Tag Archives: carol naff

Marketing: Develop a sticky elevator speech

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Be very clear about what you do and offer. Make it short so it sticks. It is impossible to remember a long description. Make certain that you stand out with a creative description.

Marketing Coach Carol Naff

Stand out in with a sticky introduction

There are many mistakes people make in a 30-second commercial. A few of these are to say a title, a consultant, or what you sell. But the biggest mistakes are to say, “It is hard to explain.” or “How much time do you have?” Several years ago while networking, that is the response someone gave me when I asked him what he did. He then proceeded to give me a big packet of information to read so I could understand what he did. I had just met him. Why would I spend time reading a packet of information? Then I had to carry around that packet all morning. Did I ever read that information packet? You know the answer.

Just as the title suggests, we have only 30 seconds to elicit a response. You want to be appropriate, credible, intriguing, specific, and very brief (under 3.5 seconds). Not really 30 seconds but it is best said in seven words or less. Sell the benefits of what you do, not the features or process. The goal is to spark a subconscious interest in the other person so they will ask: “How do you do that?”

What is your sticky elevator pitch?

Marketing: Network with ideal clients at events

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Carol Naff, Marketing Coach

Networking bridge

Not every person you meet is a prospect but nearly every person you meet can be a valuable part of your network. While networking, connect with more than just your prospects. You are seeking referral partners, potential alliance partners, and perhaps even peers or colleagues that are potential partners on large projects. Try to meet business owners for referring to prospects that are not a good fit for you. Identify your niche and clearly describe them so people can refer to you. Carefully choose where you spend your time. If you are not getting referrals or clients from your networking, then it is time to identify your niche and where you can find them. Also, identify the people who would be strong alliances in your field and seek them out. Those are the people who will refer clients to you and possibly partner at events with you. The most valuable person in your network is not the person who buys from you; it is the person who refers to you.

Marketing: Make a good impression

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Be happy to meet everyone

First impressions are worth a thousand words. Your impression determines how you are perceived as a successful business professional. It also determines if someone will build a relationship with you.

Be intentional about what you are communicating non-verbally. Pay particular attention to dressing professionally and acting that way, too.  Practice self-awareness and monitor your body language and facial expressions. That’s where the mirror comes into play. Positive facial expressions and body language are contagious and attractive. Avoid crossing your arms, frowning, scowling, and using other negative facial expressions. Recently, I toured the Denver Art Museum. It was quite obvious which kids were not enjoying themselves by the scowl on their faces. Make sure you are projecting the right image.

Maintain an open posture and upbeat expression. Watch your body positioning and never close the circle. This means, always keep an open spot for others to join your conversation. If you are speaking to just one person, stand in front of them at an angle so there is a space to welcome someone else into your conversation.

Marketing: Network your way to success

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When you meet just one potential alliance partner at an event, you hit the jackpot. A great networking event is Creative Connections on MeetUp. We meet on the first Friday of every month at the Innovation Pavilion in Centennial, CO. If you are in a creative industry, please come and meet other creatives. Network your way to success. Here’s another tip:

Enjoy networking

Set a goal for the event
It is so much easier to just hang out with people you know. However, the more connections you make, the more potential opportunities you have to develop future business transactions. When you set a goal of how many business owners you want to meet, you have an incentive to circulate and meet as many people as possible. Remember this is not a time for selling. This is an opportunity to plant some seeds and learn how you can help people you encounter. It is a time to offer to help introduce them to someone they want to meet or send them a helpful article.

Marketing: Positive Strategies to Network Your Way to Success

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Let's Network

Let’s Network

Networking is one of the best strategies for meeting future clients, prospects, alliance partners, and new friends. Marketing Coach Carol Naff uses the most effective and up-to-date networking techniques to help you reach your marketing goals.

It is well-known that many people do not like to network. Many people think it is a waste of time because they are not achieving the results they want. Therefore, it is important to learn the most effective techniques of networking so mutual relationships are created to benefit both sides in growing and prospering in business.

As Carol’s client, Anne Randolph, said, “Networking is now fun and so much more effective when I apply the techniques Carol taught me.” You can learn how to make the most of every networking event if you use these tips. These powerful tips will raise your level of success and assure productive use of your time in building business partners through networking. A new tip will be published each week here on my blog and will be sent in Carol’s Business Building Tips enews. Register at Marinerco.com to receive the enews.

