53 Marketing Secrets of a Conservative Marketing Guru

These simple yet powerful marketing approaches practiced by elite marketers will double your sales in no time, it works even if your business is a rock bottom.

Exceptional marketing is a game-changer for any business. A reason I delved into marketing. I devoured whatever I found on the internet about how savvy marketers operate. Explored tons of blogs.

But I wasn’t satisfied with the material and was seeking some real marketing wisdom.

It was 2013 when I stumbled upon this guy. This man fascinated me instantly; I traced him and got connected. After cold messages for few months, I captivated him with my consistent desire of learning. And then he managed a few discussions.

He distilled his 27 years of experience which I couldn’t learn even after reading 50 books. This is the power of a true mentor.

This man with a life-long passion for marketing dared to rise from humble beginnings to become a millionaire. But still lives a conservative life with his family and feels proud of it (I have kept him anonymous to prevent this article from another promotional pitch).

He is an author of 3 books (2 are National Bestsellers) and a marketing expert. He revealed to me that he has worked in 22 countries for 25 years and held senior marketing positions for fortune 500 companies including Abbott Laboratories, Sonoco Products Company, and Robert Half International.

He has also worked with legendary marketing gurus Jay Abraham and father of Guerilla marketing Jay Conrad Levinson. In fact, Jay introduced him for his first book to a publisher. He has coached CEOs to understand the marketing role in their organizations. During his career, he has quadrupled the sales of growing companies and helped a Silicon Valley startup to double its sales within a year. Clients reach him through referrals (a key lesson I will discuss in the article).

I often reflect on whatever he discussed with me, through my notes and have organized them in a structural form in this article. Each point is sheer gold.

Here is what he discussed with me about his marketing wisdom that has literally transformed his life and the companies he has worked with.

1.The Purpose of marketing is to provide “perceived value” to your clients to enhance their lives. Perceived value is the secret true marketers know for centuries. They focus on value, not needs. Instead of focusing on competition, focus on serving others at the highest level. Be real, show people as quickly as possible that you can add value.

Marketing is simply to serve others and add value to their lives, nothing else.

2. Develop clients, not customers, with whom you can have a deep and long-lasting relationship.

3. Make relationships very quickly to build trust. People buy from people they know and like. The major resistance that prevents people from buying your product or service is a lack of trust.

How can you build trust?

By offering in routine “value items,” e.g., free samples, reports, high-quality information, or gifts. Surprise them often through continuous education; with free gifts, information related to their industry.

Give them extended guarantees, food (free lunches or dinner), sending birthday cards, and newsletters. Arrange special events.

Great companies know “consistency” builds trust. They educate their clients consistently to build credibility.

4. Find out what your customers experience when they use your product. It will incrementally help you to make your product better.

5. Get as much feedback as possible; it’s like oxygen for marketing. When you know marketing is only about perceived value, then how do you know if you are giving value. It is through constant feedback. A reason why billion-dollar companies have a mechanized system for feedbacks.

6. Get testimonials and recommendations from your satisfied customers. They work as social proof and evidence about your value. Testimonials are assets for any company. Marketing gurus know how to use positive testimonials to position themselves.

It’s a surefire way to reduce resistance. Still, they are the most underused and overlooked marketing tools available and set you apart from the competition. As people don’t believe when you are selling them, but they certainly believe others who have already purchased something from you.

A great testimonial is short and informs people how your service can improve something. For instance increase revenue to 5%, reduce 3 kg weight in 1 month, or something specific a person can relate and execute in his life.

7. Never invest until you test marketing activity. If it works, then expand it on a large scale. Testing reduces the false assumptions. Testing is your passport to millions. Once you find what works, you can replicate it.

8. Always differentiate-Have a UVP (unique value proposition) and use it in your marketing message. Let everyone know why your product is different.

9. Use referrals or word of mouth from your satisfied customers (remember a large part of businesses are done when somebody recommends) -Do ask your clients to tell others about you.

One of the main costs of businesses spends in acquiring new customers. It can be reduced or eliminated by referral-based selling. It's way more powerful than conventional selling because people trust people rather than salespeople.

