Dang...I wish I'd said this online first!!!

It's not about what you get out of it. It's about the opportunity
 it affords you to give others and make an impact.
- Michael Hyatt
Read that quote again...
  
It's not about what you get out of it. It's about the opportunity
it affords you to give others and make an impact. - Michael Hyatt
 
Michael is talking about Twitter. On a regular basis people tell me they don't get anything "out of Twitter."
 
It happened Monday morning. Two people (they were seeking advice on networking) told me they "didn't do Twitter." The questions I asked lead to an evaluation of where they're at and what my experience shows they could do to have more impact. Marketing for most sales people includes networking. Networking, to have the greatest LASTING impact, must include social media. Social media is about influencing.

Influencing is leadership.
 
Business rises and falls on leadership. Businesses want to hire leaders. People want to do business with leaders. I want to buy from leaders.
 
 
Read Hyatt's take on this important tool...click here.
 
 
To that end.........

Stay connected to your confusion..

Stay connected to your confusion and discover your why.
Most people let confusion lead to frustration and then they
quit. Move from confusion to discovery and curiosity.
Explore. - Paul Martinelli



I've been frustrated recently about a large part of my marketing strategy. The marketing piece itself is likely an income stream. Meaning, I could be charging for my coaching and training. Instead, I use the coaching and training to add value to others and draw attention to my mortgage business.


The frustration has been more about "confusion that leads to frustration." I realized this during a call with Paul Martinelli last week. He said



Stay connected
to your confusion
and discover your why. Get creative.
Don't let confusion turn to frustration.
If you do, you'll quit.
 
Stay connected to your confusion,
move to discovery and curiosity.
Get creative. Explore. Discover your why.




Profound.



To that end........Bless you Paul.




Being a perfectionist is hampering your bank deposits

A mistake is simply another way of doing things
- Warren Bennis (as quoted in
The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth
by John C. Maxwell)
 
This week I'm speaking at BLASTT on the subject of Marketing Roadblocks. While preparing for the talk I thought about a post I shared last November titled  7 Reasons to Stop Being a Perfectionist. Being a perfectionist is one of those roadblocks.

Here's the list (and please let me know if you know the author of this list)...
  1. Perfectionism causes procrastination
  2. You get caught up in the details
  3. Perfectionism doesn't allow you to be yourself
  4. Perfectionism set you up to need others' approval
  5. Perfectionism causes you to be in a constant state of stress, because you’re always trying to meet your perfect standards
  6. Perfectionism stops you from taking a risk
  7. Perfectionism stops you from picking up the phone

Smart Marketers Lead Themselves With Processes

Systems permit ordinary people to achienve extraordinary results predictbly.
- Michael Gerber, author of E-Myth

With this quote from Mr. Gerber, I'll use John Maxwell to further explain "systems" -
 
A system is a process for predictably achieving a goal base on specific,
orderly, repeatable principles and practices. Systems leverage your
time, money, and abilities......Systems are deliberate, intentional, and
practical...They improve your performance.
- John Maxwell in The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth

I can't control when, where and how some one responds to my marketing efforts. I can control what I do to follow-up with people using various low cost methods and tools to stay in contact with people after meeting them.

To that end..........be extraordinary


PS....Need help identifying and overcoming your markeing Roadblocks? See BLASTT Event and Webinar announcement on right tool bar

Elevator Pitches. Really?

No one ever bought anything on an elevator
- Set Godin


Wow. They say you can't judge a book by its cover but you can sure judge some blog posts by the title. Especially Seth Godin's.

I received an email from him with the title No one ever bought anything on an elevator and I KNEW EXACTLY what it would say.

Elevator pitches. Really....How much should you really say in such a short time? What should happen with an "elevator pitch?" What should be the results of an elevator pitch?

An elevator pitch should cause the hearer to want to know more. After you've given your pitch, the next "thing" said by the other person, the person hearing your "pitch," is a question.

If you said your say correctly, they should ask you a question.


To clarify....if you've said your elevator pitch correctly, you'll be asked a question.

Read Seth's blog post.


To that end........


PS....Need help identifying and overcoming your markeing Roadblocks? See BLASTT Event and Webinar announcement on right tool bar.

CBLG Spotlight: Dale Miller

We spotlighted Dale Miller with Austin Fine Floors at CBLG yesterday.

photo courtesy of Photography By Chavez


Thanks Dale. I've known you for 1 1/2 years and continue to be amazed at how well you stay engaged in building relationships.

