March 18, 2010
Hi Everyone
Businesses should use video in their marketing.
How to do it and what to do with the video is the crucial
element to this post.
By creating relevant videos businesses can increase the visibility of
their products and services and explain, in a visual form, the benefits
of them to their prospects and customers.
One of the best places to place your video is YouTube.
There are many other sites where you can freely upload your video
but those can be tried after you master YouTube.
YouTube receives approximately 100 million plus unique visitors each month. On average these people view around 6.6 billion videos according to research from Nielsen NetView.
YouTube, is now owned by Google. What this means is more than
ever Google loves YouTube.
Because of this any website which has YouTube video embedded in it, stands a massive chance to be indexed high within Google. And this should be the intent of anyone serious about having an on-line presence.
So, what type of video should you make for your business?
The trick here is to gauge your intended audience. If you have a crowd which is analytical and succinct then maybe an educational
type of video is required.
If your crowd is one which needs entertainment then entertain.
So the magic answer is “IT DEPENDS”.
Whatever you do make sure you engage your audience.
The video is not about you. It is about the viewers.
If your business is about selling used cars, take them through your weekly
offerings. You could film various cars in the yard so people can view them
on-line. You could answer questions which normally pop up when people
first look at purchasing a new vehicle.
If you sell baby merchandise, show them the latest stock arrival, or maybe
show them the latest pram and how easily it folds and can be placed in the
boot of a car.
You are only limited by your own imagination.
Ok, I make the video then what?
You have three options available:
1. Do nothing
2. Send out an email campaign to your existing customer list;
3. Post the video on YouTube and other video hosting sites.
If people don’t know your video exists, it was a useless exercise making it.
I guess then we can eliminate Option 1 as a viable alternative.
Option 2 is a natural extension to your marketing mix and should be done
religiously each week if you wish to create a market presence.
But…
when you learn to upload your video to YouTube and broaden your marketplace you will see the real power of YouTube.
In my next post I will expand on this theme of video marketing.
Until then
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
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March 17, 2010
Hi Everyone
I was out visiting a client the other day and was amazed when
I returned to my office.
I parked the car in the normal spot.
Walked the 5 or 6 metres to the front door of my office and I
grinned as I witnessed through the window, the excitement of
my Golden Retriever and Lhasa Apso, happily wagging their
tails to see me.
Nothing unusual I thought.
This was just another return, and it’s always nice to be greeted
by the family pooches as they give their love so freely.
I even had a great sense of gratitude overwhelm me.
But then…
I turned around and saw a pile of brochures, flyers and pamphlets
all neatly folded and protruding from my letterbox.
Gosh, I thought it must be Christmas.
I can’t remember receiving this many marketing items in one bundle
before.
There were brochures for:
* Target – “Massive Home Sale”;
* Coles – “Your Hunt For Easter Value Is Over”;
* Kmart – “Everything For Easter Time”;
* Big W – “Big Easter Surprises”;
* Kosmos Electrical – “Home and Kitchen”;
*Repco – “Easter Getaway Specials”;
* General Trader – “Where Everyone’s A Chef”;
* Prouds The Jewellers – “Sparkling Savings”;
* Auto Barn – “Hip Hop Easter Sale”;
* Cheap As Chips – “All Your Easter Goodies In One Basket”;
* AGL – “Need Hot Water? We’re Experts”;
* Australian Outdoor Living – “Production Surplus Crisis”;
* Chemmart – “Monster Discounts”;
* The Outdoor Furniture Specialists – “9 Day Mega Sale”
* Godfrey’s – “We’re Turning 80″;
* Dick Smith – “Talk To The Techxperts”; and
* Sprint Auto Parts – “Easter Saving Sale”.
What in the world, I thought, has caused all these companies to go to
great lengths to create, compile, edit, and publish such colourful
advertising material to grab my attention?
What possibly triggered them into producing and sending it
all at the same time?
Well, really it isn’t surprising if you understand the buying cycles
of consumers.
And…
These companies do.
Easter is almost upon us and it IS recognised as the biggest consumer
spending time after Christmas and the New Year sales.
Easter brings about many feelings, whether it be holidays, religious/
spiritual or just ‘it’s nice to have break’.
Easter also brings about consumer spending.
So, if your business isn’t gearing itself to take
advantage of this consumer activity and sales phenomenon then
I suggest you start cracking some heads in your marketing and sales
department.
An opportunity like this will not come around again probably until
the Mid-Year Sales.
These 17 companies listed above are not dopes !
