5 Marketing tips… end of an era… and Obi is 5 months old!

Lots has been going on since I got back from Asia.  Business has been great.  I got a call in late March and was informed that I am on borderline to become one of the top 25 fastest growing distributors (franchisee/businesses) in North America. The award is called “Growth 25” and it goes to the ones who have grown the business the most in the past 12 months and right now I am in the 30s… I was really pumped when I heard the news.  Business has been great and this is icing on the cake.  While other businesses have suffered because of the recession, my business has grown.

I love that my business is RECESSION PROOF!!!

However, in order to finalize winning this award, I have to focus and really make things happen in the next 5 months.  The timing of the notification was perfect since I was working on my business plan and the goals for second quarter 2009.  (yes… can you believe 1st Q is done already?!)

I’ve realized that my “limiting factor” or “weakest link” right now in my business is MARKETING.  Back in 2007, I was strong in marketing and it got me to where I am today.  However, in order to hit gross $5 million USD a year, I’ve realized that I need to ramp up my marketing.  But how?!  I had to go back to what I learned from Brian Tracy and to what I preach…”If you want to double your income in a year, all you have to do is read/study your field for an hour a day”.  So… In the past 4 weeks, I have read some GREAT marketing books.  I have seen immediate results already.  This is what I have been reading:

1) Guerrilla Marketing, 4th edition: Easy and Inexpensive Strategies for Making Big Profits from Your Small Business by Jay Conrad Levinson

2) Guerrilla Multilevel Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson

Currently, I’m reading a GREAT GREAT BOOK.  Hot Button Marketing: Push the Emotional Buttons That Get People to Buy by Barry Feig I wish I read this earlier… (I have applied many things to my business already.  This is a great practical book for any small business or for someone who does sales/marketing)

And on the on-deck circle… waiting to be read next is:
– All Marketers Are Liars: The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low-Trust World by Seth Godin

If you want a complete list of recommended books that I have read in the last 5 1/2 years, you can copy that list HERE.

Here are some marketing tips that I have learned:
1) If you are not marketing your product/business, you will be OUT OF BUSINESS soon
2) You must run marketing campaigns for AT LEAST 6 months to see any results.  If you see results before that, consider yourself “lucky”
3) Most marketing campaigns fail because they quit way too early (before 6 months) and they do not split test. (compare results from different versions of ads)
4) See your marketing dollars as a “blue chip investment”.  People who invest in blue chip stocks don’t expect immediate or fast gains.  Instead they invest for long term steady growth.  That should be your approach to marketing
5) In this day of age, you have to run as many marketing tactics as possible. (for i.e. internet, newspaper, tv, etc).  1 tactic will not cut it

I’m interested in your thoughts about these marketing tips… please comment…

Moving on…

April 4, 2009 was an END to an era… for the past 17 years (since Jan. 1, 1992), I have been writing a diary every day!  I may have missed less than 30 days in the last 17 years.  The diaries have been in notebooks, pads and starting in the late 90s, on Microsoft Word files… It’s kind of sad and I do get a little sentimental about not writing every day.  It takes awhile to get used to not writing… Usually I would spend 5 – 10 minutes before I go to bed each night to reflect on my day and put it on paper.  Sometimes the entries would be short and boring and sometimes it would be pages and pages and take over 30 minutes to do.  I guess I stopped writing it because it got to become one of those things that “I must do” before I go to bed.  Another item on the checklist and sometimes it would even stress me out.  I’ve always said that I would go back and enjoy reading them but I found out that I hardly do that… so… if I never read it, then why bother writing?!  So… on April 4, 2009 I made a huge decision and stopped it.  It will take some time to get used to this.  Man does not like change… and this is a MAJOR CHANGE in my life… perhaps I will write once a week or even once a month to recap some major events… but for now, no more daily writings.

Obi has been growing up fast… EVERYONE LOVES HIM!  He is the “superstar” everywhere he goes.  When you take him to malls, everyone comes up to you.  All my friends and neighbors love him.  When we got Obi, our breeder told me that once you have a Bichon puppy, all the neighbors will come and greet you.  How true!  The funny thing is… when I walk Obi down the street or at the park, all my neighbors will say “Hi Obi!” but they never say hi to me!  They all know Obi’s name but they never even bother to ask for my name!  So much for me being the most popular kid on the block…

Obi is a big part of our family.  He is super well behaved.  I have to thank my friend Nani Vickers from Virginia Beach for giving me great puppy advice.  She told me that she has the best behaved dog in the world because she spent tons of time with her dog when the dog was a puppy… so following that advice, I take Obi to almost everywhere I go. (except the gym and working out)  He is really a big big part of the family and he definitely has lots of love and attention.  I am very strict  (perhaps harsh) to him when he doesn’t behave and I don’t spoil him with food but I definitely spoil him with TONS of attention and love!  Hey, but there’s nothing wrong with that right?!  Nothing makes you happier then when you come home and you see a big cute fluff ball come run at you and give you hugs!!!  We love our Obi and he loves us!

Until next time,

God Bless

Simon