The tactic in question is the approach of developing strategic alliances. This is working coherently with like-minded businesses that have the same target market as you, yet are typically not in competition.

Forming strategic alliances has been an essential tool in developing businesses and the lesson was served strongest to me when developing our property business. We had an investment property product that was an alternative to a pension, which resulted in a fair size investment to be made by the customer for some significant long term rewards. Finding people for this product using traditional advertising and digital media was inconsistent, at best, which bought very unpredictable results. This led us to consider which business professionals had access to a good number of our target customers. Defining our target market brought the understanding that our potential customers were typically successful business owners and high salaried employees that were already valuable customers of Financial Advisors, Accountants and Solicitors.

This allowed us to change our sales process entirely and take control of our results, by forming countless small partnerships with these professionals, who could introduce us to their customer base. Just imagine the difference it would make to your business if you were receiving tens of referred appointments with personal recommendations…

Achieving this is within your control if you follow some simple steps:

1.            Define your target market – Understand exactly who your ideal customer is and hence what their current spending habits are.

2.            Identify potential partner industries – Take care to consider all avenues of potential product and service providers that already have a trusted relationship with your target market.

3.            Make a list – List the names and contact details of the people in the organisations that you would like to speak with.

4.            Create a win/win scenario – Successful strategic alliances will only work if both parties are happy with the rewards for the effort. Financial reward is only one form of motivation so consider what else you have to offer. Expertise, data and introductions are all immensely valuable.

5.            Create appointments to build relationships – Get face to face with the people who you are looking to refer you and your business. We would always prefer to introduce a human than an organisation. It is more rewarding for the introducer.

6.            Look for first action – It is easy when discussing potential alliances to get excited by the big picture. The idea will then “grow legs” and will soon become a massive job. Experience tells me that if you make the change too significant nothing will happen. As such, start with something small, I would typically look for just the first introduction.

7.            Communicate like a pro – When you receive introductions you must understand that you are being trusted with someone else’s most valuable asset. Act accordingly and communicate with your introducer every step of the way.

8.            Say “Thank You” – Two of the nicest words to hear in the English language are “Thank You” take time to show your sincere gratitude for each introduction you are passed regardless of results.

9.            Over deliver – Whatever you promise to your introducer you must over deliver on. A big goal is to get the contact introduced to thank your introducer for the introduction. If you can gain this result then expect a good number of further introductions.

Start thinking today about who could be passing you a steady stream of business?

Maximised reach and frequency

Aligning your social media marketing efforts with your email marketing campaign can significantly improve the reach of your efforts as well as the frequency. So how is this so? By manipulating the enhanced connections, which are provided by your social media profiles. When you press the send button on your email marketing messages, you are only sharing what you have to say with your subscribers. However, when you are employing social media to support your campaign, you will have the means to expose both your recipients’ friends and colleagues to your marketing message as well.

Cheap list growth

Should your recipients, friends and colleagues enjoy what that see, they might choose to subscribe themselves and therefore adding to your contact list. This kind of sharing is far quicker and cheaper than buying a list or putting into practice other ‘list growing’ methods. There is also the additional benefit of immediate credibility, as that person joining your list via a friend or colleagues recommendation is more likely to trust your brand compared to if they joined through another kind of advert.

Enhanced customer engagement

The secrete to achieving higher email delivery rates, open and click through rates and improving your customer satisfaction as well as increased conversions is simply engaging with your customers. Social media enables you to achieve this because your email marketing messages can be forwarded, Tweeted, Re-tweeted, Blogged and posted on Facebook, then reposted by a fellow user who likes what you have to say.
Enhanced email marketing message relevance

When you think about the fact that the people who receive your email will probably share it with people they know who would also be interested in what you have to say, it is easy to see how this can increase your overall relevance and conversions. Also, the feedback which you are able to receive via social media can also be employed to help perfect and therefore increase the relevance of your future email marketing messages.

For more information about how we can help you integrate social media and email marketing for your next campaign why not get in touch quoting BGS-MAG for special offers and advice www.mail-magic.co.uk – 0845 177 0508

…But are you up for it?

I’m often asked the question; “Why do you think some people succeed where others fail?” Its a big question, but I firmly believe there aren’t in fact too many answers.

All the successful people I know have made a conscious decision to create the life and the business they want. The rest, many of them great people, so don’t get me wrong… take what comes their way, they go with the flow, they accept that things just happen to them. I don’t buy into the latter.

