Why do people continue to allow these lies to hinder their own success?

[Khalid Adam]

James,

As you have probably experiences, sometimes (in my case, often) the most "illogical" ideas work better than the logical ones.

Commodities are called that because they cannot be differentiated. Plain vanilla. Add some sprinkles to plain vanilla or coat it with chocolate topping and now you got something different. Add some cream, some fruit and now it's no longer plain vanilla. serve it at plazzo versace, starbucks, copppenhagen, and now you can sell it 500% more than normal plan vanilla for an increase in cost of about 30%.

Or you can take humble orange juice and sell it Hilton and the price goes up by 300%. why? ambience and experience.

Audit requested to be done tomorrow will cost more than the one requested today but for next month.

What if there was an audit "insurance" where people pay $200 per year and if there was ever an audit, they would be covered and not thing to pay (or small excess fee) regardless of how much time it takes.

Again, take the commodity, understand the market and repackage to maximise experience. Now you can justify a premium price.

I know some mortgage brokers charge a call out fee after hours and other mortgage brokers will do it free. Yet people pay knowing that there is a free option. why? because they know that they wont be pressured into a loan package and the advice would be free of bias. more like a consultation than a sales call.

candy/Milk at woolies and candy/milk at woolies/caltex petrol station are different prices. Is there a difference in price in Going to a mechanic and calling a mobile mechanic to your place? Same commodity but different price in both cases.

So my point is take a commodity, repackage it, bundle it, offer better value around it or on it, in it and now you have a way to justify premium charges.

It's never been about the commodity itself. always has been about the experience.

Originally Posted by JamesMillar

Hey Khalid - what are your views on item 9. We've had ongoing debates in our office about this one. Some say yes and some say no.

[The Copy Chick]

Originally Posted by Khalid Adam

6. “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.”

This one seems pretty logical to me, particularly the second half of the sentence.

Originally Posted by Khalid Adam

2. “You’ve just got to get in front of more people.”

This also makes sense. Tactic may vary (whether you're knocking on doors, making calls, or using a referral system), but the end results are much the same. Without exposure of some kind, you're not going to get very far.

As for the rest... well... it might imply you really don't know your target market. If you understand your market and resonate with them, these tactics are probably unnecessary.

Just my 2c

[Khalid Adam]

All 9 seemed logical to me when i first started and they all work. but it's like climbing the stairs to the 20th floor for a board presentation when the elevator is available. both require effort but one requires substantially more and produces substantially less results.

For the first one, strategy is all about knowing when to quit or stop. So if there is no demand or the message is wrong, then no matter how many time we do it, we will fail or get limited results. Kinda like expecting to win a race and driving in first gear only and "never giving up"

In the case of the second one, why go to people when you can make them come to you? why make calls for an appointment or to sell something when you can get calls from people asking to buy?

If you wrote a book/report on how copywriting can increase sales with half the salesforce, distribute the ebook as a "Draft" for review, don't you think you will get some calls from prospective clients who are thinking of reducing the salesforce but concerned about the effects on sales??

From their perspective, will they be calling an authority or a salesperson? will there be greater resistance than you calling them for an "Appointment"? Can you now leverage the book/report and your time instead of wasting time with cold prospects?

All 9 are about prospecting and once i learned positioning, i realised that sales and marketing became alot simpler and alot more effective.

Originally Posted by The Copy Chick

This one seems pretty logical to me, particularly the second half of the sentence.



This also makes sense. Tactic may vary (whether you're knocking on doors, making calls, or using a referral system), but the end results are much the same. Without exposure of some kind, you're not going to get very far.

As for the rest... well... it might imply you really don't know your target market. If you understand your market and resonate with them, these tactics are probably unnecessary.

Just my 2c

[travelmaster]

Originally Posted by Khalid Adam

So my point is take a commodity, repackage it, bundle it, offer better value around it or on it, in it and now you have a way to justify premium charges.

It's never been about the commodity itself. always has been about the experience.

This is so true and here is my example of a repackaged commodity: WATER

This is probably the only product on Earth, which anyone can have pretty much for "free" and yet millions pay a fortune for it just as long as it comes with a cool brand name.

