Comments on: The Single Biggest Marketing Mistake Small Businesses Are Making Today…

By: outsourcing pros and cons

outsourcing pros and cons — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 07:28:50 +0000

I actually enjoyed this post. You describe this matter very well. I actually like your blog and I’ll definetly bookmark it! Keep up the tremendous posts!

By: rankpay promo code

rankpay promo code — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 06:14:55 +0000

Great post, this is the quality I like to see.I’m going to be tweeting this to my followers as I think it’s pretty important.Thanks for the excellent article.I’ll be back for sure, excellent stuff.

By: Helsinki Hammaslääkäri

Helsinki Hammaslääkäri — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:29:27 +0000

This is a good blog. Keep sharing your ideas – I’ll definitely come back for more and bookmark it.

By: backlinks

backlinks — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 01:42:23 +0000

Keep up the amazing work!! I love how you wrote this and I also like the colors here on this site. Very good opinions expressed here

By: reikä hampaassa

reikä hampaassa — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:04:39 +0000

I was promising to win a train ticket to IslandsBut will check out to look in on this page when i am back.

By: gucci handbags

gucci handbags — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:12:54 +0000

http://www.replicahandbagsite.com

By: Tyson F. Gautreaux

Tyson F. Gautreaux — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 16:28:23 +0000

Where did you got this much info on your blog from?? Also can i take the initiave to take the feeds from your blog for my yoga website?? But cant find the RSS feeds link here!!

By: Bianca Mcniff

Bianca Mcniff — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:15:09 +0000

Assessing the money flow is one more important element in the organization technique format, so as to sustain a regular money flow to meet the essential capital requirements. Probability of monetary crisis and also the ways of crisis management should be pointed out within the structure. The company strategy must consist from the marketing plans and technique leading towards the expansion from the organization.

By: Betsey Worthan

Betsey Worthan — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:10:23 +0000

I must say you have a cool post. This hit the spot and then some! Thanks for posting this and sharing it with the world. I’ve just bookmarked your site. And I will check back soon to read your other articles. Keep up your awesome work.

By: ExclusiveLeads

ExclusiveLeads — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 02:23:13 +0000

The Ten Commandments Of Employment… 1. If it rings, put it on hold. 2. If it clunks, call the repairman. 3. If it whistles, ignore it. 4. If it’s a friend, stop work and chat. 5. If it’s the boss, look busy. 6. If it talks, take notes. 7. If it’s handwritten, type it. 8. if it’s typed, copy it. 9. If it’s copied, file it. 10. If it’s Friday, forget it!

Work is too serious joke a little!

By: Trisha Padlo

Trisha Padlo — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 20:03:27 +0000

Have you ever considered adding more videos to your blog posts to keep the readers more entertained? I mean I just read through the entire article of yours and it was quite good but since I’m more of a visual learner,I think that to be more helpful well let me know how it turns out! Videos are where the internet is going!:)

By: Jacque Klugman

Jacque Klugman — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:34:49 +0000

Excellent post and i agree with you 100%

By: Jady

Jady — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 06:33:49 +0000

Hi there

I joined your league early in November to learn about marketing and how to get my brick and mortar businesses off life support. Me living in South Africa, all of your webinars were in the very early hours of the morning (03:00) and I was actually on another webinar at the exact same time with someone whose name I don’t see anywhere on your site, but who has been extremely informative. I knew I would get the recordings so it did not phase me. At some point I actually received a video message from you, crapping me out for not attending your webinars. In true Afrikaner form, I first got hot under the collar of my pajamas but then decided to let it go and promptly deleted the mail.

I have learnt an enormous amount from these pannels all the while with my existing businesses in mind and then disaster struck. I have had the financial carpet plucked from under my feet and landed seriously hard on the small vertebrae. As a result I am revisiting each one during the holiday break and will need to hit the ground running with entirely new strategies and mindset on January 4th when we reopen. The issue with the percentage of income spend for marketing is that it assumes that the business is profitable as most marketing locally has to be pre-paid or at least within 30 days.

I’ve chosen a market where I get to satisfy my passion for helping the underpriviledged ladies in our community but which has consistently eroded my own private funds (and some of my husband’s too sometimes). My marketing spend has on average been 200% of the monthly income with some months actually spiking and providing me with some money for jam. I realised that the traditional marketing avenues are NOT working and will employ a completely radical approach in future. Unfortunately I am still locked in with some (very expensive printed media) advertising contracts but they will not be renewed when they expire.

