Time, Energy, Imagination

Marketing vs. Sales: There is a difference!

Does Everybody Know Your Name? . . . Marketing vs Sales, there is a difference!

I have been a legal marketer for Mississippi attorneys for more than five years and the first consultation consists of explaining the difference between Marketing and Sales. It is verbally shared with attorneys and also given in our informational consultation sheet. This understanding is important. We only offer marketing services, it is the firm’s or attorney’s job to close the sales. The concept of Marketing and Sales applies to every sort of business. No matter how large or small the business model, marketing and sales perform the exact same way.

Marketing and Sales are like shoes and socks. They work together, however have very different features and functions. They also can operate and be used separately and stand alone, however when used together gives outstanding results.

I know most have heard, ” You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink.” Well, marketing leads a horse to water only, it is sales that makes them drink.

Marketing sets the stage and the sales department cements the relationship or closes the sale, for it is the sales person that has the real one-on-one contact, the PERSONAL contact with the potential client or customer. If Sales fails in establishing a great sales and brand image experience, future efforts of Marketing are in jeopardy. Confidence is lost in the Brand, and Marketing must work harder to lead a horse to water or can do the job of leading the same audience once more to try the same water again.

Marketing and Sales are very different. Understanding the difference will create success to you and your Brand. (A successful brand is Seasame Street. Still love the characters. My favorite’s are Bert & Ernie. The marketing is fantastic and the confidence felt by us about this brand is through the roof. We believe and trust these characters and now will buy anything the brand sells. We trust purchasing from this brand because they have delivered to us just what they marketed.)

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Lisa Henry-Harper . . .

Learn more about my marketing coach services and mentor-ship program for entrepreneurs, start-ups and boot-straps. Visit CrowBeautiful.com

P. S.

One important thing I forgot. We make sure that the attorney we work with is a closer. A closer is someone who knows how to sale and close potential client’s. If we market and are doing our part, it means nothing if the attorney cannot close or sale their firm to potential client’s. Marketing services cannot survive without sales people, closers or rainmakers and vice-versa.

We need each other! Socks and shoes work best together!

Brand or Product? What’s more important?!

Does everybody know your name?!

My first taste of brand-image and marketing, like most was working as sales clerks in retail stores while in school. The retail job that gave the most education about company branding and image was Victoria’s Secret. I loved everything about Vicky except the long hours. BRAND was all I heard in meetings. BRAND was talked about at every meeting, conference call and correspondence sent by the corporate office. It was unreal. Product was important, however BRAND for Victoria’s Secret was the ICING!

What I learned from that experience was that your company PRODUCT offerings and services can change like the wind. Product CHANGE must occur to keep up with the time, however your BRAND IMAGE is timeless! It will sell itself through the many product and service change and offerings over many decades!

So, what are you thinking? Add something to this Conversation!

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Lisa Henry-Harper . . . Digital Content Producer & Visual Storyteller

Learn more about my marketing coach services and mentor-ship program for entrepreneurs, start-ups and boot-straps. Visit CrowBeautiful.com

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Identify YOU!

Does everybody know your name?!

Identification is important to your brand and your reputation. Once the question of “Who are you?” is well-known, building the other areas of your offerings and business will fall into place.

Every business, family, or community has a market or following. I love the Harry Potter novels and movies, even “he who has no name” has a following, a market.

Identification is anything by which a person or thing can be identified. If  I asked you to identify your market, could you? I am sure Voldemort could identify his market. It is the question that most business owners cannot answer without thought. Without really knowing who your client or customer maybe, marketing success will not be achieved.

So who is your market? The first place to begin is with your product or service. Who will benefit from your product or services. Remember people buy from you to satisfy basic needs, solve a problem, or to just make themselves happy.

Start with things that will benefit people in your target audience search. The only sure way to identify your market is to test your theory before you invest your time and money 100%.

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Lisa Henry-Harper . . . Digital Content Producer & Visual Storyteller

Learn more about my marketing coach services and mentor-ship program for entrepreneurs, start-ups and boot-straps. Visit CrowBeautiful.com

Entrepreneur . . . Marketing is more than a Financial Investment!

I heard the Rooster Crow Beautiful and became a new Creation . . . .

 

Does everybody know your name?

Marketing is many things to many people. Some believe a flier distribution or direct mail campaign will put them on the map, while others think TV or radio spots are the miracle workers. Marketing is more than the previous mentioned marketing weapons. Marketing is a commitment and definitely an investment. Marketing is not a quick fix to receive instant gratification of sales, it is an investment. We invest in the important things in life, like family, relationships, stocks, bonds and business dreams, so it makes sense to invest in your marketing.

It takes 9 impressions for your marketing to instigate a purchase. A possible wait of 27 weeks (translation: almost seven months) for marketing to payoff literally. Marketing is an investment.

What happens after money, time, and energy is spent after a few months of marketing? Disappointment happens. You begin wondering why the marketing is not working or producing. Let me share something with you. It is working, you just can’t see into the minds of people. Marketing is more than a financial investment it is a relationship builder. What’s on a person’s mind will eventually come out, however I understand you need it to manifest NOW. Entrepreneur, be patient, and wait on it. Your marketing is working . . .

Marketing is gaining share of MIND. Marketing is assisting or helping people make up their MIND. Marketing is an investment. An investment of putting your product and services on people’s mind.

If you have not done so, INVEST and put your business on someone’s mind today and wait on it!

 

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Lisa Henry-Harper . . . Digital Content Producer & Visual Storyteller

Learn more about my marketing coach services and mentor-ship program for entrepreneurs, start-ups and boot-straps. Visit CrowBeautiful.com

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Problems closing the deal?

Does everybody know your name?

There is resistance in closing some business transactions specifically because of an unmet interest that has been overlooked or not brought to light. In this case sometimes increasing or lowering price still won’t close the deal. It is important to ask the right questions and find out exactly the personal unmet interest. Remember be soft on the people and be hard on the problem.

Sometimes a gridlock in negotiations only means, the right question has not been asked. What are the concerns? Both parties must feel they are gaining from an agreement. When one party feels they are not getting their needs met from this transaction, there will be gridlock or no-sale.

Problems closing the deal? Before labeling a situation difficult, probe, pry, and ask more questions to solve this em-pass. There are people and/or businesses that are naturally difficult so use your best judgement.

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Lisa Henry-Harper . . . Digital Content Producer & Visual Storyteller

Learn more about my marketing coach services and mentor-ship program for entrepreneurs, start-ups and boot-straps. Visit CrowBeautiful.com

Negotiation Barriers

Does everybody know your name?
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Much time is used reaching agreement with family, friends and in business daily.  We often find ourselves frustrated with some negotiations, especially when the answer we seek is YES and only hear NO.

It is very important to release stress daily. Without slowing down for R&R from time to time, your negotiation skills maybe a no-show. There must be coolness of mind and demeanor to take part in the back and forth communication aimed for reaching agreement with others who share some of your interests and where some of YOUR interests are opposed.

Negotiations can get pretty heated when you have a “had it up to here“ disposition before even meeting with or beginning negotiations. It is best to cancel or put off negotiations to “get it together” if this maybe arranged without backlash.

This was my first negotiation lesson received; Be soft on the people and hard on the problem.

It is not easy wearing so many hats, especially if you are THE only employee. You can do everything correct in preparation and have no energy or patience for negotiation itself. Get some rest, take time for relaxation, and remove stress.

One of the largest barriers of negotiation is not taking time for self and clearing your thoughts and mind!

