Thursday, March 28, 2013

Tip: A Better Way To Target B2B Prospects



One thing I’ve discovered is a simple pattern that every business founder should consider before selling anybody.
Is to understand what business model you are in and what business model are your buyers in. Are you a Solution Based, Commodity Based, or Strategically Based? Are prospects a Solution Based, Commodity Based, or Strategically Based?

Solution Based: Your drive is to approach buyers that have the problems that you have the expertise to solve. So in this particular approach, your solutions could be a premium due to your uniqueness. When you provide a solution to a problem with not many competitors or alternatives.
  1. Develop your list of prospects based on whether they have a problem, need, ability to buy, authorities and or any other criteria you want.
  2. Start with someone within the company you can connect with and could be an advocate by doing everything you can do to warm up the lead.
  3. You can then call to set an initial meeting.
  4. Know all the obvious stuff about the organization. So when you meet, you focus on the questions to uncover and identify the problem the contact is facing.
  5. Develop the solution that best solves the clients situation.
  6. Stay in contact and keep adding value.
Commodity Based: When selling to a client in a commodity industry or whose margin are razor thin and operates from a volume selling or budgeted money. Be prepared to keep your own cost reasonable and your proposal reasonable.
Most volume selling businesses like retail might gravitate to the lowest priced provider. If you meet their criteria, low price wins the day. However you might be able to add value and charge a higher price.

Strategically Based: Is a combination of many forms. Almost like a shape-shifter. You allocated certain resources towards the pursuit of solution based, higher margin, businesses and doing the same for commodity based. It’s simply planning tactics and allocating resources.  So approaching a company in this area requires you to  know what you are selling and it’s perceived market value.


*Emmanuel Omikunle, BJ Mannyst + Founders Under 40 would love to hear your thoughts






Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Founders, Do You Know Your Leadership Style?




*Written by a different author
In the book “Primal Leaders,” Daniel  describes six different styles of leadership. The most effective leaders can move among these styles, adopting the one that meets the needs of the moment. They can all become part of the leader’s repertoire.


Visionary. This style is most appropriate when an organization needs a new direction. Its goal is to move people towards a new set of shared dreams. “Visionary leaders articulate where a group is going, but not how it will get there – setting people free to innovate, experiment, take calculated risks,” write Mr. Goleman 


Coaching. This one-on-one style focuses on developing individuals, showing them how to improve their performance, and helping to connect their goals to the goals of the organization. Coaching works best, Mr. Goleman writes, “with employees who show initiative and want more professional development.” But it can backfire if it’s perceived as “micromanaging” an employee, and undermines his or her self-confidence.

Monday, March 25, 2013

The Five Lessons of Copywriting Like Dr. Seuss

 

  1. Good writing not only speaks to the reader, it involves the reader. When Geisel first signed with Houghton Mifflin, the director of the publisher’s education division said that the children’s book market was current lacking. The publisher wanted Geisel to write a book that “first graders couldn’t put down.” Up until that time children had largely been subjected to the Dick and Jane books, which were not a bunch of fun. So what was the product of Houghton Mifflin’s challenge? The Cat in the Hat. The lesson here? That the voice used in writing is everything. And that if you try something different—something engaging and entertaining— people are likely to take notice. This applies to B2B and B2C copy as much as it does to the message delivered in a children’s book.
  2. Good writing gets to the point. When you think of Dr. Seuss you might automatically think that the writing is a bunch of fluff. This couldn’t be further from the truth. For instance, the entirety of The Cat in the Hat only comprises 225 words (that’s a lot less than this blog post, I’ll tell you that. As of this word, I am at 367). Moreover, Green Eggs and Ham only has a total of 50 different words. Now think about how this compares to your copywriting. If you are operating under the idea that “we need to make sure we hit the 500 word mark because that is what the gods at Google want to see,” you might be adding words that are pointless, distract a reader or dilute your message.
  3. Good writing is captivating. Each of us has been sold to at some point in our lives via persuasive and thought provoking copy. Dr. Seuss was a true master in the art of getting an important point across in a powerful way that spoke directly to a reader. For example, think about the Grinch. Here was a character hell bent on destroying Christmas by stealing presents. This book first appealed to and identified with the reader’s mass consumerism and then provided that same reader with an alternate solution: that Christmas is about the feeling it inspires, not the size of the haul under the tree. “Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!” This message spoke directly to the audience and it approached the topic of mass consumerism in a different way. The same holds true for The Lorax and that book’s take on environmentalism. The writing is compelling, it is memorable and it inspires action. In today’s Internet-driven world, this would be the type of copy that would be shared, liked and turned into a YouTube video. Employ this copywriting tactic and separate yourself from the herd.
  4. Good writing sticks with you. How many of us can recite Green Eggs and Ham from memory? What about Oh, the Places You’ll Go? “Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!” It might not be something that we think about, but these words are burned on our brain and we can summon them on demand. Just think about your favourite book. Why is it your favourite? Yes, the story hooked you, but if the writing wasn’t fantastic you would have forgotten it after you finished it. I know I have been there, considering a book on my shelf and knowing that I had read it but cannot remember what it was about. It might have had a storyline that entertained me while I was reading, but there was nothing special about the writing to make it live in my head. This also applies to copywriting and, if you can bring it home when writing about your product or service, it will stick with your clients and they will remember to come back to your website or hang on to your brochure.
  5. Good writing puts the written word on a pedestal. I think that this is probably the most important lesson Dr. Seuss taught me: that the written word should be celebrated. I know many people might consider this point and be confused about how they can turn their corporate-speak copy into entertaining prose, but it can be done. This is where you have to think outside-of-the-box. Throw away the boardroom buzzwords and think about what you would say to a client to get them excited about your brand. Don’t just tell a prospective customer what you think they need to hear about your company; tickle their fancy, inspire them, involve their imagination and paint a picture with words. Celebrate the written word, don’t treat it like an employee; it’s your partner, your salesperson, your muse.

