is “How to Win Friends and Influence People”.
When I saw it suggested on Amazon I felt sure I had already read it, as it’s mentioned so often in the articles and magazines I tend to read. You probably think you’ve read it too, or at least think you know what’s in it, like me.
Think again and actually read the original. Published in 1953 it really is one of the all time greats.
It’s full of good advice, not only from Carnegie himself, but the many authors and students he quotes.
It should please the NLP fans as his advice is centred on modelling the habits and actions of Carnegie’s contemporary and historical life and business heroes including Abraham Lincoln (Obama fans can rejoice) J D Rockefeller, Generals from the American Civil War, Presidents Roosevelt and Hoover.
The advice is based on what works and is littered with the way his students adapted the principles he taught to their daily activity with great success. As for teaching and education, his belief is none of it has value unless it is turned into action.
He comes up with 3 fundamental principles when handling people, 6 ways to make people like you and 12 ways to win people to your way of thinking.
They include:
1 Don’t criticise or condemn people or complain about them.
2 Give honest and sincere appreciation as often as you can, within reason.
3 Arouse in the other person an eager want. (The only way you will get someone to do something is to get them to want to do it and this usually involves getting them to see how doing that thing will help them – not you.)
1 Become genuinely interested in other people and you’ll be welcome anywhere.
2 Smile. A simple way to make a good first impression.
3 Remember that a person’s name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language. Use their name frequently.
4 Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves and thereby you will be seen as a good conversationalist.
5 Talk in terms of the other person’s interests if you want them to be interested in you.
6 Make the other person feel important – do it sincerely.
1 You can’t win an argument and get people to like you. The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
2 Show respect for the other person’s opinion. Never say “you’re wrong”.
3 If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
4 Begin in a friendly way.
5 Get the other person saying “yes, yes,” immediately.
6 Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
7 Let the other person feel and think the (your) idea is their idea.
8 Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view.
9 Be sympathetic with the other person’s ideas and desires.
10 Appeal to the nobler motives. (I am not sure about this one today)
11 Dramatise your ideas, use a bit of showmanship.
12 Throw down a challenge to other people to persuade them to do what you want.
By way of example: If you’ve ordered chips with your meal in a restaurant and the waiter brings you boiled potatoes, rather than “Hey (idiot) I ordered chips!” he suggests you try “ I like boiled potatoes, but today I really fancy chips, would you mind changing the potatoes?”
This is based on the idea people don’t like to be criticised (even if they have made a mistake or are factually incorrect) and generally criticising others doesn’t get the result you want.
I tried my own version when people sent me an email without an attachment. Instead of my usual blunt “You forgot attachment”, or curt “no attachment”, or demanding “send again” my reply became “I was unable to open the attachment, could you please send it to me again. Thank you.”
The difference in tone of the replies was sometimes remarkable and I would like to think that people’s impressions of me as a “nice guy” got better.
It seems what Carnegie is suggesting is we treat other people as fallible human beings with easily damaged egos / self confidence, concerned about their own self impression, desperate for “love”, appreciation, recognition and praise.
He advocates that we communicate in a more positive way on the grounds that you get more out of people this way than by criticism and they will like you more too, which is essential if you want to lead and manage effectively.
Carnegie reminds us that getting results is about others, not us. About customers, colleagues, friends, relations, strangers.
He is a strong supporter of smiling.
But he warns against insincere flattery, unjustified praise and self serving manipulation.
He quotes Disraeli “Talk to people about themselves and they will listen for hours”.
He tells how Ben Franklin did not become successful until he stopped telling people they were wrong.
To make what he writes about stick, he suggests you read each chapter twice before moving on (Mr Hurry here ignored that advice), underline and take notes (I did) and put the ideas into practice as soon as you can (I’m trying to), keep a diary of successes and where you might have done better (I might) and re read the book / your notes every month (perhaps).
He proves, for me, that it’s the “not doing” that damages potential success, that for many of us (including me), we really already know what we should do to achieve success – we just don’t stick with it and do it- because this takes effort, means we can’t go out, watch telly or whatever it is we do to fritter time away instead of spending time on achieving our goals.
I think I feel a coaching session coming on to get me on track again.
If you want a “confrontational”, challenging, persistent coach (who can do support as well when needed) give me a call on 020 8343 8558.
To summarise, Carnegie makes you think and encourages you to act. His suggestions are based on what works for others and with sensible adaptation should work for you.
The message I liked most was there is no point in trying to change people’s ideas and attitudes through logic and facts; it must be done by appealing to their beliefs, emotions and self interest.
Do you find it hard to do what you know you need to do to get the results you want?
Is the reason you are not succeeding to do with having an inappropriate goal that is not right for you or using unhelpful ways to achieve an appropriate goal?
Could you benefit from coaching?
If you run your own business involving 5 or more people you may be able to get £500 of my time for free.
Email info@successfulsolo.com or phone me on 020 8343 8558.
Millionaire Coaching Academy – update 6
Using Existing Millionaires to Accelerate Growth for New Millionaires
Albert's and Rapid Results’ Marketing Fixes
Now that we have finished looking at the Five Key Questions relating to Goal Achievement, I want to turn to the equally practical subject of how micro (and larger businesses) can fix their Marketing Mistakes.
Over the next few months I will share the Mistakes and the tried and tested ideas that should Fix the mistakes.
They will only work for you if you actually implement them.
Mistake 1
Not giving Marketing the Time and Expertise to ensure our Marketing gets done and works.
Running a micro business needs such a mix of skills and knowledge there is never enough time to do everything or enough money to buy in the expertise.
Let’s face it, doing the Vat return, the book keeping, delivering our products and services, planning, responding to complaints, hiring, firing, motivating staff, chasing suppliers .....the juggling of work priorities never ends, let alone making time for family and friends.
I’m surprised more people just don’t simply give up.
However, at the route of every business we have sales and customers. Without them we can’t survive.
If we neglect marketing, eventually we have to stop trading.
We know having a successful business is about attracting new customers, getting them to buy for the first time, then come back again and sell more each time they visit.
But what is the best, the most cost effective way of recruiting a customer, how do we persuade them to buy, then come back, how do we, in the jargon, “cross sell”, “up sell” and maximise the lifetime value of a customer.
Frankly, most of us only have a few clues. We are not seasoned professionals in this area. There are so many options, even with advertising – should we use Yellow Pages and / or Thomson’s, have a web site, (how do we get people to visit) put an advert in the local paper (which one?) the regional or national paper, use radio advertising, or even TV, use hoardings or have a poster (what sort?) on a bus, tube or train?
What about strategic alliances, joint marketing campaigns, leaflets, posters, business cards, stationery, signage? Will money spent on them produce better results than the advertising?
Can we rely on word of mouth recommendation? How can we increase these referrals?
Is live networking any good – which breakfast outfit should we join, BRE, BNI, and BRX? - should we join a social network – what is ecademy, Linkedin, Plaxo, Viadeo, how should I know?
It’s all so daunting.
How do we know the right things to spend time and money on so we don’t make too many mistakes?
Marketing Fix 1
Use Other People’s Time & Proven Knowledge To Speed The Rate At Which Your Business Grows.
You need good advice. One place to start is by clicking the tabs on our localbusinessadviser email newsletter. For a copy email info@successfulsolo.com and ask Diane or Andrea to send you a copy.
Useful websites include www.businesslink.com and business websites hosted by the major banks and organisations such as BT or Microsoft. They all have sections on marketing and doing marketing plans.
However, doing your marketing plan on your own, particularly the first time, can be a bit like pulling your own teeth – something you could do, which might be better done with someone else alongside.
Free or heavily subsidised help may be available from your local enterprise agency. Go to wwwnfea.org to find your local provider. If you are in Barnet north London, you will find our sister company, Small Business Solutions Ltd.
You can also attend seminars on marketing – one of the best is from our MCA strategic partner, the Directors Centre – www.directorscentre.com . The direct link for booking is
http://www.thedc.co.uk/lets-talk-booking-form.php
You could also read books on the subject, three of the best are Robert Craven’s Bright Marketing, available from the Directors Centre, details above, Albert Wright’s own book Doubling Your Sales and Profits and the Rapid Results eBook Why Most Marketing Doesn’t Work and How You Can FIX IT, also available as a printed booklet.
