Hope you are having a GREAT week!

Nothing has helped me more from a therapeutic and marketing standpoint than writing daily emails.

I know it may seem like work…

…but nothing good every comes without some work.

And it isn’t hard work at all.

In fact… there are so many INCREDIBLE examples to share with you, its more difficult deciding what to share.

Today, 2 fine, fine examples of great marketing ideas.

First… the blushing postman.

Look how she starts this video for Panty by Post

Great marketing ideas galore here!

…with a story about one of her great loves… the French… and French Panties.

Not only is the video simply divine (simple, and selling)., it grabs your attention and would compel you to watch (man or woman).

These days anyone and everyone with a simply little handheld HD camera can do this (even me!).

Then add in some of the great editing software out there these days and voila… you have a video to use on Youtube, on your blog, on your site, on Facebook shares… and so on, and so on.

The second thing I LOVE about this video is the unusual membership piece. You have hopefully read my Million Dollar Lobster report (if not – here is the direct download link  http://www.milliondollarlobster.com/MillionDollarLobster.pdf).

Unusual membership programs like this are powerful ways to draw attention, publicity and experience buyers.

A membership is an experience.

It is something you get to interact with on an ongoing basis.

Vs a one-time purchase.

Is there any way at all you can take frequently bought items and turn them into a membership concept?

I have seen near everything sold via membership…

…panties, shows, jewelry, honey, steaks, baked goods, fresh goods, lobsters, shoes, dive-bar tshirts, kids gifts, art and paintings, travel, cars, motorcycles, boats, to name a small sample of what is now available.

Can YOU be the first in your city, or industry, that brings out a membership program?

Think it through – it’d be awesome to inspire you to create this.

The second example for today you may have already seen on Facebook.

Budweiser NAILED IT with this viral video.

What a beautiful idea and concept here.

…and Bud is winning over more fans than EVER with this.

It evokes emotion… and may even bring a tear to your eye.

If you have ever felt like you love and activity so much, but know you will never be in the big leagues (due to age, skill level, whatever) then this video will get that emotion factor revved up.

I LOVE my martial arts.  Been doing it for 12 years or so off an on, the past 6 years in Tae Kwon Do (training for second degree Black Belt right now)… but I know that my age and size are a factor in competition.  Maybe it is more fear than anything, but I haven’t been in one with my TKD.  There is a chance coming up this summer… we will see.

But I GET this video.

I would love to be in a competition and feel like a superstar (despite not being close to one).

THAT is the feel Bud gets going with this video.

…and it does 2 things I want to point out: It shares some intimate emotions with their prospects and clients, and it shows them doing something that gives back to the community.

Both of which you and I could be doing.

My blog post this week talks about emotion and the powerful force behind it in your marketing… you should read it if you haven’t.
http://blog.smallbusinesscopywriter.com/the-true-power-of-raw-emotions-in-your-writing/

Anyhow, hope you have a GREAT day/week/weekend.

Troy

PS: The Story Selling Home Study Coaching program http://www.storysellingtips.com is ready and is an incredible way to introduce your clients and prospects to your backstories… where your real money will be made.

The strangest phenomenon in my business is client resistance to trying something, anything, new.

For 10 years now I have been selling products online, writing copy for myself and for others, and have built up a solid reputation.

…I’m not perfect and have messed up along the way.

But I have stuck to my ground on using direct response copy and marketing…to avoid promoting the scam artists online…to avoid preaching the get-rich-overnight-bs…and to always test small and roll out big.

There were many distractions along the way that I could have followed, or recommended…

…but I didn’t.

And I CANNOT FIGURE FOR THE LIFE OF ME, why people would hire a copywriter or marketing consultant for help…and COMPLETELY ignore the help given.

It happens all the time.

“Well that’s not the way we do it”

“I’m not comfortable trying it that way”

“It is just too far off from what we are used to doing”

…the excuses are varied.

Press the delete button on your marketing and copywriting fears and try something new for a change!

But the problem is the same: thin skin.

I personally am willing to try all kinds of new approaches in my marketing – because I have seen time and time again the breakthroughs that happen there (I just test a weird approach with some Facebook ads the other day on one of my own products and found a wickedly good response).

I also understand that most marketing and copy tests fail.

It’s a fact of life!

