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-   -   As an Independent Marketing Appraiser, here is what I ask local businesses... (http://www.sowpub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10998)

GordonJ May 20, 2021 10:49 AM

As an Independent Marketing Appraiser, here is what I ask local businesses...
 
Revived my OLD biz; somewhat...as an Independent Marketing Appraiser, which simply means I don't represent anyone or any particular advertising medium.

By the way, feel free to borrow or take it for your own use, get 100 Biz Cards printed up, pass them out and BINGO, you are in business (on paper, you still need customers)...to get them, I offer a FREE MARKETING APPRAISIAL

Here is what I ask them:

Current marketing/advertising? Budget??

WHO is your ideal customer? From where? How much do they spend?

WHAT post purchase contact do you have, if any?

Do you use either referrals or rewards in your business?

And that is all I need.

Then I might leave a hotsheet behind with basics on them:

Customer Acquisition. Upgrading Point of Purchase with add ons. Retention: by rewards, birthday clubs, referral points, email, whatever.

Store layout, is there a better way? What makes street traffic, if applicable, come in the door?

Customer Interaction: what you do or say first thing often tells the tale.

Anyhow, as I am out there calling on local businesses, I am finding the same old, same old story...which is many, if not most of them, are underprepared to own/operate a business, they throw a bunch of money into getting set up and very little into GETTING customers.

Very few are BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME type of businesses.

If you are inclined, there is a ton of money to be made, very low hanging fruit on the table for either a quick snackeroo of cash, or a long term on going residual monthly retainer.

I, currently, prefer the quick snack...like an In and Out Burger, I get in, get the moolah, get out and have both parties satisfied.

Give it some thought, many small businesses could use your expertise.

Gordon

Millard Grubb May 21, 2021 05:43 AM

Re: As an Independent Marketing Appraiser, here is what I ask local businesses...
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonJ (Post 41910)
Revived my OLD biz; somewhat...as an Independent Marketing Appraiser, which simply means I don't represent anyone or any particular advertising medium.

By the way, feel free to borrow or take it for your own use, get 100 Biz Cards printed up, pass them out and BINGO, you are in business (on paper, you still need customers)...to get them, I offer a FREE MARKETING APPRAISIAL

Here is what I ask them:

Current marketing/advertising? Budget??

WHO is your ideal customer? From where? How much do they spend?

WHAT post purchase contact do you have, if any?

Do you use either referrals or rewards in your business?

And that is all I need.

Then I might leave a hotsheet behind with basics on them:

Customer Acquisition. Upgrading Point of Purchase with add ons. Retention: by rewards, birthday clubs, referral points, email, whatever.

Store layout, is there a better way? What makes street traffic, if applicable, come in the door?

Customer Interaction: what you do or say first thing often tells the tale.

Anyhow, as I am out there calling on local businesses, I am finding the same old, same old story...which is many, if not most of them, are underprepared to own/operate a business, they throw a bunch of money into getting set up and very little into GETTING customers.

Very few are BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME type of businesses.

If you are inclined, there is a ton of money to be made, very low hanging fruit on the table for either a quick snackeroo of cash, or a long term on going residual monthly retainer.

I, currently, prefer the quick snack...like an In and Out Burger, I get in, get the moolah, get out and have both parties satisfied.

Give it some thought, many small businesses could use your expertise.

Gordon


Gordon,

I like your focus on the quick snack.

Do you just look at what they are doing with the simple questions, then give an in-depth analysis with a longer questionnaire ?

I often use an long series of questions that gives me plenty of info for analysis... this series of questions many times is enough for me to pinpoint problems whereby I can offer solutions without me having to do hours of grunt work.

Is this like what you are doing in the quick snack version?

GordonJ May 21, 2021 08:41 AM

I assume a lot, and mostly always, I'm right.
 
Thanks Millard, I'm going to share what I do NOW, quick snack vs. what I did then...recurring income, OK?

