With that disclaimer, I think you’ll find this fascinating and maybe even useful.  You do a see a stark contrast in the availabilty of ‘free press’ as you navigate the world.  I don’t know if that is a function of reality or the research done to build this website (impressive to say the least).  I suspect it is some of both.  But this leaves little doubt regarding  access to ‘whatever is fit to print’ in our society.  Enjoy!

“The only thing that is more misunderstood than Marketing is love.” 

Successful marketing, in any situation, requires a clear understanding of what prospective customers will PERCEIVE as valuable.  In today’s economic conditions, that is more important than ever. 

How?  Simple, you have to get back to basics. 

You have to know the following five essentials:

1.     Know your prospects by knowing your current customers
2.     Know what customers will believe is your company’s real VALUE
3.    Keep your sales “pitch” focused on VALUE 
4.    Keep it simple
5.    Stay consistently visible 

1. Know Your Prospects By Knowing Your Current Customers
The first step is making sure you know WHY your current customers do business with you.  This is critical to turning prospects into customers. Too many businesses, in this economy, believe that the right prospects are defined as “anyone with money.” This is a fatal mistake. 

Because they believe that fatally flawed idea, some companies attempt to portray themselves as all things to all people. The rationale goes something like this: “If I limit my markets, I’ll miss opportunities.” However, most of the time, this approach is going to make selling harder, not easier. 

No matter how wonderful your product features and fanciful your approach is, the issue is simple and functional – if you don’t know WHAT they want to buy, and HOW they want to buy — you will be disqualified. 

2. Know What Your Current Customers Believe Is Your Company’s Real Value

“Mine” your current customers to find out WHY they bought – and, hopefully, continue to buy – from you.  You may be surprised to find out what they say, once you get past knee-jerk: responses like “you do a good job.”  What you REALLY want to know is HOW you got the chance to demonstrate that you were capable of doing a “good job.” 

Without being pesky, you have to GENTLY by asking questions like “what was it that convinced you to do business with my company?”  In many cases, the answer will be something like “because you were referred to me by someone I trust,” “because you seemed like a nice person and knew what you were talking about,” but the REAL reason is “because you didn’t waste my time, and found out that I needed X and convinced me that you could deliver it.”   

3. Keep Your Sales Pitch Focus on PERCEIVED VALUE

Every company must routinely question its own value proposition. WHY do your current customers buy your product or service? Is it because they see it as a “must have” or a “nice to have”?  These days, it has to be because it’s a “MUST have.” 

 To your current customers, “X” is what they PERCEIVE as the value you deliver.  In the marketing business, this because the basis of your value proposition – the “offer” you make to provide something that the customer sees as having value. 

SO – if you have done your homework, you will know WHY what YOU sell is perceived as a one of those oh-so-important “must haves.”  Make sure that everything you say or show is based on that “must have” perceived value. 

4. Keep It Simple

In the marketing business, “creeping elegance” is considered dangerous.  The more a prospect hears that sounds “complicated” the less chance you have to sell.  Many businesses get so wrapped up in going through an elaborate pitch, or feel that they have to “educate” their prospects to the point where they lose the sale.  

The majority of prospects care about THEIR issues, not yours.  If you stick to what they perceived as needed, make sure that you have presented your value proposition and that they understand it, you have much better than even odds to close a sale.  

And, once the prospect is nodding yes, smiling and agreeing – stop talking and close the sale.  Continuing to “pitch” after they have already agreed to buy is annoying and potentially fatal.  There’s absolutely nothing wrong with saying, “So, why don’t we just go ahead and pick a delivery date?”  If they’re happy, you’re done, if they have any issues – you have a chance to resolve them and move forward. 

5. Stay Consistently Visible

Make sure that you keep in touch.  Make an effort to email pertinent things to customers – forwarding information that relates to their business and could be of value is one way,  calling occasionally is another – best of all is to know when they will need MORE, and call to sell it.

I’m a real estate broker and specialize in property management through my brokerage, Jacobs Realty, Inc. I am also the broker of a residential sales brokerage, The Titan Group Inc., With six locations through out the state.

There is such a variety of events and trends in the bay area real estate market that you will find in each blog. I’ll do my best to keep you up to date on the state of the foreclosure market, trends in residential rentals, how home sales are going. Most of the articles and stats that I read lump the whole bay area into one goliath metropolitan area. I will break these things apart and give you an up front look at Pinellas county as well as Hillsborough county. The dynamics are often different and the statistics vary as well. We will follow how many of each type of property is making up our sales inventory, from short sales to foreclosed properties to traditional home sales. We’ll cover it all.

