Business Lyceum
e-Letter
Practical
Instruction in the Arts and Sciences of Making Money
FEBRUARY 2000
Greetings & Salutations:
Are You In Search of the Unique?
Here lately, I've had a number of calls saying ...
"I really need to find a unique product to sell by
mail or on the Internet" - or -
"My product doesn't have anything unique about it"
- or -
"How can I make my product more unique."
The first thing I tell them is to "go back and read the
book," again. -- Not my book, Dan Kennedy's book (or newsletter).
Dan Kennedy, as you should know, is the chief proponent of
using a "Unique Selling Point" ... or "Unique
Selling Proposition" (either way, I'll use USP from
now on) ... to market your products or services.
But, Dan does not say you have to have a "unique"
product, or find something "unique" about your product,
or make your product more "unique."
It is the "selling point" (or "selling proposition")
itself that has to be "unique" ... which may, or may
not, have to do with your product or service being unique.
As an example: Coffee is pretty much coffee ... isn't
it? -- But, Folgers is "Mountain Grown" coffee; while
Maxwell House coffee is "Good To The Last Drop."
Whoa! You say "Mountain Grown" coffee is unique.
Wrong ... caffeine breathe. All coffee is grown in the
mountains ... even Folgers ... because that's the only
place coffee plants grow.
Folgers used "Mountain Grown" as its USP for their
coffee back before most people knew coffee was only grown in
the mountains. -- Beyond that, once Folgers used that USP, no
other coffee company would dare say their coffee was grown in
the mountains, too. It would sound too much like they were
trying to copy Folgers.
Back when I was in the banking business, the USP I used for
our bank was "We Never Forget What Gives Money Its Value
... Somebody Exchanged Work For It!"
When you begin creating a marketing program for your products
(or services), before you do anything else, you need to make
two lists.
The first list is your Fact List. -- In that list,
you annotate everything about the properties of your product
... what it's made of ... where it comes from ... what it does
... what it doesn't do ... how it does what it does (Sometimes,
I go so far as to take a product apart and separately list every
component in it.)
Once you have your Fact List, you need to make a Benefits
List. -- I usually make two Benefits Lists. One is
labeled "Tangible Benefits" and the other
list is "Intangible Benefits." -- The
"Tangible" list may include the words "light weight,"
while the "Intangible" list may say, "you
can lift it with one finger." -- I try to write at least
one benefit ... preferably more ... for every item on the Fact
List. -- Get the idea?
When you have all your Facts and Benefits written down, read
those lists over and over until something "unique"
hits you between the eyes. It might be a phrase from your
Benefits List ... like "Good To The Last Drop" ...
or a descriptive from your Fact List ... like "Mountain
Grown."
Remember, it is the "selling point" that has to
be "unique" ... not necessarily your product or service.
-- But, you might not want to carry it too far.
Although I have wracked my feeble brain ... squeezed my little
grey cells until they cried ... I can't for the life of me remember
who it was who commented on an ad they had read. I can't
remember whether it was in one of Johnny Carson's monologues;
or some stand-up comic's routine, or if the ad being commented
on was even real but, the punch line; supposedly from the ad
itself, was ...
"Made From Real Plastic!"
That might be carrying the concept of the USP just a step
too far. Then again, it might just be "unique"
enough to grab the reader's attention and get them to read the
rest of the ad.
Note: If you are really serious about
learning how to market your products or services, do yourself
a favor ... go to your local bookstore and get everything (and
anything) written by Dan Kennedy - or - write to Dan and ask
for info about his stuff (just tell him ol'Jim sended ya so you'll
get the royal Kennedy treatment). -- Contact: DAN KENNEDY,
5818 N. 7th St. #103, Phoenix, AZ 85014 -- FAX: (602)
269-3113 -- OnLine: www.DanKennedy.com
Now, let's get on to some ...
Q&A
Q: First off, Attendee
Phyllis Utley asked:
"I have discovered that 'Trust' is indeed the most
valuable commodity in Cyberspace. The credibility of what you're
doing on the web is constantly being evaluated. Who has
provided the information on a website? Can the information
be trusted? Can the people behind it be trusted? Will an
order be secure? Without credibility, people are not going
to buy. My question is what do you think inspires trust
on the web??"
A: Trust ... on the web
(Internet), in mailorder, or anywhere else in business or life
... can only be "earned." Therefore, to inspire
'trust,' you must do those things which will allow you to "earn"
the trust of the people with whom you deal.
To begin with, how many times have you gone to a website and
discover there is absolutely no way of knowing 'who' operates
the site ... or how you can contact them (other than through
the website itself)? -- Then again, even when you contact them
through the website, how often do you get a prompt response that
actually "answers" your inquiry?
Unfortunately, too many petty crooks, phonies, flakes and
fakes love the Internet for the simple reason that they can claim
just about anything in their materials ... without much chance
of discovery ... because no one knows who they are. -- I have
also observed that too many otherwise honest people use this
same anonymity to simply hide the fact that they are beginners
in the business community, working from home, or just a small
operation. (A lesson they learned from the Internet-Gurus
who have told them that "on the Internet, you can look like
a BIG company.")
