Wacky marketing ideas

Seven years ago, I started working with a new client that is in the health business. You may even remember some of the story I told in the past… as I sold more saunas for them when it was 90 degrees outside, than when it was 20 degrees!

Just this week, I was talking to a business associate and this experience with the saunas came back and reminded me of an important lesson.

When they first came to me, they were just getting started and were unsure of how best to market and sell these infrared saunas.

Their initial reaction was to create some “beautiful” advertisements showing pretty people rolling around on the grass having a jolly old good time.

To the graphic designer they had hired, this was the way you make money selling saunas in magazines and newspapers.

To the new entrepreneurs, it was a really “professional” way to portray themselves.

They honestly thought this would make them millions running the kind of advertisements that you and I KNOW don’t work.

Heck, that’s what everyone else does - it MUST work …

Right?

Wrong.

I knew that was the worst thing they could do - so I got busy.

Infrared saunas were new on the scene.

The company they represented was the world’s largest manufacturer of infrared.

And I smelled a story…

I dug deep and started reading everything and anything I could find on infrared.  What it was (it’s a form of heat your body naturally gives off, and absorbs from the sun), how it works, and why you would want to use infrared heat in a sauna, versus rocks or steam.

It was utterly fascinating all the health benefits I found associated with infrared… and the word needed to get out there.

So I put together a sales letter for them, and a special report to build the value to the prospects and buyers.

The title I gave it… “Sweat Secrets of the Happy and Healthy” How you can sweat out almost any
health problem, concern or condition… in your own home… easily, quickly, safely and most importantly …
Effectively!

Discover the 5,350 year old secret of using sweat to cure any health ill.

It then goes into the story that I thought would work best with the target audience that would read this information. I am not posting this for review and critique, this was written many years ago, and I would have done it differently now, but that is not the point that matters to you…

Dear health seeking friend,

Thank you so much for requesting this report … it may just be the most important information you read this year.

Why?

It has the power to change your entire future … through better health … a much stronger immune system … and helping you rid your body from all those toxins that are hiding within you.

The first time I ever heard about far infrared saunas I asked “so what?”

I mean I grew up with a sauna in our basement. I remember it like it was yesterday. That incredibly intoxicating cedar smell, the heat, the sweat, the relaxation.

So what?

All saunas are the same thing as infrared. Right?

Wrong! Very wrong.

Soon, I discovered why far infrared is different… very different… even life changing… I met Ron Easton (the
president of Contagious Health) in December 2002 and heard his story. And that changed my life. He was diagnosed with cancer of the throat and heavy metal toxicity in his blood.

The conventional cancer treatment scared him more than the disease itself.

So he went on his own. Changing his lifestyle, eating better, reading every possible book on the subject, natural cures and success stories.

Then he discovered the research on far infrared. It sounded incredible.

Millions of people used it… successfully.

Research studies… lots of them.

And success stories… reams of them.

With all types of health problems… treated and alleviated.

When Ron first started using sweat as a treatment, he can only describe the results by the following:

“After an hour of heavy sweating, I would get up from the white towel I was sitting on and there was a black outline of where I was sitting! ”

This… was the toxins being forced out of his body.

When he first saw this… it hit home… hard.

Think about the questions that would and should be going through your own mind if this was you… “Just how many toxins are in my body? How many of these toxins can I sweat out? What can I do to keep those toxins out of my body.”

Think about it… the repercussions… no chemicals, no prescriptions - sweat was doing an amazing job of cleaning me up.

The report goes on for 22 pages walking them through the facts about infrared saunas, the health benefits, and, of course, how they could get their own infrared sauna delivered to their house.

Now, here is the reason for today’s article…

That simple little special report STILL generates sales - 7 years later!

It is hidden away on my one main website, but the search engines know where it is. Just last week I had another phone call about these saunas - from someone who was wanting to put down their
$6,500 to have one delivered to their house.