Ask any marketing or copy veteran who’s been doing this for a decade or more.

More tests fail than succeed.

But the ones that succeed do so in a big way and MORE than make up for the failures.

…failure IS how you discover success.

So don’t be yet another one of those thin-skinned-entrepreneurs.

Thicken your skin real quick now, ok?

The best way is through testing new approaches and failing.

Try all kinds of things to see what works and doesn’t.

Accept that you WILL get complaints along the way (hint: that’s because you are actually communicating with prospects and clients… you never got complaints before because they NEVER heard from you!)

And when you hire a marketer or copywriter, test out their approaches before cutting them down.

One of those approaches just might dig you out of that massive hole you put yourself in by not communicating with your clients.

Try it… you might like seeing your sales grow faster than ever before.

Ok?

Troy

PS: The quickest way to get thick skin while trying all kinds of new approaches is with my 2012 Cash Flow Calendar http://www.cashflowcalendars.com

Packed with daily, weekly, and monthly marketing ideas – crammed with copy-and-paste postcards, letters, emails and sales campaigns you can send to your own list. This is a gem for those who want to succeed in a BIG way this year.

Try it… you might like it.

Here’s something for you to dig deep into this week.

Whenever I start working with a new client, we put a significant amount of our time into the positioning of them in the market place.  We want to make sure they know where they stand in the buyers eyes, and what makes them the one and only choice in a competitive situation.

It isn’t simple.

Most entrepreneurs want to be everything to everyone… but we all know that strategy is doomed to fail.

So what does work?

How do you reposition yourself in the market?

How do you find the ‘thing’ that puts you heads and tails above the others?

Here are 4 strategies that may help you get clear:

1. Pick on the competition… blatantly! This is the exact strategy that Avis took when they wanted to go head to head against Hertz.  The whole “we’re #2. We try harder.” Approach worked like wildfire for Avis.

They turned their competitors main advantage (being #1) into a David vs. Goliath approach.  And people ate it up.

This approach works just as well today, maybe even better, than it did then.

People mistrust big corporations more.  They want specialized attention. They like dealing direct with the owner(s).  They like the tlc they can get from the smaller guys… so give it to them.

Don’t try and hide from the competition… make the competitions so-called ‘advantages’ into a disadvantage. 

2. Big benefit.  Is there one thing you can do or provide that makes the entire investment in your product or service seem miniscule?

If you look at the big picture… is there one thing about your product or services that justifies the price every single time?  Compared to your competition?  Or are they saying the same thing?

There is almost always something there for you; it just takes some digging on your part.

One of my clients in the adventure business mentioned quietly one of his ‘hobbies’ that he loves.  He then went on to tell me that: no where else in the world can you do this, it really is possible (most people think it is only done in the movies), people have paid him BIG dollars to tag along side him for this, and that it only happens once a year.

Can we say ca-ching?

Major opportunity there that we can use as his big benefit.  Being a part of his other program can guarantee you a spot in this… and there is no other way possible to get the chance to do it… other than join.

There is a major benefit to joining him, if you are the right type of person who is wealthy and passionate about getting a serious adrenaline rush.  And there are lots of those out there that would LOVE to do this with him.

3. Your buyers.  Who are they and what makes them, specifically, different than other buyers?  Going back to standard customer research… you must know your buyers better than anyone else does.

You need to know: what they think about, what they worry about, what foods they eat (and hate), what their drink of choice is, what books they read (and how often), what movies they watch, what hobbies they have, what their biggest dreams are, and what their grandest desires are. 

Not an easy task.

But imagine what power you hold when you do!

Going back to the 80/20 rule… how does it apply to your buyers?  Your top 20% of buyers… what do you know about them?

How can you find more of just that 20%?  What about the 20% of those 20%?

What makes them different?  You can redesign an entire business around the strategy of selling to a VERY specific business.  And you should!

This is an easy way to grow your profits rapidly, while making your marketing much more targeted and focus on a very specific person (which makes it much easier to find the marketing media to reach them)

4. Picking on the problem. I have another client who is a traditional MD, but she has changed her focus to the more natural ways to help the body inside and out.

Her biggest pet peeve right now?

Flu vaccinations.  We are right in the middle of the immunization drive to get everyone and their dog into the doctors for a flu shot.  People are panicking about the N1H1 hype.

