The Sales Lion

Exercise: The Best Motivational and Productivity Tool in the World

Marcus Sheridan — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:05:40 +0000

It was about 9:30pm the other evening when my wife and I were winding down the day and she looked at me and simply said, “Geez honey, you looked like you were ran over by a train.” Not the best compliment I’ve ever received but the fact is she was right—I did look like I was ready to fall over any moment.

The particular day I’m referencing was like many I deal with during the summer. Because I’m a ‘pool guy’ by day, it’s nothing for me to drive 4-8 hours on a daily basis because of far ranging sales appointments. And as anyone that drives distances will tell you, that much time in a vehicle can really wear on you. After a long day of driving, talking on the phone, and selling; it would be quite easy just to come home and flop in the bed. In fact, such a thought seems quite appealing to me just about every night as I walk in the door, usually between 8 and 11pm.

But there are two big, fat problems with me going to bed at such times.

1. Being on the road ain’t the greatest of exercise in the world. Because so many of my days are spent in some type of sedentary environment, and because I really love to eat, such would not bode well for my waistline.

2. This blog, my web 2.0 business, and every bit of content I produce would likely not exist if I didn’t work late into the night.

The Power of Exercise

This, my friends, is where that great activity we call exercise comes into play. In fact, exercise plays such a pivotal and monumental role in my life that I honestly feel this subject is as important as anything I’ve ever discussed here on The Sales Lion.

It is for this reason that each night, between 9 and 12pm, I hop on my elliptical downstairs. I’ve spoken about this before, but I spend exactly 60 minutes every day on this elliptical. Not only does this workout burn between 1100-1200 calories in each session, but it’s the essential boost to taking a dead man and bringing him back to life.

This brings me back to my earlier story when my wife kindly told me I looked like I’d been run over by a train. Not only was she right, but I felt like I had nothing in the system. The energy was gone. I wanted just to flop in bed but like all serious commitments in life, I treat my daily workout like breathing—either I do it or else. No exceptions.

So that night, just as many before it, I managed to drag myself downstairs and hop on the elliptical. And as always, within just a few minutes, the blood started re-circulating in my veins and a cloud was lifted from my fatigued and cluttered mind. Just over an hour later, I was back to my kitchen table, slapping away at the keys of my faithful laptop as my mind and body felt reinvigorated and ready to tackle the 2^nd half of my professional life.

Why Nightime?

You may be wondering why I don’t work out in the mornings. The answer is simple: Whether I work out early every morning or not, I know I’m going to be exhausted by 10pm or so. That being said, there is only one thing that can truly get my body and mind back on track when everything wants to shut down—serious exercise. No, Red Bull ain’t going to do the trick here. Exercise is the body’s ultimate productivity and motivational tool. It’s better than any drug and it has been proven to out-do any ‘magic pill’.

So once I’m done with my 60 minute workout each night, it gives me the natural boost I need to sustain about 2 more hours worth of work. And as I mentioned before, it is during this time that I produce some of my best content and my mind is strongest, which in-turn leads to my businesses pulling further and further ahead of those companies that refuse to go the extra mile.

Essential to Success

I’ve had successful and motivated people before tell me that their schedule didn’t allow for exercise and ‘it was something they wish they could do’…..Are you kidding me? Throwing out physical exercise, especially when one’s life is starting to find order and success, is like refusing to refuel at the end of the Indy 500 when your car is out of gas. It makes no sense whatsoever.

Although I could literally discuss this topic in detail all night (it’s now officially 1am and it’s about that time), I would urge those of you out there that may be lacking in motivation, happiness, or inspiration to consider exercise as your answer. Whether it’s push-ups and sit-ups for 5 minutes or an hour on the elliptical, the difference it can make in your overall productivity and accomplishments on a daily basis is profound. Trust me when I say daily exercise, especially night exercise, has impacted my ability to get tasks accomplished and stay motivated more so than maybe anything else I’ve done during my adult life.

So what are your thoughts on this topic? How are you using exercise as a productivity tool? As always, I invite you to share your thoughts below.

25 Things A Heck of A Lot Better Than Farmville

Marcus Sheridan — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:31:48 +0000

Larsen....Age 3

I’ve got to be honest. I just don’t get the Farmville thing. Yeah, I know, if I’d ever actually played the game I’d get all the fuss. But frankly, the idea of spending hours and hours planting and harvesting ‘virtual seeds’ versus spending hours and hours of planting and harvesting real seeds that produce real results just seems like a no-brainer to me. But hey, we’re all cut from a different cloth I guess, right?

