Sunday, December 1, 2019

Finding the Perfect 10 Customers using the BBG LinkedIn Forum Process




LinkedIn is a great platform  to connect with quality connections whom you can possibly work with. 


The goal is to convert those quality connections into warm  leads 

convert those warm leads into hot prospects 

Convert those hot prospects into the “Perfect 10” Customers



Step 1 - Define Who’s In The Perfect 10?


 Create an avatar of your ideal client


Who is your perfect avatar? 


Your perfect avatar is the person who will be your perfect customer, who loves to do business with you and will be your advocate and provide you with a strong of warm leads. 


  • How awesome would it be to find one of those humans?
  • How much better to find 10 of those people?


Step 2 - Develop a strategy/strategies to source your perfect 10



There are a number of strategies that you can use to source your “perfect 10” leads and  turn them from a perfect 10 connection into a warm lead into a prospect and then into a top Ten Client.


Our BSI Have a look at  https://webhub.skillsoptimiser.com/BusinessHealth/


I have found the LinkedIn BBG process a strategy that works amazingly well for me!  



It’s a numbers game - the 80/20 rule 




Of your top 1000 Prospects contacted


  - 50% of those will be completely inactive. 

30% of people will stalk - watch, read your profile, pay attention, or even see what you post, but not ready to engage. 

20% will engage 

( the good old 80/20 Pareto’s Principle)


Of the 20% - 10% of those people could be good great connections , maybe people you could refer business to and maybe people that can refer business to you - and the last 10% could be some of the people that potentially are going to be your perfect 10  - but they are not in that perfect 10 range YET! 


They will need to be moulded  and nurtured through relationship building to become the perfect 10. 


From those 10 - if you generate 1 Perfect 10 Customer - what is that worth to you? 


 

The bottom line 


What is the value of that one “perfect 10” client in your business ?


It may be  $2,000 per annum , $20,000 per annum or $200,000 per annum.


How much would you be prepared to invest (time and money) to generate 1 $20,000 per annum customer that would be a customer for at least 3 years (say $60,000 value) ?


The bottom line is that you need to know your numbers.



 Once you know 

  • You have built a basic go forward plan 
  • your ideal avatar (the perfect 10)
  • the annual and lifetime value of that ideal client;
  • The methodology to source that ideal avatar and 
  • convert him/her into a warm lead (the BBG LinkedIn forum process) 
  • and the cost of acquisition......


Take Action and make it happen! 


Write in comment below perfect 10, and I will do a complimentary BSI Health Check which will set you on your way  to create 10 of your perfect 10 Customers. 




Sunday, November 17, 2019

So what is digital marketing and what does an SME need to know in order to stay ahead of the curve?



I was walking along the cliffs of Dover Heights today with my good friend Tzaki Koren , and we were talking about how best to use digital media.


We happened to have a great session last week with Emma Sidney at our BBG LinkedIn Forum in Melbourne last week, so I decided to share some of the learnings, a bit of what I do, a bit of what I read today and mash it up.


Digital marketing is the practice of reaching out to potential and current customers online. 


Some of the tools used is social media, email, Google ads, search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), blogs, online brochures, TikTok ,  videos, connecting with other websites and of course referron !


You need to find out where online your customers are living and playing! 


When people look for a business/ loan/ network/ job/ or whatever you have to sell is..... where do they look? 


Google is still the bomb!!! Are you on page 1 when they type in relevant keywords? 


How do you maximise the bang for the  buck of reaching  your customer ....... and once you do reach your customer .... what do you want them to do? 


In a B2B business ... it usually takes many interactions (they say 26 ) before a sale is made.... so getting found and having the first interaction is probably 1 to 5 , because once they come across you, they are going to search you , Google your name and search you on LinkedIn, Facebook and go to your Website!


Basic digital marketing isn't rocket science. (Even I can do it!!)


Here’s an example of my funnel 


1. Target - create an avatar of your ideal customer 

The more time you spend on targetting your market and identify who they are, what they like, what there pains are and where they live on line... the better it is.

Mine are on LinkedIn - it is easy for me and other bbg members to target the relevant people as collectively, we have massive databases and understand the power of collaboration.