Today, it is a LOOK around, ask those FEW questions, tell them I need two days (I really don't) and then go home and write up a short review with 3 to 5 USEFUL, practical tips in this report, always trying to include some shortcuts or time saving things (all businesses and people have them). THEN I OFFER them a choice, a 99 dollar PLAN OF ACTION, or a 199 IN DEPTH review or PLAN and I mostly just walk out with a 99 dollar check or invoice them. A very high rate mainly due to Reciprocity.

A couple of secrets: Stack of Paper. A couple of MAPS of their Zip code with some arrows and circles on them, a little report on marketing, maybe some forms from SBA or SCORE, things which cost me pennies, but add to the PERCEIVED VALUE.

You will find, and do a little shoe leather test in an area you probably won't work, just to do a survey, but you find most places don't do well with staying in contact with customers, referrals or with their advertising if they use any.

Just ask a business, any one you walk into, for example, if they have a Birthday Club or have thought about having one? This one curiosity question gets them thinking, and IF they want to know more, you can say it is just one of several simple little things they can do to increase business.

So, this is in and out, getting contacted from my TALK of the TOWN type websites, we have several mainly because the guy who started it has alienated so many people, other Facebook groups have popped up, but altogether they get around 30k members...and allow advertising, which is where I cull many of my initial contacts from.

They either call me or message me, asking about the FREE MARKETING APPRAISIAL, set up a time, do a little research, show up and try not to spend more than 10-15 minutes. Write up the report (dictate it now), about 10 minutes, put together the "packet" put in envelope and then drop it off at an appointment, go over it, get a feel and most of the times walk out with a 100 bux in hand, try to get several on the same street, and it adds up quickly.

Olden days, tried to sell them an ongoing consulting gig, NOT DOING that now. Now Millard, when one spends a couple of hours in the field, one sees things, I know you will too.

Maybe the signage looks bad, or there is litter, or inside has a musty odor, you will see many things which most ignore or just aren't aware of. But I walk in knowing my MANY years of experience across many businesses makes me the expert, first signal they are hostile, I'm out the door.

As for questions, lead with ones you want answered and have a solution for, for example how many of your customers WALK to your business? (If near a large residential area, a good target for fliers or community boards, see?).

Just keep it simple, keep your time under an hour all told, collect 100 bux or more as often as you want. And always get referrals too.

Gordon

PS One of the best investments ever is: I use an Olympus VN 722PC voice recorder I carry with me. I talk. Then upload the file, and NOW (used to use REV.com to have it transcribed) I'm using Sonix, thanks to Dien. Upload the file and in minutes I have a pretty clean report, add a couple of pics or graphs, it is fantastic. Takes minutes and I can usually talk for five or ten minutes in the car right after leaving their business. Love me some tech gear.

And OH, the difference between 99 and 199? The stack of paper gets bigger, mostly PLR or other free pubs I've gotten over the years, and truthfully, I rarely do one, it is mainly for a buy the cheap one NOW reaction, AND it works.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Millard Grubb (Post 41912)
Gordon,

I like your focus on the quick snack.
Do you just look at what they are doing with the simple questions, then give an in-depth analysis with a longer questionnaire ?

I often use an long series of questions that gives me plenty of info for analysis... this series of questions many times is enough for me to pinpoint problems whereby I can offer solutions without me having to do hours of grunt work.

Is this like what you are doing in the quick snack version?


Millard Grubb May 23, 2021 02:17 PM

Re: I assume a lot, and mostly always, I'm right.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonJ (Post 41913)
Thanks Millard, I'm going to share what I do NOW, quick snack vs. what I did then...recurring income, OK?

Today, it is a LOOK around, ask those FEW questions, tell them I need two days (I really don't) and then go home and write up a short review with 3 to 5 USEFUL, practical tips in this report, always trying to include some shortcuts or time saving things (all businesses and people have them). THEN I OFFER them a choice, a 99 dollar PLAN OF ACTION, or a 199 IN DEPTH review or PLAN and I mostly just walk out with a 99 dollar check or invoice them. A very high rate mainly due to Reciprocity.

A couple of secrets: Stack of Paper. A couple of MAPS of their Zip code with some arrows and circles on them, a little report on marketing, maybe some forms from SBA or SCORE, things which cost me pennies, but add to the PERCEIVED VALUE.

