Sales Training | Motivational Speakers | Direct Marketing

Frank Furness – Speakers Bootcamp

Jacques de Villiers — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:41:57 +0000

Professional speaker, Frank Furness asked The Business Generator to pique the interest of his friends, contacts and clients who are (or who thinking of becoming) professional speakers.

I’ve been to two sessions with Frank and have gained hugely from my exposure to him.

Go to him, it will be worth it.

Jacques de Villiers
The Business Generator
14 May 2012

Speakers Bootcamp

Date: 2 – 3 June 2012
Time: 09h00 – 16h30
Venue: Melrose Place Guest Lodge, Johannesburg

Here’s his story:

How Often Do You Find Yourself Saying: “I Wish I Knew How To Speak At Conferences And Conventions”
The Bootcamp will provide Proven Tips, Tools and Tactics To Speak At Conferences And Conventions.

Frank Furness, originally from South Africa has been living in London since 1993. He embarked on a full time speaking career in 1997. Since that time he has spoken in 48 Countries around the World and continues to secure International speaking assignments. Most of the engagements are self generated and Frank has become a master of networking and identifying opportunities. He runs his speaking career as a professional business. When Frank started his speaking career, he spent a lot of wasted time floundering around and trying to find out how to market himself.
Over the years he has developed professional relationships with some of the best marketers and speakers in the World and learnt from them. Two hours of personal coaching time with Dottie Walters cost Frank $500 and the advice he received resulted in his first tape course order for R600,000.

Frank Furness is not only a marvellous, successful professional speaker, he knows all the insiders information about speaking globally. If you are dreaming and planning to become an international speaker, you will treasure and benefit from every word. I wish I had Franks great ideas before I made my first international presentations. It always pays to get expert advice from a successful expert who has been down the trail before you. Dottie Walters CSP http://www.speakandgrowrich.com/

Over the last four and a half years he has established clients that are amongst the largest Blue Chip Companies in the world. Sponsorship and arranging his own speaking tours has contributed to his success and International exposure. Frank has now run three successful Speakers Bootcamps and the delegates are raving. With the ideas learned on the bootcamp, one delegate secured 11 speaking assignments in the week following.

The idea of a BOOTCAMP originates in America where Frank has attended them and experienced the positive results. A BOOTCAMP is a weekend of intensive learning and action planning.

The first day of BOOTCAMP will concentrate on the speaking and platform skills, while the second day concentrates on marketing, products and running a business
Discover how Frank has secured bookings in 48 countries – By following the proven branding and marketing strategies shared on the bootcamp, you too could be speaking globally or making a big name for yourself as a speaker in your country.
Develop and sell your own products – Frank shares his strategies that helped him to generate over 35 products and how his first ever product sale was for $70,000

Learn from the greats. – Watch videos, listen to interviews and discover the secrets of success of some of the worlds greatest speakers

I came to Frank’s bootcamp as a successful speaker, TV & radio presenter and media journalist. I left with seven pages of notes & an understanding that I still had a great deal to learn. Wow! The Other Michael Jackson

Learn how to run a speaking business – Find out how to run a successful business – branding, marketing, articles and securing bookings on an ongoing basis will be shared on day 2.
Develop a ‘Killer’ keynote -Frank shares the formula to developing a keynote that will have your audiences shouting for more.
Use multimedia to enhance your presentation -Find out how to avoid ‘Death by PowerPoint and use multimedia effectively.

Thank You for Walking for Talk. Go Big or stay home! Gavin Sharples http://www.gavinsharples.co.za/

Learn the essential elements to any successful presentation – Discover how to use the 7 ‘E’s formula, humour, pauses and creating a magical experience for your audience.
Grow your business – Frank will show you a marketing kit that has a 95% success rate in securing bookings. He will show you how to build your profile and market yourself.
Get the bookings – Frank’s 17 strategies to get booked includes, sponsorships, bartering, familiarity days,working with bureaus and much, much more.