They went to great length and expense to produce the brochures because
they know this time of year is ripe for consumers.
And now you do too.
I know – I hear you – “I don’t have the money to produce such
lavish brochures.”
And I understand that.
Most small to medium businesses don’t.
But it’s no excuse not to look around and see what you can offer
your customers. What great deals can you stimulate their interest with?
Then get on the phone, fax them, or send them an email.
For me, it’s email, because…
We can send multiple messages quickly, discover who opens the emails,
reads them and who may click on links back to our website.
It’s what I call a very quick means of “Message to Market” and
can be easily and quickly changed with each email.
If you would like to know more just give me a hoy.
But whatever you do; DON’T…
Miss out on the spending frenzy which is about occur.
17 companies whose brochures were in my letterbox cannot be all wrong.
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
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March 16, 2010
Hi Everyone
Increased personalisation & targeting 53.8% and
Improved message titles & subject lines 52.4%
is what businesses surveyed by Get Response want to improve with their email marketing this year.
Plus…
An increase in customer loyalty special offers.
There is also an interesting result in the intent to use video in email marketing from 2009 to 2010:
- Didn’t use it but plan to use video emails this year… 64.0%
- Didn’t use it, and do not plan to use video email this year… 19.5%
- Used it and plan to decrease the number of video emails this year… 0.8%
- Used it and expect to send about the same number of video emails this year… 3.8%
- Used it and plan to increase the number of video emails… 11.9%
I have been an advocate of using video in emails for a long time. It allows you to demonstrate products, teach a lesson, display new merchandise and give people a visual who you are.
It is also a great means to display customer testimonials. This is what is known as ’social proof’ and helps prospects overcome any element of distrust.
Businesses are crying out more effective, newer ways to touch base with their clients.
Email Marketing is here, it works and if used correctly will drive sales.
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
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March 11, 2010
Hi Everyone
Target Marketing conducted a survey of its print subscribers in January 2010.
Here are the results:
Most businesses will not increase the amount they spend on advertising
or marketing this year.
They will allocate it differently though.
They intend to increase their investments in email marketing, pay-per-click, SEO strategies and advertising on their websites.
The major winner from all of these is Email Marketing.
84.6% of businesses plan to use email this year to acquire new customers.
Whilst 66.4% report they wish to use Social Media to greater effect.
What are you going to do in your business ???
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
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March 10, 2010
Hi Everyone
“Yesterday’s Post Raised A Few Questions From People”
And rightfully so. It’s sometimes a bit too much to get your head around.
I have listed a few questions below because you may have also
thought of these.
But before I answer them, I am suggesting you should be contacting
your clients regularly.
And with Easter coming up, it’s a good time to start.
This can be done via the phone, mail-outs, brochures, flyers which ever way
you like. It doesn’t really matter.
Easter just offers a fantastic time to be proactive.
What I have been specialising in the last few years is contacting people
via Email.
Why?
Because Email is the most cost effective, trackable, easily transmitted
form of marketing available. And you can do it too.
Plus…
Most people have an email address.
This has led me to being most proficient in this niche and I can help
you too.
Will Smith, the American actor, said in an inter-view.
“Talent is what you are born with”. “Skill is what you study, educate,
practice, and refine.” “I am successful because I study when everyone
else is asleep.” It’s my SKILL which makes me better, not my talent !”
The years I have put into email marketing has elevated me
beyond the talent level.
***********************************************************
Ok, here are answers to some burning questions which were sent to me.
Q: Although I am in business I don’t have a list of clients let alone
their email addresses. What should I do?
A. There is an old saying in marketing that says “The money is in the LIST.”
This is only partially right. The money is in:
The List;
The Relationship with your list;
The Offer you are making to them.
If you don’t have a list; get about building one NOW.
Create a reason why people need to sign up. It could be to join your
VIP Club, Birthday Club, Exclusive Membership Club – it doesn’t matter.
People will sign up if they know there is something for them.
When I was in Retail, I had forms on my counter which invited people
to sign up to my free membership club.
Within 48 hours I would send them a letter offering them $50 off a purchase
which had a time limit of 21 days attached to it. (Most sales were $400 +)
They also received 10% off all sales for being a member.
Before you go all – “I’m not giving away $50 or 10%” – what can
you afford to give away? Give away some profit at the start
of your relationship to build/create a customer for life.
i.e You need to know what the life-time value of a new customer is.
Or in other words, how much money are they likely to sp.end with
you over their lifetime. Now can you afford to give away a little?
Before long you will build up your list.
But you must never stop.
