They’re out there, hiding behind every web search -- you know who I mean….the gurus, with $997 courses in hand, promising to finally reveal THE secret that will make you a millionaire on the ‘Net in 6 months or less. I’m not knocking education, but there comes a time when you just have to jump into the pool or pick up your towel and go home. Baby Boomers have an opportunity to make their Swan Song more fun, engaging and profitable than any previous retiring generation.
At a time when only a human ostrich could maintain that the economy will soon turn around and Boomers will not have to work until they are past 70, Internet Marketing holds the keys to a goldmine of opportunity never before available to the older contingent of our population. Help is out there -- and you don’t have to buy every course, DVD or book before you begin. Just Do It, and take back control of your financial destiny. It’s an entrepreneur’s world again, and that world is online. C’mon in -- the water’s fine.
Yesterday, I spent seven hours mostly in tears after my beloved Lhasa Apso disappeared. I thought she was gone forever, killed on a roadside or, worse, taken by a coyote. Instead, I learned that miracles still happen and that I live amidst wonderful people, who will go the extra mile to be an angel to a stranger, turning their grief into joy. In our crazy and increasingly isolated world, it’s exhilarating to discover that I remain surrounded by true compassion and generosity.
It’s far too easy to fall prey to cynicism and distrust. As painful as it was, I’m privileged to have experienced again the awesome effects of an act of human kindness. May I remember to seek opportunities to do the same for others.
We all know that video is the way to go in online marketing. But sometimes, we may not feel we have enough to say or wish we could flash it up a bit. Enter ANIMOTO -- a free service that is so easy to use, it’s child’s play! No, it’s not an associate program so I’m not marketing it -- I’m giving them free advertising.
And speaking of free -- it is free to join and make videos. You can make videos up to 1 minute in length for free. You may not think you can communicate much in a minute -- but think about it. Companies pay MILLIONS for 30 second commercials on the Super Bowl. If you can’t say it in 30 to 60 seconds, our ADD-ridden society will lose interest.
Animoto at http://animoto.com is a great way to make a video using text, music, graphics, videos to make your point. It is easier to show Animoto than to explain it. Of course, I’m a sucker and did upgrade to their $30 year membership for unlimited length videos -- but hey, that’s a pretty cheap deal for marketing on the Internet.
So take a look at what they can do………..I did NOT do this. I just entered pics and text and chose some music and they put it together. See what you think.
I think it’s a great addition to a video marketing repertoire. Of course, it doesn’t replace personal videos starring YOU to personally brand you in front of the world. You have to do that too. But it’s a great way to mix it up. Let me know what you think.
In thinking about a 2010 strategy and re-reading my post about analyzing the strengths of your opportunities, I realized that is only half the picture.
You are your best asset for growing in your marketing. Much is made of personal development in marketing, but take it a step further. Take a day and make it a day just for you and your thoughts. Turn off the computer, skip the emails, forget the webinars. Be alone with a pen and paper and think. No distractions – just you and your creative mind. It might seem uncomfortable at first, but you mind will slowly flower your own creative genius. You don’t need to go anywhere special, just make sure you are alone and nothing interrupts you – your mind, in silence, will speak to you.
And this, in turn, will give you a clear vision and new ideas that you can turn into massive action – for your benefit and that of the people you are trying to serve.
Ask yourself what you bring to the table. Look at what is available and unique to you – your talents, your time, the people you know, your products and any of the tools of marketing at your disposal. Keep digging for more and write them down. The length of the list of your strengths and your opportunities’ strengths may surprise you, and you may stumble upon a gem that is not focused on by others that you can implement in your work.
After you have done that – look at the market of people you seek to reach. Look at the world from their perspective. What are their dreams, what are they seeking, what do they lack and what would fulfill them? How can you help them in their lives? Put down whatever comes to mind – however bizarre; for now you are just using your creativity and imagination.
Then later – look at the two lists you’ve developed and see where there are relationships between them. Where do they cross-over and where can the pluses of your opportunities serve the needs of your prospective clientele.
You’ll be surprised at what you find – and your marketing will benefit. So will you, as someone trying to provide solutions, not simply sell.
The old cliche about “human being” vs. “human doing” still has it’s place. Amazing what still, quiet time can produce.
The world of marketing has changed, but the core concepts of how to market your business opportunity have not. You may be using all the social media trends, advertising, sending people to web sites, but it will eventually come down to a conversation. One where you try to help a person fulfill a need or solve a problem facing them. If what you are marketing does not do that – send them on. It is the honorable thing to do.
But if your opportunities have strengths that apply to the needs and problems of the person contacting you and can legitimately help them, use those strengths. Focus your efforts on people who can benefit from the strengths of the programs you offer. Every program has different strengths.
But don’t push a person towards buying into these strengths if they won’t solve his problem. That is what I see myself as – a problem solver. To me, it’s just wrong trying to sell something to someone if it’s not the very best solution to their problems and does not meet their needs.
Money is not the strongest motivator your business has to offer you. The real motivator is bringing something unique and helpful to people who seek you out; something they can’t find anywhere else. Here is where your core values come alive, and you derive a sense of purpose, usefulness and self-worth. Who wants to be in networking if they are a snake oil salesman – I certainly don’t and won’t.
If you base your marketing on the unique strengths of your opportunity and target only people who can truly benefit from that strength, you can market with conviction and passion that you cannot fake.
What are the unique strengths of your opportunities?
First: What does your business actually do? There are no totally unique businesses – they all have competitors who can do the same or similar things. What makes your opportunity so different? Dig deep, find this out, become convinced. It will affect your passion and your marketing.
Second: Who does your opportunity serve? Not all businesses are needed or wanted by all people. Not all of them can solve everyone’s problems or meet their needs. Who really needs your business? Find out – and find them.
It is critical to know the answers of these questions, and to concentrate your marketing in this find area where the unique strengths of your business meet the unique needs of the market.
Learn how to communicate the unique character of your opportunities to the group of people who need it. How can you build on the strengths? Are you communicating them well? Are there more you haven’t considered? Keep looking for them.
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