Day one

Platform & Speaking Skills

You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Never has this been so true as with a Professional speaker. You need to make a great first impression all the time; when meeting bureaus for the first time, when selling yourself to prospective clients, when meeting potential clients and on the platform. Mark Victor Hansen said that professional speaking is 95% marketing, but if your platform skills are lacking all the marketing in the world will not help you. Today’s successful speaker is part entertainer, educator, marketer and salesperson. If any of these areas are lacking, business will suffer .

Day One Agenda

Your speech structure
Relaxation techniques
The impact of a powerful opening
The 7 Es of a successful talk

◦   energy
◦   excitement
◦   entertainment
◦   emotion
◦   enthusiasm
◦   education
◦   endings

Signatures
The use and misuse of PowerPoint
Multimedia
Music
Video
The power of stories
Creating impact
Humour
Discovering the magic of the moment
The correct use of microphones
Working with event teams

Day Two

Marketing and business skills

I know many speakers who are great on the platform, inspire their audiences and leave a lasting impression, yet they are always complaining of the lack of regular speaking assignments. Other speakers are new to the circuit and want to know how to market themselves.
This day is for you, the ideas have worked for me and generated excellent income and lifestyle. When I started out as a professional speaker, there was no-one to go to for direction, so many ideas were discovered by trial and error (very costly and plenty of mistakes).
Over the years many ‘greats’ have shared their secrets with me and you will benefit from these on day two. Entering the International market was a whole new ball game with different marketing methods, but having discovered these, my diary is now filled with International speaking assignments. Product design and sales was another area where I had no knowledge.
An investment in two hours of Dottie Walters time resulted In my first audio course generating income of £35,000 in one sale over a handshake. Negotiation skills in selling my talks to decision makers was another area where I had to improve my skills as well as developing a professional press kit and promotional material. If you pick up just one idea that can generate you more income, then the investment has been worthwhile.

Day Two Agenda

The business plan
Setting up and running an efficient office
Planning and tracking your business
Creating a niche market
Sponsorships
Publicity and promotion
Your unique press kit
Contracts
Building a profile
Essential equipment
Marketing with articles
Generating repeat and referral business
The importance of an excellent web site
Working with production houses
Developing and marketing products
Tips booklets
Publishing
Working with speaker bureaus
Breaking into the International market
Dealing with different cultures
Unforgettable titles (‘Walking with Tigers’ has secured me more business than I thought possible)
E-marketing & affiliate selling
Creating and marketing with video and multimedia

Investment for Two Days Of Battle Tested, Proven Speaking Strategies

R4 700.00 per delegate.

Book Now

Jacques de Villiers
082 906 3693
jacques@jacquesdevilliers.com

or book directly with Frank Furness here.

Power Up Your Direct & Digital Marketing

Jacques de Villiers — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:15:59 +0000

The Business Generator, Jacques de Villiers will be presenting How to Sell Face-to-Face in a Digital World on the Power Up Your Direct & Digital Marketing Workshop ticket in Cape Town on 7 June 2012. Top European direct marketing expert, Michael Leander will headline the event. He will also be speaking at the Direct Marketing Association of South Africa’s Social Media & Email Marketing Summit on 4 – 5 June 2012.

You are invited to attend any of our 2 events in Johannesburg and Cape Town. These events have been highly rated by thousands of attendees in more than 20 countries. And the DMASA, Markedu SA and Jacques de Villiers are very excited to bring them to South Africa for the first time ever.

In Johannesburg on 4 – 5 June 2012, you are invited to attend The Social Media & Email Marketing Summit.

The Summit will help marketers learn:

• To understand how to find new customers in social media
• To convert more web site visitors to email marketing dialogue
• To get behind social networking platforms including Facebook, YouTube and Linkedin
• To optimise email marketing for maximum results
• To use true and tested techniques to service customers in social media
• And much more besides, to prove that being direct is a better way to optimise marketing spend.
• We hope to be able to unveil the results of the first SA Benchmark survey on email at the Summit!

Click here to find out more about the Summit and to book.

In Cape Town on 7 June 2012, you are invited to attend the Power Up Your Direct & Digital Marketing Workshop

At the Workshop marketers will discover:

• How to build a strong marketing foundation to increase your sales result dramatically and in record time
• How you can translate understanding of your target market to admirable conversion results
• How to leverage the power of digital marketing to attract more qualified leads and prospects and convert them to sales
• How to effectively use social media in your marketing mix for a real return on investment
• Why profiling, database, conversion flows and words matter now more than ever

Click here to find out more about the Workshop and to book.