That simple little special report has been personally responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in sauna sales - and I have not been working with them for 4 of those 5 years now.

Imagine if the owners of that business actually had a clue and actually USED the report like it could be used…

Scary.

But, their loss can be your gain.

I have written many special reports over the years and am fully convinced anyone can use these to improve response and compel people to buy.

Subjects written:

- Power equipment
- Custom playsets
- Amish furniture
- Network marketing
- Business training
- Lead generation
- Chlorine removal
- Waste removal
- Massage
- Real Estate developments
- Fractional real estate projects
- Health supplements

Your business can leverage special reports and white papers.

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I am doing a full out call tomorrow on Special Reports
with Graham McGregor on creating them.

If you are interested:
Thursday, March 10th
1:00 (pm) PST, 2:00 MST, 3:00 CST, 4:00 EST.

(760) 569-6000
Access Code: 235097#
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You can improve your lead generation result using this type of information product, and you can definitely improve your conversions using this as well.

So, how do you start using white papers and special reports?

First thing’s first - aim to make it good enough to sell.

The report you do should contain enough good information that people would be willing to pay for the information on its own.

You should give them some powerful facts, advice, insider tips and advanced how- to information that would make them willing to share your report with others.

The second thing you need to do is dig deep and find out what they want most…

Look back on all the questions they ask you before buying. Write down all the objections they have when they first heard of your offer. This is the best time you can start conducting customer interviews, surveys, questionnaires, etc. You should be taking them to lunch - or having events that get them all in a room so
you can ask them what is missing, or what they would like to see from you.

You need to do the grunt work first, in order to give them a powerful report that can make you a bundle.

Third… the title of the report… If it’s good enough to sell, it needs a powerful headline that sells the content inside. I won’t go through how to create headlines here, throughout all the past editions of The Total
Package there are ample lessons for you there to get going.

But I will share this…

5 Profitable Special Report Title Formulas

1) How to __(insert benefit one)___ and ___(insert benefit two)___

How to Win Friends and Influence People

2) How To _____ and Simplify Your _________

How To Drop 5 Strokes and Simplify Your Golf Swing

3) ___ Quick Tips for Busy ________: Here’s What You Need To Know About _____

26 Quick Tips for Busy Sales Professionals: Here’s what you need to know to eliminate cold calls and double your productivity

4) _________: # Advanced Ways to ______

Web Video Fiascos: 47 Advanced Ways To Save Your Reputation Using Online Video

5) ___ Steps To Effective ______

18 Steps To Effective E- mail Management

Again, this is a start to your creation process.

I would recommend you create a few different titles and test them against each other to find out which ones pull better with your target market.

Try pay per clicks for testing, or classified ads (run your report title and a phone number in an appropriate paper, magazine or publication - online and offline).

You can and should be testing them on your squeeze pages as well.

Offer 2 or 3 different pages - each with a different report title.

When you get 50% more people asking for report title B over A, you know you have a winner.

Next… the content of the report…

Remember, you have to try and accomplish 2 things in your report - make the report good enough to sell - and make it good enough to buy from.

You have to hit them hard with everything you know about them, their deepest fears and concerns, and show them that there is not only an answer to their biggest problem, but the answer can be solved right here and now.

It’s a lot to ask of a little report or booklet, but very feasible.

Share with them:

* before and after photos and stories
* case studies
* testimonials
* hot trends they may be interested in
* reviews of books
* scientific data
* industry information
* biggest success stories
* courses
* newspaper clippings or headlines
* or other information out there that leads to the logical path they would take in order to make an educated buy decision

Remember … your content needs to lead them to the most important goal of the report - get them to BUY!

Make your research and content side of the report compelling… but do not give them everything. Tease them with a real solution - and make sure they see what is possible when they do solve their problem.

Build them up to the point when they are ready, willing, and able to call you up (or visit your website) to order.

Right then and there.

