Major Communications Special Article

The Success Doctor™'s 10 Commandments of Power Positioning

Copyright © 1998 Michel Fortin, Ph.D.
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INTRODUCTION
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"The key to marketing success is simple. Find the right message, use the right media, and deliver it to the right market." —Dan Kennedy

Welcome to The 10 Commandments of Power Positioning! The following report is packed full of powerful marketing secrets that will help you and your business enhance its image and increase its business... Effortlessly! I invite you to come in and enjoy the many strategies it contains. While this report is copyrighted, I give you the permission to print these pages for your own reading convenience. However, please remember that the sensitive information you are about to uncover are considered as "trade secrets" and provided for your eyes only. They are strictly limited to you and your business.

Nevertheless, I'm positive that these techniques will profoundly impact your results, and I'm not saying this lightly. After 15 years of experience in sales and marketing, and the last 6 years of my career dedicated exclusively to the service and professional industries, these techniques (although applicable to every industry, every product or service, and every profession) can become of an enormous benefit to sales professionals of all types, small to medium-sized businesses, consultants, specialists, and even skilled workers and independent contractors. and thank you for your interest in The Success Doctor™! Any suggestions or comments, especially those I can use in future works? Please e-mail me today!

Good luck and best wishes!
Dr. Michel Fortin, Ph.D.

P.S.: This book contains many examples in order to illustrate how the 10 Commandments can be applied in various situations. Many names have been changed in order to protect the innocent (innocently successful, that is), and others are purely fictional. Similarities were neither implied nor intended. As in all cases, individual results may vary from those depicted. In addition, wherever the neuter is not used in this book, the male gender was used for simplicity sake. Oh, and one final note. I am a business person just like you and not a lawyer by any means. The advice contained in this manual is strictly for educational purposes. Therefore, if you wish to apply ideas contained in this manual, you are taking full responsibility for your actions. I strongly encourage you to first check with the appropriate professional or authoritative body (e.g., lawyer, accountant, agency, etc.) when in doubt. Now, read on!

WARNING
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This small booklet contains The Success Doctor™'s 10 Commandments of Power Positioning, a set of powerfully effective strategies that have made tons of profitable business for many entrepreneurs and professionals like you. These ideas are distilled from my full-day Miracle-Making Marketing™ intensive training seminars that have cost some people up to $2495 to learn. They are offered to you here for a much more moderate investment that, if applied properly, will return your investment a thousand times over! may have purchased this book in order to find enough work for yourself until you've reached a comfortable plateau, or you may be like the many people who want clients to come crashing down their doors. But whether you want a little or a lot of business, these techniques are so simple that they can be easily applied by both of these types of entrepreneurs. In the simplest terms that I can use, these techniques work (and work, and work, and work)!

You're reading from someone who's learned that the hard way. I am (and still am) continually on the frontlines, day after day, doing what most of you are trying to do — and that's getting more business. I have oftentimes failed miserably, but I have also reached many phenomenal successes. And these strategies are but the result of years of wisdom-building, hard-knocking, trial-and-error, fall-flat-on-your-face-and-dust-yourself-off experience. Believe me, they are far from being mere puffery! these techniques are tried and proven, they do, however, require some work on your part. In other words, many of these systems are generic in nature and will require some time and creative effort for their specific application. It is not so much that they are too vague or that they require a lot of investment. These concepts simply are tools to help you build your own unique style and thus create endless streams of new, repeat, and referral business for yourself. They do so because they all come back to one basic, fundamental marketing principle, which is that of positioning power!

Long gone are the days of knocking on — and sometimes down — doors to get business, let alone just to get people's attention. Long gone are the days of using the phone to such an extent that your ear starts to shape itself into a phone's headset. And long gone are the days of bruised knees that came as a result of constantly begging your customers to give you mere table scraps of their business. In short, prospecting is out. Positioning is in. , let's start and get right down to the nitty-gritty. However, before we begin, a warning here is needed. It's been my experience to know that some of you reading this booklet are the kinds of businesspeople who wish to project a certain image about yourselves or about your businesses into the marketplace. More concerned with "looking" good than making money, your ego may often end up in the way of following these practical steps and, consequently, making the money you truly deserve. As an old mentor of mine used to say, "Do you want to be right or do you want to be rich?"

Others among you are probably used to traditional, MBA-style, statistical-analytical types of knock-until-you-drop marketing approaches. For you, my techniques may outright rub you the wrong way. I am not implying that they are illegal, aggressive, or denigrating. Far from it. They are, however, practical and terribly effective techniques that are essential to not only survive but also thrive in today's increasingly hypercompetitive marketplace. you want more business, then read on. These techniques will help you do just that in a professional and yet powerful way. Follow the 10 Commandments if you will, but ignore them at your own risk!

TOP-OF-MIND AWARENESS
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Before we begin, you must understand the concept that underlies the commandments that will follow. In today's society, we have experienced 2 major shifts that have revolutionized the entire business landscape. The first and most important one is competition. The mere fact that business is becoming increasingly hypercompetitive is an understatement. Home-based businesses and self-employed professionals are growing at an explosive rate.

This is not a mere trend, since it was the way things used to be up until the 20th century. Whether you were a farmer, a blacksmith, or a storekeeper, everybody was an entrepreneur in those days. But when the industrial age took over the agrarian age, more and more people started to rely on full-time, permanent, secure, pension-oriented jobs. Today, those things have become mere antiques! For instance, in the 40's people held on average 2 jobs during their entire lifetimes. But today, that number has risen to 14 and still growing. home-based business boom is far from being just a boom. And the reason for this stems from the second shift that has taken place, which is information. Along with the eruption in multi-channel broadcasting, digital technology, and cellular telecommunications, the Internet is skyrocketing in population with every single hour! The ability to retrieve information in nanosecond speed has caused entire layers of middle managers from huge corporations to fall the way of the dinosaurs. Snail mail and high-traffic shopping malls are also on the brink of becoming extinct. The information age notwithstanding, with more and more employers facing disgruntled employees in today's highly litigious atmosphere, jobs are soon becoming things of the past. , what does all this mean? It means that, for a person or business to be able to be and remain in business, marketing strategies must be such that it places that person or business at the top of prospects' minds at all times. It is not so much to look for more business but to be the business of choice. For every category of business that exists out there, there are thousands of competitors fighting for the same market. And since the information revolution has helped to educate people on what's available, there's really no longer a need to prospect for and persuade people in order to have them "buy into" an idea.

The goal, nowadays, is to be the one that they choose to buy from or do business with amongst all other possibilities. Marketing, therefore, must be such that, if and when a prospect needs a particular product or service, one's firm comes to their minds in an instant. In other words, positioning is a process by which a psychological "anchor" has been placed into the minds of prospects so that they come to choose one specific person or company over another. of-Mind Awareness is a term originally coined by Ellis Verdi, the once president of the National Retail Advertisers Council and owner of a prestigious marketing and advertising agency in New York. He said that what most people wrongfully seek to accomplish in their promotional efforts is to get cashflow and not results. And they usually accomplish this by offering sales, promotions, discounts, and price reductions. As he said at a recent conference, "Discounting is like a drug. It brings in some business, and for some it may even bring in a lot of business. But the effect usually wears off and the company will soon find itself with the need to discount further in order to create more business let alone to stay in it."

Top-of-mind awareness, however, is such that with it there is no need to use price-based promotional methods. What it does is 2 things. 1) It psychologically impacts people so that the mere mention and knowledge of one's company or service inherently creates a need for them. And 2) it places one at the top of the market's consciousness so that one is instantly chosen when people want what that person or firm has to offer. is therefore a result of creating that top-of-mind awareness. The following 10 Commandments of Power Positioning all reflect this powerful concept, a concept so simple and yet remarkably more effective, more affordable, and, of course, more effortless than any other marketing strategy devised.

COMMANDMENT #1 THOU SHALL NOT COPY
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If there's one problem in all advertising, in all marketing, in all promotional efforts, it is the sheer fact that there is too much competition out there. If one copies another company let alone another company's promotional efforts, it only serves as a reminder of one's competition. Therefore, you don't want to remind your prospects about your competition, do you? So don't copy them, or as Earl Nightingale once said, "Don't copy, create!" Be unique. Be original. Be so different that, if possible (and it is), your name or the name of your firm as well as the services you deliver become generic in the minds of prospects. never heard a doctor say, "Take two acetylsalicylic acid tablets and call me in the morning," have you? What about "facial tissue," "cotton swab," or "adhesive bandage"? No. It's Aspirin, Kleenex, Q-Tip, and Band-Aid. And that's not all. Xerox, FedEx, Velcro, Fast Track, Kwik Kopy, and Quick Lube all stick like glue in the minds of prospects. How is this possible? There are many reasons for this. The first and most likely reason is that many of these firms created not only a new product or service but also a whole new category to place them in (see Commandment #2). now, let's stick to the idea of "uniqueness." This concept might seem far-fetched for the type of product or service you offer, but in reality it really isn't. As expressed earlier as well as stringently taught in my seminars and consulting practice, top-of-mind awareness is the greatest key to marketing success in all facets and types of business. Top-of-mind awareness is a process by which an "anchor" in the subconscious of prospects has been created.

When deciding to find out about the type of service you provide, let alone when deciding to buy the type of service you offer, your name, the name of your firm, and/or the name of your product or service must come to your prospects' minds instantaneously. How is this done? Well, there are many ways to accomplish this, but let me share at least 2 of them with you. first and most important is names (or in other words packaging). Does your company or service name intrinsically reflect the type of service you offer and does so instantaneously? If not, you might want to reconsider renaming your company or service. For example, if I told you "Kwik Kopy," you will automatically think of a company offering quick copies! You might say, "Yeah, but that's only for big chains with big budgets!" Participants in my seminars have told me this many times over. My answer usually is, "But how do you think they became large chains anyway?"

Today, it astounds me to see companies with names that mean absolutely nothing, such as acronyms like "DFG Enterprises" or names that do not reflect the competitive advantage — let alone the nature — of the business. If you are a computer network consultant, are you called, "Mike Fortin, Consultant," or are you called "Practical Technologies, Ltd."? What's better: "John's Dry-cleaners"? Or "Spotless Cleaners, Inc."? You see, the name of your firm should intrinsically reflect what you do, what you have to offer, and how you are different from your competition, in just a few words.generally requires a great deal of creative skill. In my copywriting and consulting work, when I am refining a firm's corporate identity some names will pop instantly into my mind while others take more time and effort. So, here's a helpful hint. Try writing down as many names as possible — at least 20 — and pass it around among friends, family, and acquaintances. Ask them what pulls them the most. Look for the "Aha's!" or the "Wow's!" These are the ones you want.