Notwithstanding, after having watched this Farmville phenomenon unfold, I decided to come up with my own list of 25 things I’d rather be doing than experiencing the utter thrill of watching digital corn and lettuce grow. So without further ado, here goes:

25 Things A Heck of A Lot Better Than Farmville

1. Reading a book to my 3 year old Larsen

2. Writing a killer blog post where the keyboard can’t even keep up with the thoughts in my head.

3. Listening to an old Jim Rohn CD on the power of personal development.

4. Analyzing one paragraph of Hugo’s Les Miserables (Yep, one paragraph of that epic novel can keep a mind busy for days)

5. Teaching a youth group at church and watching them get fired up over Gospel principles.

6. Swinging on the porch with my wife, discussing the day’s events in quiet tranquility.

7. Watching College Football…..any game.

8. Calling someone in my profession out of the blue just to see if I might be able to give them a little boost.

9. Answering an enthusiastic email from someone daring to think BIG.

10. Cheering on fireworks with kids on my lap while at the beach.

11. 60 minutes on the elliptical while watching Jason Bourne kick butt…..for the 77^th time.

12. Listening to my 9 year old daughter Danielle tell me about the latest book she’s reading.

13. Letting go mentally in the sauna and just ‘allowing’ the inspiration to flow freely.

14. Rocking my 8 week old ‘Pink’ (that’s what we call her, but her name is Casey) to sleep when ‘Mommy’ can’t seem to make it happen.

15. Getting ‘that one thing’ done that’s been on my list for 3 weeks and lingering in the back of my mind.

16. Going for a 1am swim in the pool….with no one but me and the stars above invited to the party.

17. Dreaming Big…..Believing Bigger….and then Busting Tail to make it happen…without excuses or looking back.

18. Taking a quick trip to the Dairy Freeze….a double heath blizzard with chocolate ice cream will be just fine thank you

19. Writing a post with a keyword phrase in mind and then seeing it rank on the first page of Google within 10 minutes….Dang that’s sweet!

20. Contemplating Wayne Dyer’s ‘The Power of Intention’….a tremendous read/book on CD

21. Taking my 6 year old son Joseph with me to work and discussing with him his highs, his lows, and all that he dreams to be.

22. Re-reading a blog post or article that I’ve since forgotten about and thinking, ‘Wow, I wrote that? Sweet.’

23. Thinking back to my two years spent in Chile…..Que experiencia maravillosa…

24. Teaching something to a group of people and knowing that what you are saying isn’t coming from you at all, but rather something much greater with an intensely higher purpose.

25. Smiling for the sake of smiling. Laughing for the sake of laughing. And knowing everything is working out exactly as it should be……

What would be on your list? Don’t be shy, I’d love to hear ‘em.

Employee Hiring For Small Business: Stop Interviewing, Start Selecting

Marcus Sheridan — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:40:39 +0000

**Note: This is a guest post from a frequent (and quite witty)visitor here at The Sales Lion, Leon Noone. Leon, as you may be able to tell from his writing, is from the ‘Down Unda’ as we say here in the states: Australia. Leon is one cool dude and has been consulting with businesses before I was bringing food to 5^th grade in my He-Man lunch box. Make sure you check out Leon’s website for more straight-forward business talk.

Small Biz Staff Selection

OK! I’ll nail my colours to the mast right now. The purpose of your staff selection and hiring process is not to choose a person. It’s to get a job done. And if that’s not heresy enough for you, try this. You cannot tell what people can do merely by talking with them.

In fact, the only valid way to know is by seeing how well the new employee is doing the job you employed them to do. If the job is being done well your selection has been successful. If the job isn’t being done well, then time to move on. Incidentally, if the new employee isn’t “working out” as they say, don’t blame the new employee. Your selection system has failed.

The First Thing To Do

This is also the most important thing: Specify the goals of the job. State clearly, verbally and on paper, how you’ll know that the job’s being done well. I like to call this the “trained seal question”. If a trained seal was doing this job perfectly, how would you know?

If you do nothing else differently the next time you recruit a new employee, do this. It will make a huge difference to the success of the selection process.

The Net Profit Reality and Getting it Right the First Time

If you’re serious about selecting good staff, remember this. Selection’s an expensive business. However you do it, the two major costs are your time and the time it takes for the new employee to achieve the job goals. That money is simply net profit foregone. What if you have to “let the new person go” and repeat the process? That’s more money from your bottom line. On this basis alone, you should take great care to “get it right first time”.

The Essential Element

You must try to establish whether applicants can do what they say they can do. Most applicants are relatively honest. But they are trying to impress you. The best way to check whether an applicant can do something is simple: Get them to do it. This is legitimate. They want a job with you. You are perfectly entitled to check their skill and competence by asking them to demonstrate it, preferably under working conditions. You are the buyer. Behave like one.

