Category Archives: Starting Out

How To Advertise My Life Advisor Business?

eMarketing, Starting Out

I am a Life Advisor with years of experience helping families, teenagers, co-workers, and executives on Wall Street with life issues. I have a good reputation with my clients who continue to use my services. Now I have my Life Advisor business on line were you pay a fee for one e-mail and I respond to the question within 24hrs. I need ideas on how to market my business to all people in person and on line.

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Jay’s Answer: You have a big challenge. The internet is full of people who are happy to answer questions (for free) on a wide variety of topics. To get people to pay for your services, you need to show them that your information is not just worth it – it’s a huge bargain. You’ll need to build your testimonials on your website to show the types of people/problems you’ve helped with (and their concrete results).

Once that’s all in place, you start by working the network of past clients (perhaps creating an monthly online newsletter about live issues in general, etc.). Your website needs an opt-in form to receive the newsletter so you can regularly reach out to people who are interested in you and your offering.

As for in-person, you don’t want to mention the email route initially. Why? Because you’re standing in front of them – human-to-human. Keep this connection alive by telling them about how you help people. And if they’re interested, they’ll ask about your services. Then you mention email as an option.

How To Launch Herbal Products With a Small Budget?

Starting Out

We are very shortly launching around 10-12 products in the cosmetic Herbal range in India and have a shoestring budget to work with. What is the best way to go about entering the market. We already have some medicines running in the Rural Market but without any advertising majorly. Its doing quite nicely for now and now we want to expand into cosmetics.


Should we first go for advertising and then launch products
OR
do we first launch products and then advertise
OR
Do we first try and get some distributors and then let them go ahead with the whole thing by offering them a Bulk Discount.

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Jay’s Answer: It all comes down to identifying the type of person you believe will be your ideal customer, then finding ways to communicate your product’s unique benefits to them (a marketing strategy).

First, who are your ideal customers? Women? How old? Living where? Single or married? Social class? What products do they already use? Why do they like/dislike them?

Next, why should your ideal customers believe your products are better than your competitors? Why should they trust your claims?

If you don’t have the budget to advertise to the customers yourself, then you really only have one choice: finding other people who already are in conversation with your ideal customer and teaching them why your product should be the customers #1 choice.

A Unique Name For A Wedding/Event Planner?

Names + Taglines, Starting Out

I am going to school to become a wedding and event planner, and i need help coming up with a name that is unique,and a lot of other business don’t have.

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Jay’s Answer: Believe it or not, a business name is one of the last things I tell my clients to create (yet it’s often the first thing people want to create). Why? Because the name needs to appeal to your target customers. (For more information read my previous article on creating a marketing strategy )

If you’ve clearly identified your target market, what offering you have that’s different/better than the competition, and why you should be trusted.

But wait. You’re in school now, and want to start somewhere. You’re new, don’t have the contacts, list of glowing testimonials, nor a good understanding (perhaps) of the whole wedding/event planning business.

So you start by picking a specific area you want to focus on. It turns out that saying “I can plan any event” is much less interesting to prospective clients than saying, “I specialize in weddings for 40-year-olds who are getting re-married in the Greater Boston area”. But won’t you lose out on clients who aren’t 40-something, or are getting married for the first time, or even a business that wants you to plan their holiday extravanganza? No – you wouldn’t be getting their business in the first place. People are looking for specialists. When you think you’ve broken a bone, who do you see: a general doctor or a orthopedist? You pick the specialist to match the problem.

You wanted a unique name. That’s not as important as you think. It’s not about the name – it’s about the marketing plan of that business. “Secmele’s Wedding Planning” could be as good as name as “Weddings Galore” or even “Corporate Shindigs”. It all depends on your clients first, and your marketing positioning.

Advice On How To Get Published?

Publicity, Starting Out

I have recently applied (& failed) for an Assistant lecturer’s position in Marketing. I failed in part due to my lack of publications (i.e. I haven’t any publications). I have 6 years marketing experience + a first class honours Business & Marketing degree. I currently don’t have anything written or research topics or contacts in the publishing world.

So I am looking for advice for: identifying a suitable topic and actually getting published.

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Jay’s Answer: You’ll want to find a topic that is your “sweet spot” – something that you’re passionate (or at least interested) in AND is something that others care about also. What is important is that your opinion needs to me more than “yes, I agree with the common wisdom” – it needs to either enhance the current thinking or show why the common thinking is wrong. Ideally, you don’t want just your opinion – you need data that proves your thesis. And if you have a topic is that’s really juicy, you can publish your thoughts from many different angles: as it applies to corporations, small business, target markets, niches, etc.

How To Introduce Myself As An Insurance Agent?

Starting Out

I’m going to be an insurance agent soon. However, people are scared of insurance agent. As soon as we say the word “insurance”, they run away. Can we say “I am an insurance agent” in a better way? I came up with “I help people protect their family financially”. It’s not good enough.

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Jay’s Answer: You can also play at your discomfort, and say, “I hate saying I’m an insurance agent”. That will elicit the natural question, “Why?”, and you call tell them that most people run away as soon as you tell them, but you love helping families protect their future…

What To Name My Mortage Broker Newsletter?

