Value-added selling has been a popular concept for years. Now that the economy dictates we be smarter with our marketing, it is vital to add value to your product or service. Without adding value any product or service may be considered on price alone.

The challenge? When you are only selling on price you’ll never be able to sell any degree of high margin sales and that is where profitability, long term growth and sales success resides.

I’ve also seen that when a potential client or referral alliance doesn’t know the price of a service or product the assumption is that it is expensive, which is only a relative term anyway. However this assumption can stop potential clients contacting you or your referral sources from referring you.

At your next meeting I invite you to share with your group what your prices are AND how you add value to the service/products you offer clients.

Let’s take a look at 5 ways that you could add value to your product or service no matter what it is you sell. You may be questioning whether you can add value to your business. The truth is that everything can have value-added. [Read more...]

The end of 2011 is almost upon us and what a great opportunity to look back over the year that was and write down the wins and the lessons you have had in your business.

Please write the top 5 wins you have enjoyed/created and 5 lessons you have learned in your business this year. Bring this information to your meeting and share it in your 1 minute promo.

Download our worksheet to help you with this weeks topic here:
Marketing Module: My Business Review 2011 – Wins, Challenges and Lessons

How things would be different if we looked at our challenges, issues or mistakes as lessons. With this mindset we can build on and improve from the lessons learnt this year as we prepare for 2012.
I have also given you some tools to use while on holiday over summer to prepare for the year ahead. It is when your life slows down a little that your creative mind has a chance to play. You can make the most of this slower pace and enjoy some blue sky thinking and strategic planning for your 2012.

Our first topic for the New Year is One Page Growth Plan. Your members want to support you in your growth and by writing your growth plans down for the year ahead they can support you while helping you to be accountable for your plans.

Download our worksheet to help you get started with your Growth Plan:
One Page Growth Plan

For your group to develop a greater understanding about your business and the services and products you offer this week we’re inviting you to bring something along to ‘Show and Tell’ to your members.

Show and tell is the process of showing an audience something and telling them about it. It is usually done in a classroom as an early school technique for teaching children the skills of public speaking. With Venus we are using it as another tool for educating your members about an aspect of your business.

A number of us are visual and kinaesthetic learners – we learn by seeing and touching. This exercise will help your members, your sales force, to understand more fully an aspect of your business.

We had this as a meeting topic back in March and it was so widely enjoyed that we thought, lets have it again. The only limit is your imagination. Allow yourself to get creative with this.

The idea is to provide your members with a sensory experience either visual or kinaesthetic. Better yet – if you can provide something that your members can take away then they’ll definitely remember you and your product or service over the next few weeks.

Examples of what you could bring in your Show and Tell:

[Read more...]

Providing an opportunity for your potential clients to experience your brand can help with both the referral and sales process. This can make it easier for potential clients to choose whether they want to do business with you or not.

This week share with your group how their referrals and your prospects can experience your product or service before deciding to buy. In Venus Network we offer a free guest visit so that women can experience a Venus meeting and meet the members of their potential group.

A few other examples are:

Catering company: free tastings
Printers: a selection of printed material – examples of their work
Beauty therapist: small bottle of hand cream
Accountant: free report on how to manage your money
Childcare centre: free tour of the facility or a free session
Lawyer: first 20 minutes free consultation

From a referral point of view we’ll find it easier to refer you if we can offer a way for our contact to experience your business. It is an easy way into a conversation when we can say ‘Here is a way you can trial their services.’

If you are not sure how you could offer a free trial/sample/experience ask the group in your one minute to share some ideas and brainstorm for you.

Enjoy
Vanessa

Setting short term goals or targets are an effective way to stay focused and on track to reaching your bigger goals and wins. I thought this week could be a great opportunity to sit down and spend some reflection time thinking about what you would like to achieve with the last 12 weeks, 84 days until Christmas.

I’m not quite sure where the year has gone to. It feels like Christmas and the summer holidays should not be upon us so soon. However this is a good time to reflect and refocus for the remainder of the year. Take the time before your next meeting to put some goals and targets down so that you finish your year strong.

At your meeting share your  3-7  top goals for the next 12 weeks.

Your members can support you in achieving these goals and it’s a great way to hold yourself accountable, by sharing these with your group.

In January this year we sent out a One Page Growth Plan which is an excellent way to, in one page, have clarity about where you are growing your business. We suggest each quarter to re look at this plan and refocus on the next three months creating new targets.

We have included this One Page Growth Plan here for you to use. We’ve explained the different sections and provided a template to print out. This will help you choose goals that will help you grow towards your main vision for your company.

One-Page-Growth-Plan-Meeitng-Topic.pdf

Have fun!

Vanessa,
Venus HQ

Writing case studies about your business are an effective means of sharing success stories with potential clients and your fellow members. First and foremost case studies build credibility. They are also a great way to promote your products and services. A well written case study can build awareness of your product or service and create a context for people to understand the value you provide clients.

Write a case study or two and share it with your group at your next meeting. You’ll give your members an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of how you work with clients and the successes you have had with past or current clients. [Read more...]

This weeks meeting please share the journey you have had so far in your business. How you came to be where you are and why you chose the business you chose.

This is an opportunity for you to show your experience or qualifications, your passions and what is the drive behind your growth.

People love stories. They can identify with them. They also help people to get to know you, hopefully trust you and like you as they learn more about you.

A well-crafted business story also connects prospects to your business on a deeper level than traditional benefit-orientated marketing. Why? We are wired to enjoy and pay attention to stories. More importantly for your business, we become personally invested in engaging stories and their outcomes.

Tell the personal story behind your business. Both potential clients and your referral alliances (Venus members) respond best to your authenticity and passion – so let this shine. Did your business grow out of a personal loss or a difficult challenge? What was the business’ original mission?

By painting a personal, human picture of your business, you remind us that your business is built by a person with whom they can relate and connect to.

Enjoy,
Vanessa

Collectively the Venus Network has a wealth of information and wisdom held in the minds of our members around New Zealand. For this weeks meeting topic lets share this information amongst one another so we can make smart marketing choices and benefit from one anothers lessons.

At your meeting this week please share your most successful marketing activities. Your facilitator will take notes and send them to me.  At the end of the fortnight I will compile a report of the Venus Member’s Top Marketing Ideas and will email you a copy.

Referrals are one part of a great marketing strategy. What other ideas/activities have you engaged in that have been stunningly successful?