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This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Lisa Henry-Harper . . . Digital Content Producer & Visual Storyteller

Learn more about marketing coach services for entrepreneurs, start-ups, guerrillas, and boot-straps, speak with me direct, #LisaHenryHarper 769.243.3207.  Join us on FaceBook!

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Who will buy what you sell?

Does everybody know your name?

This will be a short post. Who is your ultimate consumer? It would be wonderful to market to the whole world however, even if you had budget and time, it would not be feasible. Pinpoint exactly who you are aiming for and focus your marketing, advertisements, publicity, and media in that direction and you will have a BUYING audience.

Remember, a buying audience are people who will purchase your product or service! This audience you should not have to barter or cross promote, although I encourage this from time to time.

A paying audience is the backbone of your business. Money is but one aspect, a major aspect, of a successful business. So, who will really buy what you sell?

 

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Lisa Henry-Harper . . . Digital Content Producer & Visual Storyteller

Learn more about my marketing coach services and mentor-ship program for entrepreneurs, start-ups and boot-straps. Visit CrowBeautiful.com

Marketing is a verb . . . .

Does everybody knows your name?

Did you know that marketing is a VERB? The verb is perhaps the most important part of sentences. A verb or compound verb asserts something about the subject of the sentence and express actions, events, or states of being . . . Marketing sounds like a verb to me!

When you market you share all you can about your business, your offerings and your services. You express action through creating marketing, advertisements, and promotions. Without a verb in a sentence, could we understand the statement or question? Marketing is a verb. Marketing connects people with your business. Could we connect our businesses with clients and customers without marketing?

Do you have a business without a verb? Hmmmm . . . . Today is a good day to develop some verbs!

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Lisa Henry-Harper . . . Digital Content Producer & Visual Storyteller

Learn more about my marketing coach services and mentor-ship program for entrepreneurs, start-ups and boot-straps. Visit CrowBeautiful.com

Keep it Moving!

Does everybody know your name?

Why waste time on projects or marketing that isn’t making you money? Once you realize this fact; halt and work on a campaign that will. Marketing is trial and error. Keep it moving!!!!

My number one phrase is “get creative”. . . . I love ideas and believe ideas are the seed of success, however it is best not to get tooooooo attached to a great idea. Sometimes great ideas are born before its time. Doesn’t mean it’s not a fantastic idea. I encourage you to keep it in your marketing treasure chest, but keep it moving. That great idea will be ready when the time is right, but in the meantime . . . Keep It Moving! . . .

 

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Lisa Henry-Harper . . . Digital Content Producer & Visual Storyteller

Learn more about my marketing coach services and mentor-ship program for entrepreneurs, start-ups and boot-straps. Visit CrowBeautiful.com

Is Marketing Expensive?

Relationships are Life’s Chocolate High!

Does everybody know your name?

How expensive should your marketing be? This is an important question. Many do not want to spend a dime on their marketing. I was that person years ago, so I know exactly the feelings and hesitation for spending a certain amount on your marketing.

I have come to know that cost has nothing to do with how much you spend. It has everything to do with the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. What if you spend 5,000 to run 2 weeks worth of marketing and you realize a 12,000 profit in that week, you have marketed inexpensively. Cost is not the issue, it is how effective it is for you.

Do your homework to insure that the marketing and advertisements you choose to share your business and your offerings will be effective. Analyze, review, take polls before settling on a marketing avenue and shelling out the bucks. Feel good and have faith that what you choose to spend on your marketing will be effective and be inexpensive to you, no matter the amount you pay.

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Lisa Henry-Harper . . . Digital Content Producer & Visual Storyteller

Learn more about my marketing coach services and mentor-ship program for entrepreneurs, start-ups and boot-straps. Visit CrowBeautiful.com

So you want to be a Rainmaker?! (Re-Post)

 

I heard the Rooster Crow Beautiful and became a new Creation . . . .

Does everybody know your name?

Rainmaker may refer to

• Rainmaking, attempting to artificially induce or increase precipitation
  • Rain dancing, a ceremonial dance that is performed in order to invoke rain
  • Cloud seeding, dispersing substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei

The “Rainmaker” is any person who attracts and establishes long-term business relationships with clients and/or desirable contracts. It is not enough to create a marketing plan and pay attention to your marketing only Mondays and Thursdays. Becoming a rainmaker takes willingness, persistence, patience, and the ability to accept and mold to change. It requires evolving your state of mind and continually building your staff through constant business development.  To build anything worth having requires work.

Rainmaking does require a ceremonial dance. Establishing business relationships of respect and confidence with your target audience and local community is a ceremonial dance, a journey of building trust that you will do the work they are paying and entrusting you to do.

Bringing business in the door that surpasses financial expectations is awesome, however it does not indicate a “Rainmaker” Once the client or contract chooses your services, does your work live up to the expectations that were presented by you or your staff? Business development should come before a marketing plan is put into action. Poor service does not a “Rainmaker” make.

So you want to be a rainmaker? The next question I personally ask myself, when I’m tired or must work with obstacles is, “What are willing to do to get what you say you want?” You cannot skip or ignore the dance if you want rain. You can change the style of the dance, the tempo, or the venue but rainmakers dance.

Becoming a rainmaker is a journey, whatever business you are in. Setting goals, working your business vision everyday and adapting to change are necessary to become a certified “Rainmaker”

 

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Lisa Henry-Harper . . . Digital Content Producer & Visual Storyteller

Learn more about my marketing coach services and mentor-ship program for entrepreneurs, start-ups and boot-straps. Visit CrowBeautiful.com

Databases Build Client-Relations (Re-Post)

Does everybody know your name?

Marketing effectively on low and no budgets REQUIRES a humble attitude and understanding what you are against. No one is going to waste time with people or businesses cash flow poor or seem to be going nowhere who are not humble and skilled. They must believe in you and your business concept.

Minds will be closed to your services or offerings. One must have a willing mind to receive and accept. Your attitude task is to help prospective clients in any way possible expecting to receive nothing.

A willing mind must accept you and clearly see that your circumstances are temporary, that you are temporarily without cash and start to believe in the services you provide. This is where database marketing is crucial to your business. The most important word in guerrilla marketing for this post is DATABASE.

Keeping a record to track clients, prospective clients, and important deadlines is a must. It keeps you in tune with your clients’ needs. A satisfied client normally is great for spreading how wonderful you are.

Businesses are different and have different needs and uses for information collected. You will have to decide how, when, and where this information is structured to benefit your business. I will use my experience only as an example.

When I first became marketing manager for a criminal defense law firm  I immediately noticed that the information the firm was paying someone to gather was not being used to its maximum. At that point, I had over ten years of commission sales, sales management, and management experience. I knew that the firm’s bottom line would increase with a few adjustments. Never had I seen a group of people fight change before on any marketing job, especially when profits may increase. After about a year of fighting, I set-up the database and began using it without approval or help from any staff member.

One Monday morning, the attorney came to my office closed the door and said, “Show me that thing. We took in five cases this weekend.” The irony of it, everyone got a raise that year but me. I didn’t complain to the attorney because it was his name on the door, he caught me as I was leaving one day and handed me a bonus. I received a bonus every 90 days after.

The information that the firm was paying to receive was now being tracked. I was able to track trends and properly prepare successful campaigns for popular arrest charges that occurred in different areas of the state. We were able to track who was coming to the county jail possibly to pick-up indictment papers or just been arrested. Usually most picking up indictment papers had already retained counsel and if not, the attorney knew then that a payment plan probably was not possible if they called the firm.

