…most of us really.

If you have kids, you know as well as I do that Kids are some of the best negotiators and sales folks around.

Here’s why:

1) The word “No” is just an opening position not a finality. I wish more of us did this. I realized the other day that my son has an innate drive to start at no, find my objections and start building a case for the sale. Albeit it might be staying up later, you gotta give those kids credit. No means nothing to them, it is literally the point at which they start not end. If more small businesses owners realized that you are going to get a “No”. The question is why. Does your message not resonate with them? Have you handled their objections in your marketing and sales material in advance?

Many times we don’t dive deeper into the why we aren’t converting and getting the No in the first place. You will be well served to follow the kids on this one and use “No” as a starting point in assessing your prospects objections and how your marketing is addressing them on the way to yes.

2) Kids form coalitions in their sales efforts. If you have ever had the kids around grandparents you know exactly what I am talking about. Or even siblings for that matter. This is a truly brilliant tactic that all business owners should use. By leveraging internal contacts at your prospects organization and building coalitions you are setting yourself up for the sale. This is often used against me when both of my boys work in unison to “close the deal”. It’s a powerful tactic those kids use, you may want to consider it.

3) Persistence. This one is often overlooked but extremely important. Kids use this as a default MO. How many times has your son or daughter asked the same question 5 different ways hoping there will be  a different result? Yep, again they are sales masters.

The point here is that if you are sending out one time marketing blasts and wondering why you aren’t getting results remember the kids here. You need a marketing and sales system that is persistence, educational, and somewhat automated.

Learn a little from the little one’s here and let’s prosper this year.

~Matt

One way you can tie your existing website to your Social networks is to add the Facebook fan box to your website or blog. This widget is very easy to add to your site and is the beginning on linking your social media strategy together in layers. By “stacking” each social media on to of the other, you end up creating a very powerful social media system that will help you build relationships with your prospects.

Enjoy the video, and let me know if you have any questions on how to implement this quick tip.

Facebook Fan Box from John Jantsch on Vimeo.

~Matt

Do you find yourself wading through useless tweets on a daily basis? Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge Social Media believer, but sometimes I think I think all we have done is given a bull horn to a bunch of folks who don’t understand the foundations of marketing. They are bypassing the fundamental’s of getting a prospect to “Know You”, and are thinking immediately of themselves and what THEY GET, not the value they are providing. As a small business owner, you can’t just go out there using these new Social Media tools yelling, “HEY I HAVE THE BEST WIDGET”.

Your prospects want to get to know you. After they know and like you, then you move to trusting you. At that point, you are safe to make an offer because you have some trust built up. Take an inventory, and understand what problem your prospect is trying to solve. Then, understand what information you can provide related to your product or service that adds VALUE to their day. Then TWEET about it…Pretty easy right?

I am wrapping up a book about one of the greatest Advertising copywriters of all time, Claude Hopkins. A quote in his book “My Life In Advertising” hit a chord…

People will do anything to cure a trouble. But they will do little to prevent it.

As part of your small business marketing and social media marketing system, add some value. Understand your prospects problems and you are sure to see solid leads start flowing into your small business no matter what tactic you decide to use.

Now…

Go Target, Attack, and Profit!

~Matt

MarketFin is happy to announce we have been selected to become an Authorized Duct Tape Marketing coach.

We are excited to help businesses in the Seattle area and nationally implement the Duct Tape Marketing system to increase their leads, customers, and profits. Stay tuned for upcoming announcement for Social Media workshops and webinars for Small Business and Independent Professionals.

Cheers,

Matt