It doesn’t matter if you are in retail, car sales, restaurants, cafes, or
any business – having the ability to let people know about your
upcoming events will lead to more sales and more profits.
Q. I’m not sure how people will view me if I send an email?
A. To be blunt – Get over yourself. It’s about sending a legitimate
marketing message to people who are interested. Sales is a g.ame where
people buy from friends. If you form the relationship I mentioned above
you will be fine.
Q. What about the Spam Laws etc.?
A. Now this is an area I am most conversant. You are allowed to
do many things and I will ensure I hold your hand along the way.
Francis Bacon once said, “Knowledge is Power” He was wrong.
“Acting on Knowledge is Power” I know the Spam Act back to front
and I will ensure we are both playing within the rules.
Q. Ok, I am ready to go, I think. What happens now?
A. We talk. Yes, just some plain old conversing over the phone
where we discuss what marketing you could put in place for Easter.
I develop a series of emails to send in a campaign for you and
I even put it together, load up your list and give you statistics.
It’s that simple.
Q. Do you guarantee results.
A. I guarantee I will put as much emphasis into your campaign as mine.
Results are a little tricky. It will depend on your List, your Relationship
And the Offer you are willing to make.
I do guarantee you get my undivided attention and ability to work with
me; not one of my staff.
Q. If I go ahead and like what has happened. What then?
A. Well, the ability to become one of my personal clients is on offer.
But I must warn you I do not take everyone on. I need to like you, as
we are going to get to work with each other on more of a personal basis.
Why? Because I need to get inside your head and grab out those gold nuggets
in your business which you have.
***************************************************************
So there you go, my offer of 5 emails for $550 is on offer
for the next three businesses (2 were snapped up yesterday).
Contact me NOW to begin your Easter email campaigns.
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Marketing
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March 10, 2010
Hi Everyone
I don’t know about you but every time I go into a Coles
or Woolworth these days I am reminded about Easter.
At the front of the store there are Hot Cross Buns, Easter Eggs
and displays of other assorted Easter goodies.
I’m not sure if it’s too early but I do know this; these supermarkets have
created the Easter theme and we can use it in our businesses and markets to
piggy back off to create customer awareness for our products and services.
So, “Easter is Fast Approaching – Are You Ready?”
Did you know Easter is the next big consumer buying time after
Christmas and the January sales?
And…
if you get yourself prepared you can take advantage of this.
Easter brings about a few immediate ideas for sales.
People will travel – so anything to do with car maintenance, holidays,
camping, clothing, food will be on their minds.
Some people will choose to stay at home – so anything to do with household
repairs, painting, cleaning, fixing, upgrading, entertaining will also be on their minds.
So again, “Easter is Fast Approaching – Are You Ready?”
Here are a few tips you could have as sales themes:
* “Easter Savings”
* “Hop into (the name of your store) this Easter”
* “Summer Close-Outs”
* “End of Summer Sales”
* “Next Seas.on Sales Now Here”
* “Easter Sellout”
* “Easter Egg Hunt Sale”
and I’m sure you could come up with many more like these.
Whatever you choose don’t miss out on this typical lucrative time in
sales.
Start YOUR Easter Sales campaign NOW.
This will give you a solid three weeks lead in time to get your customers’
juices flowing and their hands in their pockets.
And to help here is my Easter Savings special to you right now.
I’ll offer my fabulous and much used “5 x 5 x 5 email marketing
campaign” to you.
That is I’ll work with
* 5 businesses to send out
* 5 emails to their client lists for
* $550 total fee (each client).
Each time I offer this “5 x 5 x 5 email marketing campaign” people jump
on board and we get to create campaigns specifically for them.
So, don’t delay, this offer normally sells out really fast.
My “5 x 5 x 5 email marketing campaign” has become something of
a best seller for my clients lately.
Call me 0412 94 77 33 or email me kurt@johanseninternational.com.au
to take up one of these spots.
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
PS: Not sure about if I can pull a marketing campaign off for you?
Go to the testimonial page above and check.
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March 9, 2010
Hi Everyone
‘Should I include images in my Email Marketing ?’ is a question I get asked regularly.
You see, most of the email marketers in the US suggest you send out emails only via text and people tend to read and take notice of this.
But…
if you only send emails via the TEXT format then images cannot be included.
I always recommend you send emails by both TEXT and HTML methods.
Why ???
Because simply…
99.9% of people on my list open their emails in HTML.
And why would you wish to halt the ability for them to see images.
Quite simply, images will lead to increase click through rates.
Not sure ???