If not, either you will have one or two that stick out, or words from a combination of two or three of your names that can be used wonderfully together. Listen to what your "peanut gallery" has to say, but also read between the lines. Many people will tell you what they think "looks" best, but remember that your goal is not to look better but to get busier. Watch their facial expressions when they read your names. Ask them a few hours later what stuck in their minds and not just the ones they remembered as being the ones they liked best. , there are exceptions to this rule. Many of you are self-employed, unincorporated, and home-based, and therefore do not use names at all. In this case, a second technique is to add a tagline to your own name. A tagline is a small sentence, preferably 5 words or less, that complements your name and says it all in one single swoop. I'm sure you've heard of "Enjoy the Ride (Nissan)," "Fights Cavities (Crest)," "Kills Bugs Dead (Raid)," or "The Midas Touch (Midas)." You can do this with any name.

For instance, a self-employed computer technician, such as "John Smith, Consultant," added some flair to his name by using a tagline in all his marketing pieces (ads, letterhead, business cards, media and promo kits, etc), which read: "John Smith, Solutions Made Simple." An interior designer, Gloria Tessman, now markets herself as "Gloria Tessman Equals Glorious Interiors." A business etiquette consultant calls himself "Brian Whelan, Where Protocol Meets Profits." In either case, whether you have a unique name or not, try to add a tagline to your name, one that truly communicates all that you are.

Make sure to use your tagline in all your communications, promotional pieces, as well standard stationary. Additionally, every single nook-and-cranny of your operations — even breathing! — should in itself become a fundamental marketing process. Remember to look at every aspect of your business, whether it's answering your phone, writing your invoices, mailing your brochures, and even handing out your business cards. It should all become part of a marketing approach in which it emphasizes your uniqueness through your special name or tagline.

For example, do you have an answering machine message that says, "Sorry, but I'm not here to take your call right now…"? Ugh! Don't do that. Make your machine work for you. Change it to something like "You've reached Terry Crawford, the Teacher's Teacher. I am currently teaching another successful How to Make Mega-Profits Teaching Corporations Part-Time, designed for high school and college teachers. If you wish to leave a message or would like to receive my free report 8 Ways to Make Classes Cook for Cash, please give me your name, address, with postal code, and telephone number in case I need to reconfirm your address, after the tone. Thank you for your interest in the Teacher's Teacher! (Beep)" the above example, several other Commandments are followed. We will deal with these aspects in greater detail further on, but for now just realize that everything you do must become a part of creating top-of-mind awareness. You don't need huge advertising budgets to make this work. Once you've got this down, use it in all your communications. You have to live, sleep, eat, and breathe your new name or tagline. In Commandment #2, I will discuss this a little further, especially with what I call an Elevator Calling Card. For now, don't copy. Make yourself unique!

COMMANDMENT #2 THOU SHALL APPOINT THYSELF
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A recently understood segment of marketing is the immense power behind categories. Often, many businesses build their entire marketing strategy around a particular brand and its "better" benefits, only to have it all go down the drain in the end. Remember the "New Coke"? In the 80's, Pepsi conducted what they called "Take the Pepsi Challenge," or the "Pepsi Taste Test." Coke, on the sidelines, saw the results and heard from their own research that a newer, better tasting brand would take the market by storm. Three years later, not only were they forced to reintroduce the older version under the banner "Classic Coke," but they also had to eventually wipe the new Coke out. "Better" is not always better.

In the 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, Ries and Trout made what I believe to be the most powerful notion ever conceived in the world of business, in that marketing is not a battle of products but a battle of perceptions. My mentor used to tell me that "Perceived truth is more powerful than truth itself," and I agree. For instance, a large airline company recently conducted a survey among its passengers in order to perform some marketing research. And to the question, "If your food trays were dirty, would you assume that the airline also does poor maintenance on its engines?" the answer was, as illogical as it sounds, "yes" for an overwhelming 86% of participants! Marketing is all about perception.

The greater portion of my business development career has been in cosmetic surgery and medical practices. I often ask doctors this question: "Look at the leaders in your field. Are they famous because they're busy, or are they busy because they're famous?" For example, a particular hair transplant doctor is one of the first surgeons in Canada to perform this type of surgery and has been instrumental in the popularization of hair transplantation. In addition to the fact that he maintains a portfolio of celebrity patients, he is widely recognized among the public to be the best surgeon there is, and that, whether he is indeed the best or not. However, cosmetic surgery is a matter of "artistic ability" and not of historicity let alone fame. But you see, when people perceive you to be the best, it is much more powerful than being the best in the first place.

If you have a product or service that is the best or that you perceive as being the best, it may not be a shared perception among your target market. However, whether your product or service is better than your competition or not, if people perceive you as a leader in your field or category, they'll automatically assume that you're the best. People will often say, "They must be the best, 'cause they're the leaders!" Now, all of this is fine and dandy, but you're probably wondering at this point how in the heck you can accomplish this yourself.

Before I show you how to do that, let me give you an example. If I asked you who was the third person to fly over the Atlantic in a solo flight, many of you are not history buffs and would more than likely be stumped with that one. However, most of you know that Lindbergh was the first person to fly over the Atlantic. Being the first, he comes to mind immediately. So, rather than ask you who was the third person to fly over the Atlantic, if I asked you the same question but rephrased in another way, as in "Who was the first woman to fly over the Atlantic in a solo flight?" Of course, it's Amelia Earhart.

This is the power of self-appointment. One of my favorite marketing gurus is Dan Kennedy, author of the best-sellers No B.S. Business Success and No B.S. Sales Success. He stresses that "You don't need someone else's permission to become successful." When it comes to marketing, he is absolutely right. Many people try to compete and may even get the first commandment down pat, but where they often fail is in creating top-of-mind awareness by drowning their image in a currently known category — or ladder, if you will.

Everybody knows who is the first in some category or another, but rarely do people remember who's second, let alone third. And one of the biggest faults businesspeople have is in attempting to market themselves as a better firm, with a better product or service, at better rates. Let me share with you a secret that might shock you — if I haven't done it already: Nobody cares. Nobody cares if you're the best or #1. NOBODY! Even when people say they have chosen a firm over another because they have a better product, they only think they do and were initially attracted to that particular company for other reasons — probably at a subconscious level — or, in the very least, they will not stay with that firm for long.

People want the best, the newest, the freshest, the leading product or service in any given field. And when I say the "best," I don't necessarily mean the "best" but what people perceive as being the "best." So, what do you do in order to produce this effect? If there's no category you can be first in, create one. As Dan Kennedy said, you don't need other people's permission to do that. Creating your very own category is powerful because it is impossible for your competition to copy you.

Look at your background. Look at your clients. Look at your specialty. Are there any awards you and/or your products or services have won? Are there any unique references or endorsements you can obtain from local celebrities or famous clients? Do you or your company possess any special accreditation, certifications, or memberships in specific groups? Are you the first to cater to a specific target market? For example, you might be a travel consultant selling business trips that cater exclusively to financial institutions and brokers. You might market yourself as "the first to serve the financially inclined," "the world leader in business trips for bankers," "we take the risk out of travelling for those who deal with it everyday," or "the financier's travel agent." Don't be the best in some category, be the first in one!

Before we go to the next Commandment, I must share with you a small tip that is relevant to both the two first commandments. Do you have what is called an elevator calling card or speech? And if so, does it create instant, top-of-mind awareness? An elevator calling card is what you say when you introduce yourself and it usually includes a sentence or two (30 words or less) that states concisely and effectively who you are and what you do. How do you do that? Think benefits. Why should your clients hire you? Why should they buy from you? Why should they even listen to you? And better still, why should they remember you at all?

When you introduce yourself to people, are you telling them who you are and what you do? If you do, please take this advice: You must stop it right now! I know, I know. You're probably thinking, "What? He wants me to stop telling people what I do? But how will they know who I am let alone remember me?"

Before we go further, let me explain what I mean. In my seminars, I teach something I call the "Ketchup Principle." Let's say you've just met a salesperson and, after introducing himself, gives you a presentation. He is dressed absolutely impeccably, gave a perfect spiel, and conducted a more than perfect meeting with you. But all throughout the encounter, you couldn't stop but notice that he had a little spot on his tie, a little ketchup stain if you will. Two weeks later, however, if I would ask you, "What do you remember most about your meeting with this man?" More than likely, the first thing that would pop into your mind is — yup, you guessed it — the ketchup stain! Now, as the old saying goes, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression!" This applies even to the simplest of things, such as names. How often have you met people only to forget their names only moments later? So, the bottom-line is for you or your firm to stick in the minds of the people you've just met. Again, it is not so much that you need to persuade this potential client (or potential referral of clients) to do business with you. The trick is to have you in your prospects' consciousness at all times.

Therefore, when you introduce yourself, use your unique name and tagline, as well as the benefits of the results you provide, and not just what you do or the name of the firm you work for. For instance, don't say, "My name is Mike Fortin. I do consulting work" or "I am a marketing consultant." Rather, say, "My name is Mike Fortin, the Success Doctor. I help businesses create endless streams of new, repeat, and referral business." (By the way, that's my elevator speech!)

Not only will it arouse interest but it will also make your name stick in their minds, which is what you really want. That person will either remember you when needing what you have to offer, refer you to others when the opportunity presents itself, or talk about you openly, especially when people that person knows bring up the subject. That's the power of what I call "Crazy Glue for the Mind!"

Here are some other examples. If you're a computer consultant specializing in network solutions, don't say, "My name is Elaine Wilson. I am a computer consultant specializing in local and wide area networks." Instead, say, "My name is Elaine Wilson of Network Magic. I am a consultant helping corporations improve their operational efficiency and bottom-line profits by solving their computer network headaches." Don't say, "My name is Jack Vidoli, and I am a management consultant specializing in accounting processes." Rather, say, "My name is Jack Vidoli of A Knack with Knumbers. I specialize in helping firms save time, effort, and money by simplifying their accounting systems." Now, do you see the difference?

This in itself puts you in a whole different category, but I must stress the importance of being the leader in a category and using it in all your communications, especially when giving your elevator speech. If you're not the first in some category or another, be the first in one you've created.

COMMANDMENT #3 THOU SHALL MAKE THE ORDINARY EXTRAORDINARY
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So, now you've got a unique name, possibly a tagline, and you're the first or leader in your unique category. What about the service or product you offer? Do you offer an extraordinary product or service, or do you offer an ordinary one? You see, even if the service you provide is customary, most likely traditional, and probably offered by your competition, you should make it "look" unique just as well.