Never, Ever Ask For Written Applications

This is another simple, verifiable reality. Written applications ruin successful staff selection. Think about it. You ask for written applications of one sort or another. It takes a lot of time to go through them. You decide to interview certain applicants because they wrote – or someone wrote for them – a good application. You’re selecting candidates for interview on the basis of how well they – or someone else – wrote a job application that appeals to you. Doesn’t make sense. And the big danger is that the best resume writer will get the job especially if their “interview performance” matches the quality of their written application. And you’ll still have no proof of competence. Unless you’re looking for good resume writers and interview performers, this is no way to choose a new employee.

Purpose of Selection Interview

By now, I’ve probably alienated, if not upset, some of you. But I’ve been involved in staff selection in one way or another for over 40 years. I’ve written books, training programs, self instruction manuals, CDs and lots of articles about it. I haven’t formed my opinions in a mad rush of conceited self indulgence or theoretical fervour.

A Simple System

Try this:

Write out your job goals
Work out the sort of background, experience and qualifications you’re looking for to meet those goals
Write a script asking questions to work out whether candidates meet your requirements
Place an ad or do whatever you do to attract applicants
Ask applicants to telephone you direct
Conduct a telephone interview based on your question script
Reject anyone who doesn’t meet your standards
Choose no more than 3 of the “best” applicants – those who seem to be able to do what you want
Arrange to test those people to see what they can actually do; not say they can do
Identify those candidates who demonstrate the most competence
Interview those people face to face to clarify any queries and decide whether they’ll “fit”.

Conclusion

Selecting staff successfully is an expensive and challenging exercise. It demands a sound performance based system. Most managers don’t get enough experience at it. They simply don’t develop the necessary skills. Many managers overestimate their selection skills because they believe that they’re a “good interviewer”. Please don’t take that personally. If interviewing was the key to successful staff selection, I’d be out of a job tomorrow.

Leon Noone helps managers in small-medium business to improve on-job staff performance. His ideas are too unconventional for some managers. Find out for yourself at http://managingemployeeperformance.com/

How to Overcome the Infamous ‘Due Diligence’ Excuse in Sales

Marcus Sheridan — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:46:26 +0000

‘I need to do my due diligence.’

Ever heard such a phrase from one of your prospects? If you haven’t, you likely got into the profession of sales this morning. In fact, ‘I need to do my due diligence’(or some close derivative) is likely the most commonly used prospect exit strategy in the world today.

No question, the economy has had an interesting impact on sales, especially with big-ticket items. Because so many markets are struggling, consumers know they can get great deals and therefore are meeting with more companies and looking for more quotes before they make a decision.

With such being the norm in today’s economy, the skills and abilities of a sales professional are a critical necessity to any success at all. But even more so, I would argue that the true ‘skills’ sales persons need in 2010 and beyond are the upfront relationships they’ve established with potential clients before they ever even sit at the negotiation table(or make ‘real’ contact) for the first time.

But I need to…….

Just the other night, I was sitting with a client who was quite serious about buying a swimming pool. For the sake of ease, will call the gentleman ‘Bob’ and no doubt this man had done some serious research before I’d ever gotten to his home. After a few minutes of conversation, I’d found out that he had read almost all of my blog articles. He’d also seen countless videos I’d produced. Without a doubt, he(and his wife who was with him) viewed me as an expert and I knew it, as his trust in me was obvious from his general demeanor and smile throughout our conversation.

The sales appointment lasted about 1 hour. During that time, I felt very confident that I was going to get an affirmative ‘yes’ from this man at the end of our discussions, as all the typical positive sales ‘signs’ were present.

But to make a long story short, at the end of our discussion/presentation, I asked Bob for his business and he told me that he loved the price, he loved the pool, and he also loved our company. Notwithstanding all of this though, there came the infamous ‘but’ after his positive words.

‘But I just feel like I need to get at least one more quote as to do my due diligence, so I’ve set up one more appointment for next week, I’m sure you can understand.’

Alas, the infamous ‘due diligence’ statement strikes again…..and I thought things were going so well.

But instead of just rolling over and agreeing with Bob, the following conversation occurred:

Me: ‘With all due respect Bob, I do not agree, but let me explain to you why. You say you need to do your due diligence, which I completely understand and empathize with. But let’s look at your actions up to this point a little more closely. Based on what you’ve told me tonight, you’ve read just about every blog article I’ve written about fiberglass pools. You’ve seen all the educational videos I’ve put out there. You’ve called some of the references I sent to you before this appointment. And, as you stated earlier, you’ve also checked out other companies online and not been nearly as impressed with their efforts to teach and inform. You know our history in your area and you’ve only heard great things about our company. Am I accurate with all these statements Bob?

Bob: Yeah, that all sound about right.