My stats are always increasingly higher when I include an image
but don’t listen to me…
click here
to read an article from Email Worx
they have done the research and the results are in.
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
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March 7, 2010
Hi Everyone
Do you need to know how to spell when it comes to getting your message across.
Not according to Cambridge University:
“I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg.
The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid.
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.
The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm.
Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas thought slpeling was ipmorantt.”
So stop making excuses why you haven’t started with email marketing,
- Build your list
- Form the relationship and
- Make an Offer they can’t refuse.
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
PS: Need help to get started – then give me a hoy.
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March 3, 2010
Hi Everyone
Large corporations engage in email marketing and I say it IS NOT.
It is all poppycock !!!
Let me explain.
Large Corporations are sending out lovely posters, flyers, with specially crafted images and pictures and call this email marketing because they use the medium ‘email’.
I find this is really nothing more than another form of billboard advertising, except it is being sent to someone whom may be interested. That is; they have given their email address somehow to the corporation.
There is nothing personal in this type of email marketing.
It’s simply an email blast and then ‘email marketers’ sit back and count the
open rates, the click rates and the conversion rates.
They report these to their marketing buffs and ‘high fives’ go off around a table about how successful the campaign was.
The graphics department gets congratulated and the marketing team survives another day.
This is not email marketing – this is using email to advertise.
And there is a difference.
Real Email Marketing is about providing personalised emails to your customers/clients.
It is about engaging your customers to respond positively to what you have in store for them.
Email Marketing is a skill, once learned, will catapult your sales and increase
your relationship with your clients.
Done correctly it will add dollars to your bottom line.
Done incorrectly it will hurt your self-esteem and your customers thinking of you.
The most productive form of email marketing methods is one which involves emotional direct response copy.
It is words crafted to entice a customer to act.
It is written in the first person and direct to a client using personalisation,
subject lines, and the skill of a copywriter.
This type of email content does not need a thumbs up as it is aimed directly at the recipient and they would not need to let anyone know it’s good or bad – just as they wouldn’t do this if they were in a shop.
Instead the thumbs up is the sale.
How many thumbs up are you intending to get this week ???
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
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February 26, 2010
Hi Everyone
“Bali Reveals 3 Major Lessons”
But first…
For the past 12 days I have been a guest on the Isle of Bali.
Primarily, I was there to conduct a three-day email marketing program for
a number of switched on business owners.
I then relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the time with my family which included my
wife and sons numbered #1 – #4 and others who stayed on.
Yesterday after flying from Bali to Perth then back home to Adelaide for a 4 hour stopover, I took the
6.30 pm flight to Coolangatta and you wouldn’t believe what happened as I was disembarking.
An email recipient of mine, called David, stood up from his seat and said, “Kurt,
I was thinking of you yesterday. I hadn’t received an email for awhile.”
I said, “Spooky, it’s the ‘Secret’ at work.” I further said, “Look out in your email box. I
have 3 Bali Lessons to Reveal.”
So, this email is devoted to David, whom I hope slays them at his conference as a guest speaker
in Canada.
Bali Lesson One
After I completed a successful three-day marketing program in Bali, 19 people including family and friends
decided to seek a more athletic pursuit. A 40 kilometre bicycle ride down the side of a Balinese Volcano.
The bus trip to the summit took about 1 1/2 hours and when we arrived we were gobsmacked by
the sheer beauty and brilliance of the view. Smoke raising from two volcanic craters, surrounded by an
enormous picturesque lake.
The 40 klm bike ride is not your normal bike ride. It transgresses the steep-hilly countryside on minor
roads passing through luscious bush and forest.
For me a 40 klm bike ride had never been attempted. Especially one in a foreign country on dodgy narrow
roads with equally dodgy drivers and their apparent lack of road rules.
But what could I do…
Sons #2, #3, #4 aged 14, 13, 12 respectively were ‘biting at the bit’ without a care in the world.
I was more circumspect.
My wife just looked at me with that look only females can give; which sort of translates to “You WIMP !”
So, here we were. All nineteen of us. Equipped with bicycle gloves, helmets, water bottles and
a fairly modern mountain bike each.
After receiving the guides instructions we commenced the descent.
After a small flat 100 metre start we were directed right by a local policeman who held up traffic,
and who adorned a mighty grin.
Did he know what we were getting oursleves into ???
The road was bitumen, well prepared, but fast. We flew down the first 500 metres like Lance Armstrong
until…
I saw son #4 pull out to the middle of the road to catch up to his brothers.