First Impressions Last Webinar at 11h30 SA time.

Jacques de Villiers — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 08:15:57 +0000

There’s still time to attend the webinar http://www.markedu.com/2012/02/17/webinar-first-impressions-last/

So far we have 66 people attending from the following countries:

Botswana (1 record)
Bulgaria (1 record)
Cyprus (1 record)
Denmark (1 record)
Egypt (4 records)
Germany (1 record)
Lithuania (1 record)
Norway (1 record)
Poland (2 records)
Portugal (4 records)
Romania (1 record)
Serbia (22 records)
South Africa (20 records)
United Arab Emirates (1 record)
United Kingdom (5 records)

Is Cold Calling Dead?

Jacques de Villiers — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:29:26 +0000

According to a DemandGen Report whitepaper only three out of 100 B2B sales resulted from cold-calling.

The BtoB Transformation Survey includes feedback from 103 respondents who were “involved in the purchase of a business solution or system within the past 12 months.” I’m not sure if this is a big enough sample to make a case (researchers out there, is it?) … however, it does give us pause to consider whether our sales and marketing strategies have hit the sweet spot or are way off base.

According to the survey, the following led to the other 97% of sales. Download survey.

33% called provider directly
10% chatted with providers on their website via live chat
53% of sales came from the provider contacting me after I asked for further information from their website

If this survey is to be believed, it means that the new reality is that the buyer is totally in control. In short, the sale is made before the prospect contacts the company.

I’m not sure that many B2B or B2C companies are geared up to handle this reality.

Google calls this before-the-sale process the “Zero Moment of Truth”.

This means that marketers have to raise their game and ensure that every avenue is covered with relevant information that the prospect needs. Thus, those companies without a well thought-out and crafted content marketing strategy will be sucking on the hind teat whilst their more clued up competitors will streak ahead.

If your company needs help with its content marketing strategy, contact The Business Generator, Jacques de Villiers.

Good Content Is Rare

Jacques de Villiers — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:57:19 +0000

The Business Generator was interviewed by Coup Magazine on copywriting.
Good Content is Rare – The Business Generator

Don’t Contact Me Database

Jacques de Villiers — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:16:40 +0000

If you don’t want to receive unsolicited email, you may want to take the Direct Marketing Association of South Africa up on its offer of ensuring that its members wont contact you again. You can go on its Don’t Contact Me Database.

From the website www.optout.co.za

Registering on this database will mean that you will not be contacted by members of the DMA (Direct Marketing Association of Southern Africa).

The DCM (Don’t Contact Me Database) helps you to make sure your address, email address, telephone and cell number are no longer available to organisations, who are members of the DMA, who want to make offers and send information that you do not wish to receive. You can also do this by contacting companies directly and asking them not to contact you.

Before you register however…
You should reflect on the fact that registering may well prevent you from receiving information which you would really like to have – thereby cutting you off from relevant and worthwhile opportunities. For example charities use telemarketing as an economical way to raise awareness and much needed support.

If you are happy to receive direct marketing contacts from some companies but not others, contact the companies who you do not wish to hear from and ask them to remove your details from their contact lists. Registering your details on the DCM could stop all contacts from all companies registered with the DMA, including charities and voluntary organisations who you might want to support.

Registration requirements
When you register you will be required to enter a valid RSA ID number and email address. On completion of the registration you will receive an email requesting that you confirm that you want to be on the “Don’t Contact Me Database” and once we have received your confirmation you will then be registered. If you do not respond within 5 days your details will be deleted. Go to www.optout.co.za if you don’t want to receive mail from the DMA’s members.

