The Bald Dog's Secret Weapons

In the military it was beaten into us that we ask others to do only what we're willing to do. With this in mind, here are some of my secret weapons that have been helping me to stay on the top of my craft and advance both my skills and grow my practice.

Look around and based on your challenges grab what you need. If you use them, they will have a profound positive impact on your business, thus on your life.

And if you come across something that goes against conventional wisdom, take it. Conventional wisdom is conventional for a reason: To keep people stuck on an "average(ly mediocre)" level. So, watch out!

In his eye-openingly brilliant book, "How to Lose Friends and Infuriate People", business maverick Jonar Nader writes, "If the suggested solution is being welcomed, abandon it. If a planned change is resented, investigate it. If an innovation is being ridiculed, invest in it."

What makes these products so great is that they go against conventional wisdom, so using them you will help you to stand out in your industry like a trombonist in a heavy metal band.

And if sometimes you feel a bit pissed off with the slow progress, just think of the old AC/DC song, It's a Long Way to the Top If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll from the 1974 album, "High Voltage." You can't rush love and you can't rush excellence. And as Bon sang us, you can't rush your way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll. All you can do is moving your arse in the right direction.

The programmes are in no particular order. Maybe just the order in which I came across them and started using them.

How To Market Seminars

"How to Fill Your Seminars and Workshops - Without Spending a Fortune on Promotion"

By Jenny Hamby

It's a well known fact that facilitating seminars and workshops is one of the best ways of generating high quality sales leads for consulting firms. Yet, it's also a well-known fact that most consulting firms lose their shirts (often their trousers, knickers and bras as well) in the promotion of their seminars and workshops. They have valuable messages to their target markets but somehow fail to raise their interest in attending their seminars and workshops. So, they try it once, flop miserably and then declare that "Our industry is different. It just doesn't work that way."

What they fail to realise is that there is nothing wrong with the industry as a whole, but the problem is with their thinking. Helping clients with workshops and seminars has always been part of my consulting work, but when I started implementing the little nuances I've learnt from Jenny's programme, the little things started adding up. For instance, on CD #2 she has a 10-second segment on one tiny aspect of printing. A for a recent client we saved $419 on printing costs by going to the printer armed with this "10-second knowledge." This is 100% ROI on one tiny segment. But most printing clients pay this extra (and much more) because they don't know how to discuss projects with printers.

The programme is on three CDs and they are about 3 hours long. That's roughly 1080 pieces of "10-second knowledge." I managed to save that money for my client after 1 casual listening and based on one tiny segment of information. Since then I've listened to the CDs many times and read the manuals a good few times back and forth.

Here is the thing. If you don't run seminars and workshops to generate business, then you probably spend far too much money and effort acquiring far too low quality sales leads. People need to build a certain level of trust with consulting firms before they can hire them. Workshops and seminars are just the idea ways of building this trust. On the other hand, what can we expect of prospects who reluctantly give in to cold prospecting efforts.

What you learn from Jenny's programme will allow you to at least double the price tag on your seminars and workshops, and still get more butts on seats. And the good thing is that those butts will be attached to highly attentive heads of committed prospects. The other benefit is that as you hone your seminar process, you keep weeding out the butts that are attached to heads that would take everything but pay for nothing.

Follow the link to find out more about How To Market Seminars.

What's Working In Lead Generation

By www.RainToday.com

A Benchmark Report On How To Spend Your Time, Energy, & Money For The Best Marketing ROI In B2B Professional Services

Shortly after receiving the report, I got a lead from a law firm that was looking for business development help. I wrote a letter to one of the firm's partners and quoted several numbers from the report. Numbers relevant specifically to this industry. I also referred to the "effective-popular" table and explained why it's a good idea to use effective and not popular tactics.

I've always known that professional firms don't fall for marketing hype and extensive emotional manipulation, as consumers do, so I kept my letter fairly factual with little emotional charge. A few days after sending the letter I was on my way to landing a nice project with a neat firm, and I truly believe that what made the difference was the facts I got from your report.

