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Mar
22

Make a million with a $9 Lobster???

By | advertising, Copywriting, Direct Mail, Entrepreneur, Success, Wacky marketing ideas

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This, by FAR is my favorite success story of the past few years.

I heard about these 3 young brothers somewhere.

Their story reeked of good content.

They were young (both in the 20s).

They were in an industry that sells on price.

A very competitive industry.

Everyone told them their idea was stupid and it would be the end of them.

They were pigheaded and did it anyhow.

THAT’S the kind of story I love.

So I interviewed them.  And absolutely lovedwhat they did.

If you sell products in a competitive industry – get this interview.

If you sell high priced products or services – get this report.

If you want to find an innovative way to stand out from your competition – get this report.

Seriously, I have put together the best-of-the-best information from their interview, along with my recommendations on how you can make this fit your business as well.

How do you get it?

Either sign up in the newsletter box at the top center of my blog at http://blog.smallbusinesscopywriter.com – or you can also go to http://www.milliondollarlobster.com – both will send you the pdf report.

I guarantee this is worth your time to read.

It has already launched 5 other businesses that I know of following these simple ideas.

Could it work for you?

Read it and see.

Nov
09

Good news… people are buying less

By | Copywriting, Direct Mail, Entrepreneur, Wacky marketing ideas

Most people look at that as a bad thing.  I personally see it as
an opportunity for you and I to step up to the plate and come out
a winner.

People ARE buying less.

They are pickier than ever.

They are more demanding.

And for you the business owner, it’s up to you to deliver the
goods.

Admit it; things have been quite easy in the past few years for
business owners.

If it wasn’t easy for you then… sorry to say… you probably
won’t survive the next few years if you don’t dramatically change
the way you run your business.

In the good times, people spend freely, without nearly as much
thought, and at higher price points.

Times like this mean you have to stand out from the crowd more,
give them MUCH more compelling offers, and provide them better
pricing structures and bundles.

That said… people are still buying… you just have to work
harder.  I was shocked this year to see all the stores that were
doing nothing different and expecting strong sales numbers.

No new bundles.

No wacky promotions.

No discounts.

No special deals.

Nothing compelling at all… and the crowds were rushing to buy
from them.

Not!

Then they bitch and whine about the economy and how tough it
is… probably about to go whining to the government for another
bailout package.

Because its up to the tax payers to bail their ass out of bad
business practices.

Right?

The one thing you are guaranteed right now – when you make the
necessary changes in your business right now, and prosper in the
tougher years ahead,… when you emerge at the end… you are
going to lead your industry and be in the position to cash in a
big way when people start spending freely again.

So what kind of things can you do to position your business
differently?

1) Change your products and services. Start being different than
everyone else. Rename them.  Create new bundles of products and
services.  Make it so people cannot easily compare you to anyone
else (or else the price is all they will buy based on)

2) Create a closer bond with your clients and prospects. This
means you have to be in front of them more often, and by being
more interesting to them.  Not pitching them something every
chance you get. But sharing stories with them. Showing them you
are a real person behind the scenes. Now is the time to step up
to the plate and become a real character in their eyes. If it
means you have to elaborate a little on how exciting your life
and history is… so be it. Not all of us are overly colourful.

Some who pretend they are, aren’t really that way behind the
scenes.  If you pay attention to story telling basics and take
close note of characters like Regis Philbern (one of the most
enduring tv personalities there is)… or Oprah Winfrey (despite
what you or I may think of her show, she is a master at brining
in her personal life into her business life and sharing the mix
with all who will listen).

3) Think of ways you can keep them coming back to buy from you
– or at least to find out more about what you are up to now.
What you are doing next.  What you are doing in your business.
Etc.

This means building in loyalty programs.  Membership
programs (like the lobster story I have told many times before
– a multi-million dollar business created in less than a year
selling lobsters… but in a whole new way).  If you were to
recreate your business for tv… how would you keep them coming
back week after week, month after month… year after year?  Not
an easy thing for most to answer… but certainly worthy of some
serious contemplation going into the new year.

Find ways to reinvent your business model moving forward into
2010.

There is a real opportunity out there for entrepreneurs like you
and I to weather this like a pro… and come out at the end
bigger, better and wildly more profitable.

To your success,

Troy White

PS: If you are in need of more leads and sales, you need to run
on over to http://www.cashflowcalendars.com right now.  The 2010
Version is READY!

Seriously, this product WILL help you stand out from the crowd.
It will improve your cash flow.  It will help you attract a
better quality of client.  And it will get your past clients back
to buy more.

I give you actual copy and paste templates that are guaranteed
to build your business.

Plus, there is well over 1,100 ides in the 2010 Cash Flow
Calendar for promoting your products and services.  All it takes
is to get off your ass and implement just one or two ideas a week
and you will see a dramatic difference in your revenues.

