Ten Things You Should Be
Doing In Your Business
TODAY

Integration involves the concurrent use of multiple marketing channels - the Internet, direct mail, off the page advertising, SMS, billboards, etc - to maximise awareness and returns.

When you integrate your use of the different channels effectively, you not only achieve better sales, but also greater customer satisfaction.

Take a close look at all the major corporations and you'll see that every one of them utilizes integrated marketing strategies.

One major group we've done work for sums it up well:

“there are still a lot of people who prefer the old way
and you’ve got to cater for that…”

Here's just a few reasons why you MUST "think integration":-

	Maximize your sales opportunities: If you're selling an Internet related product or service, then definitely use online marketing as your primary channel. However, if it's not Internet related, then online marketing may not be the most effective channel for you. For example, when someone like Anthony Robbins holds a Seminar in a locale such as San Diego, you'll find him promoting it online, on television, in newspapers, etc. It's all about maximizing your sales potential by reaching your target market the way which suits them.
	Focus on "attention": It's easy to say you're getting a lot of attention because of an increased number of visitors to your website or blog. However, in many cases, that's purely volume - in other words, mass marketing - and often produces no result. In one of our Guides, I use the example of my teenage nephew, a real computer nerd, who won't get away from his computer … except when his parents say, “hey, there’s a letter here for you”! He will immediately drop everything and goes and intently reads the letter. That piece of mail was probably the most effective “targeted” communication he received that day. This simple example reinforces how easy it is to maximize attention when you think "integration" (Mail + Web OR Web + Mail). It applies in every demographic ... and it can make a huge difference in achieving your ultimate objective.
	Refining your upgrade and renewal strategies: The only sure-fire way to maximize your renewals and upgrades is to build your relationship with your customers. And the best way to do that is by using multiple mediums - a telephone call to see how all is going, hard copy follow-up materials in the mail, regular email updates, your Blog, etc all working together. Savvy marketers have found they can achieve as much as four times better response to their online marketing from buyers who they've acquired and / or serviced offline ... because there's a REAL WORLD sense about their business. I don't know anyone who can ignore a four times better response!
	Focus on "precise" targeting: There are still many sectors which you simply cannot target as effectively online as you can offline. For example, if you wish to reach ALL consumers or business houses in zip code AAAAA to AABBB, then forget trying to do this solely online! This particularly applies in the B2B sector where the enormous growth of SPAM has forced many companies to place extremely tight controls on incoming email communications. As a result, email is no longer as effective as it used to be. Direct mail is once again fashionable amongst B2B marketers ... because it does get delivered! If you're a B2B marketer, you simply cannot overlook integration.

By all means get very active online and explore the enormous opportunities available to you on a global basis. But DON'T bury your head in the sand and think this is the only medium which can deliver sales.

Also, as outlined in The Real World Marketer, take a close look at demographics. Some mediums work better than others in almost every market and country because of demographic factors.

By thinking integration, you may just find that that there are other very lucrative avenues which can work for you as well!

Having a Process which is in tune with your market is only part of the equation. It must also be in tune with YOU!

A great starting option is Mark Tier’s Investor Personality Profile.

Mark Tier, the author of "The Winning Investment Habits of Warren Buffett and George Soros", spent years studying the winning habits of great investors, and discovered that there are three types of money personality profiles:

Analyst: Personified by Warren Buffett. He carefully thinks through all the implications of an investment before putting a single dime on the table.

Trader:  Acts primarily from unconscious competence. This archetype, epitomized by George Soros, needs to have a "feel" for the market. He acts decisively, often on incomplete information, trusting his instincts and “gut feel”, supremely confident that he can always beat a hasty retreat.

Actuary:  Deals in numbers and probabilities. Like an insurance company, this personality type is focused on the overall outcome, totally unconcerned with any single event.

Which money personality do you think describes you?

This personality profile is provided in the Full Program.

I wanted to bring it to your attention because when you understand your money personality, you can more effectively plan your business activities so they are in tune with your personality. And when you act in tune with your personality, you WILL be a lot more productive and achieve more.

There are many similarities between an investor’s mindset and that of a marketer / business person which makes sense as full time investing is also a serious business!

