Business Coaching

Marketing Professional Services - Book Yourself Solid

Michael Port, author of one of my favourite books "Book Yourself Solid" has announced that he is starting his next intensive small business coaching program based on the book on January 20th.

Well worth taking a good look at this program if you market professional services and it is a chance to be coached by Michael Port himself in group sessions.

Spike Humer Business Turnaround Model

Some months ago I reviewed the Seven Day Business Turnaround Kit from  Mark Joyner and Simpleology.

One of the best videos from the turnaround experts Mark Joyner brought in was Spike Humer and he delivered this exceptional practical advice for any business - no matter what size - on this business turnaround 14 minute video.

Jay Abraham Joint Venture Power Partnering Summit

Jay Abraham's COO, Spike Humer has posted the video of his presentations from the Joint Venture Power Partnering Summit in October 2008.

In fact Spike addresses the issue of presentation, persuasion and negotiation and whilst it is notionally about your discussions with joint venture partners, the advice given is relevant to any situation where you are trying to persuade someone to share your perspective and take the action you want.

Back End Marketing - The Bigger The Better

Question: What is the most important secret to making more money in your business? Answer: You need a big back end which you get by focusing on back end marketing.

Let me explain.

Social Networking For Business: Mistakes To Avoid

I believe an essential key to business is helping people to know, like and trust you and that's why networking is so important. But networking can now be face to face or online in all the different social networking sites.

So how can you use social networking for business - and in particular, how can you avoid making social networking mistakes which will stop you achieving what you want?

This is not a question I can answer but I know a man who can. Below is an article from Rick Itzkowich, VP Marketing Productive Leaning & Leisure and author of the Social Networking For Newbies Blog.

5 Deadly Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make While Social Networking

If you haven't received the results that you hoped for after joining and participating in various Social Networking (SN) sites, there's a good possibility it's because you've made one or more of these mistakes. I've made everyone of these mistakes and paid the price. On the flip side, I've also corrected these mistakes and the results have been phenomenal.

Scott Hallman Webinar - Increase Profits By At Least $5000

Join me on a live webinar call January 15th 2009 at 6:00 pm GMT (1:00 pm EST. 10:00 am PST) with a world’s leading entrepreneur and small business coach, Scott Hallman.

He promises to show you how to add at least $5,000 in cash profits to your business without spending a dime.

Plus, he is going to share his inside method for converting high paying clients, and show you how to modify this technique to get more customers, that pay you more money.

Increase Profit From Hidden Profit Opportunities

Exciting News. I am putting together a series of webinars/teleseminars with some of the world's leading experts to help you to increase profit from your hidden profit opportunities.

This is still very much in the early stages of planning but so far I have approached three of the people I most admire and had an immediate Yes and I have many more of the leading experts I will be approaching.

Michael Gerber Interview

Browsing around the web I found this interview with Michael Gerber, author of The E Myth Revisited. It is billed as 15 minutes but it is actually 21.5 minutes long.

It is a while since I listened to Michael Gerber but it occurs to me that the fallacy of the entrepreneur and the problem of working in the business and not working on the business is even more relevant in today's recessionary times.

This interview does have a leaning towards franchising and Michael Gerber makes it clear that entrepreneurs make very poor franchisees. That's because the franchisee is the manager or technician (in E Myth terms) because the franchisee is buying a job.

Small Business Big Profit Dream

Are you one of the many entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses who dream of a big profit but you don't have any desire to have a big business?

I must admit the thought of working for a business with a thousand employees is a too much for me. I did it in my younger days but I didn't like it.

You don't have to abandon your small business to make a big profit.

Eben Pagan Altitude Program Released Today

The more contact I have with Eben Pagan, the more impressed I am with him. His Altitude home study program is released later today (December 16th) so that may mean that you will lose the chance to watch his 47 minute business training video (affiliate link).

I hope not because it is a classic.

Back End Marketing And Joint Ventures

I have just heard that Dan Kennedy is having a four day promotion of his 12 Cd and big book course "Back End Marketing and Joint Ventures" (affiliate link).

As I help you to find hidden profit in your business, back end marketing is at the very centre of those ideas.

A Business Coach Is Not Just For Christmas

I couldn't help but smile when I saw a promotional email from one of my competitors in the UK.

They are offering a business coaching gift certificate as a Christmas present.

I like imaginative marketing and it is certainly something that I hadn't thought about.

The confidentiality clause on the email means that I can't tell you what the offer is or who is pushing this innovative approach.

But what do you think?

Would you give someone a business coaching gift certificate for Christmas?    

Mitch Meyerson Gives Advice For Tough Times

MItch Meyerson, the person who trained me to be a Guerrilla Marketing Coach has put together a short video with three tips on how to succeed in tough times.

He just scratches the surface of some of the important ideas for finding hidden profit but it may get you thinking about your business...and if you have watched some of Mitch's videos before...I can reassure you that he doesn't sing.

