COVER CONTINUED ...
What if you had two or three articles just like this one? How much content could you pump out each month, in a pretty short period of time, if you repurposed all your custom content? I typically get two objections here. One of them is, “If I reuse the content, people will know and be annoyed.” Let me tell you, only your spouse and parents are paying close enough attention to your business to consume that much information from you and remember it. No one reads everything you put on social media, every email you send, and each blog post you write AND watches all your videos. If they do, then good news: They are going to buy something from you. Of course, you may also be thinking, “I don’t need a newsletter. I’ll just create content.” Big mistake. In a recent “day in the basement” a friend of mine had with Dan Kennedy (if you don’t know, Dan does his personal consultations in the basement of his home), the topic of newsletters came up, and Dan said, “You must, MUST be doing a newsletter every month. It’s critical to maintain this relationship. It’s what makes you different and attracts them to you.” One of my favorite things my son Lex says is “That’s not fair.” This statement typically comes after one of his brothers gets something or gets to do something that he isn’t going to get to do. My reply is always the same: “Life is not fair.” This concept of fair is very misguided, to say the least. As entrepreneurs, we don’t simplify our feelings quite to the level of a 6-year-old, but I often witness grown men and women throwing a fit when life and business are unfair. But fair is often like luck. It is better to have things be fair or have a little luck on your side, but most of the time, how fair life is or how much luck you have is a product of your own creation. Unfortunately, as human beings, far too often, we get stepped on and pushed down. Instead of being pissed at people who are not treating us fairly, the next time we don’t get our way or someone makes a mistake, we throw a fit. And then, the first time we get any power, we oppress someone else. I know there are some reading this right now who think they’ve never oppressed
Do you want to be here two years, three years, five years, or even 10 years from now? You have to build relationships with customers and prospects. If not, you will struggle, and you may lose it all and have to start over. I know that paints a grim picture for an article to start 2018, but I’d rather hit you with the truth so you can fix it now instead of let you struggle after it’s too late. P.S. Want help with a newsletter and getting ghostwritten content that you can reuse? Go to http://www.thenewsletterpro.com/schedule and make an appointment to chat with a Pro. Need help now? Call 208-297-5700 and let them know you’d
All the other gurus you listen to got their start with Dan. He is the guru’s guru, and he isn’t wrong. You need to have a foundational piece to your marketing that goes out each month and builds the relationship. The smart ones then leverage the content to create all the other marketing and content they need. If you think you can cheap out on this and email it, think again. Another quote from Dan: “Digital-only is a huge mistake.” Even Amazon now has physical stores and sends postcards, so tell me again why it would be smart for you to go digital-only? sends postcards, so tell me again why it would be smart for you to go digital-only?” “ ‘DIGITAL-ONLY IS A HUGE MISTAKE.’ Even Amazon now has physical stores and
like to speak with a consultant about starting your newsletter campaign.
–Shaun THAT’S NOT FAIR AND NEITHER IS LIFE BUSINESS ADVICE
anyone, but that would not be true, because virtually all of humanity has done it.
of 200-plus employees, this company took home first place in 2017, and it’s known to have a good culture. One of the things this company was known for was massive reinvestment in their employees. Why? Without the employees, there is no business and, in turn, no $340 million payday. Nearly 100 percent of entrepreneurs are focused on “What’s in it for me?” I’m a huge believer that you, as the entrepreneur, should be rewarded for your hard work and risk. But you don’t have to be rewarded while someone else gets punished. You don’t need 100 percent of the marbles to win. As we head into 2018, I want you to remember two things: 1) Culture trumps strategy every day of the week; and 2) Happy employees make happy customers, and happy customers make happy shareholders. If you focus on the people in the business this year, you’ll find all your marketing efforts and business dealings to be fairer.
But there is a bright side to this downer article. We have a choice right now, as entrepreneurs, to make the world a better place. Each morning when we get up, we can decide what kind of boss and business we want to run. Do we run one that is filled with love and concern for others that goes beyond enriching ourselves? Do we need to keep every marble from the business? Or, can we use some of our gains to help others, including our employees? Can we build a culture in our companies that doesn’t allow back-stabbing, gossiping, or oppression? Of course we can. We can do all of this and so much more. Recently, a 250-person fast-growing tech company sold in my area, and any time something like this happens, it is news in Boise, Idaho. In 11 years, this company built a business that at least one person thought was worth $340 million. In the Best Places to Work in Idaho competition, for the category
3
www.thenewsletterpro.com
CHANGING THE WAY SMALL BUSINESSES GROW.
208.297.5700
Made with FlippingBook Online document