The perfect start to your new business year!
http://www.cashflowcalendars.com

Nov
02

Comfort Zone Warning

By | Entrepreneur, Success

One of my biggest pet peeves in marketing is the inability for entrepreneurs to step outside of their comfort zone.

I consult with, and write sales copy for, business owners from all over the world.

We have been able to grow thier businesses by millions of dollars.

They have realized significant profits in very short periods of time.

Yet I still run into hassles with certain entrepreneurs.

They hire me to help – but don’t want to try anything new.

“that’s not like the usual email I send out! my customers won’t like it”

or…

“I don’t think that will work, it’s so different sounding than what they usually get”

or…

“that won’t work in my business”

I’ve heard it all… and I battle them all.

Listen: if you hire a person whose entire business relies on making other entrepreneurs money.  A person who gets paid for performance (not awards won by the creative approach you took), don’t ya think maybe, just maybe, you want to test some out of the box ideas?

I realize entrepreneurs have a lot to protect… our businesses are very much like our children. We feed and nourish them, many entrepreneurs spending far more time with their businesses than their real family!

But there comes a time when you just have to step outside of your comfort zone and try something new.

What if (GASP!) it actually works?

What if the new approach actually made you ten times more sales than anything else you did in the past 5 years?

What if your customers LOVE the newfound passion in your copy?

Not only is this possible, it happens ALL THE TIME.

For example: I have a client that sells custom made Amish Furniture. As you would well know, the Amish are very traditional, very secretive, and risque is not in their vocabulary.

I wanted to test a new approach to an advertising campaign… something very different than what they would have ever used in the past.

And they let me!

Lo and behold… it worked!

The day it hit the magazine stands… they were deluged with sales.

Very high priced sales.

In a recession.

In a small town.

Sales they would have never had if they hadn’t stretched their comfort zone and tried something a little more outrageous.

You?

Tired of playing it safe?

Then try something so different that you feel ill to your stomach.

Then you are probably on to something that might work.

Surprise yourself and do something you would love to see someone else do, but are afraid to do yourself.

Then let me know the results… you might just like them!

Troy

PS: One last thing… you didn’t start a business by staying in your comfort zone!

Having a job is much more comfortable to most people than going out on your own without getting paid.

Without security.

Without like-minded people you can talk to daily.

Running a business is as risky as it gets… just look at the numbers.

So once your business is up, running and making money, why stop stretching yourself then?

You only got there by stretching yourself to the breaking point… and the only way you will get to the next level is to KEEP stretching yourself in entirely new ways.

So what are you waiting for?

GET BUSY!

Oct
15

How’s YOUR Entrepreneur MoJo?

By | advertising, Copywriting, Direct Mail, Entrepreneur, Success, Wacky marketing ideas

The Wikipedia definition of MoJo is… possessing a “magic touch” of creativity or charm.

When it comes to business; if you can’t be creative, and don’t have the ability to charm (or win over) your prospects and clients… you are dead in the water.

Entrepreneur MoJo, to me, means that you have the ability to see, feel and be in the right place at the right time… while showing those you want to show… how and why you have something they want.  Long winded… needs work… but you get the point.

If you don’t have the ability to persuade others that your offer is the one they want… we need to talk.

My business associate and friend, Trevor ‘Toecracker’ Crook, and I are just about ready to bring out our Entrepreneur MoJo program on October 31st.  Between the two of us, we have made many millions of dollars for our clients in the past feew years.  Our marketing techniques have turned business failures into million dollar per year machines.  And we have decided to join forces (and MoJo) to bring out the best and most informative training for entreprenuers.

Have a look at Entrepreneur Mojo and sign up for our pre-launch list.

You will get some informative videos that reveal some powerful ways to make more money in less time.  You also get to see us goof balls hamming it up in our Austin Powers outfits, Trevor being the perfect Dr Evil as well with his shaved head.

This program will be guaranteed to give you marketing breakthroughs.

And all you need to do now is test it out for free.

Sign up for www.entrepreneurmojo.com on the prelaunch list and start getting your MoJo back!

Ya Baby!

Sep
29

Is Canada’s Business Community Oblivious?

By | advertising, Entrepreneur, Marketing on the web, Success

I am a born and raised Canadian… so what follows is not anti-Canadian.  It is an observation of a dangerous trend I see Canada’s entrepreneurs following.

Canada is a great land filled with wonderful people… but the business community I see is wimpy. We have taken our ‘nice guy’ image too far… and it shows in our revenues and our profits,

For the past 7 years I have been consulting with entrepreneurs from all over the world… mainly the US, Canada, and Australia.  In many cases I also help them create marketing campaigns to launch new products or services, and to put bums in seats at seminars they host.

The problem?

Canadians seem to hate marketing.

They aren’t willing to invest the money in it, they aren’t willing to invest the time and money to learn how to do it right, and they aren’t competitive in many ways with companies who are good marketers.

Take this interview with Google:

Canadian businesses are not keeping up with consumers when it comes to taking advantage of the Internet, a senior executive at Google told a group of reporters at a press event in Toronto yesterday.