And she is PO’d.

Did you know that flu shots use formaldehyde?  The exact same ingredient that is used to preserve DEAD BODIES?

Yup, little Johnny there is getting a flu shot and injected with embalming fluid at the same time.

Not quite what you thought would be in the flu vaccine?

Well it is.

And when my client makes a stand against the traditional medical establishment and the ridiculous things they do, claiming it is for your ‘health’, people pay attention.

People are mortified when they realize how little they know about these shots the medical authorities are putting in your body. They have assumed, until now, that the medical community was acting in their best interest.

Once their eyes are open to the real problem, the real underlying issue that no one else is talking about… my doctor client has their attention.

She is seeing record sales this year (in a private clinic… much rarer in Canada than the US).

There is good reason why: she picked on the real problem (lack of real education about the traditional medical ‘cures’), and is guiding her clients and prospects to a much more educated and intelligent way of deciding who is injecting what into your baby girls blood.

These are 4 simple strategies that might get you thinking.

 Pick one – and find some ways to make it fit your business.

The economy is sluggish in most parts… but the signs are picking up and people are spending more.

Are you preparing yourself to tap into it?

Or are you hoping and praying that when people start buying again, they are waiting with credit cards in hand to buy from your same old pitch you have always used?

Maybe it’s time to invest some brain power on a new strategy for the remaining months in 09 and to kick start 2010?

Don’t wait… get busy!

I would love to hear your ideas.

Thanks again.

To your success,

Troy White

PS: I have a VERY unique and powerful done-for-you marketing system that is ready.

If you have ever struggled getting enough consistent marketing materials in front of your clients and prospects, this is definitely for you.

If you have ever thought "these marketing ideas are great...but I just don't have enough time to get it all done"... this is exactly what you need.

If you want to make a BIG impact this Christmas and heading into the New Years, and think the idea of a done-for-you marketing campaign sounds ideal to you.... this is for you.

The best part? 

The price.

Less than the price of 2 mocha-frappo-caffeinated-choc-covered mega drinks!

Don't let the price fool you though...

...this has never been done before this way.

I write the copy.

You send it to your leads and prospects.

Full details we can discuss if you are serious.

Reply back to this or go to
http://blog.smallbusinesscopywriter.com/contact/
and fill out the form.

If you have been reading my newsletters for any length of time
(almost at my 10 year anniversary)... you know I don't hype things up.  

This is the real deal and can attract you much better clients and
repeat sales.  But you need to be serious about working with me.  

Let me know.

Ethical bribes, but still a bribe.

The hypsters out there will tell you that you don’t need to incent people to buy… they will just be attracted by your positive energy or incredible products and will whip out their credit cards for the pleasure to do business with you.

Realists will show you proof that plan is a sure-fire way to failure.

There was a great article I just read in the Huffington Post about a home owner who got FED UP with their realtor lack of results. Most realtors have that hope, wish and meditate on a sale until it happens BS. That’s why 97% of realtors out there make less than the waitress at your local diner.

…which is exactly the type of realtor this home owner was stuck with.

Since JUNE(!) they have had 3 showings of their home.

Less than one a month. Yikes – that is not how you sell a house.

So instead of listening to the renegade-realtor-who-does-things-oh-so-different, they took things into their own hands.

Right across the street was “Grandpas Bar & Grill” – a favorite watering hole for the neighborhood minglers.

And Grandpas place would be a friendly place to eat and drink for anyone who bought this house for sale.

The frustrated home owner had a brilliant insight and offered out of her own pocket a $1,000 bar tab at Grandpas!

Flipping brilliant.

Did it work?

A 300% increase in showings since her new promotion hit the street!

So it worked – not their wonderfully brilliant realtor just has to do half what they are paid to do…close the deal.

“We live in a place where restaurants and bars come within walking distance so we thought this was a way to cross-promote the neighborhood and our homes.”

How does this relate to you?

I hope you can see where I am going with this… if not, you need more help than I can provide )

Here are the lessons to be learned:

* Wishing and praying won’t build your business – YOU have to build your business.

* Look for complimentary businesses, products and services you can bundle in with your own products or services.

