Archive For: Marketing

It Is Not As Obvious As You Think!

Warwick Merry on a screen at a desk with an incredibly surprised look on his face

You could have knocked me over with a feather!

Last week I was talking with a couple of clients. They had used me before on several occasions and I thought they knew what I did, particularly with my shift to online event production and hosting. I was certain I had even talked about with them directly.

Both of them didn’t realise that I was producing events (pressing buttons, mixing audio and video, showing slide decks, highlighting speakers) as well as being the MC for that online event. Following these conversations I have booked two gigs with them.

I thought I was talking about events too much. If it is even possible, I was almost getting tired of my own voice! I was certain that I had mentioned what I am doing several times.

Still, they didn’t really know. Hence, here I am talking about it again.

What about for you? What do you do that your customer doesn’t know about? Maybe they only know you for ONE of your services or products. How can you share with them some of the successes that you have achieved for your other customers? How can you let them know you do more than what you are doing for them?

From personal experience, your clients are busy. They often don’t hear your message – not because they don’t care but because they are focussed on THEIR customer. So how can you make it easy for them to hear about what else you do?

Meanwhile, I will keep spreading the good word about Online Events. (He says, warming up to tell you what he does).

So if you need me, I will be here in my studio. With my four computers, two cameras, vision switcher, audio panel, sound panels and green screen. I will be running my weekly live stream on events (sign up to my YouTube channel to keep in touch WarwickMerry.tv) , sharing content on LinkedIn, and coaching people with their Online Presence.

Let me know if you need help with your next online event!

If you want your next online event or meeting to shine, get in touch with Warwick for some ideas or assistance on how to make it energetic and engaging. 
Simply email Warwick [at@] WarwickMerry.com or call +61 408 592 158

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Are You Focussed On Your Target Market?

I love a well thought out piece of marketing in the right market. This Techbox is particularly awesome. 

Last week I was hosting COBA2019 trades how floor at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre and right outside the main doors was this Tech Box. If you look closer you will see Hi Vis Vests, Gaffer Tape, Power Boards (that have been tested and tagged), phone chargers, USB Adapters, thumb drives, extension cords… all the things you need at an expo but can often forget. All at a reasonable price (for the convenience). 

They know their market well, they know their price points well, and they are offering a fantastic service with low operating costs. There were also a few people at this Expo happily purchasing things from it!

How well do you know your target market and how well do you position your products and services?

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Creating Cool Conferences that Count

QuickBooks Connect Main Stage

I was fortunate to be at QuickBooks Connect last week.

It is the annual conference that Intuit, the parent company of Quickbooks, held for all of its customers and user. Unlike many other conferences, there was no big sell, no doing things on the cheap, no”get ’em in and get ’em out” mind set. It was all about how do look at the needs of many of our customers and provide them with a great experience and real value for their business.

Some of the out of the box things they had were:

  • Live music in the expo
  • Free headshots (just making social media profiles like LinkedIn look a little more professional)
  • Conversation time with other suppliers like the Tax Office. payment providers and other software companies that “plugin” to QuickBooks.
  • There was even a whole day dedicated to bookkeepers, accountants and financial people so they could do a deep dive on some of the features and processes.

In addition to the entertaining plenary sessions, there were plenty of truly valuable break out sessions for the audience. Sessions that business owners NEED to know about.

Recruiting, social media, cash flow and plenty of other topics.

As a side note, one of the break out sessions on recruiting people that stay was run by Anneli Blundell. She also happens to be my guest on the latest episode of the Get More Success show. Have a listen!

Essentially this was a User Group Conference. In the past, they have been more common for larger, enterprise level software organisations. With every increasing numbers of small to medium business using core business software like QuickBooks, these kind of user conferences are on the rise.

Intuit’s QuickBooks Connect is an example of one done well.

How can you connect with your users/clients/customers and provide extra value to them and their business?

It doesn’t have to be a conference. It may be a virtual conference, a webinar, video, podcast, reference guide – there are many options.

Let me know if you need any help or ideas.

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Is It A Gift Worth Giving?