In the Sweat Secrets report, I detail the saunas, the free bonuses I included with orders (delivery, installation, and books on improving your health through saunas and infrared).

Plus I gave a fixed phone # and e- mail address for them to get moving right now.

And it worked, and still continues to work (7 years later), selling $6,500 saunas from a FREE Special Report.

It will work for you too.

SIDE NOTE: If you typically deal with longer sales cycles (B to B is common), have your first report “sell them” on asking for your second report.

In other words, let your reports take care of 75% of the sales process.

The reports can do the leg work you were doing in the past of pre- qualifying, answering questions and objections, education, and uncovering additional concerns and needs.

(Offer them multiple books - each one covers a different area of concern. Whatever ones they request will tell you where their greatest area of need is right now.)

Please let me know your thoughts, and if you have any further topics on this you would like to see discussed.

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I am doing a full out call tomorrow on Special Reports
with Graham McGregor on creating them.

If you are interested:
Thursday, March 10th
1:00 (pm) PST, 2:00 MST, 3:00 CST, 4:00 EST.

(760) 569-6000
Access Code: 235097#
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To your success,

Troy White

PS: This was originally written for Clayton Makepeace’s Total Package at www.smallbusinessmastery.com

PPS: This is a sample of the type of tutorials you find inside The Business Mastery Course at
http://www.thebusinessmastery.com - as well - on the main page, you will find an 11 minute video
(half way down) that shows you an inside look at the type of videos you can expect.

Small business success is very similar to learning to walk, talk and spell. The basics have to be understood before moving on to the next step.

I am blessed to have twin 4 year old girls in my life and am amazed constantly how much I learn from them on a daily basis. As I watch them run around and explore, I find myself realizing just how much my observations apply to being successful and happy in life and in business.

So take heart in the following tips … they may come from little people but they have the power of giants.

1. No matter how small you are you can change lots of lives - your goal for starting your business should be to change lives in one way or another. Remember this in everything you do - how can I change my customers lives?

2. Climb that wall - no matter how big the wall is – persistence pays off in the end. Never give up on your dreams and keep on trying.

3. Times when you appear small and frail are when you can surprise everyone with your hidden strengths. Everyone in business pays attention to what the big boys are doing and how they became successful.  What they miss though is the small businesses that quietly make substantial profits every year. These companies go about their business quietly and draw attention from the customers - not the competition.

4. Act like a silly goof whenever and wherever you want…people will never forget you - and that is what every business owner should dream of - sticking in everyone’s mind.

5. Remember to share - People can get very protective of what they learn and how they achieve success.  When you have something of value that would benefit others - share! IT will come back to you one hundred fold.  You do have you rights also – protect what is not to be shared and make sure others know it is yours and yours only.

6. Run naked every once in a while.  Well ok, you don’t have to be naked but run…have fun, be free and try to be a kid again. Having kids gives you that chance again and it is incredible to relive the fun that you used to have…when you weren’t so serious about life and business.

7. Lay back on the grass and watch the clouds go by whenever you have a chance. Reflection and relaxation can be one of the most powerful combinations that you can ask for in your personal and business success - use it!

8. Put on a fancy hat - dress up for the day.  Nothing can make you feel like a new person more than a complete change in clothing.  Wear something you usually would not wear…or something you have always wanted to wear but were afraid to. In business this one little point can make you stand out from all of the rest. Wear a tacky tie, or a purple shirt, or a new hat every day…your customers will never forget you.

9. Silence is not always a good thing.  Usually it means something big is brewing and trouble is near.  If you find too many of your competitors are quiet or your clients are quieter than usual…figure out why!  Something serious could be happening out there and you better find out what it is.

10. Find some sand and let your toes dig in.  Sand has an amazing soothing quality to it.  If you do not have sand near your house or business…go buy a bag of sand at your local garden center and put it in a small box you can dip your feet in.

Try this when you are working on a tough problem…new ideas will pop into your head in no time.

