A few months ago, I finished reading Seth Godin’s book on Tribes and had a unique opportunity to discuss this topic with a taxi driver en route to a product launch event in Phoenix, Arizona.

… and what he had to share with me was really surprising ….

It made me realize how important communities are to our families … but also, how a strong social community (otherwise known as a “tribe” – defined as: a group of people connected to each other, to a leader and to an idea ) can completely transform the way you do business.

Dabir loved his job as a taxi driver and left his home country of Ethiopia in hot pursuit of the American Dream; however, there was one thing missing….

You see, in Ethiopia there is a strong tribe and sense of community. People look out for one another … they make it a habit to share with one another … and they’re always adding value (either in the form of food, protection, shelter, comfort, information, etc.) into each member of their community’s lives.

New members to the tribe are welcomed with opened arms and there’s an instant, warm sense of belonging.

And, the sense of community is so STRONG that members feel a natural willingness and obligation to support and grow the tribe …

You see, when Dabir’s family came to America they were surprised to see that the community dynamics were different. They felt that this new tribe was based on “tit for tat” … in other words, you give me this and, only then, will I give you that.

There was no willingness for others to contribute to their community without an outward expectation of getting something in return.

And so, Dabir’s family willingly chose to move back to the poverty stricken land of Ethiopia to return to the community that they had once belonged!

SHOCKING!?!? I thought so.

Can you believe that someone would go through all the hassle to gain entry into America only to move back to a country where death, disease and poverty is so high?

But it goes to show you how important a sense of community is….

Take a look at Apple … these users are die-hard fans of the brand and will outwardly promote, endorse and defend Apple.

What about Harley Davidson? When was the last time you saw someone tattoo your logo on their arm?

Andriod versus iPhone … and the list goes on.

In the above examples, the tribe is built by adding additional (and unexpected) value to customers and clients in an effort to exceed satisfaction.

But, tribes can start BEFORE someone becomes a customer – allowing people to feel like they know you, like you and trust you before they do business with you.

Today, more than ever, people are flocking to online social communities like Facebook, Twitter, review sites or company blogs, for example.

The companies that are doing exceptionally well in this area are excelling because they are delivering real VALUE without an outward expectation of getting something in return (for example, I’ll give you this information ONLY if you buy my product).

People love doing business with “friends.”

Sure, yes, we’re in the business of making money, but I know that if I continue delivering real value to you, there are two probable outcomes.

1. You’ll choose to do business with me at some point (whenever you are ready) or
2. You’ll refer someone to me.

And, if none of the above scenarios happen, I at least hope that you become a fan of my work and that I’ve somehow added value to your life because once you understand that the REAL purpose of business is to ADD VALUE, then you’re already moving in the right direction.

What information can you share with the people that come to your community? Can you offer tips? Advice or Information?

What can you leave me with that will make my life better for knowing you?

Unlock this secret and you’ll be surprised just how your tribe will love you right back.

Sure, there’s a lot of drama, cat fights and mishaps that goes on in any reality show … but when you cut through all the B.S. there are a number of valuable lessons you can take from every episode (even if you don’t agree with ‘the Donald’).

Donald Trump is a billionaire for a good reason … he’s one smart dude!

He’d be one of the first people I’d call if I had a question about real estate, development … even licensing, operations and hotel management … but, I think he might have missed the mark with marketing … and, especially during this last task.

The two teams were assigned to create a magazine advertisement for the Trump Hotels.

Star’s advertisement was cluttered with too much activity, small photos and reminded the judges of a cheesy windshied flyer (what were they thinking!?!?).

On the other hand, John’s ad was more simple and more verbose.

His ad had issues … like no call to action, no phone number, no website and other MAJOR details that were missing.

Trump was right, both ads had issues and no one deserved the recognition of being a “winner.”

But, John was heavily criticized for being too verbose … and, that’s where I take issue.

Look, it wasn’t like he was writing a novel or even a 500 word advertorial, he simply wrote a couple paragraphs that highlighted the benefits of Trump Hotels.