Bacon Jam

One of my speaker buddies gave my a gift yesterday. Yes that’s right. It is BaconJam!!

Made right here in Melbourne at the Salami Shack. It’s made of 90% bacon. No bacon flavouring here!!

Now my buddy knows my passion for bacon. So as a token of thanks for some event work we are doing together, when he saw this, he bought one for me.

What a gift! It is not too big so I don’t feel indebted. It is something he knows I love, so I feel heard and considered. And it is something out of the ordinary, so I feel surprised and delighted.

Contrast this to when I often receive a speaker gift of a bottle of wine. While I am grateful for the gift, I don’t drink – so it is a little bit wasted. It is also very common, as in the previous speaker also got one, so I don’t feel that special, and if I have travelled interstate, I now have the added issue of trying to get it home without it breaking.

When you are giving gifts to your speakers, or associates, is it a gift worth giving?

A few subtle questions to the recipient and a stalk on their social media may help you give a gift worth giving.

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How You Can Easily Add More Value To Your Prospect

I just got off the phone from a prospect who is looking for someone to host their annual industry awards and dinner.
Her colleague had seen me host an event and had been part of my Sponsorship Workshops, so it was a lovely phone call to get.

She was talking to me about some of the concerns she had, the unique industry issues they have, the history of their events and was looking for solutions and ball park pricing.

It would have been very easy for me to give a ball park price and have a limited conversation and not give her too many ideas before they sign me up. In fact, some of my colleagues tell me I am too generous with my information.

But I know something they are yet to work out. This prospect even admitted it!

She said she was a little concerned about the event – because of it’s history, their limited budget and the pressure to get it “right.” But after speaking with me, discovering that my dad worked in the industry, hearing some of the suggestions and possibilities she could do so shift the focus of the event and make it more positive for everyone, she felt far more comfortable.

That is worth the risk of giving away too much.

When your customer or prospect feels better or more comfortable about an event because of you, you are becoming part of the team. Some of the PCO’s I work with have said to me, “Now we know you are the MC, we know we don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

If you can make your customer or prospect “feel comfortable”, the value is immeasurable.

So how can you make your customers and prospects feel more comfortable?
What can you do, what information can you share or what ideas can you give them so that you are strongly embedded as part of the team?

All relationships start somewhere. If you can add comfort to the relationship as swiftly as possible, the value is priceless.

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Your Product is AWESOME, So Why No Customers?

You can barely tell from the outside but this is the old State Savings Bank in Clunes, Victoria. It is a beautiful old town that I had the pleasure of staying at over the weekend.

The town sprung up in the early gold rush and has some fantastic buildings, great old oak trees and a plethora of rose bushes all over town.

Serendipitously it was also the Clunes Agricultural Show, so we went along to check it out.

Along with farming in the area, Clunes is also trying to establish itself as a tourist down. This is one of the B&Bs in the main street.

Like many small towns and many small businesses, Clunes has so much to offer but without people it will slowly dwindle away and die. Two of the three mechanics in town have closed down, there are empty shops and one of the pubs is for sale half way through a renovation.

Like many small towns and many businesses, Clunes is trying to attract fresh interest and repeated interest in itself.

Every May it has an International Book Festival, some use it as a satellite town for the nearby regional centre of Ballarat, and old wares and art can be seen and purchased every weekend.

Kevin Costner’s statement in Field of Dreams, “Build It and They Will Come” is a massive lie.

Like Clunes, you not only have to build it, you have to let the right people know about it, you have to give them a reason to come and you have to make it easy for them to come and engage, get informed and buy from you.

So many business have amazing products, awesome services, fabulous prices but they flounder and die without people.

What are you doing today, and every day, to let people know about the value you bring?

 

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Do You Match Your Marketing?

Most of us have been into, seen or drooled over cake displays like this one. Or maybe this one

With great anticipation we order the piece (or two) that we have our eye on.

It looks amazing and smells fabulous. A little bit of drool starts to form as our mouth begins watering.

We sit at the table with anticipation as finally the piece is served, maybe with a flourish, a dab of cream or some other garnish.