I have a whole bunch of new ideas lined up for different product offerings with different clients, but which would still ultimately benefit the domestic workers and completely unskilled jobseekers.

I no longer only have to get my businesses to breakeven and pay my own way, I am now responsible for all household expenses as well and that is not a small amount! For the first time in 3 decades, I am standing with my back to the wall and am working on my mindset to change what I always considered to be “greed” to “getting paid for a job well done”! If I cannot achieve this, I will soon lose the rental properties which is my only pension policy.

Thanks for broadening my horizons! I have also ventured into internet marketing recently and I don’t think this old brain has worked this hard in all my life as an accountant in corporate playground. When I have my first disposable cash available, I will be back for some coaching which is unfortunately way out of reach at this stage.

Be blessed

Jady

By: Michael McToerosen, Storgatan 15, 668 30 Ed, Sweden

Michael McToerosen, Storgatan 15, 668 30 Ed, Sweden — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:58:09 +0000

Attention Rich,

The name Jay Conrad Levinson is new to me. On the other hand I live in Sweden… far away.
A friend of me once said: When a winner meets a winner you know him right away. Jay Conrad Lavison is a winner, because he speaks like they do.

SIMPLICITY…

To make things simple is a flower, it is an art, it is the key to real success.

Simplicity is the Lotus flower.

It is difficult to find the real, the simple things in our world of today. When you find real simplicity, keep it close to your heart because it is the seed which can change your life into a life of a Super Star.

Jay Conrad’s 7 Sentence Simple Marketing Plan is such a seed.

This is what I need and I am so grateful I discovered them.

I have been a Management Consultant for a life time in my part of the world. I have even been living 7 year in a Buddhist Temple deep inside the jungle, far up in the mountains of Asia.

I am new to the computer world. I want to go into Internet Marketing. I have searched the Internet for months for some advices about Internet Marketing.

It is like standing in the middle of the jungle don’t knowing where to go…

Everyone wants your money. They keep on talking page after page. They don’t give you anything of value – just a lot of mambo-jambo…

Today the search ended. I found the Lotus flower… I found Jay Conrad Levinson’s 7 Sentence Simple Marketing Plan.

If you do not see the beauty – STOP – take another look.

THANK YOU RICH.

I like you.

Sincerely

Michael McToerosen

By: PIANO DI MARKETING ---> Anche tu fai questo errore ? | Internet Marketing Web Business

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:30:32 +0000

[...] preso lo spunto da un articolo di Richard Schefren che stavo leggendo ieri ( Richard Schefren si occupa di strategie di marketing ed e’ uno tra [...]

By: Pat Turner

Pat Turner — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:26 +0000

I have a business plan but had not gotten to the point of a marketing plan. Thanks so much for the outline and a way to focus on the points to follow. My website is not up yet and am in the middle of copywriting and setting up the pages. P.s. Am also one of the few who Rich Shefren took to task for not having taken advantage of the panels to date. And yes I am up at 2am working on what I did’nt get done during the day. I appreciate the kick in the behind. Thanks.

By: Joshua D. White

Joshua D. White — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:56:37 +0000

This is fantastic.

People are so obsessed with “knowing,” when they should be more obsessed with “doing”. A plan like this cuts straight to the chase, get’s you focused on what you need to be doing, and doesn’t get you bogged down in a ton of details that don’t product results.

Thanks,
Josh

http://www.StrategicReform.com

By: Jorge Olson

Jorge Olson — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:25:51 +0000

True, True!

It is true for internet companies, true for software companies, true for consumer goods. I see this every day with beverage and other consumer good companies. They want to develop a product before doing any market research, business plan or marketing plan. Who’s your customer, where do they buy? How will you get the product to that location?

I like it!

By: Rose

Rose — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:01:01 +0000

Thanks for outlining it in 7 clear points. It will be easier to implement.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:52:13 +0000

The purpose, competitive edge, and target audience were easy. When I got to marketing weapons, I was stymied. First, as a Law of Attraction Trainer, the word weapons has a negative vibration. I could go with strategies. Also, if I knew the proper strategies to take, I wouldn’t be reading this article.

I also do not know what you mean by “what do you stand for.” The first thing that came to my mind is the phrase from the old Superman show, “Peace, Justice, and the American Way,” tongue in cheek, of course. Seriously though, peace did occur to me since I help people dissolve negative emotions and find a way to peace – through relief first, then hope, then joy.