Presentology – The Art & Science of Presentation and Delivery Excellence

Jacques de Villiers — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 10:58:24 +0000

Jacques de Villiers and MindTrust Marketing presents:

Kivi Bernhard and Presentology™ – The Art & Science of Presentation and Delivery Excellence

Date: 9 December 2011
Time: 08h00 – 11h00
Venue: The Sunnyside Park Hotel, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
Investment: R897.00 per person
Book with: Simone Scholtz simone@jacquesdevilliers.com or 071 670 2168

In the past, all you needed to do was “get” a job and “show up.” But, times have changed—the global economy is in deep crisis and if your organization intends to win, all members of your team must have the ability to communicate that with excellence!

Come and learn from an internationally recognised master speaker what it means to:

Have presence and command credibility rather than just “taking up space and time”
Get your point across in a compelling way rather than just “deliver information”
Be “fully present” in both your verbal and nonverbal skills
Understand the mechanics and psychology of speaking and listening and learn to transport an audience from “good” to “wow”!
Use body language, platform psychology, stage presence and verbal skills to command attention without deviating from your core message

This is a lifetime opportunity to hear one of the most dynamic and sought after platform speakers in the world today. As an international class master speaker Kivi Bernhard has been requested to spend time with executive teams of Fortune 500’s including CNN, Home Depot, TBS, Coke and ING. Kivi is a veteran communicator with a compelling personal story and the ability to help each member of your team add to the effectiveness of your company’s message.

About Kivi Bernhard – www.kivibernhard.com

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Kivi was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. After relocating to the USA in 1997 with his wife and family and a total net worth of $860.22, Kivi went on to build a multimillion dollar international wholesale diamond business. Kivi Bernhard has received accolade from some of the finest business schools in America.

Kivi Bernhard is one of those amazing people you meet every once in a while and never forget. With an unusual synthesis, he is an orthodox Jew, passionate family man, adventurer, accomplished business entrepreneur, author and renowned speaker. CEO and founder of Kivi International LLC, an internationally known wholesale loose diamond distributor, Kivi’s business network reads like a current edition of “Who’s Who?” Tapping into this asset has allowed him access to the minds and spirit of some of the most accomplished names in the local and global business arena. A keen student of life with a huge appetite for laughter and love, Kivi is an accomplished and published musician, Judo medalist and gemological consultant.

Kivi’s “other love,” the African bush, has become part and parcel of his fiber as a human being and is what inspired the development of Leopardology™. He has an amazing ability to synthesize his lifelong passion and study of Africa’s predators with timeless life lessons across the spectrum of human experience. Often describe an amalgamation of “Crocodile Dundee” and “Jerry McGuire with yarmulka” Kivi is a riveting and captivating orator. Equally at home tracking lion deep in the African bush as he is in the executive suites of a Fortune 500, he will regale you with enthralling stories of both. A consummate professional, Kivi Bernhard is a fountain of positive energy and human potential. His personal journey, including his victories and his losses, have given him a unique laboratory in which to study the DNA of this thing we call “success.”

Testimonials for Kivi Bernhard – www.kivibernhard.com

“..Kivi Bernhard is regarded as one of the top ten platform speakers in the world today..”
Successful Meetings

I had to make this my first email of the day! Unfortunately, I had an early flight and missed your session on “Presentology™: The analysis of presentation and delivery excellence”, the second day of the meeting. All I have heard from ALL of my colleagues is that I missed a once in a lifetime experience for senior executive training. They said you were like nothing they have ever heard or experienced before. I have just purchased Leopardology, I’m very much looking forward to reading it and I am still kicking myself for not being there. It is all people are talking about.
Tammy, District Human Resources Manager – The Home Depot

Hello and it was a pleasure to meet you throughout the day at the CNN training meeting.
Mr.Bernhard – you were exceptional with a wealth of knowledge and professional experience to share. However, it was your warmth and positive energy that was captivating and refreshing to experience. It was indeed a privilege to meet and learn from you. I hope only someday to command a stage with the poise and presence that you do. What a speaker you are!
Brittanie Palumbo Entertainment & Animation Human Resources ▪ TS&O Human Resources

I write you this quick note to express what an incredible job you did at our executive training meeting in Puerto Rico. You were just outstanding and our entire sales team received very positive comments the whole day. Even though we are now the largest hotel group in the world, you have really brought our executives something unique that will not only affect our business but our lives also. You are also one of a kind speaker. Thank you friend!.
Salo Smaletz Regional Vice President Development – IHG InterContinental Hotels Group, Latin America