2. Identify a way in which you can engage and meet them. 

For me it’s easy.... I invite them to meet me at a free bbg forum that is relevant to them . (I go to 4 of them a month) see www.bbg.business to go to an event near you.


3. Connect with them on LinkedIn and Inmail them - 

Send your target a personalised Inmail... that will want them to respond. 


This article is about making sure you maximise your digital assets and developing strategies and using tools for them to engage with you.


Your website, LinkedIn, Facebook, google business etc .... needs to showcase what you do effectively ... it is your front door and what your prospects see.


I was reading an article by Chad Vanags who shared 6 key thongs you need to look at when starting your Dogital Media journey . 

Find and use keywords in everything

Keywords are words that describe your business. For example, if you’re a plumber, keywords might be "plumber," "clogged pipe," and "leaky faucet." The keywords are the words that a person uses in Google when looking for your services.


Here’s a trick... be as specific as possible .... “clogged pipe BONDI” or “plumber rose bay”


Take some time with a keyword planner, like Google Keyword Planner. Find the best words for your business, make a list and keep it nearby. 


Every time you do any digital marketing, use some of those keywords. When you write a blog, use the keywords within the text. 


If you make a video, use the keywords. If you update your website, use the keywords.


Don’t overuse your keywords. Google will notice that. Use them naturally and only as much as you need to, but do use them and use them often.


This is the single most important piece of any digital marketing campaign. If you don't put keywords into your marketing, no one will find you and that defeats the purpose of marketing.


Start a blog

Create informational, helpful content and publish it on your website, LinkedIn and Facebook page. 


Content you share should make you look like an industry expert. You always want to appear knowledgeable and you start to build trust.


With solid, helpful content, your followers learn to trust you and they share that trust with their friends and family. Your brand becomes more than just a "store," and that transfers into loyal customers and more sales.


So what type of content engages people and causes them to share?

  • Content that tells a story your customers can relate to and understand
  • Content that brings out emotions
  • Content that brings real value to your customers, like how-tos


Google prefers in-depth content and has let people know longer blog posts, between 1,500 and 2,000 words, are rewarded. But it has to be quality content in that 2,000 words. If you don't have 2,000 words to write that people will want to read, keep it shorter and high quality.


Share that content with other Sites and Magazines - Such as Spark Weekly 

https://paper.li/bsivc/1372196625#/


Use social media organically


The key to social media is consistency. Find where your audience is hanging out, then share your content with them, be a part of their lives, 

offer information, be helpful and occasionally advertise. 


Sharing content will get you organic growth and create a long-term relationship with your followers. 


When your followers engage with your content, their friends see your content and your network grows.


Organic social media can seem like such a drop in the bucket, but it has big payback potential if you’re consistently working to share content and engage with your audience.


Here are a few things to consider when creating your social media channels:

  • Choose the social media sites your potential customers are using. Pick one or two channels and focus on them. You don't need to be on every single social media channel that exists.
  • Take advantage of the behind the scenes analytics. If you find something that works well, repurpose and reuse it. Don't reinvent the wheel.
  • Find key influencers in your industry and engage with them. Eventually, people with a larger social media presence will start to share your content. But before that happens, you may need to do some relationship building. While you are waiting for them to friend or follow you, share their content.
  • Use social media tools to schedule your posts. Try Hootsuite, Buffer or SocialOomph. Some of them have free versions. Block off some time to get your social media posts together for the week, and then use one of these tools to schedule the posts. It looks like you are posting all week long, but the work is all done at once so you can focus on other things, like running your business.


Make and share a video


Video is the bomb ðŸ’£ ! It is a perfect way to share your company with people. A branded video delivers information, increases conversions and builds trust with your audience. It's more interesting than reading text. It doesn't have to be expensive or elaborate.


Here’s how to get started:

  • Get familiar with your smartphone camera. Most smartphone cameras are good enough as a first camera for filming marketing videos.
  • Buy a video editing tool (I use videoleap) and use iMovies 


Optimize your website

Have it mobile enabled . Emma Sidney of Digital Copywriting gave a BBG talk on what it takes to build a great website and effective SEO strategies.  I will share this soon. 


