Intrepid - The Blog

End of Year Reminder!

2008-12-21T10:05:00.001-05:00

Don't forget Todd has moved! You can find him now at http://intrepid-llc.com!

Have a great holiday!

Marketing Expert: Come Meet Biff Manly!

2008-11-25T14:18:00.004-05:00

Come learn from Biff, the star of www.GrowthGAFFE.com, at the GrowthANSWERS Meet the eXpert here: www.growthanswers.com/expert.

See you there!

REMINDER - Todd Schnick has moved!

2008-11-21T09:20:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone! I continue to be grateful to all those still visiting this blog. But let me remind you that I have improved and relocated the blog to this address:

www.intrepid-llc.com

Once there, you can sign up to receive emails, subscribe to the feed, and find all the resources you have come to expect from Intrepid!

See you soon!

Cross-selling Gone Bad...

2008-11-12T10:22:00.005-05:00

One of the ways to grow your business is to find NEW customers. The other way is to sell more products and services to EXISTING customers.

But the key is not to just sell your existing customers any product off the shelf you can find - just to sell something and make a profit. The key is to sell them an additional product or service that further helps solve their problem.

Selling them anything just to make more profit will breed distrust, and could cost you their business. Taking steps to further help them fulfill their need or further solve their problem - cements the relationship and builds deep customer loyalty. And frankly, is a win win for everyone.

Cross-selling is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “that of selling an additional product or service to an existing customer.” Cross-selling, when done strategically, will both grow your business and profits - AND be of maximum value to your customers!

Todd Schnick. Be Intrepid. www.intrepid-llc.com

WE HAVE MOVED!!

2008-11-09T12:10:00.002-05:00

From now on, you can find our Intrepid website and BLOG at the following address:

www.intrepid-llc.com

See you there!

Improve Productivity In Less Time: Intrepid Video Series

2008-11-08T09:00:00.004-05:00

As you know, I continue to be a big fan of Tim Ferriss. I have found a cool video clip of him giving a lecture on how to be more productive in less time.

His book The Four-Hour Workweek, which can be purchased through Amazon.com on this blog, is the "How To" book on how to improve productivity and profits, yet free up valuable time to live life to the fullest.

You will get a good sense of what Tim Ferriss is about in this clip...

Enjoy!

Todd Schnick
Be Intrepid.
www.intrepid-llc.com

Innovation...

2008-11-05T15:38:00.003-05:00

An associate of mine, Stone Payton, has a new blog that is focused on innovation execution. I would encourage you to check it out (you can link to it from my blogroll).

Anyway, he has just started a new three-part series on innovation execution that I think you will enjoy. They are his observations from his recent trip to England...

You can find it here:
http://ixmix.blogspot.com/2008/11/innovation-execution-lessons-from.html

Enjoy!

Todd Schnick
Be Intrepid.
www.intrepid-llc.com

Of course you know, this means war...

2008-11-03T16:09:00.003-05:00

When it comes to politics, people tell polls all day long that they are against negative political ads. Yet, polling also shows that if done right, they are effective. The piece above is from one of my campaigns out west. Our opponent drew first blood, and as we learned from John Kerrey, when you don't respond, it costs you. The piece above is our response...

If Barack Obama Were VP of Sales...

2008-11-03T10:23:00.001-05:00

I came across a great blog post the other day...

http://www.salesgravy.com/Network/?L=blogs.blog&article=448

Enjoy!

Todd Schnick
Be Intrepid.
www.intrepid-llc.com

Vegas Confidential...

2008-10-31T18:06:00.002-04:00

I am waiting to board my flight back to Atlanta after spending a few days in Vegas visiting with clients. Here are a few thoughts and observations from the trip...

1. As you might know, Nevada is a battleground state in the presidential race. Obama seems to be pulling ahead slightly, but not from what I saw on the ground. Spent some time at the local Victory headquarters, and the packed house seemed pretty fired up. Even got to meet Sarah Palin's father...

2. Nevada is suffering mightily with this economic slowdown, with an unemployment rate almost a point higher than the national average. But you still can't believe how this place is growing. I lived here just six short years ago, and you can't believe how the skyline has changed...

3. Customer service. It is amazing to me how often people forget that customer service is a vital part of your marketing strategy. And ususally I have a bad series of experiences when I travel to Las Vegas. But this was a great trip. My hotel room had some issues, but I received great care and attention from the property. And I even had a pleasant flying experience with Delta - which hasn't happened since 1998. Point is, great customer service leaves SUCH a positive taste in your mouth. You can accomplish so much when you do good customer service...

4. I still love craps. Even though it kicked my butt on this trip...

We Need Help!

2008-10-29T16:00:00.003-04:00

Many of you know that I serve on the Board of Directors of the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta. This organization provides needed furniture to families who have just come out of homelessness, are battling HIV/AIDS, or are fleeing domestic violence.

We are in desparate need of furniture. Critical items include: mattresses and box springs, dressers, dinette sets, and coffee and end tables.

We will pick up these items, which are tax deductible, free in Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett, and DeKalb counties.

Click http://www.furniturebankatlanta.org/donate.html to make a donation.

Many thanks!

Todd Schnick

It's Morning Again...

2008-10-26T19:51:00.002-04:00

Gosh, even I remember this commercial. Makes you realize why this guy was so popular, strong, and why people took pride in America...

There is no doubt we are in troubling times. But, we need to remain optimistic that better times are ahead...

Todd Schnick
Be Intrepid.

Bruce Edenfield for Court of Appeals

2008-10-25T10:39:00.001-04:00

Here is yet another commercial I helped produce for a political client.

Tain Kell for Superior Court

2008-10-25T10:36:00.002-04:00

Here is a television commercial I helped produce.

In Touch With The Economy...

2008-10-20T17:48:00.002-04:00

In keeping with our promise to keep you updated on our political efforts... This is from one of our campaigns out west. Unemployment in Nevada is now 7.3% - way above the national average. And Nevada leads the nation in foreclosures. Thus, our mail is focused on these very issues...