To your success,

Troy

Almost all of the advertising reps out there will hate this but it’s true. Most of them have no clue on what makes advertising effective – ask them – you’ll see.

They will say things like exposure, repeatability, memorable – etc.

That is what they were taught in their training classes – taught by others who have no clue about effective marketing.

All they are concerned with is getting you to buy an ad – and the bigger the ad the better.

They will say your ad needs to run 7 times to get a sale.

Bull.

They will say that running your ad for 12 months will double your brand recognition.

Partially bull – it may increase your recognition but will do nothing to help sales.

Your advertising must pay for itself (break even can be a good thing initially) on the FIRST time the ad is run.

If it doesn’t – test a new one.

If it makes money the first time, it will the second, and the third time.
*****> If it loses money the first time, it’ll lose money the second time and the third time as well. Your advertising must make money the first time – and the only way to tell is through the tracking you do. <*****

Action Plan:

(1) Make sure you learn how to write effective advertisements and marketing pieces. Study good direct response marketing courses (one of one is my own Marketing ESP course)

(2) Write (or re-write) yours to use solid direct response marketing techniques (headlines, sub-heads, talking with them feel (not at them), strong close, irresistible offer, time limited, and ask for action).

(3) Put some form of tracking device in the ad (if they are calling you - have them ask for dept 4 - so you know that they are calling from Ad#B). If they are writing in - have the order form use a tracking number (department FH-6 for example)

(4) Run the ad and measure the response. If you do not break even initially then the ad will probably be a flop in the long run. If the ad works and makes money - KEEP RUNNING IT. It will make money each time you run it until you see the decline to below break even point.

[Remember: the reason you can break even on first run advertisements is that you should have other products and services to sell to this person after the initial sale. The bulk of your profits will come from sales after the first.]

Write hard! And test lots.

To your success,

Troy White

The greatest example of the power of money making words can be found in the National Enquirer!

You know - the “trash magazine” that supposedly no one ever buys.

The one you see at every supermarket till in North America So, how is it that the Enquirer is the most widely read publication out there? [The National Enquirer sells more copies in a week than the TOP 3 business magazines and newspapers COMBINED - Proof that that approach works ]

The headlines on the front - that’s how. The people that write these headlines - “Bat Boy Explodes” - “Use Your Dreams to Win the Lotto”

Those writers make a substantial income writing those words - because they sell a TON of newspapers for the publishers.

Top headline writers get paid upwards of one million dollars a year to write those!

So pay attention to the words they use - they make many people a boatload of money.

Think about all the different areas you use words in your business.

Phone calls

Sales Calls

Emails Sent

Letters Sent

Faxes Sent

Advertisements

Conversations

Arguments

Purchasing Something

Negotiating

Bartering

Writing

Reading

Researching

Upgrading

Pleading

Entertaining

Disciplining

All of these areas are critical to your job or your business, yet how much time do you actually put into the words you use? Most of us, it’s very little time invested.

For a few of us, lots of time is spent testing variations of words to increase their effectiveness.

No matter what your experience with the mastery of using effective words - you can always find ways to improve your skills and learn how to better apply the techniques.

Why bother?

Sales

Influence

Control

Money

Happiness

The list really does go on, but the important thing to remember is that your words can become more powerful. That is what we are there to discuss - how you can master the use of words to influence others to see things from your point of view.

For when you have this one skill honed and improved, you have the most important skill of all at your disposal.

Next time you are at the grocery store - have a look at those headlines (better yet - pick up a copy - millions of other people do on a weekly basis).

Write down those headlines and see how you can modify them to suit your business… or your newest promotion… or your newest product launch.

It works!

One client had a database of 100,000 opting emails that we tested ads on.  The best responses we got (based on click rates and sales) were the ones with “tabloidish” headlines.

The one that worked the best…

Cat Attacks Man Woman and Child (selling an electronic mouse)

To your success,

Troy

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