*Written by Amanda C

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Emmanuel Omikunle & Team are Growing


If you are reading this blog. Thank You. If I’ve serve you or your business in anyway, Thank You.
I hope we are providing useful tips, insights, inspiration to help business owners and business founders across the world.

I’ve being blessed with many rewarding and pleasurable purposes. 
Due to our continues growth and initiatives, we might incorporate some commercial energy education and management tips. 


As you all know electricity and gas are the blood of businesses around the world. We’ve just being presented with an opportunity to assist businesses with their energy cost and possibly provide peace of mind.

I want to personally thank you all, I welcome your thoughts because I know there are times others might see things differently.

Again, Thank You
***
For Vision: http://www.foundersunder40.com
For great marketing ideas: http://mblog.bjmannyst.com

Join Us On.
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***MARKETING SOLUTIONS: https://home.bjmannyst.com
 
Thank You









Thursday, March 21, 2013

What is Marketing Automation?

 

Marketing automation is to automate the repetitive process of marketing communications. Instead of manual time consuming processes, Marketing Automation tools enable you in creating sophisticated, efficient and attractive marketing campaigns. These systems enhance the planning and deployment of marketing campaigns to generate better leads and profits as compare to any manual marketing processes. This supporting technology is the optimization of all complex and time consuming marketing activities i.e. lead management, campaign planning & execution and CRM integration. A typical marketing automation solution contains the following functionalities:

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Tips to Get CEOs to Read Your Email


Seven great tips on how you can ensure that your emails will get noticed.
  1. Subject lines: Remember that only 20 percent to 40 percent of your emails will actually get opened, though most of your subject lines will be seen. To boost your open rates, think of short, catchy, and informative subject lines. You should try to dangle compelling information ("The future of sales emails"), and you can even try adding some mystery ("Strange question"). We also recommend personalized subject lines, if possible ("Hunter Sullivan suggested I contact you").]
  2.  Your tone: Portray yourself as someone that other people can connect to. You'll want to show your recipients that you care about hearing back from them... so you can't simply sound like you're just sending another mass email. Never use "Dear sir or Madam," and stay away from overly formal language.
  3.  Email content: Make your emails short, simple, and easy to quickly digest. Your leads are busy people with jobs, too, so you need to maintain their interest. Do your research and find out what resonates for your prospects. Try to get an introduction to them or, if that's not possible, figure out in more detail what they or their company do. Tell them why you're emailing them, specifically. Talk about how you can solve a problem for them.
  4. Your sign off: End your emails with a definitive, clear call to action. Make it dead simple for your recipients to say yes—whether it's to a meeting, phone call, or product demo. Don't ask them for permission. If you want a phone call, then say "Call me right now at X for more details."
  5. Your timing: Reach out to your leads when they're not too busy. Make sure you avoid heavy traffic times like Monday mornings. Based on our tracking data, we recommend the middle of the week, mid-day, as the best time to send emails.
  6. Your image: First impressions are important both in person and online. The tone and formatting of your email is all your recipients have to judge you by. Make sure you are being professional, clear, and easy to understand. Stay away from over-formatted emails that look gimmicky, but don't hesitate to call out important information in bold or bullet points.
  7. Your homework: Send yourself a sales email. Put yourself in your leads' shoes. If you were them, would you open this email? Would you spend more than two seconds reading it? If so, what would you do next?
*Written by a another author
Thursday, March 14, 2013