Me: So you see Bob, you’ve actually been doing nothing but due diligence up to this point. In fact, you’ve done more due diligence than almost 99% of all consumers do before buying a pool based on your knowledge. Do you see where I’m coming from Bob?

Bob: I do.

Me: And based on all of this you’ve done Bob, just answer this one question for me: Does your gut tell you that we are the company to go with?

Bob: (a few second of pensive thought) It does…

Bob’s Wife: Then stop thinking about this so hard and just write the young man a check. You know you’re going to go with these guys so there is no reason not to make the decision now.

Needless to say, Bob went and got his checkbook.

Obviously, not all situations like this one end with a prospect deciding to cancel their other sales appointments and going ahead with the purchase. But the core moral of this story remains the same, and will continue to as long as sales and marketing is a part of the world in which we all live:

The more value a company can give to its prospects and customers on the front end, the less they’ll feel the need to get quote after quote on the back end.

Had I not had such a prolific, content driven website, Bob clearly would still be in the ‘shopping mode’. He’d still be gathering facts and attempting to reach a comfortable decision about where to spend his $50,000. But in this case, Bob saw so much value from our company up front that it filled in all those voids by the time I’d shown up at his doorstep.

The Challenge

So here is the challenge that we all have as sales and marketing professionals. We must truly see the big picture when it comes to Web 2.0. We must start thinking like consumers and answer their questions. We must constantly feed them answers and show them we are the true experts and consumer advocates in our field. Yes, such a challenge is not necessarily an easy one, but it dang sure is possible if we are but willing to take the time and pay the price.

So stop delaying. Put more time into your content marketing. Make videos, and lots of them. Get active on the forums. Blog at least twice a week. Do customer surveys and have your ear to the ground. By so doing you will in time not only be the voice of your industry, but you’ll also drastically speed up the sales process even in these rather difficult economic times we are all living in.

As always, I’d invite you to leave your thoughts below, whether you agree or disagree. Thanks for being a part of the conversation.

Joe Biden: Blogging Nazi and the Beginning of Free Speech’s Online Demise

Marcus Sheridan — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 02:24:11 +0000

Hi, My Name is Joe Biden, You may have seen me on TV.

Anyone that regularly reads this blog knows it’s apolitical. Although I’m passionate regarding history, politics, and government; I use The Sales Lion as a means to help businesses kick some web and marketing butt in the information age. But today I’ve decided to break my own rules.

It’s time to talk a little politics.

I read a very disturbing article today regarding our government and their recent shutdown of 73,000 blogs. That’s right, I did just say 73,000. Here’s a snippet:

After the U.S. Government took action against several sites connected to movie streaming recently, nerves are jangling over the possibility that this is just the beginning of a wider crackdown. Now it appears that a free blogging platform has been taken down by its hosting provider on orders from the U.S. authorities on grounds of “a history of abuse”. More than 73,000 blogs are out of action as a result.

So here is the deal—I do understand that there is quite a bit of illegal ‘stuff’ that happens online. Yes, many sites are wrongfully using piracy to steal music, video, movies, etc. But one thing is for sure:

73,000 PEOPLE SHOULDN’T SUFFER FOR THE SINS OF A FEW

I just can’t stand it when government finds the ability to screw up individual rights and freedoms all for the sake of more REGULATION. Do idiots like Joe Biden, who btw probably doesn’t even know what the word ‘blog’ means, realize how many of these hard-working men and women they’ve just financially ruined? So much for a freaking stimulus package. I mean what the heck is going one here??

If I had to put it all in a nutshell, I’d say what’s going on goes something like this:

1. Joe Biden knows jack about the internet and the impact it has on small businesses, and was likely given this job because there is nothing else he’s capable of doing in the Whitehouse.

2. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinel needs to stop trying to flex her new-found muscles and use her brain before she continues to throw the hard work and efforts away of bloggers all over the stinking globe.

3. This may be the beginning of something really, really bad. I hope I’m wrong, but good grief the government really appears to have its head up its own tail on this one.

But I’ll stop there as I’m already more fired-up than need be for a Saturday night. I’d be curious to know your thoughts on the matter. And btw, before anyone starts yapping about how some regulation is necessary, let me state that yes, some is needed in the wild-west of the internet. But the key word is SOME, with a whole lot of freaking common-sense mixed in with it.

OK, that’s enough for now. Opinions anyone or am I just fretting over nothing? Come on guys and gals, where do you stand?

5 Advertising Mediums that Will Be Extinct in 2020.

Marcus Sheridan — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 09:57:04 +0000

We all know the world is changing. We can all sense it. Things just ain’t the way they used to be. The activities that fill our days aren’t nearly what they were just a decade ago. Technology is developing faster than any of us can blink an eye. And with all these changes, the world of sales, marketing, and advertising will never be the same. Nope, not even close.

