When I need a businesses phone number I go to Google Maps, and search for the business name there. 95% of the time the business appears with their phone number.

What method do you use?

Hardcopy white pages? Google Search? Google Maps? Finda.co.nz? Yellow.co.nz?

Add your method to the comments below.

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My notes on “1001 Ways To Make More Money As A Speaker, Consultant or Trainer” by Lilly Walters:

1. Have business cards sized versions of flyers. They are easier for prospects to keep (flyers get binned)
2. Goals are dreams with a deadline. Set goals with deadlines today.
3. Freebies: Add to the bottom of articles, a freebie that people will get if they contact you Eg “To obtain a free copy of “How to xyz”, just [state action here]“
4. Presentations: Don’t include everything in your presentation handouts. Refer to an item eg “the 10 rules of…”, and ask audience members to pass their business cards up to get a copy, and invite them to write a big “S” on the back if they speaker for a future date
5. Feedback surveys: Don’t provide a ratings scale, ask questions like:
   • What basic message did you hear that you could use tomorrow? (Purpose)
   • How will you use what you heard today increase your profits and/or productivity? (Practical application)
   • Is there something else about my subject that you would like to know that I did not have time to touch on in this presentation? (New topics)
   • Do you know of others (businesses, associations, etc) that would benefit from the material presented today? Who are they? (Referrals)
   • What is your opinion of my presentation?  (Testimonials – make sure there is a permission check box so you can use the comments)
6. Discounting: When a client tells you “cut your fee on this talk, and when we might use you in a series”, reply “this programme will cost full price, but I will be glad to add a clause stating ‘If a series contract is signed within one year of this date $xyz will be deducted from the series price’”
7. Press Releases: Ask “would your viewers like to learn how to…?” or “would your listeners like to know the answer to…?”. Or ask these questions in the follow up phone call
8. Self Publishing: “The self-publishing manual” by Dan Poynter
9. Let the market lead: “Find a problem, then look for a solution. Don’t develop a solution, then spend your life searching for a problem for it. Pull through an idea from the market place, don’t push it through from inception towards some intangible market” – Jack Ryan

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Rental Car companies are always needing to move their vehicles between branches around the country.

You can return one of these rental cars for them for free (sometimes the rental is free and you pay petrol, sometimes they give you 50% off the rental, sometimes it’s totally free)

If I’ve missed any on the following list, let me know in the comments below.

List of Rental Cars Needing Relocation

1. www.Thrifty.co.nz
   Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Picton, Blenheim, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargil, Greymouth
2. www.QualityRental.co.nz
   Auckland, Wellington, Picton, Christchurch
3. www.RoadTripRentals.co.nz
   Christchurch, Greymouth
4. www.NZRentalCar.co.nz
   Christchurch, Greymouth, Wellington, Auckland, Queenstown
5. www.OmegaRentalCars.co.nz
   Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Picton, Queenstown
6. www.AceRentals.co.nz
   Auckland, Picton, Christchurch, Queenstown, Greymouth, Dunedin
7. www.Maui.co.nz [Campervans]
   Join the database and they’ll email you when they need you
8. www.Avis.co.nz
   Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Picton
9. www.Budget.co.nz
   Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Picton, Queenstown
10. www.RentalCar.co.nz
    Christchurch, Greymouth

Websites that list many rental cars from many brands needing relocation

If you are thinking of creating a aggregator website to list all rental cars needing returning from lots of different rental car companies, think again.  You won’t get rich.

There are only 2 in New Zealand, and one has been abandoned.

1. www.TransferCar.co.nz
   Aggregates lots of rental car companies on one website. According to this 2008 article they had 300 a month, today there are 5, so it looks like business has slowed a bit.
2. www.RelocationCarHire.co.nz
   Also suppose to aggregate lots of rental car companies but it’s been abandoned. Totally empty.

Need to go one way from the North Island to the South Island in a rental car? Bad luck

Did you know you can’t hire a rental car one-way across the inter island ferries?

For example, if you are traveling from the South Island to the North Island you have to leave your rental car in Picton, jump on the ferry with all your gear and pick up another rental car in Wellington! Stink.

It must be because carrying a car across on the ferry is so expensive, so most people would rather save the $400 and go on the ferry as foot traffic.

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My notes for “How To Succeed As An Independent Consultant” by Timothy R V Foster:

How Do You Write An Elevator Speech?