My identity? Not sure what you’re expecting there either. I am source energy here to be of service in any way I can to help those interested in finding their own power within themselves.

Finally, the budget question. I’d like to spend as little as possible.

By: Sonia Fortier

Sonia Fortier — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:50:15 +0000

Most small business owners I meet can not answer these questions and do not have any marketing plan. This is simple and very powerful. The answers will give each business owner clarity, create a competitive advantage, provide what to do and why, and provide a focus for where they spend their time and efforts. It’s easy to commit to. I’m updating my marketing plan and this process will make it quick and easy. Thanks!

By: Sherron Fairbairn

Sherron Fairbairn — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:41:07 +0000

Rich and Jay,

Your effort is truly appreciated with the direction and simplicity of these
7 questions to help create a powerful marketing plan.

Yet,sometimes it is the simple things that are hard to do like answering these questions. What is my purpose, How am I unique, Who am I anyway, Who are they, Are they buying, How to find them with what tools, Do I have enough money to hold on long enough and what funnel do I direct this money to go ???????

Thank you, for the bottom line of needing commitment to succeed, which reminds me of “What are your 5 Why’s of Constraints that are holding you back from success?”

What comes first: Conquer the Constraints, Create the 7 Sentence Marketing Plan or Crave the commitment?

Again Grateful
Sherron

By: Renee

Renee — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:27:17 +0000

Thanks for your amplification of Jay’s very clear and concise piece on developing and taking action on a simple doable marketing plan. I’ve done so much learning that I’ve been paralyzed with all of it. Now to start taking action!

By: Renee

Renee — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:12:47 +0000

I love well-stated concepts that clearly and concisely represent reality, which can be acted upon. Your comments ring true to what I know of marketing effectiveness and business success!

By: AYE-EHL

AYE-EHL — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:40:51 +0000

THESE ARE THE TYPES OF STRATEGIES/TOOLS I NEED…SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE AS 7 ?’S THAT POINT THE MIND IN A TARGETED/FOCUSED MARKETING DIRECTION…WHICH ARE EASY TO REFER TO/REMEMBER, STAY ON POINT AND MEET CUSTOMER NEEDS IN WAYS THAT X-CEED EXPECTATIONS!

By: Stephen

Stephen — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:18:25 +0000

Thanks for highlighting this. It is so clear. I’m onto it.

By: Ian Brown

Ian Brown — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:17:58 +0000

Wow!. The seven questions. So Simple. I had three basically covered, three more covered a little and the last not at all. Its all about focus. A major point is that budget determines what we do. So for maximum success, we need to define our target market well, craft our pitch and then use the most cost effective methods of marketing to get it out there, all according to the number of dollars we have to spend.

By: Joan Miller

Joan Miller — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:38:17 +0000

This one speaks to me. While we probably all know we need a marketing plan it helps to be reminded we should review it periodically to stay the course. I liked the simplicity of the 7 steps. Thanks.

By: michaeljohn

michaeljohn — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:07:31 +0000

KISS. Keep it simple stupid. These 7 steps certainly do that.

By: Boyana

Boyana — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:20:45 +0000

Thanks for this simple technique! I had to write a marketing plan for the management of a company I used to work for, and it was quite hard and time-consuming to put it all in a fancy, long document. The idea of creating the same for myself seems dreadful and I’d rather skip it. Now this simple way of putting it down will help me focus without the tediousness of a long and super-formal paper. Thanks!

By: Craig Galloway

Craig Galloway — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:06:12 +0000

The seven questions are all great questions, which help both with the message of your marketing and with bringing focus to who you are marketing to. I think the follow up would then be: based on the budget we set out, what are the most cost effective and successful methods of marketing to get our well defined message out to our well defined target market?

By: Mike Mott

Mike Mott — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:57:20 +0000

Thanks for that very simple approach.
Looking forward to even more KISS orientated stuff like this that I can actually use.
Best Wishes

By: Peter T

Peter T — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:27:36 +0000

This is very timely as we are in the process of setting up a new career planning consultancy for financial services professionals in the UK and this plan will help focus our minds on thought processes on what we really need to be doing regarding our marketing strategy.
Many thanks.

By: Gene Anger

Gene Anger — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:23:03 +0000

The 7 Steps are great. I will add an 8th step as recommended by others here – testing and tracking.