Todd Schnick

Be Intrepid.

www.intrepid-llc.com

“Would You Like Fries With That?” How this simple phrase – coupled with your Direct Response Marketing program – can power your sales!

2008-10-19T21:17:00.001-04:00

Do you know how many times I have pulled up to a drive-thru window with the sole intention of buying a single burger? My intentions are sincere. Honest. Fries are high in carbs. Salty. Lots of reasons to avoid them. I think to myself, this time I will avoid that bad, bad food.

But then that pesky sales person in the first window says those magic words that get me every time. You’ve heard them – uttering that phrase sprinkled with mystical pixie dust that turns me into soft goo every time…

“Would you like fries with that?”

“Yes,” Todd says quickly and matter of factly, as if it was his intention all along.

Seems ridiculously simple, doesn’t it? But this little sales technique is so powerful, so common sense, that every business utilizes it, right?

Wrong. You’d be surprised how many businesses – both large and small – don’t ask the equivalent of “would you like fries with that” for their products or services.

Can you apply a similar technique to your business? Yes you can. Can you engage your direct response marketing program to execute it for you? Again, yes you can.

How?

Remember, the advantage of direct response marketing is that it is direct. It can be targeted with precision – unlike mass media. If you have an existing database of customers – you know precisely what they have bought from you – and why. (And if you don’t – you’d better…)

The teenager sitting in the drive-thru window at the burger joint knows you just bought a burger. They also know there isn’t anything better with a burger than fries. And even if you don’t think you want fries, it’s hard to resist. Even harder when someone asks. You need to apply the same principle to your business.

Utilizing this database, you can build your business by cross-selling. What is cross-selling? Cross-selling is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "that of selling an additional product or service to an existing customer".

The teenage kid asking you if you wanted fries was engaging you in the most basic form of cross-selling. Another classic example is selling vacuum cleaners. If you are selling new vacuum cleaners, you are a fool not to sell your customer an additional supply of vacuum bags.

The beauty of cross-selling is that you are actually providing your customer better support and service, since the products or services you are cross-selling are helping that customer better fulfill their needs – or solve their problem. Sometimes, you are merely asking them to consider something they haven’t thought about before, or didn’t know was an option.

Now, how can you retool your direct response marketing program to do this? Well, what direct marketing tactics are you employing? Direct mail? One-to-one marketing? Telemarketing? Email marketing? All of the above?

You sell widgets. You have a database of the customers who have purchased widgets from you. You also sell whatzits – which nicely compliment widgets and make them much more efficient and effective.

Your customer base would benefit from adding the whatzits to their widgets. Send them direct mail (or a coordinated one-to-one campaign, or an e-zine article, or call them thru your telemarketing program) and explain how whatzits improve the efficiency of their widgets and will help them further grow their business.

Make the call to action simple and easy – just as easy as ordering fries – and not only will you better serve your customer – you will make additional sales and grow your own business.

Todd Schnick
Be Intrepid.
http://intrepidgroup.blogspot.com

Intrepid television...

2008-10-18T15:08:00.002-04:00

In a continuing effort to keep you posted on some of Intrepid's clients this political season, I thought you'd enjoy seeing television spots for two of my clients. Click on the links below, and you will find the videos on the next page...

www.BruceEdenfield.com

www.TainKell.com

Enjoy.
Todd Schnick
Be Intrepid.
www.intrepid-llc.com

Building Your Marketing Strategy, Step Four - Determine Your Marketing Message

2008-10-15T16:52:00.002-04:00

[as seen in the October issue of The Stuckey Report]

This month, we talk about Step Four in our marketing plan development series. The first three steps are the hard part. Your marketing will fail if you don’t take those three critical steps. But now comes the fun part of your marketing plan – determining your marketing message!

What is your marketing message? This is the story you tell. This is the message on your direct mail, your television commercials, your website and blog, and the thirty-second pitch made at a networking function.

But it can’t be just any old story. Since you have completed steps one through three, you now understand the marketplace and whether there is a need for your product, you now understand your customer and why they buy, and you have determined a niche – which refines the marketplace and helps you target your prospects with more precision.

But what should your marketing message consist of? It should identify a problem your product can fix, or identify a need you can fulfill. It should create a sense of urgency – take action now to solve that problem or fulfill that need!

And your message needs to convey to your prospect that your product or service is the answer. Your message isn’t about the details about how your product works. Your message consists of two simple parts – identifying an urgent problem – and providing the solution!

Todd Schnick is the president of the Intrepid Group LLC (www.intrepid-llc.com), a small business marketing firm. You can find his small business marketing blog at http://intrepidgroup.blogspot.com!

Reagan lives...

2008-10-14T21:03:00.004-04:00

A mailer from one of my races out in Nevada....

The Art Of Thinking Big And Planning Small...

2008-10-10T08:52:00.004-04:00

If you follow this blog at all, you will note that I am a big fan of Timothy Ferriss, he of The 4-Hour Workweek fame.

I monitor his blog from time to time, and came across a recent lecture of his that I wanted to share.

His message is that most people don't achieve big things because they believe they can't achieve big things, and thus never try. The key is to break down achieving big things in to small manageable tasks. He calls it planning small - planning small doable tasks that anyone can do.

You can see it here:

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/10/06/two-short-videos-how-and-why-to-be-unreasonable-the-art-of-tweaking/#more-658

Enjoy.
Todd Schnick
www.intrepid-llc.com
Be Intrepid.

CAUTION: BLIND CURVE AHEAD! Plan Now To Build LOYAL Customers – And It Will Help Get You Through This Trying Economy.

2008-10-09T09:02:00.001-04:00

If you are like most businesses, you are probably saying something to the effect of “well I guess we are having fun, cuz time is just flying. I can’t believe it is already October!”

What you should be doing, since it is now the FOURTH QUARTER, is be well along with your strategic marketing planning for 2009.

What about you? Answer honestly.

I thought so. Most of us are trying to get through 2008 – trying to survive what has been a long and difficult year.

