Often when we have a goal, we try just once or twice and then give up. We say, “Well, I guess it’s just not going to happen.” To be truly successful, keep at it! This is true whether you are trying to market your company, get a raise, achieve a sales quota, improve your workplace environment, win a sports event, or raise funds.

People who are achievers are not at the top of their game because they are “naturals.” It’s because they don’t give up. When at first they don’t succeed, they try again and again and again until at last…they realize their goal.

“Herbert True, a marketing specialist at Notre Dame University, did some research and found the following:

• 44% of all salespeople quit trying after the first call
• 24% quit after the second call
• 14% quit after the third call
• 12% quit trying to sell their prospect after the fourth call

This means that 94% of all salespeople quit after the fourth call. But 60% of all sales are made after the fourth call. This revealing statistic shows that 94% of all salespeople don’t give themselves a chance at 60% of the prospective buyers.” (from The Success Principles by Jack Canfield)

Some famous people who persisted:

• Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.
• Louis L’Amour received 200 rejections before he sold his first novel.
• Henry Ford’s first two automobile businesses failed.

Your goals in your career, relationships, personal growth, sports, and community can all be achieved through your stubbornness, effort, and commitment. To be a success at whatever you do, believe in yourself and never give up. If you get a no, just keep on asking until you hear a resounding YES!

ACTION TIP: This week, write down a goal that you want to achieve. Post it beside your desk, on your refrigerator, or near your bedside. Look at it several times a day. What are you willing to do to succeed? Begin now! Be tenacious and you will accomplish it.

Hugs, Wendy Maynard, your friendly marketing maven

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Discipline Is Important
I recently read an article about why discipline is important to a marketer. The author said that undisciplined people only live for today. He added that disciplined people use a little of their time for pleasure, and then invest the rest of their time in the future. Disciplined people get out of their armchair and do something. This takes effort and willpower. On the other hand, undisciplined people squander their time and their money. It takes discipline to be a successful at business and in life.

While I fundamentally agree with this premise, there is something about the concept of discipline that sounded tough…agonizing, even. I had to take some time to think this through. As a person who believes free time and relaxation, how can this still apply?

Are You A Grasshopper or An Ant?
Does a person have to make a choice between being the fabled lazy grasshopper or the hardworking ant? You know the story. The ant slaves away all summer creating shelter and storing seeds for the winter while the grasshopper laughs and dances and sings, thinking the ant is a fool. Come winter, the ant is cozy and well fed. The grasshopper perishes from hunger and the cold. Both of those guys were flawed, in my opinion. One had no sense of community and the other, no joy or humor.

And it made me start thinking. I’m a marketing expert. I spend my days developing marketing strategies for my clients and I work to market my own business. Does it take discipline? Well, the answer, of course, is a big “Yes!” Does that mean that in order to be successful, I have to be like the ant? Am I relegated to the role of schlepping my days away carrying seeds back to the nest for the winter? Well…no, I think not.

All work and no play makes for a dull girl. As a creative person, I know taking that route would be a sure path to stagnation. Plus, I don’t like to think of myself as stodgy. Do you know what the thesaurus has next to stodgy? Try blah, boring, humdrum, plebeian, trite, uninteresting, and wearisome. Ugh!

Discipline is a Practice
But, I’m not like the frivolous grasshopper, either. Because I AM disciplined. I do invest ongoing time in various endeavors that will have a payoff in the future. Yet, none of my day-to-day activities are agonizing for me. I love working on my business, my clients are wonderful, and I feel completely fulfilled by my outside interests, my home, and my friendships. And, these things each take ongoing care, nurturing, and attention.

What I realized is that everything I do in my life involves embracing a practice. Discipline is defined as “training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior.” I think the best example of this is my yoga. Yes, it is a routine, but it is by no means agonizing. (Well…okay, there are some crazy poses that are a little over the top!) My yoga practice brings me joy and I feel more centered.

In the same way, building a business and a regular marketing routine is about a practice. It requires discipline, but this in no way detracts from being creative or enjoying today, right now, in this moment. Marketing is about building stronger relationships. It takes a continuous effort to relate to customers, vendors, referral sources, and leads. Invest in your business through an ongoing commitment to promoting it with both enthusiasm and creativity.

Successful Marketing Requires Discipline
For marketing to succeed, it is crucial to take the approach of a disciplined practice. And, the more time you invest in each activity, the more you will prosper at all levels of your business. Ultimately, I realize that the author of the article was correct. But, I believe it requires a combined approach of the grasshopper AND the ant.

Have discipline and build relationships, like the ant. But, also be sure to take time for relaxation and activities you enjoy, like the grasshopper. Work in a business that is fulfilling to you. And that is the biggest key. Discipline does not make you stodgy if you are investing your time in an endeavor that you feel passionate toward.

