| A few years ago, Bruce Smith experienced
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| | realized that he was in competition with
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| a slowdown in his Salt Lake City-based
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| | dozens of other bookkeepers selling
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| travel agency. Airlines had eliminated
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| | essentially the same thing. To stand out,
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| his sales commissions. The recession and
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| | he mastered a popular accounting program
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| recent terrorist attacks also took a
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| | and marketed himself as a 'QuickBooks
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| toll. And because the travel industry was
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| | Software Training Consultant.'Shepherd
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| ultra-competitive, he knew he had to find
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| | went from blending into a sea of
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| ways to distinguish his company from
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| | look-alike competitors to occupying a
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| thousands of other travel agencies.Then,
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| | compelling market position. He charged
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| he had a fortunate accident. His wife
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| | higher fees, and he did not have to work
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| asked him where they would celebrate
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| | as hard to get new clients. Word spread
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| their first wedding anniversary. When he
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| | fast among accountants as they referred
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| gave her a blank look, she set about
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| | him to their clients. He even trained
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| planning a trip-but wouldn't tell him
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| | other bookkeepers to use accounting
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| what she was planning. Because he enjoyed
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| | software.4. Maintaining your
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| the mystery leading up to the trip, and
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| | visibilityWhen was the last time your
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| the hints his wife gave him, he
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| | name appeared in print? Yesterday? Last
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| repackaged his travel service as The
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| | week? A month ago? Just because you
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| Veiled Voyage, selling 'destination
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| | remember doesn't mean a potential
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| unknown' vacations to couples and
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| | customer will. To become 'slightly'
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| others.Smith's clever branding strategy
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| | famous, you need to have your message out
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| was a hit. It not only helped him create
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| | there, if not continuously, then often
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| a unique and memorable brand, but also
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| | enough to keep your name alive in
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| made him 'slightly' famous.Now, most of
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| | customers' minds.When Bart Baggett
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| Smith's business comes through referrals
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| | decided to make handwriting analysis his
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| from happy clients who eagerly tell their
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| | career, he embraced the media, and
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| friends about The Veiled Voyage. He's
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| | studied newspapers, magazines, and radio
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| regularly featured in newspapers,
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| | and television programs to find out what
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| magazines and radio programs and was even
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| | types of guests were in demand, and then
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| invited to speak at a national travel
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| | looked for ways to tie his professional
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| conference. Moreover, he's been able to
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| | abilities to specific media. His strategy
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| extend his brand with a major grocery
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| | paid off.At the height of the O.J.
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| store chain through a lucrative
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| | Simpson trial, he sent out a news release
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| co-branding relationship that has further
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| | about Simpson's handwriting that resulted
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| expanded his company.The 'Slightly'
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| | in several timely media interviews. He
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| Famous YouSome business owners attract
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| | later appeared on Court TV to discuss
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| clients and customers like magic. They do
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| | Timothy McVey's handwriting, and was
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| not cold call or rely on advertising. Yet
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| | recommended by the director of that
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| they're regularly featured in newspapers
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| | program to CNN. A feature in Biography
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| and magazines and get invited to speak at
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| | Magazine led to stories in the London
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| conferences. Everyone knows their name,
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| | Times, the Dallas Morning News, and
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| and they get all the business they can
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| | others.5. Enhancing your credibilityThe
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| handle.It's almost as though they were
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| | surest way to earn credibility is by
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| famous.In fact, they are, but not in the
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| | establishing yourself as a 'recognized'
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| way movie stars and athletes are
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| | expert with intimate knowledge of your
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| famous--they're just slightly famous.
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| | clients, customers and industry. Experts
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| Just famous enough to make their names
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| | out-position their competitors because
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| come to mind when people are looking for
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| | they are recognized as knowing more than
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| a particular product or service. They get
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| | their competitors.Fred Tibbitts, Jr.
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| more business - not only more, but the
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| | founded Fred Tibbitts & Associates to
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| right kind of business - and they don't
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| | help food and beverage companies reach
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| have to work so hard to get it.Want to
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| | global markets. He strategically
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| join them and enjoy this ideal state of
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| | cultivated a reputation in his industry
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| affairs, where customers come to you? You
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| | as a well-connected and knowledgeable
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| can, but it may require a new way of
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| | global beverage-marketing expert who is
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| thinking and a new marketing strategy.