For the last two email Diane or Andrea at info@cushiontheimpact.co.uk
The next Marketing Mistake we will look at is Sharing Your Marketing Message With The Wrong People.
This can be fixed by Defining and Targeting the Right People.
Next month’s OUTSTANDING PERSON might be Brian Tracy.
SOLO NEWSLETTER
Number 28
April 2009
From Albert Wright
020 8343 8558
Copyright www.successfulsolo.com
Albert Wright
This month the Outstanding Person is Robert Craven. The book in focus is
Beating the Credit Crunch - How to Survive and Thrive in the Current Recession.
Robert repeats the message; a successful business is about Marketing, Operations and Finance and the greatest of these is Marketing. Operations, doing what you do and how you do it, are only important if you have customers delivered by marketing. Finance is the numbers that result from the marketing and operations
It’s a book with possibly a short shelf life, yet an everlasting message. “Find out both what is right and wrong with your business, take action and improve.” Abandon fear, trade your way out of the credit crunch, and make money and get on with your life. The book shows you how to use the FiMO technique to diagnose your current state and provides potential solutions to your current problems by offering options for action arising from the analysis. By scoring your business with points out of ten for Finance, Operations and Marketing (FiMO) you can see where you are starting from and what you need to do better. It is a very good reminder of business basics and the importance of Action.
The marketing message is be different and get noticed. You must give customers a reason for using you. You need to stand out from the crowd.
At Successful Solo we do this by having a clear target market, solo professionals and one person led micro and small businesses, with sales of over £75,000 a year, involving at least one additional person to the owner, who wants to improve profitability. We target such people via newsletters (such as this) promoting our website, networking, authoring, public speaking, using case studies and asking for referrals. Our point of difference is we help clients get to profit targets faster and fitter than they could on their own and provide a guaranteed return on their investment in choosing us through our Fee Guarantee, which promises we always charge less than the value we add.
What reason do your customers have for preferring you to your competitors?
Robert shows that for most businesses, trying to trade your way out of difficulty by lowering prices makes you a busy fool. He does the numbers and shows you the results. In general, putting up prices does reduce sales in unit terms but increases profit.
Lowering the cost of sales is the next best way to improve profits.
Small percentage reductions in cost combined with small percentage increases in price, customer frequency and customer spend per visit plus losing fewer customers can make a dramatic difference to profit. Robert gives you the numbers and describes the case studies for you to adapt and adopt. He also throws in simple to apply theories like Ansoff’s Matrix (see page 55) Pareto’s 80 / 20, checklists and action points.
The advice is based on what works and draws on real results from real clients. All in all a slim book with bags of content: theories, tips, suggestions, examples, questionnaires to fill in as you go, tools for business self-analysis and more.
To summarise, Robert encourages you to act. His suggestions are based on what works for others and with sensible adaptation should work for you.
I think it’s the best, concise book on business available on the market today.
Priced at £20 it will repay the investment a thousand fold if you do the analysis and take the action. With a few copies available from the website at £10, it’s also a great bargain. Go and buy it now
Is the reason you are not succeeding to do with not taking appropriate action? Are you stuck in a rut?
Could you benefit from coaching?
If you want a “confrontational”, challenging, persistent coach (who can do support when needed) give me a call on 020 8343 8558.
If you run your own business involving 5 or more people you may be able to get £500 of my time for free.
Email info@successfulsolo.com or phone me on 020 8343 8558.
Millionaire Coaching Academy – update 7
Using Existing Millionaires to Accelerate Growth for New Millionaires
If you would like to go on our mailing list for the Millionaire Coaching Academy News, please email Diane or Andrea at info@successfulsolo.com
Issue 1 of MCA news is now available.
Albert's and Rapid Results’ Marketing Fixes
How micro (and larger businesses) can fix their Marketing Mistakes.
Over the next few months I will share the Mistakes and the tried and tested ideas that should Fix them.
They will only work if you actually implement them.
Last month we looked at Mistake 1: Not giving Marketing the Time and Expertise to ensure our Marketing gets done and works.
The Marketing Fix suggested was to Use Other People’s Time & Proven Knowledge To Speed The Rate At Which Your Business Grows.
One place to start was by clicking the tabs on our localbusinessadviser email newsletter. For a copy email info@successfulsolo.com and ask Diane or Andrea to send you a copy or contact your local enterprise agency at www.nfea.org.uk to find your local provider.
You can also attend seminars on marketing – one of the best is from our MCA strategic partner, the Directors Centre – www.directorscentre.com
The new series of half-day Barclays Bank supported Let’s Talk …Marketing. Profit, seminars delivered by Robert Craven and his team, starts in May.
The seminars, which include free refreshments, a buffet lunch and networking and promotional opportunities to around 100 people an event are worth over £250, but readers of this Solo newsletter can get free tickets.
The direct link for booking is http://www.thedc.co.uk/lets-talk-booking-form.php
I can recommend them from personal experience.
Marketing Mistake 2 is Sharing Your Marketing Message With The Wrong People.
This can be fixed by Defining and Targeting the Right People.
Too many businesses fail by trying to reach too many customers. Read that again...too many customers!!
It doesn't seem to make sense. How can you have too many customers?
Well, having too many customers, real buying customers, is just the challenge you want but, paradoxically, having too many potential customers prevents you getting the actual customers.
Trying to market to too many potential customers is costly and most small businesses run out of money or stop marketing, because they get such a poor return on investment, before they have enough real, paying customers.
The clever businesses focus. They have a clear target market of dozens or hundreds, perhaps a few thousand, but not tens of thousands or millions.
As small businesses they will more likely make millions by concentrating on hundreds of customers spending thousands of pounds than millions of customers spending billions of pennies.
By adopting a focus, having a clear, small target market, you stand a better chance of becoming a specialist, an expert, a market leader, sought after rather than lost in the crowd.
Successful Marketing requires repeating your message to the people most likely to buy.
You dilute your effect if you only communicate once to 10,000 people, it's better to communicate and concentrate on reaching 1,000 people 10 times. This way you maximise the impact of your marketing money.
Less becomes more. By targeting fewer potential customers more often, it becomes easier to convert a higher proportion of them into actual customers compared to the scattergun approach.
You are more likely to get 10% of 1,000 = 100 by communicating with them ten times, than 1% of 10,000 =100, by communicating with them once.
I am reminded of a men's hairdresser client in London who insisted in advertising in his local regional newspaper, distributed in 3 boroughs covering almost 700,000 people, at a cost of around £1,000 for one advert.
How many regular customers does a local, high street based, hairdresser need and where are they likely to come from? With 500 men coming once a month paying an average of £8 a time you get £4,000 a month, £48,000 a year - why market to 700,000 people. Some will be the wrong gender, some the wrong age, many 15 miles or more away - it doesn't make sense to me when you want 500 men with hair who are likely to live or work within 500 metres of your shop and want to get their hair cut in less than 40 minutes, including travel time.
Marketing to the wrong people is wasteful of resources.
Your ideal target market, or niche will:
1 Want your product or service, ideally at least 10 times more than the average person.
2 Be able to afford your product.
3 Be easily reached and influenced by your marketing.
4 Belong to a clearly defined group, possessing similarities that can be easily identified.
When marketing to smaller groups, it is easier to get the message right, to use the right words and images that will connect with the target customer.
Evidence indicates that an accountant who segments his target market into 3 groups: start ups, micro businesses and small businesses and then uses appropriate, focussed messages to each segment will do better than one who sends a more generic message to all 3 sectors at once.
To learn more about how Targeting the Right Market is the Key to a Marketing Campaign's Success get a copy of Marketing Fix It by contacting Diane or Andrea at info@cushiontheimpact.co.uk
Next month Mistake 3 Most Marketing Material Lacks the Power to Influence Because it doesn't Match the Conversation Going on in the Customer's Head.
