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What’s the Best Way to Thank Your Clients?

Posted on November 16, 2012 | In Ask the Readers

It’s time again for one of my favourite features – ask the readers, where we take a break  and get you to do all the work. ;-)

This month’s ask the readers question is all about gratitude.

We know that the only reason we’re in business is because other people – our readers, customers, clients, and visitors – give us their time and attention – and sometimes, money. ;-)

Don’t get me wrong, we all know that we strive to provide excellent value for money and attention, and to over-deliver on our promises. But sometimes, we want to do a little more. We want to thank our customers for trusting us, buying from us, and developing relationships with us.

How to go about it, though is something else. What is the best way to do it?

The last thing you want is for someone to feel like there’s being buttered up for a bigger sale, however, so it can be a fine line to walk…

Free gifts? Extra information? A card? What have you tried, and has it worked the way it intended you to?

How do you thank your loyal followers, fans and supporters?

Please leave a comment and let us know what you think!

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4-Hour Book Launch Advice from Tim Ferriss

Posted on November 14, 2012 | In Interviews With Marketing Experts

Today’s episode of Fireside Chats with Danny Iny, is a special treat: an interview best-selling author Tim Ferriss about his new book, the Four Hour Chef.

He and Danny explore marketing, book launches and how to get the most out of your audience.

Tim Feriss has previously launched two internationally acclaimed books to resounding success, and he shares the techniques that he considers the most important to planning and executing a successful launch.

Always ready with good information, Tim provides not only his methodology, but enough of a reading list that anyone should be able to mimic his fantastic success.

And it doesn’t matter what your market its, what you’re offering, or how successful you’ve been in the past – Tim has information that will help you make the absolute most out of what you’ve got, and show you how to get more attention, favorable reviews, and better relationships with industry leaders.

Click here to listen to Tim’s awesome advice:

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5 Powerful Ways to Track your Marketing

Posted on November 12, 2012 | In Guest Appearances

I’ve got great news!

You know that statement “50% of our marketing efforts are working we just don’t know which 50%”? Well it turns it the stats are much better, depending on which research to believe the actual amount wasted on marketing might only be 30% or 40% - awesome!

Wasting money and time on marketing is a problem that impacts on every business and in this article I’m going to show you 5 ways to get better data about your marketing efforts to enable you to make more educated decisions that reduce this waste.

While reducing waste is great, I believe there is a bigger opportunity here for businesses who truly go the extra mile to understand their data and use it to drive their decisions. And so do others much smarter than me:

“The amount of digital data being produced today is growing exponentially… Those who become proficient in collecting, managing and analyzing this information will gain competitive advantage.” -INTUIT 2020

Further, I believe that very few small businesses are doing it (16% according to this report).

And I know why – because it’s hard.

Setting up a website? Easy. Setting up AWeber? Easy. Setting up Google Analytics? Easy.

But really taking the time to analyse your marketing efforts, working out which campaigns are performing and where to best spend your time – hard… in most cases.

And as a keen proactive business owner who is out to improve your marketing this should be music to your ears. Because ‘hard’ means there’s an opportunity.

Here are 5 powerful ways you can track your marketing and in turn reduce waste and separate your business from the rest…

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Comments, Subscribers and Opt-In Offers, Oh My! (Project ABC)

Posted on November 10, 2012 | In Firepole Marketing Updates

Is anyone else having an absolutely crazy fall?

Man alive, there just don’t seem to be enough hours in the day.

However, after a longer-than-I’m-proud of honeymoon recovery period I managed to get back in the habit of regular work on Project ABC.

I have a confession to make, because I promised I’d let you all know about the successes and failures of this process.

A week after I got home, Danny asked me how work on Paying for Life was coming and I stammered out a pretty generic “Oh, I’m working on it, I swear!” response.

He called me on slacking off and rightly so. It smarted a little because I’m a grown-up and should be able to devote the time to building my business without being told to. Especially considering how often I encourage our various students to do their own work on time.  But there you go, the shoe is on the other foot, and I accept my rebuke.

It was just the kick in the pants I needed to get me from “I should…” to “I did.”

If you’ve been putting a little less than you ought to be in your own business, I’m telling you:

Quit slacking.

Someone is noticing and raising their eyebrows at you knowingly. Even if you can’t see them or they don’t tell you.

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The Beginning of a Communications System: How to Write a Communication Plan in 7 Easy Steps

Posted on November 8, 2012 | In Guest Appearances

I’m not where I “should” be with my blog/business and I’m not sure why… :-S

Does this sound like you at this moment in time with your blog or business?

You do everything that you’re supposed to; you write epic shit, you post to Twitter three to four times a day, you post on your Facebook page, and you send out emails to your email list, you even have a product you’re selling. Despite all of this, you’re still not getting the attention you feel your blog/business deserves and your income from your blog can’t even pay for you to eat out at Burger King once a month.

Why does this scenario, which seems to be all too familiar, present itself so often?

