Here is wishing all my readers
A Pleasant, Joyful, Prosperous New Year 2010.
Cheers,
Deep Janardhanan.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Goal Setting
Hi guys,
New article on Goal Setting and how to Achieve Goals..
Hope you set some awesome goals for 2010.
And achieve them too.
Cheers,
deep.
New article on Goal Setting and how to Achieve Goals..
Hope you set some awesome goals for 2010.
And achieve them too.
Cheers,
deep.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Small Business Reacts To Tough Times
Question: What is the #1 reaction of the average small business person when times get tough?
If you said "Smarter Marketing", or "Rethinking Strategy", you are wrong! The most common reaction exhitbited by most retailers in the small business arena is - get this - to work harder!
Case in point:
One of my regular haunts is a hole in the wall place that has quite a cozy feel to it. Over the years, the owner has been quite complacent about marketing/growing the place. I for one was quite happy the way it was.
Recently he got a wake up call when a competitor opened up shop nearby. I suggested he talk to a marketing expert who specializes in his field to identify ways to improve his business by way of building loyalty from his long-time customers.
Oh, well, you know the value of Free Advice.
He has just put up notice that the shop will be open an additional day during the week, that is all 7 days of the week.
The root of misfortune is not the lack of opportunity, its the lack of ability to recognize available opportunity.
I remember a prayer I came across a very long time ago.:
God, I don't ask for more opportunities that I may prosper, just the ability to recognize the opportunities that you send my way!
Deep 'Keeping my eyes open' Janardhanan.
The Marketing Outsider - www.nobleriver.com
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!
If you said "Smarter Marketing", or "Rethinking Strategy", you are wrong! The most common reaction exhitbited by most retailers in the small business arena is - get this - to work harder!
Case in point:
One of my regular haunts is a hole in the wall place that has quite a cozy feel to it. Over the years, the owner has been quite complacent about marketing/growing the place. I for one was quite happy the way it was.
Recently he got a wake up call when a competitor opened up shop nearby. I suggested he talk to a marketing expert who specializes in his field to identify ways to improve his business by way of building loyalty from his long-time customers.
Oh, well, you know the value of Free Advice.
He has just put up notice that the shop will be open an additional day during the week, that is all 7 days of the week.
The root of misfortune is not the lack of opportunity, its the lack of ability to recognize available opportunity.
I remember a prayer I came across a very long time ago.:
God, I don't ask for more opportunities that I may prosper, just the ability to recognize the opportunities that you send my way!
Deep 'Keeping my eyes open' Janardhanan.
The Marketing Outsider - www.nobleriver.com
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 11, 2009
We buy because we are comfortable.
We buy because we are comfortable.
We buy because we are comfortable with the product OR the person selling it. The "or" is not accidental. We sometimes buy even if we don't really know the product. Sometimes we are buying the promise. At other times, we know of the product or a similar one or just because we are comfortable with the seller.
We are comfortable with the seller because we have seen his work(read your book, articles,blog etc.), have bought his product or because someone has said something good about the seller.
If you are in business, figure out how to meet any of the criteria here and your sales will improve.
Your success will depend on how much you can play on the comfort factor with your reader.
So remember, we buy because we are comfortable ...
Except when we buy to become comfortable. But that's another post for another time.
We buy because we are comfortable with the product OR the person selling it. The "or" is not accidental. We sometimes buy even if we don't really know the product. Sometimes we are buying the promise. At other times, we know of the product or a similar one or just because we are comfortable with the seller.
We are comfortable with the seller because we have seen his work(read your book, articles,blog etc.), have bought his product or because someone has said something good about the seller.
If you are in business, figure out how to meet any of the criteria here and your sales will improve.
Your success will depend on how much you can play on the comfort factor with your reader.
So remember, we buy because we are comfortable ...
Except when we buy to become comfortable. But that's another post for another time.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Herd Mentality - Who me? No way !
Are we all subject to the herd mentality?
I would like to believe that I am not. Especially not me!
But, its often our actions that teach us more about human behaviour than what we learn from elsewhere.
Case in Point.
I had signed up to join a meetup group, but what with my crowded schedule and extra activities, I found it difficult to go to the meetup. So, when the meeting sponsor sent out an email to everyone enlisted to confirm if they wanted to meet again for a Christmas party, I ignored that email; eventually deleted it and then completely forgot about it.
Until; about 7 days later, I received a "Reply All" message from someone else in the group. This lady said that she would love to go the the party. I didn't know her, in fact I don't know anybody in the group as I have never been to this meetup.
But in the next few minutes, I had also logged on and signed up for the party.
It was not until I had send the message that I started thinking about my actions and its causes.
The only conclusion was that I had just followed someone quite mindlessly.
In the words of Friedrich Nietzsche, a philiospher who coined the phrase, I had joined the herd and displayed herd mentality.
Read a full definition of Herd Mentality on Wikipedia here.
So, its more prevalent than we thought. More people are susceptible than we earlier understood.
Now the question is: how do we make use of this fact in our marketing?
Simple:
Provide lots of testimonials in your copy.
Give case studies of successful companies.
Anything that your reader can identify with. Once the user can identify with someone in the testimonials, he or she is almost inclined to have what the other person is having. It will be his instinct to go where the herd goes.
And if you are able to channel that powerful instinct, you just made a sale.
I would like to believe that I am not. Especially not me!
But, its often our actions that teach us more about human behaviour than what we learn from elsewhere.
Case in Point.