Learn the difference between networking and selling

Networking is not sales. Networking is meeting people to develop relationships that may lead to future clients, alliance partners, or new friends. Sales tactics come in when you’ve established a need for your services or products. A networking event is never a place for sales. As a matter of fact, people are going to avoid you if you sell at a networking event. When someone expresses an interest, offer to send them an article or set an appointment to meet with them. An exception to selling at events is where businesses have booths and are selling products and services. The participants came there to learn about the products and services being offered. If you have a booth, be sure to collect names and contact information so you can follow-up with them. Remember it takes 7-12 touches to make a sale. These are not networking events; they are trade shows.

Strategy: Send a quick enewsletter to people you meet to stay in touch. Constant Contact is very reliable and a good resource. In addition, as a Constant Contact Certified Expert, I’ll help you set up your template to get started quickly. Use this link to get started at Constant Contact.

Easy steps to getting your articles read

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Revise and Proofread Your Articles

Marketing Coach Carol Naff

Gutting your articles

Searching for information should not resemble panning for gold. Your readers don’t want to wade through verbose sections of text to find the golden nuggets of information and won’t when more information is readily available.

Stop wasting your efforts with the won’t audiences! After all, what’s the point in writing articles if your articles aren’t read? Get readers engaged… read more

When writing articles, be sure to use them for multiple purposes. Post them online at various websites including ezinearticles.com, your social media sites, and most importantly, send them to your clients and prospective clients so they can read your articles, too. This will continue to build your reputation as an expert. Start sending a quick enewsletter to the people you meet to stay in touch. Constant Contact is very reliable and a good resource. They are offering a 30% discount until the end of June. In addition, as a Constant Contact Certified Expert, I’ll help you set up your template and get started quickly.

Virtually climb Mount Everest

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EverestMicrosoft is teaming up with GlacierWorks to launch Everest: Rivers of Ice, an interactive website that lets you explore the areas around the world’s tallest mountain. Built entirely in HTML5, Rivers of Ice contains gigapixel panoramas that capture life in the Himalayas, and depict the daunting task for mountaineers wishing to climb 29,000 feet. The site launches in honor of the 60th anniversary since Sir Edmund Hillary’s first successful summit, and the 50th anniversary of the first American to successfully summit Mount Everest. David Breashears, a mountaineer and filmmaker, who became the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest twice, founded GlacierWorks as a nonprofit that’s designed to highlight the changes to the Himalayan glaciers. While there’s a debate whether they’re melting or not, Rivers of Ice includes comparative photography and high resolution imagery to let you make your own mind up about climate change.

Read the full story at The Verge.

Choose to be happy

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Marketing Coach

Wildly exuberant people

Many people spend their lives waiting to be happy. You may say to yourself, “if only I had more money,” or “more time,” or you fill in the blank, then I would be happy. Well, here’s a secret: you can be happy right now. It’s not always easy, but you choose to be happy. In the vast majority of circumstances there’s no one who can stop you except  yourself.

The truth is, happiness doesn’t come from wealth, perfect looks, or even a perfect relationship. Happiness comes from within. This is why, if you truly want to be happy, you need to work on yourself, first.

Read the article published on HungryforChange.tv by Dr. Mercola here at 22 Habits of Happy People

16 Ways to Use Pinterest for PR

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Marketing Coach using Pinterest

Marketing with PR and Pinterest

The most popular social media site is getting pooh-poohed by many marketing experts. What they don’t know is how to use it for PR. These images and photos on Pinterest drive traffic to your website. Are your photos conveying your brand? Are they exciting, colorful, interesting, pertinent, relevant, repined, or dull, sedate, boring, and ignored?

Read this article and implement just one or two ideas each day for marketing and pr. PR Daily

Marketing Coach: Make time to build relationships

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Marketing Coach, Carol Naff

Plant seeds for growing relationships

Adopt a mindset that building relationships is part of your job and development. Is this a mind shift that you need to make? Do you eliminate your marketing activities when you get too busy?

No matter what you do, building relationships should be part of your development planning and marketing strategies. Anywhere from 5-10% of your work week should be dedicated to building relationships. If you are growing your business and want more clients, then 50% or more of your time should be used to network and cultivate the seeds of alliances. If you’re too busy and heads down in your work or always spending every day in your office, it’s time to take a different view. Now is the time to do the activities that result in more clients. It is just like the person who is hunting for a job. Often they spend all their time at their computer sending resumes that don’t result in the desired outcome. Then blame the economy and everything else for their failure. Seek the help you need to become successful. We would all be millionaires if we could learn it at a seminar or from reading a book.

Set realistic goals and make sure that you make the calls to reach them. Then track your results. If you need to reach more people to realize your income goals, then make sure that you increase your goals and get out there regularly.