Matching the Material to the Message and the Market is part of the answer.
Next month’s OUTSTANDING PERSON might be Brian Tracy.
Enjoy the Easter break.
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SOLO NEWSLETTER
Number 29
May 2009
From Albert Wright
020 8343 8558
Copyright www.successfulsolo.com
Albert Wright
This month the Outstanding Person is Jonathan Jay and his new book.
Poor Mr Tracy will have to wait again.
Jonathan Jay’s new book on marketing is yours free of charge (not a PDF or download – a 100 page paperback book) if you help him raise £50,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, like I have done.
Listen: the number one challenge facing small businesses world-wide is finding more customers and clients who are willing to spend on your product or service.
So any advice that can help make your business more successful, more profitable and ultimately more enjoyable is always welcome, which is why you should request a copy of Jonathan Jay’s brand new book right now!
Request your copy: “Marketing Secrets for Small Business Owners Volume II” by clicking on the link below:
https://successtrack.infusionsoft.com/go/FB/book7/
Those who have Jonathan’s first book (“Marketing Secrets of a Multi-Millionaire Entrepreneur”) will know that Jonathan ALWAYS gives practical advice based on experience – his personal experience of going from broke to millionaire in 12 months and then selling his company for a multimillion pound sum in just 83 days.
Jonathan has had 25,000 copies printed and they are his contribution to ‘economic stimulus’ – by providing, you, the small business owner, with 13 practical chapters of great marketing tips that work for any business that needs a boost in sales – particularly during tough economic times. Jonathan has pledged to support Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity and if you join him in raising money for the charity you can have a copy of this 100 page, paperback book (not a PDF or download!) absolutely free! https://successtrack.infusionsoft.com/go/FB/book7/
Jonathan’s first book on marketing is now being used by 21,254 business owners all over the world, (including me) and it has been described as the ‘turning point’ for business owners who KNOW they should be better at marketing but don’t know how. Jonathan says, “My new book is more structured, more useful and more practical – grab a copy and start putting the step by step processes into action the very same day.”
Click on this link to request your copy of Jonathan’s new book on marketing for small business owners: https://successtrack.infusionsoft.com/go/FB/book7/
There are thirteen informative, entertaining and succinct chapters, each one bursting with marketing strategies and tactics to increase your sales:
• Simple Unbeatable Marketing Tactics To Send Sales Skyward
• How To explode Your Sales With Email Marketing
• How To Attract Customers To Your Website
•How To Attract And Keep Customers
• Top Seven Ways To Generate Traffic and Build Your List
• The Key Elements Of Internet Marketing Success
• Ten Ways To Write Adverts That Sell
• Ten Ways To Write A Winning Sales Letter
• Ten of The Most Powerful Headlines & How To Use Them...
• How to Get More Referrals
• 11 Message Killers You Must Avoid In Marketing
• 10 Catastrophic Marketing Mistakes and How To Avoid Making Them
You can get your copy of Jonathan’s book by clicking here: https://successtrack.infusionsoft.com/go/FB/book7/
P.S. These books will be snapped up quickly, so please request your copy today, to guarantee that you don’t miss out: https://successtrack.infusionsoft.com/go/FB/book7/
The copy above was written by Jonathan and included by me in return for a plug in the book about Rapid Results Marketing on page 5.
Don’t forget Robert Craven’s book featured last month, Beating the Credit Crunch - How to Survive and Thrive in the Current Recession. 
It’s a very good reminder of business basics and the importance of Action.
I think it’s the best, concise book on business available on the market today.
Priced at £20 it will repay the investment a thousand fold if you do the analysis and take the action. With a few copies available from the website at £10, it’s also a great bargain.
Go and buy it now.
Millionaire Coaching Academy – update 8
Using Existing Millionaires to Accelerate Growth for New Millionaires
If you would like to go on our mailing list for the Millionaire Coaching Academy News, please email Diane and Andrea at info@successfulsolo.com
Issue 1 of MCA news has just been issued and issue 2 is available this month.
Albert's Marketing Fixes
How micro (and larger businesses) can fix their Marketing Mistakes.
Iam currently sharing the Main Marketing Mistakes Made by Micros and the tried and tested ideas that should Fix them, but only if you actually implement them.
So far we have looked at Mistake 1: Not giving Marketing the Time and Expertise to ensure our Marketing gets done and works and the Marketing Fix suggested was to Use Other People’s Time & Proven Knowledge To Speed The Rate At Which Your Business Grows.
Marketing Mistake 2 is Sharing Your Marketing Message With The Wrong People.
This can be fixed by Defining and Targeting the Right People.
Marketing Mistake 3 is Most Marketing Material lacks the Power to Influence Because It Doesn’t Match the Conversation Going on in the Prospect’s Head.
The answer is to Create and Match the Perfect Message to Your Market if You Want Your Marketing to Sell.
Matching your Message to the Market involves getting into the client’s head, understanding the questions that are there and providing the answers. This includes:
Why should I buy from you?
What makes you different / better?
How do I know I am not going to be sorry if I buy from you?
There are 8 main Marketing Assets, or properties, based on your product or service that your marketing must deliver in the message if it’s going to win.
1 A Unique Perceived Benefit.
2 A Powerful Headline.
3 Real Benefits for the Client.
4 An Irresistible Offer.
5 A Powerful Guarantee and / or Risk Reversal.
6 Clear Reasons for Buying and Buying Now
7 Social Proof: Testimonials, Case Studies, Evidence, Statistics, Association.
8 A Call To Action, multiple ways to buy and pay.
If you are not sure how you can apply this to your business you should download Fix It now to get the full information, from
www.marketingfixit.co.uk/albertwright/
Let’s Talk ............................
One of the best workshop presenters around is our own MCA strategic partner, Robert Craven of the Directors Centre – www.directorscentre.com
The new series of half-day Barclays Bank supported Let’s Talk …Marketing ……. Profit, seminars started in May.
The seminars, which include free refreshments, a buffet lunch and networking and promotional opportunities to around 100 people an event, are worth over £250, but readers of this Solo newsletter can get free tickets.
The direct link for booking is
http://www.thedc.co.uk/lets-talk-booking-form.php
I can recommend them from personal experience.
Next month’s OUTSTANDING PERSON might be Brian Tracy.
If you have enjoyed this newsletter please forwards it on to anyone you feel would benefit.
If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, or have received it in error please e-mail admin@successfulsolo.com with UNSUBSCRIBE in the title line.
If you would prefer to receive this newsletter as a PDF attachment please e-mail admin@successfulsolo.com with ATTACH in the title line
SOLO NEWSLETTER
Number 30
June 2009
From Albert Wright
020 8343 8558
Copyright www.successfulsolo.com
Albert Wright
Poor Mr Tracy is postponed indefinitely; too much is going on.
I want to return to an author I have looked at before and recommend another of his books that I had not read till last month.
My friend, Alex Pollock, gave me a copy as a 60th birthday present and suggested I would enjoy it. He was right and I thank him.
The book was Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, How Little Things Can Make A Huge Difference.
The main proposition is that with lots of things in life, circumstances come together where the resulting effect dramatically changes what might have been expected to happen. A sort of “confluence” takes place, there is a “chemical reaction”, two plus two suddenly makes five, there is a “paradigm shift”.
Gladwell describes it as a “tipping point”, a point at which there is a sudden, distinctive, important change. The end of one era, the start of another.
His examples include a series of reversals, changes of fortune where things stop going in one direction and suddenly go back or off on a new tack.
He cites the fight back by Americans at the start of the war with the British at Lexington.
He describes the sudden increase in sexual diseases in Baltimore 1995.
He looks at the reversal in crime levels in New York on the subway and in the City around 1992.
He examines the fashion turnaround of the fortunes of the Hush Puppy brand and the growth of other “popular” brands over short time periods.
Gladwell does not deny the importance of individuals (or types of individual) in the circumstances surrounding these tipping points.
He contrasts the message from Paul Revere in the north and William Dawes in the south relating to “the British are coming” and goes on to describe the need for individuals he calls Mavens, (accumulators and sharers of knowledge), Communicators and Salesmen. He sets out 3 Rules for the spread of epidemics.