* Think outside of the basement here – how often have you seen something like this in your city? I doubt if you have ever seen a $1000 bar tab with home purchase offer before. Why not? It makes sense! Or a $1,000 restaurant gift. Or a $1,0000 maid service. Or a $1,000 credit towards movers. When you are selling a home worth a few hundred thousand dollars, a grand out of your own pocket isn’t going to kill you, or the deal. If you are selling a product or service worth $200 – a $50 gift certificate is worth it (especially when you factor in repeat business from the client once you get them into your marketing funnel – right?)

* The economy is still sluggish and people are not spending like they used to – so you had better think up some very innovative ways to get them to notice you, over the hundreds/thousands of others trying to get inside their wallets also.

* Many realtors are clueless when it comes to marketing your home – so pick and choose wisely. See if you can find one who has at least studied SOME direct marketing. It won’t be easy to find (I’ve looked)…but snag one if you find one.

This was a great example of an average everyday homeowner who got fed up with dismal results and took it into their own hands.

Not only have they tripled their prospects…

…the got MASSIVE media attention from this (Huffington Post, NBC Chicago, Sun Times, to name a few). That alone is worth a fortune for both the home owner and for Grandpa’s bar!

Last – she got over the hoping and praying phase that her realtor would perform for her – and she took ACTION to do it herself.

This is a very recent story, so we will have to wait and see how effective it is… but with 300% more prospects to talk to, odds are VERY good someone will buy soon (and they will have a hell of a good story to tell their friends and family about this home they bought which was in all these newspapers!)

Now get busy.

Troy

PS: We are just getting ready to launch the new and improved Cash Flow Calendar for 2012 – 15 months of done-for-you, pre-written marketing campaigns, and a TON of money making tools that you haven’t seen here before.

Watch for it.

In the meantime, there are a number of solutions here to help you grow your sales if they are slow http://www.blog.smallbusinesscopywriter.com/on-line-store/

…we both wish there WAS some kind of magic button we could push and your business would triple in profitability and your workload be cut in half.

After all, it seems to be promised in all the emails popping up these days.

Just the other day an email came up saying I could OWN Googles top search engine spot with a $27 software tool… sweeeeet!

But then I woke up from the spam nightmare and realized that there is no such thing… anyone claiming to have a ‘magic solution’ it is full of bull.

Those of us who love to stay in reality know that growing a business is something that demands your constant attention…

…if you aren’t paying attention to it… your competitors will with their own.

I LOVE OFFLINE MARKETING, as you may know.

I think it is an incredible opportunity for astute entrepreneurs who understand the importance of leveraging one media off another.

Like using online marketing to generate real physical addresses for yoru prospects and clients.

Or using offline marketing to generate leads online, or to drive them to specific pages on your site.

One client of mine is LOVING what we do with Google Adwords these days… and we have taken our print ad budget – turned it into a Google budget, and used the leftover dollars to send print newsletters to those on our database (prospects and clients).

The best part?

We eliminated his print ads in favor of Google as we are driving FAR more highly targeted leads on Google every month for the same amount as a single ad in a top magazine. Thousands of targeted buyers coming to our site for the same price as a single ad!

But… did you note we didn’t QUIT using print?

We actually ramped it up – in different areas.

And it is kicking some serious patooty!

Which is why you MUST be on the call with Dan Lok.

Dan has taken his offline marketing tools, applied them online, and figured out some stellar ways to grow sales quickly, in any online or offline business.

For example… salons.

Dan is a master at using his online marketing skills to grow brick and mortar businesses.

Dan is a master at using his offline marketing skills to make his online businesses THRIVE.

And he is sharing all in this one-time, never-to-be-repeated webinar.

Don’t miss this one:

Date: Thursday, September 8, 2011
Time: 5 p.m. Pacific. (6pm Mtn. 8 pm EST).
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/651755038

Here’s a short-list of what will be covered on this 75-90 minute
webinar:

* The fastest, simplest way to start making money on the
Internet. Period.

* How to create a business that makes money for you 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year!

* How to ‘fire your employer’! No more clocking in or out and no
limit to the amount of income you can rake in.

* An amazingly simple strategy to make money without having your
own ‘list’ of customers or prospects

* How to stop trading time for money and start earning a 6-figure
‘Passive’ income within 12 months.

* 2 big mistakes many new Internet Marketers make that you must
to avoid at all costs. (Hint: Making these 2 mistakes can waste
thousands of dollars and years of your time!)