Delivering a fantastic customer experience on a desktop ensures your prospect stays on the site, looks around and takes the action you want them to take. Your website needs to be user-friendly in order to connect to your audience.


Mobile sites must be quick and efficient in every possible way. When people are on the go and looking at your site, they need immediate access and ease of use. They need to be able to find exactly what they are looking for without any confusion.


With both your mobile website and your desktop site, it's not only about the design of the site, but it's also about the experience, the ease of use and the speed of the site. The design is only a small piece of the big picture.


While taking the time to check your website, go through page by page. Are your keywords in the content? If not, now might be a good time to update your content.


Here are a few tips to help you with your website SEO:

  • Set up a Google Search Console account. Register your domain name and follow the steps they have outlined. Google will give you tips on what needs to be addressed on your site.
  • When creating your website content, remember to fill in the page title, metadata and all the other information Google asks for. If you have images on your website, add descriptions to your images. Google's bots cannot read pictures, just words.
  • Use key phrases, not just keywords. Each page on your site should have a specific topic with related keywords and phrases. Be sure not to overuse the words though, as Google can penalize you for stuffing your pages. Keep it natural.


Build and utilize an email list

Email list building and emarketing often gets overlooked by small businesses .  A responsive email list will be your most valuable marketing asset, even more beneficial than your social media channels. 


It is my most effective asset.


It enables you to communicate directly to your subscribers and keep you connected . You can be really targeted in your communication.


The conversion rate (that’s the number of people who do what you’re asking them to do) for emails is three times biggerthan for social media campaigns.


At BBG we have a Emarketing system for our members and will work with you to build your list.


Have a Bucket to excite , engage and enthuse your prospects 


When developing a relationship with your prospects .... don’t sell them. Build klt with them (know, like and trust) with them. 


Share stories of interest, invite them to a talk, invite them to a BBG forum.... it’s free!!! 


Find out what there pain point is, who can help them and refer. 


The key thing is is to have EQ .... empathy.put yourself in their shoes and give them what they need.


My favourite quotes of the month from Allem  Pathmarajah  who hosts our BBG forum in Singapore is:- 


“If you give people what they want , you will get what you want”


And


“People don’t care what you know unless they know that you care”

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

BBG kicking goals in Geelong




From Les Watson “I am the biggest non-joiner but I immediately saw the value of becoming a member of Business Builders Group (BBG) the first time I went (thanks for the invite David Cooper). It was at that first meeting that I met The Publicity Princess and Kate invited me to participate in #meetthepressmasterclass. Others in BBG have done the Masterclass with great media success. Thanks Kate, Geoff Hirsh and Ivan Kaye. Onward and upward. 

PS. If you would like to come to BBG on Friday the 15th, let me know and I will send you an invite.”

#bbggeelong #bbg #collaboration #learning #growth  Kate Engler Caylene Vincent .David Cooper


Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Had the best time at Raceparty Halloween

Best Time was had at the BBG Raceparty Halloween Party with the goal of making a difference to the Planet via B1G1

Great post by the host and organiser Noirin Mosley .
Special shoutout to the awesome Jenny Boymal who drove the process to a brilliant conclusion.

Looking forward to tally final amount raised for B1G1.

For more info - here is Noirin’s link 




Monday, October 28, 2019

Highlights of Allen Pathmarajah sharing his insights on " How you can make a Manager into an Effective Leader"





Definitely one of our best knowledge shares on hashtagleadership! Will split these 💎 gems into chunks Some gems 💎 management is important but it should have been hashtagwomanagement / as woman stands for we organise men 💎 the 7th c is caring - people don’t care how much you know unless they know how much you care 💎 the 5th C is character - unless you are honest and trustworthy - all the other Cs are irrelevant 💎 if you are wrong - you have no right to be angry - if you are right - you have no need to be angry - Ghandi 💎 my wife is brilliant - that’s why she married me 💎 the acronym of leader 💎 listen and silent have the same letters 💎 always be humble 💎 the 2 e’s in leader - empathy - alway walk in the other persons shoes and energy - be passionate - excite, engage and enthuse 💎 visual is more important than vocal or words - loved his cheek story- watch it 💎 loved the 4fs of implementation fast and fun were 2 of them 💎 family - father and mother I love you 💎 if you want something - just ask nicely 💎 the r in leadership - be resilient - things go in cycles - when you are down - persist - you will spring back up better and stronger These are 15 of 100 gems in this video Thank you Allen Pathmarajah What were your gems that you loved

Monday, October 14, 2019

Your business is a reflection of you



What is you leadership lid? 