   


The next Guerrilla Marketing Coaching Course starts in February 2009. I wish I'd done it years ago.

Disclosure - I am an affiliate for the Guerrilla Marketing program. If you click through from my link and then decide to buy, I earn a commission.

Law of Reciprocity: is It Dead For Internet Marketing?

I have just posted a reflection of the law of reciprocity on my Online Profits blog asking whether the Internet and the free transmission of high value but low cost information has killed the law of reciprocity.

Is The Law of Reciprocity Broken?   

Just because something doesn't cost anything for the other person to give you, does that reduce your obligation to return a favour?

Have we become a society where some people give and some take?

I will be interested to read your thoughts.

Is Dan Kennedy Right?

A marketer I have been paying more attention to recently by spending a bit of money is Dan Kennedy.

I have been slow to have taken so long to focus on what Dan Kennedy can offer - I read his Ultimate Sales Letters book which is excellent, but never moved on from there.

Upsell and Cross-sell With Integrity

I very much believe in the profitable techniques of upselling and cross-selling but you must do it with integrity.

Upselling On A Car Service

I had my car serviced yesterday and I told you about the customer service problems involved with a "that's not my job" culture.

Later in the morning I had a telephone call with the extras that needed fixing.

Most Critical Thing In Business - Simpleology Competition

Mark Joyner and Simpleology are running a little competition at the moment on the Simpleology blog asking the question "What is the most critical thing in business?"

If you think you know the answer, you are probably asking "Why should I tell Mark Joyner?"

Well the first person who agrees with Mark and Simpleology will win one of the popular Simpleology courses and two other correct answers will be drawn at random.

Customer Service: It's Not My Job

I have just wasted time dropping my car off to be serviced due to the classic problem of "it's not my job".

When I arrived, I was third in the queue for the service desk and both people in front of me had lengthy queries. All I needed to do was to drop my keys off and sign a pre-printed service form.

Jay Abraham Super Barter Training

I have just had an email from Jay Abraham launching some a new program to teach you to use the power of barter in your business with a free report - "Power Bartering: The ultimate way for anyone to prosper in the recession" and a Super Barter Training program of four calls in December 2008 with the Barter Barons.

Procrastination Equation: Why You Are Procrastinating

I was fascinated to read on Sunday about the Procrastination Equation which explains why you are procrastinating.

Piers Steel, a business professor at Calgary University, Canada has been taking a very close look at why people procrastinate and delay and has written a book - "The Procrastination Equation: Today's Trouble With Tomorrow".

Piers Steel's conclusion is that there is a simple formula which explains why you procrastinate and therefore gives you a chance to control your procrastination by altering factors in the equation.

Public Relations Definition For Business Owners

Public relations / PR is an important element of the marketing techniques you should be using to promote your business but are you clear on a public relations definition?

When you think of public relations, do you have a hazy view that you find difficult to pin down in your mind so you never take any PR actions?

If so, this article from PR expert Penelope Herbert will help dispel a few negative thoughts about public relations and clarify your public relations definition.

Over to Penelope.

Unlike Bridget Jones, PR people don't "just fanny around with the press releases". As a public relations consultant, I know that PR can be mis-understood. So I'm happy to share with you some simple things to remember.

What Public Relations Is Not!

Marketing Is A Waste Of Time And Money

Let me repeat that - I believe a lot of marketing is a waste of time and money.

Yes I am trying to be contentious and No, I don't believe it entirely - I provide a lot of marketing advice - but I do want to challenge your ideas for how you run your business.

In particular I want you to look at the efforts made to attract new customers and compare it with whatever you do to strengthen relationships and improve the back end value for your existing customers.

Being Predictable Is Great - Not Boring

I'm not quite sure where this is going but those nice people at Simpleology (Mark Joyner et al) are starting a theme about the importance of being predictable and how it is a key element in the secrets of success.

I bet if I played a word association game with you, you'd go from predictable to words like routine, bureaucracy and...boring.

Somehow there is more glamour in being spontaneous and unpredictable but is it good for you and is it good for your customers?

My dog doesn't think so.

Eben Pagan $1 Million Free Business Advice Video

Eben Pagan built a $20 million business in the dating industry in just five years before deciding to teach other business owners how to improve their businesses.

There is no doubt that Eben is a) quality and b) a smooth operator and he is preparing to launch his Altitude Home Study program.

Effective Networking Tips

I have found an excellent article with practical networking tips to help reduce your stress at your next networking event. It is written by networking expert Sue Henry from Australia and as I read it, I smiled as I remembered some of the awkward networking situations from my past.

It's over to Sue Henry.

Stress Free Networking

The thought of attending networking events and functions can be terrifying to some people and even slightly unsettling for the most confident amongst us.

Here are the three top things that people worry about the most when attending networking functions and how you can avoid them.