At a media session held at the search giant’s Canadian headquarters, Nikesh Arora, president, global sales operations and business development for Google, said that while Canada ranks among the top nations in terms of consumer usage, the volume of online advertising by Canadian companies does not reflect this sophistication.

“Canada has world-class Internet penetration and world-class broadband penetration, but what we find fascinating is that it’s not as competitive a business market,” said Arora. “The online adoption of businesses is not at par with the online adoption of consumers.”

According to Arora, failure to establish more of an online presence through search, display and video advertising could have adverse long-term effects on businesses as online research becomes more central to consumers’ business decisions. He added that Canadian firms were already missing out on opportunities to penetrate foreign markets in an increasingly borderless world.

“There’s a benefit that [businesses] can grab, but there’s also a risk if they don’t grab it,” said Arora, pointing out that international companies would fill the online void left by inactive Canadian advertisers.

In a nutshell: we are missing the boat and it is passing us by quickly.

International entrepreneurs are starting to get it and are taking our customers from us!  How? They are actually out there in front of the buying public… Canadians aren’t.

Another major study conducted by multiple international countries shows Canada is overly confident in their business building ability.

In fact, Canada is ranked near the top for high failure rates for entrepreneurs.  Why?  Because we think we are better at business and marketing than we actually are. We don’t invest the time or money to learn how to do it better… because we naively think we are already good at it.

And it shows!

Thankfully the tides are turning and I am seeing a large number of Canadian firms just starting to pay attention.  2 years ago, 85% of my consulting and copywriting clients were from the US.  Now, it is 50% US and 50% Canadian.  A trend I like to see.

This applies to any and every entrepreneur… not just us Canucks.

Don’t get too cocky about how smart you think you are… there is always someone smarter and someone willing to work harder to get the sale.

In a recession, you have to busy your butt to generate business… and sitting back on your ego won’t get you anywhere other than bankruptcy.

Get out there and market yourself daily.

Get out there and read a new book a week, or a month, on proven marketing strategies.

Get out there an do something… and get your ego off the chair and get BUSY!

To your success. Troy

Sep
01

How to Fast Track Your Copywriting Success

By | Copywriting, Success

Last week I had a very familiar question come across my email inbox I wanted to share.

Mike had told me some of the background of how he had lost his job, wanted to get going online, but was still lost.

Even if you are not out of a job, but just want to get good fast at writing winning sales copy, this is a formula that will work for you too.

Here is the question he asked and my answer that may help you as well…

Mike’s question…

So I guess what I am asking is, where do I start? I’ve gathered together a great deal of information on HOW to write good sales copy. Now I have to sift through it all and make sense of it. Can you help me get started?

My answer…

Hi Mike,  Great to hear from you.

A fairly common question and issue I hear.

One of the biggest and most powerful things you MUST start doing right now

is to take all this copy material you have and start handwriting out the best

ads and letters.  Invest 2 hours a day handwriting out successful ads and letters

and you will become a stellar writer in 6 months (as long as you are also writing

other ads for yourself or for other people).

Read through winning sales letters and advertisements every single day – pay close attention to the formula behind the letter – get that right and it is worth

a fortune in the right hands.

I know it is a tough thing to do, but write down your goals – 6 month, 12
month, 3 and 5 years as well. Be realistic – but push your goals higher than
you ever have before.  Thing BIG.  Then think BIGGER. It is very possible,
with the right plan, the right guidance, and the right pig-headed
determination.  I have been on my own almost 5 years now and it has been the
toughest thing, yet the most enjoyable, that I have ever done in my life.

If I were you, I would start journaling.  Find a way to put at least 120
minutes a day into your writing. Write about anything for now. As you get
going, you will find specific things to write about that you can sell or use
in your business.  I am very grateful I learned about the massive demand out
there for decent business and sales writers… always a market there for
you.

The key for you now?

MASSIVE ACTION.

Start writing for hours a day.

Start talking to other ezine writers – other internet entrepreneurs – other authors

- other blog writers.  Get on the forums – find out what people are needing help

on the writing end with.

Start writing ads for people for free to get some samples and some testimonials.

ACTION is the only way to get from where you are now to where you want to be.

More books on copywriting will help you unless you start writing.

Try that – then email me back and let me know how it’s going.

There is ample work out there for copy – you need to get out there and find it – then

do it!

Hope this helps. Troy

This formula for getting good fast at writing is proven to work every time. So I have a challenge for you over the next week or two.

Take a successful letter, and hand write it out like I mentioned above. Not just once, but hand write it out 5 times over the coming week. If you do not know which letter to use, email me back at Troy White email

See for yourself what a difference this technique makes. In 6 months of doing these 2 hours a day, I probably tripled or quadrupled my writing ability and effectiveness… and it will work for you too.

If you want to start writing money making advertisements, use this formula for the next 7 days. And let me know how it goes.

Have a great week. Troy

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