So (unfortunately) by now, you’ve heard, read (and or) may have even seen and witnessed first hand, that on average, a staggering 88% of all businesses, but especially severely underfunded (cash and creatively strapped) small business owners and or service providers, (on or offline) within five short years or less!
Simply won’t be here! You’ve heard that utterly shocking stat before, correct? And I sincerely apologize (upfront), if those of you that are far more versed in this subject than I am, can readily add even more intricate details, to that already shocking stat!
That being the case; entrepreneur, that incredibly eye opening stat, is even more reason for you and I to add (asap), some sort of profit driven consulting phase to your long term marketing arsenal, as quickly as possible!
Here’s “why.” Remember when “The Donald” (that would be short for) the one and only Donald Trump.
Remember back in the 90’s when he (literally) came within inches of having his massive multi billion dollar real estate casino empire topple? Simply because he got way too over extended with out of control speculative debt and when the national economy suddenly contracted (big time) and average people no longer had as much readily available discretionary income to spend at his over the top lavish casinos and hotels etc!He almost went under!
The lesson learned, once he massively paid down all of his impending debt and strategically re-negotiated and restructured a ton of his long and short term outstanding debt!
Oh Donald quickly turned to “licensing” his name and other (far more creative) and way less risky proven marketing strategies, to rake in hundreds of millions! Instead of merely putting his current and future credit rating on the line,by signing on the dotted line and further risking his personal and corporate credit rating, in the event, one of his massive future real estate development projects failed!
Well, obviously, chances are (you and I) in all likelihood, won’t be turning to “licensing” any time soon! However, that certainly shouldn’t stop us from profiting (big time), from sharing “what” we know through the consulting aspect of our business!
How And “Why” Extremely Savvy Entrepreneurs Such As Yourself Can And Definitely Should Be Profiting From Some Form Of Consulting!
Let’s take the case of the (hypothetical) Mom & Pop local pet store owner(s). Located in an extremely small (and truth told), rather rural area, that has just about 60,000 residents, give or take.
And for the most part, practically all the start ups within the last three years (or less) have all slowly (one by one) fallen on extremely hard times. And they’ve either had to reluctantly close shop altogether!
Or else, they are literally fighting every day (tooth and nail) mind you, just to keep the doors open, even if it meant, severely cutting some hours of their best full time employees and dropping several people to part time, or having to let them go altogether!
And where as (their main street), used to be the envied location of practically every brand new start up venture. Now (sadly) a good 40% of main street is now simply boarded up and or currently has (more than it’s fair share of) empty commercial store front property.
And truth told, even the top local commercial real estate agents and or brokers (try as they may!) can’t see to give these eye sores away, let alone get signed leases!
You Don’t Have To Have A Fancy Marketing Degree From Harvard In Order To Make A Go Of It!
Which makes the fact that our (hypothetical) locally owned (meaning) our non franchised owned pet store owner(s), this vivacious (and utterly) dynamic husband and wife team, has not only (somehow managed to) double the size of their original business, in just the last thirty six months!
But they’ve also recently added seven brand new full time employees and two more part timers as well! Plus, opened a brand new (thriving) second location as well! So needles to say, while constantly surrounded by all this depressing business failure! They’ve somehow managed to thrive and continuously grow!
You can best believe, that not only do the other Mom & Pop pet store owners, that are located all over the rest of the country, desperately wanna know the (so called “secret(s)” to their overall success!
But they’re more than willing to pay to “learn” it! Bingo! And thus, is yet another extremely practical, real life example of “how” and “why” you definitely can and should be adding some form of consulting to your long term marketing mix!
Once You Get Consistent Results Others Will Gladly Pay Big Time To Access Your Knowledge!
Stop and consider this? Do you think the national “Pet Store” association’s monthly newsletter administrators, would really have (any problems) whatsoever, showcasing this couple and their making it big time, while the vast majority of their peers, constantly struggle and are on the verge of going under!
