Left Brain Focus for Right Brain Creative Businesses

This is the third in a continuing series on how small differences can make you stand out from your competition in a big way.

The first two posts are here and here.

There was a big storm in the northeast last weekend. Bob Poole had major damage to his house; he said he felt like he was in The Wizard of Oz. He called several companies to come over and assess the damage. The first one arrived with a bouquet of flowers. He said, “Nobody else brought flowers. I bet they spend over $1,000 a year on flowers. They will more than recover that on this one job.”

Here’s another example. I recently wrote a guest post about writing great headlines. I suggested using magazines to get ideas for headlines, and gave a few examples of how to change the headlines so they worked for your business.

A small thing, but it made a big difference to Kiesha, who said she’d read many, many articles on writing headlines, but “this is the first that actually takes the time to do a brief, yet highly effective comparison to demonstrate how to actually make those magazine headlines apply to blogging! Awesome!”

What small steps could you take to be remarkable? Or, are you already doing something that makes you stand out? Tell us in the comments.

Flowers compliments of hello-julie

Why all the cakes?

They’re not there to make you hungry.

They’re there to make a point about marketing.

Three friends, three cakes

My invisible (that’s invisible, not imaginary!) friend Megan had a birthday in January. I couldn’t be there in person, since she’s in Austin and I’m in New York City, so I got her some cyber cupcakes.

Two weeks ago, Jill, another faraway friend had a birthday too, so I sent her chocolate cake.

This Monday, it was my friend Bronwyn’s turn. Her cake was elegant and decorated with flowers.

A funky, creative friend got cupcakes that matched her personality, an extra-chocolatey cake for my chocolate-loving friend, and an elegant cake for the one who’s a member of the Royal Commonwealth Society.

Give them what they want

Aside from wishing my friends happy birthday, I made choices based on my friend’s preferences, not my own.

Do the same with your potential customers. Create an image in your mind of what they like, need, or want. You can even create a series of biographies. Name them. Draw up a profile of what they’re like and the kinds of information they’re looking for.

To each, her own cake

For example, if you’re a blog consultant, you might have some prospects who are complete beginners and don’t quite know the difference between a blog and a blog post.

Other readers may already have blogs, but want some tips on how to improve them (attract more traffic, get more comments).

A third group might be more interested in technical information – like tips for using PHP (blog programming language) or developing plugins (mini-applications that add extra functions to your blog – like CommentLuv, which adds a link back to your blog when you comment on someone else’s – leave a comment here and you’ll see how it works).

This is especially important if you have more than one niche. Create content, products, and services that meet what your specific audience wants, needs, and can pay for.

Do you think this is important? Do you have buyer bios? Or, have you asked your readers for their opinions? Tell me what you think.  And, which cake is your favorite?

Cake images, in order, thanks to:
morguefile, morguefile, and tim parkinson

OK: Confession. Bronwyn, if you’re reading this, you probably noticed that’s a different cake. When I went back to the cake I sent you, I found that it was OK to share, but not OK to use commercially. So, I had to improvise. Hope you like this one too.

Sometimes, the old and unexpected can be new and fresh. Snail mail may seem out of date and old-fashioned, but being able to hold something (and look at it any time) can be very powerful.

In fact, Smashing Magazine had a feature the other day about creating snail mail campaigns.

But, if you’re going to do a mailing, you’re going to need a list of people to send it to. The obvious first place to start is with the people you already know: your clients, your prospects, and your contacts. You’ll get a better response from people who already know and like you.

If you don’t have clients yet, or your list isn’t big enough, you’ll need to get more names.  What are your options?

Buying a list

Purchasing a list is a bad idea. Purchased lists are generally compiled – meaning that they were put together without any action or purchase from the people on the list. They haven’t asked for anything, or expressed any interest in what you’re selling. Worse, the information is usually out-of-date.

Renting a list

You’re better off renting a list. This means paying for a single use of a list owned by someone else. It might be a list of conference attendees, subscribers to a trade publication, or members of an association in your target market.

Borrowing a list

By borrow I mean bartering (or trading) with someone who already has a list of people you want to reach. Share resources with them. You could provide the design in return for a mention, or do a co-op mailing (where several companies share costs – think ValPak coupons – but more creative).

Have you tried snail mail?  What happened?  Were you pleased with the results?  Need help?  Ask me.

Image thanks to:  fdecomite

Someone recently asked, “How do you send emails to your list that work?”

Look at the emails you already open first. Do you skip over 30 emails to get to the one from HARO (Help a Reporter Out)? Or the one from your son’s teacher?

The short answer to the first question is to send emails to your audience that are relevant, personal, and anticipated.

The longer answer is first write about something your audience cares about. You open those emails from HARO because you might see a query that will get you publicity (or a client). Plus, they’re entertaining. The emails from your son’s’ teacher are important because you want to know how he’s doing in school.

The information is relevant (you want your kids to do well), personal (it’s about your kids, not your neighbors’ kids), and anticipated (you look forward to finding out what’s going on at school).

Do the same with your readers. Talk about topics they care about. Tell them things they want to know. Be clear in advance how often you will email them and what will be in the email.

For example, don’t talk about sports betting when you promised information on digital scrapbooking. And, don’t email three times a day when you said you’d email once a month.

More detailed information in my free email ebook, Email Made Easy. Download it here. No registration needed.

Which emails do you open right away? Which do you delete without reading?

Image thanks to Zoran Ozetsky

Tips for starting your post, your ad, or your email with a headline that’s so good, your readers will take it everywhere (even swimming).

Make them curious

Curiosity is bad for cats, but good for people. Write something odd, or unexpected, and your readers will want to find out more about it.

One way to do this is to put two or three things together in a new way. Or, combine subjects that don’t seem to belong together at all.

The Yogi Berra Marketing Guide
The only way to find out what in the world Yogi Berra has to do with marketing is to read the post.

The Pajamas, The Lizard Brain, and the Employee Manual. Certainly a strange combination.  The only way to find out what it’s about is to read on.

Ask a question (without a clear answer)

Are You Reading These Blogs?
Do You Make This Common Marketing Mistake?
Why Are Clients Like Fish?

Make a big promise

Tell people you’ve got secret, long-lost, or critical information.

The Number One Marketing Secret You Need to Know
Try This Timeless Copywriting Technique

Announce something new or solve a big problem

Revealed: Why Clients Want to Make the Logo Big
The Truth About CAN-SPAM

Appeal to self-interest

Earn More Money by Giving Free Gifts
15 Tips for Writing Emails That Make Money
Get Record-Setting Results in a Recession

Photo compliments of: inju