I’ve owned a small business for almost 10 years now. The way I get leads today is nothing like when I started.

You see, today’s marketing takes brains, effort, and a pursuit of excellence. It is social, all about giving, and has everything to do with teaching.

Today’s marketing is the internet. Today’s marketing is your website and social media.

A New, and Better, Era of Advertising

Yesterday’s marketing was laughable. It was essentially the antithesis of social web. It was the opposite of giving. The king was the one who had enough dollars to throw at more leads.

Luckily, for the ones that are willing to do what it takes, those days are gone.

And with them, old marketing mediums will join the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the City of Pompey, and the Roman Empire.

It could be argued that the following mediums will still exist in 10 years, but let’s skip the semantics for a moment and accept reality—emotion aside. Let’s look to the future and embrace what has been, what is, and what will be.

So without further ado, here are 5 advertising mediums that will not exist in 2020

1. The Yellow Pages

The book that has killed more rain forests than any other will no longer be in the households of millions. For most consumers, this change has already been wrought, and assuredly many more will soon follow. Because of the lack of viewers, full-page ads that cost more than most people’s mortgages will have no takers. Business owners will continue to balk at their laughable prices and direct their funds elsewhere. And with no takers, the Yellow Pages (and any other phone directory like it), will be a blip on the radar that is business marketing in the 20^th century.

2. Local Radio

Yes, some radio will survive, but most of the little guys won’t have a pulse within the decade. In today’s market, the idea of selling 30 and 60 second ads to businesses and telling them that they have to do it for at least 6 months to ‘brand’ their image is utterly laughable. Radio is short-term advertising. Let’s not kid ourselves any longer and pretend it’s a viable long-term solution for most small businesses, because it simply isn’t. Too many people have learned to block out its commercials. IPods, Sirius, and the like are the new wave. The once king of the first half of the 19^th century will now bow down to the new mediums technology has brought us.

3. Home Shows

If I had a dollar for every home show I’ve done over the years…….but alas, there days are numbered as well and I, along with thousands and thousands of other businesses, have finally learned to focus my energy and efforts elsewhere. Not only is the time, money, and effort of businesses squandered during such shows, but consumers can find out the latest and greatest info, gadgets, and home improvements tools online, which is much more appealing than paying $10 to walk the halls of a convention center and hear some guy yacking away about his amazing ‘shammy’ mop/broom/ vacuum/you-fill-in-the-blank.

4. Direct Mail

Sorry RSVP. Lo Siento Val Pak. The idea of direct mailers being relevant in 2010, much less 2020, is laughable. Yeah, they had their day, and were at times nice while they lasted. But with email and targeted online inbound marketing being a fraction of the cost of direct mail, the medium is soon to be dead in the water.

5. Newspaper

Honestly, this one makes me sad. There is just something special about a fresh, off-the press newspaper. But all good advertising mediums must come to an end, and newspaper is certainly no exception to the rule. Frankly, I don’t know of any intelligent marketing department or business that is consistently using newspaper advertising in 2010. The concept of spending up to thousands of dollars on one single ad, only to have it relevant for one single day, is utterly inconceivable to comprehend. Let’s see, I can write an awesome blog article, at zero cost, that will possibly bring me thousands upon thousands of visitors and leads for months upon months, or I can spend $1000 on a full page ad that may bring me a few leads tomorrow……..Golly, now that’s a tough debate.

So those are 5 mediums that will not exist in 2020. What are your thoughts? Anyone out there want to defend these mediums? What others can you see going bye-bye? As always, your thoughts are much appreciated.

3 Questions that Will Forever Change the Success of Your Company’s Website

Marcus Sheridan — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:02:48 +0000

I found this email in my inbox recently. Please read it, as it’s absolutely symbolic of everything Web 2.0 is all about….

I own a Pool in Madrid (Spain). So I’m a little out of the way for your services. But believe when I say that your YouTube videos and explanations have been the most effective comm I’ve seen in a while (this from a PR pro). But visiting your website and learning about your company, and about yourselves has simply been an amazing trip into a bunch of people one would really like to do business with. All the best for your company and your incredible families from the other side of the Atlantic. Believe me it has been a pleasure finding you while looking for some ideas for bubbles in my pool.

Victor Sanchez del Real

People often ask what Web 2.0 is all about. And frankly, the requisites of what makes a company’s website 1.0 vs. 2.0 can be poked and prodded for days upon days. But in this simple post, I want to reflect on the true essence of Web 2.0 and what it really means to a business.

