Rob Rutkowski

Not Braggin', But Another "Best Answer" on LinkedIn

2008-11-16T10:20:00.000-08:00

Rochelle Hill of the NYC chapter of the National Alliance of Market Developers posted the following question to thousands of marketers on LinkedIn:

The 4Ps of Marketing

We all know the 4Ps of marketing but, if you had to add a 5th word to the mix what would it be and what would be the rationale for adding this 5th word? (The challenge is to try to pick one word, not a phrase, that is not already covered under price, product, promotion, and place). Like other models in the universe, that were established many moons ago, most believe the 4Ps cover the marketing model to a "T" and there is no need to "fix" what is not broken. That is fine, and more than likely it is absolutely true but, let's have fun with this. It will be interesting to hear from the strategic and creative minds on LinkedIn!

Here's my reply with her comment:

Thank you for your reply. It was in fact, the most unique and broke through the clutter! I have rated your answer best.

-Rochelle Hill

On 11/05/08 9:25 PM, Rob Rutkowski ~ rob@fierceselling.com wrote:
--------------------
I'd suggest "T" for Trigger.

The first thing I establish in a marketing strategy is the Triggering Event that creates a suspect. There is always an event that occurs in a person's life, before which I cannot sell them my product, and after which they begin the process of purchasing a product like mine. There can be several possible triggering events for my product, but for each suspect there is usually one.

Examples:
My son starts taking piano lessons (and thus I need to find a piano).
I started a business (and thus need to find an accountant).
My company was just fined (and thus I need compliance software).

It's critical to know these triggering events precisely, because they tell me the headlines and copy of my lead generators (plus they provide guidance on PLACE).

My major gripe with the 4Ps is their focus on tactics, which ignores the real thing that makes marketing work: the mood, tone and concern of the message carried in the tactics. The only way to get that right is learn the mood of that triggering event. Sometimes that writes the headline for me: "Did your child just begin piano lessons?" It ain't pretty but it will work.

In the end, if you don't get the tone right (based on the triggering events), no amount of success in the 4P's will work. That's why you hear clients say, "I tried direct mail (or radio or print advertising) and it didn't work."

-Rob Rutkowski

Links:
http://www.fierceselling.com

What do Marketing presenters REALLY Care About?

2008-11-14T10:22:00.000-08:00

Recently, I came across this post on my LinkedIn site:

Looking for speakers for eMarketing Conferences Must be Vice President or higher of larger firm, with experience speaking at a major trade show, or conference on marketing on the Internet.

54 marketing geniuses responded to this request, and none of them asked about the audience!

So here you have 54 alleged gurus all saying yes to a time consuming event without any idea, no idea whatsoever, who they will be talking to.

Here's another observation about the focus of these presenters: In the first 20 responses alone, prospective speakers used "I" or "Me" six times for every one time they used "You".

ROB'S PRINCIPLE OF NO CRAP MARKETING: The prospect doesn't care about you or your company. They care ONLY about themselves and their problems. In this case the prospect is the audience. What does the person in the seat need?

Are they corporate marketing folks? Individual consultants? Agency folks? Business Owners? What's the intended walk-away?

I learned a lot of this by stage acting. Every time I'm in lights (I perform in front of 8,000+ theater goers each year), I have a vivid understanding those people could be anywhere else instead of watching me. They could have spent their $96 on something else besides me.

Respect that above all else. Your prospect is the gold without which you don't have a job.

Rob Rutkowski

rob@ fierceselling.com

www.fierceselling.com

Can you recommend a cost effective email marketing CRM system?

2008-11-13T22:50:00.000-08:00

Recently Sam Burnett of The Behavioral Gambling Advertising Network asked this question on my LinkedIn page:

"Can you recommend a cost effective email marketing CRM system? Preferably one that supports emails that will contain pictures and can be used for tracking viral campaigns."

My answer:

If you don't need the viral marketing tracking, Constant Contact is the easiest for most organizations. Aweber is also great. If you want the very best CRM for S2M business, (and can pay $5,000 plus $300/mo) InfusionCRM is excellent.

For viral tracking, you have to use something more robust. Look at PopularMedia. Talk to Russell Wirth at PopularMedia to pursue that product.

Rob Rutkowski can be reached at rob@fierceselling.com
Marketing Strategist at Fierce Selling Systems LLC

Chris Baggott has got blogging exactly right

2008-02-19T10:49:00.000-08:00

I had the great pleasure of catching Chris Baggott, Co-Founder of Compendium Blogware, at a recent Direct Marketing Association meeting in California.