Remember that perception is more powerful than truth. You don't need to emphasize that your product or service is unique or the best. Trying to do so or declaring that it is can sometimes be worse than not saying anything at all, and the reason for that is that it makes you appear as if you are bluffing or exaggerating at best. For instance, if you told people that you're product or service is #1 in the marketplace, your clients will probably either laugh at you or in the very least question your statement. But if you put a name on your product or service, even a trademark if possible, you will indirectly cast an aura of exclusivity and superiority and do so without utterly flaunting it.

By the way, please note that trademarks don't need to be registered, unless you are looking for financial compensation if someone ever copies you. In that case, you must go through a trademark lawyer to register your name or names. I am not a lawyer and please do not consider this as legal advice. I strongly recommend that you see a trademark or corporate lawyer for assistance in this area, especially if you're seeking to completely prevent any form of piracy. However, after registering your trademark, you will be able to use the "®" (registered trademark) symbol rather than the "™" in all your communications, and keep copycats at bay or even sue them should they ever use your names or taglines.

Nevertheless, remember that perception is powerful. When it comes to the perception of a product or service — and especially service — it will generally fall into either one of 3 categories. The first one is a customary service, the second is an assumed service, and the third is a unique service. Let's take a look at each element in more detail.

A Customary Service
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You might be a bookkeeper offering an income tax service as part of your portfolio, a service that is also widely offered by most bookkeepers these days. However, don't just leave it like that. Say, "Ask us about our special Total Tax Tranquillity™ service." If you're a dry-cleaner offering a tie cleaning service (as most dry-cleaners do), don't just call it a "tie cleaning service," call it a special name, as in "Bring your ties out of retirement with our Re-TIE-rement Reversal™ process." I know what you may be thinking right now. You're probably thinking that you are a professional representing a high class, high quality product or service, and that this type of strategy doesn't apply to you. As a business development consultant specializing in medical practices, I deal with a very professional clientele and hear this all the time. However, I still say that it is possible for you to use this technique, even in these circumstances.

For example, I often go through the yellow pages (in the doctor and dentist sections) to find potential clients. I was immediately struck by an ad from a dentist who specializes in pain and anxiety management. She has an anesthetist on staff and uses intravenous and general sedation for her patients, in order to make the process of dental work a more comfortable experience. What did her ad say? The headline is made up of two simple words: "Dream Dentistry.™" Now that's good!

In essence, even if your service is customary or your competition offers the same thing you do, by putting a name on an often-nameless service, you cast an aura of uniqueness and superiority instantaneously, without having to state it outright. As one of my mentors used to say, "Implication is more powerful than specification!" The resulting effect is that not only does the name keep you in the back of the minds of your prospects, it also creates curiosity, arouses interest, and enhances desire. By and large, if people had to choose between a general product or service and one that, through its name, implies a better or more unique kind of product or service, more than likely they will go for the second option.

For instance, if you owned an imported car that needed a brake job, whom would you choose: A general mechanic? Or one who specializes in imported cars by marketing its service as "Are your brakes screaming in a different language? Come and see us for your Quicker-than-Customs™ foreign car brake inspection"? You get the picture. (Whoops! I'm getting ahead of myself again, since this example also reflects Commandment #4, which is the power of specialization. But I guess you're getting used to me by now, right? 'Nuff said.)

An Assumed Service
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Speaking of mechanics, are you a mechanic and, as normal practice, offer free estimates? If you are a mechanic, you most likely do. Everybody expects free estimates from mechanics or garages these days. However, as simple as it may sound, if you specify that which is usually taken for granted, you make your name stick! For example, you might call your free estimate "The Hassle Freedom Formula™" or the "No Greater than Guesstimate Estimate.™" Either that or the tagline could simply be "Where Smiles and Estimates are Free!™"

You see, it might sound silly but the attractiveness of this process is so simple. People may or may not know that garages offer free estimates and, more often than not, they only assume that they do. But with a service name in which people are told that their estimates are free, they are now assured that that particular garage offers free estimates. In other words, you're turning an assumed service into an assured service in the minds of people. And in this day and age where people no longer have the time to shop around, when they'll need the services of a mechanic your name will pop into their minds instantaneously. This technique is indeed remarkably effective.

As shown in the previous example, making the ordinary extraordinary is like turning the assumed into the assured. In fact, there is an immense power behind guarantees, and I love marketing on this remarkable concept. Some people think that guarantees are outdated, overused, and ineffective. I know for a fact that that's not true.

People not only love guarantees, but as I said earlier, in today's hypercompetitive marketplace you need to stand out like a sore thumb. And a good way to do this is by offering a guarantee in one form or another so that, when placed side-by-side with a competitor, you will be the one who's chosen. Guarantees sometimes frighten businesspeople because it involves taking a great risk on the part of the entrepreneur. The possible loss of revenue is indeed a frightening idea for many people. But if you have a good product, have had good experience with it, and believe in it wholeheartedly, guarantees can become powerful weapons in building your business.

However, if you still feel that you can not offer guarantees or if your type of work stops you from doing so (as, for instance, in the case of cosmetic surgeons who are legally prohibited to guarantee their work), there are 3 key areas here you may want to consider. First, does your product or service provide a measurable result? Second, can your product or service be easily replaced? And third, do you offer additional services outside your core portfolio? If you're not prepared to give a full-money back guarantee, you might want to consider adding or subtracting something instead.

Let me give you some examples. You're a sales training consultant offering seminars on sales productivity. You might want to offer a guarantee that promises an increase in your client's sales results by, say, 25% following your seminar. If your client's salesforce doesn't meet this goal within a specific period of time, you could offer an additional seminar or one-on-one consulting (perhaps telephone consulting) free of charge.

You may be a marketing consultant compensated on a percentage of the client's sales. As a name for your guarantee, you may want to call it "Doubling the Profits by Dividing the Risk™ guarantee." Additionally, you might give an additional product or service free of charge as a way to thank your client for his or her business. In this case, don't just offer it as a standard part of your package; market it in the form of a guarantee.

If, for instance, you are a project management consultant in the computer field, you could add a bonus-training seminar to be conducted after your consulting contract is completed in order to guarantee that people implement and maintain your work effectively. You can call it "The After-Project Assurance™ plan" or the "Perfect Project Plus™ guarantee."

In essence, the idea is to guarantee, in the minds of prospects, that which is a generally assumed part of your business. If the prospect perceives that doing business with you has some added value, even if that which you offer is identical to your competition or included in a total package, you will be able to destroy your competition easily! Often, the problem not only lies with what prospects perceive but also with what businesspeople perceive. They too wrongfully assume that parts of their product or service are not important or, as one doctor-client of mine once said, that "it all comes with the territory." I'm sure you've heard the old joke about what happens when you assume… Well, you get the picture.

By the way, that client of mine removes stitches from and follows up with his patients after surgery and doesn't bill them for these seemingly "ordinary" services. In fact, these additional small steps are common practice throughout the entire medical community. I asked him to put a name on it. He now calls it his "Patient Progress™ program." Remember, if you turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, you will turn ordinary marketing into extraordinary results.

A Unique Service
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Above all, you may still be offering some very special or unique service that your competition doesn't offer at all. That's great! However, the same rule applies here. Don't just leave it to a vague title or description. Put a name on it and christen your unique service. If, for instance, you're a management consultant offering seminars on how to get the most out of a particular software program you've customized and the software programmer or company endorses your efforts, call it the "(Software Company) Certified Software Seminar," or the "(Software) Approved Preferred Client Course."

While having a unique product or service beats the previous two categories in creating top-of-mind awareness, it doesn't have to be an entirely new thing. It can be copied and customized in such a way that it appears unique or new. Many people have made fortunes by simply improving a current product or service by merely 10% yet packaged it in an entirely different way. Remember the "pet rock"?

This goes back to the issue of perception. Once, on an Oprah Winfrey Show, Oprah had conducted an apple juice taste test in malls across the United States. I believe the program was related to how people could be mislead through marketing. (However, she was focusing on companies using false or misleading advertising, but the test revealed some interesting facts nonetheless.) She had two bottles of apple juice. One was a plain, white plastic container with a label donning a picture of an apple. The second bottle, however, was an intricately shaped glass bottle carrying a red label with the picture of a woman preparing apple juice in her kitchen. When people were asked which apple juice tasted better, over 72% said that the juice from the glass bottle with the red label tasted better. The surprise came when she announced to her audience that the juices from both bottles were exactly the same!

Not bad, isn't it? But it didn't stop there. When she asked her participants why they chose the juice from the red labeled bottle, their answers were astonishing. They said, "It tastes really good, much better than the other one." Or, "it's sweeter tasting, it has more flavor." Or, "It has to be better, the picture on the bottle with the lady preparing the juice indicates to me that more care and attention was given into making it."

It all boils down to the fact that perceived truth is indeed more powerful than truth itself. So, when it comes to your unique product or service, pay close attention to how you package it, or in other words to the name and description you put on it. This is how brand names have become generic in the minds of people. However, it is difficult for me to give you specific examples at this point since the uniqueness of your service will determine your entire approach.

The key is to market your "original" product or service in such a way so that, if it is ever copied, your product or service's name remains firmly fixed in the marketplace and that your competitor's attempt to copy you will only but remind your prospects of you. If you can, add a guarantee or a tagline to your product or service, such as "Flat-Rate Fashion Facials.™ Flat Out Fantastic!" Ultimately, make your product or service outstanding by making it stand out!

COMMANDMENT #4 THOU SHALL FIND MORE WITH LESS
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The most common mistake newcomers to any field of business make is to think that by expanding their portfolio they will "secure" more business, and nothing can be further from the truth. For instance, a management consultant friend of mine who I believe had a knack for the human resource arm of the government also offered bookkeeping services because she thought that having more to offer will keep her busier — and then she wondered why she wasn't getting any work!

The truth, however, is that specializing and narrowing your focus as much as possible will increase the likelihood of you getting more business. An accountant specializing in car dealerships will get more business than a general accountant will. An advertising consultant specializing in print media for home furnishing stores will get more business than a typical advertising agent will. A photographer specializing in weddings will get more business than a regular photographer will. And the list goes on and on.

Over the years, this has been referred to as "niche" marketing. How is this and what makes it happen? If we go back to the 2 major shifts I mentioned in the introduction of Power Positioning, you'll remember that the explosion in both competition and information are changing the entire business landscape. As more and more businesses get started and more and more people jump into home-based and self-employed opportunities, the less time, energy, and money people will have to spend in making choices for who they will choose to do business with. This is not only related to new and repeat business but also to referral business.