The Essence of Web 2.0

Unbelievable Content: Yep, I mean unbelievable. I’m talking about content that won’t let a visitor go. I’m talking about content that opens up a world to consumers that they never thought possible. I’m talking about answering ALL the questions, big and small, complex and simple. Victor was simply trying to find out why his pool had bubbles. And what did he find? Well I’ll let you be the judge of that…

So I ask you, is the content on your website truly unbelievable, or is it just another face in the crowd of average websites with below average content?

Powerful Personal Touch: Victor finds himself thousands upon thousands of miles away, clear across the Atlantic. Notwithstanding this distance, the guy knows me. He knows my story. He knows my family. And he also knows the same regarding my business partners. Such knowledge has touched Victor. He trusts us. He relates to us. To him, we are simply ‘a bunch of people one would really like to do business with’.

So I ask you, does your company’s website enable visitors to truly develop a relationship with you, or is it shallow, without smiling faces and bereft of a genuine personal touch?

Video, and Lots of It

As a business owner, I see everything as a video opportunity. And without the power of video, I would not have been able to show Victor how to find and fix the bubble issue with his swimming pool. Such a simple issue but one that affects thousands of swimming pool owners all over the world every year. But today, with the sheer communication power of the internet, good people like Victor can get the answers they are looking for by truly seeing how it’s done.

So I ask you, is your company leveraging the power of video like you could be, or are you still making excuses as to why you haven’t ‘got the time’?

Well I hope you sincerely consider these simple 3 questions. If you’re ever able to answer them in the affirmative, I can promise you that your business will change. Your life will also change. And not only that, but you’ll literally be helping people around the world. How’s that for fulfillment?

As always, your thoughts and comments are invited and appreciated.

Why is My Blog Losing Subscribers?? 6 Reasons to Ponder

Marcus Sheridan — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:44:47 +0000

If your business has a blog, your only current focus may be that of garnering new subscribers and building your readership base. But believe it or not, getting subscribers isn’t your only goal to content marketing—keeping your subscribers can be a whole new ballgame.

Although the idea of reader and audience retention for a business’ blog is no new one, it’s often times not a focus of thought for individuals and marketing departments. But the fact is, keeping subscribers to a blog is growing more and more difficult a task as today’s consumer learns to embrace information technology and then has to filter the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Many of you reading this might think everyone out there at this point knows the definition of a ‘feed reader’. But in reality, a very small percentage of the world has yet to learn what such a tool is. Heck, most people are still learning how and what it means to subscribe to a blog by email. If you don’t believe me, just take my father as an example, who recently asked me this question: “Does it cost anything if I subscribe to your blog?”

A Cultural Shift

But within the next 5 years , be rest assured that just about every consumer who owns a computer will understand how to subscribe to blogs, how to use a ‘feed’, and ultimately how to filter out what content is bringing them value versus which content has little worth. And with this shift, consumers all over the world will be left deciding whether or not your company’s blog merits a space in their ‘inbox’ or if it needs to0 be ‘voted off the island’.

Although there are many, many reasons as to why one might click the dreaded ‘unsubscribe’ button, I’d like to mention 6 here that I’ve found most prominent during my time as a content marketer /blogger.

1. Sell, Sell, Sell

There is a big debate online about how hard and how often one should leverage their blog for selling and pitching products. Such a debate can be argued and examined from every angle but this general principle typically rings true for almost everyone:

If Selling, Not Value, is the focus of Your Blog, Then People will Grow Tired of Your Blah, Blah, Blah Quickly

Not too long ago I subscribed to the blog of a person who has a substantial online following. This lady has formed quite a network with other well-known bloggers and has obviously made a good living ‘working in the clouds’. But after checking the blog out for about a month, I noticed almost two-thirds of all the articles were over-the-top sales pitches for her next class, seminar, product, affiliate, etc. After growing weary of this sell, sell, sell approach, I unsubscribed.

This is especially critical when dealing with true ‘business blogs’—similar to what I have with my swimming pool company. That blog is 99% about giving great content to consumers. And because of the trust and branding that is built through its content, sales ultimately result.

2. The Toby Keith Syndrome

I mentioned this in another article recently but many businesses and entrepreneurs turn their blog into an ‘I Want to Talk About Me’ remix, constantly talking about how great their company, their product, and their services are. In most cases, this is a huge mistake. In fact, here is a good maxim to remember for your business’ blog:

People Want to Know What’s in it For THEM First, Then they Might Care About YOU.

This is why I believe that the best strategy for most businesses is to earn trust through value (good content) on their website’s blog, and then on the rest of their website they can yap about their products, services, company, etc.

3. Post Too Often

Believe it or not, and despite what some people might say, it is possible to blog too much. Now granted, this varies drastically from industry to industry, which is why there is no set rule regarding post frequency, but the key to remember is that every audience has an average threshold.