One of the greatest challenges in business is getting to understand your customers properly.

Within the Building an Internet Community CASE Study featured in the Full Program, users are identified and categorized as:

• Early Settlers
• Tourists
• Joes
• Crims
• Cowboys

These categories are applicable to almost any business - both “walk-in” off the street AND online.

If you have a business or are planning to start one, then you NEED to develop an intimate understanding of your customers.

All business owners (online and offline) have to deal and respond to a myriad of different people. By understanding where people are coming from, you will be able to deal with their particular needs far more effectively.

In terms of your own business, you may like to determine similar definitions for your customers so you can develop strategies for each group / category, particularly on the customer service side.

Once you’ve done this, you will be able to undertake your planning with greater clarity.

You will need to read the Case Study for more details and the definition of each category here but the names should give you a hint.

When you think of yourself as a buyer or member of any community, you WILL fit into “a category”.

Which one do you think you fit?

This is only one of fourteen sections featured in the Case Study which takes you from A-to-Z on what was involved in building a very successful online business. These include:

• What is a Community?
• The Value in a Community
• Conception – Finding Your Passion
• Finding others with the Same Passion
• Unique Selling Proposition
• Technical Development
• Search Engine Optimization
• Preparing to Launch your Community
• Reaching Critical Mass
• The Right Marketing Mix
• Handling Growth - Understanding Community Visitor Types
• Dealing with Advertisers
• Expanding Internationally
• APPENDIX A - Online Viral Marketing Strategies
• APPENDIX B – Sourcing Investment Capital

This is a rare - and detailed - insider's view which anyone who is active or plans to be active online can benefit from.

The Real World Marketer sales copy points out:-

… it’s not about numbers … but “how the numbers work for you”.

In business, numbers are everything. Your accountant will keep reminding you of this!

With marketing, there seems to be a penchant for volume with constant reference to “the money is in the list”, particularly by many online marketing promoters. 

Of course they’re right … but you don’t need a huge list to make money online or offline.

Very often, a list of 1,000 can outperform a list of 100,000. In some industries, a base of 100 or less clients is enough to generate super returns.

Be careful though. You can waste a lot of money trying to build a big list simply because some “guru” keeps saying that is the secret to success. (Many promoters belong to a List Mafia - a term described in the list building section of the Full Program - and so it's very beneficial in their case to build as big a list as possible.)

What is more important is the “relationship” you have with everyone on YOUR list!

If they trust you, like you and appreciate all you have done for them, then when THEY are ready, they will most likely buy from you as well.

In the SAMPLER you downloaded is a Guide which stresses the importance of building trust and confidence through your customer service.  

You may like to go back to that and check that you have all covered in your business ... because REPEAT BUSINESS IS EVERYTHING!

That Guide – “The One Thing That Will Give You More Repeat Business Than Anything Else You Do" – is only one of several Guides in the Full Program which deal with building your relationship with your customers.  

So coming back to the above comment re "the money is in the list" which everyone keeps talking about, a better way of putting it would be:-

"the REAL money is in YOUR CUSTOMER list"

One of the more generic Guides in the SAMPLER you have downloaded is “Twelve Common Pitfalls You Must Avoid”.

Many of the points made are rarely mentioned elsewhere – e.g. the input you can get from your children, small fish are sweet, don’t let ego rule. etc.

Take heed of every single point if you have a business or about to start a business.

In fact, they’re all invaluable life lessons so even if you’re not in business, you can benefit from what they provide.

Now there is one common pitfall which has not been stressed enough and that is “YOU MUST TAKE ACTION”.

It is touched on under the section “Do Not Procrastinate” and the Full Program is all about taking action.

Too many people in business unfortunately do not take action - or take insufficient action - and that ultimately leads to failure.

We’ve all heard the excuses: I am not a salesperson; I don’t have the time; I haven’t got the money to do that; that’s outside my area of expertise; it’s not really me; etc.

Well you can come up with every excuse under the sun, but the simple fact is that you will not succeed in anything if you don’t TAKE ACTION.

Taking action doesn’t have to cost a lot and nor does it have to take up all your time. Sometimes it may require one simple telephone call.

No matter what you’re considering, don’t sit on it - TAKE ACTION NOW. Start small and build in stages. Every business starts small and only through taking action do they grow.