I believe this research report, in that hands of the right marketer, is worth its weight in gold. Based only on the facts in the report alone, good marketers can create valuable, empirical "keep in touch" programmes with prospects, and in going so they can quickly gain enough credibility with buyers to influence the buying decision.

I'm a solo consultant, but even for me this report can add a hundreds of thousands of dollars to by piggy bank over the years. So can you imagine the difference to a 20-partner firm? If the firm has the wisdom to employ a good marketer, we're talking about tens of millions of dollars.

Follow the link to find out more about What's Working In Lead Generation.

The Heart Of Business

By Mark Silver

This is one of the most oddball business information products you find on the market. It was written by a man who has excellent business education, extensive experience in the trenches, and, on the top of all this, is a Sufi Master. So his work is a unique blend, based on practical business knowledge and spiritual teachings to align your spirit with your business. And we know that every business problem is an escalated personal problem. So, this spiritual stuff is very important.

Now you may say that you're in business to make money. That's fine. But, what if you could transcend the traditional "making more money" type rut most professional firms are in? What if you could cite a fee to your prospects that is not only the result of some intellectual activities, that is, thinking, but you feel good about it at a gut level? What if you could find an approach to business that could create an attractive aura around you and your people, so your natural attraction level would go up a few notches? And to do that you have to start shaping and polishing your "Being." It's not enough to change the approach. You have to adjust the person first and the approach.

And to my knowledge, this is the only information product out there that teaches you how to improve the person who engages in marketing. And as a result, you become both a better marketer of your business, but also a better person that both your colleagues, peers, friends and family benefit from.

Go and check it out Mark's The Heart of Business programme. I'm confident it would make a positive impact on your business that you could take to the bank.

The Non-Writer's Little Helper

By Michel Neray

Have you ever experienced that you have something in your head which you want to write an article about but as soon as you sit down to your computer and try to empty your head onto paper, your thoughts get fuzzy and foggy and you and you know no more about where to start than a goat knows how to become an astronaut? Actually it's quite common even among people who love writing. I've definitely noticed it on myself. I love writing but sometimes I need a good kick in the brain to get moving.

Michel's new e-learning tool can help you to provide this kick in the brain in a structured manner. You go through a tried and tested process to put together your material in a tried and tested manner that works on the market.

Follow the link to find out more about The Non-Writer's Little Helper.

Marketing Workbook for Professional Service Businesses

By Robert Middleton

If you are like most service professionals, you are nipplepiercingly amazing in your craft working with clients, but struggle to attract new clients, here is a comprehensive client attraction toolkit for you.

So, why the InfoGuru Marketing Manual? - You might ask.

Because it's a concise client attraction toolkit, including...

1. A 300-page reference manual
2. 12 plus hours of step-by-step audio programmes
3. Infoguru marketing community - Perhaps the biggest value you get with the manual is the InfoGuru Support Forum where you can post your questions, challenges and dilemmas, and feedback from dozens of fellow professionals

Of course I'm a biased user of almost everything Robert has created, and I believe when it comes to marketing professional services, this guy is the bee's knees, the wasp's nipples, the ant's pants, the rooster's boosters and even the centipede's centrepiece, which is just my pompous way of saying that he really know his stuff.

It's a complete solution for Independent Professionals who want to attract more clients. Follow the link for more details on Infoguru Marketing Manual and Toolkit.

Make Your Knowledge Sell

By Monique Harris and Key Evoy

So, you have spent many many years, a huge pile of money and lots of sleepless nights to learn your craft and acquire your experience. And now you are selling that knowledge.

But there are people who cannot afford to hire you (I desperately hope you are not doling out your precious expertise at Wal-Mart prices), but would like to tap into your knowledge. So, offer them packaged knowledge.

This manual describes to your exactly how to create, package, and market your expertise in books, newsletters, e-books, audio, video, or teleseminars.