People around you will mirror you


As a leader 

if you are kind - the people will be kind and the company will be a nice place to work.


If you are m enthusiastic about its mission and goals - optimism will excel and the company will move towards its goals 


If you are honest, the business will run on trust.


If you love what you do , the business will have a family atmosphere of helping one another, and there will be a culture of fun and enjoyment. 


If you say one thing, but do another, trust dissapears - and a serious value is compromised.


When you are  harsh - that will create a culture of harshness 


  • What type of Culture do you want to infuse in your business? 
  • What type of leader are you? 
  • What type of leader do you want to be?
  • What type of leader do you report to?
  • What type of leader do you want to follow?


I look forward  to hearing thought leader and one of Singapore’s gems Mr Allen Pathmarajah.


If you are in Sydney, Join us for breakfast on Tuesday October 22


https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/join-our-sydney-enterprise-business-builders-group-forum-tickets-52925381240




Thursday, October 10, 2019

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Teamwork beats stars everyday of the week!





Whether you are a top sports team or a top business ..... the mantra seems to hire the brightest and the best.

Get the top talent. 

The motivation for recruiting peak performers is obvious — exceptional players are the key to team success — and this belief is shared not only by coaches and sports fans, but also by corporations, investors, and even whole industries. Everyone wants a team of stars.

Research by Roderick Swaab and colleagues suggests there is a limit to the benefit top talents bring to a team. 
They have found that success relies not on individual talent alone but cooperative synergy from the team. 
Basketball and soccer teams with the greatest proportion of elite athletes performed worse than those with more moderate proportions of top level players.

Why is too much talent a bad thing? 

Think teamwork. 
The basketball player chasing a point record, for example, may cost the team by taking risky shots instead of passing to a teammate who is open and ready to score.

Swaabs research found that there is a tradeoff between top talent and teamwork. 

Reigning in the talent and focussing on teamwork may be a better path to peak performance! 

Failure in strategic, collaborative play undermined the team’s effectiveness, and that high levels of top talent was harmful in arenas that require coordinated, strategic efforts, as the quest for the spotlight may trump the teamwork needed to get the job done.

The same results were found in  corporate teams, financial research groups, and brainstorming exercises. 

In fact, too much talent is even evident in other animals: 
When hen colonies have too many dominant, high-producing chickens, conflict and hen mortality rise while egg production drops. 

So, here’s the thing.... recruiting superstars might not be the answer for sports or corporate teams to focus on to achieve  the goals they are trying to achieve.

Success requires collaborative, cooperative work towards a goal that is beyond the capability of any one individual. 

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Networking tips by BBG foundation member - Odile Faludi



Hate networking you are not alone. How many times have you felt obligated to attend a function, to sit next to a complete stranger, make small talk and eat rubbery chicken? The reality is that we all need to network to survive in all areas of our life.

It’s not whom you know but who knows you that can make all the difference. 

Either you grasp hold of opportunity when it approaches, or it passes you by swiftly and leaves you nothing by which to change your circumstances for the better. 

A lot of people have great difficulty in networking. They find challenges wherever they look from noisy, impersonal, crowded rooms of people at events with boring speakers.

But, make the most of every experience. Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can. Stay present in the process so that you remain aware of all the subtle opportunities.

The Definition of Networking

Let’s think of the word “Networking.” Notice it has the word “work” in it. Yes, you actually have to do some work to get the benefits of networking. Here are some useful tips:

Target higher networks i.e. bigger than you - Surround yourself with people smarter and wealthier than yourself. Wealth is a healthy measurement of success in business. Consider it an opportunity to learn what has worked and what hasn’t from business owners and professionals who are top of their game.

Pretend you are the host. Go and introduce yourself to strangers and ensure that the people around you know each other. Connect and engage! This trait actually builds loads of goodwill.