You will find, and do a little shoe leather test in an area you probably won't work, just to do a survey, but you find most places don't do well with staying in contact with customers, referrals or with their advertising if they use any.

Just ask a business, any one you walk into, for example, if they have a Birthday Club or have thought about having one? This one curiosity question gets them thinking, and IF they want to know more, you can say it is just one of several simple little things they can do to increase business.

So, this is in and out, getting contacted from my TALK of the TOWN type websites, we have several mainly because the guy who started it has alienated so many people, other Facebook groups have popped up, but altogether they get around 30k members...and allow advertising, which is where I cull many of my initial contacts from.

They either call me or message me, asking about the FREE MARKETING APPRAISIAL, set up a time, do a little research, show up and try not to spend more than 10-15 minutes. Write up the report (dictate it now), about 10 minutes, put together the "packet" put in envelope and then drop it off at an appointment, go over it, get a feel and most of the times walk out with a 100 bux in hand, try to get several on the same street, and it adds up quickly.

Olden days, tried to sell them an ongoing consulting gig, NOT DOING that now. Now Millard, when one spends a couple of hours in the field, one sees things, I know you will too.

Maybe the signage looks bad, or there is litter, or inside has a musty odor, you will see many things which most ignore or just aren't aware of. But I walk in knowing my MANY years of experience across many businesses makes me the expert, first signal they are hostile, I'm out the door.

As for questions, lead with ones you want answered and have a solution for, for example how many of your customers WALK to your business? (If near a large residential area, a good target for fliers or community boards, see?).

Just keep it simple, keep your time under an hour all told, collect 100 bux or more as often as you want. And always get referrals too.

Gordon

PS One of the best investments ever is: I use an Olympus VN 722PC voice recorder I carry with me. I talk. Then upload the file, and NOW (used to use REV.com to have it transcribed) I'm using Sonix, thanks to Dien. Upload the file and in minutes I have a pretty clean report, add a couple of pics or graphs, it is fantastic. Takes minutes and I can usually talk for five or ten minutes in the car right after leaving their business. Love me some tech gear.

And OH, the difference between 99 and 199? The stack of paper gets bigger, mostly PLR or other free pubs I've gotten over the years, and truthfully, I rarely do one, it is mainly for a buy the cheap one NOW reaction, AND it works.


Thanks for the in-depth advice.

This is real gold, if you ask me. Simple. To the point. But most importantly, easy to do. As well as an easy way to make as much money as you want with knowledge we have used over and over.

A gem if I ever saw one.

Eliadoming May 25, 2021 01:22 AM

Re: As an Independent Marketing Appraiser, here is what I ask local businesses...
 
Thanks for sharing what u are doing now.

Oliviaman May 25, 2021 01:39 AM

Re: I assume a lot, and mostly always, I'm right.
 
That was interesting to read.

GordonJ May 25, 2021 09:05 AM

My 600 buck "protege", and the value of a dollar.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonJ (Post 41910)


If you are inclined, there is a ton of money to be made, very low hanging fruit on the table for either a quick snackeroo of cash, or a long term on going residual monthly retainer.

I, currently, prefer the quick snack...like an In and Out Burger, I get in, get the moolah, get out and have both parties satisfied.

Give it some thought, many small businesses could use your expertise.

Gordon


I hope to make this one of those buried gems. Or maybe it won't be, whatevs.

This past weekend was my city's yard sale; dozens of people had yard sales and most donated to a cause, a homeless outreach program.

It was city wide, thousands of things available, so...one of my local proteges went bargain hunting. He had all day, and 600 bux to spend, his mission was to buy three things: something for 300, 200 and 100 dollars OR any one thing he felt he could easily FLIP.

The mission, which he accepted, was CHATTELING. Turn money into MORE money as fast as you can by buying and selling stuff; other's junk, trash, throwaways.

Buy over there, sell over here.

Hardly rocket science. He had thousands of things to choose from. Who would be interested in following the adventures of the Chatteling Protege? Anyone?

Before we started, I had to educate this young man on money, something school and society doesn't teach, especially about the power of small growth.