In small businesses, up to 90 percent of the business comes through referrals but still, we mostly don’t find a systemic referral system.

In today’s cluttered tech culture, when people are bombarded with ads, a friend’s suggestion about a product influence you most to purchase anything. As it reduces your stress to research and the risk to try something you would regret the purchase.

10. Repeatedly use the most powerful word of marketing that is “YOU.”

11. Networking or Affiliate partner. Associate with people who already have a long list of customers you want to reach to achieve your desired targets. Make the offer that they can’t refuse to promote you.

12. Master three M’s of marketing. The message, messenger, and marketing. Quality message (your Value proposition) when send to the right market (decision maker), using an effective messenger (vehicle or medium of the message) create wonders.

13. Use powerful headlines to arouse interest. A headline is your gateway and summary of communication value.

14. Set up an e-newsletter (for example, email) that provides consistent information. It will create constant value.

15. Master the greatest sales tool (Telephone). Have written key points before the call by keeping in mind the value other people will get.

16. Maintain a database of your customers. The two assets (Testimonials and referrals from customers) when used effectively can guarantee business success. To harness these assets you need a database to know who your customers are.

Segment the database with suspects, prospects, and customers to monetize it effectively. Your customer’s database is pure gold that allows you to take referrals and testimonials. This single move, if you master it, can double your sales within no time.

17. Be Simple-Don’t try to use jargon; use simple words, be real. Simplicity sells.

18. Fix your mind on what you want and visualize it daily. Write goals daily. Shut off negativity.

Wealth is a mindset. When you have a clear vision and goals, your mind works as a GPS navigator to make you achieve business growth.

19. Advertise effectively. Strengthen your marketing vocabulary (words that arouse emotions) and use them in communication -words sell, so chose your words wisely. Most advertisements focus on who they are, instead of what they can do for you.

20. Master 4 steps.

(1) Immediately set up information and validation. People initially collect information to buy anything. Provide as much value-based information as possible, testimonials and give the opportunity to try for free.

(2) Understand sales is a process. Help them to reach an informed decision. Your every opportunity; a call, email, letter, or meeting is a mini sale that leads to a sale. So bring value in every opportunity.

(3) Focus on perceived value/benefit to reduce price objection.

(4) Go towards sales in a systematic way through 6 steps:

• Generate leads/suspects (People might be interested in your product)
• Convert leads to prospects
• Build rapport with prospects
• Make the value proposition
• Handle objects
• Get Referrals

21. Find a mentor. A mentor will help you to achieve your goals in the shortest possible time. He’ll save your time in avoiding blunders through his insights. If you can’t find a mentor then read books or listen to CDs and podcasts.

22. Use the internet as your marketing research department.

23. Get customers not only to buy, but to buy more, and to buy often. Instead of advertisements for new customers focus on the clients you already have. Your database will help you to achieve it.

24. Become a master networker. You’ll never have to make a cold again, instead, you will be introduced through a warm call. Most medium-sized businesses run on referrals which is a form of Networking.

Networking build trust. And trust is the magic word in marketing. People only buy when they trust you. For instance, LinkedIn is a great networking example if it can be used effectively.

25. Know how to calculate a marketing budget. In simple words marketing budget equals the cost to acquire and cost to maintain new customers.

26. Know the 3 types of customers, (1) Present (for repeat business and taking referrals) (2) Past (to activate them again) (3) Potential (you have to convince them to bring in).

27. Focus on customers who can rise after five years, so stick close to winners.

28. Use TLC-a letter when combined with a follow-up telephone call causes a significant effect, so use both.

29. Always remember 2/3rd of the money is at the backend. The quickest way to increase sales is to increase the size and frequency of existing customers; getting a new customer is an expensive venture.

30. Make the most of your sales material.

31. Use AIDA (attention, interest, desire, action) when you communicate. Whether in email, phone calls, letters, ads (online or offline).

31. Feed your mind daily with books and CDs of inspirational material. Growth is about mindset. And mindset is based on your thoughts. Thoughts inspire actions and actions lead to results.

32. Create curiosity and uncertainty. The greatest advertisement campaigns in history were based on creating curiosity, leading to a certain action.