I feel there is one very important “first” step missing from this plan – the research needed to discover if my potential clients actually “want” my product or service. We can have an amazing idea for the best product, the best marketing, etc. and know people “need” what we have, but if they don’t want it, all is wasted effort.

Thanks for all the great info.

Gene

By: Steve Johnsen

Steve Johnsen — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:47:00 +0000

Jay, this is great! So simple, yet it makes so much sense. Thank you for sharing this planning technique.

By: Rennus Crossley

Rennus Crossley — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:26:31 +0000

I have written out my 7 answers, think I need a few more items in my marketing weapons and it is time to start on ACTION! Having read through some of the other replies there is also lots to learn from them so I intend going back through them all.

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:58:39 +0000

Passing this along to my brother – a small business owner. Seems like it will apply to offline business even more so then online.

By: Animesh

Animesh — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:43:30 +0000

This is very good. I think there should also be one element of monitoring or measuring because in most cases it is the execution of the plan which fails.

By: Cezary

Cezary — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:42:24 +0000

The questions are not surprising. Sitting down and actualy taking time to answer
them is what gives precious insight. I discovered I don’t even have the core
issues sorted out properly – something you want to find out sooner rather than
months later. Thanks for making something difficult brain dead simple!

By: Glenn Byers

Glenn Byers — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:42:23 +0000

Most excellent. The KISS principle applied to Marketing and to the coordination of efforts that derive therefrom. It’s amazing to consider the amount of wisdom that can be consolidated into so few words. There’s power in them there words. I truly look forward to reaping the results of this deceptively-simple brilliance. Thanks for sharing!

By: Todd

Todd — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:06:02 +0000

Perfect timing!
I now have a simple marketing plan.

Thank you.

By: Dean

Dean — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:46:19 +0000

Great list. The only thing I would add is track, track, track your results as much as possible. I’ve sold advertising and owned several companies, and it always amazed me that business owners never knew what their ROI was and/or if it was lowering their cost per new customer acquisition while increasing revenues per new client

By: Brian Chrastil

Brian Chrastil — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:44:10 +0000

I already sent the 7 steps for marketing. did you receive it?

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:20:21 +0000

The most beautiful things in nature are perfectly simple – I love it!

Thanks Jay – been reading your stuff for years. And with 7 figures to throw around on marketing this coming year it’s so nice to come back to the 7 simple questions that makes the marketing machine tick.

Love ya work!

Grover

By: Walter aAniels

Walter aAniels — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:54:57 +0000

The “7 question Marketing Plan,” proves that simplicity is best. Everything really can be simple, if you look in the right places. To answer another, who “dislikes the war analogies.” Wars are won by understanding and using the enemies weaknesses against your strengths. In Business, that means understanding the customers needs, and filling them. Which means working to make your strengths meet their needs (USP).
The commenter that believes “Marketing is obsolete,” doesn’t understand what marketing is. “Advertising is saying I have a generic answer to these problems. Marketing is saying I have an answer to these fairly _specific_ problems. (I.e. Car as opposed to van, or pickup, with specific features.) Selling is filling the actual need, not the theoretical need.”
The previous material is copyright WD and FBNGroup, in a book to be released for Micro Businesses, “Make your Advertising, Marketing and Selling more effective,” next January (tentative title and price $47).

By: John

John — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:16:15 +0000

7 simple questions that really got me creating the essence of my marketing plan within minutes! It’s brilliant because all the marketing details in my head has been filtered into 7 essential points that I need to focus on.

By: Nick

Nick — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:08:57 +0000

Hi Rich/Jay,

the truth as you have both said is that truly successful businesses always get the fundamentals right first. They have a proper and solid base on which to grow.

There’s lots of promises of “instant success with the XYZ business in a box” which is normally a few strategies that can work for a time – but which have no real foundation.

Planning, strategy, and a thorough understanding of business and marketing fundamentals will always outperform the latest fad technique in the long run.

Thanks for the great reminder. It looks so simple and yet it’s a very powerful tool.

Nick

By: Dave Peniuk

Dave Peniuk — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:48:12 +0000

Thanks Rich for putting together the 7 sentence marketing plan. It was very informative and my wife and I will be sure to revisit our marketing plan (which has most of your 7 elements, but requires some tune-up!

A note to Kay Kinder who mentioned there should be a #8: “What is your customer looking for?”. And while I agree whole-heartedly, I think (and I am assuming here) that #3 – “who is your target audience” really should answer this question. If you don’t know who is your target audience, and if you haven’t researched it to determine that there is indeed an audience/buyer for your product, then you are dead in the water.

