"Marketing Secrets, From a
Successful 'Karate' Expert..."

've been listening to audio recordings lately from one of Dan Kennedy's seminars. If you don't already know, Dan is one of the world's top copywriting and marketing experts.

I've got a whole filing cabinet drawer full of his stuff. However, with everything I've got going on at the moment, it's taken me a while to get through it, and there's still a ton of stuff to read, watch and listen to.

I wanted to share one of the pearls of wisdom with you...

During the seminar, Dan got someone up on the stage, who shared the secrets to his success. I can't remember the guy's name; all I can remember was that he runs a very successful Karate training school in the US.

He was talking about all the 'stuff' he does to bring in business for his Karate school. What he does is not particularly different from any other Karate school, or any other type of business for that matter.

What has made him really successful; is the sheer number of marketing methods he uses to bring in the cash.

I forget the exact number he said he uses, but we are talking DOZENS of different ways of getting paying customers for his business. Incredible!

Apart from the usual Yellow Pages ad, and an advert in the local newspaper etc.

• He writes a regular Karate column for his local newspaper
  
  
• Sponsors charity events
  
  
• Holds special self-defence classes for women
  
  
• Another one for disabled people
  
  
• Provides demonstrations in shopping malls
  
  
• He produces a quarterly newsletter
  
  
• Joint ventures with other local business and sport centres
  
  
• Uses discount vouchers
  
  
• Sends out leaflets
  
  
• Offers bulk discount packages for long-term bookings
  
  
• Offers gift packages for people wanting to buy a bunch of lessons for someone as present
  
  
• He sells a Karate training manual, via his school and also by using direct mail advertising
  
  
• He's also produced training videos, which are available in DVD as well. Again, both are available to buy off the shelf at this school, as well as being sold via direct mail.
  
  
• Offers incentives for people who get referrals
  
  
• He keeps an up to date list of all his customers, and regularly sends them special offers throughout the year.
  
  
• Customers that have been dormant for a very long time get offered a special incentive to come back for more classes.
  

He didn't mention everything he does, and I can't remember half the stuff he did talk about. I hope you get the gist of what I'm saying though. It's as if he's pretty much written down every possible way of bringing in cash for his business, and then gone out and done them all.

Now, if you are thinking that all this must be a load of hard work, you are dead right! That's the whole point! The average business owner can't be bothered with all that. That's why this guy is so successful...because he can be bothered!

Now that he's got everything rolling, he has plenty of free time on his hands. But it did take a lot of sweat and tears to get there.

Apart from the obvious financial rewards, the way he markets his business also gives it great stability.

Far too many businesses rely on two or three methods to get business. Some rely completely on one method for attracting new customers. That's just suicidal!

1. Take a business that relies on passing trade...
   
   What if a change in circumstance means that there is NO more passing trade?
   
   
2. A business that relies exclusively on Yellow Pages advertising...
   
   What if they accidentally forget to add your listing, and you don't realise until all the copies have been sent out? Could you survive a whole year without customers?
   
   
3. A website that relies completely on getting traffic from the search engines...
   
   What if Google changed their algorithm and your site is nowhere to be seen? Worse still, what if you get banned from Google because you were doing something that you didn't know was wrong?

Do you get it yet?

If you are running a business online or off, and you are relying on just one or two methods to bring in your business, you are really leaving yourself wide open for a fall.

Going that extra mile is what this is all about

It doesn't matter what business you are in...if you use MORE effective marketing methods than your competitors, then sure as damn it, you are going to bring in more businesses than they are.

Make a list...a very long list

Pick out one or two of the easiest ones to do first. Then keep adding new business generating methods to your arsenal every month. Before you know it, you've got little bits of money coming in from all over the place.

To look at this from a different perspective...

You might NOT have your own business right now. So, why not help and advise business owners to create multiple marketing methods. You could specialize in one particular niche. You'd get known as an expert at marketing for businesses in that niche. Just make a list of all the potential ways to bring in customers for that particular niche.

Then contact business owners with your strategy overview. You could charge them a one-off fee for a detailed marketing strategy manual, or maybe work with them as an on-going consultant for their marketing.

In the States, the aptly named Joe Polish, has become known as the expert authority on marketing for carpet cleaners. He is a typical example of someone that has developed a marketing strategy for that one particular niche.

There are plenty of businesses out there that don't have a clue how to market their business. You could start off by offering a paid on results type of service. Building up your confidence and a list of testimonials as you go.

If you concentrate on one particular niche, there will be less competition and a lot easier to become known as an expert marketer in that field.

That's all for today,

Jason Lewis
Editor - 'Business Brainwaves' Newsletter

P.S. If you fancy getting any of Dan Kennedy's products, speak to me first. I bought a ton of stuff from an authorized reseller on eBay, saving me over 50% on the prices listed on Dan's website (and it was all brand new). If you want to know who the eBay seller was I'll let you know.