Gladwell pulls together a theory of what the key elements are to create a tipping point and then, in his usual fashion, goes off to gather data in support of the theory, conveniently ignoring anything that might not fit the pattern.
Though I would disagree with bits of his argument and evidence, I have to hand it to him that he makes a powerful case.
However, although his theory helps us to see a pattern or an explanation when we look backwards, I am not sure how useful it is when trying to predict future events.
As I understand it, the theory states that for something to reach a tipping point the following must be in place:
An initial product, service, movement, campaign, idea
An individual / small group that acts as connectors and salesmen.
Some people seem to be natural Connectors, others hardly know anyone or have any circle of influence. He states his Law of the Few, the six degrees of separation, the importance of the Stickiness Factor (the science behind Sesame Street), the value of repetition in learning (particularly for young people where things are new) and the Power of Context, the power that comes from having lots of acquaintances.
In the book he looks at concepts like early adopters, early mainstream, late adopters and laggards.
He examines the theory of 150 people, as being the maximum number for efficient business / organisational operations drawing on the evidence of Gore fabrics. (This reminded me of his 10,000 hours of practice to become proficient in his other book).
I strongly go along with the importance of repetition for people to remember, think of jingles, adverts and learning a foreign language.
I am not as convinced about his ideas about Context which include the idea that Bratton in New York, by getting rid of graffiti and broken windows reduced more serious crime at the same time.
All in all a most stimulating and thought provoking read.
His thoughts are similar to those around what I have come to call “node theory” or node points. These are tipping points, which while unexpected when first encountered, can also be “laws”, consistent in all cases when the same factors are repeated.
Examples include the impact of water reaching specific temperatures such as 0 degrees C or 100 degrees C when water changes into ice or steam.
A point, less specific, when a battered spouse turns from victim into assailant or even aggressive killer.
When a queue stops getting longer and people stop queuing and go off to find alternative options.
When stock markets change from bull to bear, rising to declining.
When a person stops being a “social” consumer and becomes an addict of drugs, alcohol, work etc. (Gladwell suggest for smokers this is when there nicotine intake reaches a specific amount, equivalent to around 5 cigarettes a day).
As I say, well worth a read.
Millionaire Coaching Academy – Making Millionaires- update 9
Using Existing Millionaire Mentors to Accelerate Growth for New Millionaires
If you would like to go on our mailing list for the Millionaire Coaching Academy News, please email Diane and Andrea at info@successfulsolo.com
Issue 2 of MCA news came out in May.
Albert's Marketing Fixes
How micro (and larger businesses) can fix their Marketing Mistakes.
I am currently sharing the Main Marketing Mistakes Made by Micros and the tried and tested ideas that should Fix them, but only if you actually implement them.
So far we have looked at Mistake 1: Not giving Marketing the Time and Expertise to ensure our Marketing gets done and works and the Marketing Fix suggested was to Use Other People’s Time & Proven Knowledge To Speed The Rate At Which Your Business Grows.
Marketing Mistake 2 is Sharing Your Marketing Message With The Wrong People.
This can be fixed by Defining and Targeting the Right People.
Marketing Mistake 3 is Most Marketing Material lacks the Power to Influence Because It Doesn’t Match the Conversation Going on in the Prospect’s Head.
The answer is to Create and Match the Perfect Message to Your Market if You Want Your Marketing to Sell.
Marketing Mistake 4 is Not Having Enough Routes to Market and the answer is To Use a Multi Media Strategy.
If you are not sure how you can apply this to your business you should download Fix It now to get the full information, from www.marketingfixit.co.uk/albertwright/
Let’s Talk ...
Robert Craven is one of the best workshop presenters around. I met him again last month to renew the FREE offer for SOLO Newsletter readers.
The series of half-day Barclays Bank supported Let’s Talk …Marketing, Profit ... seminars started in May.
They include free refreshments, a buffet lunch and networking and promotional opportunities for around 100 people per event, are worth over £250, but readers of this Solo newsletter can get free tickets.
The direct link for booking is http://www.thedc.co.uk/lets-talk-booking-form.php. I can recommend them from personal experience.
Next month’s OUTSTANDING PERSON might be Brian Tracy.
SOLO NEWSLETTER Number 31 July 2009 From Albert Wright 020 8343 8558 Copyright www.successfulsolo.com This
month no book review or outstanding person profile, merely some
observations on the current economic, business and political situation
and the usual “Parish Notices”. However,
there is some evidence of people spending money on doing up their
homes, or how is it I still have to wait 4 weeks for the builders to
start while they insist on taking a 30% deposit. The
gulf between those paid by the public purse and those in the truly
commercial sector continues to widen, in favour of the public sector. Even
followers of Adam Smith are encouraging their average ability sons and
daughters to get a job in the public sector for the annual pay
increases, (still) over manning, no lay offs, (10,000 more employed by
the Department of Work and Pensions, Job Centre Plus, to pay out
benefits and advise the newly unemployed how to find jobs that don’t
exist), retirement at 60, final salary pension schemes, all paid by
those in the commercial sector. Still more regulation, powered sledge hammers to squash peas, unnecessary jobs continued. Who
can really justify the army of people used to administer TV licenses
and road fund licenses? Around 2p more on a gallon of petrol would make
them all redundant. No one, except those currently working there, would
suffer. There would be no difference to the number of cars on the road
or TVs in use while all of us would have 2 less forms to buy from the
Government per year. And
while I’m at it (touch of the Jeremy Clarkson), how sensible is it to
give relatively wealthy people like me a free travel pass and a form to
claim winter fuel payment subsidy just because I have turned 60? One new trend offers some hope. The number of people opposed to euthanasia seems to be declining. Sad
facts have to be faced. We are, in the relatively affluent west, living
longer and costing the state more, both in pensions and health care. We
can’t afford it. Something has to give. Too many people are living too
long supported by the state. Expectations
of life are increasing; soon ex civil servants will be drawing pensions
from the state for more years than they have worked for the state.
Thirty years work from 30 to 60 and 30 years pension from 60 to 90, with
20 years (4 to 24 in state education) !! It doesn’t add up. Millionaire Coaching Academy – Making Millionaires- update 10 Marketing Mistake 2:Sharing Your Marketing Message With The Wrong People. Marketing Mistake 5:Thinking “If they’re not interested now they will never be”. http://www.thedc.co.uk/lets-talk-booking-form.php SOLO NEWSLETTER Number 32 August 2009 020 8343 8558 Copyright www.successfulsolo.com This
month no book review or outstanding person profile. We will get back to
normal in September, with a review of a new business book by my friend
Alison Branagan. The book has already been recommended by Mike Southon
of the Beermat network. Having
helped take the company to sales of just under £ one million in 2005/6
(my first millionaire by sales client) I was keen to help when I was
asked. Little did I know the adventure this was to become, which I plan to write up as an extended case study next year. When
I heard that the wing mirror replacement would cost £200 plus Vat, the
£16 K didn’t look so dear but suddenly looked very dear to me when my
original trade in offer was £2,200, or 11 wing mirrors, for my 2002
rather battered model. A
car insurance claim gave me the answer, but this wider subject needs a
full paper, which I will get round to writing later in the year. Millionaire Coaching Academy – Making Millionaires- update 11 To find out more visit our website and sign up for the Newsletter. Issue 3 of MCA news is now available on the web site. Advertising once is pointless. It shouldn’t really be a surprise that most big companies advertise all of the time. For
them to be aware of you when they decide it’s time to buy means you
have to make them aware of you all the time, or at least on a regular
basis. Short sighted customer attitudes make marketing more expensive and ineffective. The
answer to Mistake number 6 is to Focus on adding value for your
Existing Customers and marketing costs will fall (as a percentage of
sales) and profits will rise. PS
Don’t forget, as a reader of this newsletter, you are entitled to a 30
minute phone advice session from me to you, at no cost to you. SOLO NEWSLETTER Number 33 September 2009 From Albert Wright 020 8343 8558 Copyright This
month a book review of Making Sense of Business, published by Kogan
Page, by my friend Alison Branagan, who specialises in supporting and
training artistic people in business skills. The book has already been recommended by Mike Southon of the Beermat network, has a forward by James Dyson and a mention of me. It’s
a book to dip into rather than read through. While frequently
suggesting options the school mistress sometimes gives her advice with
passion, leaving you in no doubt about what she thinks you should do. Alongside
good, practical advice (get a good night’s sleep, drink plenty of
water, seek advice) the Key Points at the end of each chapter are very
helpful. I particularly
liked Alison’s advice on page 49 concerning how to better remember
people’s names which includes “Draw their name with a giant imaginary
marker pen above their head”. The
sections on Intellectual Property and Creative Thinking were
particularly good and well worth reading as are the Enterprise Skills
Booster pages. Millionaire Coaching Academy – Making Millionaires- update 12 Albert’s Marketing Fixes Mistake 1: Not giving Marketing the Time and Expertise to ensure our Marketing gets done and works. The
Marketing Fix suggested was to Use Other People’s Time & Proven
Knowledge To Speed The Rate At Which Your Business Grows. Marketing Mistake 2:Sharing Your Marketing Message With The Wrong People. Small
businesses cannot afford to be all things to all people. They need to
focus and have a clear profile of their target customer. Marketing
Mistake 3:Most Marketing Material lacks the Power to Influence Because
It Doesn’t Match the Conversation Going on in the Prospect’s Head. Marketing Mistake 5:Thinking “If they’re not interested now they will never be” The answer is To Understand the Customer Decides When They Want To Buy. They
know that not everyone wants to buy a car this week or even a burger.