Chris has it exactly right on blogging: That it is an effective way to drive traffic, lead thought, and sell things.

It got me thinking, and I found an obscure interview with Seth Godin, which I forwarded to Chris.

Here is Chris' blog entry...

Seth Godin's advice on Search

Posted Thursday, February 14, 2008 by Chris Baggott

Robert Rutkowski sent me a nice note this morning that included a link to a blog post from WordTracker blogger Rachelle Money where Seth Godin talks about SEO and Content:

"In the past you have called SEO a 'black art', but is there a good way of using these tools?"

"My position is that the clients are the problem, not the consultants. That's because they want shortcuts, not hard work. The best SEO is great content. Don't do that and you don't get much.

Thanks to both Robert and Rachelle...you make my case that Data Driven Corporate Blogging solutions are the best way to score on SEO. Generate Content.

The Biggest Mistake CEO's Make in Marketing

2008-02-18T21:34:00.000-08:00

When I was 23 years old, I convinced a fairly large client to let me write, produce and direct their infomercial.

I built a 60-second masterpiece of direct response. It raised sales by 786%. Despite charging only $400 -- FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS!! -- I was hooked.

The owner of this company knew a simple truth that most ignore: Marketing is not a cost. It is an investment.

Like I am always saying...

A marketing dollar should always come back with friends.

But from CEOs to sole proprietors (especially sole proprietors), executives simply don't understand the leverage and value of proper lead generation and marketing tools.

See, marketing 'sets up' the sales team perfectly, when done correctly. Sadly, this is not often, based on what I see.

Most smaller businesses hire sales people and this is their marketing program: "There's the door. Go get 'em, tiger!".

Cold calling. Working the rolodex. Selling to your 'book of business'. Relying on references.

How to people stay in business at all?

The answer, if you look at good, long term businesses, is consistent marketing. Lead generators that show up week after week, display ads in every month of the right magazines, robust Google Adwords campaigns, classified ads, radio, etc etc. Constantly. And forever. Those are the companies that can forecast revenue, keep sales people and STAY IN BUSINESS.

Marketing Coaching by Robert 'Fierce' Rutkowski starts as low as $497 per month. See
http://www.fierceselling.com/pages/coaching-check-out.htm

Naming Your Business or Product

2008-02-15T13:39:00.000-08:00

The business of naming your business is tricky business.

URL's have been snatched by brokers or opportunists. I can't blame them. Recently a speculator bought beer.com from a college student for (reportedly) $50,000 -- and what college student wouldn't love $50,000 -- and after the internet equivalent of a makeover, resold it for millions.

So any good name has already been URL'd.

That is why companies have fallen to fabricating names. Viagra. Lexus. Accenture.

So, as a small business with the next great idea, what do you do? Can you afford the $50,000 + in fees that the average name consultant will charge? I thought not.

I'm about to save you $50,000.

Here are my 3 simple rules to naming your business or product. (donate the $50k to your favorite charity or political cause!).

Rob Rutkowski's Fierce Selling Rules for...
Naming Your Business or Product

Rule 1 for Naming Your Business: Say what you make

David Ogilvy nailed it: "Descriptive names like 3-IN-ONE OIL, BAND-AID, and JANITOR IN A DRUM...start with sales appeal. But they can be too specific to be used for subsequent line-extensions."

That said, unless you plan on launching a multinational, billion dollar brand, this is the way to go. You'll cut your marketing effort, capitalize on search engine traffic, and your prospects will 'get it' instantly.

Rule 2 for Naming Your Business: Repeat hard consonants or rhyme syllables

Barb's Boots, Super Dupers, Cozy Toes...really look for these hard sounds at the start.

A good place to see this phonetics in action is with celebrities:

Robert Redford
Cary Grant
Brittany Spears
Tom Cruise

Rule 3 for Naming Your Business: Strive for 1-2 or 2-1 combinations of syllables

Think of phrases with this pleasing 1-2 combo-

Honky Tonk
Tonka Truck
Rock Lobster
CitiBank
BearStearns

It just sounds right.

Good luck to you.

Marketing Coaching by Robert 'Fierce' Rutkowski starts as low as $497 per month. See
http://www.fierceselling.com/pages/coaching-check-out.htm