For example, with my swimming pool business, I’ve found that any more than 3 articles in a week is overkill. Why? I’m not sure exactly why, but I can tell that if I post too often my subscribers will not pay as much attention to individual posts as they come out—hence the quality vs quantity battle.

Many bloggers and companies deal with this dilemma, but one thing is for sure:

Posting just to post, without value to the reader, will backfire and blow up in your face.

4. No Opinions

I’m not going to list as one of our reasons for unsubscribers here that a person’s writing ability isn’t good enough. Yes, it does help that a person can write/communicate effectively, but just because someone doesn’t write well doesn’t mean that they can’t have an opinion—and a strong one at that. Audiences and readers need to be moved. It’s good for them to nod their heads in agreement. It can be even better that they shake their heads in fierce disagreement. Either way, they’ve been moved, which is the goal of any teacher/writer/blogger/etc.

5. Language

I once read an article by a guy who did a guest post for a blog that I follow and was so impressed with his teachings that I immediately went to his blog and subscribed to it as well. But within a few articles, I realized that the guy’s writing style on his blog was nothing like the guest post he had written. Basically, most of his articles were laced with quite the arsenal of 4-letter words—a writing technique that frankly I’ve never understood.

As I mentioned in my previous post about communication etiquette, why would anyone fill their blog with curse words if they weren’t needed to further make a point? 4-letter words might bring a snicker or two from some readers, but they’ll also turn-off others, so why bother taking such a risk??

6. Keep Saying the Same Thing, 20 Different Ways

If you keep up with enough blogs, you know what I’m saying here. This problem is especially true in the self-help/motivation niche. I’ve seen writers just keep regurgitating the same points and thoughts with a few new adjectives and personal experiences mixed in. Remember, content needs to vary and maintain a sense of freshness. If subscribers feel like they are reading the same article each and every week then they’ll stop paying attention quickly.

So there are my top 6 reasons as to why readers unsubscribe from blogs. What have I missed? I’m sure there are many more out there and I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Flickr Photo Link

Embracing Your Inner Genius…..Contrary to Popular Belief

Marcus Sheridan — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:21:19 +0000

If someone were to ask you what your ‘Genius’ was, what would you say? Seriously now, answer the question before you keep reading this, because it’s the core to everything I want to talk about in this little post and it’s a topic that has, and will continue to have, a major impact on your life.

I’ll get to my answer to this incredibly important question in a second but first I want to make sure we are on the same page regarding the word genius itself.

Recently, I ran across a website that had the perfect historical description of ‘Genius’. This is what it said:

The word genius, like many words, has a complex history of development interrelated with developments in culture, philosophy, technology, and economics. Originally the term defined a ‘guiding spirit’ of a person or place. Nearly everyone had potential to do the work of genius, to manifest the greatness of this spirit in the physical world. It was not always ‘good’ work, but it was always powerful. Genius was seen as an influencer, for good or bad.

During the high renaissance this meaning began to change as the role of the individual in society increased in importance. Developments in technology created more need for specialization (previously most people could perform most functions in society), and economic power shifted from a small group of feudal landlords to a broader number of merchants, traders, and even a rising peasant class. Books and letters from the time refer to both “the genius of Michelangelo” (referencing a guiding spirit) and “Michelangelo, the genius,” (referring to the individual characteristic of being a genius).

By the late 1700′s the word had almost entirely transformed to being a characteristic of an individual and Wolfgang Von Goethe is perhaps histories finest example of evangelizing the word in its new context. To Goethe genius was very specifically a quality, and a quality of greatness, a product of passion and mad creativity.

Our Problem

We have a major problem in our society. Somewhere along the lines, we’ve lost touch with this word ‘Genius’. Today, we only use the word for very special occasions on very special people. While the rest of the world is wallowing in utter mediocrity, ‘Genius’ is a word saved for few and far between.

Fact is, every person, and I really mean every, has an inner genius—at least one special talent, skill, or ability.

But for some reason it’s taboo to talk about our inner greatness in society. For some reason we are not supposed to discuss the special talents and gifts we’ve been given from a higher source to complete a higher work.

Let me just say this is total crapola.

I’m well aware of my genius. Yep, that’s right, I said my genius. You see, when God made me he gave me the gift of communication. Specifically, he gave me the ability to teach, motivate, and inspire by getting in front of audiences. And the larger the audience, the more comfortable I feel. In fact, the place I feel most at peace in this world is when it’s just me in front of a very large group….talking….laughing….teaching….bonding with the members of the audience as we all grow together. Without question, teaching and inspiring through large-group communication is one reason why God put me on this earth. And do you know what else? I’m really, really good at it.

Now tell me something. As you read the previous paragraph, were you put off by my words? Do I come across as arrogant?