Imagine stepping into an elevator and the guy in the suit asks you “so, what do you do?”. You’ve got 30 seconds before you reach your floor, what do you say?

• What is your product/service/solution?
• Who is the customer tit is intended for?
• What need or problem does it address?
• What does it do?
• How does it work and what are the benefits to me?
• What makes you different and better than others?
• Instead of “we don’t have it in stock” say “I can have one for you this afternoon; would you like it delivered?”
• Instead of “the film has already started playing; you’ll miss the opening” say “the next screening is at 9 o’clock
• Instead of “we close in 5 minutes”, say “may I help you make your selection?”
• Instead of “we don’t take credit cards” say “if you prefer not to pay in cash, we could take a cheque”
• Make a statement about the product or service and then say “so…?”
• And keep saying “so…?” until you get to the ultimate benefit.
• Ask “what are the barriers to doing this?” or “what do we have to do to get this off the ground?”
• If you can clearly identify an objection, you can address it.

Are You Using Positive Language?

• Instead of “we don’t have it in stock” say “I can have one for you this afternoon; would you like it delivered?”
• Instead of “the film has already started playing; you’ll miss the opening” say “the next screening is at 9 o’clock
• Instead of “we close in 5 minutes”, say “may I help you make your selection?”
• Instead of “we don’t take credit cards” say “if you prefer not to pay in cash, we could take a cheque”

How Do You Uncover The Benefits From The Features?

• Make a statement about the product or service and then say “so…?”
• And keep saying “so…?” until you get to the ultimate benefit.

What Is The Real Objection?

• Ask “what are the barriers to doing this?” or “what do we have to do to get this off the ground?”
• If you can clearly identify an objection, you can address it.

How Do You Price Your Services?

Charge a premium if:

• The client will pay it (market pricing)
• You are supplying what is demanded (supply & demand pricing)
• Your offering is unique
• There is little competition
• You provide quality
• The impact on the clients business is great
• Your costs are high
• Your client wants speed
• You customize your solution for the client

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Here is the first in this list:

I didn’t get it at first – but the “fleas” are people walking accross the foyer of an office building or mall, so this is the view for people looking down from the 3rd or 4th floor.

Pretty clever huh?

Here are 79 more: The 80 Best Guerrilla Marketing Ideas I’ve Ever Seen

I’d looooove to brainstorm with you and come up with clever ideas like this for your business. Call me today (07) 575 8799 or email me

- Sheldon.

Which one is your favourite?

Tell me in the comments below.

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Whilst driving to Mount Maunganui yesterday I spotted these tiny billboards strapped to street light polls and road signage opposite Mount Maunganui High School:

4 Lessons You Can Learn From These Guerilla Miniature Billboards

What can you learn from this clever “guerilla” method of advertising? Could you replicate this strategy for your business?

1. Do it cheap.

• They are made of the core-flute just like real estate signs.
• There is no graphics.
• You could get them made for about $10 each.
• Budget looking can be very effective. When you get junk mail in your letterbox at home do the crappy hand-written flyers get your attention first before the sleek professional Warehouse/Dick Smith/KFC flyers? For sure.

2. Keep your message simple.

• Mountain bikers know what “MTB” means so this headline captures the target audiences attention.
• On a full size 6m x 3m billboard your word limit is about 11. So in this case you have about 5 words.
• What simple 4 or 5 word headline can you use to cut through to your target audience?

3. Choose a single call-to-action.

• In this case, you just visit the website if the headline “MTB Downhill Racing” appeals to you.
• The website address is related to the headline so it’s reasonably easy to remember.
• On a website you can state 5 or 6 different ways to contact you, on a miniature billboard you must choose just one.
• A website address is very good. A phone number could work but many people prefer to check you out anonymously via a website rather than call a number and get “sold to”.

4. Repeat your message.

• Normally you don’t get the chance to repeat a standard 6m x 3m billboard 20 metres down the road, because it’ll double your costs.  So you are only giving your billboard one chance to be read as your potential customers zoom past at 50 kph or 100 kph.
• In this case there were 3 miniature billboards about 20 metres apart.
• I didn’t really notice the first, but I quickly read the second, and I read the third carefully.
• It made an impression that a single exposure would not have.
• In fact, I turned my car around and stopped on the side of the road, took some photos, wrote this article and visited www.mtbtauranga.co.nz.  That’s the magic of repetition.