Shy people have the potential to be very good networkers they just need to rise above their fears and trust themselves. The fact they are shy means they are very good listeners.
If you see someone standing by themselves go and introduce yourself. Think about what must I do or say next, to take advantage of this opportunity?

Now let’s dig deep if you really want to connect with people you have to tap into being fully present at that moment. Easier said than done with so many distractions in a crowded room. But, true presence is deep listening, being open beyond one’s preconceptions and past ways of making sense. By being open you hear things differently. By cultivating your ability to be more aware of your thoughts and not allowing them to drift when people speak to you…you can communicate on a much deeper level. Ask a real question and you will get a real answer.

Three questions that always work well at a network function are:

  1. Who prompted you to come along to this function?
  2. What type of work do you do?
  3.  Has anything exciting happened to you recently?

Search for Clues to improve your opportunity:

  1. What are the things people complain about? How can I help?
  2. Where do I fit in?
  3. Are there special events coming up? Is there another event worth for me to attend?
With those questions, you should be on your way to engaging someone. If not, assume they are a real bore and move on!

Get the guest list if you can. Check out who is attending and know whom you would like to meet. If it is impossible to connect with them at the event it is a great excuse after the event to send them an email or call and say, “I was sorry I missed the opportunity in meeting you at the recent Gala event, could we catch-up for a coffee to discuss….”

If you give someone your business card, always write something on the back of the card … make it personal. Just a few words should do the trick! 

Even better..... send them your business card  using referron 
Referron enables you to comment  about that person i.e. red hair, loves golf, a cute smile you get my drift!

The Fortune is in the Follow Up!

Drop someone an email saying where you met, and something about the conversation you had. It shows you really were listening. For example, if they mentioned they loved golf include in the email an article about golf saying, “I thought this may interest you.” Don’t always make it work-related - remember you are trying to build a relationship. 

They came to the networking event to meet people... who can you refer them in your network?  Use Referron 

Alternatively, call and make a suitable time to catch up.

Send a personalised invite to connect on LinkedIn or message them - straight after the event whilst the person remembers who you are. Step outside your comfort zone and connect with creative people. 

Stay Open To Possibilities and seize the opportunity

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities to come your way. Seize common occasions and make them great. However, it’s not the size of the opportunity that matters, it’s rather what you do with that opportunity that makes all the difference in the end. Therefore you should never underestimate or discount what an opportunity can do for you.

Other gems 

  • The greatest dividing line between success and failure can be stated in five words: “I did not have time.” 
  • Make time and network. You may be surprised at how many services and possibilities lie within your reach.
  • 88% of buyers want a conversation, not a presentation - build a relationship 
  • The quickest and most effective way of increasing your business network can be accomplished by doing one thing - picking up your phone!

For more information about Odile 

Join us at another bbg forum at www.bbg.business 
www.bbg.business

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

BBG Eastern Suburbs FORUM WITH rabbi Mendel Kastel. On Philanthropy and Opportunity


Charity is big business - how can you leverage this opportunity 


Be inspired by Mentors - what better Mentor than The Rebbe! 




Jewish House Crisis Centre - helping people in Crisis



Laurence Kopping - Thinktank 1/3 



Tanya Gray - Thinktank 2/3



Laurence Adelman - Thinktank 3/3



Friday, August 30, 2019

the 5 things NOT TO DO on linkedin!

My friend Ahmad  Imam is one of the key influencers on LinkedIn in Australia - and since understanding how it works - his business has been "skyrocketing"

Here are his 5 tips of the things NOT TO DO on Linkedin

1️⃣ DO NOT have public fights with other people (Not a good look)

2️⃣ DO NOT post anything offensive (If you’re not sure if it’s offensive then it’s probably offensive)

3️⃣ DO NOT publicly complain about your co-workers or your boss (Not a smart move)

4️⃣ DO NOT use LinkedIn while under the influence (This could go horribly wrong)

And last but certainly not least:

5️⃣ DO NOT propose to another person or send anything inappropriate via direct message (This is not a dating site)

“You’re responsible for everything you post and everything you post will be a reflection of you.”

Be kind, be happy and be helpful.

We are looking forward to hosting Ishmam and 4 other leading social media experts at our Linkedin Forum Masterclass on 26 September at NAB Building


click here to find out more