We probably take a photo of it, tell our dining partner how good this will be and then we have the first bite.

This is where reality comes crashing down on us. 

So often the piece we have selected does not live up to our expectation or to the promise that has been made of it. We have inadvertently fallen prey to the Marketing Gap. The difference between what is marketed to us and what is delivered to us.

Companies do the same thing.

They spend a lot of money marketing a product or service and telling us how good it is. The marketing is exciting. It’s colourful, vibrant and enticing. We believe it, try the product or service and are disappointed.

Movie trailers seem to be the worst at this. Promising something that is never delivered.

Prospective partners can fall into this trap also. They start off being awesome only to fall back into their old ways once you have committed.

Social media seems to amplify the Marketing Gap. What you see on Instagram vs IRL (that’s In Real Life for us oldies) can set you up for major disappointment.

How is Your Marketing Gap?

In what you do – professionally and personally, do you deliver on your “marketing?”

Authenticity and open communication is so important in managing expectations and your own success. Please make sure you match your own marketing.

PS I had the Mini Yoyo – it wasn’t really that good.

 

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3 Steps to The Top Job You Really Want ???

Amanda Blesing works with CSuite women to do what they do better. We caught up a little while ago and talked about some of the issues that women face and one kept recurring.

So many women know they are ready for the next job up the ladder but they struggle to get it. So I asked Amanda, how can a woman/person get that top job they really want and she said there were three key things:
1) Back Yourself
2) Sell Yourself
3) Express Your Value in a way your target understands

These some three strategies work for all people – regardless of your sex. Chatting to Amanda and a couple of other colleagues about this and we thought that most people get the first one ok. The second one can be a struggle for some – particularly those who don’t want to “big note” ourselves.

But some people do number 2 amazingly well. There are plenty of people out there that everyone identifies with. “How did they get that position, job, role, contract? I am way better than them!” And you are too! But they are better at selling themselves.

I think number three is the one that takes the longest to truly understand and embrace. So often we get excited about our stuff and start telling clients, prospects, and random strangers how good it is. But we do it in a way WE understand rather than taking on board, what is important for our clients? What counts for others?

So Dear Reader, how can you take on Amanda’s three key tips today to reach for that next job, contract, sale, connection?

 

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Are You There?

One of the key elements of marketing I learned very early in my time as being a member of Professional Speakers Australia, is that there is a huge difference between being good and being there.

Many people are focussed on being good. Getting everything just right with the right image, the right text, the right message, the right style, the right level of rightness!

Others put something pretty good together and just start getting it out there.

People in the second category seem to get more business than the first and those in the first category seem to get more frustrated!

A case in point is the document above (you can click on the image or this link to see the document in detail). I have had the vision for this document for some time (about four years) and I just haven’t been able to get it exactly how I wanted it. It is my speaker “1 Pager” so it has a lot of information about me and what I do.

I wanted to present it in a way that wasn’t all about me. I wanted my prospects or clients to read it and think of their own problems and how I can help solve or address them. I wanted people to laugh a bit and have an understanding of who I am and how I work.

After a fair bit of work, I think I got most of that. But it wasn’t perfect. Shifting my focus to being good, I just got some printed and have started sending to clients and prospects with my special gift. (Let me know if you are interested in receiving a hard copy with the special gift or finding our more about what I do.)

As I was putting the packs together, I noticed two minor mistakes that most people wouldn’t even notice. I am sending them anyway. I have fixed the mistake for next time but the first print run has been completed.

Now I will see what sort of results it wields – I guarantee it will get greater results than me just thinking about it for another four years!

There is a massive difference between being good and getting it perfect, and being there and getting paid!

What about you? What are you working on that is not quite good enough and just needs more attention that honestly could be put out to the market place where they can get value from it right now?

Don’t just be good, be there!

 

 

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Why Fight It?

During a recent conference I was hosting, I received a phone call from a speaker I am mentoring. They had won a gig for their largest ever audience (yay!) and now they were getting a bit of stage fright (oops) and their question was, “How do I get rid of it or deal with it?”

