Archive for July, 2007

Remembering to Sell

Monday, July 9th, 2007

Customer newsletters are an awesome way to maintain and build relationships with your customers, clients, and prospects. This is the one of the primary reasons that so many companies start a newsletter. Unfortunately, I’ve seen too many instances where the focus of a company newsletter changes over time, from what’s important to the customer to what’s fast and easy to write about so the newsletter can go out the door! 

I’m sure you’ve read some of these types of newsletters. And I’ll bet you wondered why the company even bothers to spend the time and money to print and mail the newsletter – surely you weren’t running to your mailbox to read about some employee in customer service who just celebrated a birthday! If you want your customers and clients to read and look forward to your newsletter, stay focused on making your newsletter entertaining, educational, and informative.

Another thing that I see all too often is that many companies forget that their newsletter is a great way to sell. Yes, you heard right! Written properly, a newsletter is an awesome way to generate repeat and referral business. 

Here are a few pointers to focus on idea that will surely please your sales manager. 

  1. Talk about the benefits of purchasing your product or service.

  2. Describe your guarantees or warranties.

  3. Explain to your readers why your product or service is such a good value.

  4. Compare a new and improved product to one that they may already own.

  5. Point your readers to your Web site for more information.

  6. Make sure that your newsletter has a monthly special offer.

  7. If it makes sense to do so, include a deadline with the offer.

  8. Remember to include your contact information.

When you first begin to put pen to paper on each issue of your newsletter, close your eyes and ask yourself the following: “What is important to my readers, and what would they like to read about?” If you do this on a regular basis, your newsletter will produce more positive results.

Life’s Greatest Value

Wednesday, July 4th, 2007

As I’ve mentioned many times, I read a lot! In my opinion, one of the great writers and business philosophers is Jim Rohn and I am a subscriber to his e-zine. Jim’s e-zone has a regular column called, Vitamins for the Mind, and I thought that you would enjoy this column. Happy Fourth of July! 

Parenting/Relationships One person caring about another represents life’s greatest value.Your family and your love must be cultivated like a garden. Time, effort, and imagination must be summoned constantly to keep any relationship flourishing and growing.

The greatest gift you can give to somebody is your own personal development. I used to say, “If you will take care of me, I will take care of you.” Now I say, “I will take care of me for you if you will take care of you for me.”

The walls we build around us to keep out the sadness also keep out the joy.

You cannot succeed by yourself. It’s hard to find a rich hermit.

There is no greater leadership challenge than parenting.

If you talk to your children, you can help them to keep their lives together. If you talk to them skillfully, you can help them to build future dreams.

Leadership is the great challenge of the 21st century in science, politics, education, and industry. But the greatest challenge in leadership is parenting. We need to do more than just get our enterprises ready for the challenges of the twenty-first century. We also need to get our children ready for the challenges of the 21st century.

Vitamins for the Mind is a weekly sampling of original quotes, on a specific topic, taken from The Treasury of Quotes by Jim Rohn (TTOQ). TTOQ, a beautiful, burgundy hardbound book with gold foil lettering, is a collection of over 365 quotes on 60 topics gathered from Jim’s personal journals, seminars and books spanning over 39 years. To order the TTOQ by Jim Rohn or Excerpts from TTOQ by Jim Rohn or Brian Tracy, please go to Jim Rohn’s Online Catalog