Shockingly, one of the most important mistakes that marketing professionals make is that they often invest in cute and creative advertisements rather than an advertisment that makes a compelling argument to take action.

Advertising is nothing more than salesmanship in print.

… and a good business professional would never expect a salesman to do his or her job constrained to a few words or photos.

Radio, television, magazine, internet and direct mail advertising should all be constructed in a similar manner, like a salesman making his presentation to a prospect.  Sure, most marketers don’t like “long” advertisements and relish in the glamour of receiving a creative award – but the truth is that long advertising WORKS.

The biggest, most ludicrous violation of this principle can be found in the SuperBowl.  Millions of dollars are spent in the creation and distribution of those ads – but how many times have you watched a commercial, shared a good laugh and then said to yourself “what was that ad for again?”

Again, advertising is salesmanship in print. Unless you would instruct your salesman to make an incomplete presentation – then don’t limit the ad.

Properly executed advertising is the ultimate leverage point.  One salesman may have a limited effect on your business, but an ad reaching thousands could yield a multiplied return.

Sell the benefits.  Tell me why it’s in my best interest to do business with you no matter how much it costs.  I want to know why I can’t afford NOT to do business with you and what it would cost me if I chose the alternative.  There are many, many options … why you?  What makes you different?

Without clear articulation … you’re forcing your prospect to draw their own conclusions.

Each ad needs to be compelling, captivating and concise enough to make a solid case for the product or service.  It must educate and inform the prospect of all the benefits of the service without making assumptions about what the prospect might already know.

It must speak to the users, in their language, and apply directly to their values.  For example, a Trump ad inside of Inc. Magazine should appeal to all the benefits of business travel versus an advertisement inside of Vogue might benefit from a more feminine appeal for spa treatments, pampering and relaxation.

Why should I select Trump over other hotels … regardless of price?  Tell me.

(Heck, I had no idea how much care and detail went into the service of the Trump Hotels until I heard John Rich explaining his experience – that alone makes me want to visit a Trump Hotel!  For all I know, they were just like every other luxury hotel until I heard that story …. )

Simply put, the advertisement needs to create a vision, articulate a compelling case and spell out a call to action.

Give it a shot. Once you learn and apply the difference … you’ll receive an immediate advantage.

And everyone that knew him believed he was a dead man walking.

And actually, not only was his life in danger … his wife, children, parents, in-laws and friends’ lives were all in danger as a result of this man’s employment situation.

That’s what life was like while he was living in Iraq (and would continue to be the case if he was still living there).

You see, as an Iraqi working for an American company, opposition forces could have considered him a spy (as they unfortunately did for many of his coworkers).

The situation was so bad that he and his wife would embrace one another with a passionate hug in the morning, look each other in the eyes with total admiration for one another and shed a tear for in fear of losing one another as a result of a merciless attack on account of his employment.

… and, at the end of the day, he would race home just to see if his wife and children were still alive while his wife waited by the door fearing that this could be the day he didn’t come home.

Can you imagine living that way?   Gives me the chills.

Fortunately, no harm was done to his family but the recognition of the value for one another’s life and the appreciation for their relationship was priceless.

… and so he plead his case to American officials who empathized with his situation and offered he and his family the opportunity to move to America, contribute to our workforce, and find peace knowing that he and his family’s safety was no longer jeopardized.

Today, he is the manager of a thriving franchise and is eagerly exploring a number of different opportunities.  Happy and safe.

So, what does this have to do with you?

“It is never what happens to you that determines your reality, but rather how you perceive what happens to you.
Look, some people go skiing in the winter and others freeze to death.  You can have it either way.”

Anthony Robbins

Countless business owners believe that they are victim s ofthe economy and have already rolled over awaiting their demise, thinking “It’s the economy, there’s nothing I can do.”

Yet others look at the different economic situation as a plethora of opportunity and the chance for them to identify any weaknesses, optimize all expenditures, identify any overlooked profit centers and leverage all opportunities.

And, it’s entrepreneurs like these who are breathing new life into their business and celebrating their preeminent stronghold in the marketplace.  They’re making their competition completely irrelevant,  enjoying the abundance of profits flowing in their doors, and breaking new sales records.