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| | fluent in all the details of his
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| Although their efforts take different
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| | business.Tibbitts monitors global
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| forms, underlying them all are six basic
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| | beverage trends on a daily basis while
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| principles.1. Targeting the best
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| | staying in contact with account managers
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| prospectsSlightly famous entrepreneurs
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| | at hotels and restaurants. He hosts a
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| focus their marketing to target the best
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| | series of special events, 'Fred Tibbitts
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| prospects.Alex Fisenko is known in the
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| | Spring & Autumn Dinners with Special
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| world of coffee as 'the Dean of Beans.'
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| | Friends,' in key markets, including Hong
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| The 60-something coffee expert started
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| | Kong, Singapore, and New York. Tibbitts
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| his first espresso shop in the 1960s.
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| | also contributes a column to Hospitality
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| Since then, he's focused his energies and
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| | International Magazine and numerous
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| now sells his expertise on launching a
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| | industry publications.6. Establishing
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| successful coffee business to aspiring
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| | your brand and reputationSlightly famous
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| entrepreneurs. Alex conducts coffee shop
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| | entrepreneurs use their smallness and
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| seminars and sells a training course
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| | specialty in ways that corporate giants
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| called 'Espresso Business Success.'His
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| | can't touch. They make sure their brands
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| Web site, generates thousands of dollars
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| | strike an emotional chord by bringing
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| a month in products sales and consulting
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| | their business 'soul' to the forefront of
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| engagements in the United States,
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| | their marketing.When you meet Dave
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| Thailand, South Korea, Belgium, Saudi
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| | Hirschkop at a trade show, don't expect
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| Arabia, and Barbados. 'By targeting the
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| | to shake his hand. That's because he'll
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| best prospects, I now make more money
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| | be wearing a straitjacket while standing
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| through book sales and consultations than
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| | before a simulated insane asylum to
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| when I ran coffee shops,' says Fisenko.2.
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| | promote his popular line of 'Insanity'
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| Developing a unique market nicheSmall
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| | hot sauces.Dave established his brand by
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| businesses with a 'slightly famous'
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| | making the hottest sauce possible.
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| strategy establish themselves within a
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| | Instead of sensual pleasure, he promised
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| carefully selected market niche that they
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| | pain, even danger. Now, Dave's Gourmet,
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| can realistically hope to dominate.Dan
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| | Inc. steps to the front of the crowded
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| Poynter, for example, is a successful
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| | hot sauce category because he embraced a
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| self-publisher who started writing books
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| | humorous branding strategy that resulted
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| about parachuting and hang-gliding over
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| | in fiercely loyal customers and great
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| thirty years ago. Though it might sound
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| | media exposure.When Dave introduced his
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| as if his audience would be too small to
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| | Insanity Sauce at the National Fiery
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| generate significant sales, he knew his
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| | Foods Show in New Mexico, he made
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| market and where to find them. Best of
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| | attendees sign a release form before
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| all, he has the market all to
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| | tasting from a bottle that came in a
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| himself!Rather than try to fight for
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| | coffin-like box wrapped with yellow
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| attention in general bookstores, he sold
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| | police tape. His best, if unintended,
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| books to skydiving clubs, parachute
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| | publicity coup happened when a show
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| dealers, and the U.S. Parachute
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| | promoter had a minor respiratory problem
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| Association. He developed a reputation in
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| | after tasting his sauce, and banned him
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| skydiving circles, and has enjoyed steady
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| | from the show.To enjoy 'slightly' famous
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| sales of his books for more than three
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| | status, you don't have to be insane. But,
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| decades.3. Positioning your business as
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| | you must cultivate a brand identity that
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| the best solutionPositioning is about
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| | will become the guiding star of your
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| identifying a key attribute of your
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| | entire business. It will ensure that all
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| company not offered by competitors and
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| | your marketing efforts pull in the same
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| that is clearly valuable to your target
| |
| | direction. You'll waste less time, make
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| market.When Harry Shepherd started his
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| | fewer marketing mistakes, and stand out
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| bookkeeping service a few years ago, he
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| | in an increasing cluttered world.
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