Let's say you have two friends who are in car sales and you're thinking of referring clients to one of them. One of your fiends is a typical salesperson while the other, however, specializes in first time car buyers. He or she offers special creative financing methods for those new to credit, additional car-specific driver training for new drivers, and copies of rate comparison charts that suggest insurance companies with the lowest rates for newly licensed drivers (e.g., students, young drivers, newlyweds, late bloomers, etc). Now, to whom do you think you will refer more people? This is the awesome power of narrowing your focus. Think of a laser, which is basically a beam of highly concentrated, amplified light. You want to focus like a laser and, when you do, you will burn yourself into prospects' minds.

When you get down to it, as a consumer you will choose, when you have a choice presented to you, to go to a business that specializes in a unique area in which you have a need. Specialization, in itself, is a fundamental marketing system, for it casts an aura of superiority and exclusivity. When you deal with a specialist, you will automatically assume that that person has greater expertise, has greater knowledge about the field, and offers greater service since, by catering to a unique market, it implies that he or she will have a better understanding of your situation, needs, and concerns.

Specialization is the wave of the future, and the greater the competition will become, the greater the need for more specialists. Why do you think there is a trend in specialty stores these days? They are popping up everywhere! Today, there are stores selling only dry foods in bulk. There are vitamin and food supplement stores. There are electronics stores. There are toy stores. There are bookstores strictly selling self-help and motivational publications. There are restaurants catering only to vegetarians. There are even mothers-to-be and baby clothing stores!

The need to specialize is obvious. For example, you can get a toaster from a department store, a home furnishings store, a home appliance store, a grocery store, and even a bank! With the competition storming you with information, and with your very limited time to be able to shop around for the best product at the best price, you will more than likely go the store that pops into your mind at that moment. Heck, if there were a store selling just toasters, you'd probably go there first! So ideally, your job is to find out your niche, to narrowing it down as much as possible, and then to hit it with all you've got. The narrower your market, the more business will come to you. It's the paradox of Commandment #4 (Thou shall find more with less).

If you're new to business or hesitant about narrowing your focus since you want the ability to offer different products or services, focus on your own specific niche to begin with, and then, as business creates enough cashflow — and confidence — for you, start looking at expanding at that point. However, be careful. Expansion does not mean extension (see the next Commandment). If you expand outside of your area of expertise, you will fall down like a house of cards and will have to rebuild from the ground up. We will deal with this further, but for now, try to focus on your niche and, as stated in Commandment #2, become the specialist by appointing yourself as one!

COMMANDMENT #5 THOU SHALL DIVIDE AND CONQUER
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Core expansion is far different than from extension (shell expansion). Shell expansion is often referred to as franchising, licensing, or branching out (even conglomerating). In this context, I am referring to expansion by division. If you're a specialist in your field — which I hope you are after reading this book — and you offer only one type of service, you can expand from within by dividing your product or service into multiple, smaller services.

This helps to do 3 things. 1) It doesn't take away from your category, specialization, or uniqueness. 2) It increases your hit ratio when targeting clients, since some clients might be interested in your entire package while others may be interested in only a portion of it. And 3) it increases the aura of expertise you project because you refrain from spreading yourself too thin.

McDonald's Restaurants is reputed for its hamburgers, pure and simple. Ray Kroc was a milkshake machine salesman and his clients were mainly fast-food restaurants. One day in the 1950's, he stumbled on the little drive-in restaurant in the American Midwest run by the McDonald brothers, who were cooking hamburgers in an entirely different way: The assembly-line method of cooking. He had an idea, and the result became the joint venture that today has literally revolutionized the fast-food industry.

When they first started, McDonald's had no more than 3 simple items on their menu, which were hamburgers, fries, and shakes. Up to this day and hopefully in the future, you will never find a hot dog at a McDonald's. However, today they have hamburgers in every food category possible. They offer chicken burgers, fish burgers, Big Macs®, Quarter Pounders®, double burgers, and on and on. They have small fries, medium fries, large fries, and super-size fries. That's the power of core expansion. (However, I must note that the pizza was a wrong move on the part of McDonald's and you'll probably see the McPizza® disappear very soon, just like the New Coke did a decade ago. It seems to me that they were thinking products, not categories.)

Nevertheless, how does this apply to you? For instance, let's say you are a computer programmer and you offer computer-consulting work. Your package contains an initial consultative phase, research and planning, development and programming, implementation and testing, debugging, hardware installation, program enhancement, training, customization and upgrades, and software licensing. Obviously, all of these elements may probably be part of one global package you offer that relates to an area in which you are specialized. But by dividing them into individual components, you may not have expanded in a direct sense but you have, however, expanded your possibilities.

Similarly, many of you may offer an entire package right now but fail to recognize that it contains so many different components. Look at what you do and write down every little detail that's part-and-parcel of what you offer. (You can include this in your brochure, catalogue, and price list.)

Using the previous computer programmer example, you could develop your own research division, program development division, implementation division, training division, and so on. The word "division" means exactly what it says. And by doing so, you may stumble onto clients who need the entire package, while you may also stumble onto others who may only need, say, a training specialist for some software or a programmer to iron out the wrinkles of some new program. Keep in mind that you shouldn't digress from your specialization, but try to remain within your core and expand from within.

You can also add new products or services to your portfolio that stick to your niche. Look at dry-cleaners. They offer dry-cleaning services, tie cleaning services, shoe repair, tailor services, winter clothing storage, and so on. However, if you do expand in such a way, don't just leave it at that. Put names on your new divisions that specifically describe the portion of your service, or add a tagline to its name and/or description. As well, aside from dividing from within you could also divide your clientele into groups. While they may still be part of your niche, you have classified them into several categories that will naturally increase your hit ratio when approaching clients.

In my business and in my promotional materials such as my brochures, I make a distinction between 3 types of clients who might need my services. For example. there are doctors who are low-key but who are new to the medical field and only seek to increase their cashflow. There are middle-of-the-road doctors who want to increase their revenue and possibly expand in staff, size, or scope. And then there are entrepreneurial doctors who want the whole-ball-of-wax! A doctor who feels that there may be a need for some business development but fears he or she will go overboard in doing so may be attracted to the fact that my services also cater to his or her specific needs.

And finally, let's say your package is very narrow or simple. In almost every case I've encountered, there is a portion that can still be expanded in such a way by setting up strategic alliances with specialists in other fields (see Commandment #10). For example, you may be a wedding planning consultant. Your package involves helping couples plan the most important day of their lives. However, when it comes to stationary such as wedding invitations, you use a local printer with whom you've set up a strategic alliance. This printer gives a special price break or incentive offered exclusively to your specific clients as a way to create more business. The printer is glad to help you since he or she knows that by doing so you will constantly send the printer more clients.

In your package, you can have a service called "Incredible Invitation Incentive,™" which includes the planning, set up, and printing of wedding invitations. (Also, the design, mailing, and response management of those invitations could also involve the co-services of a graphic designer, mailing house, as well as the printer.) You see, you are not competing with the printer but both of you are seeking a same target market. We will deal with this further, but for now, remember that by dividing your core you will paradoxically multiply your chances of getting more business.

COMMANDMENT #6 THOU SHALL TAKE IT STEP-BY-STEP
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A big mistake businesspeople often make is when they try to sell themselves as much as possible directly in every communication they produce. In the case of advertising, for instance, they try to draw up immediate clients through what I call "Advertising Overkill." When meeting people for the first time, they blab on until the cows come home. When sending out information, they send packages that make shipping crates look like a joke!

They think that by selling themselves right in the ad they will get not only an immediate response but also immediate business. This oftentimes backfires and can even take away clients. Many clients I've dealt with usually get as a result of this type of approach a lot of calls but no business — or at least no long term business. They end up dealing with a lot of people who are merely curious but never serious. Because of hypercompetition and the problem prospecting creates, trying to look for pre-qualified prospects can sometimes be worse than a needle in the haystack. It's frustrating and often self-effacing.

A new concept (although it's been around for years but has recently become very popular) is direct-response advertising. Direct response marketing is a process in which businesses seek an immediate response as a result of their marketing efforts. Many use this technique to offer a free report, item, or service. Little do people know that the immediate response strategy is usually not the true goal of the advertiser.

For instance, have you ever seen an infomercial by Charles Givens International? His commercial shows who he is and what he does, which is to help people make or save money, and then advertises a "free" seminar in the city in which the commercial is being televised. Now, do you think he's really doing this for free and travelling across the country only to educate people? In a sense, yes. But when people arrive at his seminar, they get tiny tidbits of information that will help them start to make or save money, but it's a certain kind of information that, if participants want to use it or want to have it continually updated, forces them to join the organization.

Mr. Givens then charges a membership fee for those who wish to learn more, and additional products (mostly information, books, reports, etc) are sold "in the back of the room" at his seminars. That's the power of lead generation! People who came out to see him are not general, curious, uninterested, and unqualified prospects. They have indirectly been screened! Once they show up, they are pre-qualified, pre-informed, and after they've been enticed with the free information, they are pre-sold and ready to do business.

As a consultant to cosmetic surgeons, this process is obviously essential if not vital. No one can call a person on the phone and outright ask if that person is bald and wants more hair — at least without knowing if that person is bald in the first place! However, doctors will televise an infomercial or place a print ad whereby the people who respond will naturally fit into a specific demographic. And it doesn't stop there. A process call "Multi-Step Marketing" takes place.

The prospect who comes forward usually wants information mailed to him. The doctor sends a professional brochure explaining the procedure, the possible risks, and the potential results, but without any pricing. (It is impossible to determine the cost of a procedure until the doctor personally sees the patient firsthand in order to measure the degree of baldness.) The information package, therefore, along with its lack of pricing, causes the prospect to come forward once more to arrange for a personal consultation with the doctor. Once they show up, they are, by and large, ready to have surgery.

You see, people who may need your services may fit your demographics. But people who come forward, without any selling efforts on your part, fit your psychographics. Psychographics are the portion of your demographics that are not only in need of your services but also want what you have to offer. As in the previous example, the demographics for a hair transplant surgeon encompass people experiencing hair loss. But psychographics, though, are comprised of people who are experiencing hair loss and want to do something about it (since not all of them do).

In your case, if you offer a specific product or service that caters to a specific target market, find out ways to make your market come forward with minimal effort on your part. This is called Lead Generation Marketing. The best way to do this is to offer a freebie. Being in the information age, the "free report" is my favorite. The report doesn't have to be product or service-specific, industry-specific, or benefit-specific. As long as it targets an audience that logically fits within your demographics (and eventually your psychographics), you're ahead of the game.