You owe it to yourself – and your business – to plan ahead this year. And while you are at it – plan to add a whole new dimension to your 2009 marketing plan: BUILDING CUSTOMER LOYALTY! And think about it – aren’t loyal customers what we all need as we battle through this trying economy?

I am amazed at how many business people I work with have never really gone into the New Year with a plan in place to succeed. They are merely surging ahead full speed ahead – and headed right into a blind curve.

Sure, they may make it and survive. But they are setting themselves up to wipe out in a blaze of glory…

When I do work with clients to help them strategize for the coming year, they often want to focus on two main themes with their planning: their need to find more prospects, and their desire to convert more of those prospects into customers.

Those are certainly important things to think about. But they are missing a very important element: keeping their existing customers – and increasing their purchase frequency.

But what does that really mean? It means building customer LOYALTY. Without it, your business will stay in neutral, or it will ultimately fade away and die.

And customer loyalty isn’t just satisfying your customers. And it isn’t about getting them to buy from you once or twice more. It is about having a concentrated effort – a concrete plan and process – to get your existing customers to buy from you again and again on a regular basis. And not just for the next calendar year – but for years.

Sit back for a moment, and think about what that would really mean to your business. What does that mean in terms of long-term revenue for your business?

So why aren’t you planning for it? Hopefully you have an up-to-date database of your existing customers – which contains the service or product offering they purchased from you. And hopefully you know why they purchased from you – or what problem your product or service helped them solve.

From this information you can determine how best to reach out to these customers. Is it telemarketing? Is it one-to-one marketing campaign? Or is your customer base large enough to warrant a precision-targeted direct response program?

With this program you can send targeted mail – or email – or a telemarketing program – that touches your customer and encourages them to buy more of the same product – or entices them to buy a new product or service offering that further helps them with their need or problem.

So what have you accomplished? You have made more sales – and you have helped your existing customers by offering additional solutions to their problems. And by doing that, you have more than satisfied your customer, you have delighted them. And a delighted customer will buy from you again.

But none of this happens without building this into your marketing plan for 2009. You should make a concentrated effort to build this into your program. If you plan appropriately, you will likely find that there is more revenue to be gained from this type of program than the strenuous effort of finding and converting new prospects.

Do all this, and you might just survive this troubling economy. And the road ahead will be straight, downhill, and easy to navigate – without any blind curves…

[as originally published in eMerge! - The Journal of GrowthANSWERS - www.GrowthANSWERS.com]

Todd Schnick
www.intrepid-llc.com
Be Intrepid.

Don't Trick Your Customers Into Being Loyal, "Delight" Them Into Loyal Customers...

2008-10-08T19:44:00.004-04:00

Customer Loyalty isn't something you can "trick" your customers into. Determined, process-oriented strategic marketing tactics can be built into your overall marketing strategy. Improving the quality of your customer service, your products, and offering further solutions to your customers - solutions that are sincerely meant to help them with their business - are the only ways to build long-term customer loyalty.

And a delighted customer keeps coming back...

Todd Schnick

http://www.intrepid-llc.com/

Be Intrepid.

Todd on Atlanta Business Radio!

2008-10-08T19:35:00.002-04:00

Today, I had the pleasure to be a guest on Atlanta Business Radio, a show hosted by Amy Otto and Lee Kantor. Their show features some of Atlanta's top businessmen and businesswomen.

You can listen to the show and/or download an mp3 file to your iPod here:

http://www.atlantabusinessradio.com/

If you take a minute to review their previous guests, you will see they have hosted some great business minds and entrepreneurs.

I'd encourage you to check out their show on a regular basis. They do a great job! Find a new show live every Wednesday at 1000AM!

Todd Schnick
www.intrepid-llc.com
Be Intrepid.

The Great Girl Scout Cookie Brush Off...

2008-10-05T11:18:00.003-04:00

This past week, I received the following email. I wanted to share it with you…

Q: After I send direct mail to a targeted prospect list, I usually follow-up with phone calls. But too often, I am told that they never received the mailing. Why does this happen?

A: That’s a great question, and unfortunately, a frequent response. I get the same response often when I follow-up on my own direct mail. Even from people I know personally. Sometimes it is legit. Sometimes the mail just doesn’t reach the intended recipient. Usually the mailing list you are using isn’t 100% perfect.

But sometimes that person on the other end of the phone is trying not to engage in what they have determined is a “sales call.”

We’ve all done it. We’ve all said “NOT INTERESTED” when we get pinged by telemarketers. We’ve all shooed-away people at our doorstep. Heck, we’ve all even brushed aside sweet, innocent Girl Scouts selling cookies outside our local grocery store. [Unless they present Thin Mints, then I buy every time…]

This is just a part of business. This is what makes sales so challenging. How you respond to this objection is what separates the men from the boys. How do I answer that question when I get it from my clients? I tell them “so what?” Sending that initial piece of mail makes that phone call easier.

My response to that line is always: “well I am sorry you didn’t receive it, but let me take a minute to tell you what it was about…”

If you just do a straight up cold call, you have to first establish who you are, why you are calling, etc. This is a harder call to make. But if you have initiated contact with direct mail, then the phone call becomes a “follow-up call” instead of a “cold-call.” And that – certainly for me – makes that phone call much easier. And one I am much more willing to make.

But keep in mind that the quality of your mail lists can impact the success of your direct mail program. If you are mailing to people you’ve met over the last several years – keep in mind that they move on to other jobs, get transferred, fired, promoted, etc. That business card you got from someone in summer 2007 may not be where they are today.

And if you rented a list from a list broker, keep in mind that those lists are never perfect. Even the high-end lists you get from top-notch vendors aren’t perfect. And keep in mind that our own Postal Service isn’t perfect either.

At the end of the day, it is about making contact. If your mailing has a compelling service or product offering – and it is sent to the right target – you will get response. If not, your product isn’t something they want – it wasn’t presented in a compelling way, or you mailed the wrong target audience. The good news? These are things you can fix!

Following up your mail with phone calls is a good thing to do. Just know you will hear all kinds of pushback. But following-up your mail with phone calls will be easier than a straight-up cold call - every time.

Todd Schnick
http://www.intrepid-llc.com/
Be Intrepid.