Be on this call for 90 minutes worth of practical information that any and every business owner should be using in today’s marketing quagmire.

It won’t be repeated.

See you Thur night.

Troy

PS: Quick, bolt on over to https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/651755038 and get yourself signed up!

Date: Thursday, September 8, 2011
Time: 5 p.m. Pacific. (6pm Mtn. 8 pm EST).

He’s prolific in marketing and ad copy.

He’s one of the greatest direct marketing minds in the world.

He has written ads for nearly every industry out there… and his results
have been stellar.

He has a fantastic sense of humour (as you will see on this free audio
I am about to share – I laughed the entire 74 minutes while talking to him –
and STILL managed to write down 4 pages of notes from this genius).

He also shares freely, as you can see on the audio I have for you here:
http://www.smallbusinesscopywriter.com/drayton/draytonbird.mp3

He ALSO is offering a fantastic opportunity to sit at his side and watch
him show you how to build a bigger business, how to write better copy,
and how to leverage his 50+ years of direct marketing experience into a
marketing breakthrough.

The only downside to the event he is hosting?

…It is in London.

And for some people, it may not be an option. I am scheduled to speak in Edmonton
at the same time (with some of the Dragon’s Den stars, I am proud to say).
So I may have to miss it – but am trying to shuffle speaking slots as well.

If you want to learn from one of the greatest marketing minds in the world
(according to many of the legends like David Ogilvy), then have a look at
what he has going – http://www.directmarketingmentor.com

“Success leaves clues” and Drayton Bird has left 50+ YEARS of direct
marketing success clues here for you today – both in the interview
and hopefully you can join him in London in October.

To your success.

Troy

PS: I have been traveling quite a bit this summer and have some fun
and informative articles coming soon. Watch for the Amish Marketing
Secrets email and some wacky ideas for your fall promotions, which
you can get fired up starting September 15th with the Story Selling
Coaching Club http://www.storysellingtips.com

Does your marketing look like it's buried in the clutter?

11  important rules you need to stick to if you want to succeed in your marketing:

1)      The purpose of your marketing is NOT to showcase your brand, your logo, (it does not need

to be for them to buy something, as it can be for them to take some kind of action like visiting a web page to get something for free)

2)      You MUST learn how to create compelling offers that get them to take those actions.

3)      Each of the marketing campaigns you launch will consist of a minimum of 3 steps.  In other words, when communicating with your clients and prospects, you must send at least 3 different pieces to them in order to call it a properly designed campaign (and one that will actually work and help you achieve goal #1 from above)

4)      No more cutesy sayings and vague one-liners that say and do nothing that take you closer to goal #1. Again, a cute radio ad is useless if it doesn’t generate you leads or make you money.

5)      You will learn how to become a more natural writer, and use those skills to further build on goal #1

6)      Your personality in your marketing is your greatest asset. Don’t hide the fact that you are a real live person, like most business owners do. They try and mask the size of their company… pretending to be a big company.  Putting your face and personality front and center in all your marketing will do more for your sales than anything else you do.

7) Effective advertising rarely looks like advertising.

8)      Effective advertising stops your ideal customer in their tracks and literally forces them to start reading your ad.

9)      Effective advertising always has some form of tracking mechanism in place so you know exactly if it is working, or not.

My first few years into copywriting, I had logged 2,000 hours of writing and studying from the masters (I tracked my hours).

Since discovering this thing called copywriting, I have a whole new world in front of me.  I see why most businesses struggle.  I see why people think marketing doesn’t work. I see why most people think advertising is a waste of money. And I see why some companies go on and accomplish amazing things in record time.

I have had the privilege to work with some incredible people, from all over the world. Movie stars. Bestselling authors. Public speakers. Inventors.  Real estate investors and developers.  Information publishers.  All said and done, there are probably 35+ industries I have helped now.  And have made them millions and millions of dollars in short periods of time.

Why do I share this with you? Because just 7 years ago I had no idea what marketing was or how it worked.  Today, I am an internationally-known entrepreneur who has helped thousands of people turn their businesses around.  Every week, my articles go out to thousands of entrepreneurs and small business owners spanning the globe.  And I absolutely love seeing the look in a client’s eye when they hit their first grand slam in marketing. The pay doesn’t hurt either.