Throughout my 40 years (man & boy) in the business community,
I have found that "real" business people put their
"real" names and addresses on everything they do. --
If YOU don't want to put YOUR NAME on the products or services
YOU sell, either YOU or YOUR PRODUCT are suspect.
Even when I was barely dry-behind-the-ears, I used my real
name and address on everything I did. -- I never tried to change
people's opinions about dealing with a kid. -- If people didn't
want to deal with a kid, I accepted that as just another factor
I had to overcome by providing "superior" service to
those who would deal with a kid. -- I let my "customers"
convince the skeptics that I was worthy of their business.
(That's what "testimonials" are all about.)
Beyond that, if anyone ever asked, I admitted that I was a
kid. -- I didn't try to pretend I was anything other than what
I was.
Granted, I always attempted to present the best "professional"
appearance in all my dealings ... just like the Internet-Gurus
who tell you that you can have the appearance of a BIG company
on your website ... but, my "professional" appearance
was adopted because I tried in all ways to "conduct"
myself as a professional would in my dealings ... my purpose
was not to deceive.
Building "trust" in the business community requires
only that you identify yourself, put your best professional-foot
forward, admit your shortcomings, and "do exactly what you
say you can do" promptly and professionally. -- "Trust"
will come ... when you have earned it.
You can't earn anyone's trust, if your are anonymous.
Q: Attendee Sydney Freeman
is back again this month to ask:
"In your last issue one of your readers mentioned that
he had found a product from China and was going to represent
it in our country. Question: how do I go about locating
information on products from other countries? We are such
a huge and affluent market here in the USA and I know there are
many who would welcome my help once I learn how to find them."
A: That's an easy question.
-- There are, literally, thousands upon thousands of "trade
directories" published in the U.S. and around the world,
covering almost every product line you can imagine. -- First,
check your local Library. Or ...
You can buy a number of valuable trade directories from Selective
Books. -- They publish the "Hong Kong Trade
Directory," "Taiwan Trade Directory," "Philippine
Trade Directory," "Orient Trade Directory," and
"Mexico Trade Directory." -- Those directories
are only $15 each (postpaid). -- Each directory has hundreds
of sources ... with pictures of products ... in the area of the
world covered. -- Order them directly from: Selective
Books, Inc., P.O. Box 4342, Dalton, GA 30719 -- Phone/FAX:
(706) 272-3750
By the way, Selective Books was started by my ol'friend Lee
Howard, over 30 years ago. -- When Lee died a couple years
ago, his son took over and continued the business ... then, last
year, another ol'friend, Michael Penland (another mailorder
marketing master) bought the operation from Lee's son.
Continuing in Lee's footsteps, Mike maintains the quality
and integrity that made Selective Books one of the "best"
sources of "how-to" books, manuals and directories
in the industry. -- As a matter of fact, Mike has even continued
the Drop Ship Dealer Program and Wholesale
Price Structure that Lee originated over 20 years ago.
-- So ... if you happen to be into selling "how-to"
material, write to Mike and ask him for his drop ship and/or
wholesale set-up. -- You'll have a ho'bunch of new titles to
add to your website (if you are into Internet Marketing).
Q: Attendee Craig Cannon
wants to know:
"Can members submit articles for your review?"
A: Of course you may!
-- But, whether or not I share your articles with the Business
Lyceum Attendees will depend on their "value."
(Even advertising disguised as an article is hokey-dokey - but
- it still has to have "REAL" value for my readers.)
Can you stump the old master? -- Betcha can't!
Over the past 40 years (man and boy), I have made bundles
of money in direct selling, service contracting, wholesale merchandising,
entertainment (I was a professional Trumpet player, vocalist
& Radio Announcer), freight forwarding, import/export, retail
merchandising, warehousing, real estate, electronics manufacturing,
finder's fees, closeout merchandising, financial brokerage, business
consulting, steel fabrication, gold and coal mining, offshore
banking, mailorder, writing, and publishing. -- That being the
case ...
No matter what business you're in ... whether you're just
starting, well on your way, or at the top of the heap ... I've
probably been where you are, done what you are doing. -- So ...
Anytime you have a question about 'how' to do something
in your business - or - if you have any comments about
anything I've said in issues of this e-Letter; or if you want
to add your 2 cents worth ... just "ask" me or "tell"
me.
Send your Questions, Comments or 2 Cents Worth to ...
with "Question" - "Comment" -
or, "2 Cents Worth" in the SUBJECT.
If I, personally, don't have an answer to any question you
may ask, I will contact some of the professionals in your field
of endeavor (I will probably know one or more personally) to
get the real 'skinny' for you.
Well ... that's it for this month. -- In order to make every
issue responsive to YOUR needs, please send me your questions;
or tell me what sources or resources you need to build your business;
or give me any thoughts you want to share with your fellow members.
Believe it or don't ... I ain't a mind-reader. -- If'n you
doesn't tell me what you need, I may never touch upon the information,
sources or resources you need.
This is your publication for you to use to your benefit ...
I am just your moderator.
Until next month, keep well ...
J.F. (Jim) STRAW
Unique Super Personality
Thought For The Month!
"Just nodding your head won't row the boat."
-- Irish Proverb
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Copyright - 2000, J.F. (Jim) Straw. All rights reserved.