The Home Stretch Has Begun...

2008-10-01T20:12:00.004-04:00

Many of you know that in addition to my marketing work, I also serve as a political consultant and direct mail vendor.

Well, it is now October. And the home stretch to Election Day has begun. I thought I'd share from time to time some of the political mail we at Intrepid are producing.

Enjoy. The piece below is for a Superior Court Judge race in Cobb County, Georgia...

To Market Your Business Is To Validate, Legitimize

2008-09-29T21:23:00.002-04:00

I spent nine hours last Thursday in a sales training seminar conducted by a colleague of mine. And as a fellow participant said, “that was simply a great investment of a day.” Indeed it was.

But the purpose of continuing education isn’t the point of this posting. I’ve read tons of books, countless articles, and many blogs about marketing – but one thing I heard that day helped me better clarify what it is that I do.

Sure, we all have our own definitions of marketing. My favorite has always been that “marketing is the art and science of getting and keeping profitable customers.”

But after last Thursday, I have a better understanding of marketing’s purpose. And that is to VALIDATE. What does that mean? In the context of the seminar I attended – it is part of a process. The process begins with three critical steps – establishing a rapport with your prospect, learning their critical problems or needs, and then demonstrating how your product or service solves their problems or fulfills those needs.

But a key element in that process is VALIDATING your solution, and yourself. It is defined as helping people believe you, trust you, and have confidence in you – to validate you. Or as my thesaurus says, “legitimize.” Some examples of what I mean:

1. Why do you think your marketing advisors encourage you to use testimonials? So you can have others “validate” you.

2. Why do you have a portfolio on your website? So others can see your past work – which validates your ability in their mind.

3. Why are business blogs exploding in number? Because they provide a forum to demonstrate your knowledge of your business.

4. And why do people like me write articles and blog postings? So we can attempt to demonstrate expertise, and appear more legitimate in the market place.

All those strategies listed above assist in helping you seem “legitimate” in the market place. Yes, we been told to not sweat the small stuff, but it is the little things like that help validate you in the eyes of your prospects.

And yes, there is so much more to the “validation” process than the few simple ideas listed above, but you get the idea. Looking at your marketing strategy from this perspective can be very helpful.

In tough economic times such as these, many small businesses often cut or eliminate their marketing budgets. This would be a mistake. They are missing out on a key mission of what marketing does for their business.

But in closing, a sales application: I have a small business I have been doing some direct response marketing for. Their business does not currently have a website, and I have been pitching them about the value of building one.

To date, I had not succeeded in closing that piece of business. After my session last week, I approached them again, and said that building a website was important to “validating” them in the eyes of their prospects, that not having one made them seem not “legitimate” in the market place, especially compared to competitors who did have one.

Well?

We start work on their new site next week…

Todd Schnick is president of The Intrepid Group, LLC (http://www.intrepid-llc.com/), a small business marketing shop. You can find his blog at http://intrepidgroup.blogspot.com/.

Whoever said that video killed the radio star was just plain wrong...

2008-09-19T18:21:00.004-04:00

I wanted to tell you about two cool, hip radio shows that you should be listening to...

The first is the "High Velocity Radio Show" hosted by Stone Payton and featured each Monday at 10:00AM. Billed as the fastest half-hour on radio, Stone's show will be an excellent investment of your time as he focuses on helping you achieve better results in less time, as well as featuring top performing business professionals.

And pay special attention to the show this coming Monday - as Intrepid is proud to be the show sponsor!

Click on the link below to listen to the show live - or download a podcast:
http://marketmate.org/hvradio.html

The second show is Atlanta Business Radio, which can be heard live Wednesdays at 10:00AM. Hosted by Lee Kantor and Amy Otto, the show spotlights Atlanta's top business people - and showcases what makes them successful. I am quite sure you will want to tune in October 8th as yours truly will be making a guest appearance. I can't wait!

Click on the link below to listen to the show live - or download a podcast:
http://www.atlantabusinessradio.com/

Be Intrepid.

Todd Schnick
http://www.intrepid-llc.com/

Building Your Marketing Strategy, Step Three - Determining Your Niche...

2008-09-15T14:15:00.003-04:00

[As seen in this month's The Stuckey Report]

Moving right along with our marketing plan development series, Step Three. Last month, we focused on understanding your customer. This month we will discuss the third phase of your marketing plan – determining your niche.

Why do I need a niche, you ask? Have you ever been to a networking meeting - and heard an auto repair guy say that a good referral for him is anyone with a car…? That doesn’t help anyone provide a good referral. Everyone they know has a vehicle. They aren’t going to give him a list of everyone they know…

Determining a niche helps narrow the marketing place. What? Don’t I want to expand the marketplace? I will argue that by determining a niche, you are doing exactly that. When you target a specific niche in your field, you make it easier to get referrals, and easier to target your marketing mediums like direct mail, search engine optimization, etc.

Using the example of the auto repair guy, perhaps his niche is that he specializes in Fords. But isn’t he losing out on Toyota's, Honda's, and Chevy’s? Perhaps, but there are A LOT of Fords on the road. Then you become known in the marketplace as the EXPERT Ford repair guy, which can lead to more business.

Determining your niche is a vital step in developing your marketing strategy!

Todd Schnick is the president of the Intrepid Group LLC (www.intrepid-llc.com), a small business marketing firm. You can find his small business marketing blog at http://intrepidgroup.blogspot.com!

Remembering 9-11...

2008-09-11T09:51:00.002-04:00

Remembering those we lost, and those fighting for freedom today around the world.

"This conflict was begun on the timing and terms of others. It will end in a way and at an hour of our choosing."

President George W. Bush

Progress is only made - when you take action!

2008-09-11T08:40:00.002-04:00

I am a procrastinator. It is my most profound weakness. It slows me down. And I get sickened when I realize it is mostly because of fear - fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of negative feedback.

Of course it never fails - when I finally take action, nine times out of ten the reaction I get is largely positive.

But I am always looking for inspiration to overcome this problem of mine. That's why I wanted to share this blog post from Tim Ferriss. I hope it means something to you...