You can do it to.

Like the man from Iraq, embrace your options and seize every opportunity.

1. Testing,
2. Testing,
3. Testing.

Even the most brilliant marketers in the world can’t predict how their market is going to react until they test their marketing piece first.

And you always want to test one variable at a time. If you test too many variables at once, you may never know which made the biggest impact.

In an email, for example, some of the most important criteria to test would be:

1. Subject
2. Anchor text for link
3. Body content (and length of email)
4. Whether you use images in your email or not (and which ones)

Something as simple as a subtle difference in a subject heading can yield as much as a 83.5% increase (or more!) in open rate – just look at this example:

Test 1:  (Download) “Oh Hai, I mind-mapped Ur Biznezz”

Versus

Test 2: “Oh Hai, I mind-mapped Ur Biznezz” (Download)

Now, which one do you think did better?  (See the results).

And, the other criteria to test is deliverability.

image to the right is a snapshot from my junk mail folder.  Notice the three emails in my junk mail folder are from Microsoft … and, ironically, this is Microsoft Outlook’s junk mail filter!

In other words, they put themselves into junk mail!  Too funny….

Moral of the story … test, test and test!

Leave a comment and share some of your own testing results.

In the world of internet marketing, this event makes the short-list among the ‘best of the best’ and attracts the ‘who’s who’ of the internet world. I’m talking about such marketing masterminds like Ted Leonsis and a whole slew of other marketing royalty who attend both as speakers and participants.

The event was held at the stunning Gaylord National Hotel in Washington D.C.  and, though I was impressed with the glitz and glamor of the hotel – they made one critical, critical, critical mistake at check-in that could only have resulted in two responses from their guests:

1. I’m pissed.
2. I’m a little peeved, but overall indifferent.

When I checked into the hotel, the gentleman at the front desk said: “Oh, and by the way, there’s a $15 dollar resort fee that covers the daily newspaper, two (2) bottles of Dasani© water, use of Fitness Center, in-room high-speed Internet access, and complimentary local and toll-free calls (up to 20 minutes).”

Pardon my French, but “What the [insert expletive]!? You’re charging me for what?!”

My knee-jerk reaction was due to the fact that:

• I don’t need the newspaper (thank you Yahoo News),
• The bottles of water are nice, but I’d be happy to pay $1.00 for each bottle at the vending machines,
• Since when do I have to pay for a hotel fitness center?
• I’ve got my Verizon Wireless card so I don’t need the internet,
• And finally, does anyone use hotel phones anymore?

So, I guess my response would have put me in category 1 – yes, I was pissed – and maybe if I made a bigger stink about the issue, the Gaylord might have tried to make peace.  But, hey, I was tired and just wanted to get to bed.

… and, instantly, a light bulb went off in my head about how this was a valuable lesson for anyone who owns a business!  (You see, I’m even thinking about you when I’m traveling!)

Now, imagine if instead of the pesky extra surcharge of $15.00 for miscellaneous items that I may or may not use … if they only increased the room rate by $15.00 a night and gave me all those amenities as a courtesy.

I would have assumed that they were giving me all these conveniences for free and would have been grateful for their appreciation to me as their guest.

Totally different response.

Robert Cialdini pointed out in a study in his book, YES!, that a waitress will receive an average of a 14.1% increase in tips if she just gives mints to their patrons with the bill (instead of letting those patrons get them on their own from the bowl next to the exit door).

You see, if you give or do something unexpected to someone, they will feel appreciated and will be more likely to show their appreciation back to you in terms of tips, referrals or more business.

It’s common sense, you take special care of those people who take care of you ….

Image Source: J. Lo's Twitter @JLo ...

Well, this may come as a surprise to many of you but … yes, I readily admit that I watched American Idol the other night….

And while I enjoyed watching the talent (and was taken aback by some of the shameless drama among the contestants), the most spectacular moment on the show was when J. Lo. (aka Jennifer Lopez) was consoling a group of contestants who had found out that they were going home.

She said something along the lines of:

“Anytime I went for an audition, I’d say to myself:
‘I may not get this one, but I’ll make them a fan.’”