If I can do it, so can you.  I failed English in high school and university.  But I quickly discovered that real marketing doesn’t care about proper grammar.  As you will see in this article, real marketing breaks many of the rules of proper English.

Yet it works… and the results speak for themselves.

 

 

I LOVE your comments… good and bad.  Let me know what I can do to help you grow your business faster and more profitably.

Troy

Usually they claim their buyers are different than any other buyers.

Often though it comes down to this…

“…I sell to businesses – not consumers. And business buyers don’t fall for the same tricks you are sharing Troy.”

I will say this… Business to business (B2B) buyers are NOT different than Business to consumer (B2C) buyers!

A BUSINESS cannot buy anything.

Someone, somewhere, has to be involved in the purchasing process.

And anytime a person is involved, there are biases, prejudices, emotional triggers and hidden motives involved.

As much as we like to pretend otherwise, I don’t think there are too many businesses who use robots for purchasing from strangers. )

Yes, there can be minor changes you make to your campaigns to target business buyers, but people are people and the exact same tools and techniques that work in the B2C market ALSO work in the B2B market.

I have shown this many times over the past blog posts.

Like the one client who sells B2B: we sent out 200 letters to a COLD list… business buyers who had NEVER heard of him before. These were highly sophisticated buyers who worked for companies that ranged from $5 million a year to $500 million a year.

We mailed a 2-page black and white letter (no fancy brochures – no gloss – no color – not even a picture to be seen).

We sent it DIRECTLY to the purchasers.

We got a 18% response rate (the goal of the campaign was to initiate direct contact with the purchasing managers – either through a phone call or email… in essence, getting that first foot in the door).

The letter talked more about his family than his business!

And we got email after email THANKING US FOR WRITING A PERSONAL LETTER.

One guy said “I get DOZENS of ‘pitch letters’ like this a week – I want to commend you on writing a very personal letter like this – I wish I saw more of this in my business”.

Hum.

Guess something like that shows you that B2B buyers are NOT different…. they are people and like to buy from people.

So keep that in mind next time you are thinking up excuses on why YOUR buyers are different.

They aren’t that different.

They still eat, sleep, dream and have fears or dreams.

They are people like you and I are.

Treat them that way.

Not many B2B sellers do… so you will definitely stand out from the rest of the nonsense!

Troy

PS: I wanted to make sure you understand this – I have personally sold both B2B and B2C.

When I was working for Hewlett Packard in their Unix systems group… I sold $50,000 computer systems to business buyers. I also sold multi-million dollar servers and storage systems to business buyers. There was ALWAYS a person writing the final orders. Those people wanted to be TREATED like a human being too.

One potential client I nurtured for 2 years selling them smaller systems, ultimately knowing a big purchase order was coming… eventually.

And it did.

$3 million dollars worth of computer gear was sold in the end – the only reason he bought? “Because I stuck with him, and treated him the way he wanted to be treated. Not like some robot purchasing system. That was from him – the one who signed the purchase order and cheque.

If I treated him differently – the sale would have NEVER gone through.

The question is: “When you create a fictional character, is it unethical? Or is it a good idea?”

Which is a GREAT question.

Story telling and marketing are ALL about capturing peoples attention and imagination.

And characters are what do that for you.

Sometimes you are better off using yourself as the main character in your marketing
(for ex. I have often spoken about Saddleback Leather and the Million Dollar Lobster story –
both use real characters based on the owners of the company)

But there also times when fictional characters can do some incredible things to boost
your customer loyalty and following.

This article shares success stories from both real and fictional characters…

…along with some important questions to ask yourself in figuring out how best to do
your own story design.

http://www.blog.smallbusinesscopywriter.com/when-harry-met-tommy-2/

Enjoy,

Troy

PS: I broke my blog this week so it isn’t showing up properly. Lesson learned – STOP trying
to be the tech guy too, Troy! Should have left it to the designers – but I was in a rush and
it cost me.

There is another related article there you should have a look at as well
http://www.blog.smallbusinesscopywriter.com/marketing-lessons-from-the-master-master-yu-that-is/

PPS: Have you picked up a copy of the Small Display Ads report? http://www.smalldisplayads.com - a
great way to generate and convert quality leads and buyers.

One of them is real, one is entirely fictional. Both of them are highly successful, and pull in hundreds-of-millions in revenue per year.

