"The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat.
"
Napoleon Hill
If you have a strong desire for your business to grow in 2009, come to Denver!
All Eyes On Denver
Wizard Partners' roadshow promises to be first big confab of the year
by Ray Seggern
The Wizard of Ads partner group is doing it again. And this time we're heading to the Rocky Mountains, specifically Denver's Qwest events Center, for the next installment of the Wizard of Ads roadshow.
This event, dubbed the Marketing Performance Seminar, again features a "Who's Who" of the Wizard of Ads partner group: Steve Rae, Michele Miller, Chris Maddock, Mike Drew, Dave Young, Jeff Sexton, Paul Boomer, Clay Campbell, Jane Fraser, Tom Wanek, Steve Sorenson, the list goes on and on and on.
What distinguishes this event from previous Wizard of ads event offerings is a strict adherence to the marketing performance equation, which is a fundamental component of the way the Wizard of Ads group does business and gets such monumental results for its clients, according to event organizer David Young.
"By a co-opting everyone's material to fit a particular plank in the marketing performance equation, we hope that this event will be useful and educational to Independent business owners," said Young.
Your humble narrator is also one of the presenters. I'll be performing, for the second time only, a module on marketing in times of recession, and how this affects the marketing performance equation.
Registration information is available at the event website. Register today to confirm your comfy swivel chair for February 19 and 20th.
Are you Expecting Instant Results?
Take the time. Plan ahead. Do an Uncovery
by Clay Campbell
Precious ad dollars are wasted when you expect your advertising to work instantly. So many times a business will advertise on TV, radio, newspaper or billboards in an effort to “get more people in here.” During and just after the campaign they ask, “Why aren’t people coming in?” In my article, Unrealistic Expectations, I address this in more detail.
Take the time. Plan ahead. Do an Uncovery first. What is an Uncovery?
In an Uncovery the decision makers of the business to come together.
Ask questions to find out:
- The short and long term goals for your business. Is everyone on the same page? What direction shall you go?
- Find out what the branding strategy and Image Building would be for any advertising
- Discover where to start, where to end up, and what to leave out
- Gather information to build a campaign around your strategy
- Discover the strengths and weakness of your business as well as your competitors
- Determine how success will be measured
- What are you trying to accomplish?
- What will you consider a happy ending at the end of a year one, two, three?
- Find out what your core values are, what you stand for, the things you will never quit on.
From that research, determine your untold story and the amount of money you can spend. Spread that money out for a year in a media you can dominate. Be very shrewd in your media buy.
Decline any other advertising until you do your advertising and marketing planning session for the next year.
Every successful business owner does those things. Small business owners that search for a magic ad or some gimmick to “get the people in here” will always fail. They fail to get the best bang for their buck and sometimes the business fails too.
“Hype doesn’t sell anymore.
The effectiveness of artificial urgency is in sharp decline. People are no longer naive. Companies that were built on high-impact ads are finding their dwindling, traditional customer base won’t respond to anything but high-impact offers and new customers won’t take them seriously. These stores are closing their doors and no one is noticing.”
~Roy Williams Monday Morning Memo on 5-21-07
I’ve had the opportunity to chat with multi-millionaire Jim Rohn on several occasions. In the year 2000, we were talking at a conference in Louisville Kentucky, on the subject of becoming wealthy in America. Jim said, “Clay, the best way to get rich quick, is to get rich slow.” That’s the best way to woo potential clients and grow your business too. Read Sam Walton’s book, Made in America, and you’ll see he started off slow in the early years. With a great deal of thinking and planning, Wal-Mart slowly grew into a giant.
One of my favorite quotes is by Willie Nelson. He said, “It takes about 20 years to become an overnight success.” Successful wealthy small business owners will say the same thing. Try to avoid that very strong desire for instant gratification with your advertising. You’ll get a much bigger bang for your buck.
Perhaps now would be a good time to have a complimentary meeting with a Wizard of Ads Partner. Links to their websites and blogs are listed down the right side of The Wizard Times. Hundreds of their articles with free insightful advice can been seen at www.americansmallbusiness.com 2009 would be a great year to attend a class at the Wizard Academy 21st Century Business School in Austin Texas. What is the Wizard Academy?
See you next week.
Clay Campbell
Wizard of Ads
PS. Need help to attract more customers and grow your business?