When you buy this manual, you also receive several bonus manuals, including, Promote and Sell Your Information Product Online; Buying and Selling Reprint Rights; The Online Infosellers Jump Start Kit; The Make Your Knowledge Sell Automation Manual. More...

Boost Your Business with Your Own E-Zine

By Alexandria Brown, the e-Zine Queen

There are some 14 reasons why every professional service firm and solo practitioner should have a newsletter. Some of them are...

You can sell more services both on- and offline. An e-zine can increase your credibility, and warm up your audience to engaging your services.

You can magnetically attract more and better potential clients, media interviews, and speaking engagements.

You can establish yourself as an expert in your field, so you can get paid higher fees.

You create "top-of-mind awareness" in your target market.

You can show off to your existing clients and demonstrate to them how much you can help them.

And a lot more...

How Many Bananas Do You Have?

By Michel Neray

We all know that using numbers in promotional materials is a sure-fire hit. Think of...

...The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

...The Seven Strategies For Wealth And Happiness by Jim Rohn

Or other similar titles. They raise curiosity. But there is more to it. You have to create a powerful framework for your numbered concepts. And this is where Michel's "How Many Bananas Do You Have" comes into the equation. This e-book guides you through a three-step process of creating the three key ingredients of this framework, so your points hit the bull's eye every time you present it.

Follow the link to find out more about How Many Bananas Do You Have?

Website Toolkit for Service Professionals

By Robert Middleton

Do you have an eye-poppingly-beautiful website that is like the impotent husband: The role is filled but there is no production. The big hairy truth is that over 90% of websites don't fulfil their mission of generating qualified leads and turn them into paying clients. Their websites are just standing out there in cyberspace and being gracefully ignored by the majority of their target markets.

Now here is a toolkit that walks you through the creation of every single page of a professional services website step-by-step. You must understand that there is a specific way of creating the content for your website. Yes, content. The content is the real differentiating factor. More...

Phone Talk 101

By Wanda March

Since 1999, Wanda March has been helping organisations to maximise the power of the telephone to get and keep more clients and customers. Wanda, who as a former financial professional became a Member of the prestigious Million Dollar Roundtable in her very first year in business, a fat fewer than 3% of professionals ever achieve. One day she decided to empty her head and put her telephone expertise in a comprehensive workbook and three CDs. What you get in this programme is two decades of telephone best practices that took a young, inspired greenhorn financial professional all the way to the Million Dollar Round Table within one short year. Follow the link to find out more about Wanda's Phone Talk 101 programme.

You Name It

By Michel Neray

This e-book is a practical guide to naming products, services, businesses, divisions, domain names, newsletters and just about anything else except babies.

While most so-called naming experts seem to try to complicate the naming process, Michel has turned it into a step-by-step fill-in-the-blanks process. He provides helpful tips and techniques which can help you to find better names for your services, newsletter and information products. It's very, very useful, and fun to read too!

Follow the link to find out more about You Name It.

Action Plan Toolkit for Service Professionals

By Robert Middleton

Do you have a kick-arse marketing plan but somehow you keep coming short on implementation? There is a specific reason for that and, believe it or not, it has nothing to do with lack of time. But it has everything to do with your mindset and your belief in the value of the service offer to your target market. And the big hairy truth is that until and unless overcome these mental blocks, you will never find the time to execute your excellent marketing programme.

In a way this is similar to military training. You don't start your training with picking up a fully loaded machine gun. No! First you learn how to use it. And here I'm not talking about the technical usage of that weapon. I'm talking about the legal, moral and ethical issues of using it.

Your marketing is the same. You can have the best plan, but if deep down you believe marketing your services is unprofessional, then you will never act on that plan. Or by the time you act, it may be too late. Just like many overweight people don't start losing weight until the first heart attack. Being looked in the eye by the Grim Reaper is a very strong motivator to start living a healthy life. Some have a second chance, but some kick the bucket in the first round.