The best part? They use completely different approaches to grow their thriving empires.

The main reason I wanted to talk about these unique business models is that they are both thriving in the downturn.

They both sell higher priced clothing. And they both target a more affluent type of buyer.

First, meet Harry Rosen: http://www.harryrosen.com/

Harry Rosen is a Canadian Icon with 55 years in business. Harry has turned his initial $500 investment into a $250 Million dollar empire and continues to thrive in the current economy. Harry Rosen now proudly owns 35 percent share of the national market in high-end men’s wear.

One of the BIG reasons Harry has done so well?

“Most companies are faceless but I’m the face. Like me or dislike me, it’s what you get,” he says.

Direct from the master: You MUST have a face in front of your company.

Simple …
yet ignored by 99% of businesses out there.

Do YOU put your name and face in front of all your messaging?

Do you make sure people understand that you are there for them, and that you will make sure they get the attention they crave?

It is one of the most critical skills to master in a buying environment like this.

People are desperately seeking out companies that are different. Companies who have something unique about them. Companies that give them a good story they can share with their friends and associates.

Harry does this.

Guess how Harry Rosen got his start?

A little know fact about Harry is that he was an outstanding copywriter who hand wrote out long “quirky” little letters to the top CEOs in Canada. He would hand pick who he wanted as a buyer, get their address and hand write out these “odd letters,” as he called them in an interview.

Despite what many people think: Those executives not only received and opened his mail; they read it top to bottom and came in to order some finely tailored suits and clothing.

Hand-written … long copy … no photographs.

The TOP business leaders would respond with credit cards in hand. (I did ask him if he kept copies of them … unfortunately he said no).

They continue to sell to the affluent professional.

The up-and-coming executive who must make the right first impression. The new manager who needs to look good in the boardroom, as well as after hours at the company party.

While Harry no longer hand writes those letters, they still continue to use advertising campaigns that bring people in the door.

One way they do it is through their Ask Harry Column. It all started with an ad they ran that told this story…

“This is Harry. Harry has a store. Harry sells suits. Harry’s suits are all naturally tailored. Harry calls this lean, unpadded styling the Cambridge look. Harry specializes in the Cambridge look. If you like the Cambridge look, remember his name, Harry.”

“Right from the moment it ran, it was very successful,” Rosen says. “We had customers coming in from outside of Toronto, from around the country, in fact. That was the beginning, although I didn’t understand it at the time, of the branding of Harry Rosen.”

Anyone could ask Harry any question they wanted about clothing, dressing the part, or even how to act in social situations they are involved in.

You can ask Harry “Can you wear a French-cuffed shirt and cufflinks with a sports jacket, or only a suit?” and get an answer.

Some of the random things Harry helps men understand through his Ask Harry column:

• Changing trends in the men’s fashion world -http://www.harrymagazine.ca/en/notebook
• How to pick a wine with confidence
• How to tie a tie – also one of the top applications on Apple’s iStore
• How to pack a suitcase
• How to choose and wear your denim

Harry still spends every Saturday in his flagship store with a tape measure and piece of chalk in hand. He does the same thing at his other stores across the country at least a couple of times a year.

This is a man who has become a Canadian Icon in the business world, and a major success in the world-fashion scene.

His new breakthrough advertising campaign features prominent Canadian Business Men in their element.

Each ad is like a case study with the customer’s photo, their name and credentials, and their story of how they became a devoted Harry Rosen fan.

Some of the titles he gave his customers:
The Influencer
The Guru
The Entrepreneur
The Visionary

(The actual ads have more copy than on this picture though.)

How did Harry continue to thrive in an economic disaster?

They introduced a new campaign: “Welcome to The New Confidence”

“Our experience has been that the surest way to bolster the economy is to inspire confidence, the kind of confidence conveyed by dressing in a manner that underscores the fact that you are the right leader for the task at hand. Your personal brand is your biggest asset today.”

Harry Rosen is an exceptional business man and his use of his photo, his name, and his values in their marketing is one of the big reasons they have done so well.

Next, my friend Tommy Bahama

I say friend because I feel like I know Tommy, even though he is a fictional character. I am actually wearing one of Tommy’s shirts right now … and I love Tommy’s clothes. They are right up my alley (an ex-suit who despises wearing a tie anymore … I was a Harry Rosen Shopper and have now moved to the Tommy side).