Stage fright or pre-show nerves are an interesting beast. You want some but not too much. Enough to keep you on your toes but not so much it is debilitating.

For me it is not the size of the audience that impacts stage fright, it is what you have to do. I have worked audiences over 2,000 and 3,000 people with little fear while hosting a conference or gala dinner. I am even comfortable if my jokes fall flat. But the audience of 28 people when I performed a one man show in the Melbourne Fringe festival nearly had me passing out! The tight confines of the script, the telling of other peoples stories, and being Gough Whitlam had me all in knots. I was not used to being so restricted.

So how do you get rid of your stage fright?

You don’t! It is a valuable part of you. Don’t fight it but embrace it. Acknowledge that it’s job is to keep you safe and that you will be super safe on the stage. Most people in the audience will be so pleased that they don’t have to give the presentation and they will be wanting you to be doing a great job.

I assume you know your stuff, or you wouldn’t be asked to present on it. So there is very little than could go wrong and a whole spectrum of things that could go right! Embracing the fear and reminding yourself of all the things that will be great about your performance will help keep your stage fright manageable.

You can’t get rid of stage fright and you wouldn’t want to. It is a powerful tool to motivate you to get your techniques, content and performance skills up to standard. Why would you want to get rid of that?

You will also find, the best way to manage your stage fright is to do more presentations. The more you do, the better you get at it and the less negative impact your stage fright will have on you.

So why fight it?

 

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Back to the Future

My gorgeous wife and I were out celebrating life and we had a flash back. A flash back to the future, if you will!

Soda Rock Diner was celebrating a move to a new location and had set up Doc and the Delorean out the front.

This was a great idea (although Doc was not quite a close match) for a couple of reasons.

  • It’s a great call back
  • It’s brand relevant
  • It was interactive

As a speaker/MC, one of the great tools of a presentation is the Call Back. It is where you mentioned something (a topic, a story, an item, an event) and then later in the presentation when the audience has almost forgotten it, you refer back to it. Comedians use this tool a great deal to excellent effect.

In this instance, people my age (almost 50!) grew up with Doc, the Delorean, Marty McFly and even Einstein (the dog who was sitting on the back of the car). Seeing the car was a great call back to an earlier part of my life which associates with a fun and positive memory.

It was Brand Relevant for Soda Rock as they are an American Diner complete with rollerskating waiting staff and Elvis. In Back to the Future II (and possibly some on Back to the Future) was set in a diner like this one. It was also October 21st which is one of the dates that Doc and Marty head to. So it was well themed and matched the brand of Soda Rock.

It also attracted a big crowd. People were lining up to sit in the driving seat and get their picture taken (look closely in the pic above and you will see a young girl in the front seat (on the left). I suspect there would be a lot of images on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and other social media of the Delorean, and possibly even tagged Soda Rock.

With the marketing of your business or the marketing that appeals to you, how does it take you Back to the Future?

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Grabbing Attention

I was at the Integrate Trade Show in Melbourne this week. A show all about Audio Visual for conferences, corporates and large areas.

So many exhibitors had spend huge money on their stands showing off their latest and greatest technology. Some of the big brands built two story exhibitions with screens and logos everywhere.

It was a huge waste of money.

These same brands looked like they spent very little money on creating an atmosphere for the visitor or training their staff on how to approach and interact with the visitors.

Create LED had a different approach.

They had a much smaller presence. A simple black cloth background. A different display using one unique product, their Air Magic Box and staff who smiled, engaged with people who walked past and created a pleasant experience.

Their return on investment would have been significantly greater than that of the big name, multi-storied booth exhibitors. Mainly because they focussed on what counts, the Visitor and not themselves.

Grabbing the attention of a visitor is not all about you. It is mainly about the visitor. What is something new and unusual for them that will get their attention and start a conversation about their interests and needs?

This works not only at trade shows, but also in one on one conversations at networking events, presenting at conferences or your traditional marketing pieces.

How do you get their attention?