“Great, but are these billboards legal?”

Probably not. The Tauranga City Council probably has a bylaw which prohibits this sort of guerilla advertising, and other councils around the country do too I bet.

If they get a complaint from the public (or your competition!), the council will take them down for sure (you probably won’t even get fined!).

But until then, you’ve got yourself some very cheap and effective advertising, so go for it!

Like this idea?

I have a million more.  Give me a call on (07) 575 8799 to tell me about your business and we can think up some clever ideas about how to generate more sales for you. At the very least sign up to this blog using the form on the right!

- Sheldon.

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Cinema

1. Pre-movie Advertisements
2. Product Placement in-movie

TV

3. 15/30 second Television Advertisements
4. Infomercials
5. Programme Sponsorship
6. Television Interviews (“Public Relations”)

Newspaper

7. Regional Community Newspaper – freely distributed
8. Regional Daily Newspaper
9. National Daily Newspaper

Radio

10. 15/30 second Radio Advertisements
11. Radio Interviews (see “Public Relations”)

Outdoor

12. Ummmm (*Tom D to fill in soon*)
13. Billboards
14. Video Billboard
15. Bus shelters
16. Bus backs
17. Truck sides
18. Car signage
19. Outdoor signage on your building
20. Posters around town
21. Free standing at the mall
22. Hot air balloons / blimps

Mail

23. Addressed Mail
24. Un-addressed PO Box Mail Drop – Flyers/Postcards
25. Un-addressed Residential Mail Drop – Flyers/Postcards

Direct Marketing

26. One to one sales calls (in person or on the phone)
27. Telemarketing surveys

Online

28. Text Ads (eg Google Adwords)
29. Organic Search Engine Optimisation
30. Banner advertising (banner, skyscraper, applications/software eg msn messenger)
31. Email Marketing / Newsletters
32. SPAM
33. Directories (eg YellowPages online, NZS.com, Finda.co.nz, Trademe.co.nz)
34. White papers / e-books
35. Blogging
36. Social Networking sites (eg Bebo, Facebook)
37. Contribute to Special interest forums (eg Google Groups)

Magazines

38. Gossip style Magazines (eg Woman’s Day)
39. Industry Specific Magazines (eg Needles and Pins weekly)

Printed Directories

40. YellowPages
41. Local Directory

Website

42. Your website
43. Campaign specific mini-websites

Sponsorship

44. At Sports venues (paint the field, billboards, signage around the field)
45. Of Charities

Branded Objects

46. Pens, Coffee cups, T-shirts, bags, clocks etc

Public Demonstrations

47. Set up at the mall (or in the supermarket)

Guerrilla Advertising / Alternative Advertising / Stealth Marketing

48. PR stunts
49. Word of mouth
50. Viral (video, email, postcards, CD’s)
51. Legal graphitti
52. Chalk on the sidewalk
53. Logos in the snow/sand
54. Flyers under car windscreens
55. Video projection onto side of building
56. Night-time shop window video or laser light show
57. Sponsored humans

SMS text messaging

58. SMS text messaging

Public Relations

59. Distribute press releases (for print & online publication)
60. Or Contact Journalists/Reporters directly with something newsworthy

Tradeshows & Expos

61. Exhibiting at Tradeshows and Expos

Seminars

62. Seminars

Have I Missed Any?

Please add them to the comments below.

Time to hire your own marketing department (but at a fraction of the cost)?

Contact us today or book a free 45min consultation now

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Do any of the following apply to you?

1. Have you heard about RSS but can’t really be bothered with it?
2. Do you have a few favourite blogs or news sites, but it’s up to you to remember to check them for new content?
3. Do you have a News Feed (RSS) Reader like Google Reader but it’s a pain keeping up with it?
4. Are there newsletters you’d like to sign up for but you don’t like giving away your email address?

If you answered “YES!” to either of those, then I have good news.

First, a quick definition of RSS:  It stands for “Real Simple Syndication”, and it just converts blog articles and news articles into a file format (XML) that can be understood and distributed using any RSS reader.

4 Reasons Why I Use The FeedMyInbox Method For Converting RSS Into Email

1. I can keep up to date with the latest content of 50+ blogs effortlessly
2. If I’m one of the first to comment on these blogs, hundreds of people will read my comment and that is good branding for me (and they have a link back to my website in my comment)
3. I can avoid getting distracted by filtering these messages automatically into a folder that I can look in when I’ve finished with the task at hand
4. If I get sick of a blog, I can unsubscribe with one click. Simple. Clean. Efficient. (And I never have to email the author “please take me off your list”!)