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/09/04/stop-rationalizing-and-make-hard-decisions-learning-from-dr-king/#more-381

Todd Schnick, Intrepid
www.intrepid-llc.com

Is this you describing your product or service?

2008-09-10T18:15:00.003-04:00

Remember dear friends, the key is conveying value to the customer - NOT details and specs about the product that mean nothing to most buyers...

Todd Schnick, Intrepid

www.intrepid-llc.com

Why small businesses fail...

2008-08-31T11:43:00.003-04:00

I was reading an e-newsletter from Brian Tracy this morning entitled "How to Succeed in Business." He was talking about the key reasons that most small businesses fail, saying:

"...two critical areas of managerial incompetence that cause business failure. First is sales and marketing. 48 percent of businesses that fail in America fail because the business cannot sell enough of its products of services. Very few businesses fail when they have high levels of sales and revenues coming in."

The point? If you are struggling - do NOT take away from your marketing efforts. The first instinct of many small businesses when business slows is to cut back on their marketing efforts. This is wrong.

Remember, you can still have an intrepid marketing effort without spending a lot of money doing it.

Todd Schnick, Intrepid
www.intrepid-llc.com

Thought of the day...

2008-08-24T16:45:00.002-04:00

I am currently reading The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber. I just came across a line that I wanted to share.

"...most businesses are operated according to what the owner wants as opposed to what the business needs."

Just think about that for a second...

Todd Schnick, Intrepid

Duct Tape: If You Are Not Participating in Social Media...

2008-08-19T10:30:00.002-04:00

Check out the link below. A quick blog post about the value of blogging and other social media...

http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2008/08/19/if-youre-not-participating-in-social-media/

Todd Schnick, Intrepid
www.intrepid-llc.com

Building Your Marketing Plan - Step Two

2008-08-18T13:33:00.003-04:00

Today we continue with the 7-Step Marketing Plan Development series. Last month, we talked about your market and competitive analysis – the clear goal being to understand if people want what you have to sell – and how to position yourself against your competition.

Step Two is the process of understanding your customer. Here, we seek to understand who our customers are – why they buy – and how they buy. We know there are two types of buying styles – people who need things – and people who want things. And trust me – these are two entirely different types of buyers. Selling someone an iPod when they want one is easier than convincing someone they need to make repairs on their roof that suffered hail damage…

You need to know how people buy your product. On the web? In a store? You need to know who the primary decision-maker is in the buying process. Is it the CEO? Is it the spouse? And you need to understand where they get their information when considering your product or service. Internet research? Direct mail? Word-of-mouth?

Finally, you need to understand their motivation for buying. Is it to improve productivity? To lose weight? To get that toy their wife said they couldn’t have?

Knowing the answers to these questions will make your marketing efforts far more successful, and they will make you an intrepid entrepreneur!

Todd Schnick is the president of the Intrepid Group LLC (www.intrepid-llc.com), a small business marketing firm. You can find his small business marketing blog at http://intrepidgroup.blogspot.com!

(Published in the August edition of The Stuckey Report)

AUGUST 2008 GrowthGAFFE

2008-08-16T10:53:00.003-04:00

Enjoy! This cartoon symbolizes a common mistake small businesses make in that they should narrow their focus for more qualified prospects - instead of expanding their search...

Todd Schnick

www.intrepid-llc.com

Intrepid PURLs of Wisdom...

2008-08-14T15:49:00.002-04:00

The average consumer is bombarded with thousands of messages and pieces of information each day - through the mail box, by email, the internet, television, radio, billboards, hot air balloons, word of mouth, etc.

The lesson? You NEED to stand out from all the clutter! How? By having your tactical marketing stand out from the rest!

This isn’t easy. In fact, it’s a real challenge. But what if there was just such a tool that would generate not only new prospects for your business – BUT qualified prospects – AND be different and unique? Would you be interested?

PURL campaigns are just such a device to help you find QUALIFIED prospects – and stand out from the clutter! What is it? A PURL is a communication – either in email form or direct mail form – that has a personalized call to action – which drives the reader to a personalized website. In fact, that’s what PURL means – Personal URL.

Direct mail response rates – traditional direct mail response rates – are considered strong if you can achieve a 2% response rate. If you can achieve this – consistently with traditional direct mail – you should invest in direct mail – as often as you can.

But, what if you could do a piece of direct mail and achieve a response rate of over 10%? Would you be interested? In fact, could you even handle a 10% response rate (but that’s a question for another day…).

Such a tool exists. And it is simple to execute! PURL campaigns, while they are growing in popularity, are still not used too often. But that’s the magic! You will distinguish yourself! In fact, in all the years I have lived at my current home, I have received only one PURL mailing…

Here is how it works:

You send the initial communication – which is either a piece of direct mail or an email. (For purposes of this discussion, we will assume a piece of direct mail – which is the more common application for PURLs).

Like any piece of direct mail, it must be sent to the right target, contain a compelling offer, and a strong call-to-action. Without these, your campaign will fail. But the difference here is the call-to-action is the PURL – which offers a personalized website for recipient to visit.

As you probably guessed, people are obviously curious to visit a website that contains their personal name. They can’t help but wonder what the page looks like. Curiosity is an important driver – just so as you recognize that you still need a compelling message sent to appropriate targets. But, no doubt a personalized website is pretty cool – and you should take advantage of that fact!

Once they get to the initial landing page, the prospect is greeted with another personalized message. Welcome Todd! This continues to draw them in, and interests them in reading and learning more. It is here that you have an opportunity to add more power to your message with different ways of personalizing. You can talk about the town where they live, the type of car they drive, or the kind of interior design options they have expressed an interest in. (Obviously, the more data going in to the campaign – the better).

For instance, if they are in the market for a certain type of hardwood floor, you can tailor the PURL landing page to insert a picture of the style floor they expressed an interest in sometime back.

After you have kept them riveted with personal messages, you then take the most important next step – further qualifying your prospect. To do so, you can offer incentives – such as registering them for a free iPod, customer discounts, free dinner, etc.) to take the next step.