I think the best work I have done can be found in the Chattel Report, the GROW AS YOU GO PLAN, where I went from a 100 dollars to several thousand in a matter or weeks. For an interesting modern uptake on this, you can see how this is done TODAY, if you read this thread at the Warrior Forum:
https://www.warriorforum.com/warrior...days-ebay.html

It is worth a couple of hours to read, and save all of savidge4's responses, he literally shows you how to do it.

What does this have to do with Marketing Appraisal

It is about the power of a little bit of cash in your hand vs the tens of thousands and millions in your future bank account, the latter being the jist of Internet Marketing gurus promotions;

Buy their thing, start making big bux now.

Isn't it?

I've never brought into that, albeit, have had my share of rain making days, and have always felt a slow and steady GROWTH approach serves most people better.

Anyhow, what can you do with 100 dollars? Well savidge4 and his family was able to turn that initial investment into far more than the 250 dollar goal, in fact, he shows how to build a real six figure a year business with reinvesting your profits.

The in and out 100 bux made from a quick Marketing Appraisal can be your seed money, which can be planted for a harvest of wealth, since that is what we are all about here at SowPub.

Any, tiny, little money making gig can be the beginning of something bigger.

IF you plan for it.

Anyone here, who has read a few Jay Abraham, Gary Halbert or Dan Kennedy books or works knows more than the average main street business person who is for the most part clueless as to how to get more customers in their doors. I feel safe in saying, all three of those guys made fortunes from showing small businesses how to get more or better customers.

The DEMAND is huge. Very few businesses don't want more customers. As I said above, it is low hanging fruit. So, if you did 6 in a month or in six weeks, you would have the same start-up capital as my Chatteling Protege has and then you could FLIP or invest that money into other things.

I am making him concentrate on Facebook Marketplace, as he develops his network of buyers.

I set the initial goal. Turn the 600 into 750, a modest, although realistic, goal.

Either the whole thing. Or 300 into 375, 200 into 250, and 100 into 150. These are sums which most would consider too low, they would HOLD onto the things because they KNOW they are worth more...and my first lesson is to show him how

CIRCULATION beats STORAGE

every day of the week. You do NOT have to flip things for as much as you can, you can flip them faster, easier if your GREED glands stay under control.

Now, like a thousand people before him, he asked me; "What do I buy, what things do I look for?"

And of course, my answer, as it has been for 50 years, don't look for things, look for stored value and at demand, look at dollars, not items.

OK. What would you do with 600 bux? How would you turn it into 6,000 and how fast could you do that?

Just some food for your money making brains today.

Gordon

Millard Grubb May 26, 2021 06:16 AM

Re: As an Independent Marketing Appraiser, here is what I ask local businesses...
 
Gordon,

One phrase you mentioned I hadn't heard before but makes better sense than most of what I've heard lately...

"circulation beats storage"

Getting your money out, and working with it... over and over, is a sure way to long-term profits.

Seems to me a lot of folks miss this because they are looking for a big payday versus just the daily drip.... drip... drip of increase.

Your chattel report should be a MUST READ.

Thanks for your experience.

unpinkpanther May 26, 2021 06:34 AM

Thanks for the early birthday gift!
 
Hey Gordon

Thank you so much for sharing so much valuable PRACTICAL info on this thread.

Coming a few days to my birthday, I take this thread as a PERSONAL gift from you to me!

GOD bless SOWPub!

Thanks again

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonJ (Post 41910)
Revived my OLD biz; somewhat...as an Independent Marketing Appraiser, which simply means I don't represent anyone or any particular advertising medium.

By the way, feel free to borrow or take it for your own use, get 100 Biz Cards printed up, pass them out and BINGO, you are in business (on paper, you still need customers)...to get them, I offer a FREE MARKETING APPRAISIAL

Here is what I ask them:

Current marketing/advertising? Budget??

WHO is your ideal customer? From where? How much do they spend?

WHAT post purchase contact do you have, if any?

Do you use either referrals or rewards in your business?

And that is all I need.

Then I might leave a hotsheet behind with basics on them:

Customer Acquisition. Upgrading Point of Purchase with add ons. Retention: by rewards, birthday clubs, referral points, email, whatever.

