The Right Stuff
By Gerry Foster

Copyright 2003 by Gerry Foster

I’ll stress, over and over, that Mastery Marketing® ® isn’t about being clever, citing pithy phrases, or using high-pressure tricks and techniques to make people buy what you offer even when they don’t really want to.  Rather, it’s the result of solid values, proper ethics, belief of your purpose (what you’re about) and consistent actions, backed with fire in your belly (conviction) and bulldog tenacity (persistence) to fulfill that purpose.

My belief is that inner shifts are needed to make really big profits.  Talented service providers are plentiful.  Buyers have lots of choices today in terms of whom they wish to do business with.  And in light of the high levels of resentment and distrust of many providers, I’m totally convinced buyers will come in droves to the masters.

That is, those individuals who possess distinguishing, inner personal qualities that can be summarized in three words, each ending the letters “ity”:  integrity, responsibility and accountability.

Yes, my friend.  It may be time for you to open an IRA Account:

  1. Integrity.  Do you ever feel unnoticed?  New clothes and styles may help for a while.  But if you want permanent change, always strive to treat others fairly and consistently, and keep your word in areas where you can note your business-building progress weekly and overall.
Design your marketing program this way:  Set specific, measurable goals or intended outcomes (i.e. X new clients, Y sales, Z profits), create weekly benchmarks or milestones that lead to the fulfillment of those goals (list the dates by when these benchmarks or milestones will be fulfilled), and establish internal structures of support for successful implementation of the program.  This could be making weekly phone calls with potential clients, speaking before groups they belong to, networking and making contact with key referrers, having face-to-face appointments to present your services, etc.
  1. Responsibility.  Do your sales and/or profits ever sag?  When they do, remember that you are the common denominator in anything that occurs during your watch.  Responsibility is about building a more profitable business out of the ashes of past sales and marketing disappointments, seeing your setbacks and letdowns from a completely different point of view.  There is no finger pointing.  There is no pounding your chest, looking for someone or something to blame for your woes and worries   Masters take full responsibility for the results of their marketing program.
  1. Accountability.  When you practice accountability, your prospects will view you with respect and admiration.  The old-fashioned, conventional, manipulative marketing and sales strategies will not bring success in the future.  The fastest route to overcoming buyer resistance is when you can take the burden of risk off the prospect’s shoulders, and place it on your shoulders, by proclaiming, “the buck stops here!”  How?  Offer an Accountability Guarantee:
    • Your objective is to appeal to as many prospects as possible with an offer that makes the hiring of your services as pain free as possible for the prospect.  Pain free shifts the perception from skepticism and distrust, to fun and easy.
    • Tell your clients that you will correct any mistakes, make any changes or revisions they request, or meet any needs that extend past a deadline at no charge … that you offer a longer or stronger guarantee than your competitors … that you stand behind a specific level of performance 100% … that you offer an unconditional one year, two year, or better yet, three year warranty on parts and labor … that you will not consider the job done until the client is satisfied, which means not getting paid until there is satisfaction … that you will give more service or refund part or all of the money if the client is unhappy with your work … or that the client can sample a small portion of your services at no cost before committing to your services.

Please contact me directly by phone at 949.499.1174 or by email at gerry@masterymarketing.com if you would like to open up an IRA Account.