It was a great day yesterday. Your seminar presentation is simply ingenious and you are a very gifted speaker as well. I look forward to getting into your book.
We are heavily seasoned executives and I believe that what you gave us will not only impact our 2010, but in many ways our entire strategic thinking. We were looking for innovative thinking and wow, did you supply it! Thanks again for making our sales training event such a huge success. I would strongly introduce you to other GE divisions.
Chris A. Seeterlin Sourcing Manager / Supplier Diversity Leader GE Energy

Please allow me to share with you how excellent your presentation was at the Chicago meeting. To be quite frank with you we have NEVER heard a speaker of your caliber before. The teaching ideas of Leopardology are really just exceptional and have given us real world ideas that we can take away and implement in our business growth. These ideas are so applicable to our world of banking and financial services and you were just right on point! Congratulations on our best presentation ever heard, hands down! I will be reaching out to you very shortly. A side note, I just completed your book and it is excellent.

Kirill Vorobeychik, Vice President, Merrill Lynch

“…truly just an incredible keynote. Your message is absolutely perfect for our BCA members. A huge congratulations!…”
Ron Jaworski – Business Clubs America

“We are the largest distributor of aerial lifts and platforms in the world. We have a worldwide presence…beyond question Kivi’s international perspective and global business background made his keynote one of the best we have ever heard…”
George Chen, VP Sales, Genie, China 

Leopardology and Presentology by Kivi Bernhard

Jacques de Villiers — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:19:51 +0000

Professional speaker and author, Kivi Bernhard contacted me on 25 July to say that he would be presenting to some blue chip companies in South Africa in December. He asked if I would be interested in setting up a seminar or two (Leopardology™ and Presentology™) for my South African clients. I checked out his credentials and spoke to a couple of professional speakers from the PSASA and got glowing reviews. So, here’s an opportunity to learn from someone who is considered to be one of the top ten platform speakers in the world today. As one of the few business motivational speakers in South Africa who speaks on direct marketing and sales, I’m keen to learn from Kivi.

Leopardology™ – 8 December
Presentology™ – 9 December
Venue: Sunnyside Park Hotel, Parktown
Time: 08h00 – 11h00
Investment: R897 per delegate (attend both seminars for only R1 394. That’s a R400 saving).

Book Now
Simone Scholtz
simone@jacquesdevilliers.com or 071 670 2168

Leopardology™ The Hunt For Profit In A Tough Global Economy

Heavily requested subsequent to the release of Kivi Bernhard’s critically acclaimed book, Leopardology™ – The Hunt For Profit In A Tough Global Economy! (Morgan James of NY, 2009) This is a high energy and penetrating audio-visual presentation that will take you audience deep into the African bushlands and open savannahs with the aid of award winning video footage.

The African leopard is the most successful and adaptable feline predator on earth and is master of the solo hunt. Making clients is one thing, maximizing profit and retaining them as repeat clients is quite another. It is truly an art and fast becoming the determinant of who gets to stay in business to survive the global economic transition. With incredible platform excellence that has become Kivi’s speaking signature, Kivi Bernhard will amaze, inform, motivate and inspire audiences with laughter and fun, as he extracts a possible solution from this majestic predator.

This seminar will include three of the now internationally renowned “Pillars of Positive Predatory Thinking™ ” that make up Leopardology™: You got it! Critical business thinking and strategy gleaned from the hunt of Africa’s most successful predator. It will literally leave your audience spell-bound – that is, as soon as they sit back from the edge of their seats! This presentation will empower and infuse attendees with a keen “knowledge of self” and will allow them to take precise inventory of their exact personal tooling and apparatus. This is critical, cutting-edge business and life thinking, presented like nothing you have ever experienced before. This seminar is, simultaneously, a visual, emotional and intellectual experience!

Amandla e’Ingwe – Traditional Zulu saying: “May the Strength of The Leopard Be With You!”