Full points to the marketing gurus who came up with this idea.

[JamesMillar]

Originally Posted by Khalid Adam

James,

As you have probably experiences, sometimes (in my case, often) the most "illogical" ideas work better than the logical ones.

Commodities are called that because they cannot be differentiated. Plain vanilla. Add some sprinkles to plain vanilla or coat it with chocolate topping and now you got something different. Add some cream, some fruit and now it's no longer plain vanilla. serve it at plazzo versace, starbucks, copppenhagen, and now you can sell it 500% more than normal plan vanilla for an increase in cost of about 30%.

Or you can take humble orange juice and sell it Hilton and the price goes up by 300%. why? ambience and experience.

Audit requested to be done tomorrow will cost more than the one requested today but for next month.

What if there was an audit "insurance" where people pay $200 per year and if there was ever an audit, they would be covered and not thing to pay (or small excess fee) regardless of how much time it takes.

Again, take the commodity, understand the market and repackage to maximise experience. Now you can justify a premium price.

I know some mortgage brokers charge a call out fee after hours and other mortgage brokers will do it free. Yet people pay knowing that there is a free option. why? because they know that they wont be pressured into a loan package and the advice would be free of bias. more like a consultation than a sales call.

candy/Milk at woolies and candy/milk at woolies/caltex petrol station are different prices. Is there a difference in price in Going to a mechanic and calling a mobile mechanic to your place? Same commodity but different price in both cases.

So my point is take a commodity, repackage it, bundle it, offer better value around it or on it, in it and now you have a way to justify premium charges.

It's never been about the commodity itself. always has been about the experience.

In other words - even a individual commodity can have a unique selling proposition (the experience). It really does demonstrate the importance of delivering something in a different way.

[JamesMillar]

Originally Posted by travelmaster

This is so true and here is my example of a repackaged commodity: WATER

This is probably the only product on Earth, which anyone can have pretty much for "free" and yet millions pay a fortune for it just as long as it comes with a cool brand name.

Full points to the marketing gurus who came up with this idea.

Thats a good point. The bottled water industry is great example of the value people place on convenience and time in this day age. 7 Eleven stores are probably another example of this. Everything is premium priced merely because it's conveniently accessible.

We might have to develop some tax return vending machines for the local quickymart.

[Khalid Adam]

Take an ordinary development and add "Trump" to it. What happens to the value?

How much do the square watermelons in japan go for not to mention australian stake? Perception is the key.

There are 2 types of USPs. the first you have already mentioned (internal). The second is Ultimate Strategic Position (external).

Originally Posted by JamesMillar

In other words - even a individual commodity can have a unique selling proposition (the experience). It really does demonstrate the importance of delivering something in a different way.

[Bridal Discount Book Aust]

1. “Make more phone calls today than you did yesterday.”

Personally I'm not one who likes to invade peoples personal home space so don't agree with pressure selling, cold calling. That's just my opinion as going by my own experiences dealing as a receiver, it only annoys me and most certainly does not make me want to invest in the product or service on offer.

2. “You’ve just got to get in front of more people.”

ABSOLUTELY - How could this even be contrived as a lie? if you don't establish some form of physical, personal presence, how can you hope to gain the trust of your perspective business prospects??
Look people in the eye & they find it harder to ignore what you have to say.

For example I attended a wedding expo in Adelaide last weekend & signed up 322 new (PAID) bride members simply through talking with them face to face about my product. They could see my passion, hear my words, read my face just to name a few advantages of having this ability. All of which helps to instill a sense of trust. Something I feel is lacking and many in business would benefit doing more of.
Being present also allowed many other businesses to see how busy I was & how attractive Bridal Discount Book was to the brides that attended, which is also their direct market. Hence they have all signed onto my directory.

3. “You should run some ads and get your name out there.”

Subject to what extend you are meaning when mentioning run some ads?
Radio, TV, magazine, newspaper, letterbox drops, mailouts etc etc?? I think each is relevant & helpful depending on your target market.
Must have some reach otherwise why would big business insist on spending billions just to get their product out there?


