Package Magic: How to Redefine and Grow your Business

December 2, 2010 Leave a comment

Joe was selling a product that was moving pretty well for $297.

Then he realized people had a lot of questions about the product and wanted more information.

So he packaged it, with a 6-week call-in Q&A series, a forum, and for those really committed souls, some personal time with him.

He then sold the two packages, made three times the money, and created a huge community.

How?

The Magic of Packages!

9 Reasons to Offer Packages:

  1. You can showcase your expertise in different areas as you add little “bonuses.”  This lets your clients see you in a new light, with a wider range of expertise.
  2. If you don’t have time, you can add bonuses from a colleague – just as valuable.
  3. There is continuity of your brand and expertise within a package – the client goes from one product or service to the next, and experiences you in different ways.
  4. You can test a new product or service by including a sampler in your package – not the whole deal.  If you get a great response, you know what to market next.
  5. You can price your offers differently – and higher, because there is more perceived value.
  6. You can create a much more urgent call to action – i.e., if you offer the first 20 buyers special time with you, on top of everything else they’re getting, the perceived value is huge and creates urgency.  (Without urgency people will not act.)
  7. You can add a juicy bonus that often will be perceived as more valuable than your main  product.  People often buy a package to get the bonus.
  8. You can effortlessly add an upsell – “Would you like fries with that?”especially if you’ve created your upsell just a little bit higher in price but much higher in perceived in value.

    “For $19.95 more, you get all this plus an interview with Mr. X, where he shares the 5 top secrets to doubling your business in 18 months, plus a 10-page check list of everything you need to know about Y, plus 5 short videos showing you exactly how to Z.”

    Tip:  Front-load your slightly-higher-priced product, to make it the “no-brainer” choice.

  9. People who buy packages self-select themselves, making them easier to market to.  You know your low-end, middle, and high-end buyers.  You know what to offer them next.
  10. Bonus reason: You can offer a package before you create it, to test the waters and see if it will be a hot seller or a wet fuse.   Less time, less work.

Remember:

Packages take away the fear of selling, because it’s so much easier to offer a package.

And it’s easier to offer something people actually want.

Right now – packages are an easy way to generate more business over the holidays.

So…package your service or product and let me know the results.

Copyright © Ann Convery 2010

Filed under business, Business Strategy, Marketing, sales, Sell YOur Product Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How To Identify Business Opportunities

August 14, 2010 1 Comment

Chances are you’ve been focusing on your prime business opportunities for a while.  Or at least what you think are your primary opportunities.  The trouble is business owners generally get locked focusing on what they see as their primary markets and seldom look at other opportunities.  Sometimes that means looking at ancillary markets that could possibly bring you new opportunities.

One way to broaden your perspective is by looking at sub-markets in your arena that are poorly served. Perhaps these avenues could represent a new market. Consider looking at your client’s clients.  Are there services or products that they might need that you could supply?

Is there something in your field that’s missing?  Maybe it’s something that others think could never be addressed.  Well, what if with some creative thinking there is a way to address it and help solve a problem that others haven’t thought of.

Look at your industry as a consumer.  What would you change?  How would you do business differently?

One of the most interesting approaches is to let new business opportunities find you.  You’ll never know all the opportunities that are out there, that’s just not possible.  But what if you get your story and information in front of prospects, potential clients, opportunities that you don’t even know are out there?

This is one of the most amazing benefits that traditional public relations can bring to your business. Whether you choose to hire a public relations firm, a PR consultant, or launch a media relations campaign on your own, by garnering media coverage in newspapers, radio and/or TV, your story and your business can be showcased to prospects, investors and possible business opportunities that are perfect for you.  Most of these you’d never know existed.

Via the press you’re presented as an expert, one of the tops in your field. The real plus to this is when a prospect calls it’s a completely different conversation than if you instigated the conversation through a cold call.  When they call you, it’s a completely different conversation.  As a business owner you couldn’t ask for much more.

So, start looking for new business opportunities, shift your prospective, look at your field and your business as a problem solver.  What problems are out there and how can you make money by solving them?

Perhaps most important, position your business so your opportunities can find you.  Even if you’ve never tried PR, try putting your toe in the water, give it a try.  When your phone starts ringing, you’ll know you’ve made a strong business decision.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010

Filed under business, PR Campaign, traditional media Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

PR Success: The Importance of the TV Pre Interview

May 18, 2010 Leave a comment

Let’s say you’ve piqued the interest of a national talk show TV producer.  This is what you’ve been working towards.  You’re a step away from establishing yourself as an expert in your field.  The producer is interested in having you appear on the show, but before scheduling an appearance, she would like to schedule a phone pre-interview with a senior producer. Pre-interview? What’s a pre-interview?

