Make Your Next Move Your Best Move - Now It's On You

Let’s look at what the experts advise. By the way, while these tips sound bizarre -- they’re real nuggets, so stay with me: 1. Be an authentic liar. 2. Be your own valentine. 3. Fight bull. Here’s how these successful experts connect with the marketplace – and you can too: Be an authentic liar. In his latest book, All Marketers Are Liars, Seth Godin explains “the power of telling authentic stories in a low-trust world.” Mildly unsettling at first, he makes the case that our buyers are actually the ones who are lying. To themselves. About why they want to buy from us. Successful marketers are just providing the stories that our buyers choose to believe. But here’s the rub: you have to really live the story you’re telling. The second a potential buyer smells anything less than complete dedication to what you’re selling, you “cross the line from fib to fraud.” It’s simply not good enough to have a good story. You have to live up to it as well. If you’re a cobbler with no shoes, why should...

When you think about how to attract more clients for your professional services, are you playing checkers or chess? You're playing checkers when you... * Attend a networking event and expect it to generate business * Invest thousands of dollars in direct mail and expect prospects to eagerly call about your services * Treat your vendors poorly by not paying them on time or not communicating with them in a timely manner * Misunderstand the differences between advertising, PR, and promotion - and what they can and cannot do for your business * Underestimate how important it is for you to address your clients' PERCEIVED need (i.e., what THEY think they need) vs. what you know they need You're playing chess when you... * Understand that there are right clients and wrong clients for your business, based on where you want your business to be in one year, two years, five years - and that your definition of "right" will change over time * Consider what the right kinds of c...

It seems paradoxical – the more you give away, the more people are willing to pay for your services – but it’s true. This exact approach has worked quickly and effectively for me for years. The key is that it’s got to be good and of high relevance to your target audience. This builds people’s confidence that you consistently know your stuff and that you can be counted on for long-term value. People soon realize that if you’re willing to give away such valuable expertise, think how great the solutions they pay for will be! So how do you share your expertise with your target audience? Through writing and speaking (also, consistency of service, quality of service, and demos). And it starts with being able to get your core ideas down on paper in a way that catches your audience’s attention and compels them to action. If the idea of writing an article or giving a speech feels overwhelming, stay with me. I’m going to show you how easy it can be if you follow a basic formula that works every ...