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Most Important Sale

Image: ShutterStock

 

All the sales trainers I have ever had the good fortune to learn under have constantly said that the most important sale is the first sale, and the first sale is always to yourself!

If you don’t believe in the value of your product or service, how can you then sell it to others?

What they didn’t say is that you don’t just make this sale once. You will need to make this sale over and over again.

So many people make you doubt yourself, your product, your service, your price, your delivery method, your expertise and they do it, not to attack you, but to better position themselves in the negotiation.

On Friday I was referred to an organisation that was hosting a two day conference for 200 CXOs on the following Wednesday and Thursday. After an initial email briefing where they requested a “strong and experienced MC” I sent them a high level proposal.

Sunday they got back to me saying that it was a lot more than they had budgeted and in fact their budget was a third of my quoted price. They felt it was an easy gig. Very straight forward simply introducing people and asking a few questions.

This is where the doubt started to creep in.

Fortunately I know there is no such thing as an “Easy MC gig”.

Now most professionals (be they MCs, speakers, sports people, business people or whatever) make things look easy. Maybe they make it look effortless rather than easy. The reason for this, is they are good at what they do because they work at it.

As I advised this prospect, while it may seem easy, I have spent over 20 years honing my skill to make it look easy. So when the AV fails (as it will), when a speak finished in half the time and I step in with relevant and meaningful questions, when the audience is about to go to sleep and they need to be energised, when one of the strong minded CXO takes over the microphone during question time and starts waffling on with no question in sight or when a sponsor needs some attention, I will have you covered no matter what – that is what you are paying for!

My delighted clients, repeat clients and referring clients show me that my fee is fair and that I deliver great value for that fee.

So I had to decline that prospects offer to work for 1/3 my usual fee.

What about you? Have you made that most important sale?

Even if you are not directly in sales, it is important to know that you add real value to those around you. If you need it, collect some testimonials, quotes or evidence of that value so when you are starting to doubt yourself, you can look at the proof of the value you offer.

The first sale is always to you and you need to be sure you can keep making that sale time and time again. You are too important not to make it!

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You Are Not Alone

referral marketing

Image: ShutterStock

Trying to achieve your goals and get the results you are after can be draining.

So often you feel like you are alone. It feels like it is you chipping away at a mountain of granite, hoping to make a break through any moment.

Hoping it is the next swing that brings the results. No? Ok, the next swing!

Maybe the next swing …

Never forget, you are not alone. 

Whether you are running your own business, raising a family, working a corporate job or serving as a volunteer, you are not alone.

You are operating in a connected world, so why not use it? 

You know how when other people ask you for help you feel fantastic when you can contribute to them? Why not let others feel that way too. You just have to do one thing.

Ask for help!

Whatever you may want or need, ask for it. You may feel embarrassed, you may feel shy, you may feel like you “should” be able to do it on your own. The reality is you don’t have to.

So what do you need to ask for?

P.S. Let me practice what I preach. I would love it if you could refer me to someone who is organising an event and needs a host or MC. Typically the event will be for 200 people or more. Thanks for the referral!

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Do You See the Full Picture?

Gutters roof
Image: ShutterStock

A few years ago, we had the gutters replaced on our house. They came, measured the existing gutters, quoted for new ones and then we had the job done.

I have been cursing them ever since.

What they did was look at what we had and then replace it. What they didn’t do is look at the full picture.

We have two pieces of spouting coming off the roof and onto another section that is the roof for the double garage and a bedroom. This flows into a gutter which has only one down pipe. Every time we have a strong rainfall (like last night) the gutter overflows on the building side of the gutter.

What this means is that we have had some interior waterfalls – mainly in the garage but once in the spare room.

The gutter people did not look at the big picture. The did not consider what we NEEDED versus what we HAD.

I see this in business all the time. Suppliers not considering what is in the best interest of the customer and focussing only on what they can sell.

As an MC, I see it in conferences way too often. The speaker sticking with their usual program rather than considering who is in the room and what their client actually wanted to achieve. 

What about you?

Do you consider the needs of those around you? Do you take the time and look at the FULL picture?

 

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