The Real World Marketer Program reinforces this with many of the walkthroughs detailing exactly how you can start small and use each success to go to the next stage.

You should go back to the sales page and read the summary on REAL LIFE STORIES (section under Real World examples) for valuable examples of what taking action can create.

Building relationships is paramount if you wish to grow your business and increase your returns.

One PROVEN way of achieving this is to personalize ALL your customer (and prospect) communications.

Personalized communications - something we take for granted nowadays - revolutionized the direct mail industry during the 80's with companies personalizing every single piece in their direct mail pack ... because it boosted response.

Now I'm going to assume here that you are going to take action or have already taken action and have a web page through which you are going to sell a product service.

Here’s a little "personalization" trick featured in the SAMPLER (under Establishing an Online Presence) which you may have overlooked:

We’ve all seen custom sales pages which have a headline like:

Limited Time Only: Best ever price on Product X
Get in now before stocks run out

Now imagine what the impact would be like when you convert this to:

Limited Time Only: Best ever price on Product X
<CUSTOMER NAME>, get in now before stocks run out

Every time I see my name on a web page like this, I feel much more disposed to the offer being made. At worst, it encourages me to read on.

Within the Full Program is a Bonus software package called Cloak and Tracker.

It’s designed to give marketers more control over their links so they can maximize returns and minimize costs. The above is an extra feature.

If you're already actively marketing online or planning to be, then this is one program you should be using.

One of the most important things you need to do when you establish your business whether online or offline is to ensure that you protect yourself at all levels.

Within the Full Program is a very valuable Guide – “Protecting Your Assets … and Cash Flow”.

There’s some very good direction provided in that Guide and any single point could save you thousands of dollars.

One of the areas it addresses is the need for having appropriate agreements in place across a wide range of areas:

** Confidentiality / Non Disclosure
** Heads of Agreement
** Joint Ventures
** Disclaimer
** Privacy Policy
** Mailing List Rental
** Employment Agreement
** Software / End User Agreement

There’s a brief summary on all of these in Essential Agreements for Protecting Your Business

When you have a moment, have a quick read of this overview so you understand the exact role which each Agreement plays in your business.

There are 23 Sample Agreements provided in the Full Program.

This is a REAL Bonus. Just consider the time you would need to spend on the Internet researching these agreements or attorney legal fees drafting up agreements from scratch. Either way there is a cost ... and it could be quire substantial.

When George Notaras showed me the “Converting a Niche into a Fresh Market” Guide in the Sampler, he joked that the words “Fresh Market” would bring to mind a produce market to some.

After reading the Guide though, you will understand exactly why this term is used. And it makes sense.

Every point is valid - particularly the parting comment about not alienating anyone because of their geographic location. 

On every list we own / manage, there are subscribers from all corners of the world and every one of them is entitled to the very same benefits. There is no differentiation … and there shouldn’t be.

After reading that Guide and a subsequent Guide which points out that China has usurped the USA as the biggest user of the Internet, I did some research.

Here's an article which relates specifically to this which might be of interest:
 
http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10608655

Where we are today and where will be tomorrow in terms of globalization is anyone’s guess.

For further perspective on how things have changed, you may also wish to read Three Generations of Online Communities. It provides a rare view of how much some functions have changed.

The Internet has removed barriers which were once there so we all now have the opportunity to view the world as our market.

The Guide which follows the one on Fresh Markets in the Full Program provides some very helpful tips on key points you need to consider in this area:

• Promote in Local Language
• Position your Products and Price Points in accordance with Local Market requirements
• Stick to those markets where you can accept payment
• Establish a local presence

These points are supported by great examples which anyone who markets online will not want to miss.

Marketing online (and hence globally) is only part of what you can do to create a Fresh Market for your product or service.

Further Guides including …

• Four Distribution Options That Can Help You Build Focus
• Ten Ways To Multiply Your Marketing Returns, and
• Tips for Establishing Partnerships and Joint Ventures

.. all provide great input on how to take you business to another level. The tips and strategies provided in these can be applied to local, national or international expansion.

Every foray into a new market gives you a fresh opportunity (market) and when you look at the many options for growth available to all of us, there literally are Fresh Markets everywhere.