A used car salesperson friend of mine placed a small classified ad in the local newspaper and it read something like this: "Is your car a lemon? Do you know that there are ways to turn your lemon into cash? Before you get rid of your clunker, call for my free report, 10 Ways to Turn Your Lemon into Lemonade!" In fact, he placed a pseudonym at the end of his ad with a postal box address, "Lemon-Aid Publications." And guess what? People who answered his ad were not only in the market for a new car, but they were also frustrated with their previous dealership (for selling them their "lemon"); were enticed to seek more information from that specific dealership, that specific salesperson, and his specific inventory; and were positively impacted by the valuable "extra" service the salesperson provided. The car buyers therefore placed more confidence in that salesperson and also felt more comfortable in sending him referrals!

Let's say you're a consultant in financial planning. Your product involves services such as investments, mutual funds, stocks, retirement savings plans, mortgages, and venture loans. Rather than place an ad that directly markets your services, you could advertise using a small classified ad promoting a free course, seminar, or report on helping people to save money with their current savings program. Let's say you're an image consultant helping people to enhance their appearance. You could offer a free kit including a free makeover, a free makeup sample kit, a gift certificate, a free initial consultation, or a free report on makeup styles and colors that will match his or her unique complexion, hair and eye color, or apparel.

The idea is to have people come to you rather than you to them. I personally prefer the "free report" style of lead generation, and the incentive you offer doesn't have to relate directly to what you do. As long as it logically appeals to the same target market, you're on your way. If you recall from an example I used earlier, you can turn your answering machine into a 24-hour salesperson for you. Your free offer should therefore be included in the message people hear; they must be invited to act somehow.

When it comes to advertising though, you shouldn't try to go into large circulation newspapers or general publications. I will deal with this issue in the next Commandment, but remember for now that your main goal is not to create immediate clients. In general, the portion of the general public that fits into your product or service's demographics is merely made up of "suspects" (you suspect that they might need what you have to offer). When a portion of them comes forward to get your free report, sample, or service, you've isolated the true "prospects" from your suspects. Then, if they want more information or want more of what you've got, then they've become "expects" (people expecting to do business with you). This can be done in virtually all industries.

I used to work as a salesperson for a music store specializing in pianos and keyboards. Older pianos usually require considerable repair since the wood inside that hold the strings with which the piano creates its sound may be too old, cracking, and broken beyond repair. As a result, the piano remains constantly out of tune.

A salesperson at the store had a small classified ad that said: "Beware parents in the market for a piano! (That's the headline.) Many parents usually buy used pianos for their kids because they don't know if they'll love music and therefore want to minimize the risk of losing their investment. However, to the unsuspecting buyer, many used pianos are internally broken beyond repair and temporarily 'doped' in order to sound good and be sold quickly, only to become broken again when it's too late. Before you buy any piano, call for our free report Don't Let Piano Problems Put Your Bank Account Out of Tune: newspapers, particulary the purchasing agents' association newsletter. So, if you're an expert (and by specializing and narrowing your business, you are one) you must get out-and-about and make yourself known as one. For example, I know of an insurance agent who decided to specialize in life insurance for newlyweds and newly established families. His company didn't require it but he decided on his own to develop an expertise in this area. You'll often find him at bridal fairs, bridal shows, home shows, home-buyers seminars, home furnishing stores, banks and mortgage-lending institutions, and so on. Now, for a typical insurance salesperson to do this kind tic, fast-paced world

POWER PRODUCTIVITY
How to shift time management from quantity of time to quality of life

PERSUASIVE PRESENTATIONS
How to deliver dynamic, action-oriented presentations

RESUMÉ RADIANCE
How to grab employers' attention and land that dream job

COMPELLING COMMUNICATIONS
How to write effective advertising copies with irresistible headlines

BUSINESS BREAKTHROUGHS
How to market on the Internet and run a profitable business online

MATERIALS
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THE WEEKLY PROFIT PILL™
Weekly wisdom to supercharge you and your business (e-zine) FREE!

POWER POSITIONING In this complete version of and follow-up to the 10 Commandments, Dr. Fortin offers 101 tips for achieving sales and marketing success.

DROP YOUR GOALS AND MANAGE YOUR LIFE!
Are you a successful "failure"? Learn Dr. Fortin's G.O.A.L.™ life 6 Ways to Find Commonly Hidden Problems with Used Pianos."

By the way, piano "doping" is the process of spraying water onto the board inside so that the wood expands, thus holding the strings firmly in place and keeping the piano in tune. However, the benefit is only temporary (i.e., it lasts until the used piano is sold), since the water will eventually evaporate.

Neverthless, his report not only explained the possible hidden faults commonly found in pianos. But since he was catering to a specialized market (parents of piano students), his report went on to explain how used pianos fall out of tune quickly causing the child to learn the piano the wrong way and eventually to lose interest — let alone the parents money! Of course, what the salesperson really wanted was to get these parents to buy new pianos from his store and especially from him. The resulting effect, though, was that the report not only brought prospects to his door but also instilled in them a greater confidence in the salesperson in addition to the reasons for buying a new piano rather than a used one. He made a fortune using this technique!

In essence, look at lead generation marketing or advertising as a form of job search. People often send bulky résumés to potential employers in an attempt to sell themselves as much as possible, when very often their attempts get filed away — into file #13 that is! Successful career consultants stress the importance of summarizing a résumé as much as possible, include one's past accomplishments and bottom-line results (not one's duties and responsibilities from previous jobs), and putting it all on one single page. Why? Because, simply put, the résumé is not meant to land a job but to land an interview.

Lead generation should be regarded in the same way. It must be small, contain a concise message, stress an immediate benefit, and cause the prospect to want to know more. And this can be applied in virtually all fields and for many if not all types of products or services. What can you offer your prospects to arouse their curiosity and interest? What can you give away for free so to entice them to get more? If you're giving something away, something that's somehow tied to what you do, you'll realize that what you're really doing is not giving away free stuff but generating better leads. Nevertheless, the cost of giving away free stuff can be far less than the cost of mass marketing!

COMMANDMENT #7 THOU SHALL SPEAK SOFTLY (BUT CARRY A BIG STICK)
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The following is probably the greatest secret in Miracle-Making Marketing. Now that we've talked about lead generation advertising, the trick to having as many pre-qualified prospects come forward is to have your ad noticed and read by such a specific group of people as much, as often, and as effectively as possible. General publications won't do that and they certainly cost a lot of money… And that's cost-per-lead money.

Specialized publications, on the other hand, have the distinction of appealing to a specific audience and thus increase the chances of it being noticed as well as read. For example, if one newspaper has a readership of 100,000 but only 25,000 of this number fits into your demographics, where another has a readership of only 40,000 but all of which fits into your demographics, which one do you think will give you the greatest response? In other words, rather than fishing for small fish in the middle of the ocean, you'll be a catching big fish in a small pond. Think of the specialized publication as a sonar that will help you to find the kind of fish you really want.

This is not only due to the fact that the readership of a specific publication will match your demographics, but also due to the fact that people who buy specialized publications have a tendency to read them from cover to cover. Unlike a mass-published newspaper that will be "sifted" through (i.e., it is bought by many but read in its entirety by few), a specialized publication will be read more intensely and thoroughly than the general one (i.e., it is bought by few but read in its entirety by many).

Your per capita hit-ratio will dramatically increase than if you would have advertised in a major publication that's too general or too vague. Your little ad can easily get "lost" in such large media or get drowned in a sea of ads. These days, specialized publications exist by the truckloads! Occupation-specific, special interest, or industry-specific publications can include newsletters, trade publications, journals, reports, corporate mail, magazines, specialty newspapers, e-zines (electronic newsletters), catalogues, and communiqués from specific organizations and associations.

Publications for uncommon or highly specialized topics are out there in some form or another. For instance, if you go to your library, you will find that there are magazines for home-based businesses, newsletters exclusively written for corporate executives, magazines purely about cigars, newspapers strictly published for firemen, and even magazines geared for — of all things — gerbil breeders! As long as the readership logically fits into your target market and, if possible, into your psychographic criteria, this is where you will get the greatest bang for your marketing buck.

For example, an advertising agent specializing in computer-based firms can advertise an offer for a free report in computer magazines or, better yet, in e-zines in which firms that cater to a same target market often advertise. A medical consultant should advertise a free consultation in medical journals, medical association newsletters, and medical equipment manufacturer catalogues. I'm sure you get the drift.

By the way, having your own newsletter is also a powerful way to attract prospects. If you haven't yet started one, get on it. Your newsletter may be offered for free or at a nominal cost to pay for the printing and distribution, but the idea is to have the people who read it want more and come forward to get it. As well, you can sell advertising space in your newsletter to firms also catering to your unique clientele (again, this is what I call developing strategic alliances). Conversely, you can buy advertising space in a newsletter written by another firm that caters to your target market. The possibilities here are endless.

However, it wouldn't be right for me to end this portion of this report without discussing the Internet. With information being one the major shifts the business world has experienced, the information super-highway (the Internet) can help to make your presence known in a much better, much quicker, and much cheaper way. If you're not on the 'Net yet, you're losing out big time! But if you are, your site and e-mail addresses, which should appear in all your business literature, should be made available to everybody you come in contact with, even as part of your signature on any other form of correspondence. E-mail helps prospects to come forward in the privacy and convenience of their own homes or offices, and it also gives you a chance to respond to them immediately. It's truly a dynamic form of communication that, to this day, is still often overlooked.

If you haven't already, create a Web homepage. Many people think that this is expensive, which for a complete Website it can be, but a Webpage is far different than a Website in that a page can usually be part of a greater Website — a chapter of a book, if you will. These sites are usually called domains. Many servers and Internet providers have domains to which you can have a Webpage linked or on which it can be present. It is a low cost way to be on the Web and it doesn't have to be slick with high-resolution graphics.

Your page can be strictly information-oriented identical to a book or newsletter. Your homepage can be designed to advertise you, your company, and the products and services you offer. But if your free report is written in a two-dimensional printed format, more than likely you will have it on some diskette somewhere. Therefore, by having it available via the Internet, people can access your free information and print it themselves at home or at the office, without costing any money, time, or postage on your part.

However, don't make your free report available directly in your homepage. Many people who choose to use the multi-step marketing process I described earlier (which I strongly encourage) want the names and addresses of those people coming forward for future follow-up and direct mail possibilities. In this case, they have a special section of their Webpage that includes their free report, but it is one to which only people who have a password can access.