You need to know that the market is a moving parade with customers
moving in and out of “buy” mode all the time. New
customers are not helpful. They don’t immediately recognise us or the
value we offer. They don’t instantly respond by buying from us, they
don’t even see our expensive one off adverts, they walk by our shop and
showroom without even looking in, they throw away our carefully crafted
direct mail and brochures, they delete our emails without reading them,
they never return phone calls, they cancel appointments, they reject our
free gifts ......all in all they make our lives difficult – it’s a
surprise we still bother to win a new customer. There
may be a better way to commercial success – taking more care of our
existing customers – farming the Acres of Diamonds in our own backyard. Techniques
include up selling, cross selling, Buyers Remorse letter, Customer
Reactivation letter, Customer Offers, loyalty and reward schemes. Marketing Mistake 7: Most Marketing Materials are Boring and Lack Personality Our
Fix It booklet gives examples of BEFORE and AFTER adverts, direct
response letters and other marketing materials, including the actual
results achieved in responses and sales from testing different formats. The answer to what works is available if you bother to find out. There
are tried and tested formulae for the approaches that work best and
information on how to do the tests. Some are simple to learn and adopt –
Like Always Use A Headline. Getting
a headline right can have a major effect on getting the advert read,
the position of the call to action a major effect on responses, multiple
contact options can double responses. Marketing
is as scientific as most other aspects of business. Research has been
done, what generally works is known and can be followed to achieve
better results in the way that adopting best practice on quality control
can reduce wastage. Till next month. Either phone me direct on 07973 192712 or 020 8343 8558 or book an appointment via Andrea by emailing andrea@cushiontheimpact.co.uk If you have enjoyed this newsletter please forwards it on to anyone you feel would benefit. SOLO NEWSLETTER Number 34 October 2009 From Albert Wright 020 8343 8558 Copyright Although
thought provoking in an attempt to look at a number of issues from a
purely economic view point, the conclusions are in most cases so
ridiculous that it’s not worth making the effort. For
example, he tries to show that more people who are modestly sexually
active with multiple partners should become slightly more active so as
to remove some of them from having sex with highly proactive infected
people to reduce overall rates of infection. For
me it highlights the nonsense of looking at issues from only one
perspective and supports my view that both banking and economics are too
important to leave to bankers and economists alone. Something I can recommend that I have read for the first time is a magazine called Real Business from Matthew and Stuart Rock. Business and the Economy As
unemployment continues to rise, the government are promoting more and
more schemes to create artificial jobs with additional cost to taxpayers
while at the same time legislating for a higher minimum wage with a
tendency to reduce official jobs and increase the size of the informal
economy. Millionaire Coaching Academy Making Millionaires-update 13 I
am sharing the Main Marketing Mistakes Made by Micros and the tried and
tested ideas to Fix them, but only if you actually implement them. So far we have looked at Mistake 2 Sharing Your Marketing Message With The Wrong People. This
can be fixed by Defining and Targeting the Right People, developing a
niche market. Small businesses cannot afford to be all things to all
people. They need to focus and have a clear profile of their target
customer. The answer is to Create and Match the Perfect Message to Your Market if You Want Your Marketing to Sell. You need to use the right language, highlight benefits not features, give more rather than less information. Mistake 4 Not Having Enough Routes to Market The answer is To Use a Multi Media Strategy. Relying
on newspaper advertising or leaflet distribution will not be enough,
you need lots of routes to get to customers – there are more than 15 in
the Rapid Results arsenal. It
shouldn’t really be a surprise that most big companies advertise all of
the time. They know that not everyone wants to buy a car this week or
even a burger. You need to
know the market is a moving parade with customers moving in and out of
“buy” mode all the time. For them to be aware of you when they decide
it’s time to buy means you have to make them aware of you all the time,
or at least on a regular basis. If you’re not sure how you can apply this to your business you should download Fix It www.marketingfixit.co.uk/albertwright/ Mistake 6 Short sighted customer attitudes make marketing more expensive and ineffective. New
customers don’t immediately recognise us or the value we offer. They
don’t instantly respond by buying from us, they don’t even see our
expensive one off adverts, they walk by our shop and showroom without
even looking in, they throw away our carefully crafted direct mail and
brochures, they delete our emails without reading them, they never
return phone calls, they cancel appointments, they reject our free gifts
......al in all they make our lives difficult – it’s a surprise we
still bother to win a new customer. There
may be a better way to commercial success – taking more care of our
existing customers – farming the Acres of Diamonds in our own backyard.