I’m looking forward from time to time to invite a guest blogger or two to contribute to this so we can read a variety of views and opinions on today’s bay area real estate market.

You are welcome to follow me on FaceBook or contact me by email.

I’m adding my mid-January Real Estate Newsletter to get this blog started.  Hope you find it informative.

Redistricting Options Narrowed – The Time Is Now To Voice Your Suggestions On The House’s Proposed Redistricting Maps! 

House Redistricting Committee’s Timeline Through January 27

Over the next two weeks, the House Redistricting Committee will workshop these options, and select and approve a State House map, a State Senate map, and a congressional map.  The Committee’s expected timeline for Weeks 2-3 of Session is as follows: 

•        Friday, January 20, 2012 – (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) – the Redistricting Committee will conduct a workshop of the seven redistricting bills listed above.  The Committee will not be taking any votes during this meeting.  

•        The workshop will be segmented into two parts. The first half of the meeting will be devoted to a review of public input received since the House’s options for congressional and state legislative maps were first published on December 6, 2011.  Additionally, we will be allowing public comment on the proposed maps at the meeting. The second part of the meeting will be devoted to staff presentations of the proposed maps.

 •        Friday, January 27, 2012 – (9.am. to 1 p.m.) – the Redistricting Committee will meet to take up and vote on one State House map, one congressional map, the State Senate map, and any timely filed amendments that pertain to those maps.

 The maps and additional information regarding the bills listed above can be viewed at at http://myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Redistricting/Redistricting2012.aspx. 

How to Provide Input

There are many ways to provide your input regarding the House’s options for redistricting: 

·         Send an email to mydistrictbuilder@myfloridahouse.gov

·         Post comments via Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MyDistrictBuilder

·         Send us a Tweet to @FLRedistricting

·         Blog on the Public Input page at http://mydistrictbuilderplanexplorer.wordpress.com/

·         Use MyDistrictBuilder to illustrate your suggestions

·         Send us a letter or postcard to Redistricting Committee, 400 House Office Building, 402 South Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399

·         Communicate to us via your legislators

·         Come speak at the January 20 workshop in Tallahassee

The foundation of our efforts will be better and more active use of our blog.  So this is a heads up, expect to see more regular and more substantive use of our blog from chamber staff and subject matter experts.  Stay tuned!

..

When I read this I immediately thought of Thomas Edison’s comment that “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration”.  Austin Madison’s observation is much the same but he’s about three times better than Edison on getting there.

May 17, 2011

To Whom it May Inspire, 

I, like many of you artists out there, constantly shift between two states. The first (and far more preferable of the two) is white-hot, “in the zone” seat-of-the-pants, firing on all cylinders creative mode. This is when you lay your pen down and the ideas pour out like wine from a royal chalice! This happens about 3% of the time. 

The other 97% of the time I am in the frustrated, struggling, office-corner-full-of-crumpled-up-paper mode. The important thing is to slog diligently through this quagmire of discouragement and despair. Put on some audio commentary and listen to the stories of professionals who have been making films for decades going through the same slings and arrows of outrageous production problems. 

In a word: PERSIST. 

PERSIST on telling your story. PERSIST on reaching your audience. PERSIST on staying true to your vision. Remember what Peter Jackson said, “Pain is temporary. Film is forever.” And he of all people should know. 

So next time you hit writer’s block, or your computer crashes and you lose an entire night’s work because you didn’t hit save (always hit save), just remember: you’re never far from that next burst of divine creativity. Work through that 97% of murky abyssmal mediocrity to get to that 3% which everyone will remember you for! 

I guarantee you, the art will be well worth the work! 

Your friend and mine, 

Austin Madison

 Now as you go into 2012 you have numerous choices and an uncertain landscape.  My advice is to remember that to be successful the formula contains at least ninety-seven percent persistence and perspiration no matter what.  That is not meant to be discouraging, on the contrary it is meant to encourage you to take full advantage of the moments of inspiration that will come your way.  Soemtimes they may be hard to recognize through all the sweat but don’t fall into the trap of thinking they are not there and can’t be achieved. 

So in 2012 the working phrase is – “Inspire while you Perspire! Bring it on!!!

“ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE!”

Of course you’re welcome at any time.  Taka a sneak preview of what we have to offer.