Branding, Names + Taglines, Services, Starting Out

I am designing a newsletter for real estate agents I want to work with. I am a mortgage broker and this letter will go out once a month, free, and be full of the latest up to date changing rules and guidelines for mortgage lending. Agents need to know this as it impacts their customers. Other competing brokers don’t always keep up with the rules nor bother to inform the agents. I see a chance to set myself apart. My first newsletter will tell about me and my credentials and include a photo; it will be in a newspaper format, with a header and columns and plenty of white space to make it easy to read. I will promise monthly mailings of the latest changes. This is a chance to brand myself as well…and I just cannot find the “perfect” name.

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Jay’s Answer: I’d suggest also a link in the newsletter back to your website and/or RSS feed to get any important changes that real estate agents need to know immediately.

  • Real Lending News
  • Lend Me Your Ear
  • The Real Estate Lending Advantage

How Should I Price My Marketing Fees?

Services, Starting Out

I am starting a marketing consulting business where I will provide services to small to mid-sized emerging and established businesses in a variety of areas: communications work, branding and identity work, promotions, event planning and management, and strategic planning (not heavy on this). I have PR consultants, graphic designers and IT people with whom I would partner with as needed. I don’t know whether I should determine my fees per project, per hour or on retainer and don’t know if I should break out fees based on whether I am doing the work or outsourcing it and project managing it. Also, do I vary fees by business size/type or keep it steady no matter what? My target market is small businesses and feel that their budgets can be limited. Any suggested fees or structure for fees would be so appreciated.

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Jay’s Answer: From your client’s perspective, they don’t care if you do it in-house or not. They’re hiring you to do the job.

From your perspective, you care about the resources (time & materials) you need to achieve the client’s goal.

If the job is well-defined, a fixed price makes sense. If it’s vague, you could charge them an hourly fee to define the scope and specification of their needs. Then you could quote them a fee to implement the plan.

As for a the actual price, it depends on how much value you bring your client. If you can help them earn $1M (and can prove it), then $100,000 may not be unreasonable. It depends on the ROI you bring them.

For small businesses (with small budgets), start small. Keep the projects simple, well-defined, and affordably priced to build up the relationship (and to establish yourself). As you prove your worth, find out the value you bring, and charge accordingly.

How To Market High-End Ceiling and Lamp Templates?

eMarketing, Products, Starting Out

I needing some marketing advices on how to market the products for (ceiling and lamp template). They at present use distributor to sell. And they would like now go retailing to expand the company. [Pls visit www.plafoncantik.com to see the product]

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Jay’s Answer: Given the website’s photos, I’d suggest focusing on interior designers (both residential and commercial). The product is a high-end specialty product, so focus on people likely to work with clients who’d recommend this purchase (and can create the most attractive use of it).

How Can I Find Prospective Real Estate Clients?

Services, Starting Out

I have just started my career in real estate in Ontario, CA. Please give me some Ideas that how can I find my prospect clients? Some tips of marketing to promote myself in the public different from others. What should be the way of talking (I mean the scripts)? Please help me.

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Jay’s Answer: You need a marketing strategy (here’s an article on how to create marketing strategy).

Let’s say you’re in a room full of others selling real estate. Someone who wants to buy (or sell) real estate walks into the room. Who will they talk to? The person standing closest to the door? The person dressed nicest? The person who has the most people standing around them? The one smiling?

You need to think from the perspective of a potential client. What can you offer them that they can’t anywhere else? Everyone says they have great service and will go the extra mile, etc.

What a client is looking for is a real estate specialist: Someone who knows exactly their needs, is a strong negotiator, has a large pool of people/properties, and a long list of people who can vouch for them.

Start out by focusing narrowly on a specialty. That may be a specific zip code, price point, demographic, home size, home type (multi-unit, single detached, condo), or even amenities (tennis courts, recording studios, etc.). If someone is interested in something outside your specialty, refer them to another real estate agent, who can help them (perhaps earning a referral bonus). Get known for being “the one” who knows your specialty. Then, focus on marketing yourself to the group who want “the one”.

How Can I Market Myself Using Social Media?

eMarketing, Starting Out

What unwritten rules should I as a marketer be aware of as I enter social media (such as blogging, Facebook, etc.)? I obviously have an eye toward generating leads and building credibility, but I’m told it’s easy to alienate potential clients if they suspect a “hard sell.” How do I strike a balance?

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Jay’s Answer: You actually mention two separate (but similar) goals: building credibility and generating leads.

To build credibility you need to show up online and keep showing up, answering questions (online, if you don’t post you’re invisible). When you do post, make sure that if you have resources to back up your position you provide them. This makes you stand out not just as someone who knows something, but is open enough to let the intelligent online reader decide for them self. Given all things equal, people purchase from those they trust. By posting online (networking in person), people can start to build that trust through your interactions.

To get leads, you need to either ask for them or give them a reason to contact you. When posting, if you have some information that’s more appropriate to discuss off-network, encourage the connection. If you have a report or article, offer that (as a bonus for opting-in your email list).

To make a transition from the social network to your website, create customized profile pages for each social media site you’re a member of. People that read your comments online might be curious about you, so instead of pointing them to your home page, point them to a page that talks about how you business fits into MySpace, or what you love about MySpace, etc.

You can’t sell something if you don’t know what people need. Listen, ask, and when the time is right, offer a solution to begin the sales process.