4. “Prove to your customer that you’re willing to work harder, drive more miles, and bend over further than everyone else to earn his business.”

Think about this from a customers point of view - Would you be happier with the sales assistant that sourced & recommended the perfect tie to go with the new suit you are considering buying or the assistant sitting on his backside chatting on the phone, leaving you waiting for 10 minutes before serving you? I know where I'll return to shop!

Off course we want to know the people we are doing business with are going to work harder than the next guy! I work bloody hard for all my bride members & businesses and because of it I have wonderful business dealings.
How many in business could say they had a multitude of businesses listed on their directory that would give up their own valuable time to allow you a break at a wedding expo in 40 deg humid heat with shocking airconditioning - I can because they did & all are just as willing & prepared to give back to me as much as I give to them.



5. “You have to pay your dues now, but in only 2-3 years you’ll have enough customers and referrals that you won’t have to cold prospect hardly at all.”
If you want something you have to go out & get it! Nothing ever fell in my lap without working darn hard to acquire it & I'm proud of that fact. Work hard & pay your dues if you wish to call it that and reap the rewards.

6. “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.”
I'm not a quitter henceforth have ALWAYS won, even if that only means self satisfaction!

7. “People need to see your ad 6-12 times before they’ll remember it.”
Where are the stats & facts to follow this up?

8. “If you want to educate customers about new ideas, you have to buy ‘em all doughnuts, lunch or dinner, and do a big dog & pony show.”
Big, dog & pony show in my opinion only works for the circus!

9.“You can’t charge a premium price for a commodity product.”
LOL tell that to the big department chains!

[The Copy Chick]

Originally Posted by Khalid Adam

All 9 seemed logical to me when i first started and they all work. but it's like climbing the stairs to the 20th floor for a board presentation when the elevator is available. both require effort but one requires substantially more and produces substantially less results.

Of course, these days it's recommended we take the stairs instead of the lift (but that's a whole 'nother story and I'm just being difficult )

Originally Posted by Khalid Adam

For the first one, strategy is all about knowing when to quit or stop. So if there is no demand or the message is wrong, then no matter how many time we do it, we will fail or get limited results. Kinda like expecting to win a race and driving in first gear only and "never giving up"

I agree part of being a winner knowing when to quit - absolutely! But the guy why doesn't drive in the race at all has NO chance of winning. Ever.

Originally Posted by Khalid Adam

In the case of the second one, why go to people when you can make them come to you? why make calls for an appointment or to sell something when you can get calls from people asking to buy?

If you wrote a book/report on how copywriting can increase sales with half the salesforce, distribute the ebook as a "Draft" for review, don't you think you will get some calls from prospective clients who are thinking of reducing the salesforce but concerned about the effects on sales??

From their perspective, will they be calling an authority or a salesperson? will there be greater resistance than you calling them for an "Appointment"? Can you now leverage the book/report and your time instead of wasting time with cold prospects?

Distributing a book or cold-calling.. you might call one positioning and one sales, but really they amount to the same thing - they're both methods of getting "in front of more people".

It's just a shift of perspective.

And personally, cold-calling leaves me cold. I've had far more success with inbound marketing tactics and letting the people come to me; but I've still had to build a presence so people could find me.

I think it's just a matter of applying new methods and thinking to old axioms.

[Khalid Adam]

Bingo. It's the simple things that generates exponential results. Problem is because they are so simple,they often get scoffed at and discounted completely.

"Modern" day Copywriting started around the late 1800's. It's 2012. How many businesses still fail to understand and leverage the power of salesmanship in print? How many give up after one go. How many fail to test and leave money on the table?

By the way, this is good news for those who continue their education in business growth strategies. Not so much for the "old school" who ironically, are still oblivious about the strategies developed around 1880.

It doesn't take much to double and redouble our revenue and work with less clients in the process but the untrained mind can't accept it so we continue to struggle & blame it on the Global Financial Excuse, competition, etc.

Originally Posted by The Copy Chick

It's just a shift of perspective.

I think it's just a matter of applying new methods and thinking to old axioms.