For more on Dr Conwell and the Acres of Diamonds story about the
Kimberley diamond mine you need to read Fix IT. The
answer to Mistake number 6 is to Focus on adding value for your
Existing Customers and marketing costs will fall (as a percentage of
sales) and profits will rise. Techniques
include up selling, cross selling, Buyers Remorse letter, Customer
Reactivation letter, Customer Offers, loyalty and reward schemes. Our
Fix It booklet gives examples of BEFORE and AFTER adverts, direct
response letters and other marketing materials, including the actual
results achieved in responses and sales from testing different formats. The
answer to what works is available if you bother to find out and is
usually connected to Producing Marketing Material that uses a
non-traditional approach. There
are tried and tested formulae for the approaches that work best and
information on how to do the tests. Some are simple to learn and adopt –
Like Always Use A Headline. Others
need more work to get right and can prove counter productive when over
used. Pre headlines, length of paragraphs, bullet points, numbering,
guarantees, pictures and photos, colour, type face, font size, call for
action, coupon content all have a role to play. Getting
a headline right can have a major effect on getting the advert read,
the position of the call to action a major effect on responses, multiple
contact options can double responses. Mistake Eight. Most marketing is an After Thought at best and Is Carried Out on an Ad Hoc Basis Most
businesses do not put marketing first, despite the fact that the prime
purpose of every business is to win and retain profitable customers and
every business is in the business of selling and marketing. Successful marketing is about having a marketing system. Rapid Results have the Marketing System answer to most small business marketing challenges, even in a recessionary market. 1 Preparation - There are 9 prime elements to ensure success. 2 Action - The focus is on the 3 Business Multipliers: 2.1 Lead Generation –Tactics and Media Pieces to fill the Sales Funnel 2.3 Customer Maximisation-Optimising Sales from new and existing customers. Download and read Fix It, sign up for our monthly e marketing newsletter or ask to receive our printed magazine now. www.marketingfixit.co.uk/albertwright/ Till next month, when I will be reviewing The Four Hour Week by Timothy Ferriss. If you have enjoyed this newsletter please forwards it on to anyone you feel would benefit. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, or have received it in error please e-mail admin@successfulsolo.com with UNSUBSCRIBE in the title line. SOLO NEWSLETTER Number 35 November 2009 From Albert Wright 020 8343 8558 Copyright This
month I want to tell you about a Business Magazine called Raw Business
brought to you by Million Impossible and available to download from
their website www.millionimpossible.com in e-book format. To view the manifesto go to www.genesis-initiative.org and download its 22 pages. You can earn a bonus of £1,000 for referring a client to our programme www.millionairecoachingacademy.co.uk Albert’s Marketing Fixes Mistake
3: Most Marketing Material lacks the Power to Influence Because It
Doesn’t Match the Conversation Going on in the Prospect’s Head. The
answer is to spend more time on existing customers, Focus on adding
value for Existing Customers and marketing costs will fall (as a
percentage of sales) and profits will rise. The answer to what works is available if you bother to find out. Till next month, when I will be reviewing The Four Hour Week by Timothy Ferriss. Book an appointment via Andrea by emailing andrea@cushiontheimpact.co.uk SOLO NEWSLETTER Number 36 December 2009 Copyright Albert Wright SEASONAL GREETINGS TO all our readers If
something is the right thing to do – DO IT NOW. For many of us,
including me, the right thing to do might be “Prioritising Better”,
particularly at a busy time like now, when there seems so much to fit in
before the Christmas close down. From
now to December 21st, when I am off to Barbados, the plan is to list to
do the 3 most important things each day and do them. Problem is they seem to change with the hour. Today it started with sending a present to my son in Australia. Even
though my wife kindly wrapped the present and made up the parcel – she
needed me to provide an address, as he moved recently. The
priority became to find the address – then find the email with the
address in it – then the 5 different email addresses he uses – then to
decide whether to use the office or home address. An hour later the office address was on the parcel – AN HOUR LATER! A good example of the urgent versus the important. Next
priority task – get key emails into right files (but) – which are key
emails? – which are the priority people to do this for ?- so priority
tasks becomes list key people and then list their email and other
important addresses and so on. My wife’s suggestion, phone him and ask him, should have been the priority today????? Priority is dynamic. However,
taking one thing from it, de-cluttering my life and keeping things
simple, I am trying to delete as unread more and more spam emails and to
limit email checking to around twice a day. FREE 30 minute phone advice / coaching session from me to you, for being a reader of this newsletter. Business and the Economy Avanta
help the unemployed become self employed or to become employees, often
helping those who have not worked for several years find jobs and a new
meaning to life. Millionaire Coaching Academy Visit www.millionairecoachingacademy.co.uk 
Business and the Economy.
My
view is there is worse to come. Shops are less busy, restaurants are
closing down, car sales are sluggish, unemployment is still rising,
reduction in overtime and shorter working weeks seem to be growing,
people are being cautious about moving house or even moving up in the
rental market.
I could
only get £1800 for my daughter’s Audi A3 last week and no one wants to
rent my 3 bed flat in London N16 for £900 a month.
The
stock market is still unpredictable; the bold are still making money.
Those in the know have judged well that the bankers will not be punished
and bank shares have risen markedly since the start of the year.
No ceiling is being put on traders’ pay and bonuses, for the many left, it’s business as before.
Regulatory authorities are still talking and looking, not acting.
The public sector continues to grow. Benefit payments now outstrip income tax receipts.
Politics
Half truths, smoke and mirrors, spin is still in the ascendency as the Mandelson Empire goes on expanding.
At
last, the start of a website you can go to and learn more, including
how you could get £1,000 for referring a client to our programme www.millionairecoachingacademy.co.uk
If you would like to go on our mailing list for the Millionaire Coaching Academy News, please email Diane and Andrea at di@millionairecoachingacademy.co.uk
Issue 3 of MCA news is due later this month.
Albert’s Marketing Fixes
How micro (and larger businesses) can fix their Marketing Mistakes.
I
am currently sharing the Main Marketing Mistakes Made by Micros and the
tried and tested ideas that should Fix them, but only if you actually
implement them.
So far we have looked at
Mistake 1: Not giving Marketing the Time and Expertise to ensure our Marketing gets done and works.
The Marketing Fix suggested was to Use Other People’s Time & Proven Knowledge To Speed The Rate At Which Your Business Grows.
This can be fixed by Defining and Targeting the Right People.
Marketing
Mistake 3: Most Marketing Material lacks the Power to Influence Because
It Doesn’t Match the Conversation Going on in the Prospect’s Head.
The answer is to Create and Match the Perfect Message to Your Market if You Want Your Marketing to Sell.
Marketing Mistake 4: Not Having Enough Routes to Market.
The answer is To Use a Multi Media Strategy.
The answer is To Understand the Customer Decides When They Want To Buy.
Advertising once is pointless. It shouldn’t really be a surprise that most big companies advertise all of the time.
They know that not everyone wants to buy a car this week or even a burger.
You need to know that the market is a moving parade with customers moving in and out of “buy” mode all the time.
For
them to be aware of you when they decide it’s time to buy means you
have to make them aware of you all the time, or at least on a regular
basis.
If you are not sure how you can apply this to your business you should download Fix It now to get the full information, from www.marketingfixit.co.uk/albertwright/
Let’s Talk ...
Robert Craven is one of the best workshop presenters around.
The
series of half-day Barclays Bank supported Let’s Talk …Marketing,
Profit ... seminars started in May and the last one was July 2nd in
Peterborough – so if you didn’t go you’ll have to wait till the autumn.
They
include free refreshments, a buffet lunch and networking and
promotional opportunities for around 100 people per event, are worth
over £250, but readers of this Solo newsletter can get free tickets.
The direct link for booking is
Make a note for October 09. I can recommend them from personal experience.
Next month’s OUTSTANDING PERSON might be Brian Tracy. 
From Albert Wright
Instead we have more “Parish Notices” and comments on ......
Business and the Economy
Things
are not yet getting better. Unemployment among young people is getting
worse. The batch of new graduates from this year are joining last year’s
group on the unemployment register as suitable job vacancies have
diminished and from January 2010 the Government will let you have a
Graduate for Free for 3 months, if you are a small business.
I
am doing my own bit by taking on a STEP student for 8 weeks. The scheme
allows any small business to apply to use the services of an
undergraduate or post graduate still studying at university to work on a
business project at a cost of £210 a week. My student, Alexei, is a law
post graduate from Estonia currently studying a 3 year undergraduate
course at South London University in Law and Business Information
Technology and he is helping me promote my Millionaire Coaching Academy
project. For more details email albert@millionairecoachingacademy.co.uk or phone me on 07973 192712.
The
downturn and business failure came to my own door last month when
Vision Media Group plc went into administration, leaving me an unsecured
creditor with over £20,000 outstanding for loans and services and my
£50,000 investment in this AIM listed company, made a year ago,
worthless.
Part of the reason for failure was the lack of credit available.
Until
now, VMG had been one of my more successful case studies and the story
goes back to around 2004, when I first met Dominic Brookman at an Angel
Investors’ presentation.
He
was promoting Theme Park Media, which was investing in TV screens to
broadcast entertainment and adverts to people waiting in queues in theme
parks. I knew something about the sector and eventually took him on as a
client under Access 2 Finance, helped write the business plan and raise
around £500,000 from a mix of SFLG, (Small Firm loan Guarantee ) a GLE
(Greater London Enterprise) London Development Agency (LDA) backed loan,
a private loan and private equity investment.
I
continued to advise on a private basis and made loans and investments
at critical times that allowed the business to survive and become Screen
Media Networks and later merge with an AIM listed business in the same
sector to form Vision Media Group.
At
one time, I had helped make Dominic a paper millionaire, based on the
shares he held in VMG and their market valuation of 5p, the stage at
which I made my own investment.
We are now both wiser and poorer.
I
have also taken a hit with another of my case study success stories,
Britannia Games Ltd. This relationship with Managing Director, Mehmet
Hussein, goes back to 1993 when we first met through Barfield (Barnet
and Enfield Enterprise Agency) and the North London Enterprise Club.