First of all, congratulate yourself.  Your PR campaign and media approach is working. You have a producer interested in you and your story.  Your foot is firmly in the door.   So, back to the pre-interview, it means is that the producer likes your information and is interested in having you appear on the program, but before having you on, her senior producer wants to make sure that you’ll be an interesting interview and that you’ll work for their show.

You’re perfect for the show you think to yourself.  Of course they should book you.  Even though you know you’re a fit, they need to be convinced.   And that is going to be determined by how well you do on the phone pre-interview.  It’s hard to emphasize how important pre-interviews are. If you take them lightly and decide not to practice or prepare your information, you’re jeopardizing an important career and business opportunity.  If you fail to impress the producer, you’ll never make it as a guest on the show.  People have lost appearances on national shows because they refused to prepare for the pre-interview. They figured that they’d dazzle them once they got on the show. Think about it; it’s like a comedian not impressing the producer of the Tonight Show because he’s saving his best material for when he gets on the program. Well, if the producer doesn’t see how funny he is, he’s never going to get on the Tonight Show.

Remember, there are droves of people trying to get on that very program that’s interested in you. If you don’t deliver the goods, someone else will. So be prepared.  Make sure you understand exactly what the interview is about and what the producer wants from you. Don’t be shy. Ask questions. Make sure you understand exactly what she’s looking for, it may differ from the message or approach you have in mind. The initial objective is to meet that particular story’s needs. Once you’ve accomplished that, you can work on meeting your own needs. Prepare so you can clearly discuss the topic. Find out if you are going to be the lone guest, if it’s going to be a panel, or if there is going to be a guest representing an opposing view.  Find out as much about the segment and the show as you can.

If you have any facts or information that will help the segment, let the producer know, but don’t come off as a dictionary, simply listing a litany of fact after fact.  During the pre-interview have a cheat sheet in front of you.   You won’t have that luxury on the actual segment, but you do during the pre-interview, so use it.  Have your information written out in front of you, but only use it as a reference. Don’t read the information. It will sound like you’re reading. Practice the call.  Have someone act as the producer and have him or her drill you.  Make sure that by the time you talk to the producer, you’re relaxed, comfortable and ready to give her what she’s looking for.  Nail the pre interview and the segment is yours.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010

Filed under Media, Media Relations, PR Campaign, Press Release Writing, Public Relations, tv shows Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Marketing 3.0: A Powerful New Way Build Your Business & Land More Customers

March 24, 2009 1 Comment

When you think of it, what we thought of as media exposure not so many years ago has completely morphed and changed.  Warhol would be proud.  Not only is everyone going for their fifteen minutes, they’re now shooting for an hour.  What made it into the media used to be decided by a handful that controlled what we saw, heard and read; now all of that has changed.  But as the outlets have changed and the media terrain has morphed, the market has become so diffused that it’s more and more challenging to find a venue that 1) gives real information and 2) reaches a specific audience or market.  TV shows and print publications used to be the public’s main sources for news, politics, entertainment and information and now, no longer have the reach or the impact they once did.    Those outlets that once served as the primary venue for exposure are no longer the powerhouses they once were.  But, they are still tremendously important and need to be a part of your promotional or marketing campaign.

 

The traditional outlets are morphing.  Newspapers are folding; more information in going online, but simply promoting yourself or your company on the Internet is not the end-all marketing-wise.  Neither advertising nor straight Internet marketing offers the validation and legitimacy of traditional PR.  That’s primarily due to the fact that anyone can post information on the net.  There is very little vetting and fact checking.  Overall, the Internet is Wild West of information, and although marketing online may get your message out there, it alone is not enough.  To begin with, simply being on the net is not enough, you need to drive traffic to your information,   But more importantly, that type of exposure seldom offers you the  credibility, validation or build brand trust as being featured as a news story will.  The most effective approach is a strategic marketing mix.  You can reach your target market and gain validation and credibility through effective PR, and then utilize the Internet to amplify and maximize your message.  That is the marketing strategy that you now need in order to build your business, land more customers and make more money.

 

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2009

 

 

 

Filed under audience, Build Your Business, business, Economy, Entertainment, information, Land More Clients, Land More Customers, Marketing, marketing strategy, Media Exposure, Media Relations, morphing marketing, news, Politics, PR, print publications, Promotional and marketing campaigns, small business, Target Market, tv shows Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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