Market Yourself as The expert

As a small business how do you compete with the big guys and their big budget advertising campaign? The big guys don't read this magazine so we can share these low budget yet high-impact marketing secrets with you.

Use these tips to market yourself as the expert in your field.

1. Write tips sheets - for your clients, prospects and the media.
2. Write and publish articles in magazines, newsletters and newspapers.
3. Write letters to the editor expressing opinions, advice and clarification.
4. Publish your own newsletter.
5. Write a book - the best way to be seen as the expert.
6. Send out regular news releases.
7. Be interviewed by the press.
8. Sponsor a contest or award.
9. Make speeches to service clubs and associations.
10. Offer information seminars to prospects and clients.
11. Stay informed and leading edge on your area of expertise.
12. Offer your clients extra 'free advice from the expert'.
13. Earn designations and awards from your industry or trade associations.
14. Seek out the top experts in your field - know and get known by them.
15. Act, sound and feel like the expert you want to be - confidence is powerful.
16. Find a mentor you admire who can help you and make introductions.
17. Seek out leaders in other businesses to trade ideas and do joint promotions with - we judge you by who you hang around with.

Why market yourself as the expert? Clients come to you and you can charge more money.

Excerpted from the national bestseller, Secrets of Power Marketing.



George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing Get your free copy of "50 Power Marketing Ideas" Power Marketing on FaceBook Marketing Zoo on Twitter

Hand Written Notes – the Original Social Media

More Personal Than Digital Media

It’s impossible to ignore the Social Media crusade. Perhaps you received business through Social Media contacts and activity. I admit that I’ve made interesting new contacts, renewed old friendships and generated business through social media.

However, I’ve received a lot more business and recognition from sending hand written notes. The two best messages to send via hand written note are thank you and congratulations. Thank you for your business, help, referral, testimonial, patience, gift…

Congratulations on your achievement, recognition, new venture, milestone… The prompting for the note could be personal or business.

Here’s why you might consider sending hand written notes.

Your note will stand out which means it will be noticed and remembered. Very few people are sending hand written notes so you will be different from the rest.

The open and read rate is much higher than for email or other avenues of digital messaging. Most people will promptly and eagerly open the envelope to see what the note says.

It’s low tech, which means that it’s simple to do and easy to follow through. You don’t need to register for expensive classes on how to use this tool or hire consultants to do it for you.

It’s your handwriting. What could be more personalized than that? There’s character in your handwriting that can never be captured by Arial or Times Roman. It doesn’t matter if your handwriting is sloppy as long as it is legible. The secret is to slow down when you write that note.

It’s handwritten so people realize that it’s personal and written from you to them – one-to-one. We never really know about your digital messages. They could be mass messaging or cut-and-paste.

Opening the envelope and holding the note, is tactile which means that it stimulates an underused sense.

This marketing device will never be hijacked by Google or Facebook. You could order custom printed stationary or you could buy a package of plain note cards and envelopes.

The next step for you is to make it a daily or at least weekly habit to send notes to clients, prospects, associates, staff and other contacts.

© George Torok is co-author of the bestselling, Secrets of Power Marketing. It’s the guide to personal marketing for the non-marketer and published in seven countries. Get your free copy of “50 Power Marketing Ideas” at www.PowerMarketing.ca

George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing  
Get your free copy of "50 Power Marketing Ideas" Power Marketing on FaceBook Marketing Zoo on Twitter

Networking Virus

Did you spread or catch a virus at your networking meeting?

If I have a cold or the flu I can give it to you by touching you. Shaking hands is enough to spread the common cold or the uncommon flu.

If I cough in your direction would you be offended? You would be justified because many viruses are airborne.

You probably don’t want my disease. You might be annoyed if I was aware of my disease and still spread it to you. You probably know that carriers of AIDS can be criminally charged for having unprotected sex. Spreading colds and flu might not be a criminal offense yet but many of us could act more responsibly.

We know how colds and other viruses are spread but people still spread them.

At a national conference I observed:

An individual vigorously shake hands with everyone at our table then mention that he had a bad cold. Why didn’t he simply announce his cold and not shake hands? We would have understood and appreciated his thoughtfulness. Instead he demonstrated how thoughtless he was.

The president of the association coughed into his right hand – the one he shakes other victims’ hands with. Did he cough because he had a cold? Did he wash or sanitize his right hand before shaking hands with others?

The presenter coughed into his right hand several times during his presentation and mentioned that his voice was bad because he had a cold. Then this sick presenter shook hands with many of the attendees after his presentation. How sick is that?

We know that rats spread the plague. We know the results of SARS. We know the annual effects of colds and flus.

If you have a communicable disease, don’t shake my hand. I won’t be offended. But if you shake my hand when you knowingly are incubating a virus, that would enrage me.
 

After attending a networking event at which some speakers clearly complained about their cold I suffered the ravages of a bad cold over the next few weeks on my European vacation. Those sick people spread their germs before and after their speech. Thank you very much!