Your Service Start-up or Growing Business Needs a Marketing Partner

If you value your brand, customers, idea, most importantly your business, you should put in the effort to work with marketing partners that you can collaborate with . 
A lot of times many organization will work with anyone and eventually regret their experience with them. And most often begin to question the real value of all Marketing advisers, and business consultants.  So I and the team at BJ Mannyst (bjmannyst.com) put together some suggestions to make sure you know what you're getting before you start.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

What if Burger King Paid to Be Hacked

The fast food giant’s Twitter account was hijacked for over an hour and defaced to a point, that McDonalds seemed to be behind it. But what if for a marketing stunt, they paid someone to hack their account.

We live in a crazy competitive digital world were many companies would use any methods or tactics to achieve what ever they desire. To get free media attention, to get pity, to get attention, to get free stuff.

It seems we are hearing more about social media accounts being hacked. I would like to hear your thoughts about how to deal with a nightmare like this.

Like they say, bad publicity can help. Since the hacking, Burger King has gained over 15,000 followers and counting.

So the message here is pay someone to deface your twitter account, leak it to the media, wait hours to suspend the account, and gain new followers.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

How to Biz Dev Your Way to Start-up Funding

 
 1. Determine your funding round
First, figure out what size round you need to help determine if you will go after friends and family, bank loans, angel investors, venture capitalists, or private equity shops. Develop your finance roadmap by calculating how much investment you will need to achieve each milestone and then targeting a range of investment rounds. Your financial plan should include a bottom-up projection for cash flow, high-level income statement, and balance sheet.


Don’t stick with the most optimistic plan; play around with your assumptions for different outcomes based on different inputs. And take your desired rate of growth into consideration: If you want to accelerate growth, you’ll need a larger investment. As any entrepreneur knows, you will almost always wind up spending more money than you initially thought you would. So make sure you plan for enough funds to take you at least six to 12 months beyond your current milestone.


2. Choose your business financing type
There are two kinds of business financing: debt and equity. Determine which is the best option based on your current situation and future business goals.


  • Debt financing: If you’re looking for cash for the short term, debt financing may be your best bet. In this scenario, you borrow money and agree to pay it back, with interest, within a given time frame. Debt could be traditional debt, typically tied to an AR line of credit, inventory, or, if it’s a working capital line of credit, to revenue and profit. Or debt may be venture debt — though that more typically comes after you have already raised some venture capital.
  • Equity financing: Equity financing is more of a long-term strategy. For equity financing, you sell a part of your company for cash. If your company succeeds, your investor gets a nice return on their investment (much greater than an interest rate would return). If your company fails, the investment is lost. The question is, how much of your company are you willing to trade-in for a cash infusion? Instead of having to pay money back for loan repayments, you can use the extra cash to invest back into your business for accelerated growth.

3. Build your value proposition
This is much more than just a biz dev to-do, of course. But, when the time comes to seek funding, you better make sure there is some market problem/pain-point that is crying out for your solution. If you can’t convince an investor that you can solve a problem, how are you going to convince potential customers?


4. Time it right
You can try to fight the market, but you’re going to lose every time. Understanding where the market is in its life cycle will help you figure out how to time your pitch. Admittedly, there is no magical formula for timing your product/concept; there’s a large element of luck (and instinct) at work. But there are actions you can take to improve your timing.
  • Stay on top of your industry. From this vantage point, you’ll be better positioned to ride the trends. With endless access to social media, there’s no excuse for not being up-to-date. In other words, don’t try to pitch your new big data concept to a VC if the bubble just burst on this sector.
  • Calculate and manage TTM (time to market). Even if you can’t control the overall market, you can control your TTM by establishing product development processes. With improved time to market, you’ll be better positioned to take advantage of market opportunities and you’ll earn greater revenue over the product life cycle. Investors will also place more confidence in your company if you demonstrate your awareness of TTM.

5. Find your fit
Investment firms tend to have a clear focus, either on a given industry, sector, or company stage. When you pitch to a firm with experience in your niche, you don’t need to waste time on education; instead, you can focus on selling, highlighting your business model, and competitive advantage within your industry.