I had signed up to join a meetup group, but what with my crowded schedule and extra activities, I found it difficult to go to the meetup. So, when the meeting sponsor sent out an email to everyone enlisted to confirm if they wanted to meet again for a Christmas party, I ignored that email; eventually deleted it and then completely forgot about it.
Until; about 7 days later, I received a "Reply All" message from someone else in the group. This lady said that she would love to go the the party. I didn't know her, in fact I don't know anybody in the group as I have never been to this meetup.
But in the next few minutes, I had also logged on and signed up for the party.
It was not until I had send the message that I started thinking about my actions and its causes.
The only conclusion was that I had just followed someone quite mindlessly.
In the words of Friedrich Nietzsche, a philiospher who coined the phrase, I had joined the herd and displayed herd mentality.
Read a full definition of Herd Mentality on Wikipedia here.
So, its more prevalent than we thought. More people are susceptible than we earlier understood.
Now the question is: how do we make use of this fact in our marketing?
Simple:
Provide lots of testimonials in your copy.
Give case studies of successful companies.
Anything that your reader can identify with. Once the user can identify with someone in the testimonials, he or she is almost inclined to have what the other person is having. It will be his instinct to go where the herd goes.
And if you are able to channel that powerful instinct, you just made a sale.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
What you can learn from Michelle Obama about Marketing
Michelle Obama appears to be an expert at staying in the limelight. Not that she need to, but we have a habit of marginalising our First Ladies.
Her latest trick is to appear at a State Dinner wearing a strapless gown, which is needless to say, a surprising departure from the conventions. She is sending a message that she is different from his predecessors. Also that she is a strong personality to be reckoned with; whether you like it or not!
Mrs. Obama may have won a few detractors, but at the same time, she has also won quite a few hearts with her attitude and poise, and willingness to try something different.
Love me- hate me but don't forget me!
- Which is exactly what you want for your business.
How do you make sure that your business stays fresh in the minds of your customers? Are you communicating with them on a frequent basis? Do you surprise your customers once in a while by going above and beyond?
Everybody sends cards to customers at christmas. And we are accustomed to seeing that from businesses. Doesn't take too much effort, or thinking for that matter.
But how can you go above and beyond? How do you bring that smile to your customer's face when he/she thinks of you?
================================================================================================
Deep Janardhanan helps small businesses find their growth spurt with efficient marketing.
He calls himself the Marketing Outsider as his contrarian views place him firmly outside the establishment on marketing thinking. He writes about various aspects of online as well as traditional marketing; but definitely leans towards shock and awe marketing. He is a strong proponent of the effectiveness of Direct Mail for small business.
He is the author of The SEO User Manual which takes a newbie on a step by step guided tour into the world of do-it-yourselves websites, online marketing and Search Engine Optimization. His website is at http://www.nobleriver.com. He can be reached at deep(at)nobleriver.com.
Friday, November 21, 2008
SEO for the startup online business person
Hi,
Note : Currently we are awaiting the second edition of The SEO User Manual. We have an interest list created.
Just email me at deep@nobleriver.com?subject=SEOUSERMANUAL2-Interestlist and I will add you on there. Just make sure your subject line says SEOUSERMANUAL2-InterestList .
Back to the Article.
If you are just starting up your business, then you may already be familiar with the need to optimize your web site for Search Engines.
May be you tried your hand at it, and decided it was too time-consuming.
May be you are still learning and are confused by all the information out there.
Stop wasting your time in doing stuff that may not be as important as you think. Focus your efforts on what provides a good ROI and leave the rest for a later day.
My name is Dave Janardhanan and I operate a marketing help/support/counselling service at http://www.nobleriver.com/.
I also have accumulated some of the information a startup marketer needs and made them available to you in a very structured manner as THE SEO USER MANUAL. http://www.seousermanual.com/ . This is definitely the most easiest way you can go about optimizing your website.
Along with the SEO USER MANUAL comes 60 days of FREE SEO TRAINING and support. This will help you to not only understand the different aspects of Search Engine Optimization, but also get all the help you will ever need in actually implementing what you learn.
Yours in greater profits every day,
Deep Janardhanan
THE SEO USER MANUAL
http://www.seousermanual.com/
Noble River Marketing Ventures,
http://www.nobleriver.com/
Note : Currently we are awaiting the second edition of The SEO User Manual. We have an interest list created.
Just email me at deep@nobleriver.com?subject=SEOUSERMANUAL2-Interestlist and I will add you on there. Just make sure your subject line says SEOUSERMANUAL2-InterestList .
Back to the Article.
If you are just starting up your business, then you may already be familiar with the need to optimize your web site for Search Engines.
May be you tried your hand at it, and decided it was too time-consuming.
May be you are still learning and are confused by all the information out there.
Stop wasting your time in doing stuff that may not be as important as you think. Focus your efforts on what provides a good ROI and leave the rest for a later day.
My name is Dave Janardhanan and I operate a marketing help/support/counselling service at http://www.nobleriver.com/.
I also have accumulated some of the information a startup marketer needs and made them available to you in a very structured manner as THE SEO USER MANUAL. http://www.seousermanual.com/ . This is definitely the most easiest way you can go about optimizing your website.
Along with the SEO USER MANUAL comes 60 days of FREE SEO TRAINING and support. This will help you to not only understand the different aspects of Search Engine Optimization, but also get all the help you will ever need in actually implementing what you learn.
Yours in greater profits every day,
Deep Janardhanan
THE SEO USER MANUAL
http://www.seousermanual.com/
Noble River Marketing Ventures,
http://www.nobleriver.com/
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