This column highlights on- and off-target Marketing Consultants techniques from the “real world”. The goal: to help you as a businessperson improve YOUR approach to YOUR customer, by seeing the world through the eyes of a seasoned marketer. Paul Travis is a Partner at Seattle-based OneAccord Corp (www.OneAccordCorp.com) and contributes to their outstanding record helping mid-market companies with revenue growth, new product launch, and new market entry. Paul welcomes your comments and counterpoints.

Quantify, Quantify, Quantify

Do you have a favorite retail quote?

I do. And it’s not one that I think the industry should be proud of…

Save up to 40 percent, or more!

What are we, the consumers, to think — 1% or 99%? Human beings can only consider offers and value propositions within a meaningful frame of reference.

Consider this example — a customer feedback card from Silver City Restaurant & Brewery in Silverdale, Washington, made to look like the classified ads.

$375k per year sounds a lot more impactful than $15 for five minutes. Misrepresentative? No, I see creativity in catching attention and “portraying value”.

There is always a way to quantify the true value. Sometimes we have to work hard to figure it out. Often, going through the exercise helps us understand how to communicate to the prospective consumer.

So… how can you quantify your value proposition for your prospective clients and customers?

How Does a Stuntman Help Others?

Zig Ziglar said, “the way to achieve success is to help others get what they want”.

So how does that translate into 60 Second Marketing? It prompts us to objectively inventory our skills and identify corresponding needs in the marketplace.

Here is an awesome example. Mike Dochterman had a skill that people “ooh”ed and “ahhh”ed over. Most people would love the response and what it does for the ego.

You see, Mike is a stuntman. He is good at things that most people never want to try, such as setting himself on fire and jumping three stories into less than 3 feet of water. I’d venture to say he has a résumé that’s altogether different than you and I…

· World record holder highest fire dive into shallow water.
· Stunts in the movies, Back Draft & many more.
· U.S. dive team.
· Acapulco cliff diving champion.
· Stunt double for Don Johnson in Miami Vice.
· Tireless fundraiser for cancer research.

So Mike and business consultants birmingham created a win/win/win. He wants to support cancer research after having lost his wife to it; he wants to practice his craft; and he helps car dealerships which are always looking for a new way to draw in prospective customers.

Here’s what the “Event in a Box” looks like: $7950 gets you a stuntman, pool, ladder lift, and airfare. Their marketing materials help clients see this is a reasonable advertising expense, comparing it with a 10,000-count mailer. The dealership must agree to donate a portion of proceeds from the weekend’s sales to cancer research — which they oblige, building goodwill in their community.

What are Mike’s results? Last year, he booked 32 different shows from one coast of the country to the other. This year is equally full. Strategy realized!

How can you help others get what they want?