Robert designed the Action Plan Toolkit as a way of helping professionals to get themselves unstuck from this debilitating mindset. Now you may say, you are not stuck at all. Fair enough. The Chicago Bulls was a great team without Phil Jackson. Jackson turned the Bulls into a word-class team. So, the question is this: Are you aiming at becoming world-class in your craft or are you happily stuck at a merely "pretty good" level? When you use the processes and exercises in this programme, and you look at your beliefs and behaviours from the "outside", then you will realise how much further you can go simply by changing the way "we do things around here".

Follow the link to find out more about Action Plan Toolkit for Service Professionals.

Unlock the Game Mastery Programme

If you sell in any shape or form, this programme will change your mind about many concepts traditional sales trainers may have taught you about selling.

Traditional sales trainers teach that sales are lost at the end of presentations when incompetent sellers can't "close the sale", that is, sellers fail to manipulate buyers into doing what sellers what them to do. The fact is sales are lost at the beginning in the first few minutes.

Traditional sales trainers teach how to overcome objections, that is, how to disrespect and ignore buyers' decisions and sell them any crap the seller may have. In reality it's a lot better when you are asked for accepting the buyer on your client list.

Traditional sales trainers teach to disregard prospects' feelings and states of mind and just keep pushing for the sale doggedly focusing on the dollar value on your next commission cheque. While it may be possible to sell commodities at discount in such a retarded and stressful manner, selling professional services is a different ballgame.

So, if you're tired of rapport building, fighting objections and using manipulative closing techniques to make the sale whatever it takes, and want to discover a a method that is easier both on buyer and seller, then follow the link to find out more about Ari Galper's Unlock the Game Mastery Programme.

Selling to Big Companies

By Jill Konrath

Many practitioners mistakenly believe that big companies buy professional services more or less the same way as small businesses do. That is far from the truth. Here are some of the greatest points from Jill's book. Buyers at big companies are far too busy, and their lives are far too hectic for rapport-building and similar "small business" approaches. They need numbers, dollar figures and percentages. Their paradigm is as drastically different from that of small business owners, as is their buying process.

The section on Value Proposition is my absolute favourite, and that alone is worth a fortune. There are many authors who talk about the Unique Selling Proposition to differentiate ourselves from the competition. That's great after the buyer decided to do something about to solve the existing problem.

But it's the Value Proposition that makes buyers think and decide to make a change in their organisations. The big lesson from Jill is that even the best Unique Selling Proposition without a good Value Proposition is just as useful as a chiropractic treatment en route to the gallows. That is, totally and utterly useless. You can differentiate yourself from the competition until you're blue in the face and dead flat broke, but if decision makers have no intention of buying the kind of services you offer in the first place, because no one has ever given them a good Value Proposition that makes the change worthwhile, you're wasting your time, energy and money.

Place your order with Amazon.com and grab your copy of Selling to Big Companies.

Teleclass on Teleclasses

by Robert Middleton

Doing teleclasses has become pretty popular nowadays. More and more professional firms use this cost-effective method both for generating new business leads and offering additional value for their existing clients. But just like in any other area of life, teleclasses are to be done in certain ways. Professional firms must be extremely careful to keep their programmes hype-free because even a shred of hype can cost them credibility. One of my mentors has just created a programme on the ins and outs of conducting teleclasses. Follow the link to find out more about how you too can conduct rewarding and lucrative teleclasses.

Email and Newsletter Distribution System

In my experience Aweber Communications is the best email and newsletter distribution system. For the price of 10 cups of coffee a month you can build a database that has unlimited subscriber capacity. Follow the link to find out more about this great email distribution system. Click here for more details on web hosting.

Shopping Cart System

If you want to sell anything online, you need a shopping cart system that handles both payment and automated distribution. I believe 1ShoppingCart is the best choice out there. All of the highly successful Internet-based professionals use this system. click here for more details on web hosting.

Website Hosting

When you build an online business, you need a reliable hosting company. Although most hosting companies come and go with the seasons, here is one, Blue Host, I have found very reliable. What also you receive is six domains under one single account. Plus all the bells and whistles you might need for databases, forms, statistics Webmail. click here to get started.