Digg it UP - Business

Part 1 of 4 - How To Create an Effective Church Ministry Marketing Plan
Does your church or ministry have an Evangelism plan? How effective are you at reaching prospective worshippers and members? Here are the four steps you MUST follow if you want to kick-start your growth for the next 12 months ..."Evangelism" vs. "Church Ministry Marketing"To a great number of pastors and other leaders in the church, the terms "church" and "marketing" hardly belong in the same article, much less in the same sentence, and n

Tip #5 A good tale is always interesting to read, even if it seems long

It's tough to convey everything you want in one or two sentences so let your testimonials read like a mini-story.

You can see marketing-driven testimonials in action, here on my HorseWise Brilliance Unbridled VIP Signature Branding and Marketing program page. They're strategically sprinkled throughout the page to emphasize the copy right above or below them. You'll notice that most also include a photo to personalize the story you're reading and bring it to life.

Aim for one or more fresh testimonials every month and you'll soon have a

College or Work after High School? Tell Me Please!
One of the toughest career decisions for high school students and their parents is whether to get a job and settle down in that for the rest of their lives or to continue their studies in college. Three to five decades up the line, this would not have been a question at all that would make you lose sleep. The post World War II era saw many industries flourish and needing workers to "man" their businesses. That was when they took high school graduates and

I count my outstanding testimonials as one of my top 3 business assets (sharing company with my database and my creativity). So, it pains me to see business owners sprinkle a few weak, waste-of-space quotes like "You were great to work with! A real treat and I would hire you again" on their website and in their marketing packet.

The power testimonials have to convince a client to hire you is truly awe inspiring. A "marketing driven" testimonial clearly demonstrates a client's problem, solution, and end result from working with you or buying your product.

Think of them as a mini-story, complete with a central character (your client), a riveting dilemma (their terrible situation before they hired you), and the happy ending (the great results you delivered and they are now enjoying).

Here are 5 tips for easily capturing marketing-driven testimonials:

Tip #1 Let your client know at the START of your relationship that you'll ask for a testimonial

You can casually mention this in conversation, or include it in your client agreement. All you need to say is something like this, "I know we're going to achieve great results together! As we do, I'm going to ask if I can quote you or if you can write a testimonial for me. Is that okay with you?"

Tip #2 Take advantage of the honeymoon period for a glowing endorsement of YOU

The first 30-60 days of working with a client are rosy. They love you, you love them, they're motivated to make changes and are taking action. Now it's YOUR turn to take action and ask them to write a testimonial for you.

Tip #3 Not everyone is a Mark Twain so offer to supply a draft for their approval

How do you think books get all those glowing, beautifully crafted testimonials for their cover? Most authors/publishers draft them and send them on for approval or tweaking. People are more than happy to help...and often too busy to type up the testimonial you so dearly want. So, help your client out by offering to send a draft for their modification and/or approval. They will be thrilled and much more likely to get it done quickly for you!

Tip #4 Steer in the direction of results, not just how much they like you

We know your clients love you but what really makes an impression on your Almost-Client (which is who the testimonial is for, right?!) is did you get results? When you first start working with a client make a note describing their circumstances and issues. Use this as a comparison in their testimonial to show how far they've come.

Tip #5 A good tale is always interesting to read, even if it seems long

It's tough to convey everything you want in one or two sentences so let your testimonials read like a mini-story.

Aim for one or more fresh testimonials every month and you'll soon have a

Protect Yourself Against Bad Interviewers
The only thing that might be more difficult to deal with than an interviewer who asks tough, probing questions is an interviewer who hasn’t a clue how to interview. You leave the interview feeling as if you ignited no interest, bombed the interview, and surely won’t be asked back. Where was the scintillating conversation? The professional give and take about the industry and your skills?But if you’ve just met the person, how are you to know i

(your client), a riveting dilemma (their terrible situation before they hired you), and the happy ending (the great results you delivered and they are now enjoying).