And that’s why J.Lo. is a blockbuster success!

And that’s the attitude that stimulates profits!

You see, I learned early on from marketing genius, Jay Abraham, that people become clients at their own time (not yours).

Even if they don’t buy the first time you try to sell them, you must be able to deliver a great value or benefit in your contact with them … enough so, that even if they don’t buy today – they either will be a paying customer/client sometime in the future or they will refer business to you in one fashion or another.

Look, I can honestly say that I have never purchased one of J. Lo’s songs, but when I hear her sing on the radio, it’s not unusual for me to say “Wow! She’s such a fantastic artist!”

So, even though I’ve never become a paid customer of J.Lo. (yet), through my endorsement of her talent, I’m more likely going to drive more sales to her among my peers and circle of influence, just by my high opinion of her.

Let’s take another example ….

I was talking with a client who currently sells a several thousand dollar educational product.

Several years ago, he had a customer who purchased his course and promptly asked for a refund.

99% of businesses would look at that customer as a lost cause, a nuisance and an expense.

But, by focusing on making that customer a fan of the business (regardless if he kept the course or not), this customer not only referred other business to my client … but, years later, came back and repurchased the course again at full price!

Remember, your success in business will be directly proportional to the level of great advantage, benefit, value and or profit you deliver to your clients and prospects.

Give them tips or helpful information that will enrich their lives, let them try a product demonstration so they can understand the value of your product, offer a small token of appreciation (like a hand-written thank you card) just to let them know you appreciate them, or make the experience with your business the ultimate experience and so forth.

Look at how many more ways you can contribute, benefit or create value for your clients, customers and prospects.

Do you think that the online behemoth, Google, built its business by only focusing on paying customers?  No way!  They invest millions of dollars developing free technologies just to further enrich the lives of their users … so that you’ll become a bigger fan of Google … so that you have more of a reason to continue using their services and invite your friends to join you.

If you’re a “rockstar” in your business with an enthusiastic fan base – there’s only 2 probable outcomes:

1.      Prospects will become customers and customers will become better customers and/or

2.      They’ll refer other clients/customers to you.

If someone has found value in your product or service, it’s only natural human behavior that those same people will want to share that value with others.

People talk. People make referrals. People made decisions at different times.

Make your customers and prospects raving fans and it’s inevitable that your business will grow beyond your wildest expectations.

… and, surely, I’m particularly sensitive to this issue because it’s often a struggle to me for come up with another sensational idea for a present ….

And, it got me thinking.

Do you think that it’s any coincidence that there’s some-sort of economic stimulus each month – 12 months of the year?  I think not.

Let’s take a look at the ‘real’ economic calender and it’s potential impact on your business.