Rats spread the plague because they didn't know any better. What’s your excuse?

George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing
Get your free copy of "50 Power Marketing Ideas" Power Marketing on FaceBook Marketing Zoo on Twitter

Networking Tip Video: Collect more Business Cards than...

Giving out business cards is not productive networking. Yes, you should give your business cards and do something else that is more important....



Networking tips from George Torok

George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing
Get your free copy of "50 Power Marketing Ideas" Power Marketing on FaceBook Marketing Zoo on Twitter

How to Promote Brand You - video interview

James Rick interviewing George Torok on the topic of promoting the brand that is you for the Full Potential show.

Enjoy this high energy and insightful 16 minute interview.

FP #174: How to Promote and Make Brand “YOU” Stand Out - George Torok with James Rick from James Rick on Vimeo.

4 Backdoor Secrets to Add More CEOs and Presidents to Your Network

Do you want to meet more business leaders? Would you like to include more presidents, CEOs, and executives in your active network? Imagine how that would help your career and business opportunities.

The first and most difficult step is making first contact. Here are four creative methods that work. I know because I have successfully used every one to connect with CEOs, presidents and senior corporate executives.

Volunteer
Volunteer for a community cause, program or event that you support. It must be something that you believe in because you will then give your best effort without expecting repayment. That’s when you are at your best. This is where you can meet and get to know business leaders. You might volunteer with your daughter’s soccer team, a community center committee or even a political campaign. CEOs and other executives are regular people and they participate in these community activities.

Some volunteer groups require more of your time than others and some will tend to pay off better than others. Rotary International is a good business connector. Hospital boards will introduce you to community and business leaders. The United Way is a popular charity and powerful avenue to build relationships with movers and shakers. These are just a few examples. There are many other volunteer opportunities for you.

When you volunteer, do it for the cause and the leaders will be attracted to you.

Become a Reporter
CEOs, presidents and senior executives talk to reporters because these business leaders want to convey their message to others. Reporters are a means to do that. So you become a part time reporter. How do you do that? First adopt the mind set of a reporter. They are always looking for a story. Reporters will approach anybody to get their story. When they make contact they are not selling anything – they only want a story – so they ask good questions and then they listen well. Can you do that? It’s tough. It’s a skill. It can be learned and it takes practice.

So how do you present yourself as a reporter? You have several options. You offer to research and write an article for your association, a local publication or a school project. CEOs love to talk to students.

When a local business magazine asked me to research and write an article for them I jumped at the opportunity because of the contacts I would make. The editor suggested that I interview half a dozen people for the article. I called 30 local community and business leaders and interviewed 19 of them. Bonus - the magazine paid me for the article.

Another way to become a reporter is to be a radio interviewer. Most college and universities have a radio station run by volunteers. I have hosted the weekly radio show, Business in Motion, at the local university for more than a decade. During that time I have met and interviewed hundreds of business leaders. After the thirty-minute rapport
they like me and remember me. It’s a good start to a profitable relationship.

Arrange a guest speaker
This is a variation of the volunteer role. Be the person to arrange a guest speaker for your club, association or group. The guest speaker is someone that you want to meet. Be very helpful to your guest speaker. After the event, send that person a nice thank you and offer to help them whenever they need you. Then do it again to meet more business leaders.

Award
Give the person an award. This is a variation of the “Arrange a guest speaker technique”. This works best when the award comes from an organization that carries some credibility. Toastmasters International uses this technique to get powerful speakers at their conferences. The award conveys prestige to the award winner and Toastmasters gets a credible speaker to speak for free at their conference. Both the guest speaker and the organization get some quid pro quo. You benefit when you are the person to nominate and contact the award winner. It’s not necessary to get the award winner to speak at your conference but it helps build the relationship.


© George Torok is the co-author of the national bestseller, “Secrets of Power Marketing”. He is the author of “Your Guide to Networking Success”. Get your free copy of “50 Power Marketing Ideas” at http://www.PowerMarketing.ca Find more networking ideas at http://www.BusinessNetworkingTips.net Arrange a speech or media interview by calling 905-335-1997

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5 Tips for Introducing Yourself at Your Networking Meeting

Before you say, “Hello my name is…” read these tips to make a better impression at your next networking meeting.

Networking is a process
It is a sequence of events and touch points with your contacts. It is critical that you follow your networking process. It is also important that you make each touch point count. One of the most common touch points is introducing yourself at the networking meeting.

If you want to make the best impression when you introduce yourself use the following tips to present yourself with greater impact. Be a smart networker by making a positive impression every time you speak.

Drink Water
Before you speak drink water – not coffee and never alcohol. Why? Water lubricates your vocal chords, improves your voice and gives you needed fluids that you lose while speaking. Room temperature water is best. Cool water is acceptable. Avoid ice water because it is harsh on your vocal chords. Avoid dairy products (cheese and milk) because that creates phlegm in your throat which makes you gag and cough. Coffee contains caffeine which might make you more nervous and it is a diuretic that dehydrates you. Alcohol both dehydrates you and clouds your judgment. Stick with water.