6. Do your due diligence
You want to do your due diligence on your own company to make sure your business is in order. But you also need to do your due diligence on potential investors, prior to reaching out to them. Attend “Meet the VC” events and work your network for insider information about potential investors. What kind of deals is your investor in the market for? What is their funding timeline? What types of companies do they have in their portfolio? How will your company add value to their business? When you know the answers to these questions, it’s time to make contact.


7. Target key players
If you have chosen to go the route of VC or angel investors, identify your key targets. Read VC blogs and follow key targets on Twitter; also check out which boards and panels potential VCs sit on. Based on their blogs and where they are active, you can find out key information: Who are they? What makes them tick? Business is people and investments are about more than money.


8. Tap into the ecosystem
It’s not enough to get a good banker or lawyer or accountant or insurance broker on board. You need to pick service providers who will do more than provide a service. Think of service providers as professional partners.
For example, if your sector is clean tech, are there specific lawyers with a list of clean tech clients? Funded clean tech clients? If so, they can help provide more than legal support. Anyone you work with or who works for you should live and breathe within your ecosystem — and if they have key connections to VCs and angel investors, all the better!


9. Work your network
Business development is all about connections. Work your existing network and continually seek out ways to expand it. Identify key connectors within your community. Reach out to other CEOs and executives at companies that have already been funded. Then ask for introductions.


10. Persist
The last step to getting funded is also the first: Persistence. We’ve all heard the myth of the start-up that laid the golden egg, but getting funded requires more than luck. It requires research, hard work, and tenacity. Rinse, repeat.
Business development is a way to step outside your business to further it. So too is the pursuit of funding.
*Written by a different author David Ehrenberg












Monday, March 4, 2013

How long does it take to see ROI from marketing?

Every founder and management without a marketing background sometimes think marketing’s purpose is to not add value to the bottom-line. So in times of economy slow down, businesses cut back on marketing budget. 

Which is upsetting because without some marketing you are declaring that you are nothing significant and should be ignored.
  • Without some marketing you will be wondering around trying to cater to anybody.
  • The ROI of marketing can be in the form of either intangible or tangible or both.
  • Marketing is an ongoing marathon which means it’s a series of initiatives that builds on top of previous marketing efforts. 
  • Most times great ROI is truly dependent on your budget, quality of marketing plan, and the efficiency & effectiveness of your execution.
  • A dollar on marketing today doesn’t guarantee any thing tomorrow however it can increase your chances of getting a great ROI from your business plus marketing can differentiate you from the crowd.
  • If P&G, IBM, Coca-Cola, BMW, are willing to spend millions on marketing and still be profitable, I’m sure there’s a huge benefit to marketing.
Saturday, March 2, 2013

How to Embrace Disruptive A%#^#&s & The Coming Digital Leaps







The young a$#%&^#s who sits in Starbucks plotting a way to challenge your comfortable precious cash cow business. Sure you might like to put a hit on that next Mark Zurkerberg. Or the current businesses like Amazon,who think you should be a show room. But why not just be the one that disrupts your own business.



This tip is for those businessmen and women in traditional industries and current tech businesses who think all this technology and social change is a big f#$%% pain.

Manny's 18 Laws of Humble Brand Management - Shared BJ Mannyst

If you don't want to end up like Nortel Networks, RIM, Polaroid, or Sony, etc. Learn how to manage your brands better using the Manny's 18 laws of humble brand management. (Founder of Founders Under 40™ Group)

Everyday you see great companies gradually growing to superpowers only to forget why they exist.  Only to lose focus. Sony once drove innovation. They were the Apple of the 90's. Everyone looked to Sony for cool technology now many don't consider them a major player. 

To help myself and my fellow founders, I've developed some tips for managing your brands. These are great tips for many aspiring brand managers or founders.  

 

1. Never believe you are invisible. 

2. Never believe you will always be desired forever, coco-cola however has done a good job. 

3. Never believe you will always continue to be powerful forever. 

4. Never believe you cannot change or reinvent yourself.

5. Never take an ounce of success for granted.

6. Never become arrogant.

7. Never disrespect the people who feed you or think they are fools.

8. Never shut down an idea or suggestion no matter how crazy the idea or person.

9. Never get too comfortable.

10. Never forget your past and what you stand for.

11. Never ever stop listening.

12. Never be closed minded.

13. Never lose your purpose, passion, vision and imagination.

14. Never lose your action.

15. Never stop keeping it simple.

16. Never be too in love with your brands.

17. Never stop showing your appreciation.

18. Never abuse your power or influence.

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