Store layout, is there a better way? What makes street traffic, if applicable, come in the door?

Customer Interaction: what you do or say first thing often tells the tale.

Anyhow, as I am out there calling on local businesses, I am finding the same old, same old story...which is many, if not most of them, are underprepared to own/operate a business, they throw a bunch of money into getting set up and very little into GETTING customers.

Very few are BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME type of businesses.

If you are inclined, there is a ton of money to be made, very low hanging fruit on the table for either a quick snackeroo of cash, or a long term on going residual monthly retainer.

I, currently, prefer the quick snack...like an In and Out Burger, I get in, get the moolah, get out and have both parties satisfied.

Give it some thought, many small businesses could use your expertise.

Gordon


GordonJ May 26, 2021 08:28 AM

My Larry, Curly and Moe...get busy you stooges!
 
Thanks Millard,

There are chattelers (flippers, buy/sellers, etc.) who like to buy and hold out for maximum profits, my older brother was like that with cars. Before he passed away, we did several deals a year flipping autos, but he was stubborn about getting what it was worth, while I wanted (always do) a FAST profit.

I counted out the 600 dollars to my "proto", three little stacks of money, 300, 200 and 100, called them Larry, Curly and Moe (had to explain who they were, YIKES, I'm getting too old man).

I told Curly (300) get to work you stooge and make 75 bux. Larry (200) had to earn 50 and Moe had to work the hardest and also earn 50 (but 35 minimum).

I was demonstrating a mind set. Assigning them little stacks of money a "personality" and asking them questions like what is listed on Facebook Marketplace, local Craigslist, Google and eBay for 300 dollars...spend the time looking for dollars Curly, not things. Larry and Moe had the same assignment.

Most know by now that I use eBay SOLD listings as one marker of market value, it is real time what something is worth to somebody.

They all had ONE week (coming up Friday) to hit their goals, so that 600 would be 750 bux seven days later and it already is, so the stooges all met their goals sans face slapping shenanigans.

In a few weeks, at a 1,000 dollar profit, there will be temptation to take the money out of circulation and this is where many folks peter out and try something else. A 1000 buckerooos, circulated weekly, should produce a 150 to 250 profit so keep them working.

Now when Larry, Curly and Moe each have 1k to work with, my "Prote" will have a steady weekly income of around 600 or the original investment back. At that point he can assign RISK/REWARD values, and let Curly use all 1k at a time and build it up whereas Moe and Larry have to divide their 1k into 3 little stacks...maybe Groucho, Chico and Harpo who then have to do their thing.

Now a safe way to KEEP your 600 is put it in a bank and don't touch it. Maybe after a few weeks, let Larry put his 1000 into a 6mo CD, and he can't touch that. Somewhere down the line, an opportunity for a bigger flip deal is going to take place, a chance to double 4k into 8 or something like that, often with a boat, RV or collectible, like a pocket watch.

These deals happen, but one can't sit around and wait for them because the more money you have in circulation, the more opportunity surrounds you.

It is all a game. We played Monopoly when a kid, why not play a little ChattelingOPOLY today? Also, maybe Curly hits his 2k mark and gets an offer from an IM Guru to get in on a Launch, where he reveals himself as the stooge he really is, or maybe Curly uses that launch, convinces the others to get into it too and they all get rich and live happily ever after.

Anyhow, there has never been a shortage of people with stuff to sell, and plenty of people to buy. I guarantee you buying and selling or FLIPPING is far easier than pulling a rabbit out of the hat, and OH MY, those little pellets that fellow leaves in the hat, yikes.

Gordon




Quote:

Originally Posted by Millard Grubb (Post 41932)
Gordon,

One phrase you mentioned I hadn't heard before but makes better sense than most of what I've heard lately...

"circulation beats storage"

Getting your money out, and working with it... over and over, is a sure way to long-term profits.

Seems to me a lot of folks miss this because they are looking for a big payday versus just the daily drip.... drip... drip of increase.

Your chattel report should be a MUST READ.

Thanks for your experience.



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