If you use this technique and people have seen your ad somewhere let alone your Webpage in which you advertise your free report offer, they can write or e-mail you so to obtain their special, secret, free, and active-for-a-limited-time-only password. Once inside, they can read your report and do so instantaneously. They now have access to super-useful information and feel part of an elite group of educated members. At this point, your e-zine (electronic newsletter or magazine) can also be made available through password protected access. If your newsletters carry a subscription cost, you can charge people in order for them to obtain their password and you can bill them regularly for renewal.

Remember, you're not trying to advertise with the hope of stumbling onto a trickle of suspects. You want an endless stream of pre-qualified, pre-screened, and pre-sold expects! As this Commandment states, you don't want to scream until your lungs bleed. You want to speak softly but carry a big stick with which you can "clobber 'em" when they're in proximity (the "big stick" here refers to your compelling offer presented only to a specific group of people, namely eager prospects who fit your psychographics). People who go to your site and read your page will hopefully want more. But even when only a small portion do, you know that those who do are much more qualified, which saves you a lot of time and effort than trying to fish in a dried up desert of possible suspects.

In addition, once you're on the Web there are many more advantages that come with using this medium, such as search engines. Search engines are electronic yellow pages that contain every page and e-mail address available in the world. (However, there are specific ways to use search engines effectively, and we'll come back to this in Commandment #9.) You can also tag or link your page to other pages or sites from organizations or people that cater to your specific market. This is simply another way to advertise through specialized means.

In essence, it's all part of a lead generating system, and you know what "system" stands for, don't you? It stands for "Save Your Self Time, Effort, and Money!" Yeah. That's the ticket!

COMMANDMENT #8 THOU SHALL BECOME A CELEBRITY
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As expressed in Commandment #2, you want to be the leader in your category or in your unique area of expertise. The way to do this in many cases is to create your own category. I met a fellow once while working in New York City who ran his own show for free on a community television station. Yes, his very own show! Cable as well as community television stations are wonderful mediums to get the word out effectively. This is an area in which you can get a lot of publicity at little or no cost.

My friend, a computer programmer, hosts a show (or a portion of a show) called "Solution Sentral" on which he is either being interviewed or playing the role of the interviewer, with guests ranging from corporate executives looking to hire consultants or specialized employees in the computer field, to other consultants in areas similar to his. He also takes calls on the show and has an e-mail format where people can ask questions online and to which he'll answer directly on the air. The show is not meant to advertise him directly — if so, the station would charge him for it — but as a "public service" or public information gesture.

Publicity is greatly different than advertising. There are many different ways to get publicity out there, let alone free publicity. But the idea behind publicity is not to market yourself, or at least not directly. Your goal through publicity is to get yourself known and known as an expert in your field. If you have narrowed your focus to a very specific, highly specialized field, publicity will come easy to you. The media loves to receive information from people who are uniquely qualified in their specialty.

Do you write articles for your local newspaper or in the very least in the op-ed section? Do you send out press or news releases to all the TV, newspaper, and radio stations in, at least, your area? Do you offer free seminars in conjunction with non-profit or not-for-profit organizations during, for instance, fundraisers? Do you offer yourself to speak at luncheons, clubs, and organizations such as the Rotary? Do you offer free services to charities or sponsor community projects? As you can see, the list goes on.

A hair transplant doctor I know sent out press releases to all the TV stations and offered to perform a hair transplant live on the air as part of a suggested medical documentary. During a regular newscast and with the consent of the patient, cameramen taped a live procedure where the doctor continually answered questions asked by the reporter. The phone number was frequently mentioned. Not only did it cause his practice to get flooded with calls, but the doctor also had the bright idea to obtain the permission to mass-copy the televised report on videotapes and mail them as part of his information package to potential patients.

The show created a lot of "buzz" and the surgery was the talk of the town. I don't know if he actually did this, but if I were in his shoes, I would have the tape digitized and available to be played on the Internet. People accessing his Website can view the clip right in their own homes. Some people I know have their interviews, conferences, speeches, or voices digitized and plug it on the 'Net as well. Of course, everybody can do that. But if you're not on the Web, yet have a copy of a TV or radio interview/report on cassette, get the rights to it and send it to everybody who wants one, including potential referral-sources and strategic alliances. A temporary help agency specializing in providing administrative support personnel to the government sector had a neat idea once. Their clients are mostly purchasing agents and, one year, a golf tournament was being held for — believe or not — government purchasing agents! (I believe it was to raise money for some charitable foundation.) The tournament was held in the middle of summer and it happened to be a hot day. So, the salesperson in the temporary help agency, wearing a T-shirt bearing the company logo, address, and phone number, rented a golf cart and loaded it up with coolers containing soft drinks. He drove his cart from hole to hole and offered free drinks to all the golfers in the tournament!

However, it didn't stop there. Because of his thoughtful gesture, he was kindly invited to the awards ceremony that followed the tournament and took advantage of the opportunity to network with the crowd. His name and company appeared in local of stuff may or may not be a waste of time. But how much more effective will he be if he promotes himself at those special events or locations as an insurance agent strictly catering to new couples and new families? Yup. Much more.

Do you have your free report written by now? If so, then write a query letter to newspapers for an article you wish to contribute. A query letter is one in which you address the editor and propose a topic, on which you have an expertise, for an interesting article you would like to write. Make sure that the headline of your query grabs their attention and makes them want to read it. Make your article somehow related to your free report. Give them a brief outline of your article along with a summary of your free report as a sort of "tickler." Don't forget to include in your query letter that you're not looking for any compensation (at least, not for now), but ask if you can add a by-line.

A by-line is a small note at the end of your article stating who the author is and how he or she can be reached. Send the same query letter to as many newspapers as you can, especially specialized publications read by your target market. By the way, always ask for publishing rights so that the paper doesn't prevent you from having your article published elsewhere.

Now, write! Your article may contain some highlights of your free report. Your by-line may say something like, "Dr. Michel Fortin is The Success Doctor,™ a consultant specializing in medical and professional business development. If you wish to learn more about the ideas written in this article, you can obtain a free copy of the complete report, The 10 Commandments of Power Positioning, by linking to Success Doctor. Good luck!

COMMANDMENT #9 THOU SHALL SEEK OUT AND SPREAD OUT
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I know that the yellow pages' people will hate me for this, but your yellow pages' ad, although an essential part of your entire marketing machine, doesn't have to be of a large size, in color, prominently displayed, or tied-in with other gimmicks the yellow pages has to offer. In fact, the entire concept of this report is to teach you that top-of-mind awareness (not "institutional" advertising) should be your main marketing goal.

When people have seen your ad, heard about you, or have a need for your services at any particular time, your contact information may or may not be available to them at that particular moment. Therefore, you want the yellow pages to be a support system, not a full-blown marketing medium. Yellow pages salespeople more than likely don't have to sell you on the need to be in their directory, but where they make their commissions is by making your transaction as hefty as possible by selling you on size, color, and other gimmicks. You don't need it! Your presence is all that matters.

However, there are some rules you should follow. First of all, the title of Commandment #9 is "Thou shall seek out (support systems) and spread out (among them)." Indeed, I'm a fervent believer in support systems since, when creating top-of-mind awareness, your potential clients may not necessarily need you and respond to you at that moment, but they may do so later when your contact information may not be available to them.

Whether it's local directories, specialty directories, occupation-specific registries, industry-specific directories, yellow pages, search engines, Internet directories, or trade publications, you should seek them out and list your company in as many of them as you can. The trick, however, is to spread out. Essentially, being there (but also being everywhere) is all that matters.

Don't be prominent in size or display. You can have a small telephone ad, in black and white, carrying the name of your company, your tagline, your specialization, your "unique" product or service, and, if possible, your free offer (the latter is the most important part). However, spreading out, especially within a directory, is your best bet for a high visibility and a high hit-ratio. For example, if you're a hairstylist specializing in at-home hairdressing, you can have an ad saying: "Meg Kessler of Scissors on Wheels, your in-house haircutter! Specializing in on-site special event hair management, and the creator of Hassle-Free Hair Job.™ To see how I can make sure that your event has a good hair day, or for a free copy of my report, 6 Ways to Save Money in Buying Hair Care Products, call…"

Now, the yellow pages people might tell you to be in only one particular location of their directory. Don't. Try to be in as many locations that logically relate to your firm or your service. Your ad can be small but it should appear in as many sections of the directory as possible. For instance, beyond the obvious "Hair" section of the directory, it can also appear in "Weddings," "Event Planning," "Image Consultants," "Modeling Agencies," "Conference Planners," "Color Consultants," and even "Senior Citizen Services."

This also applies to the Internet, with search engines like "Yahoo," "Lycos," "Web Crawler," and "Alta Vista." You should not only try to be on as many search engines as possible, but try to spread out as much as possible among them as well. For instance, a search engine is one in which you conduct a search based on a "keyword," a word that you want the search engine to look for. It will search the entire World Wide Web and find as many Websites that contain your keyword.

You might register your homepage according to a specific keyword, but if you register it under numerous keywords, your hit-ratio will increase dramatically. And this is not limited to words that directly relate to your page or its content (let alone your firm and the services you provide), but should comprise of any word that may indirectly be tied to them. (Keywords can also be incorporated within your Web site, which are also known as "meta-tags," so that the engine indexes your site with as many keywords as possible.)

For example, a baker specializes in baking cookies. She not only cooks many different kinds of cookies but also creates different shapes, sizes, designs, and arrangements with them. One of her many creations are little cookie baskets with bows and lettering for, among other things, weddings, bridal showers, and baby showers. So what does she do? She registered her page on search engines under the keywords "Cookie," "Wedding," "Shower," "Baby," "Bride," "Groom," "Party," "Church," "Gift," "Family," and so on.

Another support system that is often ignored is the answering machine. Your answering machine should not be regarded as a means of taking your calls and messages. Turn it into a support system as well. In fact, turn it into a salesperson working for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Does your message invite people to just leave a message? Or does it invite them to place an order for your free report?

Phone companies usually offer multi-choice or multi-mailbox services. This is when the caller has the choice to either leave a general voice-mail message or press a number to leave a message for a specific recipient in another voice-mailbox in the system. There's also the option to choose the number of boxes you wish to have available on your phone. However, mailboxes don't need to be associated with an actual person. Here's a sample message: "Hi! You've reached Craig Jones of Investment Mastery Inc., where people learn how to be wise with their wealth. To leave a message, press 1. To order my free report, Money-Making Magic: 8 Sure-Fire Strategies for Making Money in Stocks, press 2…"

Ultimately, the object of "seek out and spread out" is to find as many support systems as possible. You want to be there, in front of your prospects, when they have come to decide to buy from you or at least to hear what you've got. In other words, spread yourself thin. Don't be big. Be small but be everywhere!