Are You Willing to Accept?

If there is one thing I’ve always been in life is a realist. I typically see and describe things as they are—black and white. When it comes to my own strengths, abilities, and weaknesses; I’m brutally honest. To give you an example, for whatever reason God didn’t bless me with a knack to work with my hands. I’m terrible at putting things together. If you get a new desk for your office, make sure I’m not the one there to help. And despite my desire to play the piano (I tried for quite some time), draw well, and sing– well I’ve pretty much flunked on all of those skills despite my desire to excel with each.

My make-up is really no different than anyone else’s. We’ve all got strengths. And we’ve all got weaknesses. The real question is what we do with this knowledge. Are we willing to accept and embrace our strengths—our inner Genius?

We teach our children early on to be humble. We teach them not to brag. We put water on their flames as they talk about how great they are at this and that. And then as they get older, the trend only continues. ‘Humility’, at least as it’s used in our societal vernacular, is the ultimate triumph.

Again, total crapola.

Don’t get me wrong. Humility is a great thing. But to me, the word ‘Humility’ isn’t about denying ones inner greatness and genius. Rather, it has to do with one’s ability to be taught, learn, and embrace new truths.

I’m not espousing here that we should be running in the streets screaming at the top of our lungs just how great we are at everything we do. No, what I am saying is that one of the ultimate goals in life is to seek out our inner genius. And once we find this genius we acknowledge it. We come to understand it. We appreciate it. And then we run with it.

It may sound cheesy, but this is essentially the purpose of our creation—to find our genius and allow it to bless the lives of ourselves and others.

Be Proud

So be proud of what you already know to be your strengths. Accept them and do what it takes to multiply their magnitude and influence. And if you have children, talk to them about their inner genius. Help them understand the word and let them know they are special and utterly unique. Don’t allow anyone to rain on their, or your, parade.

If everyone only embraced such a paradigm, the impact it would have on us individually, within our homes, and as a society would be profound.

What are your thoughts on genius? How do you feel about the idea of openly accepting embracing our talents? As always, your thoughts are welcome and appreciated.

Working 9-5 Ain’t the Enemy…but Your Passion Just Might Be

Marcus Sheridan — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 14:55:27 +0000

It’s the 4^th of July weekend and so I hope everyone reading this (regardless of which country you may be currently in), are enjoying great time with friends and family. But considering it is the 4^th, I was thinking about the word ‘freedom’, and also contemplating how often the word is used by bloggers and entrepreneurs all over the world regarding our daily lives and what we do to make a living.

You see, there is a trend out there to make it appear that working a ‘normal’ 9-5 job is a bad thing–that having a set schedule, working under someone else, and not being able to come and go as one pleases, is a sign of servitude and a lifestyle that must be escaped at all cost.

Now don’t get me wrong here. I love the lifestyle of being an entrepreneur. It fits me wonderfully. I love pushing myself, encountering new risks each day, taking charge of my own destiny, and dreaming dreams that could only evolve from my oddly spasmodic cerebral cortex.

But despite all these qualities that make me who I am and motivate me to reach for something greater on a daily basis, I’ve not lost this simple understanding:

Working 9-5 isn’t the enemy to happiness.

In fact, I know many, many people that feel utterly fulfilled and enriched by working their ‘normal’ 9-5 jobs. And to these people I say– ‘God bless ya!’

This whole idea of being fulfilled by work and by life is not about schedules really. And it’s not about bosses either. Rather, I believe it comes to one great core principle:

PASSION

Who can fault the man or woman that get up each morning with a smile to teach his or her 2^nd grade elementary school class skills that will impact them the rest of their lives?

Who can fault the man or woman who works for corporate America and eats, breaths, and loves everything that comes with such a lifestyle?

Who can fault the person who gets up each day and is thrilled by installing swimming pools that will provide laughter and smiles for a family for years and years to come? (I’m biased regarding this one)

Everyone can have passion about their work, it’s just a matter of finding their right job—their calling. It bothers me when I read other bloggers who seem to misunderstand this incredibly relevant concept.

We are all different. We have been wired with completely unique schematics. The idea that one lifestyle, perhaps the ‘adventurous’ one, is better for ALL is utterly ridiculous and nearsighted.

So instead of talking about how good or bad certain jobs and lifestyles are, maybe we should just focus on passion, and making sure each and every one of us can find that job—the one that brings us smiles, happiness, and fulfillment each day—no matter how ‘unliberating’ it may appear to others.

So during this time of independence celebration, it is my wish that other than remembering the incredible founders of this country, each and every one of us can find freedom in our lives by living and breathing the activities that bring us the most joy and happiness.

Agree or disagree? As always, your comments are invited and appreciated.