• January: New Years Day – this is a time for celebration!  Restaurants and night clubs benefit that night (as do our friends at Dom Perignon!)  Additionally, there’s an influx in cash due to individuals setting their New Year’s resolutions … gym memberships, weight loss products, personal and professional development, and almost anything related to beauty.  And, ladies, don’t get me started on how ‘necessary’ it is for you to buy a new dress for the occasion!
• February:  Valentine’s Day - I do enjoy this holiday because it just gives me another reason to tell my sweetheart that I truly love and appreciate her.  But, folks, you bet that your love only goes so far … that’s right … we’re talking chocolates, flowers, jewelry and a nice evening out on the town.
• March: St. Patrick’s Day – Green hats, green beer … and, heck, my mother would even have green milk that day!  This isn’t one of the biggest holidays – but, trust me, if you’re a restaurant owner, cattle rancher (hello corned-beef) or in the booze business – it’s a good day.
• April:  Easter – You bet that my kids are anticipating their Easter egg hunt this year!  And, in addition to the baskets our little furry friend brings them on Easter morning – you can bet that the grandparents have a little something for them too!  And the brunch on Easter is to die for!
• May: Mother’s Day – Being a mom is truly the hardest job on earth so they deserve a day all to themselves!  And, to show our appreciation, we indulge our mothers and wives in flowers, chocolates, jewelry, clothing and anything else that will get us a few brownie points.  And, moms, you bet that there’s a special meal planned as well!
• June: Father’s Day – And, yes, us dad’s would like a little recognition every once in a while as well.  Shy of the chocolates, you bet that Father’s Day is welcomed with all sorts of big-kid toys, golf, electronics and more food.
• July: July 4 – Beer, fireworks, beer, BBQ, beer and a whole plethora of decorations (did I mention beer?).  If you’re in the grocery/food business, you’re stocking your shelves and ready for long lines at the cash register!
• August: Back to School! – Sure, we might have National Waffle Day in August, but the real money comes in with all the “Back to School” specials.  New clothes, books, pencils, calculators, etc.
• September:  Labor Day – Kick off the school year with a massive BBQ, more beer and lots and lots of food!
• October: Halloween – You can’t go to a Halloween Party or special night club event without having a cool costume, right?  Oh, and if you have kids, you better believe that they need a new costume every year!  And, of course, this is definitely a favorite holiday for the candy manufacturers!  You gotta make sure that you have the proper reflectors, candy bag and some of those neat decorations for your house too.
• November: Thanksgiving – If you live in America, then you already know how big this holiday is ….  This is probably the BIGGEST food holiday of the year.  Turkey, mashed potatoes, veggies, apple pie and that’s just the beginning.  Between household decorations, food, alcohol … you bet they’ve got you for an easy couple hundred bucks.
• December: Christmas - Kick off the year with a bang!  Christmas is the BIGGEST shopping season out of the entire year.  Heck, Christmas is such a big event, many retail businesses do just as much business in this one month as they do all year!  Imagine over $508 billion dollars in sales for just one month!

And, of course, I left out anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, retirement and a whole slew of other religious holidays (i.e. Baptisms, First Communion, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, etc.)

So, when you really think about it, people are always have a reason to spend money … now, as an entrepreneur or business owner … ask yourself:

“What can I offer my client or customer that will give them a superior experience, better benefit or greater value for this coming Holiday?”

The business with the best answer will win your customer’s business.

Pick a few holidays and think about how many ways you can use creative marketing to generate new leads, repeat business and/or just to tell your clients how much you appreciate their business.

No matter what business you’re in, don’t think that just because it’s Valentine’s Day (for example) you can’t offer your clients a special experience – our friends at Swiesz Family Chiropractors offered new patients a $14 “Valenspines” special where all proceeds were donated to charity – a creative way to generate some buzz….

And money is the REASON why most people start their own business.  More money buys you freedom, travel, luxury, social status and control over your financial future.

That’s what I call “reason-based entrepreneurship”.

But 99.9% of entrepreneurs and business owners forget the PURPOSE for getting into business in the first place.

The purpose of a business is to provide your customer or client with a better advantage, benefit, value, and/or profit.

Hence, the term “purpose-based entrepreneurship”.

While “reason-based entrepreneurship” is built around persuasion, manipulation, cutting costs and reducing overhead (a.k.a cheapening the product as much as possible until the customer notices or stops buying) …

“Purpose-based entrepreneurship” is built around finding new and innovative ways to further enrich your client’s life.  It’s about being extraordinary.  Remarkable.  Unexpected.

It’s giving your clients the best outcome, advantage or result (even if it means less profit, in the short term, for you).

Purpose-based entrepreneurship makes your customers feel like they are important – and that they really matter to you.

Some examples include the restaurant owner who offers reading glasses for patrons who forget theirs at home; the doctor who calls a sick patient at home just to see how he’s doing; the bank that creates a free program to help homeowners make more money so they can pay their mortgage; and everyone else that goes beyond the call of duty just to let their customers know they care…

This type of entrepreneurship ignites a new realm of increased customer loyalty, increased word-of-mouth advertising, increased repeat business, increased customer value, increased profits and lots of client love!

Oh, and if you think that purpose-based entrepreneurship actually COSTS you more money – think again.

Purpose-based entrepreneurship lowers customer attrition and reduces the cost of customer acquisition – making you more profits in the long run.

You could say that “reason-based entrepreneurship” is penny wise and pound foolish.