Presentology™ The Analysis Of Presentation And Delivery Excellence! Learning communication secrets of world class speakers

Have presence and command credibility rather than just “taking up space and time”
Get your point across in a compelling way rather than just “deliver information”
Be “fully present” in both your verbal and nonverbal skills
Understand the mechanics and psychology of speaking and listening and learn to transport an audience from “good” to “wow”!
Use body language, platform psychology, stage presence and verbal skills to command attention without deviating from your core message

About Kivi Bernhard

“… Kivi Bernhard is regarded as one of the top ten platform speakers in the world today…”, Successful Meetings – The Authority on Meetings & Incentives

Taking the professional speakers circuit by storm, Kivi Bernhard has been requested to keynote audiences from the Bahamas to Bangkok. Described by a leading international speaker bureau as “one of the most promising and talented speakers in the world today” Kivi is a riveting and captivating speaker and is renowned for his platform excellence.

Testimonials for Kivi Bernhard – www.kivibernhard.com

“..Kivi Bernhard is regarded as one of the top ten platform speakers in the world today..”
Successful Meetings

I had to make this my first email of the day! Unfortunately, I had an early flight and missed your session on “Presentology™: The analysis of presentation and delivery excellence”, the second day of the meeting. All I have heard from ALL of my colleagues is that I missed a once in a lifetime experience for senior executive training. They said you were like nothing they have ever heard or experienced before. I have just purchased Leopardology, I’m very much looking forward to reading it and I am still kicking myself for not being there. It is all people are talking about.
Tammy, District Human Resources Manager – The Home Depot

Hello and it was a pleasure to meet you throughout the day at the CNN training meeting.
Mr.Bernhard – you were exceptional with a wealth of knowledge and professional experience to share. However, it was your warmth and positive energy that was captivating and refreshing to experience. It was indeed a privilege to meet and learn from you. I hope only someday to command a stage with the poise and presence that you do. What a speaker you are!
Brittanie Palumbo Entertainment & Animation Human Resources ▪ TS&O Human Resources

I write you this quick note to express what an incredible job you did at our executive training meeting in Puerto Rico. You were just outstanding and our entire sales team received very positive comments the whole day. Even though we are now the largest hotel group in the world, you have really brought our executives something unique that will not only affect our business but our lives also. You are also one of a kind speaker. Thank you friend!.
Salo Smaletz Regional Vice President Development – IHG InterContinental Hotels Group, Latin America

It was a great day yesterday. Your seminar presentation is simply ingenious and you are a very gifted speaker as well. I look forward to getting into your book.
We are heavily seasoned executives and I believe that what you gave us will not only impact our 2010, but in many ways our entire strategic thinking. We were looking for innovative thinking and wow, did you supply it! Thanks again for making our sales training event such a huge success. I would strongly introduce you to other GE divisions.
Chris A. Seeterlin Sourcing Manager / Supplier Diversity Leader GE Energy

“…truly just an incredible keynote. Your message is absolutely perfect for our BCA members. A huge congratulations!…”
Ron Jaworski – Business Clubs America

Seminars

Book Now
Simone Scholtz
simone@jacquesdevilliers.com or 071 670 2168

Goal-Setting Workshop on 10 November

Jacques de Villiers — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 10:56:52 +0000

Hit the Ground Running in 2012

Do you think January 2012 is going to be the same as January 2011?

In all probability it will be the same. Most of us putter along in January trying to switch on a brain that turned to porridge over the December holidays. We shift into third gear in February and finally take off in March. Only to lose momentum in April when all the public holidays descend on us!

We don’t have time to waste (and if you believe the Mayan 2012 calendar end-of-days prediction, we have even less time to waste ) when it comes to setting up our lives for success.

The best time to start setting up the foundations of success is in November and December 2011. This gives you ample time to re-evaluate, recalibrate, re-engineer and reconnect with yourself. Set yourself up for success by hitting the ground running in January 2012.

The Business Generator, Jacques de Villiers will be running his once-a-year Goal Setting Workshop on November 10.

Jacques will not profit from this workshop

Because I want you to design a life of purpose and success … and to hit the ground running in January 2012, I’m going to make the workshop as affordable as possible.

R350.00 for a full-day workshop, including lunch, notes and community.