COMMANDMENT #10 THOU SHALL MAKE THY NET WORK
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Yes! We've made it! The last Commandment. And what better way would there be to end this booklet that's chock-full o' marketing secrets other than by telling you about something I truly hate. I hate networking. Really, I do! I hate it because, in my experience, it hasn't brought me anything substantial in return.

But wait a minute. Hear me out. Networking isn't a bad concept, far from it. If the above Commandments have been properly followed, especially in today's world of hypercompetitiveness, networking can be a fantastic marketing tool. If you can be at the top of your prospects' minds, you can also be at the top of your network's mind, right? Your special name, your tagline, your "unique" product or service, your free reports, your lead generators, your "celebrity" status, and your support systems, all added to your network of referral-sources, can and should bring you an incredible amount of business.

However, here's the problem. Having a network and having a networking system are two entirely separate things. When you're only networking, more often than not people will want something in return or else they will either stop sending you clients or simply lose interest (if you don't take the time to recognize their efforts, and that's if you have any time left at all). So, how can you reward your network? Better yet, how can you turn your network into a networking system? The answer is by developing and establishing a network of strategic alliances.

All throughout this report you have read about techniques in setting up strategic alliances in some form or another. They were included in the many examples you've read up to now. Essentially, there are as many different forms of systematized networking opportunities out there as there are businesses, and I strongly encourage you to vigorously seek them out. But in my experience, I have found that they mainly fall into 3 major categories. The first is what I call the info-network, the second the auto-network, and the third one the intra-network. Let's take a look at each of these systems and how you can apply them to your situation.

Info-Networking
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The information-based network is one in which a strategic alliance is created where information is exchanged in some form or another between parties. Basically, that information includes qualified leads that both you and your alliance share, or information about each other that is promoted to each party's market. As long as your strategic alliance logically shares a same target market without directly competing with you, there is an immense potential there for you to consider.

For instance, I mentioned to you earlier about the power behind the free report and especially the newsletter. Advertising space can be sold at a nominal cost in order to pay for the printing and distribution of your newsletter, or it can be offered to alliances that might be happily interested in being directly promoted to your market. In turn, you should seek out advertising spaces in newsletters, brochures, corporate literature, or catalogues of potentially mutually beneficial alliances. If you have a newsletter, the obvious advantage is that it can save you money by "swapping" spaces in each other's communications, without costing you a great deal if not anything at all.

This also refers to mailing lists where you can "swap" each other's prospect or client lists. Mailing lists seem to have increased tremendously in popularity these days and, if used properly, can produce pretty good results. Mailing list brokers sell or lease mailing lists you can use to conduct direct mail and telemarketing campaigns — lists of people that fit into your specific set of demographics. However, beware. Brokers' mailing lists will be limited to only the demographic data you specify and not the psychographic element of your target market. (That's impossible to discern, unless you or the brokers were psychics!) But should you decide to use these lists to market your free report offer, it should yield you a substantially greater result than ordinary, unsolicited, general public mailings.

For instance, direct mail directed to the public, according to statistics, usually result in a mere 1 to 5% response (if not less), while direct mail to a predetermined demographical market will likely produce an 8 to 13% response. However, if your free report is used in your campaign, and if your goal is only to generate pre-qualified leads and not immediate sales or clients, your chances of beating the 25% mark will be easy.

Now, mailing list brokers aside, you can seek out strategic alliances and ask, rent, or buy their list of prospects and clients. Most of them will approve especially when you trade your list of clients or prospects with them. But if you have to rent or buy their list, the cost will definitely be far less than that of one coming from a broker. (They're not cheap!) And most strategic alliances are not accustomed to the idea of "peddling" their lists out and will therefore be happy with just a few bucks.

Auto-Networking
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Auto-networking is the process of creating referral-sources that automatically supply you with good quality leads, without you having to lift a finger. Brochure stands, posters, flyers, coupons, and business cards can be set up at the offices of potential referral-sources. Again, I hate networking, especially when I have to work for them (or, in other words, nurture them). So, auto-networking doesn't mean to give out cards or literature to a possible referral-source and then hoping it will produce something in return. It means setting up a system between both of you where, since you are catering to a same market, you have made an arrangement — in writing, if possible — to constantly supply each other with materials.

An example is a dry-cleaner who discovered that the largest clientele of a busy restaurant near its location was mostly made up of executives having "power lunches" (those business lunches the tax people love to hate). The dry-cleaner, knowing that her greatest clientele is also made up of executives who bring their shirts or dresses in to have cleaned, saw it as an opportunity. Coupons were made up and handed out by the restaurant's waiters and waitresses along with their clients' food tabs. They offered a 5% percent discount on dry-cleaning services and the coupons could be accumulated up to a maximum of 25% — of course, they were valid for a limited time only. In return, the dry-cleaner handed out coupons (clipped to the garment bags of their clients' dry-cleaning) offering a free appetizer or desert at that particular restaurant — good for one per person per lunch — with every load of $30 worth of dry-cleaning.

But it didn't stop there. They exchanged posters, flyers, coupons for other services, and others (as, for instance, the restaurant's menu and the dry-cleaner's brochure). They marketed it all under the banner of "Don't let the spot on you shirt from the juiciest roast beef in town at Carmicheal's Restaurant ruin that big deal! Bring it to Sparkling Cleaners, the first dry-cleaner for the busy executive, because Power Lunches Deserve a Clean Image.™ With Carmicheal's Executive Eating™ and Sparkling Cleaners, you can take your clients to lunch and take a bite out of dirt!"

By the way, I must take a moment to ask you a question. ("Oh, oh," you say. "Here he comes with another pop quiz again.") In the previous example, particularly in the marketing approach the dry-cleaner and restaurant took on, were included some of my other Commandments. Can you guess what they are? The obvious ones are hard to miss. They both carried the trademark symbols, indicated that they specialized in one area, and had taglines added to their names. But the one that might have gone unnoticed is the category in which the dry-cleaner placed itself. Being the first dry-cleaner specializing in executive dry-cleaning is probably a little misleading and most likely untrue, but by calling itself the first dry-cleaner for the "busy" executive, it has created its own unique category. (All right, all right. I was just checking!)

Another form of auto-networking is, as the saying goes, "You can't teach an old dog a new trick, but you can surely teach a new dog to cook you breakfast!" Potential referral-sources who are either approached by competitors or already implicated in other commitments may make it hard for you to create positive networking systems. So, what can you do? You get them while they're starting out!

Previously, I showed you how important it is for you to make yourself known in your market or industry as the expert, the celebrity in your field. By conducting speeches, seminars, sponsorships, and the like, you are making your name a household one and creating that all-important top-of-mind awareness. Many of the members in your audience should encompass possible referral-sources. Bun unique category. (All right, all right. I was just checking!)

Another form of auto-networking is, as the saying goes, "You can't teach an old dog a new trick, but you can surely teach a new dog to cook you breakfast!" Potential referral-sources who are either approached by competitors or already implicated in other commitments may make it hard for you to create positive networking systems. So, what can you do? You get them while they're starting out!

Previously, I showed you how important it is for you to make yourself known in your market or industry as the expert, the celebrity in your field. By conducting speeches, seminars, sponsorships, and the like, you are making your name a household one and creating that all-important top-of-mind awareness. Many of the members in your audience should encompass possible referral-sources. But referral-sources have to come from somewhere, don't they? So, if you can approach them while they are just about to become potential targets for your competitors, you can save yourself a lot of effort let alone grief.

For example, I teach hair transplant doctors to get themselves known among the hairdressing community and possibly set up strategic alliances with them by, among other things, setting up brochure stands in their salons. However, many of these stylists may have already been approached by other doctors or may have a fixed idea in their minds of which doctor they would refer their clients to for cosmetic surgery.

In my consulting work, I help doctors to set up special presentations as "guest lecturers" at local hairstyling and beauty schools. Schools love it, since it's part of their curriculum to teach future hairstylists on the mechanics of hair growth and hair transplantation. Some provinces or states also make it an essential part of their licensing requirements. By giving a lecture or presentation, the doctor not only gets his name inculcated into the minds of these future hairstylists, but he has also created an almost impenetrable barrier against competitors wanting a "piece-of-the-pie."

By being part of their schooling, doctors naturally became a part of their minds! This technique can be applied in almost every industry, with trade schools, business schools, community colleges, government services, unemployment insurance subsidized courses, and so on. A government software programmer can give a small computer presentation during courses that the government provides to recently-hired purchasing agents. A wedding planning consultant can give small courses to church groups offering pre-nuptial courses (often referred to as "marriage preparation courses") for engaged couples in their parish or community. An accountant specializing in corporate taxation can give small seminars to young entrepreneur workshops (most chambers of commerce offer this type of service). And the list goes on.

Intra-Networking
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Think of intracorporate divisions, Intranet, and intrapreneurs (or employees owning a portion of their employer's company). Intra-anything simply means two or more parts of a whole that are independent but at the same time inter-dependent. This is the old bartering system that goes back since the beginning of time. In the context of auto-networking, though, bartering is not a direct exchange of service for service or product for product, but an exchange of a service or product for information, clients, or referrals.

For instance, a restaurant owner makes an arrangement with a local gas station to offer coupons to each client that comes to pump gas. They were given the permission to hang posters in the station, leave menus at the counter, and place stickers or "fridge magnets" on the pumps. In return, for every 10 coupons the restaurant received, the employees at the station were given a free meal at the restaurant. A freelance writer/editor writes articles in corporate newsletters that target a same market. She will have her articles and personal advertisements published for free in exchange for editing their business correspondence let alone the newsletter itself. Hotels make up the majority of the clientele of an advertising agent specializing in elevator advertising. Hotels place the agent's brochures in all the vacant hotel rooms and executive suites for free in exchange for free advertising space in the elevators of businesses and office buildings.

What kind of product or service do you offer from which a potential (and potentially effective) referral-source may benefit? Think of ways of being able to offer your services for free in exchange for pre-qualified leads or, as mentioned in info-networking, client lists. Intra-networking can also become powerfully effective if you were lucky enough to stumble onto another company that offers products or services that complement your products or services well, while at the same time sharing costs as well as leads or clients.