And do you think it would make perfect sense for the association to invite this “dynamic duo” to (at least) be one of the featured keynote speakers at their annual banquet/convention?
And do you (also) think if this extremely marketing savvy couple, set up a state of the art WordPress blog and shared the (so called) “secrets” of their success, in a seven part opt in video boot camp series and on the back end, offered elite one on one coaching/mentoring for the next 18 months, for 25,000 dollars per year! (Or X!)
They’d get some serious takers! Provided, they guaranteed their results and or your monthly payments of X per month stop, until they get your pet store consistently generating X amount of dollars per month in additional gross profits! Probably!
And they only allow X amount of students into their program at a time, that way they can guarantee each participant, the hands on personalized attention they need. Until they get up and going!
And the program will also include, two 90 minute “No holds barred” Q & A webinars, every other week. (For the entire 18 moth period!) Plus critiques of any and all classified, display, sales letters, postcards and or email messages etc!
Plus, ongoing Website/blog critiques and offline flyers and proven in store layout critiques as well! They also do periodic mock calls to the store in order to critique and improve telephone answering strategies.(Power listing building 101 to the rescue!)
They’ll also institute at least three proven ex customer re-activation strategies as well! And teach each participate proven in store merchandise layout strategies, that they have personally used to double the size of their business, within the last thirty six months! If with a prolonged naggin local recession occurring!
Also help with both Yelp and other local on line listing directory critiques and help install built in (proven) upsell and cross promotional strategies, with other non competing local businesses as well.
Plus share at least three battlefield tested (proprietor y) ways (they’ve discovered over the years) to create potentially profitable- rock solid- local joint venture partners as well.
All in all, they will guide, coach, (harass) and mentor each pet store participant by webinar, phone and or weekly email updates, for the next 18 months or less! And they guarantee to help improve their businesses bottom line or the participants are allowed to stop all future monthly payments, until they reach pre agreed upon financial goals!
The point is, do you honestly think they ( or you!) will have any trouble consistently finding (not only!) struggling pet store owners of all shapes and sizes, but other equally ambitious entrepreneurs, to actively wanna participate in such a program? Probably not!
And so, the $64 thousand dollar question begs asking! Can you (really) see any logical reason “why” you and I, definitely shouldn’t add some form of paid power consulting to our long term marketing mix! Asap! Hope not!
Now as is customary during this part of our show.
Please share your extremely valuable comments (in the comments section below) that you can apply to your business, product or service in the next 30 days or less!
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Love your description of services Mark “guide, coach, (harass) and mentor” because it is so true regardless of what you call yourself there’s a bit of it all required to get people moving. There’s certainly a lot to be said for the consulting model. For years now it seemed the brass ring for online marketers was to have a membership program. Interesting thing is that two of the leaders that helped to introduce that trend are in the process of phasing out their membership programs. I have a feeling we may be closing in on a tipping point and it’s going to be interesting to watch.
Marquita Herald recently posted…The Empowering Journey to Self-Acceptance
What an interesting insight M!LOL!
And you wanna hear something really funny, in that regards as well.
Just this week, one of my Coaches confided that they too were about to phase out
one of their membership sites!
Because,in their words,keeping it up to date was in of itself another full time
commitment!LOL!
And they simply no longer had the energy key staff and or gross profit margins
to want to continue!LOL!
So as you point out, who knows?LOL! Maybe we have reached a so called tipping point, at least among
some of the bigger name gurus and guruettes!
Time will surely tell! But I can already see a really cool potential marketing situation/opportunity
or two, kind of developing as a direct result of this potential shakeout!!
As a direct result! And I think I’ll write about! Thanks as always,for sharing your extremely keen
real world insights M!
They are always extremely welcome and greatly appreciated!
Mark Newsome recently posted…How And Why Every Savvy Entrepreneur Can And Definitely Should Add A Little Consulting To The Mix!Part Two