Success is an ongoing journey. Each time you return to your disciplined practice, whatever it is, you prosper from the moment-to-moment experience of doing it. As time goes on, your discipline pays off. So, take time to examine your practice of marketing. Is it a disciplined approach? Is it a practice you follow rigorously? Begin to move forward purposefully with an intention to expand your business and invest in your marketing activities every day. By committing to consistent and persistent marketing efforts, you WILL get amazing results.

Hugs, Wendy Maynard, your friendly marketing maven

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Earlier this year, my company Kinesis started publishing an electronic newsletter called Kinesis Quickies. You’ll also hear these referred to as e-newsletters or e-zines. By the way, you can subscribe by clicking here. Yours truly writes the content. And, not only is it fun to write, but it gets us a lot of positive feedback from our clients and associates. Our subscriber list is slowly growing through promoting Quickies both offline and online. We have a sign up form on every page of website to make it as easy as possible.

And so, the exciting news is that today Kinesis Quickies was featured in Blue Penguin Development’s newsletter written by Michael Katz. Michael’s electronic publication is called the E-newsletter on E-Newsletters. Every issue is written in a fun style and is packed with tips on (what else?) e-newsletters.

Is your business publishing a print or e-newsletter? An informative publication is a great way to stay in touch with your customers and leads. It also reinforces your expertise in your industry. You can give your readers tips and advice. You can also give them updates about company news and information about your products or services. Both can help drive repeat business to your website.

My advice: Keep the majority of your publication focused on advice and resources. If it is too sales oriented, people will be a LOT less interested in it. You will also lose some of your credibility and may be perceived as pushy. Make your newsletter fun, interesting, creative, and informative. And, please go to a professional designer to help you with it, not your neighbor’s nephew who had a class on web something or other!

Over time, a newsletter establishes trust with your readers. You begin to form a relationship, even if you’ve never met face to face. Be there for your readers if they have questions, need advice, or want support. E-mail or call them back promptly. Ultimately, your publication will lead to more word-of-mouth business and referrals.

ACTION ITEM: Today, start making plans to create an online or offline newsletter. If you already have one, is it being sent regularly? Does it need a facelift? Is the content interesting? Are you receiving positive feedback? Make sure your publication is creative and that it’s working effectively.

Hugs, Wendy Maynard, your friendly marketing maven

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Because I run a business that involves graphic and web designers (Kinesis), I want to share some information links that designers may find helpful. They are about how to build, design, and code a blog.

First, there’s this great article about building a blog by Peter Flaschner, a Toronto-based designer. It’s called “How I Almost Became Cool”. He also wrote an entry about Blog Layout. Here’s what he says, which I love:

Plump, ripe fruit. Ready for the picking.

We’ve gone from 8 million to 9 million blogs in the blink of an eye. 40,000 new blogs a day. Sure, most of them suck. Many will never get past the “testing testing 123” stage. But if only 1% are good sites with business aspirations, that’s 400 new blogs a day, 12,000 new blogs a month, and 146,000 a year. All of these blogs will need to be professionally designed. Do you see where I’m going with this?

The more professionally designed blogs there are, the more important design on the blogosphere [shudder] becomes. In other words, the more of my fellow designers I can convince to compete with me at The Blog Studio, the more work there will be for all of us.

Here’s another article by Andrei Herasimchuk and Donna Driscoll about Interface Design. And, one more by Veerle Pieters about Designing a CSS-based template.

Yes, they are techy articles. And no, they aren’t for everyone. However, the foundation of having a blog that sets you apart is the content management system AND the design.

Do you think the design of a blog is as important as the content?

Hugs, Wendy Maynard, your friendly marketing maven

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What are you currently reading? Make sure you include career-propelling books on your reading list. There are so many informative and inspiring books out there that there’s no excuse for not having one on hand at all times.

I am an avid reader and usually have about 6 or 7 books open next to my nightstand and on my desk at any given time. Right now, I am on Chapter 15 of Jack Canfield’s “The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.” Amazing information, tips, and motivational stories! The book tells the tales of many different people who have followed the path to success.

Whether it is a website, an article, or a book, read more to learn more to earn more. Every bit of knowledge you glean from an expert is another tool you can incorporate into your bag of tricks. When the time is right and you have a client is in need, you have one more thing to offer.

Expert authors are writing books to HELP you succeed. They want you to excel. So, put new ideas into practice every day and you’ll find you are becoming an expert too. Eventually, you will find yourself writing your own book for others to read.