Great suggestions Rich! Keep it up!

By: Warren Cottis

Warren Cottis — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:40:34 +0000

WOW Rich,

This is deja vu for me. My ezine last week was titled “What Marketing Plan? Budget, what budget?”

Jay’s “7 Sentence Simple Marketing Plan” is excellent and I am really enjoying the League of Extraordinary Minds

keep your powder dry,
Warren

By: Alfred Rodriguez

Alfred Rodriguez — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:50:08 +0000

Marketing can be a tough cookie to handle especially if a newbie…Mention a plan and you slap your forehead and ask,”What’s that?”
These 7 steps certainly bring to light what makes one needs for proper directions to have a successful venture in internet marketing…”Thanks again
Rich.”

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:42:36 +0000

7 sentence marketing is very helpful and will help any business get to the heart of their marketing.

By: MIke

MIke — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:38:57 +0000

That is very wise strategy. I own my one online apparel company that does custom company logos and many other things. It would be so easy for us to make things complicated but simple to the point is always best!

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:29:24 +0000

I am really enjoying listening to the League of Extraordinary Minds and have started to implement a few of the strategies into both our event marketing and a new business venture. I’m now looking forward to sitting down and going through these 7 simple steps and listening in to the next call. Thanks a million for opening my mind to new ideas!

By: Kent Buell

Kent Buell — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:27:44 +0000

Hi Rich, Thank you for sending me the concise Marketing steps needed to help my business. It is so great that you cut to the chase and keep it simple. Life is too busy to read through pages and pages to extract ideas. This is why I signed up for the action steps you make available after each teleseminar. Thank you again, Kent

By: Frank Sobey

Frank Sobey — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:21:45 +0000

When you are working flat out in a mad mad market it is all too easy to overlokk the obvious! This is good stuff!

By: Godwin

Godwin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:01:35 +0000

Jay, thanks a million times. I should say that the spirit that enable you and a few other veterans to be there for the rset of us will enable your names to be written in the souls of men where they will remain forever. I remain grateful.

By: @JamesWoodfield

@JamesWoodfield — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:58:51 +0000

I can easily see how this could be the Number 1 mistake for small businesses, and Mr Levinson’s “7 Sentence Simple Marketing Plan” makes an ideal framework. Much easier than starting with a blank sheet of paper, and much less risky – with this to guide you, you’re not going to sabotage your own business efforts with a poorly-conceived plan.

Alex Jeffreys, recognising that having a proper plan is of paramount importance, places great emphasis on it in his excellent Internet Marketing business coaching. But as a student of Alex’s, I am one of many relative newcomers in the IM arena. And considering the competition, I think that many of us may find answering #2,(What main benefit do you offer that your competitors do not?), quite a challenge, if we’re honest about it. We can’t even claim that being honest about it makes us unique!
So I look forward to gaining insights into answering this question (which echoes aspects of the first League webcast) when I listen to the coming session.

Aside from that, having realised recently that I probably haven’t given
sufficient thought to defining my own target audience, I was startled to see the necessity to do so spelled out here on the page for me; so that’s certainly something I’ll be aiming to rectify in the coming days.
Thank you for the valuable lessons you’re making available to everyone.

By: Dan Auito

Dan Auito — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:45:07 +0000

Here’s your mac daddy wrap up and more folks! http://www.magicbullets.com/docs/Extraordinary_Minds_Transcript_2.pdf

By: jose carlos murillo

jose carlos murillo — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:56:04 +0000

Thanks this is great….

By: Wade Swicord

Wade Swicord — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:50:50 +0000

Right now I am in the process of restructuring the complete business with new funding. this exercise has focused me on the specific tools ( orderly) review with clarity my market and in particular, really what I offer. Who I am was quite educative and the harder nut was to justify or quickly come up with the percentage for budget. This is a page to keep in the daily reading bag.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:49:23 +0000

Great so easy, makes you wonder why you didn’t think about it yourself.

By: Steven Wander

Steven Wander — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:47:36 +0000

Thank you for this most succinct approach. I will try it.

By: Frytia

Frytia — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:30:28 +0000

Thank you very much for these steps. Even I, who never got the whole picture of marketing understand this. Opening a shop started as a fun project. You gave me tools to think deeper obout the opportunities this fun project can turn into. Looking forward to how my plan will look like, and am happy to be able to keep it with me as a guide and reminder. Thank you!
p.s I share the opinion of leaving out the “war names”. We are so lucky that we have the freedom of opening and starting new businesses… and that we can do that in peace.