Again
I helped write a number of business plans, provided practical advice
and support and in 2008 financial and sweat equity support to the tune
of around £90,000.
Part
of the reason for this business failure was the lack of proper support
from the bank, the misleading information given by the factoring company
salesmen but mainly the mistakes and refusal to take advice by the
principal shareholder and managing director.
The
two examples above have shown me directly how weak the economy
currently is and the effects the credit crunch can have but also that a
common reason for business failure is poor management.
I
am also currently assisting two other businesses making losses, (I
don’t help them make losses – it just so happens they are currently loss
making) partly as a result of the decline in demand for their products
and there are many other businesses out there like them.
Another event last month got me thinking about the green agenda, particularly recycling and re-use.
The
passenger side wing mirror on my Lexus 430 had been broken for some
time (but it still got through an MOT) and as I was passing a Lexus
showroom I stopped to enquire about a replacement. While waiting I also
had a look at their selection of second hand cars, or should I say pre
owned, and took a fancy to a silver grey 2005 model at £16,000.
A
deal was done at a trade in of £3k. Surely the value of the constituent
parts was worth more than that and as an owner, I would have been happy
to have had a second hand wing mirror for £100 for my second hand car
worth a total of £3,000, wouldn’t you?
Why is there no effective market for second hand car parts?
By
the way, my flat from last month, finally seems about to have a tenant,
having dropped the rent to £850 a month for my 3 bed in N16 – I need
the money to pay for the car and do my bit to boost the economy.
You can also earn a bonus of £1,000 for referring a client to our programme www.millionairecoachingacademy.co.uk
If you would like to go on our mailing list for the Millionaire Coaching Academy News, please email Di at di@millionairecoachingacademy.co.uk
Albert’s Marketing Fixes
How micro (and larger businesses) can fix their Marketing Mistakes.
I
am currently sharing the Main Marketing Mistakes Made by Micros and the
tried and tested ideas that should Fix them, but only if you actually
implement them.
So far we have looked at
Mistake 1:
Not giving Marketing the Time and Expertise to ensure our Marketing gets done and works
The Marketing Fix suggested was to Use Other People’s Time & Proven Knowledge To Speed The Rate At Which Your Business Grows.
Marketing Mistake 2
Sharing Your Marketing Message With The Wrong People.
This
can be fixed by Defining and Targeting the Right People, developing a
niche market. Small businesses cannot afford to be all things to all
people. They need to focus and have a clear profile of their target
customer.
Marketing Mistake 3
Most Marketing Material lacks the Power to Influence Because It Doesn’t Match the Conversation Going on in the Prospect’s Head.
The answer is to Create and Match the Perfect Message to Your Market if You Want Your Marketing to Sell.
You need to use the right language, highlight benefits not features, give more rather than less information.
Marketing Mistake 4
Not Having Enough Routes to Market
The answer is To Use a Multi Media Strategy.
Relying
on newspaper advertising or leaflet distribution will not be enough,
you need lots of routes to get to customers – there are more than 15 in
the Rapid Results arsenal.
Marketing Mistake 5
Thinking “If they’re not interested now they will never be”
The answer is To Understand the Customer Decides When They Want To Buy.
They know that not everyone wants to buy a car this week or even a burger.
You need to know that the market is a moving parade with customers moving in and out of “buy” mode all the time.
If you are not sure how you can apply this to your business you should download Fix It now to get the full information, from www.marketingfixit.co.uk/albertwright/
Marketing Mistake 6
New
customers are not helpful. They don’t immediately recognise us or the
value we offer. They don’t instantly respond by buying from us, they
don’t even see our expensive one off adverts, they walk by our shop and
showroom without even looking in, they throw away our carefully crafted
direct mail and brochures, they delete our emails without reading them,
they never return phone calls, they cancel appointments, they reject our
free gifts ......al in all they make our lives difficult – it’s a
surprise we still bother to win a new customer.
Do you feel this way too?
A
lot of businesses spend most of their time and effort chasing new
customers, identifying them, communicating with them (repeatedly),
wooing them, finally winning them and then when they have moved from a
prospect to a customer – ignoring them and starting the cycle of new
customer acquisition all over again.
There
may be a better way to commercial success – taking more care of our
existing customers – farming the Acres of Diamonds in our own backyard.
For more on Dr Conwell and the Acres of Diamonds story about the Kimberley diamond mine you need to read Fix IT.
Techniques
include up selling, cross selling, Buyers Remorse letter, Customer
Reactivation letter, Customer Offers, loyalty and reward schemes.
Rapid Results have the answer to most small business marketing challenges, even in a recessionary market.
Download and read Fix It now and get several more useful marketing tips and ideas from our regular newsletter.
www.marketingfixit.co.uk/albertwright/
Till next month.
Either phone me direct on 07973 192712 or 020 8343 8558 or book an appointment via Andrea by emailing andrea@cushiontheimpact.co.uk 
It
does what the title says, helps new, micro and small business owners
make sense of business and explains the skills required for managers and
entrepreneurs to run successful operations.
There
are chapters on Risk, Teams, How to Focus, Networking, Customers and
Sales, Time and self Management, Law and Ethics, Self Presentation and
Communication, Negotiation, Keeping Positive, Creative Thinking,
Planning, Goals and Vision.
This
is not your usual start up book. The topics are different and
approached in a lively fashion with quotes, ancient and modern, cartoons
and illustrations, a mind map at least every chapter and frequent
exhortations to do your own mind maps to aid learning.
Inevitably,
in an introductory business skills book, some topics get more attention
than others but there is a good suggested reading list at the back.
Overall, a well written book covering some interesting topics in a creative way.
Business and the Economy
I can recommend taking on a STEP student, as mentioned last month. Alexei has done a great job in updating our web site at www.millionairecoachingacademy.co.uk Remember from January 2010 the Government will let you have a Graduate for Free for 3 months, if you are a small business.
To find out more visit our website and sign up for the Newsletter.
You can also earn a bonus of £1,000 for referring a client to our programme www.millionairecoachingacademy.co.uk
How micro (and larger businesses) can fix their Marketing Mistakes.
I
am currently sharing the Main Marketing Mistakes Made by Micros and the
tried and tested ideas that should Fix them, but only if you actually
implement them.
So far we have looked at
This can be fixed by Defining and Targeting the Right People, developing a niche market.
The answer is to Create and Match the Perfect Message to Your Market if You Want Your Marketing to Sell.
You need to use the right language, highlight benefits not features, give more rather than less information.
Marketing Mistake 4:Not Having Enough Routes to Market
The answer is To Use a Multi Media Strategy.
Relying
on newspaper advertising or leaflet distribution will not be enough,
you need lots of routes to get to customers – there are more than 15 in
the Rapid Results arsenal.
Advertising once is pointless. It shouldn’t really be a surprise that most big companies advertise all of the time.
For
them to be aware of you when they decide it’s time to buy means you
have to make them aware of you all the time, or at least on a regular
basis.
If you’re not sure how you can apply this to your business you should download Fix It now to get the full information, from www.marketingfixit.co.uk/albertwright/
Marketing Mistake 6: Short sighted customer attitudes make marketing more expensive and ineffective.
A
lot of businesses spend most of their time and effort chasing new
customers, identifying them, communicating with them (repeatedly),
wooing them, finally winning them and then when they have moved from a
prospect to a customer – ignoring them and starting the cycle of new
customer acquisition all over again.
For more on Dr Conwell and the Acres of Diamonds story about the Kimberley diamond mine you need to read Fix IT.
The
answer to Mistake number 6 is to Focus on adding value for your
Existing Customers and marketing costs will fall (as a percentage of
sales) and profits will rise.
Many companies make the right decision on WHAT they should tell their customers but ruin things by HOW they tell them.
Others need more work to get right and can prove counter productive when over used.
Pre
headlines, length of paragraphs, bullet points, numbering, guarantees,
pictures and photos, colour, type face, font size, call for action,
coupon content all have a role to play.