Take the case of the printer and wedding planner mentioned in an earlier example. Now, this might relate more closely to the auto-networking style, but if the printer agrees to print your promotional materials, business cards, brochures, and letterhead for free, in exchange for a certain number of your clients, that's intra-networking at work!

Altogether, info-networking, auto-networking, and intra-networking are powerful tools to help make you create good referral-sources that work and never stop working. The idea is nonetheless to network but to do so wisely so as to be able to create as many leads and clients as possible with the least amount of effort. Don't network. Make your net work for you!

BONUS COMMANDMENT! - THOU SHALL PUT IT IN WRITING
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Here's a bonus Commandment. I thought I'd make it a bonus because 11 Commandments would sound a little funny, wouldn't you think? And it is indeed a bonus since, with all that you have learned up to now, you would never be as effective if I didn't tell you to put what you've learned in writing.

I can never stress enough, whether it's in this booklet, in my consulting work, or in my seminars, that in order to create endless streams of new, repeat, and referral business, you must turn every single nook-and-cranny of your business into an effective and profitable marketing system. Every step you take during the normal course of your business activities should include making yourself known as the king or queen in your field, or at least in the minds of those who are in it. Therefore, all forms of correspondence, literature, promotional materials, advertising, and so on must contain at least 8 or 9 of these Commandments — although all 10 would be much more effective.

The power of the written word has been proven scientifically, time and time again, to be of immense proportions. It all boils down to what I call a universal law, which says, "People will believe more what they see in writing than what they don't see in writing." If you don't have a brochure or publicity kit already made up, make one! If your fees are not listed on a fee schedule for all your clients to see, print one! If articles written by or about you have been published, put copies in one single binder for your clients' perusal! If you have reference letters, especially letters written by clients who initially had concerns or objections, offer copies of them to prospects who have the same concern! If you don't yet have a catalogue of your services and/or products (both in a packaged form and in "divisions"), create one!

I may be overly emphasizing the importance of putting things down in writing, but I feel that I can never stress it enough. Realize that the above items, along with the tools you've learned in the 10 previous commandments, are crucially important to have in writing in order to create top-of-mind awareness. In my car, I have a large suitcase that contains the following items:

A Business Portfolio
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Containing copies of ads, books, business forms, radio scripts, flyers, direct-mail pieces, infomercials, and commercials I produced.

A Reference Binder
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Containing letters written by clients who had previous concerns and neatly divided into sections for quick retrieval in case I have a prospect with a similar objection.

A Presentation Binder
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Containing an overview of my company, my brochures, lists of my products and services, fee schedules, lists of past clients, and sample contracts.

Media Kits
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Containing press and news releases, articles written by and about me, transcripts of taped interviews, my brochure and business cards, my reports, recent copies of my newsletters, and my résumés.

And a Special Interests Portfolio
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Containing stuff I do on the side, including CD's I've recorded with my band, motivational tapes I've produced, brochures on lectures and seminars I give on spirituality and philosophy, and non-work related articles I've written.

On top of all that, I have a laptop computer on which I have a pre-designed PowerPoint presentation that I give during initial consultations with prospects. It contains charts, graphs, statistics, and "ticklers" that will help to inform potential clients of the fact that I know what I'm doing, that I am who I say I am (the expert in my field), and the importance of using my services.

If you don't have a laptop computer or can't afford one, you can create a special presentation binder using the same materials and information I just described. You can purchase a special binder that bends halfway in order to prop up on a table or desk during the presentation. While you don't have to have the entire package I just gave you as an example, you can fit most of it into your special presentation binder, and be sure to use sheet protectors! Pages are not only easier to handle but it also looks much more professional.

Finally, a quick word about written materials. A recent survey conducted by a direct-mail marketing firm for a credit card company found the following results. Documents that are high in contrast (print versus paper) have pulled a greater response over colored print on colored paper. Traditional white on black is best, yet color on white, or black print on light colored paper, is just as good. Remember that, as long as you maintain a contrast between your text, graphics, pictures, and the paper you print them on, you're rolling.

The research also showed that borders around texts have also increased readership by 20% over plain text with faint or non-existent borders. It also found that certain words "pulled" more than others. These words include "save," "free," and "discover." Try using these words in your printed materials as much as possible. (By the way, one of these 3 words became the name of that credit card company conducting the research!) And more important, make sure they all contain if not highly stress your unique name, tagline, specialization, unique category, and any special memberships, accreditation, or affiliations you may have. You're now on the path to producing a profitable parade of patrons!

I hope that these strategies will help you create endless streams of new, repeat, and referral business — they have for many others, let alone for me! I wish you good luck, both on your quest for increased business as well as successful business health!

Dynamically yours,
Dr. Michael Fortin
THE SUCCESS DOCTOR™

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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The Success Doctor™ is Dr. Michel Fortin, Ph.D. (Business Ethics), an award-winning salesperson and internationally-acclaimed marketeer for over 15 years. In the last 6 years of his career, he has specialized in business development consulting and training for service marketers, specialized professionals, and service-based businesses. Dr. Fortin also takes a special interest in doctors and has closely worked with hair transplant surgeons, plastic surgeons, dermatologists, alternative practitioners (chiropractors, midwives), and non-medical practitioners (dentists, veterinarians).

However, Dr. Fortin's client portfolio also includes a diverse range of businesses and individuals, such as corporate executives, computer consultants, management consultants, salespeople, internationally franchised firms, beauty salons, retail stores, trade schools, and government agencies. From the individual to the multinational, many of Dr. Fortin's clients have operations of an international caliber while others are recognized as leading authorities in their respective fields.

In order to help clients achieve business success, Dr. Fortin's services range from alluring advertising, compelling copywriting, innovative video production, profitable lead generation systems, profound business enhancement strategies, and practical sales and marketing training, to outstanding seminars, books, and tapes. In addition to his consulting practice, he has also lectured at conventions, trade shows, trade schools, universities, and colleges.

From a humiliating bankruptcy to skyrocketing success, Dr. Fortin has learned that which he teaches the hard way. In other words, his practical wisdom comes from pure, unadulterated "frontlines" experience. Unlike other so-called "marketing consultants" who run businesses only in their minds, he is, like most of his clients, in the daily battlefield of the marketplace trying to make a profit. In fact, as a result of practicing what he teaches, Dr. Fortin became the number one salesperson in Canada for a large multinational Fortune 500® company and has generated over $10 million in sales in the last 6 years.

Consequently, his successes and sought-after proven teachings are the reasons why Dr. Fortin is often dubbed as "The Success Doctor." He is the author of The 10 Commandments of Power Positioning, Drop Your Goals and Manage Your Life! and numerous articles that have appeared in over 100 publications (both print and electronic), such as "WealthBuilding," "Profit Express," "The Freedom and Profit Newsletter," "Web Promote," "Internet Day," "Wealth 101," and "Home Business Magazine" to name a few.

WANT TO TEAM UP WITH THE SUCCESS DOCTOR(TM)?
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I'm always seeking strategic alliances and joint ventures! Feel free to correspond directly with me at Success Doctor for any cross promotion ideas. I can't make any promises except one... If it will help us both and the terms are reasonable and fair to each, I will most likely say 'yes'! I'm also a professional speaker. I'd love to speak at an organization, association, or business event in your area. I pay a 10% finder's fee if your referral turns into an actual booking or actual consulting project -- don't forget my resellers' program where you can profit from any of my materials, including 10 power-packed special reports!). For more information, see Success Doctor or see the end of this message.

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DROP YOUR GOALS AND MANAGE YOUR LIFE! Amanagement system for achieving both success AND happiness!

SUCCESS CIRCLE ONE YEAR MEMBERSHIP Join Dr. Fortin's inner-circle and get articles, reports, examples, and materials filled with proven strategies! (Click here for more details)

MARKETING MEDICINE™ NEWSLETTER Dr. Fortin's power-packed quarterly newsletter with new tips, echniques, and tools for growing you or your business (4 issues)!

NEWSLETTER REPRINT For reprints or past issues of Dr. Fortin's ads, articles, or newsletters, such as Marketing Medicine™ and The Profit Pill™ (per reprint).

POWER LETTERS™ (Pack of 25 Samples) Sample set of copyright-free form sales letters you can use, including Thank You letters, Direct-Mail letters, and Follow-Up letters!

POWER PACK™ (Pack of 40 Samples) Sample set of copyright-free ads, scripts, and business forms you can use, including telemaketing scripts, estimates, and goal sheets!

POWER PLANNER™ BINDER The planner for the productive marketeer! It includes prospect/client discovery sheets, activity sheets, and a contact management system.

POWER QUOTES This book is filled with 500 of the most memorable success quotes by some of the greatest leaders, movers, and shakers of our time.

THE DOCTOR'S DAILY A compilation of 365 of Dr. Fortin's practical sales and marketing strategies for daily implementation -- the marketeer's companion!

POWER REPORT™ #1 • MARKETING This booklet shows you how to get business to come to you with simple techniques for generating higher quality leads.

POWER REPORT™ #2 • ADVERTISING In this report, you will learn how to write irresistible ads, offers, and headlines with powerful tips used by top copywriters.

POWER REPORT™ #3 • PUBLICITY This report offers strategies on how to find FREE publicity and low-cost advertising

POWER REPORT™ #4 • INTERNET This report provides important pointers on how to run a profitable business on the Internet by developing magnetic content.

POWER REPORT™ #5 • CUSTOMER SERVICE Service is a fundamental marketing system. This booklet presents ideas on how to improve customer service and increase loyalty.

POWER REPORT™ #6 • RÉSUMÉ In this booklet, you will learn how to write a compelling résumé that will triple job interviews and help you land that dream job.

POWER REPORT™ #7 • COMMUNICATION This report shows you how to deliver persuasive, action-oriented presentations through the use of subtle yet powerful meta-messages.

POWER REPORT™ #8 • SELLING Selling and negotiating is a game. This booklet teaches you how to win the game through more savvy sales and negotiation tactics.

POWER REPORT™ #9 • PRODUCTIVITY Through a simple management system, this report shows techniques on how to manage your time, your contacts, and your paperwork.

POWER REPORT™ #10 • COLLECTION This final report offers practical strategies on how to collect outstanding debts tactfully and efficiently.

POWER REPORT™ COMBO You get all 10 special reports for one low price -- in other words, buy 8 special reports and get 2 special reports FREE!

Thank you! Michel Fortin, Ph.D. is The Success Doctor™ (Tracking = 104) Subscribe FREE! to "The Weekly Profit Pill" "There are some things you don't have to know how it works. The main thing is that it works. While some people are studying the roots, others are picking the fruit. It just depends which end of this you want to get in on." -- Jim Rohn

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