Once you have incentivized them to take the next step, you move to the next phase of the PURL landing page – key data collection. Understand what additional information you would want to know from a prospect, and ask it. The data you collect here accomplishes two goals – provides valuable information for your sales team to use in their follow-up – and two, demonstrates how serious of a prospect they are. Remember – the goal isn’t to collect more prospects – the goal is to find more QUALIFIED prospects.

The final phase of the campaign is to have your prospect verify their contact information – and then to select and request a specific follow-up action. That could be requesting a phone conference, a face-to-face meeting, participation in a webinar, participation in a comprehensive survey, a free consultation, etc. The possibilities are endless.

At the end of the day, the goal is to identify more qualified prospects. Traditional direct mail is less expensive, but results in lower response rates. PURL campaigns are more expensive – but see a dramatic increase in the amount of qualified prospects you will collect – all while helping differentiate you from all the clutter.

Todd Schnick, Intrepid
www.intrepid-llc.com

Greetings from Vegas II...

2008-08-13T13:38:00.002-04:00

Greetings from McCarron Airport in Las Vegas. About to be wheels up back to Atlanta, but surprise surprise, Delta is delayed. Again.

So, I thought I would post a quick reflection on my trip here as I kill time before my flight.

Many of you know that I also serve as a political consultant. I was out in Las Vegas for Primary Election Day.

It was a successful trip. My client, Jon Ozark, won election to become the Republican nominee for the State Assembly, District 21. To win, we had to defeat a sitting incumbent with high name ID. Not an easy thing to do.

In the end, Jon won by 38 points. 69% to 31%.

How did he do it? Well, it's not any different than what we all need to do to market our business. We need to find the right target market (voters), create the right message (less taxes, less government, and more freedom), and deliver the message cost effectively (direct mail and door-to-door canvassing).

Jon believed in his message, which was strategically positioned against our opponent, and spent countless days in the 105 degree Vegas sun delivering that message to voters.

In the end, his sweat equity and persistance paid off. Congrats to him - and now we are off to campaign in the general election.

If Jon can succeed utilizing those same marketing tactics that we all should employ, then you too can succeed marketing your business. Even against tough odds...

Todd Schnick, Intrepid
www.intrepid-llc.com

Greetings from Vegas!

2008-08-11T03:26:00.003-04:00

Greetings from Las Vegas!

I'm out West for a few days to visit some clients, but I wanted to take a minute to mention an event you won't want to miss!

The GrowthANSWERS Meet The eXpert Live Learning Series for August!

Deets here: http://growthanswers.com/expert/

This months featured program will be Stone Payton. And I can promise it will be an entertaining and educational workshop. Stone will cover:

-The Truth About SPEED
-Why The Consultative Sale Isn’t
-3 Things That Must Change Now
-The Silver Bullet Everyone Else Told You Doesn’t Exist
-What Your Market Wants Most – And How To Give It To Them
-Forget The Funnel – Why This Idea Is Costing You Money
-How To Meet Your Market – Better, Faster, Cheaper

See you next Wednesday!

Todd Schnick, Intrepid
http://www.intrepid-llc.com/

P.S. I was July's Meet The eXpert program: Listen here if you want to catch my workshop:

http://www.growthanswers.com/expert/todd.mp3

Three Keys To A Successful Direct Response Marketing Program – An Intrepid Audio Presentation

2008-08-06T21:30:00.000-04:00

http://www.growthanswers.com/expert/todd.mp3

Over the years I have done direct response marketing campaigns, my clients and I have made every mistake in the book. But after producing millions of pieces of mail, I have learned that there are three key elements to any successful DRM program.

One, you need to aim for the right target. The mailing list for your DRM program will largely determine the success or failure of your campaign. The right message will fall on deaf ears if it sent to the wrong targets. Narrow your focus and mail only to your niche in the marketplace.

Two, you have to grab the attention of your audience – and draw them in. You have to articulate a problem you can solve – or fulfill a need or want. If you do not provide something your prospect wants – you will fail.

And three, you must have a strong – and simple – call to action. Once you have made it clear you have something they want – you need to make it easy to take the next step towards purchase.

Last month, I was the featured program for the GrowthANSWERS Meet The eXpert Live Learning Series. Click on the link below to listen to the workshop where I discuss the three key steps to success in your DRM campaign.

http://www.growthanswers.com/expert/todd.mp3

I hope you find the presentation helpful!

Todd Schnick, Intrepid
www.intrepid-llc.com

THE EXPENSE VS. INVESTMENT MENTALITY: IT’S ALL IN YOUR MIND!

2008-08-01T14:59:00.000-04:00

It’s a mistake we all make. It’s an attitude too many of us have – this perspective that spending money on direct mail or newspaper advertisements or search engine optimization is a burdensome marketing expense.

“If only I had more money, I could do all those cool marketing things…”

But if you change your attitude and view these tactics as a marketing INVESTMENT – it will change the paradigm of how you view marketing. And for the better.

No longer will you be afraid to try things…

Well, who do you think you are – you might say to yourself? How dare you tell me to just spend spend spend on marketing. That’s not at all what I am proposing. This assumes you have taken the time to flesh out a marketing plan – where you study your market, understand your customer, determine a niche, and develop a message – all so you can determine what tactical tools you need to most effectively deliver your message.

(If you haven’t done those things – and you know who you are – it is best to not shoot in the dark and pray that it works.)

But I promise that if you carefully think through your marketing strategy – you will come to find that testing and measuring marketing tactics such as direct mail – SEO – or paid advertisements – will become more fun. A challenge. A learning opportunity. An investment – in learning what works and what doesn’t work for your business.

Then, and only then, will you ultimately hit upon the right combination of message and tactical marketing tools that will help you find more qualified prospects – convert more of those prospects to customers – and build a sustainable growth enterprise.

All you have to do is change the way you think. If you say “business is slow so I can’t afford to try a small direct mail campaign,” – you will fail. But if you know your market – know your customers – and have a message that you think will resonate – only after diving in head first will you find out.