One of the points stressed in the Full Program is that you should always treat people fairly and ethically the way you expect to be treated yourself.

This is a truism of life and should also be in all your business practices.

When it comes to business, you can be assured you will develop a reputation – good or bad!

If you are a spammer or are not honorable in your business dealings, then you will find that your business has a short lifespan and that doors which open for others will not open for you.

If you enjoy being spammed or having someone short change you, you may be inclined to run your business the same way.

But do so at your own peril! Word travels fast and it won’t be very long before you get caught out.

And nowadays, every scam, gossip, expose, scandal, etc always makes its way onto the Internet before any other media. This is even more pronounced now with the enormous acceptance of Social Networks. Sometimes a small issue published on some of these social networks can drive 50,000 or more people to a site within hours.

So always remember in your business to treat others as fairly and ethically as you would want to be treated. This will always ultimately work in your favor.

Throughout the Full Program, there is a focus on testing and sound risk and money management.

To reinforce its importance, included is a special Interview with Master Investment Coach Andrew Baxter.

Investment and Marketing aren’t too different when it comes to how you should think, particularly on the risk and money management side.

For example, as Andrew Baxter explains, there's a difference between risk and a loss...

"Let’s say we bought a stock at a dollar and our stop loss was at 95 cents. If this stock did go to 95 cents and we sold out at that stop loss level - we’ve cost ourselves 5% - this was our risk capital and hence is not strictly a loss – it was how much we were prepared to risk on the trade.

That wasn’t a 5-cent loss that was the 5 cents that we were preparing to risk on that trade – that’s very different. But if we sold the shares for 90 cents, we’ll have the 5-cent risk capital, plus the 5-cent loss because in this case, we did then make a loss by not exiting at our pre-determined stop/loss level.

So there is a subtle difference between a risk capital and a loss and again very, very few people really understand that because they haven’t taken the time to objectively think about what they are trying to do."

This is only ONE point in the Interview which demonstrates the parallels between investing and marketing.  

With marketing, you’re not going to succeed with every Campaign you run and not every product you become involved with will be a winner no matter how much you like the product. So there's got to be a point where you stop (exit), just like with investing.

In some cases, the first campaign you run may not be indicative at all of the long term potential. So you have to build your Process with a long term perspective ... just as many investors do.

Where Andrew Baxter speaks about risk capital above, you have to factor the same into your marketing. There is a cost in acquiring new customers - it is rarely profitable. You get your return from REPEAT SALES and LIFETIME VALUE. Both areas are addressed in detail within the Full Program.

When you have a Process which incorporates effective measurement and controls, then you WILL be able to track all your activities and make the right decisions for your business.

Most importantly, having a Process (which includes tracking and analysis) means you'll always be able to keep everything in perspective – so you don't act on emotion!

This Andrew Baxter Interview is a MUST READ.

I hope you’ve benefited from this brief Summary.

The Real World Marketer is full of surprises and therefore should not be viewed as "just another marketing program". It’s much much more than that!

I've only addressed ten of the many KEY points made in the FULL Program.They represent only a very small fraction of what is provided. There are many many more within the FULL eBook plus the six valuable Bonuses.

As you would have concluded from the SAMPLER, the focus is marketing but in actual fact The Real World Marketer is more of a Business Coaching program. A lot of the principles conveyed can be applied to many aspects of your life, not just business.

Unlike these summaries, the Guides in the SAMPLER are full of Step-by-Step directions.

As your NEXT STEP, I suggest you go back to the SAMPLER and review those Guides in detail.

If you've already done that and picked up just ONE idea, technique or perspective from everything you've been through in this Special Report or the eBook, then you shouldn't delay in getting the FULL PICTURE through the FULL Program.

I say this because one idea, technique or perspective can often be the difference between success or failure, a profit or a loss!

CLICK HERE To Learn More About The Full Program

I wish you all the success with building a Process which works for your business.

And if you don't have a business of your own yet, I'm sure all the material provided will make you more successful in your current endeavors.

To your success!

Joe McAleer
Business Coach, Former VP Marketing Bank of America
and Co-author, The Real World Marketer

© Wealth Traders Limited 2008