And…
This line of rapid descent may have worked except for the truck carrying live chickens driving up
the mountain road.
This meant…
Son #4 had to weave back into the other bike riders and this is where he became a bit wobbly -
lost control and hit the fringe of the bitumen.
With all his strength he tried to keep the bike straight until his right fist disengaged from the handle bars
and was flung into the air like a rodeo rider.
Now with only his left hand steering, and still going at a speed which he couldn’t control; the bike careered
into the surrounding bush and until eventually both he and the bike lay motionless in the Baliness jungle.
Now, this event was witnessed by both his mother and me and a few people riding behind. His brothers and
other more adventurous riders kept descending.
His mother looked at me visibly shaken.
As we approached he hadn’t moved.
His mother called out his name, once, twice, three times. Still no repsonse.
Is he unconscious? Is he lascerated? Are there broken bones?
None of this could be seen as he was facing down in the lush greenery of Bali.
His mother called his name again and then from the mouth of a twelve year old came those words
which we knew he was alright.
He said…
“GET LOST !”
Yes, who would ever thought we would welcome those magic seven letters in that order.
“GET LOST !”
The ultimate response to having a bruised ego as apart from a bruised body.
The guides were quick to react to mend his bike but insisted he take a ride in their van to recover.
But son #4 had other ideas.
He told them, “I came here to ride down the mountain NOT to be driven down.”
And with those words he grabbed the bike and proceeded to ride after his brothers.
So Bali Lesson One for everyone today is to:
NEVER GIVE UP FOLLOWING YOUR DREAM.
If a twelve year can fly over the handle bars of his mountain bike and land in the Bali jungle,
get up shake himself off and continue to ride the 39.5 klm journey which remained then
you can continue to follow your dream too.
Bali Lesson Two
Around the ten kilometre mark of the descent we were ushered into the home of a guide.
It was a typical Balinese country home consisting of three or four small buildings each having only
one room within. There was the oligatatory Hindu temple and a small smoked laden room
which was the kitchen.
In the surrounding bush were two pigs. The largest was the sow who is the ‘breeder’ and the smaller
pig being fattened for an ucoming feast.
The home was void of a toilet and when asked about this we were pointed to the bush.
My sons grabbed me and ushered me into one of the rooms at the home. They laughed aloud
when we saw a dog asleep on bed in this mud hut. I then reminded them our Llasa Apso and
Golden Retriever do the same when we are not home. They just didn’t get the similarities but
it was pleasant for me to see them experiencing other cultures.
My wife was most interested in the cauldron cooking in the ‘kitchen’. The kitchen was a mud hut
with a thatched roof. Charcoal stuck to walls giving a musty, smoky aroma. The large cauldren or
pot hovered over fire consisting mainly of dried cow manure.
Inside the pot was a concoction of potato peels and other vegetable matters.
When my wife inquired into whose meal this was and was informed it was the pigs.
The family would ensure they fed the pigs to keep them fat and after that the family would eat from
the same cauldron. Not necessarily the same food but defintely from the same large pot.
It was right here Bali revealed its second lesson.
My wife turned to the other females in our groups and stated, “I’ll never complain about my kitchen
again !”
So, lesson two from Bali is:
SHOW GRATITUDE FOR WHAT YOU HAVE
Be thankful for what you own and possess because there is also someone who has less and
is joyful, happy, and peaceful.
Lesson Two reminds me of the line- “I was complained I had no shoes until met a man with no feet”
Bali Lesson Three
At the end of the arduous 40 kilometre descend from the Volcano all nineteen people were joyed and vibrant.
A few of us were tired, a few of us wanted to ride back up (only joking) but there was a common theme
for everyone.
And that was…
Everyone praised and congratulated each other.
All nineteen people applauded each others results and sat down to the feast which was prepared
for us.
For me and one other, we couldn’t eat after such a journey and instead settled for copious amounts of
cold water to rehydrate.
But that’s Ok because the Isle of Bali had just revealed its third lesson and that is:
PRAISE AND CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS WITH OTHERS.
The trip down the mountain was over. Sons #2, #3 and #4 made it down without anymore mishap.
My fingers are crossed my wife has forgotten about renovating the kitchen and for me another successful
adventure of my life has been achieved.
Bali and its wonderful people has brought to me three great lessons which when placed in numerical
order are so important to heed.
1. NEVER GIVE UP FOLLOWING YOUR DREAM;
2. SHOW GRATITUDE FOR WHAT YOU HAVE;
3. PRAISE AND CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS WITH OTHERS.
Until next week and enjoy the weekend.
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
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