Here’s what I see. The doers, the achievers, the people I see having extraordinary success in their lives, their sales results and their businesses – take control. They’re in the drivers seat, they have the steering wheel firmly in hand, they choose the direction they’re going in, they take control and responsibility and most importantly of all… with their sights set on a goal – they take action!

What of the others? They take the role of the “victim”. There are always reasons why things don’t come their way, why they don’t get the orders, why the cash flows… (But always the wrong way).

Here are three things I’ve observed from people that say they want to succeed in business and in life, but often… why they fail to achieve their goals.

1. Blame. They will always find someone or something to blame on the lack of sales, lack of profits, lack of success. They’ll blame the government, the economy, their competitors, anyone but themselves.

1. Justify. They will usually attempt to justify that things are ok. They’ll say things like… Well, it’s not all about the money, it’s not that important. Take that attitude and it wont be with you for long if ever at all. Imagine saying the same about your husband or wife, they’ll not be around for long either!

1. Complain. Complainers attract crap like a magnet! Sorry, but it’s true. It’s proven time and time again that you attract what you focus on. Complain and moan about everything and things will only get worse.

I’d like to offer you a challenge right here, right now.

For the next seven days – no complaining. Will you take the challenge? I think you’ll be blown away with the changes it can deliver. Go on – I dare you…

Let’s face it were creatures of habit, right? Yet we’re not born with the habits, we learn them. Monkey see, monkey…do. We’ve all heard that too, well were not so far removed from the monkey are we? We learn our responses to circumstances and situations, so it figures we can learn different patterns too and not just take what comes out way.

Just like robots, we get programmed a particular way and with certain patterns and behaviors. You can paint the robot so it looks great, looks new, but the programming is just the same and so will the results be.

What stops people from achieving the level of success of others and changing their programming, their believes and behaviors to reach new heights? In simple terms I believe it’s fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of uncertainty.

So are successful people fearless? No, not at all. But they take action in spite of fear!

We are controlled by out thoughts which produce feelings, our feelings translate into action and the action we take delivers results. Simple.

If your thoughts of business growth or success fill you with fear and dread, feelings of potential failure or uncertainty and doubt, how powerful do you suppose the actions you take will be? Feel the fear and do it anyway, ( the title of a great book by Susan Jeffers).

You don’t need to look at the results you’re getting now as the best results you can achieve. Instead, consider your results as the fruit on a tree. You can’t change the fruit once it’s there, that’s too late.

If you want to see changes, if you want different results -  look to the roots, that’s where you need to make changes. That’s why we call it the “root cause”. Cause and… Effect. Change the roots you can change the effect, the fruits, the results.

What are you going to focus on and think about- these are your roots? Good stuff of bad, problems or solutions?  What you focus on is what you’ll feel. How you feel will determine the action you’ll take and the results you’ll get -  the fruit on your tree.

The cycle is simple enough;

Thoughts create feelings. Feelings create emotions. Emotions determine your actions.

Once you take decisive action in pursuit of your goals, the fear melts away and confidence grows.

For the next seven days – no complaining. Not about your wife, husband or kids. Not about customers, suppliers or staff. Are you up for the challenge?

I’d really like to hear from you and how you get on. email steve@eurekasales.co.uk

Now stop complaining… Let’s see the results you want and deserve.

Steve Clarke – Eureka Sales.

Business Mentor, Motivational Speaker, Author…

0845 053 4937 – follow on Twitter @uksalesmentor

Mark was alerted to the true value of networking for the first time in 2004, when he invested in his first breakfast meeting. With £12,000 backing from a sponsor, Mark secured a venue and with support of third party networking experts began the hunt for delegates. He was assured that all was going to plan and the event would be a success, until three days before the event, Mark was informed that only 5 people were interested in attending, and the event would have to be cancelled.

“Cancelling wasn’t an option”, explains Mark, “but this was in the days before social media, so I had to individually call all of my contacts, one by one, then walked door to door in the area. I got 78 people to attend the 7:00am breakfast meeting in three days!”

From this rather inauspicious start, The Business Growth Show has grown from strength to strength and is now bigger than ever. In 2012 alone, there will be more than 50 events in 18 regions. From London to Manchester, Birmingham to Yorkshire, and everywhere in between there is networking opportunities for all business owners. The nationwide spread of shows is based on Mark’s premise that no business should have to travel more than 30 miles to meet other businesses.

So what distinguishes The Business Growth Show from other networking events? Mark explains his aim is to make his brand like McDonald’s – not in the fast food sense – but in the sense that the brand comes with a well known formula, you always know what to expect.

