Atricle Dump - Business

Questions That Save Money
Have you ever asked a question that saved you money?Here's an example that could help with your business.When we bought new windows for our home one of the technicians cracked five of the tiles on our roof. I called the company that installed the roof a few years earlier and their representative told me that it would cost about $150 to replace the broken tiles.Then I called the window company to ask them to pay for the repairs. Their representative told me that they would send a man over to fix the tiles instead.That seemed reasonable.And to make sure this would work, I asked, "Doe

ral Express began, they focused on a single position, a position that hadn’t been dominated by other shippers yet. They communicated a single position through every medium – “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.” This intense focus helped them build a brand identity that associated them with being the best at overnight shipping. And when people had packages that had to be delivered overnight and they weren’t going to risk their decision - they chose Federal Express.

Southwest Airlines is another examp

The Outside Of The Box Is As Important As What Is Inside
So many people never think about the package when they develop a product. Packaging should be the first thought in product development -- not the last. Without the package, you couldn't even have a product to sell or ship. After all, the package transports the product from point A to point B, protects it and secures the contents inside.The product has to be shipped using some method of conveyance – the package. So, no matter what kind of product you develop (whether it be informative, literature or a physical consumer product) the choice of the shipping container or box is just as important as what you put i

How do you build a mortgage marketing strategy that can have real estate agents hunting for your services? Agents are bombarded everyday with a continuous stream of marketing messages from loan officers. They cope with this information-overload by ignoring most of them. So how do you stand out in an over-communicated environment? You’ll change the dynamics of your mortgage marketing when you understand the importance of positioning. Positioning is a communication tool to reach agents in a crowded marketplace.

Positioning means, you position your services in the prospect’s mind

A position is a place, a place in the mind of the prospect – a perceptual location. When you market your services, you’re competing for this space. If your position is similar in nature to your competitor’s, you’re competing in an overcrowded place in the prospect’s mind.

Take a moment and consider your current position. Look at your communication pieces, which is commonly how agents position your services in their mind, if it’s their primary exposure to your business. Your website, flyers, postcards, newsletters, brochures, advertisements, and business card are often the first communication an agent comes across regarding your services. What position are you communicating?

Not sure? Visit your competitor’s website, if you switched your company logo with their company logo, how much difference would there actually be in the content or message? For most mortgage companies the answer is simple…very little.

Positioning means, a simple and singular message

To improve your position, you need to narrow your focus. A position that seeks to be everything to everyone will end up being nothing to everyone. For example, does your messages appeal with the promises’ of loans closing on time, rendering superior service, high approval rates, etc.? This position doesn’t work. First, it’s competing with too many others; secondly, it isn’t simple and doesn’t focus on a single thing.

Look at examples in other service industries to understand the power of a narrow focus. When Federal Express began, they focused on a single position, a position that hadn’t been dominated by other shippers yet. They communicated a single position through every medium – “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.” This intense focus helped them build a brand identity that associated them with being the best at overnight shipping. And when people had packages that had to be delivered overnight and they weren’t going to risk their decision - they chose Federal Express.

Southwest Airlines is another exampl

Your Role As A Team Player
Teamwork demands that all departments provide service to the internal customer who is on the front line serving the external customer. That means you are responsible for serving other team members and they are responsible for serving you. As a team member, you must remember that the key word to describe your relationship with others is interdependence. Others are dependent on you and you are dependent on others. We need each other to ultimately serve our external customers and to meet their specific needs.Here is an example that demonstrates the concept of interdependence and why it is important to work as a

means, you position your services in the prospect’s mind

Positioning means, a simple and singular message

Southwest Airlines is another examp

Audio Engineering - A Great Career
When most people think of engineering they think of building bridges, roads, buildings, and that sort of work. Most people, however, would never think of audio engineering. This is a very real job and has some very successful people working in the business.There are many types of audio engineering. Some of these types can be basic and easy to get a degree for while others take a lot of time and education to learn how to operate the equipment. Here are some of the businesses that might use an audio engineer:Recording Studio. They would need an audio engineer to operate the microphones, mixers, soft

ur business. Your website, flyers, postcards, newsletters, brochures, advertisements, and business card are often the first communication an agent comes across regarding your services. What position are you communicating?

Positioning means, a simple and singular message

Southwest Airlines is another examp

Owning Your Own Craft Business - Is it Really Possible?
How many get rich quick schemes have you seen on the Internet or advertised on late night television? Some of them sound pretty feasible, don’t they? Have you ever found yourself considering buying into one of these plans? Have you ever actually taken the plunge? If you were successful, you would not be reading this article. Even though the marketing for these schemes is genius, they are what they are, schemes. The reality is that the only way to get rich quick is to win the lottery or inherit a fortune.Yet the reason the get rich quick schemes seem so reasonable is because the argument for owning your own bu

o improve your position, you need to narrow your focus. A position that seeks to be everything to everyone will end up being nothing to everyone. For example, does your messages appeal with the promises’ of loans closing on time, rendering superior service, high approval rates, etc.? This position doesn’t work. First, it’s competing with too many others; secondly, it isn’t simple and doesn’t focus on a single thing.

Southwest Airlines is another examp

Enroll in the School of Failure
One of the keys to really successful people is they see “failure” as a learning experience. I have asked several wealthy and successful people what is key to their attitude and many respond, “Make more mistakes faster”. That is the quickest way to learn which way you need to go.I have experienced this several times in a high-end custom truck manufacturing company I own. We have found it quicker, easier and in the long run cheaper to just buy whatever parts we think may work and just try them out.In the beginning we would ask “experts” about what to do and their typical answer was it could not be done.

Southwest Airlines is another example. Their position of the “low-fare, no frills airline,” helped them dominate and achieve prosperity in one of the toughest and most competitive service industries. They went as far as linking the image of peanuts to their brand identity to associate with the position of low cost. This connected successfully with budget conscious travelers.

Positioning means, setting yourself apart from competitors

Since most loan officers have positioned themselves identical, agents see them as all the same. Mortgage services are indistinguishable. So how do you separate yourself?

The more similar the mortgage services, the more important the details. When realtors have to select a loan officer, they look for differences upon which to base their decision. This means the more identical mortgage services are, the more important each difference becomes. For you to separate yourself, accentuate the trivial.

For years, Domino’s never stressed quality, price or value. Instead they relentlessly promoted, “Delivered in 30 minutes, or it’s on us.” Over the time of this campaign, they owned the position of speed. Consumers’ perceived Domino’s as fast and reliable.

Find a niche that is unoccupied in the realtor’s mind and fill it first. There are numerous opportunities to specialize your services and occupy niches.

You can position around unique products:

Jumbo Loan expert
HUD expert
Interest Only Specialist

You can position around trivial details of processes:

Loans closed 5 days ahead of COE
Loan approvals within an hour or less
Daily file update alerts for agents

You can position around gender, ethnicity, or geography:

Specialized in exclusively serving single professionals
Specialized in exclusively serving the Hispanic community
Specialized in exclusively serving Town & Country Ranch

Positioning is your competitive marketing strategy for getting noticed. It is an outward expression of how you want to be perceived.

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The great Claude Hopkins (Author of Scientific Advertising) once said, “Platitudes and generalities roll off the human understanding like water from a duck. They leave no impression whatever.”

Whatever else the difference is between Print Ads and Web Ads, many would still prefer the traditional print advertisements in order to promote their business, products or services. Not all people have access to the Web, such that Print Ads are still widely used and appreciated. It is also practical for a short-term marketing plan or strategy.

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