The database also helped to increase revenue on some cases. Before a prospective client was allowed to speak with an attorney in the firm, their information could be immediately verified while they were currently on the phone.

Sometimes a prospective client had separate cases and charges in other jurisdictions and the information was flagged. The attorney was able to ask the client if he needed representation on those cases along with the one he initially called about. The information that our attorneys could share with prospective clients immediately cemented the attorney-client relationship.

This is just a little information about the power of database marketing. It is important that you create one for yourself and your business. Your needs will be different. I created a prospective database for every product or service I sold or represented from furniture, prestige cosmetics, and had a database for district managers, whether they were my manager or not, helped me keep up with the politics of the businesses I worked for, equally important. A humble attitude and a well organized database are solid building blocks.

One more thing, gather database information yourself to ensure integrity. I know there are great information brokers and lead lists out there, however, how many of your competition purchased the same list? The more competition, the more time and energy you spend on courting prospective clients. Working a watered down list is time management suicide, especially for attorneys.

 

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Lisa Henry-Harper . . . Digital Content Producer & Visual Storyteller

Learn more about my marketing coach services and mentor-ship program for entrepreneurs, start-ups and boot-straps. Visit CrowBeautiful.com

I Want Champagne, on a Beer Pocketbook!!

Does everybody know your name?

This is how I best describe how much I actually want to spend on marketing.

Marketing on a consistent basis can be costly in money, time and imagination. I have made my fair share of poor marketing choices that I would not trade for the world. I would not appreciate the knowledge received from them without those costly, COSTLY mistakes. This is what I learned from personal professional experience.

IMAGINATION is priceless when wanting champagne marketing and advertising on a beer pocketbook. Imagination is what keeps your marketing presence professional on low budgets. Imagination is key to achieving champagne success on a limited marketing budget.

TIME is the next important must have. Patience is a must building your connections and spreading your message via direct marketing, social networking, email marketing, events, etc . . . Some marketing campaigns incubate for three to four weeks and others must have a full nine months, so patience is part of the process.

Now speaking from personal experience, having patience with no operating capital to keep you floating is torture. If this is the case, stay on course because If it is to be, it is ALL up to YOU!  People respect successful results, they do not appreciate the efforts or the process to get there, so don’t look for accolades while building. Simply work your plan, only a few understand you do not have a champagne budget and what that REALLY means for you personally.

In the first consultation with entrepreneurs about their marketing, they have said or implied this message when asked what they expect from a customized marketing campaign. The first expectation of 80% of my first consultations: . . . I Want Champagne, on a Beer Pocketbook! . . . Translation . . . I don’t want to spend a lot of  money on marketing.

Do you have imagination, time, and patience? If so, there is so much success headed your way marketing with a low marketing budget!!

This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

Cut Back on Marketing? WTH!!

Does everybody know your name?

I have listened to three people who have businesses and mentioned that their plan of action due to the economy, (1) *is to suspend all marketing for a while, (2) *to cut back on the marketing budget, and (3) *to let the marketing company they hired go for about a month or so, until things turn around.” They said they are working out how they will in-house market until things turn around.

OK, I shall say it again. Cut back on marketing, WTH!!!!!

Marketing is the beginning, the middle, and without it, the end of your business. People forget quickly, they lose faith in you and your business when you drop off the scene, and your competitors will feast easily on your “should have been” client’s.

Cut back on marketing? You might as well cut your own throat NOW! Why wait three months from now, just cut it now before your phone goes dead, your front door starts collecting dust, and the employees that probably put the idea in your head to begin with, start looking for and find a better job. When the ship goes down, the only person that will be standing there is YOU. It ain’t no shame in laying off or implementing a run-and-go-get-it policy for your employees.

There is nothing more I will say other than, “Cut back on marketing? What the h….!!

This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

Never Halt Your Marketing!

Does everybody know your name?

An IDEAL rule of marketing is NEVER halt your marketing. This is what I have been adamant about for years and have declared it shameful to even think about, however the question is, “How to re-prime your marketing plan?” after you have halted your marketing.

A positive attitude of PRESS and move forward are key. The following, details the challenges to re-prime your halted marketing.

Challenge 1:

Your audience forgets you fast! Without being in the eye of your audience daily, you won’t be remembered. The point of marketing and advertising is for people to know about you and your services.

Challenge 2:

Understanding that you will have missed opportunities because you are not in the game. If you are not playing in the game, there is no opportunity to win.

Challenge 3:

Your competition is picking up YOUR missed opportunities. The competition is creating relationships with potential clients or customers and in this economy establishing those relationships are marketing gold.

Challenge 4:

Starting over. You can’t start a business without marketing and you can’t maintain a business without it. Without marketing there is no business.  Once you stop marketing, time and money already spent to gain share of MIND is wasted and you have lost that share of mind to your competitor. Time to start over or repair broken client relationships.

When developing your marketing plan knowing these basic challenges will help structure your marketing campaign to succeed after you have halted your marketing. There will be many posts sharing how to overcome being out of the eye of your audience, so sign up to receive blog updates.

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

Be Persistent!

Does everybody know your name?

Persistence can be the greatest asset or your worst enemy. Dedication and persistence are necessary when marketing on a low budget. It is like watching water boil, it seems the water will never get hot, especially when finances are unsecured. However this is the normal journey of marketing on a low budget in the beginning.

To keep your eyes on the prize, surround yourself with people who will encourage and support you. Make a plan and follow it, however leave room to explore other opportunities that may arise. Be aware of negative influences, naysayers, and dream killers. Visions are to be believed or not believed when they are shared. If you share your vision with someone and they do not believe in your vision, thank them for listening and give birth to your vision. Just keep your mind focused and not allow negative influences to cause doubt. This includes friends and family also.

Persistence can be your greatest asset. Remember the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. The Tortoise knew he was not as fast as the Hare, but he believed he could win and with persistence he won!

Persistence can also be your enemy. There is such a thing of persistently riding a horse to death. Choose your battles, focus your energy of persistence in a direction that will benefit you and your business.

This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . Dream Your World . . .

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂
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The RIGHT way to Market??

Does everybody know your name?

Constantly asked, “How do you market for attorneys?” My cookie cutter answer is, “I grassroots market by using direct mail and community marketing.” Now the cookie cutter answer is not working anymore.

I practice guerrilla marketing strategies to make the phones ring for law firms that need it the most. Lucrative firms use a few guerrilla marketing strategies, however they are financially stable to market the “RIGHT” way. Which I whole-heart agree is the best way in the correct circumstances.

The heart of Guerrilla Marketing is fighting to protect a way of life. Everyone is quick to share with you the right way to market business for law firms, however when there are bill collectors knocking on an attorneys professional and personal life it is time to look for alternatives to traditional or the right way to market. Keep in mind, law offices have staff employees and their way of life is also in question.

Law firms are businesses just as others. They flourish, have rocky times or close. The bottom line is do you give up or throw that Hail Mary pass? When I am contracted, I understand what is at stake.

There are rules of advertising that attorneys must abide in marketing clients. I know them like the back of my hand. I explore alternatives marketing to people who are need of legal services that have not been used that are within the realm of those rules.

Along with being a legal marketing virtual assistant, I am a strategist. For example, for direct mail startegies, names from various county and city jails are collected and then mailed. There were about 5 of us from different firms that showed up like clock work to view and write down the names from the jail docket book. This is a log of all people who have been arrested. That means that there were 4 to 5 letters hitting those mail boxes at the same time. I needed those names first, remember I am protecting a way of life, I wrote a letter to the Sheriff asking if the firm could get a print out of the jail docket after 3:00 daily at a cost that he deemed appropriate for paper, ink, and the time of his staff.