A few months ago I wrote about www.FeedMyInbox.com: How to receive News Feeds (RSS) via email

Well, they have just added more features.

How FeedMyInbox Worked Last Year

Last year you could simply:

1. Paste in the feed url of the website you want to subscribe to
2. Type in your email address

And you would start recieving those feeds as emails.

Easy.

New Features Added To FeedMyInbox This Year

With an account, now you can:

1. Customise the subject line of incoming emails (really handy, because most bloggers don’t name their blogs very well)
2. Opt to receive those feeds in real-time, or choose another time of day you’d like to receive them (I like to have them in real time so the freshest are always on top)
3. Opt to receive the entire article in the feed as an email, or just the title and a hyperlink
4. Download a “Bookmarklet” to your web browser, so subscribing to a new feed is only 1 click away

They are offering a free trial of up to 5 feeds (I’d like to see them extend this to 10 so people get a chance to get addicted).

Give it a try yourself, see the “Get Notified By Email About New Articles” widget on the right of this page? Just add your email address there and you’ll get notification about new articles on this blog.

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Great advice from Smashing Magazine about how to design and build your email newsletters:

1. Respect your reader. Don’t waste their time or attention.
2. Ask nicely first.
3. Focus on relevance.
4. Design with a goal in mind, so that you’ll know if it worked.
5. Make unsubscribing easy.
6. Code like it’s 1999 (literally) and use inline CSS.
7. Always include a plain text version.
8. Don’t assume that images will be viewed.
9. Follow the law.
10. Test everything before sending, because you can’t take it back.

Read the entire article: Design and Build Email Newsletters Without Losing Your Mind (and Soul)

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I’m hoping that this article will save you the 45 minutes of research I just had to do.

• Do you have clients or customers based outside of New Zealand?
• Do you want to know the easiest, cheapest way for those non-NZ customers to pay you into your New Zealand bank account?

That’s exactly what I wanted to find out.

I found many options, most of which I’d never heard of.  But one brand kept coming up again and again: PayPal.

I found lots of criticisms, but it is probably the #1 payment service in the world, so let’s just go with that.

But I’m worried my profit will be whittled away with fees.

My next mission was to find out what fees will I be charged:

1. For the transaction?
2. For currency conversion from US dollars to NZ dollars?
3. For withdrawing the funds from my PayPal account into my New Zealand bank account?
4. For receiving the funds into my New Zealand bank account? Will my NZ bank charge me?

You’d think I’d easily find the answers to these questions on PayPal’s website. Sadly, no, that is not the case.

1. What fees will I be charged for the transaction?

• 3.4% + $0.30 USD

Source: PayPal Website

2. What fees will I be charged for currency conversion from US dollars to NZ dollars?

• 2.5%

Source: PayPal Website

3. What fees will I be charged for withdrawing the funds from my PayPal account into my New Zealand bank account?

• $1.00 for amounts below NZ$150
• Free for amounts above NZ$150

Source: Helium.com

4. What fees will my bank charge me for receiving the funds into my New Zealand bank account?

• Zero. (I’m guessing. If I’m wrong, please correct me in the comments below)
• But it can take 6 – 8 days to arrive

Example #1: US$100 transaction

1. Transaction Fee: 3.4% x US$100 = US$3.40 + US$0.30
2. Currency Conversion: 2.5 % x US$100 = US$2.50
3. Withdrawal Fee: US$1.00 because US$100 = NZ$135 which is below the NZ$150 threshold
4. Total PayPal Fees: US$7.20 = NZ$9.80 (which is a whopping 10% of the clients invoice!)

Example #2: US$200 transaction

1. Transaction Fee: 3.4% x US$200 = US$6.80 + US$0.30
2. Currency Conversion: 2.5 % x US$200 = US$5.00
3. Withdrawal Fee: Free because US$200 = NZ$270 which is over the NZ$150 threshold
4. Total PayPal Fees: US$12.10 = NZ$16.47 (which is 8.2% of the clients invoice)

Here’s a cool world currency calculator if you want to do your own calculations.

Recommendations:

• Wait until you have more than NZ$150 in your PayPal account before you withdraw the funds into your New Zealand bank account

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