stuff4business.com

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my twice daily postings of NEW IDEAS in your RSS feeder. Thanks for visiting!

My favorite business book of all time is: The E Myth revisited, by Michael Gerber.

Over the years I have used quotes from this book and given hundreds of copies away as gifts to friends and prizes at seminars.

It is an immensely powerful book that has the capacity to change the way you think about your business, unlocking you from the thoughts that cause stagnation and providing you with new ways of thinking that regenerate the way you do business. Continue Reading »

FREE DOWNLOAD
This 20 page, fully illustrated, color book, will teach you exactly how to produce external signs for your restaurant or business and give you some more great promotional ideas to drive customers into your business.

This is the first of a planned series of books Lindsay Polson is currently publishing for business owners.
And YES IT’S ABSOLUTELY FREE, you don’t even have to register, simply download it now by clicking on the cover picture. You can even send free copies to your friends in the industry.

Brian Clark at Copyblogger.com recently posted one of the best articles I have ever read on how to write persuasive copy: the stuff that makes readers ACT…
The art of persuasion is generally an exercise in creating win-win situations. Your job as a communicator, is to present your case in a manner that your readers will find beneficial to agree with.

.
You make the reader an offer they can’t refuse, but not in the manipulative Godfather sense.

.
He explains in full detail exactly how the use of:
Repetition, Reasons Why, Consistency, Social Proof, Comparisons, Agitate and Solve, Prognosticate, Go Tribal, Address Objections and Storytelling will put real persuasive “grunt” into your writing.

.
Whilst he is mainly talking to the writers of blogs, his advice will work for every business owner that needs words to persuade customers to purchase. i.e. every business owner.
If you do nothing else today READ HIS EXCELLENT ARTICLE here…

The very nervous owner of a small suburban donut store stepped up to the microphone.

In a trembling voice, that betrayed his obvious inexperience of public speaking, he told the audience of 300 other donut store owners: how each day, he placed a card table loaded with “take home packs” outside his store, he told the gathering, this simple display had resulted in a $200.00 per day increase in sales.

The Marketing Director Scoffed…

Continue Reading »

This debate will rage on for ever…

One school will tell you: sexist Advertising risks losing half your audience,

The alternative position is: it will increase your sales by more than the loss of a few wingers opinions.

It is a decision not to be taken lightly, and the simple fact is, it’s usually done as a stunt and there are thousands of ideas for stunts that don’t risk offending half your customer base.

I think it’s very clever, I don’t have a problem with the humor (but than I’m male)

My problem with it is this…

Quickly have another look at the picture

O.K. have you done that, and come back?
What was the product being advertised?

And that’s exactly the problem, so often the vehicle which is used to deliver the message, The concept or idea that grabs your attention, is so effectively powerful, it overwhelms the message.

You leave thinking WOW what a great idea… and the product is forgotten.

O.K. I admit it I’m far from perfect, (that’ not entirely easy for me to admit) however, I do admit it.
I know I can improve my business and indeed myself with a little (or a lot of) constructive input from external trusted advisor’s.
It really shouldn’t surprise us, after all, Olympic sports stars use coaches, they rely heavily on the expertise of coaches to achieve their super human levels of performance.
Coaches act as knowledgeable outsiders who will help you focus on all those seemingly tiny little things that we all tuck away and often procrastinate about.

What Coaches Do… Continue Reading »

A recent study of customer satisfaction tells a horrifying story. However, it does offer you a huge opportunity…

IF… you develop service strategies that eliminate them.
So , Here are the key figures:
26 out of every 27 customers who feel they have a legitimate complaint, NEVER COMPLAIN.

Continue Reading »