Notice the time frame. In this jail, the book was put out at 10:00am daily and taken by 2:00pm that means that we were not getting some names until the next day. The sheriff agreed to twice a week after 3:00 at 25.00 a docket, that was 50.00 weekly. This freed me to capture the names from the city jails. Not everyone arrested made it to the county jail. It took the other firms almost 3 months to catch on. For three months we had that area on lock down. I also doubled back to jails after 5:00 and included those names in the days mailing. What time do most offices close? I dropped the mail at the main branch at the post office dock because we were usually past the regular time.

I agree with marketing the right way, however there are instances when it is appropriate to throw that Hail Mary pass.

This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

Marketing is WAR!

You do Realize  .  .  .  . That this means WAR!

Does everybody know your name?

War terms are used when discussing marketing, such as the term CAMPAIGN. If you have ever purchased Avon you have browsed their CAMPAIGN book. Ordered from campaign book number 2, possibly. A campaign is a strategic plan of attack that is implemented to win wars, to gain the support of the people. People fight wars and people are marketed to support it’s efforts.

Guerrilla marketing? Guerrilla marketing is a style of war. In a previous post about marketing power, I shared that money is an object of power as food and gas are objects of power.

Now don’t misunderstand, I realize money has to exchange hands before some things or situations can move forward. How do you move an object? It takes power. Power is diverse. You can use money to buy gas to power your car, however stuffing paper money literally into your tank is not the real power needed to start your car. It is diverse. Marketing is war and finding your weapons may take being creative with your power sources.

Guerrilla marketers know that fighting a marketing war without a proper budget leaves no other resource than using your power resources creatively. I have seen many give up because of the thought of being temporarily uncomfortable. You must decide the maximum level of discomfort when choosing your war strategies. Marketing is war. What are you willing to do, to get what you say you want? Meaning; stay up late, get up before day, not go to the movies for 2 years, move miles away from your hometown, etc . . .

Traditional marketing carries with it a price tag that budding entrepreneurs cannot afford. How do you bring your dream into reality when your competition is well funded? You fight the war with creatively using your POWER resources remembering marketing is a WAR. A fight for the survival of your way of life . . . of your small business.

You better get ready to RUMBLE!!

This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am LISA LIFE!

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Does everybody know your name?

When thinking how to convey the heart of Guerrilla Marketing after about two days I thought about the timeless theme song of the 80’s sitcom CHEERS! It resonates exactly the direct point of this post.

Does everybody know your name?

When marketing with low or no budgets, YOU are your greatest asset! Probably the only employee is YOU! Why not make the most of it? Becoming famously known in your local community can literally cost you nothing. (Nothing financially that is.) Your cost or investment, is taking the time to connect with the community. Sounds easy and sounds simple and soooooo far from simple. Communicating and connecting in this manner is a skill. It requires commitment and much trial and error. Think about how you invest your time on a day to day basis. Where do you spend the majority of your time? Remember, what you focus on GROWS.

Answering this question with a YES gives you confidence when marketing in a recession. Is this a yes for you? Does everybody know your Name?

People just want and need to be treated with respect.  Sometimes when in Rome . . . as the saying goes; Connecting positively is a sure thing when you go to Rome and do not make Rome uncomfortable in their own country.

The CHEERS theme song, hit the nail on the head! People just want to go where YOU know their name and YOU are glad they came and YOUR troubles just maybe the same.

Make connections more on a personal level and you will have success marketing on a low budget. Take time to show you really care and they will know and remember your name!
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This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . , Dream Your World!

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Lisa Henry-Harper, Visual Storyteller | 214-457-8662

Crow Beautiful Digital Media, Marketing is the sweetest part of business, we make the sweetest part, sweeter . . .

What does thought and character have to do with Marketing?

What does thought and character have to do with Marketing?

This is an excerpt from James Allen, “As a Man Thinketh”

The aphorism, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he,” not only embraces the whole of a man’s being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to every condition and circumstance of his life. A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.”

In the search to find my marketing style, I found that the power of marketing was living within and it was on me to cultivate and bring out this gift. There is no secret code or magic, anyone can market!

Change your thinking and you can Change your LIFE! All things are possible, when you believe . . . . and so it is!

What does thought and character have to do with marketing? People purchase because of the seller, they purchase because of your character, not because of the benefits of the products or services alone. They probably can get what they need anywhere. They come to you because they like you! They have confidence and trust in your character!

My biggest FAN, my Granny taught me, “When a person shows you who they are the first time believe them.”

What does your character translate to the world? Perception is very important to marketing. Change your thinking and close a deal!

This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

What is “QQS”?

Does everybody know your name?

There is a tremendous difference marketing services and marketing products. When marketing services you must be your own salesperson. For some professions, the idea of being a “salesperson” is hard to wrap their brain around. If you are a provider of services, you are a salesperson. Rainmakers are salespeople or liaisons for professional positions which include and require management of educationally trained specialized fields.

So what is QQS? (Quality – Quantity – Spirit)

The three most important elements of a salesperson.

1. Quality of Service
2. Quantity of Service
3. Spirit of Service

I applied the rules of QQS just after I read Napolean Hill’s best selling book, Think and Grow Rich. He explains QQS as,  ” . . . . means that quality, plus quantity, plus the proper spirit of cooperation, equals perfect salesmanship of service.”

Quality of service explains itself. How well did you do the job? Your performance and timeliness of the service provided.

Quantity of service is raising your experience level through increased work and practice. The goal is to increase the amount of service maintaining a premium standard.

Spirit of service also explains itself. Create an agreeable atmosphere which fosters cooperation from your clients and employees.

Creating an environment with “QQS” is very important to any business owner. It will either make or break the small business owner who is working with low marketing budgets. Don’t stress if your “QQS” is not present at all times in your business as you are implementing and growing. This formula must be customized to fit your clients, your business, and your city or town.

It is really easy for us all to say, “I am a customer and I should have been treated better” until you become the person who serves. “QQS” is something that becomes habit and to have something become habit requires practice and repetition. Repetition is the mother of invention, and in this case the beginning of a successful business with future happy clients!

What is QQS? It is practicing and making a habit of growing your business!

This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

Do you have Marketing Power?

Does everybody know your name?

Power, time and information are variables that provide intuition to planning your marketing. Before you do anything you gotta have a plan to follow and a successful plan begins with being in tune with these variables.

The variable addressed in Part 1 is the Power variable. Power is a way of getting from one place to another. Power is something we just don’t say out loud that we need or want. We all can easily say we need or want money, but rarely hear someone say they need power. Power should never be “the” goal, but it is a variable that should be payed close attention to when developing your marketing plan, events, etc. . . for your business.

First, let me ask, “Does money come before power?” If someone had asked me that question several years ago my answer would have been yes. I learned from assisting marketing rainmakers that when you have the ability or power to plan, to create, to organize, to rally willing help from others and to successfully implement a plan, everyone will receive financial benefits. We need food to sustain our bodies, and gas for our vehicles to get from point A to point B. Food and gas are objects of power just as money.

When developing your marketing, list your power resources. Friends, place to organize, money, attitude, persistence, and any resource that can be used to produce your plan. Now assess the power resources of your competition. Are they steadfast, have persistent attitudes, and are they on top of the their game? Can your competition beat you to the punch because of better power resources? This is important. If you believe this to be true then it is time to explore, gather or capture other power resources and implement new plans and strategies.