By: Brent

Brent — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:29:56 +0000

Love it! Clear and concise.

By: Dr. Ben

Dr. Ben — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:14:06 +0000

Thanks, Rich! Love the reminder: Even the most mediocre marketing WITH commitment will always outperform brilliant marketing WITHOUT commitment.

And the simplicity of using focused questions to bring clarity, a practice that can be applied again and again.

Look forward to the League Panel discussion tomorrow night!

By: Greg R W

Greg R W — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:47:58 +0000

Ahhhh! What a load off my brain. I’m in the process of putting together a project and was having indecision as to the direction. These 7 sentences have greatly simplified that process. Thank You, and will hear you tomorrow night,

Greg

By: Angela Price

Angela Price — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:40:38 +0000

Hello Peter,

I was drawn into your website in a most unusual way. Everything about your site feels good and seamless. I bet that’s a reflection of the way your life is being. I would like to know who created your website as I do need to update my own and would like to contact the company for a quotation.

I have no doubt that your dream for a producer for your musical is coming true. Just trust Divine timimg and know that even now God is and the right people, places and things are being put in place for you.
To your success.
Angela

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:29:47 +0000

Hi Jay,Thanks for this. So simple and clear and the timing couldn’t be better.
I am starting an on-line Travel Agency and now have clarity of mind to guide me.

Thank you sooo much!
Alan

By: Angela Price

Angela Price — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:17:32 +0000

Thanks Alexander for your great response. I too thought the questions revealed some great insights into who we are being , how we do business. Here’s to your success!
Angela

By: Angela Price

Angela Price — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:06:11 +0000

I would like to thank Mr. Levinson for those 7 great questions which allowed me to look at my business and come up with some critical answers. I was amazed at how lucid my mind was even as I asked the questions, creatively revealing answers that I could hardly articulate 1 year ago. I would also like to encourage those who would question Mr. Levinson’s idea of these simple questions, to reflect on where they are in their life and be honest when looking for the answers. If we are Really truthful with ourselves, and open to all the universe is offering us, we would say a big “thank you” to him and to the founders of Extraordinary Minds for creating this broad array of talented individuals who have the ability to touch each individual mind, and help us in moving our lifes forward and show us how we can prosper in our businesses.
With Gratitude.

By: Galina

Galina — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:59:56 +0000

Thank you for this Jay. It was an evening of business soul-searching for me, and you have just reminded me that ordinary actions pursued day after day should bring extraordinary results. I will be listening to you guys tomorrow.

By: Jan Teitelbaum DC

Jan Teitelbaum DC — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:51:03 +0000

Thank you for these points.
They are like laser focusing on my mind and what i am already committed to. Now i can concentrate on where i am going with less distraction

By: Suresh

Suresh — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:41:20 +0000

The 7 Steps Marketing Plan is simple but very relevent to what I need.

I am going to answer all questions in detail (but will use KISS principle). I am sure it will bring clarity in my marketing efforts. I will let you know the results in 30 days.

During the panel discussion, can we get into actionable items for each questions, please.

Thanks to Dave, Rich & Jay.

By: Adrian

Adrian — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:33:34 +0000

Thanks Rich for the simple plan.

It may sound simple but it highlights critical areas of a business that need to be addressed first before spending any money on marketing. If you haven’t done your research on customers or competitors, worked out what you want to achieve then it’s likely that any marketing carried out will not be effective.

I’ll definately be using this plan when assessing my marketing projects to make sure my efforts achieve their goal.

Thanks again.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:26:11 +0000

Excellent – really makes sense to do it and keep it simple

By: Frank

Frank — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:24:50 +0000

I have listened to Jay Levinson before and have incorporated his simple but genius marketing plan in my business. Can’t wait for tomorrow to hear more of his advice, he’s the best.

By: Radu C

Radu C — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:24:16 +0000

Rich, thank you once more. Some people focus on details, neglecting the bigger picture, others do the opposite. It’s our nature, who we are as individuals, what differentiates us. It could come down to 3 or even 1 major sentences, or it could be done in sequences – as long as it gets done!
I would have said: first priority, HAVE A PLAN. I mean, I’ve been there, done that – not having a plan, trying one way of marketing (direct mailing), not measuring, giving it up for networking, not measuring, giving it up for telemarketing… and so on.
Second – stick to the plan, implement it across the whole business, all processes, on daily basis, make it known to all your employees, clients, partners, etc. And all these ideas come from the likes of Rich, Jay, Sergio Zyman, Conrad and other brilliant minds – 54 of them sharing with us their insights… for free! If I implement only a part of all these great ideas, the game should have only one leader in my market…

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:22:59 +0000

On Focus, On Purpose, to get On Target! Thanks alot, this is great stuff!

