Mahadzir's Blog

Throughout the developed world, we have moved from an era of manpower to an era of mind power. We have moved from the use of physical muscles to the use of mental muscles. Today the chief sources of value in our society are knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge in a timely fashion. In the information age, knowledge is king, and those people who develop the ability to continuously acquire new and better forms of knowledge that they can apply to their work and to their lives will be the movers and shakers in our society for the indefinite future.

When you learn and practice the techniques for rapid learning, when you join the learning revolution, you will learn how to unlock the incredible powers of your mind. You will learn how to become smarterfaster than ever before. You will learn how to become a master of your fate rather than a victim of circumstances. You will learn how to take complete control of your present and future destiny so that you can accomplish and achieve anything you want in life.

The answer to almost every question and the solution to almost every problem in the world of work is to learn and practice something new and different. When you learn how to use the incredible power of your brain to absorb and apply new ideas and information, you will be able to lead the field and rise to the top of any profession or occupation.

Here's another question for you: What is your most valuable asset? In terms of cash flow, what is the most valuable thing you have? Well, unless you are very rich, or have a family trust account, your most valuable asset is your "earning ability." It is your ability to earn money. It is your ability to apply your knowledge and skill in a timely fashion to get results for which others will pay.

Specific knowledge and specific skills will become obsolete with the passing of time, but learning how to learn is a permanent skill that you can use all the days of your life. The people who join the learning revolution, and who learn how to learn faster, like those people who first learned how to operate computers, or learned how to become excellent in their fields, will be able to earn more in one or two years of work than the average person earns in perhaps five or ten years.

By joining the learning revolution, you will enhance every area of your life. You will be able to help your spouse and your children unlock and realize more of their individual potentials. You will be a better friend in helping your friends use more of their abilities. And you will be a better manager, developing the skills that will enable you to get far more out of yourself and other people than ever before.

*****
To your continued success!

Sarah Howell
Marketing Coordinator
Affiliates@briantracy.com
858.436.7315

http://oilpalminfo.blogspot.com

The single most powerful marketing tool on the planet is a marketing plan. Now before you roll your eyes and run for the hills, let me clarify. I am not referring to an academic exercise from a book.

I'm talking about a simple plan that details who you are, what you do, who needs it, how you plan to grab them by the throat, when you plan to do it and how you plan to pay for it--in a way that everyone can clearly understand.

If that sounds too intimidating, just take a deep breath and follow these 13 simple steps to creating the most powerful marketing plan on the planet.

1. Clarify your marketing vision.

   Creating an action plan gives your business a target to aim towards. Articulate your marketing vision and then identify which strategies and tactics to employ to achieve your goals. Make sure to keep your marketing plan handy so you can measure progress against your goals and use your action plan more like a tool than a document.

2. Define your ideal customer.

   Small business owners often attempt to be everything to everyone and thus never really establish a reputation for doing anything well. You must narrow your market focus to grow. Look at your current client mix. Who are your core customers and what do they have in common? Why do they do business with you? You'll probably find that you have a certain type of client that makes up most of your business. Focus on that group and drop out of everything else.

3. Identify your remarkable difference.
   

   How do you compare with your competition? How are you different? If you aren't sure, ask your clients why they do business with you. They may be able to tell you how you are different in ways that will make sense to other potential clients.

   As a small business, you must separate yourself from your competitors to survive. You can differentiate by specializing in a market niche, offering free delivery, packaging your products in a unique way, or offering exceptional customer service. If you can't find a way to differentiate yourself, you'll be forced to compete on price.

4. Develop your core message.

   Identify the top three compelling benefits of doing business with your firm. The benefits should be clear, concise, related to your remarkable difference, and attractive to your target market. Then make those benefits the core message that you communicate via marketing and the central theme of your advertising efforts, including your website.

5. Build a product/service mix.

   Structure your product and service offerings to appeal to customers at all stages and encourage them to try, buy, and recommend.

6. Create magnificent marketing materials.

   Let your marketing materials do your selling for you. Create collateral that educates prospects and compels them to buy. Make sure your marketing materials include examples of how your customers benefit from doing business with your firm. Offer testimonials from satisfied clients or provide information that describes your firm's processes and procedures. Just remember, people don't like to be sold to, so your materials must offer useful information that addresses a need.

7. Generate leads.

   Where and how will you find your next prospect? Through online advertising? Via referral partners? The point is, you need a plan for how you will capture enough attention from a "suspect" (a member of your target market) to convert them into a "prospect" (someone who wants to learn more about what you do).

   The process of generating prospects is NOT the same as selling. Your goal is to get people in the door. Once you've got their attention, then you can start the education and sales cycle. Free reports, white papers, and product trials are great ways to generate new leads.

8. Use the power of the Internet.

   How will you use the Web in your business? What tools will you use? Your website can educate, persuade and motivate your prospects to take action. Bottom line, your website is a critical part of your marketing strategy so you need to get it right.

9. Create a customer loyalty and retention plan.

   Loyal customers are the best customers. What is your loyalty plan and how do you retain customers?

   Most businesses spend the bulk of their time hunting for new clients. However, focusing on your existing client and looking for ways to get a larger "share of client" is where the money is.

   As you build your reputation in your narrow target market, begin to look for more ways to serve them. You have already built a great deal of trust with your existing clients, so expanding with their needs in mind is the simplest way to grow. As you meet more and more of their needs, they begin to view you as a crucial resource and are more willing to help you build your business by other means, such as referrals.

10. Build your team.

    As an entrepreneur, you may be tempted to execute your entire marketing plan alone. However, it's a great idea to build a training program to define how your marketing strategy will be implemented, and then make sure everyone in your company is moving in the same direction and giving the right message to your potential customers.

11. Plan and schedule marketing activities.

    The time for action is now! Create a marketing calendar, including milestones, so you can take action and track your progress. Stick to your plan. Whatever it is that you have pledged to do, get it done! It's easy to get overwhelmed with a big task list so break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces.

12. Forecast sales and budget expenses.

    With your strategy in place, you can forecast your sales and build a budget for your marketing activities. Get a system to track actual results against your plan so you can adjust your strategy as you go and measure your success.

13. Understand your numbers.

    Look for a reporting system that will allow you to compare your actual sales and expenses with your marketing goals. This will help you stay on track with your business growth plans.

Bonus Tip: Get help from a marketing expert.

Building and executing your marketing action plan can take weeks or months. If you want to build and execute in half the time, without tedious manual effort, check out Marketing Plan Pro powered by Duct Tape Marketing. Created using the Duct Tape Marketing processes, Marketing Plan Pro will walk you through every stage of creating a stellar marketing plan and provide extra guidance along the way to help you:

• Identify your remarkable difference and leverage it to your advantage in the marketplace
• Develop your website (a critical part of your marketing strategy)
• Build a training program
• And more!

http://oilpalminfo.blogspot.com