Everyone has power! If you think you can, you are right and if you think you can’t, you are also right. Using your power to move objects like money, food, gas, and business ideas are within our grasp. Tap into your power resources such as:

Power of Attitude
Power of Persistence
Power of Expertise
Power of Commitment
Power of Risk-Taking
Power of Competition
Power of Legitimacy
Power of Investment
Power of Identification
Power of Rewarding or Punishing
Power of Faith

We explored the world of guerrilla marketing because the only resource we had was power. In the beginning was no money. Just the power of dreams and the ability (the power) to bring them to reality.

How do you create a business with no job and no money? Power!

This is my own kkind of Beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

Should you create a list or price list of services?

Does everybody know your name?

This post addresses the biggest problem I had in the beginning capturing and handling my target audience as a legal marketer. It is natural, normal and expected to receive questions from serious prospects. Serious prospects want to know about you, your services and your offerings. They expect details written out so they may analyze if what they are receiving is worth the cost. This is something everyone would expect. Early on I provided a list of services on my business site. After all, this is what I would expect if I were hiring a service.

Marketing books traditional and non-traditional promote giving as much information to prospective clients as possible. (via brochures, fliers, e-mail, circulars, etc . . .) The more inquiry from prospects, the better your chance of gaining cherished customers. I applied this strategy in my first business. What the books left out was how to market a closed or specialized community; such as contracting with criminal defense attorneys. The services we offer are intangible and when translated to paper could not compensate for the “if” instances and there are many “if” instances. We found out, our first go around, about marketing a professional specialized community. Sharing our services in detail created competition. We had to work harder, smarter and longer until the competition could not keep up and finally drifted away. The competitions were attorneys who contacted us that we sent detailed information to. Now we meet face to face with potential legal marketing clients and explain our services to create mutual understanding and agreement of the services we offer. Our real success did not come until we implemented this way of doing business with defense attorneys. This separated the serious prospects from those wanting a written model.

Outlining your services is fantastic for gaining prospective clients depending on your business and your target audience. In our beginning, we did not understand our audience. If I could go back in time, a list of legal marketing services would have never been created.

Should you create a list or price list of your services? It depends on the character of your audience 🙂

Does everybody know your name? . . . .  Dream Your World . . .

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

Frequency and Persistence: Marketing on Low Budgets!

Does everybody know your name?

What is your marketing plan? Creating successful marketing campaigns have the foundation of Frequency and Persistence built right in.

I cannot stress enough the difference between offering product sales, and marketing. The primary goal of marketing and advertising is to attract clients, customers, and the attention of a particular audience. Marketing brings the horse to water only. Offering product sales and building customer and client relations brings revenue. The catch; is you must attract the attention of potential buyers to present your products, sales offerings and services to.

Good “ole fashion” Frequency and Persistence shakes the bushes, and the more you shake, the more people will present themselves who have a willing mind to hear about your sale offerings or services.

Build frequency into your marketing and your business gains a momentum of confidence. Remember what we are all selling is CONFIDENCE, no matter the business. Build frequency without boredom by delivering your theme and message through various marketing strategies, such as direct mail, community marketing, flyers, and scheduled guerrilla marketing campaigns.

Persistence is my favorite to build into a marketing plan. It is sometimes easy to create ideas and put a plan in writing, however it is putting your plan into action that is the rub. Action is persistence! Persistence is moving your plan or dream from paper to reality. Think of it as giving birth. Some are easy and others are long and complicated.

Understanding the goal of marketing and advertising and understanding the role of sales offerings and sales people is of extreme importance. Marketing and advertising only lead a horse to water and it is your sales offering and your sales people that make them drink.

I encourage small business to be prepared for wearing all hats. Most small business owners wear all hats and it takes investing and developing your managing, marketing, and sales skills to be good at balancing these congruently. In a normal environment, (where your budget is no problem), you could easily hire 3 to 5 employees to manage, market, and sale your product or services. Invest in yourself and develop your skills. Marketing on a low budget requires your skills to be adequate in all areas.

It takes time to build your marketing and to lead a horse to water. Good “ole fashion” Frequency and Persistence are the foundation to be seen and heard by your audience.

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Lisa Henry-Harper . . . Digital Content Producer & Visual Storyteller

Learn more about my marketing coach services and mentor-ship program for entrepreneurs, start-ups and boot-straps. Visit CrowBeautiful.com

Marketing with Realistic Expectations

 

Does everybody know your name?

Marketing will be the source of heartache instead of profits if you have unrealistic expectations. Please do not expect your marketing and advertising to be easily created. It takes trial and error to pinpoint what works for you and your business. Please do not expect to find the right marketing venue the first time out of the gate. I have come across many who want guarantees that if they spend money on marketing they will get results next week. Please do not expect marketing or advertising to lead to amazing profits without combining it with many other guerrilla marketing weapons. One strategy cannot stand alone.

The reality is:

– People do not pay much attention to marketing and advertising

– Even if they do pay attention to your AD, they may not need it or cannot afford it

– You have competitors who watch your strategy and duplicate it

– You have competitors who bottom feed and try to fish in your pond

– There are eager, new entrepreneurs working ten times harder to woo clients.

– Sometimes your marketing maybe ignored or not believed

The above are just part of marketing and advertising. They are the peanuts in a Snicker bar.  They come with the territory. When it rains steadily and you rush to your car and get wet, you say it is just water. Well, people have become immune or skeptical to marketing and advertising and say, “It is just an AD!” It is important to expose your offering more than once, twice, or three times to achieve successful marketing results. Anything less than 3x exposure is an unrealistic expectation.

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Lisa Henry-Harper . . . Digital Content Producer & Visual Storyteller

Learn more about my marketing coach services and mentor-ship program for entrepreneurs, start-ups and boot-straps. Visit CrowBeautiful.com

Fusion Marketing: What is it?

Does everybody know your name?

Fusion marketing is an excellent way to market using no or low budgets.

You partner with other companies who are linked to an audience that benefits your company. Partnering with another company where the audience will not benefit you is not a good fusion marketing partner.

What is Fusion Marketing?

It is when “like” companies or companies who share the same target audience partner and promote each others marketing information. It ties in with content marketing. Content marketing is the main factor staying connected with your target audience. Content information should offer your target audience solutions and benefits that they can use. With great informational content in networks, blogs and on your business website you will generate a loyal following.

When you fuse your marketing with a like minded business the exposure is astronomical.

Seek out other businesses who you share the same target audience. This is important.

A fusion arrangement is an opportunity. An opportunity to put yourself in the front row seat of a fresh audience with the same target audience. A new audience to learn all about you and your services. Create new relationships fusing with others and experience a world of new clients.

This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . , Dream Your World

I am LISA HENRY-HARPER  . . . Growth Hacker and Visual Storyteller . . . 🙂

Capture Your Keymaker

Does Everybody Know Your Name?

There must be extreme creativity guerrilla marketing. My favorite movies are the movies of the Matrix trilogy. Guerrilla marketers are constantly looking for the “Keymaker” the strategy that unlocks the minds of the desired target audience. It is a continuous journey of looking for Shangra Lai. Capturing memorable and positive responses from potential clients is the goal. Acquiring the “Keymaker” is the foundation of my role as a web producer and guerrilla marketer.

Adapting to various ways of life, will transform your business. It will enable you to explore new avenues of business success. What are you waiting for? How will you capture your “Keymaker”? As Neo would say, “Time is always against us.”

This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . Dream Your World . . .

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

I will try Marketing for 30 days!