“Familiarity breeds success”, explains Mark, “my team ensure that each event is ran smoothly and efficiently. So both the exhibitors and delegates know that they’re in for a superb networking experience.” Each event runs from 9:00am – 3:00pm, with three Speed Networking sessions, 2 seminars and even a free networking lunch!

“Visitors can schedule their day around the show as they know exactly how it runs. Some people come for the whole day, while some just come for the Speed Networking or Seminars!”

Speed Networking deserves a special mention, not only for being an efficient and fun way to meet new contacts, but because of the notorious Sergeant Major who oversees the sessions with army precision. His beret and whistle ensure that nobody over steps the 60 second mark!

The Business Growth Show is all about connecting people, offering visitors the opportunity to start and build relationships with hundreds of local and national businesses, as well as cement existing ones. Exhibitors are guaranteed high calibre delegates through the door; business owners and decision makers are attracted to the show.

“Business thrives on conversation. These days it’s not about what you know or who you know… it’s who knows you. With me and my team it is all about the inspire, learn, seek, grow ethos. We want everyone attending our shows to have a well rounded day and leave with that in mind”, says Mark, “Social media is so massive today, and plays a really important part in helping to grow a business, but that’s only part of it… Social media saves time, but face to face meetings are still massively important.”

“Some people say that networkers don’t get any work done. My answer to that is, maximise your time afterwards, and be sure to follow up on contacts, but don’t be a busy fool, chasing up contacts that are unlikely to convert into genuine business.”

We asked Mark for one final piece of advice on networking, and he said: “In networking you never know who you might meet. You could walk into a room and be inspired, motivated or more knowledgable… but most importantly, you could walk into a room and become memorable.”

When you enter a room full of people is this how you feel? Do you feel that everyone is in pairs and you are in fact the odd one out… Well this is not that unusual, as more and more business people are turning to networking as source of new revenue generation, but are going about it all the wrong way. Why? Because they have either never been shown how to do it right or have fallen in to bad habits.

Attending networking event’s can be very effective and help you meet new contacts as well as grow your client base! With Social Networks as Facebook, Twitter, Linkin and many more encouraging businesses to take networking more seriously or be left behind. In fact these companies are forcing companies to try and bash square peg in to round hole in order to make it fit. To get the best out of any networking you need to be prepared to do it properly. You need to do your research and find out how it should been done and be prepared to show others, by taking the lead you can be the host!

How to get the best of Networking? “Be the Host” by being friendly and approachable you will be seen as the person whose event it is, even if it not!

Example of this is I was invited by a business partner to attend one of their events in Manchester where we were exhibiting all of their staff were busy on the reception registering guests. I went to get myself a coffee whilst I was waiting for people to come through the door… Whilst there people started to queue for a drink and I thought why not offer people a drink and introduce myself. “Hi what would you like to drink tea or coffee? I would ask. It was great ice breaker and a allowed me to introduce myself and my services. One delegate said “I thought you were the tea boy!” my reply was simple I can be anything you want me to be if it means I can get your business card and introduce myself. People make assumptions all the time and in networking it is little to do with nerves as they are not quite sure on whom to approach large groups. Before I move on it is worth mentioning that by being the host that evening it allowed me to work freely around the place and talk to other businesses without barriers or awkwardness.

Large groups can look like a bunch Bulls all puffed up! “Take the lead, open spaces” by allowing open spaces and bringing people into conversations you will make people more welcome and make the room look more inviting…

How intimating is it when a bunch of people are all huddled together in a ‘scrum’ and patting each other on the back in self congratulations! Networking is a chance to catch up briefly with old contacts and build on new relationships. If you are going to have meeting or long set up a meeting to discuss your product or services further.

How to open network effectively? Allow for open spaces which makes it look more inviting for other delegates to get involved and stops them turning around and going back out the door. Start with a open question such as “what do you do” and let them tell you by not interrupting. This will also allow you to see if what they are offering is right for your business and if it is not then research further into who they know as you never though who they know who could be right for you.

Help facilitate introductions. The biggest things people remember are those who help them. By introducing other people to the person you have just had a conversation with it will allow you to be seen as someone who is there to help! This will make other people want to help you in return. This works really well if someone is on their own and standing on the edge of the group and is unsure on how toy get involved. This allows you to be the one who makes things happen so next time someone needs your service they are thinking of you rather than you competitor.

Networking is the oldest profession starting way back from the caveman times when the caveman realised that he could not catch his dinner on his own and needed help. There is nothing new about networking there are just different forms of networking and groups.