The answer is a lack of a planning and more specifically, a Communication Plan.

Let’s find out why we need one, how we can create one and how to act upon it…

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Jive with Live Radio: 10 Compelling Reasons to be On the Air

Posted on November 6, 2012 | In Guest Appearances

Despite what you may think, radio is alive and well.

Whether you’re listening on the way to work, or you have it on as you work around the house, the comforting sounds entertain, inform and inspire.

Radio allows your target audience to use their imagination and tune in on a different level than interactive media. In Radio and Society: New Thinking for an Old Medium, editor Matt Mollgaard points out that radio is the original mass electronic medium and it continues to be critical.

“Radio remains a key media form and technology, not only surviving the challenges of the screen and digital ages, but developing despite and because of them,” Mollgaard says.

But on the other hand, some people ask “why bother”…

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How I Beat Danny Iny 5:1 at His Own Game (Sales Letter Split-Testing)

Posted on November 4, 2012 | In Guest Appearances

Danny Iny is one of the very few people I listen to when it comes to marketing, and it’s not every day that he asks for help in this area, or needs it.

But a couple of months ago he asked for a second opinion on a sales letter he was writing.

I gave him my feedback, but I also proposed a friendly competition over who could get more sales.

Danny’s a good sport, so he said “sure, let’s do it”…

Well, I ended up winning by 423%… but since that means a *lot* more sales for Danny, I’m assuming that he isn’t too miffed about losing. ;-)

This post is all about our little competition: what Danny missed, how I beat him at his own game… and how *you* might get 5x more sales in your business, too!

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The Ultimate Guest Posting Target Blog List

Posted on November 2, 2012 | In Guest Appearances

You was not getting traffic to your site so you decided to start guest posting.

Sounds good, but… you don’t know where to start.

I mean, internet is very big and you don’t know where to search the right blogs for your guest posts.

To make it harder, you are scared of asking to guest post on big blogs.

You know that guest posting can send you traffic, can make you an authority and can help you to grow your income.

You really wish to guest post, but the first step seems just too far from you.

It’s frustrating when you know the solution, but you don’t know how to apply it.

Let me show you how to solve this problem.

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The Ghoulies, Ghosties and Long-Leggedy Beasties That Plague Our Businesses (Fireside Chat with Danny Iny)

Posted on October 31, 2012 | In Marketing Insights with Firepole Marketing

Happy Halloween guys and ghouls!

I hope you’re all costumed and candied and well ready for this edition of Fireside Chats with Danny Iny, because today, we’re going to be talking about the ghoulies and ghosties and long leggedy beasties of your business: Monster Customers.

Monster Customers are something that you never imagine when you’re starting your business, but as you ramp up and gain traction you start to notice that there a tons of customers driving you crazy with neediness or greediness and generally annoying behavior.

This podcast goes over who these Monster Customers are, why they act the way they do, and how you can deal with them without losing business or your cool…

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How to Use Comments to Get Noticed in the Blogosphere

Posted on October 29, 2012 | In Guest Appearances

Opportunity has finally struck.

You just got to invited to a special party with the who’s who of your industry, including Main Guru, who you’ve always wanted to meet.

When you get there, you find you don’t know anyone. You try to mingle and go from group to group, but they hardly break shoulders to let you in. It’s like you have a sign on your forehead: “NOVICE – AVOID AT ALL COST!”

Just when you’re about to give up, the host comes over with Mr. Guru in tow. “Hey, Firstnamefix, I want you to meet Main Guru.”

“Ah, Firstnamefix! Hosty here told me about your…” In mid-sentence Mr. Guru looks over your shoulder.

“Lisa! Where have you been? You turkey, did you bring that golf club you promised?” And Main Guru is gone without so much as a glance in your direction.

Wow. This is worse than rejection, it’s…

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Busy but Inspired – Best of the Web

Posted on October 27, 2012 | In Best of the Web

October has been a month of migration, webinars, contests, updates and exciting launches.

Registration for our biannual Marketing that Works program went live earlier this week, and we’re very excited to be ushering in a new wave of eager students. :-)

So yes, we’ve been really busy (as always), but apparently so has everyone else in the blogosphere. I’ve read lots of great articles and have put together a list of our favorites for this month’s Best of the Web feature… so sit tight, grab your reading glasses and enjoy!

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What Some Clown Can Teach You About Your Audience

Posted on October 25, 2012 | In Guest Appearances

What scared you as a child?

Did something make you believe there was danger lurking under your bed, below the shower drain, behind the furnace, or even at the circus?

When my daughter turned three, her grandparents took her to the circus. They found out that if you arrive early, you can meet the clowns before the show starts.

Other kids were happily getting high fives from the clowns, smiling for photos, or having quarters pulled out of their ears. My daughter wouldn’t get anywhere near the clowns.

Every marketer knows that customers buy from people they know, like and trust.

My daughter’s toddler brain assessed the clowns and positively felt that she didn’t know them, like them or trust them.

And your customers might be doing the same…

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