Does everybody know your name?

When I hear from potential law firms this statement, “I will try marketing for 30 days!” I immediately know one of the following is true. They do not understand or know the true nature of marketing or just trying to get a 30 day peep show to duplicate. Whichever the case, there will not be any long term business. Marketing is about building relationships with your target audience. When an attorney can obtain confidence, trust, and friendship from an entire community in 30 days, he or she has done what it has taken years for even Oprah to do.

Marketing is a process that takes more than 30 days. Guerrilla marketing campaigns do not suffer creativeness, drive, or implementation. They suffer for lack of capital. When you hear a person say to you, a guerrilla marketer, “I will try marketing for 30 days” know it probably will not be a long-term relationship. They have started the negotiation or conversation telling you their intention of working with you only 30 days and no more. I ask legal marketing clients for a commitment developing their target audience and their business. Without that, then why? Marketing takes more than 30 days!

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am LISA HENRY-HARPER . . . 🙂

What next after the AD is placed?

Does everybody know your name?

After you have placed your AD in publications or it is running on the radio or TV, this is when the real work begins. Placing your AD and then sitting back to see what happens is a waste of your time and money. Think of your AD as a store. Would you open the store, leave the doors open with no-one assisting customers or assisting customers at check out time?

Placing the AD with no interactive support from you, will not yield you the best results from your AD campaign. Your local store drives customers to their establishment. Use the same concept about your ADs. Be proactive driving potential customers to the ADs you are running. You have paid to be the center of attention, so if the spot light is on you, it is your duty to give them a show. Nobody pays to see the spot light. They pay to see the person or business occupying the spot light. Remember, you are paying to be there. Schedule mini-marketing campaigns around your ADs.

You will have better AD success rate when you do. Don’t open your store and leave it unattended!! WORK your AD!

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

 

How I caught the Business Bug . . .

Does everybody know your name?

In 1995, I was an executive assistant for the marketing department of the Mississippi Credit Union System. The company hosted an annual convention for board members and employees of various credit unions in Mississippi. That year the premiere guest speaker was Willie Jolley, phenomenal speaker and member of Les Brown’s dream team. The marketing department was responsible for arranging, transporting and adhering to the schedule of the speakers. The guest speakers each presented or held seminars through out the convention and a strict schedule had to be maintained. The speaker I was responsible to primary assist was Willie Jolley. The convention was held in Biloxi, MS at the most beautiful time of year for the Mississippi gulf coast. I had no idea what I was in for. I assumed Mr. Jolley would be the same as other speakers I had assisted. They were rude, demanding and distant. That was not true of Mr. Jolley. He personally got to know everyone who assisted him and said thank you to everyone who kept his schedule tight and together.

I remember when I first met him he asked,  “What is your position in the company?” I told him and his reply, “Lisa, I can show you how to be the CEO of this company or have your own business. It’s up to you.”  He talked every minute to any assistant around about exploring your possibilities. The last day of the convention we had people asking us about buying more of Mr. Jolley’s books and tapes. We were responsible for his display set-up and also managing the sales of his merchandise as he signed his books for believers and fans. I told them we had sold out of his book, however we could take their orders and Mr. Jolley’s home office would mail them their signed copy. There were six of us who assisted Mr. Jolley altogether. Just as Mr. Jolley was heading for the airport, he thanked us and pulled out every book he had ever written and tape he had produced and each was personally signed by Willie Jolley. We were all stunned. The books were hard back and exactly what the cash paying convention members were asking for.

Today, four out of six assistants have their own businesses. The most powerful sentence I heard from him through the entire convention was, “All things are possible, all things are possible when you believe.”

This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am LISA HENRY-HARPER . . . 🙂

What is your competitive edge?

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Developing your competitive edge is a must. I am a true guerrilla marketer just the same as most, however what has made me unique or stand out marketing for the legal community is my ability to adapt using media software creatively. I have spent years developing my edge to survive in the industry. There are numerous docket runners and legal marketers in my area in the same business who are creative when it comes to guerrilla marketing, but it is that edge of creating something our competitors cannot offer keeps us going. My competition are other legal marketers.

My use of software and informational content are my edge in the industry. Keep in mind people do not buy features as much as they buy benefits. Marketing benefits is the key to gaining paying clients.

If you fall and scratch your knee, it may benefit you to get a product that helps heal the wound on your knee. People seek out benefits, then browse or shop for the features. One product may feature an antibiotic creme, another may offer the feature in an easy no mess tube. Benefits usually come before features. When I market using “how a service can truly benefit” the desired target audience in a format unique from others, I have created marketing a product or service with a competitive edge. For example, you have likely seen attorney TV commercials, newsletters, brochures, direct mailers or billboards. Now, how many of those commercials have you seen or heard the statement, “We will work for you” or ” If you are hurt on your job, call the law office of ________?”  Where is the edge, the uniqueness?

I learned quickly to market quality, not quantity which is another competitive edge rule that when followed, generates paying clients. A lot of  “prospects” do not equal paying clients. It may seem as though you are not making progress when you market quality in the beginning, but your bottom line and what you receive in return will prove fruitful in the future. Quality is about planting seeds and preparing for the harvest. Quality marketing is marketing where your products and services benefit.

What is your edge? What makes your product or service different from other products and services just like yours? I developed skills, along the way, that I can confidently add to my resume because of adapting and developing my competitive edge. See some examples below of how keeping up with technology has helped me expand into other areas.

Your edge will create business longevity. Create your edge today.

This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

What are we selling?

Does everyone know your name?!

My introduction and understanding of legal marketing came from a criminal defense attorney who took a risk hiring someone with no legal marketing background.

The first question he asked me on my first day was, “What are we selling?” I had not a clue. I told him legal services and then he said. “Hell, I went to school seven plus years for people to already understand that.”

The mood in his office was serious, he was not laughing. Then calmly he stood up, motioned me with his right arm and said, “Come walk with me.” We walked just outside the office door and then he asked me to tell him the exact number of solo lawyers on this block alone. Didn’t know what to say. I saw six, but he made me feel like it was a trick question. His demeanor was stern and all I could see was his eyebrows extending towards me as if there was static in his brows. I finally told him six. “There are six firms on this block alone.” He explained, “We each have a law degree and are members of the Bar association and are qualified to practice law. What sets each of us apart is our ability to generate confidence from the community and the public in general. Some of us are able to and others are not, just as any business. What we are selling is confidence.

He asked did I have any questions, passed me a book on guerrilla marketing and told me to read the first three chapters and tomorrow we would discuss them. Out of everything he taught me over four years, that day was the most important. When you are asked what are you selling? Whether you sell a product or service remember you are really selling confidence. I don’t think he could have successfully practiced for 25 years without the confidence of the community.

This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

How public records can make you money!

Does everybody know your name?!

About five years ago our bread and butter was direct mail marketing people who were in need of a criminal defense attorney. We acquired the names of people who were arrested daily through the county and city jail dockets. We targeted DUI, shoplifting, and possession charges, as those at the time were CASH NOW cases. Back then, DUI cases went through the system faster so the attorney had a chance of being retained at least 2 weeks after the arrest.

I have seen my share of booking areas of jails. There are 82 counties in Mississippi and I am not going to break it down in cities. No exaggeration when I say I have been in over 85% of holding facilities gathering jail docket information. I wore out three vehicles to prove it. I said all that to say, there is money in acquiring public records.

The Freedom of Information Act allows the public access to these records, in our case the jail dockets of county and city jails. The Sheriff by law must keep a record of (the detained) who enter in and out of their facility. Disclosure of this information is mandated by law.