Hugs, Wendy Maynard, your friendly marketing maven

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This is an interesting read by Michael Kanellos at CNET. The article is How To Get Your Name in The Paper. Sometimes it can seem impossible, but he gives this fun tip:

Every day is a new day. Reporters have about the same attention span as a house cat. It’s one of the true joys of the job. While some projects may take days or even weeks, most assignments fall on your desk that morning and are gone by midafternoon. Most of us have difficulty remembering what we did two days ago.

Therefore, think of your news pitch or product as a rubber mouse. Dangle it out there early (between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m., before the news meeting) and try to fill someone’s calendar. If it fails, you can always try again with slightly different bait tomorrow.

I encourage you to read the article. And, let me know if you have any additional tips for getting media coverage.

Hugs, Wendy Maynard, your friendly marketing maven

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No matter what role you play in your business, becoming a more effective listener will help you in your job. It means fewer errors, improved accuracy, and improved working relationships. And, listening to your customers will definitely help you in your marketing efforts.

Contrary to what many people think, being an effective listener is not a passive activity. It takes concentration, effort, and active attention. You respond both verbally and non-verbally to the person who is speaking. Here are some ideas to help you hone your listening skills:

1. Don’t Talk. This may seem self-evident. However, many people listen with impatience. They are just waiting for their chance to speak, or worse yet they interrupt. Be courteous and give your listener your full attention.

2. Listen Fully. A good listener looks interested in what the speaker is saying. Your body language speaks volumes. Maintain eye contact, sit still, lean slightly toward the speaker, and nod your head (but not too vigorously or you’ll look like a chicken!).

3. Ask Clarifying Questions. Wait for the speaker to pause, and ask clarifying questions. It’s a good idea to paraphrase what the speaker has said and to ask questions such as, “Did you mean…” or “If I understand correctly, you said…”

4. Provide Feedback. The speaker will appreciate the occasional “I see…” or “Really?” or “I know!”

5. Keep Your Mind Open. The point of listening is to gain new information. Don’t just search for a point that supports your own opinions. Be willing to gain new insights and learn about someone else’s ideas.

It takes time and energy to become a better listener. Be patient. As you begin to improve your listening skills, you may be surprised to find people will seek you out. Attentive listening is a rare skill that people respect and welcome.

ACTION ITEM: This week, concentrate on your listening skills. Do you finish sentences for others? Do you interrupt? Do you sneak looks at your watch? Pay attention to your listening habits and begin to bring conscious attention to improving these skills.

Have a great day!

Hugs, Wendy Maynard, Your Friendly Marketing Maven

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I want to write a longer article on this subject, but for now a quick entry. A Flash or a mixed Flash/HTML website can be a beautiful, graphic-rich solution for certain businesses. However, as a a person who helps our clients with online marketing, I have been a bit stumped on the dilemma of search-engine ranking for Flash websites since Spiders index HTML not graphics (it’s changing a bit, but not very quickly). However, I would like to point to the SYNLawn website and their accompanying blog as a brilliant solution.

Bob Bly posted this question on his website: “In particular, I’m looking for examples of businesses – OTHER than ad-supported blogs, blogging consultants, marketing consultants, and PR firms – who are using blogs successfully as a marketing tool.”

My response:

Hi Bob, Came across the SYNLawn blog in the process of doing some research for one of my clients. One of the things that I think is particularly effective about this blog: The main site for SYNlawn is wholly Flash and quite beautiful. However, that obviously creates some serious limitations for SEO. With the blog as part of the site, it is a perfect complement to allow HTML and keywords to be incorporated into it without compromising Flash. My design team loves Flash and as a marketer, I have been concerned about some of its limitations for online marketing. This is a nice compromise.

And then I received an e-mail from Chadwick Cole, the VP of Marketing at SYNLawn. He thanked me and said the following:

With regards to the blog portion of our site, you were dead on with our thinking when we decided to go that route. It has helped tremendously! We have a product that much be shown — people want to see it and interact with it as much as possible. Knowing that, we knew we had to create an interactive Flash site full of rich photography and examples. However, we also knew we needed to get more information out there and make it easy for the search engines to find. Hence, the SYNLawn news weblog.

Since we started doing it in March it has moved our site up the ranks of many search results pages. By doing that, the blog is responsible for about 65% of the traffic to our main site (based on April statistics). We highly recommend this strategy to anyone producing a marketing site. Even if you don’t do a Flash site, a company marketing blog is an excellent tool. It allows you to approach your target audience on a more personal level and people just respond to the information.

Very interesting and helpful I hope to those of you who are looking for this type of solution for your business or a client.

If you feel like commenting on any successes you have had on using Blogs witha Flash site, I would love to hear from you!

Hugs, Wendy Maynard, your friendly marketing maven

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