By: clio

clio — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:20:12 +0000

Thanks for the info. These questions are a great way to get started and stay on track, however, they are not simple or quick and require in-depth research. The other thing I’d like to comment on is that I realize “Guerilla Marketing” uses the metaphor of fighting and war. I do object to the idea of marketing “weapons”. Who’s your enemy? Your potential clients? Your competitors? Neither one. One way to market is to align yourself with others in your field, which Rich and Jay are doing, right? I think it would help the world if we ditch the “war-like” vocabulary. It is a mindset that makes people think things are hard and a struggle and that there’s not enough good stuff to go around… Just a thought.

By: DELORES MCLEOD

DELORES MCLEOD — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:11:13 +0000

Hi Rich
I read the 7 questions for a marketing planner and was surprised that I didn’t have the answer to some of the question. I’m new to the game and I have a new website.
It’s time for me to get busy, thanks alot.

By: Suresh

Suresh — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:10:35 +0000

Simple but very relevent!

Thanks.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:09:10 +0000

Hi, Thank you for this “7 sentence simple marketing plan”, and all the information you have given us so far.
It makes it simpler to set up a plan, and have the main points in that plan.
I am very new in business, my one concern is: “How do I know what makes myself or my products different from, or better than, my competetion?”
Thank you.

By: Alexander Kitingan

Alexander Kitingan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:53:17 +0000

Hi Rich

I see the urgency of where you guys are heading with this. Possibly the final frontier in shifting us from learning to engaging into the action-feedback loop. It’s every person who teaches, coaches, consults worst fear that in spite of all the detailed information and insights that niggling question of now that there is this great info and knowledge can it be translated into committed action. Any action to begin with consistently.

And these seven steps are really simplifying things with laser precision so that we focus on getting to doing something now.

Marketing is to ‘generate streams of targeted qualified leads and then to position so as to make marketing superfluous’
It could be that we need to do whatever it takes at the start in order to really differentiate ourselves both in giving a irresistible offer and value via a convincing sincere passion for clients and convey this in every marketing ‘weapon’.

Thanks for this insight as always. Now where did I place my planner?

By: Richie Shaw

Richie Shaw — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:47:17 +0000

I have already jotted down all my plans of action for my upcoming business, but i’ve not yet made a plan of action for my marketing.

These 7 questions and answers have opened a little hole that needs to be filled a.s.a.p. so I will get right on it!

Thanks,

Richie.

By: Rus

Rus — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:45:44 +0000

Thanks for helping me bring more clarity to my too elaborate marketing plans. I’ll be making substantial revisions.

By: Cursos Adwords

Cursos Adwords — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:41:08 +0000

This simple 7 sentences are the more solid foundations of a good business, because without a well articulated plan, we have no clear direction to follow, where alocate resources and how to separate the accessory of the essential.

By: Merlyn

Merlyn — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:40:10 +0000

These seven questions bring it down to the ” simple” of how to market and makes me define precisely the who and what and how….and it really ties in with last weeks message..Im starting an investor relations firm and your material is so timely its mind boggling!!!!
To have this insight and expertise available going forward is proving up to be priceless. Following this advice will ensure our success; I have no doubt…. All we have to do is model you guys.

This is a great work you all are doing….Thank you!!

By: John Batchelder

John Batchelder — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:38:29 +0000

You know,there’s a saying, Who do you listen to? My answer is people that have what I want!! Ya,ya,ya, listen to people with money.I want money, but that is not the only thing I want.I want to start my own company and give my niche the credit and access to the information that they need,and want.The fun part is that they don’t know what they don’t know! Honestly, my ‘I DON’T KNOW list is getting smaller.NO one is doing what I vision. I hope you realize how valuable your information is.I am quite confident that you do know.I have done a lot of research and have found that through your posts,emails and this site,you answer more questions than I have at any given time.Trust me that is an incredible feat to accomplish.I have been known to ask some very basic questions,and I see people laughing,what an idiot.When this happens I can’t help but to smile,because I know what I want.Aside from $ a lot of people do not even know what they want. I know what I want and also know where to get the information that is needed.Now that I have the 7 sentence simple marketing plan I will work on it until I feel confident that it is worded correctly for my market.Thanks