We handled prospective client-relations as part of our service. Translation: We answered the phone and screened who could pay for private legal help and who could not. If you hear the phrase, Do they qualify? Understand it means (Can you pay the fee?).

The calls received after each mailing presented one or two very very upset family members who wanted to know how did you get confidential information. If you didn’t have patience, you didn’t answer the phone. When marketed correctly and effectively we generated 50 prospective calls weekly. I carried and answered a cell phone (24/7 call center) for over three years fielding prospective calls. I went to sleep with a blue tooth around my ear. Please understand why I do not answer or use phones currently.

Attorneys were not the only ones benefiting from public information. Some jails generated revenue for themselves also by permitting the jail docket to be printed ONLY.   You must purchase the free information they printed for you. You could not have access to the book itself and some jails were proud of their list charging up to $50 for one list or $5 a page. In a small town, there may have been 3 people arrested on a $5 page. There is gold in public information.

If you think your information is private or confidential, think again. Visit  www.zabasearch.com search your name and a friends name and see how public your personal information is.

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World . . .

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

Guerilla Marketers and New Technology

Does everyone know your name?!

Professional guerrilla marketers are computer savvy and fast friends of technological change. Guerrilla marketers are known for their quality, innovation, flexibility, and responsiveness to client needs. Armed with “technology” knowledge increases the chances of producing quality on very low budgets.

There is a learning curve understanding and using new software and hardware technologies. If you are serious about your business you will make a commitment to explore, learn, and become an expert in the technology that will move your business to the forefront on a low budget.

I’ve listened and many tell me, I am not a computer person. “If you can read, then you can achieve.” This saying was coined by my home room teacher in the fourth grade. The phrase captured my attention then, and it continues to captivate me now. If you are not a computer person, invest in books and if affordable attend a five or seven day class that is (tunnel-vision) specific to teaching about the software/hardware you are getting acquainted with. Take time each day to explore new technologies. Your success depends on it!

When you invest in your business this way, you have also developed a new set of marketable skills.The software that has increased my earning potential is Adobe Creative Suites: Flash, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Fireworks. It all started with needing to make a flash banner. I purchased three content specific books on Flash design and Photoshop. They were on sale at the time because new versions of the software were released. Rounded up, the purchase was $52.00. I purchased the previous versions because I only had $55.00 and the updated book versions I needed started at $60.00 each. My level of knowledge about the software was NONE at the time, so what did it matter anyway. I got a great deal.

Create your marketing using computer technology helps manage your day to day easily. Learning how to use it to your advantage will take time and patience, but well worth the time. Remember, you also will develop a new set of skills.

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World . . .

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

Low Cost Mini Media Marketing

Does everybody know your name?!

When working with low or no marketing budgets, I find it highly effective to take full advantage of mini-media marketing. It goes hand in hand with my belief to market where the fish are plentiful and the fisherman scarce.

Sometimes you can’t get around what things are. It is what it is! Marketing for the legal community using mini-media marketing carries the image of a check advance cash business where the bricks are painted neon yellow and red. So please understand, mini-media marketing may not be for all businesses, depends on your target audience and professional image you created for your business. My clients are just starting in their professional careers or launching their private practice. Most will become standard marketers after about a year. It is good to explore most forms of marketing to know what works best for you.

Mini-media marketing is canvassing, writing personal letters, posting signs on bulletin boards, passing out or distributing flyers/circulars, on-hold marketing and marketing by phone. Standard marketers rarely or never use mini-media marketing and conventionally fish where the fisherman are plentiful and the fish are scarce. Mini-media marketing requires attention to detail and a rigid marketing schedule. Production costs are low, however management of your mini-media projects are time intensive. Marketing on a low budget and low production costs do have a price and that price is TIME.

Start today, develop your mini-media marketing campaign. Write down exactly if you will distribute flyers, post signs, or community market. Now that you know which mini-media strategies you will use, design the collateral, flyers and signs according to your target audience. For your campaigns to be effective schedule all projects. Make a note on your project calendar who, what, where, when and why about your mini-media marketing event. Everyone should understand the purpose and intent of the event and it should be timely. This is a guerrilla marketing strategy and at least two strategies should be implemented daily. Make yourself visible! Repetition is the Mother of invention. In this case start building share of mind with your target audience.

This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . , Dream Your World!

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

The Velvet Rope Theory: Screen your clients?

Does everybody know your name?!

Imagine you being invited to an exclusive party. You arrive to the party and stopped by a velvet rope between two brass poles. A young woman asks you for your name, you give it and one end of the velvet rope opens for you to enter.

You passed the screening. The exclusive party clearly is something the host knows you would benefit from and enjoy.

It is absolutely divine to work with clients you enjoy. It makes the work you produce better and promotes mental and emotional health for you personally. Having great relationships with clients creates a quality of life that extends to all areas of your life. When you work with clients who are not ideal for you, at some point you’re going to create a conflict, whether intentionally or not, because you will be frustrated with those clients, and those clients will think you’re not providing them with good service and they’ll be right. I’ve made that mistake many times.

I did not screen any client in the beginning. I should have asked the right questions. All business relationships should be equally yoked and all parties should be of like mind. This is especially true for the nature of the business and venue I provide services to.  There is a wise saying, “All money ain’t good money” a true saying I learned the hard way.

There was a time I worked with five attorneys or law offices simultaneously as a legal marketer and not one of the firms were a fit. It is awful when you hate going to work for yourself. It should have felt rewarding to have clients. It should have been a blessing especially then. Never have I had so many headaches as I did at that time. What was causing this stress? It was not the work. I enjoyed marketing. It was who I chose to do business with. It is draining and exhausting working with challenging client-relationships.

We are dedicated screening our clients now. It is not elaborate; we simply take the time to talk with potential clients over coffee or lunch. Humble egos is what we look for. This approach may not be best for your business, but if you have more challenging client-relationships than enjoyable client-relationships, it may be time to introduce the velvet rope theory.

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Lisa Henry-Harper . . . Digital Content Producer & Visual Storyteller

Learn more about my marketing coach services and mentor-ship program for entrepreneurs, start-ups and boot-straps. Visit CrowBeautiful.com

Rainmakers Can Be Slick As a Pot of Okra

Does everybody know your name?!

I personally have not worked in a firm where the attorneys really got along. For a six month stretch the firm name could be Johnson, Miller and Steen. The next three months could be Steen and Associates then eventually just Mark Steen, P.A., for example.

One Friday evening we all left the office for a normal weekend expecting to return bright and early Monday looking forward to a new week. Monday morning at 5:00am I received a call from an attorney in the firm who informed me the office had moved over the weekend and to report to the new location by 7:00am. I asked why so early and why the move, he said just get a head start organizing the office and it would be explained in our morning meeting. I called other marketing department co-workers in the office and they verified the same information. I arrived about 6:50am got out my car, started for the front door and everyone else pulled up. About 7:15am the attorney who called everyone pulled up, unlocked the door and told us the coffee was made and a southern breakfast was on the way. Everybody get some java and meet me in the conference room.

By 7:45 we were in the conference room and the receptionist asked where the office manager was, he confidently said she will not be joining us. I knew then there was a twist to this move. I looked around the room and realized the staff was everyone he hired. Staff members hired by other partners were not in the new office. The runner asked the right question, whose firm is this? His answer was, “Mine.” if anyone has a problem with it, now is the time to make your decision.