It is very interesting to me that both Harry and Tommy target similar demographics … upwardly mobile, more affluent types of buyers.

Yet their clothing styles are dramatically different. The sales approach they use is even more different. Harry sells you on looking good and knowing how to act in a professional situation.

Tommy sells you on the way of life that many of us strive for.

From their site:

ABOUT TOMMY

There is a warm westerly breeze rustling the palms, the lulling roar of crashing waves – it’s a celebration of island living, courtesy of Tony Margolis, Bob Emfield and Lucio Dalla Gasperina.

In 1992, our fictional Tommy Bahama character became the inspiration behind the experience of traveling to exotic locales where the food is good, the beaches are hot and the mood is relaxed.

Tommy Bahama and his tropical adventures command the finer things in life: casual, comfortable sportswear, golfwear, swimwear, footwear and accessories for men and women.

As the purveyor of island lifestyles, Tommy Bahama, has created a world where life moves at a more relaxed pace, where the enjoyment of the good life is the norm, rather than the exception.

Not sure about you, but I can hear the waves, and see myself there on that beach. It is what I strive for … and there are a lot of people out there who have a dream just like that.

And the Tommy character is just what the doctor ordered.

For the beach lovers out there … you can visit Paradise Nation and travel to exotic locations with
Tommy http://www.tommybahama.com/TBG/ParadiseNation.jsp

They have also expanded into the restaurant business now, and, although I haven’t had the privilege of frequenting one yet, I know people who have and they absolutely loved it.

Tommy Bahama also knows that those who aspire to an island lifestyle want more than just the nice comfortable clothes to go with it; they want to completely immerse themselves in everything to do with the beach bum life.

They now sell luggage, furniture, bathroom accessories, bedding and bathroom goods, rugs … even ceiling fans.

By the time you are done with Tommy’s store, you are completely decked out from head to toe and from doorway to bedroom.

You can even pick up a bottle of Tommy’s finest Tropical Rum for your afternoon cocktails out on the patio set you bought from Tommy.

You ARE living the Tommy lifestyle … exactly what you wanted.

So what does all this have to do with you and your business?

Pay close attention to these two businesses.

They both use a personality front and center. One of them is a real person, the other is fictional (but real in the customer’s mind).

The personality is used everywhere, and it becomes the main reason why people buy … they aspire to be just like that person they hear so much about. They want to live the same lifestyle … look the part … be that person.

This is a secret of success that is soooooo rarely used.

For example, a new client came on board last year.

He has a successful business in the horse training business. He lives on a ranch in the middle of nowhere. And people from all over the world seek him out to get lessons with their horses. They fly him all over the world to teach his classes.

And he wants to take his business to the next level.

How would he do it?

He would model what Harry and Tommy have done.

He would give his clients an insider’s view on what it is really like to be a cowboy.

To work with horses day-in and day-out.

To ride deep into the mountains on a three-week trip.

To be at one with nature and live off the land like real cowboys used to.

And we build his personality into everything that he does.

I will share with you what happens as we get this rolling.

Much like the lobster story I have shared here, the key to success in business today is giving people a unique story they can tell their friends and family.

The lobster brothers send out DVDs with every product shipment.

Pop the DVD in and watch your dedicated lobster-fisherman telling you about their family, about how they catch your lobster, and about what it is like working on a fishing boat for a living.

Those brothers built a million-dollar business in just a few months using their personalities as the main selling point.

In a business that was traditionally a price-based decision.

No longer.

So the question for you is …

… Do you want your customers to think of you like a Tommy?

… Or a Harry?

Both work.

One is more wild and free … living the ultimate lifestyle many of your customers aspire to. The other is a professional … works hard and plays hard.

Do your customers want to:

“Escape the troubles of the modern world in favor of a place that’s relaxed and worry-free … where life is one long weekend …

Or

“Live in their own New Confidence in a New Economy?”

Which person are you targeting?

How are you giving them what they want?

How can you?

What can you do to give them the lifestyle they want?

How can you tie your personality into it so they will NEVER forget you?

What one thing could you do in the next month that would get them talking about you to their friends, family and associates?

I would love to hear your ideas.

Thanks again.

To your success.

Troy