Dale has been building his business for over 20 years through meeting and talking to people. When Dale walks into a restaurant he'll stop, look around and find someone he knows to go say HI to. The pure fact that he rarely doesn't recognize someone is a testament to how well he builds relationships.

And he doesn't just say HI. He asks questions..............listens.

Thanks Dale for being in the spotlight last yesterday, and thanks to Gene Chavez for the great photography.

 

Live from the Hurdie Burk Radio Network: Scott Carley

You will never change your life until
you change something you do daily
- John Maxwell

Get your pen and paper ready. Hurdie Burke has gotten Scott Carley to give away some trade secrets. These two guys will help you know with the "what-to-do-next" and make bigger deposit checks.

Except for the part about "selling your books," this is a great audio!

To that end..............Make it a great day!


Links mentioned in this post

Scott Carley
Hurdie Burke

Accountability and Marketing: Assessing

The Blind Spot - an area in the lives of people in which
 they continually do not see themselves or their situation
 realistically. This unawareness often causes great
damage to the people and those around them.
 
 
In QBQ, John Miller talks about asking groups "what's the one thing you would change to improve the effectiveness of your organization?" He says they usually come out with a list of "Ps": Products, Promotions, Policies, Processes, Procedures, Pricing and People.

Change that to "what's the one thing I can change to improve the effectiveness of my marketing?"



Blogs Are The New Websites............Still




To that end............
Need a good conversation starter? Try this -
        C
an you believe Danny Smith is quoting 3.375% 30 Year Fixed Rate mortgages?"


Accountability and Marketing: What do I do next?

Remember: the answer is in the questions
-John G. Miller on accountability
author of QBQ, @QBQGuy
 
photo courtesy of
www.blairballphotography.com
 
I had the pleasure of having lunch with Jason Alba last year. Jason is the bestselling author of "I'm on LinkedIn, Now What?"  Jason's success with his book and coaching is directly attributed to the question"what do I do next?"

What do I do next? That's a great question and the answer includes "that depends."

Do you struggle with what to do next? There are so many things we can do to attract attention (hint..marketing is all about attracting attention). My own struggles and experiences (not opinions) leads to this recommendation -

Don't Make It Complicated

Hi Impact, Low Cost Strategies, Actions and Results absolutely requires (absolutely requires) that you NOT complicate matters, and execute.

Many Small Business Owners have all kinds of ideas about how to market their products and services. Their challenge, problem, is putting feet to the thoughts.

Doug is such a person. Doug owns a carpeting company. He networks with people every week, doesn't hesitate to pick up the phone and will call on businesses and homeowners without a second thought.


Congratulations to Realtor Wayne Clark

Congratulations to Realtor Wayne Clark for winning the "Like-Impact-Mortgage's-Page" drawing.
 
 
Wayne has won a Free spot in a John Maxwell Mastermind Group led by Maxwell Certified Coach John Griffin. This Mastermind Group is on the book "15 Invaluable Laws of Growth" by John Maxwell and the first lesson will be taught live by Maxwell.
 
Thanks Wayne for LIKING our Facebook page!
  
Danny L. Smith
Sr. Mortgage Loan Officer
Certified Guerrilla Marketing CoachTM
Impact Leadership Coach
NMLS #138873
Phone: 512-773-6528
Fax: 512-551-0006
Danny@DannyLSmith.com
www.DannyLSmith.com
 

Accountability and Marketing: Part 2

"Why is this happening to me?" is a "bad" question
- John G. Miller on accountability
photo courtesy of BlairBallPhotography
 
Struggling with stress I went to a Bible study in 1990 on "Your Work Matters to God." Doug Sherman, in the video we were watching, talked about how stress can be good for me and I would have walked out if I hadn't been at the the far end of a packed-out room.
 
Philosophers since Socrates have argued about what man is really seeking. Most have settled with "joy." Me, it's "not-to-be-stressed." I guess Joy comes from not being stressed.
 
A few years ago John G. Miller, in QBQ, brought to my attention this question: "Why is this happening to me?" Not just the question, but the impact of asking, even feeling, the question - Victim Thinking.
 
My original read of QBQ didn't give me the full perspective of this particular question but the book did influence me enough that I had the QBQ principles taught to 80+ employees in our company. I participated in many of those QBQ sessions 5 years ago and have continued to practice the principles. Learning to practice Ownership Thinking is huge.