In my last post I placed a video in the post and asked the readers to explain what this video would mean to them in terms of their business. If you have yet to read that post and see the accompanying video, then I suggest you scroll down to my last post, watch that video, leave a comment and then join the rest of us right here. We’ll even wait for you to do that before we begin…
You back already! Well, anyway, what do you think this short commercial represents? For me, this video represents the power of “Word Of Mouth”! Word of mouth is such a powerful weapon in your business, whether it be an online venture or an offline one. Why is it so powerful?
It happens to be very powerful because in most word of mouth situations, it tends to be just everyday conversation. We live in a world of constant advertisements. So much so, that in our psyche, even on a subconscious level, we have been trained to tune out any form of marketing. We’re bombarded with forms of advertisement every step of our day. In the morning we have commercials on the radio when we get up. If you check the weather, you will most likely have to wait until the run of commercials is over before you can get the temperature. Even once it does come on, it begins with the lead in of, “Today’s forecast is brought to you by…”! On the way to work we have radio commercials again, billboards, the tax person in the gorilla suit or the statue of liberty outfit. If you get to work and check your email, you have pop-ups. If your pop-up blocker is on then you still get hit with banner ads! And on and on, and on and on!
As a people we have learned to tune all of this, once clever, forms of advertising out. We’ve become immune to it and honestly, oblivious to all of it’s herculean efforts. So what does this mean for the marketer? It means that you have to find other avenues in order to get your message heard. Which is why word of mouth is such a great form of advertising. With word of mouth you find yourself in a conversation, instead of being shouted at! Which is what most advertisements amount to. Someone screaming at you, “BUY, BUY, BUY!”
Why do you think social marketing is so big right now? Simply because social sites amount to conversation. You have peers talking to you, not at you! Master this in your marketing and you’ll reap the rewards of breaking through that marketing barrier that many people have up at all times!
How can you attain “true” word of mouth and not feigned word of mouth through spamming the social site hemisphere. Over deliver on your product. Put what everyone else wants ahead of yours, starting with your customer’s, also your affiliates and your JV partners. If they can get what they want and more, you’ll get more than what you were looking for! As always your comments are welcome.
On a side note, I have a funny video for you guy’s that I actually taped myself. The unsuspecting victim had no idea that he was even being recorded! The victim was me! My web cam must have popped on while I was burning the midnight oil and exposed me in my weakest state of sleep deprivation. You might want to turn your speakers down since the king of the jungle has a mighty roar!
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You can hear the washing machine in the background going strong and everything. That’s a pretty good mic! If you can’t laugh at yourself then you don’t deserve to laugh at all. Until my next post…
May All Your Ventures Be Met With Success,
Omarra Byrd
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This part caught my attention:
“If they can get what they want and more, you’ll get more than what you were looking for!”
Reason why is – for a few months I’ve been lining up JV partners. One specific JV partner I wanted to work with didn’t really think that my ebook was a good fit to promote to that list.
Part of the bonus for that ebook is another limited-release ebook (first 250 buyers of my main product) that is a collection of articles contributed by various other people (potential and/or actual JV partners).
Well, I started reaching out to more people this week to see if they wanted to participate. TWO different people on the same day yesterday, one of whom I had never discussed the project with, both asked if they could participate.
The one who previously did not feel my ebook was a good fit for her list, now feels that promoting the bonus to her list would be a good fit.
So needless to say, I think that somebody ELSE mentioned to those two people that I was getting active with this project and they wanted to participate.
Author
I was just listening to an audio today Chris where during a launch, the person who was launching a new product decided to send his physical product to all potential JV’s free of charge. Needless to say he was out of the money for the product he sent, he sent 20 by the way, plus the shipping and handling to deliver the product.
In the end some promoted for him, some didn’t. But because of his actions he received some reciprocity from some of those who didn’t promote initially. They promoted his product at a later time and he eventually reaped the rewards of his actions in the sum of close to $10,000.00!
Could you maybe do something similar with the bonus?
Omarra Byrd
Right now I’m just doing an ebook “How to Write Short Stories for Spiritual Growth” (my own product) and the bonus ebook to the first 250 buyers is “The Self Empowerment Guidebook” that is the compilation of articles from other self empowerment/spirituality people (all people I either am or want to JV with).
Then after my main launch and the first 250 of HTWSSFSG are sold, I plan to wait 1-2 months and then sell TSEG separately.
I’m also going to be giving away TSEG when I participate in promotions where somebody gets TSEG as a bonus for buying another partner’s product.
By not doing a straight “giveaway” I can keep the value of it up. The nice thing is people want to participate because it’s free traffic and exposure.
As far as my primary product HTWSSFSG goes, I’m already giving all of my potential JV partners review copies of all the product + bonuses.
I’m also doing a giveaway – each JV partner gives me a free ebook, then all the subscribers opt-in to get the ebook and also information from me about using story writing as a tool for spiritual growth.
So far my JVs are really interested in two things:
1) Traffic
2) Helping me out
It turns out the commissions is actually mostly irrelevant for many of them. Two of them told me up front they’d promote and didn’t care if I had an affiliate program or not.
I’ve got a lot of reciprocity going on here which is good… I’m trying to over-deliver on the JV so that they all feel like they’re getting more out of this than I am.
In regards to the original idea of giving away physical product to JVs, I definitely have heard of that before and I think it’s something I’d do. When I promote, I like to really know the product I’m promoting. Similarly, when I have people promote for me I really want them to know the product as well.
I figure if I can sell this ebook, I can sell anything. At first I looked at it as a training ground, but now I realize it’s just the start… since I’ve already got the 2nd ebook lined up and ready for what will probably be a quick-launch (and any potential JVs for TSEG will have already seen it since they contributed).
My wife is writing a book in the spirituality niche as well, which lines up as a 3rd product.
I’m lucky to be in a niche where reciprocity and helping people out is the name of the game… makes it a LOT easier to get JVs. Also product reviews… I’ve got half a dozen good testimonials because I just emailed one of my two lists with the subject line, “A unique and free opportunity from me to you” and then solicited their review.
The review has improved the quality of my product considerably, created great testimonials, and made some raving fans on top of that. One person liked it so much he asked jokingly when/where he could buy it. 🙂 Another person emailed back and asked if he could review it and also told me he wanted to donate money.
Now… I’m going to be interested to see what it takes to turn my list into buyers. The good thing is, they’re a pretty responsive list… 50% average open-rate between both broadcast & scheduled emails, and if I ask them to do something for me, I generally get very good overall response.
So with my internal launch, I’m just going to tell them up-front what I’m doing (giveaway products and provide emails/blogposts/audio specifically about my new ebook) and ask them to opt-in so I can get their honest feedback about the experience.
I’ll bet that many signup just because I am asking for their honest feedback and more will signup because they’re interested in the ebook.
Now… if only I had time while traveling this week to actually watch the PLF2.0 videos! I tell you, being on a plane and in a different state every single week sure puts a damper on keeping up. I wish the catchup week was this week instead of last week!
Omarra,
Your video is quite funny. It made me laugh out loud. It’s also quite revealing. It shows your dedication to your business and your willingness to sacrifice sleep in order to grow it. At the same time you are not overlooking other important domestic chores. Good for you!
Now, go get some sleep! 🙂
Hermas
Author
It made me laugh out loud when I first saw it myself! I just had to share that laugh with someone. Glad it could be you, Hermas!
Omarra Byrd