R40 will go to giving a Marmite sandwich to a child in need through my affiliation with Buy1Give1. This means that just by being at the workshop, each delegate will contribute 120 Marmite sandwiches to children who are less fortunate than ours.

I can’t say it better than the Community Chest, “Marmite is a nutritious savoury spread made from brewer’s yeast, packed with B-vitamins. This helps put a smear of cheer on a slice of bread and a smile on a child.”

The Fee Unpacked

R260 for venue, teas and lunch
R40 for Marmite sandwiches (that’s 120 sandwiches)
R50 for manuals and other content material

So, besides helping feed underprivileged children, what’s in it for you?

Here’s what you’ll discover on the workshop:

How the brain works and how to fully optimise it creative power
How to build a bullet-proof self-esteem
How to find your purpose and become happier
How to get meaning in your life by connecting with what’s important
How to set goals and ACHIEVE them

Print out or share

Book Now

Venue: Sunnyside Park Hotel, Parktown
Date: November 10, 2011
Time: 09h00 – 15h00
Investment: R350

Simone Scholtz
071 6702168

Comments or questions are welcome.

The Top 5 Mistakes of Social Media Marketing

Jacques de Villiers — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:48:32 +0000

Most businesses are trying to make sense of social media marketing and trying to figure out what the real ROI, if any is. To this end, The Business Generator is curating articles that will help folks come to grips with this thing called Social Media Marketing.

Check out what PR/PR President, Pam Lontos has to say about social media marketing.

The Top 5 Mistakes of Social Media Marketing

As a business owner, you already know the importance of utilizing traditional PR – print, radio and TV exposure – to keep your name circulating in the marketplace. Now, however, there’s a new PR outlet you need to become familiar with. It’s called Social Media Marketing, and when combined with your traditional PR efforts, Social Media Marketing can help you penetrate the marketplace with your message quicker and easier than ever before.

What is Social Media Marketing? It’s utilizing the various social networking sites to enforce your brand and market your business. A social networking site is simply an online meeting place. Think of it like an eHarmony or Match.com for business people. On such sites, people can post a profile with the hopes of meeting other like-minded professionals for business reasons.

According to the Nielsen Research Group, social networks and blogs have moved ahead of personal e-mail among the most popular online activities people engage in. Additionally, USA Today reports that the time spent on these sites is growing three times faster than the overall Internet rate. More than two-thirds of the world’s online population now visits social networking and blogging sites.

Knowing this, it’s clear that if you haven’t yet engaged in Social Media Marketing, the time to start is now. But before you do, you need to be aware of the top mistakes businesses make with this PR outlet so you can avoid them and get the biggest return for your marketing investment.

Mistake #1: Having more than one face on the Internet

When you’re engaging in Social Media Marketing (called SMM from here on out) you’re really building your image from the ground up. The goal of SMM is to virally spread parts of your image across the Internet. The word “parts” is important. Basically, you’re starting with a holographic image of yourself in the virtual world. You then need to break that hologram apart and find the appropriate places on the Internet where you can frame certain pieces of that hologram.

When someone looks at all the pieces at the various sites, they should be able to put them together to see a single whole. They should not see multiple images of who you are, as that would ruin your credibility. Therefore, if you have multiple Facebook accounts, for example, your personal one has to be hidden and by invitation only. You don’t want that other image out there confusing people and possibly diminishing your reputation.

Mistake #2: Collecting friends

SMM is how you create instant buzz on the Internet by getting the same message out over and over. It’s spreading your message and getting yourself branded so you can get more business. Social networking, on the other hand, is about making friends. For example, you’ve likely seen someone on LinkedIn who has 25,000+ contacts. That’s great, but what do you do with all those contacts? Remember, just because you have a phone book in your office doesn’t mean you can open the book at random, pick a name, and call them for business.

When you collect a contact, you’re supposed to be opening the door to exchange information and build a relationship. Think of it as relationship marketing in the 21st century, and the same rules apply. The only difference is that you’re building the relationship online rather than over coffee.