By: Zee Visram

Zee Visram — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:36:20 +0000

I like simple and easy to do. Complicated just stops me right in my tracks. So, needless to say, I really like this 7 Sentence Simple Marketing template. What I’m doing is copying and pasting these 7 points onto an 8×11 sheet and pondering each question. I will make note of any thoughts that come. I’ll use this simple process to develop my marketing plan. Once that’s done, then spend my time, focus and effort on implementation. No sense in having a plan that you will not work.

By: Lloyd Leiderman

Lloyd Leiderman — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:36:04 +0000

Thanks so much for the plan, Jay.

Is there a minimum money amount you suggest for marketing when you are just starting out and have no idea what the projected gross sales will be?

Lloyd

By: Raul Rios

Raul Rios — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:35:56 +0000

Sometimes we implement our marketing with the tools that worked in the past, just answering these 7 questions helped me realized that I need to think what I really need to stress about my company, & to diversify my budget to reach more prospects in order to obtain more clients. Thanks!

By: Festus

Festus — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:32:05 +0000

This is something worth trying, it give you a clarity of purposed and direction. Am convinced that this will bring a turnaround to my business.

By: Rick Carter

Rick Carter — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:29:40 +0000

This, and the 3 steps that John Carlton told Frank Kern re copywriting, make you realize that IM isn’t rocket science. But the DETAILS can make it more complex than an Apollo moon shot!
Getting traffic is the biggest problem for my sites. I have good conversion of the traffic – it’s just getting enough eyes on the page.
Every day, there’s a new avenue. Squidoo. Blogs. JV. SEO. And with SEO, there’s breaking into the competition of long-standing pages.
It’s always remarkable that the most successful can simplify what they do into several simple steps. One day, my karate teacher told me to move my foot 45-degrees before I threw a kick. The effect was instantaneous and remarkable! He just shrugged and said, “That’s what you pay me to do. Fix your little mistakes that you can’t see.”

Rick Carter
STRESS JUDO
Turning stress Into OPPORTUNITIES

By: Ash

Ash — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:29:08 +0000

You are aking me from a shotgun to a rifle in my hunt for community.

Thanks Guys .. I am also one of your top affialites promoting the League to my community.

I have started a site http://www.saythankstoheroes.com to send a soldier a Thank you card appreciating that I am free today because I have a soldier keeping the peace for me.

Its totally free for you to send the card and I pay for the postage too.

Thanks for sharing with your friends and making a difference in the lives of others, Ash

By: Dragan

Dragan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:28:53 +0000

Yes, the number one mistake is to start marketing without a marketing plan. In this 7 sentences marketing plan, there are all important elements as a purpose, benefits, target market, weapons, personality, market niche and budget.
However, I think that there missed two elements. The missed element is a milestone in the list with weapons that will have what, when and how of each weapon.
The second missed element in this marketing plan in the same list of weapons is a measurement of success af each weapon. To be more effective with our marketing activities, we must measure all our activities.

By: Chadia

Chadia — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:18:50 +0000

Thanks for getting us back to basics. That really is a great exercise.

By: Tweets that mention The Single Biggest Marketing Mistake Small Businesses Are Making Today… | The League of Extraordinary Minds -- Topsy.com

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:17:04 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Graham Jarvis, Anil Varghese. Anil Varghese said: The single biggest marketing mistake that small businesses make today & the 7 sentence solution : http://bit.ly/4jD2XV [...]

By: april

april — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:11:09 +0000

this information came at the perfect time and has simplified my marketing plan. i feel lighter!

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:09:21 +0000

Mary,
The weapons that he’s referring to are the 200+ free and very low cost marketing tactics of Guerrilla Marketing that you can include in your marketing strategy.

By: Kay Kinder

Kay Kinder — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:09:06 +0000

This is great information to start with but it is missing one vital piece of information – “does your customer want this?”

It doesn’t matter how great your product, how great your marketing, how huge your list, what your competition is doing… IF you are selling something that people aren’t looking for.

Perhaps this could be question #8 “What is your customer looking for?”
Once you have this answer then you know exactly what you need to market using the 7 questions here as a starting point to building that marketing plan.

Kay Kinder
Ottawa, ON