You have to spend money to make money – they all say. Do it purposefully, do it strategically – but do it. In the end, you will have made an investment in the future growth of your business.

Todd Schnick, Intrepid
www.intrepid-llc.com

Quote of the day...

2008-07-29T08:11:00.002-04:00

"The pro is the person who has all the hassles, obstacles, and disappointing frustrations that everyone else has - yet continues to persist, does the job, and makes it look easy." - David Cooper, Sales Trainer

Have a good day.
Todd Schnick, Intrepid

You've got to see this!

2008-07-28T09:35:00.003-04:00

I thought you would get a kick out of this video. It speaks to a common problem businesses face in developing a concise message to a clearly-defined target audience...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU9YeOQm3Y0

Enjoy!

Todd Schnick, Intrepid

The Intrepid Three-Step DRM Program!

2008-07-27T16:31:00.001-04:00

This past month, I was the featured program for the monthly GrowthANSWERS “Meet the eXpert” series. My workshop was a brief survey about some dos and don’ts with your direct response marketing (DRM) program.

The purpose of this posting is to recap the main focus of my workshop – a description of the “The Intrepid Three-Step DRM Program.”

The concepts are simple. But not always executed effectively. No DRM program should be launched without executing on the following three steps:

GET THEIR ATTENTION – You must get the attention of your target audience. You need to offer a compelling solution to a problem – or provide something that your prospects WANT to buy. And you need to push emotional buttons to do it.
CLOSE WITH A STRONG CALL TO ACTION – Once you demonstrate that you have something the prospect wants; you need to have a clear and easy-to-follow call to action so that your prospect can take immediate action. You need to provide a moving offer so that your prospect will have no roadblocks to take further action to move the buying cycle along.
AIM FOR THE RIGHT TARGET – An attention-grabbing and emotional reason to buy and a clear and easy call to action will only work – IF you send it to the right target audience. Careful understanding of your market and your potential customer are necessary to do this right. This is the most important step in determining success or failure with your DRM program.

If you follow these three steps with your DRM program, you will see an increased likelihood of success – which is to identify MORE qualified prospects. And when you accomplish that, you are on the way to building a sustainable growth enterprise.

Stay tuned to this blog – for coming soon will be a downloadable podcast of this “Meet the eXpert” presentation!

Todd Schnick, Intrepid

Intrepid thought of the day...

2008-07-26T07:19:00.004-04:00

One of the marketing newsletters I review on a regular basis is Early to Rise. It is a daily email that includes financial, marketing, and health advice. You can sign up for the newsletter here: http://www.earlytorise.com/.

This morning's edition had a cool segment on selling. I want to share a highlight...

We all have heard the statement "Don't sell the steak, sell the sizzle." It is as true a statement today as when it was first said decades ago. It means to sell the benefits and deeper benefits, that your prospect could care less about the product.

The phrase was said by Elmer Wheeler, who also said "Don't think so much about what you want to say as about what the prospect wants to hear - then the response you will get will more often be the one you are aiming for."

Have a great weekend.

Todd Schnick, Intrepid

Cool article on blogging...

2008-07-23T19:00:00.003-04:00

Steven Winokur, a business partner of mine from GrowthANSWERS, passed along a cool article about how to better utilize blogs to market your small business. You should check it out!

http://www.vistage.com/featured/eight-ways-to-grow-your-business-with-a-blog.html

Enjoy!
Todd Schnick, Intrepid

New Blog in town!

2008-07-23T09:49:00.001-04:00

I want to welcome a new blog to town!

My friend, client, and GrowthANSWERS business partner - Mark Walker of the JM Walker Group - has just started a new blog.

Mark is in the training field - specializing in sales and customer service training. You would be wise to listen to what he has to say!

http://jmwalkergroup.blogspot.com/

Todd Schnick, Intrepid

P.S. I will add Mark's blog to my blogroll, so you can always see the latest from Mark!

Quote of the day...

2008-07-20T08:32:00.001-04:00

"We are judged by what we finish, not what we start." - Anonymous

So true...

Todd Schnick, Intrepid

Are you easy?

2008-07-20T07:57:00.001-04:00

Found a great blog posting that I think you might find helpful. It is from the Duct Tape Marketing blog - which you can link to from this blog. Enjoy!

Todd Schnick, Intrepid

http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2008/07/18/are-you-easy/

Building Your Marketing Plan - Step One

2008-07-19T12:11:00.002-04:00

I thought you might enjoy my monthly column as it appears in Mark Stuckey's The Stuckey Report, a monthly e-newsletter from SixCities.com...

STUCKEY REPORT - July 2008

Since we are past the halfway point of the calendar year, it isn’t too late to start thinking about your marketing strategy for 2009. With today’s column, I will begin a seven-part series on how to construct your new marketing plan. This series will conclude in January.

The first step in developing your marketing strategy is market and competitive research. The essence of this step is to understand the following: do people want what you have to sell? In most marketing strategies, this step is never taken. And that’s why most small businesses fail. You can have a great marketing message, but if people don’t want what you have to sell, you will fail.

What information do you need to know? Are there parts of the market that are underserved? Is there enough opportunity to be profitable? How much market share do I need to break even? To turn a profit?

And what about the competition? Are there too many competitors to be competitive? And what are my competition’s weaknesses? Are there enough weaknesses to position myself accordingly and succeed?

As you learn about the final six steps, you will understand the value of this first step. Too many entrepreneurs launch their business with NO clear understanding of the market or their competition. Thus, they are flying blind – which makes the rest of their marketing effort less effective.

Todd Schnick is the president of the Intrepid Group LLC (www.intrepid-llc.com), a small business marketing firm. You can find his small business marketing blog at http://intrepidgroup.blogspot.com!

PORTFOLIO: Basic website design

2008-07-14T12:24:00.003-04:00

The site above is the HOME page of a web site design for a political candidate. The site - www.BruceEdenfield.com - was completed for less than $1,000. Call us today if you want to explore how we can create a site for your organization!