Mistake #3: Putting out the wrong messages

You’ve likely seen people put posts on Twitter or Facebook that say something like, “John Smith is watching a great movie and eating popcorn.” Such messages may be fine for personal networks, but for business networks you need to put out messages that are useful to your readers. In other words, don’t talk about yourself. You want to give valuable tips and advice so that the people who read your posts want to repost them to their own sites. That’s how your message spreads virally.

The key is to keep your messages consistent. Remember that people are subscribing to various feeds in order to get your information. They are essentially saying that your message has value. That’s why you can’t do a series of sales tips and then post a couple of your favorite omelet recipes. You have to stay on message, and your message has to be for your readers.

With that said, it is okay to occasionally have a press release type message that says something like, “John Smith is speaking at ABC Convention on employee productivity today.” Such a message does two things: 1) It tells people they might not get a tip today or tomorrow because you’re busy, and 2) It shows that other big-wigs out there think your message is important. It’s a positive reinforcement that boosts your credibility, so long as you don’t do it too frequently.

Mistake #4: Posting inappropriate information.
Don’t allow yourself or anyone on your site to post anything online that you don’t want your most conservative client to see. You never know where something will end up, especially since the nature of the Internet is for things to spread virally. For example, a CEO of a corporation had a picture of himself and his girlfriend on a topless beach in Mexico. In the photo she’s riding on his shoulders with her breasts exposed. For some reason, he decided to post the photo on his personal invitation-only Facebook site.

The only problem is that he was married. His wife (or rather, his now ex-wife) saw the photo. How? Someone on his invitation-only Facebook account thought it was a great picture and decided to repost it on the public Internet. To top it all off, his board of directors got wind of the photo and fired him. Now he’s no longer employable in that field or that position again. The moral of this story: Never post anything on any site that you wouldn’t personally show your own grandmother.

Mistake #5: Assuming that it is better to have your message in only one place on the Internet.
In the “old days” of the Internet, people believed they had to keep all their content on their own Web site. The theory was that spreading it out ruined your credibility and diminished your reputation as being a unique business. Not so today. In fact, with SMM, the opposite is true. The more places you can get your message to appear simultaneously, the more effective your message will be.

Think of it as constructing a funnel. You want to lay several trails of information, all of which lead to your main site. Therefore, no matter how someone stumbles upon you, as long as they “follow the trail,” they’ll eventually find you. That’s essentially what you’re doing with your Twitters and other SMM messages. You’re putting out kernels of information. If someone wants the next kernel, they have to follow the trail. Eventually it funnels them to one Web site, which is where you wanted them to be anyway. You’re creating an environment where people see your message everywhere. As a result, you now have their attention and you have the opportunity to sell your product, your services, or whatever you’re selling at that point of distribution.

Here’s an example of the power of funneling: Recently Aaron Chronester posted a message on Twitter. Someone saw his post and reposted it on their blog. CNN and the New York Times found the post interesting and reported on it. Because of that exposure, Chronester got a book deal from Simon and Schuster. So, what was his post about? Current events? Global warming? A tell-all celebrity biography? Nope. It was a Twitter post with a unique bacon recipe, as Chronester was trying to get publicity for a barbeque club he belonged to. That’s how powerful funneling your message can be.

Get Noticed with SMM
The marketplace is changing, and you have to change with it. Your name has to be everywhere – in print, on radio, on TV, and on the social networking sites. The more you can get your name and message circulating in the various mediums, the higher your chances of clients seeing your information and ultimately hiring you. Thanks to SMM you can get your message out to thousands of people in an instant. And the results are greater credibility, more exposure, and higher sales – all of which positively impact your bottom line.

About Pam Lontos

Pam Lontos is president of PR/PR, a public relations firm based in Orlando, Florida. She is author of I See Your Name Everywhere and is a former vice president of sales for Disney’s Shamrock Broadcasting. PR/PR has placed clients in publications such as USA Today, Entrepreneur, Time, Reader’s Digest, and Cosmopolitan. PR/PR works with established businesses, as well as entrepreneurs who are just launching their company. For a free publicity consultation, e-mail Pam@prpr.net or call 407-299-6128. To receive free publicity tips, go to www.prpr.net and register for the monthly e-newsletter, PR/PR Pulse!