I shared this strategy while being interviewed by Jeff Walker about a decade or so ago.
Someone who watched that interview then used the same strategy effectively on me.
And the same strategy still works like crazy in 2021.
What I'm talking about is a method for getting the attention of a VIP or A-player prospective strategic alliance or joint venture partner.
It's simple...
Record a personal video for your VIP sharing whatever message you have for them.
Register a new dedicated domain name for the video like VideoForBobSmith.com.
(You can post the video on Youtube, if you want, and set it to Private. You don't need an actual web page to host or publish the video. Then you can just redirect the new domain to point to the URL of the private YouTube video.)
Then, send your VIP a simple message via direct mail letting them know you recorded a video for them. Of course, you'll need to dig-up their mailing address from the web.
The trick when mailing... use SendABall.com.
In the mail, your VIP will get an actual bouncy ball... the size of a small basketball... with your message written on it. (See an example above, the one sent to me years ago.)
Without question, it will make an impression and get read. Not too mention, drive the VIP to watch your video.
To seize the attention of a VIP, you need to do something unique. You need to standout. And you need to do it in a way which conveys... this is something special and personal just for you.
The ball, combined with the video and personalized domain name most certainly does that. Not too mention, also piques monster curiosity, which is always valuable.
As said, I've used this approach and had it used on me with great effect.
If there's a VIP you want to speak with, give this method a try.
I think you'll be pretty stoked with the results.
With that, let's get to this week's goodies...
MY FAVS THIS WEEK
- Email from Jeff Bezos to employees
A great example of how a leader speaks with their employees, and reframes a perceived negative as a major positive.
As well, I love his instruction about pursuing ideas and giving them room to breathe and take shape. - The no-mouse challenge: Taking the keyboard navigation red pill
Going from keyboard to mouse to keyboard to mouse is inefficient. Those added seconds add up when done hundreds of times a day.
That's why I'm a fan of maximizing my use of the keyboard and app shortcuts.
Without question, it increases efficiency.
This little article is a simple way to experience a bit of the keyboard-only approach firsthand. - 5 Commonly Used Phrases That Weaken Your Writing
I talked about this briefly in last week's Memo -- every marketing activity begins with writing. Many also end with writing.
It's a skill every entrepreneur and marketer should continually work on improving. Especially when it comes to writing with great clarity, and doing so with tighter, more concise words and sentences.
See how many of these 5 phrases you regularly use in your writing. And pay extra attention to number four.
It's a common weakener I see in lots of communications.
ODDITY FROM MY LIBRARY
This is the only book on idea generation you need. Seriously.
And, you can read it in an hour.
I've been recommending A Technique for Producing Ideas for years. I've probably given out two dozen copies over the past 5 years alone.
And, the method taught inside -- which is extremely simple and straight-forward -- is at the heart of my approach to generating Big Marketing Ideas.
If you haven't read it yet, I strongly encourage you to go grab a copy of this book right away. I believe the paperback version is like $5 bucks.
WHAT I'M TELLIN' MY TEAM
This week on our internal Team Marketing Training...
I did something different.
I gave my team an intimate peek into how I think about and develop new home run ideas for products and offers.
This is the most important topic and skillset I believe any marketing team can develop. It's at the root... the foundation... of big money marketing today.
Below are the five questions I ask as part of my process:
- What’s being talked about in the market… Good and Bad?
- Is there a problem I feel I can solve or something I can add to the conversation?
- Is there a unique angle or perspective I would take to address this problem/opportunity that I believe in?
- Can I find/present proof to support my unique angle?
- Are there unique terms/names I can use to describe the problem/opportunity and/or my approach to it?
TEAM TAKEAWAYS IN THREE BULLETS:
- We must invest in regular thinking time to keep our finger on the pulse of the market... and... to spot trends and opportunities on the horizon. This is not a one-time activity. It should be on-going.
- We're in the idea business. The quality of our ideas -- for our products, offers, and campaigns -- ultimately determines our marketing success. The better our ideas, the easier everything else is.
- Developing winning products, offers, and campaign angles and hooks requires looking at a few different aspects of the market. It's about our prospects, what they're exposed to and have seen already, what they want, what they don't want, and what would be viewed as new, unique, and different.
👍🏽 Get a copy, every week, of the complete, unedited recording of Todd's Marketing Team Trainings.
See everything, hear everything Todd shares every week.... every conversion tactic, copy hack, AOV booster, hook method, and more! Go here.
MY ADVICE
This question was posted inside the MFA Nation Facebook Group...
Below is my response:
***
NOTE: If you're not in the MFA Nation Facebook Group with us yet, you're missing out.
Go here and join us inside the MFA Nation Group (it's FREE!).
ROCKSTAR RESOURCE
I was in the cigar bar when this went down. I was one of the guest experts.
The gathering... and info shared... was pretty historic. You'll see why in the little sneak peek video above.
In a nutshell, about 20 millionaire marketers got together in Delray Beach, Florida for a 24-hour live stream. The majority shared their most coveted approach to customer generation.
And, the host, my buddy Rich Schefren, is giving away 10 of the expert talks, free.
It's well worth you you opting in for.
The first talk you'll see -- the one with my other friend, Mark Ford -- is priceless. Really.
If you're interested in hearing what was shared, go here and enter your best email address.
PIC OF THE WEEK
Created about 20 years ago, these cassette tapes were part of my first info-product.
I almost had... what felt like... a nervous breakdown trying to record these things. That's how terrified I was of botching them.
But, I did what I had to do, and toughed it out.
I only had a cheap $50 portable recorder to get the job done. And sat on the floor of my oldest daughter's bedroom, next to her crib, while recording.
Once done, I duplicated and labelled the cassettes myself.
These cassettes, and the product they were part of, became the bedrock of a business which eventually got to six-figures in sales a year.
To this day, I've never once listened to these cassettes.
Got serious sales chops?
Like... are you a pro at helping prospect's identify the best solution for their needs, and getting them committed to taking action ASAP?
If so, let's talk. We may have a place for you on the MFA Team.
Watch this short video first from our COO, Damian Lanfranchi.
If it sounds like something you'd be jazzed about, then click the button below the video and apply.
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