HP recently ran a contest where readers of it’s blog/wiki could vote on the top blog posts within 4 different categories.  The voting has ended, but they took the top 4 posts in each category, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Productivity, and they compiled it into a short, easy to read e-book that anyone can download.

I just read through it and I think it has some FANTASTIC advice and suggestions.

In particular, I thought the advice on how to organize your desk was spectacular.  Believe it or not, my desk is actually in pretty good shape, but it’s a struggle to keep it that way.  I still haven’t found a good system for keeping it organized and clutter free in a way that helps me be as productive as possible.

Additionally, John Jantsch’s post on making your marketing plan a living document was spot on.  So many businesses go through the process of creating a marketing plan only to stuff it in a file, never to be looked at again.  Instead, it should be a part of your every day business life.

Anyway, you can snag your own copy of this great e-book right here:

http://expressioncentersmb.wetpaint.com/page/Top+Business+Blog+Contest?t=anon

“Permission marketing is the privilege (not the right) of delivering anticipated, personal, and relevant messages to people who actually want to get them.

“It recognizes the new power of the best consumers to ignore marketing. It realizes that treating people with respect is the best way to earn their attention.

“Pay attention is a key phrase here, because permission marketers understand that when someone chooses to pay attention they are actually paying you with something precious. And there’s no way they can get their attention back if they change their mind. Attention becomes an important asset, something to be valued, not wasted.

“Real permission is different from presumed or legalistic permission. Just because you somehow get my e-mail address doesn’t mean you have permission. Just because I don’t complain doesn’t mean you have permission. Just because it’s in the fine print of your privacy policy doesn’t mean it’s permission either.

“Real permission works like this: If you stop showing up, people complain, they ask where you went.”

(Source: Seth Godin’s blog)

I heard this quote over the weekend and it’s really caused some serious reflection.  It’s sad the amount of procrastination that creeps into our lives and I’m definitely no exception.

Hearing this quote though has really given me a new perspective.

“There’s no Someday on the Calendar.”

Tell me what you think:

Creating reliable, consistent marketing systems are VERY important if you want to grow your lawn care or landscaping business with maximum speed, but minimal waste. Here are 2 systems I’ve created that have already produced fantastic results for other LCO’s.

Spring Jumpstarter Series

This is a series of either sales letter of flyers you can use to start generating new clients well before the actual growing season starts. In fact, now’s the PERFECT time to do it because you’re getting in front of your prospects before any one else is. Plus, you’re offering a discount for taking action early.

Want to see what it looks like? Here’s a sample of Letter #1 of the sequence:

I had to blurr everything out though, otherwise it would just get ripped off. Sorry, I wish I could just give it away but other’s have paid good money for it and it wouldn’t be fair to them. Besides, they’ve all got their investment back and then some!

Basically, with this package you’ll get 3 word documents that you can edit any way you like. Really, the only things you’ll need to do is input your company’s information including contact info and services. You’ll also need to add your own offers, discounts, and testimonials, but everything else is done for you.

Just make the handful of edits and you’ll have a powerful, magnetic sales letter or flyer!

The cost of this Spring Jumpstarter Package is $97 and you can grab your copy right here:

Monthly Customer Newsletter Template

Absolutely NOTHING does more to cement your relationship with your existing customers than a hard copy newsletter. And I’m NOT talking about some glossy, fancy looking newsletter that I’m sure you’ve seen before. I’m talking about a black and white newsletter that’s filled with interesting, compelling copy that actually engages your customers.

Each month I do a brand new customer newsletter template that requires less than 30 minutes of customizing and editing by you. Here’s a view of last month’s customer newsletter template:

January 2008 Healthy Life & Lawn Newsletter

If you’d like to see everything that’s included in the monthly newsletter, CLICK HERE.

You can snag your own copy of next month’s customer newsletter template right here for only $59.95:

 

Now, one thing to keep in mind about the newsletter template.

While it’s a great deal at only $59.95, you can currently get access to the Lawn Care Champion’s Circle for the exact same price per month, and in addition to the very same newsletter template, you also receive

• new marketing campaigns every month
• JV marketing systems
• other planning tools to help you create and implement powerful marketing systems
• audio programs
• access to the monthly member’s only tele-seminar
• and a whole lot more

Get all the details about this at www.LawnCareChampionsCircle.com.

Perry Marshall is the master of Google AdWords, but he’s also an amazing marketer. One of his proteges, Bryan Todd, just posted a great new article to Perry’s website about what makes for great sales copy. In a nutshell, stories sell.

Now, while the article talks a lot about Google AdWords, it has application in all areas of sales and marketing. In it, he lists 6 elements that all stories have in common. Here they are:

1. Every story is either about something you want, or something you don’t want.
2. Every story centers around certain key desires and fears.
3. Every story centers around either the past, the present, or the future.
4. Every story involves conflict among certain people and certain forces.
5. Every story is about changes in yourself, and other people, over time.
6. Every story will have a happy ending, or a sad one.

So, next time you’re working on a sales promotion or marketing piece, try telling a story and watch your responses fly!

Do you know the difference between customers and clients? I’ll be honest that I never really thought much about it before now, but I can promise you that will change.

Take a look at the Websters.com definitions of both and then tell me if you think there’s a difference.

Customer - a person who purchases goods or services from another; buyer; patron.

Client - a person or group that uses the professional advice or services of a lawyer, accountant, advertising agency, architect, etc.

Do you see the difference?

Here’s my 2 cents. A customer is a transaction while a client is a relationship.

Yes,there’s an exchange of money with both, but one of those exchanges has a relationship behind it.

So, which do you have? Customers or clients?