Rapid Results have the answer to most small business marketing challenges, even in a recessionary market.
Download and read Fix It, sign up for our monthly e marketing newsletter or ask to receive our printed magazine now.
www.marketingfixit.co.uk/albertwright/
PS
Don’t forget, as a reader of this newsletter, you are entitled to a 30
minute phone advice session from me to you, at no cost to you.
If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, or have received it in error please e-mail admin@successfulsolo.com with UNSUBSCRIBE in the title line.
If you would prefer to receive this newsletter as a PDF attachment please e-mail admin@successfulsolo.com with ATTACH in the title line 
You
are entitled to a 30 minute phone advice / coaching session from me to
you, at no cost to you, for being a reader of this newsletter.
Phone 07973192712 now quoting Solo reader to book a time and date.
This month a book review of “More Sex is Safer Sex, The Unconventional Wisdom of Economics” by Steven E Landsburg.
My recommendation is don’t bother to read it.
To find out more visit www.millionairecoachingacademy.co.uk
You can earn a bonus of £1,000 for referring a client to our programme www.millionairecoachingacademy.co.uk
Albert’s Marketing Fixes
How micro (and larger businesses) can fix their Marketing Mistakes.
Mistake 1: Not giving Marketing the Time and Expertise to ensure our Marketing gets done and works.
The
Marketing Fix suggested is to Use Other People’s Time & Proven
Knowledge To Speed The Rate At Which Your Business Grows.
Mistake
3 Most Marketing Material lacks the Power to Influence Because It
Doesn’t Match the Conversation Going on in the Prospect’s Head.
Mistake 5 Thinking “If they’re not interested now they will never be”
The answer is To Understand the Customer Decides When They Want To Buy. Advertising once is pointless.
A
lot of businesses spend most of their time and effort chasing new
customers, identifying them, communicating with them (repeatedly),
wooing them, finally winning them and then when they have moved from a
prospect to a customer – ignoring them and starting the cycle of new
customer acquisition all over again.
Mistake Seven. Most Marketing Materials are Boring and Lack Personality
Many companies make the right decision on WHAT they should tell their customers but ruin things by HOW they tell them.
Marketing
is as scientific as most other aspects of business. Research has been
done, what generally works is known and can be followed to achieve
better results in the way that adopting best practice on quality control
can reduce wastage.
2.2 Sales Conversion-Turning enquiries into Paying Customers.
Don’t
forget, as a reader of this newsletter, you are entitled to a 30 minute
phone advice session from me to you, at no cost to you. Book an
appointment via Andrea by emailing andrea@cushiontheimpact.co.uk
If you would prefer to receive this newsletter as a PDF attachment please e-mail admin@successfulsolo.com with ATTACH in the title line.
www.successfulsolo.com
FREE 30 minute phone advice / coaching session from me to you, at no cost to you, for being a reader of this newsletter.
Phone 07973 192712 now, quoting Solo reader to book a time and date.
You can also get a printed copy sent to you by applying on line.
The
magazine is now on issue 8, produced every two months. It’s an odd mix
of feature articles, interviews with high profile entrepreneurs,
business tips and adverts. Issue 8 has Doug Richard from Dragon’s Den
and my friend Emma Wimhurst of Diva Cosmetics and now empower (www.Empwr.co.uk )
and snippet articles like How to Handle Objections – suggesting CIS –
Clarify the nature of the objection, Isolate the issue and Solve the
problem.
The range of
business magazines has now increased incredibly; somehow I don’t think
all of them will survive. The market is saturated and I don’t think
there is enough advertising to go round.
Having
read my second issue of Real Business from Matthew and Stuart Rock, I
think this could be one of the winners. The articles by John Timpson of
Timpson’s the key cutting and shoe repair business make a refreshing
change.
Business and the Economy
I
had the pleasure of attending two Genesis meetings in October. This is
not the pop group but a voluntary pressure group that brings together
leaders of trade associations to promote the interests of small business
owners. Over 160 associations representing around 1 million businesses
are involved and I go to represent the Institute of Business
Consulting.
At their
breakfast meeting in the House of Commons with Kenneth Clarke, Tory
shadow minister for Business Innovation and Skills, I got him to commit
to looking at exempting businesses that employ fewer than 10 employees
from a substantial part of employment legislation.
Later
in the month at the launch of the Genesis SME Manifesto, which promotes
the role of small and medium enterprises in revitalising the economy,
the Labour minister for Small Business from the House of Lords, Lord
Davies and Mark Crisp for the Tories both made the right noises to
support the manifesto. Perhaps they think that the 4.5 million small
business owners in the UK might start using their vote to bring about
change.
Millionaire Coaching Academy – Making Millionaires- update 14
To find out more visit www.millionairecoachingacademy.co.uk
How micro (and larger businesses) can fix their Marketing Mistakes.
I
am sharing the Main Marketing Mistakes Made by Micros and the tried and
tested ideas to Fix them, but only if you actually implement them.
So far we have looked at
Mistake 1: Not giving Marketing the Time and Expertise to ensure our Marketing gets done and works.
The Marketing Fix suggested is to Use Other People’s Time & Proven Knowledge To Speed The Rate At Which Your Business Grows.
Mistake 2: Sharing Your Marketing Message With The Wrong People.
This can be fixed by Defining and Targeting the Right People, developing a niche market.
Small
businesses cannot afford to be all things to all people. They need to
focus and have a clear profile of their target customer.
The answer is to Create and Match the Perfect Message to Your Market if You Want Your Marketing to Sell.
You need to use the right language, highlight benefits not features, give more rather than less information.
Mistake 4: Not Having Enough Routes to Market.
The answer is To Use a Multi Media Strategy.
Mistake 5: Thinking ‘If they’re not interested now they will never be’
The answer is To Understand the Customer Decides When They Want To Buy and keep marketing.
Mistake 6: Shortsighted customer attitudes make marketing more expensive and ineffective.
Mistake 7: Most Marketing Materials are Boring and Lack Personality
Mistake 8: Most marketing is an After Thought at best and Is Carried Out on an Ad Hoc Basis.
The answer is to put marketing at the centre of your business and introduce a marketing system.
Readers
of Successful SOLO can download for FREE, a copy of Fix It and sign up
for our FREE monthly e marketing newsletter or ask to receive our
printed magazine now. www.marketingfixit.co.uk/albertwright/
PS
Don’t forget, as a reader of this newsletter, you are entitled to a
30-minute phone advice session from me to you, at no cost to you.
It’s Never Too Late To Start
Yesterday it was collecting the present.
Getting
the parcel into the post to arrive in Sydney before Christmas was
urgent but what it showed up as important was that my address list in
Outlook or even my hand written address book was not up to date, nor had
I filed all my son’s 5 email address messages in one place on the
computer under Son James.
How
many times do I have to learn the lesson of doing the Important bits of
administration to speed up the execution of Urgent tasks?
Knock
on effect, although this month I wanted to tell you about a “new-ish”
book by Timothy Ferris called The Four Hour Week, this will have to wait
till the New Year as I ‘haven’t time to do it justice now.
Phone 07973 192 712 now, to book a time and date.
In
November I attended an event hosted by the people and business
development company, Avanta, to celebrate the awards given to their
clients and partners who had achieved results against the odds.
They have their work cut out, with increasing numbers losing jobs and vacancies declining.
To learn more visit www.avanta.uk.com
You
can earn a bonus of £1,000 for referring a client. If you want a
Christmas or New Year present of £1,000 send us the details of someone
you know who realistically wants to be a business millionaire and you
think might benefit from being coached by Millionaire Mentors.
Needless to say, conditions apply but this is a genuine offer.
Readers of Successful SOLO can download for FREE, a copy of Fix It. www.marketingfixit.co.uk/albertwright/
Till next month, when I will be reviewing The Four Hour Week by Timothy Ferriss.
PS
Don’t forget, as a reader of this newsletter, you are entitled to a
30-minute phone advice session from me to you, at no cost to you.
Book an appointment via Andrea by emailing andrea@cushiontheimpact.co.uk