Perception is a beast to disprove! By now the managing attorneys knew where we are and it looks as though we are in on it. How can we leave and go back to that firm without suspicion? The receptionist tried to call the managing attorneys and found out all our law firm cell phones were shut off. Well that made the decision for us. We were pirated! Our new employer asked for all law firm cell phones and made sure the phones were returned. That same day our new employer issued everyone a new cell phone. Later that week he negotiated getting our personal items from the office.

He pirated the entire marketing staff, the receptionist/prospect intake person, one paralegal and one office runner. Everyone he personally head hunted and hired.

Rainmakers can be slick as a pot of okra  . . .

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World . . .

I am LISA LIFE . . . 🙂

What is GUERRILLA marketing?

Guerrilla Marketer and Legal Marketer since 2003

Does everybody know your name?!

Marketing concepts change very fast, however the heart and soul of guerrilla marketing remains unchanged. The first rule of this strategy is to have the ability to ADAPT. Guerrilla marketing uses time, energy, creativity, imagination, and no resemblance of traditional marketing in the least. Those who market traditionally usually are very well funded and have fat budgets and resources. My legal marketing clients usually are just out of law school or have no resources at all. I learned these marketing concepts the old fashioned way through on the job trial and error.

The first thing I learned quickly is to build an informational database on all prospective clients. A prospect is someone who maybe in need of your products or services. Grocery stores do it on a regular basis. Here in the south most everyone has a Kroger Card from Kroger Grocery store. You give the check out clerk the card to swipe to receive rewards and a percentage off your purchase. It is great!! Now with your consent the grocery store is compiling information about your purchases. If you buy Cherrios, then they may send you Wheaties or another grain/oat cereal coupon in the mail. Wheaties may be paying the grocery store a little more for shelf space.

Database marketing is an effective guerrilla marketing tool. It is gathering information and using it creatively and legally to promote your products and services on a very low budget. Start your database today. It is a revenue generator for any business. I have used dBase, excel, and access. The most effective platform I have used for staff convenience is on www.WebExOne.com, an online web office service. I can move to any office or location and have real-time benefit.

This is my own kind of beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am Crow Beautiful! . . . 🙂 http://Facebook.com/CrowBeautiful

Heart of a Legal Marketer-Criminal Defense

Does everybody know your name?!

The first time I heard this African parable, I was working in the marketing department for the Mississippi Credit Union System. I had the pleasure to meet one of the top motivational speakers, Mr. Willie Jolley. As part of the marketing team, my job was to get Mr. Jolley from point A to point B during the credit unions three day convention. There were many words of wisdom he shared as I drove him to each engagement and also in the lobby of the Biloxi convention center, however this parable from Mr. Jolley set the core for how we operate and do business.

“Everyday in Africa a gazelle wakes up knowing he has to out run the fastest lion or get eaten. Everyday in Africa a lion wakes up knowing he has to out run the fastest gazelle or starve to death. So it doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle, when the sun comes up you’d better be running.”

I know many of you have heard this African parable but this was my first time. Marketing controls a large portion of the financial success of any law firm or any business for that matter. Marketing managers are accountable to EVERYONE who receives a paycheck from that business. When the “marketing manager” has personal problems, has the blues, or wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, the firm or business will see it in their bottom line. It is more than a job. It is the key to everyone’s quality of life.

Whatever the personal circumstances of the marketing personnel the motto is, “When the sun comes up you’d better be running.”

There is nothing more “PERSONAL” or enlightening than seeing a picture of a receptionists’ or paralegals family portrait with their babies smiling directly at YOU!

Marketing does not keep the same hours as the rest of the firm. Operations is structured from 8 to 5. Direct marketing is different from other forms of marketing. Direct marketing requires (Call to action) one-on-one real-time with potential clients and that requires a great deal of the marketers time. That means on-call 24/7 and ready to change strategies at a moments notice. Heart characteristics are commitment, dedication, and discipline.

The drive or heart of marketing must be willing to go that extra mile. The attitude of your marketing team and how they operate affects others. Time, energy, and imagination are vital to marketing success. Everything has to be done in time and well executed. Direct marketing is filled with planning a-lot of mini events. Off timing or bad execution just may halt momentum of incoming revenue. If this happens, there will be a drought until the machine is oiled again. Some businesses do not have the luxury or are financially unstable to maintain while re-priming the pump. The heart of a legal marketer must understand what is at stake and treat this as more than just a job. Legal marketers get up running everyday to protect a way of life.

If your marketing manager does not identify with this story, a new marketing manager is needed.

There was this Young Creative Inventor who built a wind machine with no motor. He showed it to his Wise Uncle. His Wise Uncle praised him for this one-of-a-kind wind machine.  An Investor contacted the Young Creative Inventor and told him he was interested in mass producing his wind machine, and said he had only a window of tomorrow at exactly 5:30pm to test drive the unique wind machine with no motor. The Young Creative Inventor and his Wise Uncle were excited and then realized there had been no wind in 2 days. They were both nervous at the thought of no wind. They waited to see what the morning would bring. At sun up there was no wind. At 10:00am there was no wind and at 1:30pm the mid-day wind report said there would be no wind at exactly 5:30pm. The Young Creative Inventor became hysterical. His Wise Uncle told him to calm down and that there would be wind by 5:30pm. The Young Creative Inventor was stunned. He asked, “Wise Uncle how?” Wise Uncle walked to the phone, dialed a number. The Young Creative Inventor asked, “Who are you calling?” Wise Uncle said SHHHH! I’m on an important call . . . “Yes, this is Wise Uncle. How are you? Well, I need your assistance.

God, I need to talk to you about your wind . . .”

This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am LISA HENRY-HARPER . . . 🙂

Almost forgot the most important attribute of the heart of a legal marketer. PASSION.

Crow Beautiful Digital Media: A Whole New World

Have you heard the rooster Crow Beautiful?

2019 is a our year of -Dreaming Our World- in VIVID COLOUR.  We are manifesting a Whole New World and want to Share our New World with you! We are in the development stage . . . so we will peel back the layers slowly leading to our official launch . . .

Crow Beautiful Digital Media lives in a world of imagination and ideas. Dreaming out loud and in colour is priceless. What makes our NEW WORLD priceless is the potential; the thought of bringing dreams into a digital CLOUD reality!  Just what is it that separates a sleeper of dreams from an implementer of dreams? This is answered by asking yourself, “Do you believe?” Belief is the quintessential piece that transitions dreams into reality. Belief is intangible and often cannot be proven. We live in a world of imagination and ideas. I am a Believer! A believer in the impossible, and a definite believer in the power of dreams.

Crow Beautiful Productions | Digital Media is developing and harnessing the power of imagination. Dreams and ideas are energizing us; driving us to create a foundation built upon the quintessential; to BELIEVE!

OUR NEW WORLD HAS LAUNCHED . . . BELIEVE!

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The Velvet Rope Theory: Screen your clients? (via SweeThorn “Lisa Henry”)

Re-reading this post was a must for me. Implementing the Velvet Rope Theory we sometimes forget to do. Along the road working with clients, we remember quickly why it should be done. Think about who Iron Man would choose to friend. You must understand they were screened! lol!!

Greetings! Imagine you are invited to an exclusive party. You arrive and stop at a beautiful velvet rope between two brass poles. A young lady asks you for your name, you give it and one end of the velvet rope opens for you to enter. You passed the screening. The exclusive party clearly is something the host knows you would benefit from and enjoy. It is absolutely divine to work with clients you enjoy. It makes the work you produce better and pro … Read More

via SweeThorn "Lisa Henry"