Emphasize Your Name
While introducing yourself to one person or a group, emphasize your name, so they hear it, feel the respect you have for your name and remember it. State, "My name is (short pause) George (short pause) Torok (smile)." Say it loud enough to be heard. Most importantly - say it much slower than you normally do and smile.

You know your name so you might get tired of saying it. But there are people at the meeting who don’t know it and you want to be sure that they hear it and remember it.

When someone asks you to repeat your name – don’t be annoyed – be honored and state it proudly (for the millionth time).

Make Your Name Memorable
If your name is unusual, difficult to remember or pronounce, say it extra slow and repeat it, 'Torok'. Help them remember it by adding, it sounds like 'tore - rock.' You might add, It means 'Turk' in Hungarian. Or you can call me 'nickname'.

State a funny word that your name rhymes with or spell it slowly.

When you can have fun with your name people will like you more. If you make people laugh as you explain your name, they will remember you.

Stand and Wait for Everyone's Attention
It’s your turn to stand up and give your 30-second presentation at a networking meeting. Stand up. Look proud. Don’t play with your chair. Pause. Wait until you have everyone's attention before you speak. It might take a few seconds. It might seem like forever. When you speak it makes your information seem more valuable - and they will hear you.

Use Action Verbs
When you are telling people what you do, use action verbs and words that paint pictures of results. Avoid using nouns ending in 'tion'. These used to be action verbs. Don't say, "We are in the telecommunication business." Instead say, “We install and maintain phone systems for small and medium sized business." “We specialize in designing customer friendly systems for busy offices with unique needs.” Use the word 'specialize' – it suggests that you are special.

Networking will pay off for you when you are noticed and remembered. Use these tips to speak well and to be better noticed and remembered at your networking meetings.


© George Torok is the author of “Your Guide to Networking Success”. Find more networking tips at http://www.Business-Networking-Tips.net Connect with George at http://www.facebook.com/PowerMarketing1 To arrange a speech or media interview call 905-335-1997

Get your copy of "Your Guide to Networking Success"

Three Big Lies About Networking - Entrepreneur.com

Three Big Lies About Networking - Entrepreneur.com

Once you know the truth about networking, you can build connections that provide continuous business opportunities.
By Ivan Misner


Ivan Misner is founder and Chairman of BNI, a professional business networking organization headquartered in Upland, Calif. Dubbed the "father of modern networking" by CNN, Misner is a New York Times bestselling author.

Business Networking Tips

Your Guide to Networking Success

Networking Principle: Scratch My Back and I’ll Scratch Yours

The law of reciprocity says that after you do something for me I will feel obligated to pay you back. Say hello and I answer you back. Ask me how I feel and I respond in kind. Hold a door for me to enter and I will thank you and be more inclined to hold it for the next person. This is the most important principle of networking.

Give me a business lead and I’ll start thinking about who I can refer to you. That’s the fundamental principle of business networking.

You can apply this networking law in two ways. You could wait for someone to do you a favor. After they do, you can pay them back. That makes you even. But is your goal to be even?

I suggest that in networking your goal is to be uneven. Not only uneven but to keep increasing the balance of what is owed to you. Every time that you do a favor for someone in your network you write an IOU. They owe you a favor. This is like building your bank account.

Build your bank account of IOUs by doing favors for others in your network. The more favors you hand out, the more people will feel obligated to pay you back. Not everyone will pay you back. Don’t worry about that. Instead realize that if you give out nothing till you get something you might never be out of pocket and your bank account will be zero.

Your networking bank account grows by the number of favors that others owe you. Keep depositing into this bank account because some will pay you back and some will pay back with interest.

How can you use your time wisely so you get the best return on your investment?

Imagine that you attended a networking event, walked around the room and gave everyone a dollar. You told them the dollar is a gift. You told each person that they can keep the dollar as long as they want. If fact they don’t need to return it because it was a gift. If they wish to they are welcome to give the money back to you with or without interest.

That would probably freak a lot of people out. Some would return the money. Some would keep it.

But consider the obligations and goodwill that you would build with every dollar you gave away. The main limitation on you would be your supply of dollars.


Now imagine a similar scenario but instead of giving away dollars you gave away favors – leads, referrals, introductions, advice and news. Now the limitation on investment is removed. You can give an almost unlimited number of favors. The only limitation is in using your time wisely.

Instead of giving out dollars, give more favors and watch your networking bank account and business grow.

Business networking works on the principle that if you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours. Get out there and scratch more backs.


© George Torok is the author of “Your Guide to Networking Success”. Discover how to build a more profitable network in 30 days at
http://www.powermarketing.ca/networking_success.html Find more free networking tips at http://www.Business-Networking-Tips.net To arrange for George Torok to speak to your conference or business team about networking and personal marketing call 905-335-1997


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Your Guide to Networking Success