Todd Schnick, Intrepid

JULY 2008 GrowthGAFFE

2008-07-11T16:38:00.002-04:00

Customer Experience and "Bad Profits"

2008-07-11T16:32:00.003-04:00

I thought you would enjoy a post from a business partner of mine with GrowthANSWERS, Steven Winokur.

http://www.growthanswers.com/blog/general-customer-experience-and-bad-profits

If you ever wanted to learn what NOT to do to build customer loyalty, read Steven's post. Enjoy!

Todd Schnick, Intrepid

PORTFOLIO: 8.5x11 sell sheet, or flyer

2008-07-08T09:21:00.004-04:00

The sell sheet above is for a local staffing company. Used as a leave behind, it very effectively differentiates this company from the competition.

Call us today to discuss how we might produce a similar tool for your organization!

Todd Schnick

Intrepid

PORTFOLIO: 8.5x5.5 Campaign mailers

2008-07-06T06:32:00.004-04:00

This piece is from a recent political campaign. With traffic always a key issue, we are educating voters on our candidate's position to aggressively deal with this issue. Being a primary election, it was sent to voters likely to vote in that election.

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-04T09:23:00.002-04:00

A word of thanks to the men and women around the world fighting for freedom, and to those who fought and sacrificed before them. Our heartfelt thanks for your service and courage to fight the war on terror.

"This conflict was begun on the timing and terms of others. It will end in a way and at an hour of our choosing."

President George W. Bush

Customer Loyalty - Your mission!

2008-06-27T18:55:00.002-04:00

I was reading an article by Jeffrey Gitomer from his weekly e-zine (issue #346) and wanted to share a great segment from the article.

The theme of his piece is that most companies should strive first and foremost to achieve customer loyalty - not necessarily customer satisfaction. Even "satisfied" customers are likely to leave for a competitor for many reasons.

But check out this nugget from Gitomer - and keep it in your marketing file. It's good stuff - and explains what customer loyalty is all about.

"Look at the best companies in the world. They have great employees. They have great products. They give great service. And they're easy to do business with. This makes them attractive. And these are the elements that create loyalty."

Todd Schnick
Intrepid

A Lesson in Persistence...

2008-06-27T10:20:00.002-04:00

You are familiar with the rule that it now takes anywhere from 9 to 12 touches before a prospect is ready to buy?

'Tis true.

It happened to me. Again.

Just last week, I heard from a prospect I have been communicating with for almost a year...

I met him at a networking function a year ago. We exchanged pleasantries and contact info. In following-up a week or so later, I sent him an email with a fun, unique marketing idea.

As is commonly the case, he wasn't ready to buy at that time. But I continued to reach out to him. How? I sent him an email once a month. He also received this newsletter. I would bump into him occasionally from time to time.

And just this week, he called wanting to explore a marketing campaign. It was cool. I can't wait to dive in and learn more about what he needs.

The lesson? Don't give up on a prospect after one or two attempts. Most sales people do. You really do need to stick with it.

And you know what? When a prospect you have been communicating with for an elongated period of time finally is ready to buy - the thrill of hearing from them never gets old!

Email me at todd@intrepid-llc.com today to discuss your marketing strategy to follow-up with prospects.

Todd Schnick
Intrepid

Direct Response Marketing Workshop!

2008-06-24T21:31:00.001-04:00

Check out http://growthanswers.com/expert/ to learn about a workshop to improve your direct response marketing!

Intrepid PURLs of Wisdom...

2008-06-24T12:54:00.002-04:00

If you pay even moderate attention to marketing journalism, you keep hearing about the amazing response rates of PURL direct response campaigns.

If you aren't familiar with them, a PURL, or personal URL, campaign is when an audience is first hit with a piece of direct mail and/or email.

The typical rules apply to these communications: One, you must provide a solution to a problem or fulfill a need. Two, you must target the right audience of likely prospects. And three, there has to be a strong call to action.

But in this case, the call to action is to drive traffic to a website. And not just any website, a personalized one.

And this is where you begin to see increased response rates. People are drawn to this personalized website for two reasons: One, they can't help visiting a website that includes their name, as in TODDSCHNICK.intrepid.com. And two, your product or service does appear to have some benefit to the prospect.

And once they get to the PURL landing page, that's where the real magic happens!

Stay tuned to this blog for the rest of the story on PURLs. We at Intrepid are conducting some live PURL campaigns as we speak. I look forward to sharing with you the lessons we learn from the campaigns! And I will include samples!

Email me at todd@intrepid-llc.com to learn how PURLs might benefit you!

Todd Schnick, Intrepid

QUOTE OF THE DAY

2008-06-22T08:47:00.001-04:00

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." - Walt Disney

MUST READ! Rules for Renegades

2008-06-20T19:52:00.003-04:00

There are too many books out there. Hard to tell which ones to read. But, if you want a fun book to read AND one that will give you some edgy ideas about you and your business, you have to read this book! Enjoy.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

2008-06-19T08:58:00.001-04:00

"Usually, what we most fear doing is what we most need to do."

-Timothy Ferriss

MUST READ! Timothy Ferriss' 4-Hour Workweek

2008-06-19T07:28:00.007-04:00

I am reading this book right now. I attempt to read as many books as I can, and I haven't enjoyed one this much in a while. Whether or not you can fly around the world like Timothy Ferriss, you will learn about how to better think through how you manage your time. About how to prioritize your To Do list so that you only spend time on the really important projects. I hope you will enjoy it!

GOT A NEW PRODUCT LAUNCH?

2008-06-19T00:23:00.003-04:00

Check out my article on how to maximize your new product launch:

http://www.growthanswers.com/eMERGE/06_03.html

JUNE 2008 GrowthGAFFE

2008-06-19T00:21:00.003-04:00

FAST AND INEXPENSIVE TOOLS TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS!

2008-06-18T23:42:00.003-04:00

Intrepid Partner Market Mate has this post on their blog about some great tools to market and grow your business....

http://www.stonespeaks.com/Getting_Your_Expertise_Noticed_Linked_.pdf

Check it out!

WELCOME!

2008-06-18T17:42:00.002-04:00

Welcome to my blog!