33. Go direct and make an offer (any desired action). You will get a response, so offer something instead of entertaining or making fun.

34. Document everything; take good notes, be an outstanding listener and then use these same points while communicating. Capture every detail about your customer in the database including personal details, things they like, buying preferences, what they purchased in the past. This information will help you in bringing value to your customers.

35. Get the best team behind you. This marketing enthusiast has launched 7 products in his career and every product has made several million. Because every time he had a team behind him.

Hire the best people, keep them validating and motivating.

36. Capture those million dollars ideas your subconscious mind reveals any time and writes them down. Remember, your mind has the answer to any problem you have. You need to challenge it; just focus on ‘why’ you need to achieve a goal.

37. Marketing is a set of tools in a systematic way. (1) Marketing research (2) Communicate message according to research (3) Sales (persuasion) on the value you offer.

38. Know what management is-it is the ability to predict with a high level of confidence for the outcome of the activity.

39. Small things can make a big difference. Changes in a headline in your email or ad can double the response rate. Asking for a referral or presenting a gift can make huge leaps.

40. Make doing business with you fun and exciting. People only seek value when they buy from you.

Value is divided into tangible and intangible.

Value= Tangible (economic benefit) + intangible (emotions gained by your prospect).

Most businesses focus only on tangible value, whereas intangible is also equally important.

41. Make friends with strangers quickly by using the internet. People are buying and selling from people they never met. So, master this art to make friends easily.

42. Don’t forget the 1% rule of direct marketing. Even if you have a great product, not most people will respond. In direct approximately 99% of people don’t get convinced with your offer. Because they don’t trust you (don’t think you can bring them value or are busy enough that not even read what you have to say. Therefore increase the volume of your message to reach this 1%.

43. Use questions to define the buying criteria. Based on the answers educate people and help them to increase buying decisions.

44. Use the barter system in your favor. It is a simple exchange of value when you don’t have to spend a penny. Think of people who can benefit from your product or services and offer them, in return receive any service you want from them. The barter system is lethal secret insiders are using for decades.

45. Tell stories. Facts tell stories sell.

46. Copy the proven strategies that have worked for others (especially your competitors). Ask those people to guide you. People are often generous in sharing when you honor their work and request advice.

47. Inspire confidence and security in the buyers’ minds through education and guidance so they can make decisions easily. Take confusion, fear, and anxiety out of their mind.

48. Extend the period of warranties and guarantees-Money back guarantee is an awesome marketing tool to remove fear and increase buying decisions.

49. Know that empathy sells-ability to understand, relate and connect to others at a psychological level.

50. Turn your life into a marketing university-Observe and study. Observe strategies used in successful products and effective marketing campaigns around you. Study emails, websites and analyze how people are marketing their work and generating sales. And how you can apply them.

51. Know that the best form of marketing is truth.

52. Never stop marketing-Focus on educating your market regularly; it builds trust. Keep sending value-added emails, do conference calls, visit, send gifts.

53. Make the most of your website. A website is your virtual office. It should be generating leads. It should be focused on converting a visitor into paying customer. Get them to come back and refer others.

But most buyers do a mistake when they sell visitors immediately. As discussed, People only buy when they trust you.

So how do you make a trust? By offering something of high value and receive their email and personal details. Now follow up with an educational program with incremental value.

Your website must provide easy navigation, good copy with headlines, provide top-notch information.

Make sure you used professional images. Testimonials, free sample.

Get traffic to your website. UnPaid/Organic source or Paid source

Buy/paid. You paid for the traffic from any internet source, Google Ads, Social medial ads (Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram).

Build/Organic. Through content. You write content that is picked up by search engines through keywords.

Borrow/Organic. Through joint ventures and strategic partnerships. Somebody endorse you or send traffic through a link to your website.

54. Use the reciprocation principle in your favor. Give more than you expect to receive. You become successful by putting others’ success ahead of you. Never ever sell; just help people. That’s why educating them is the best approach. Provide facts, figures, and success stories/testimonials. The customer will reciprocate the value you have delivered.

55. The more you tell, the more you sell. All marketing legends agree that long copy sells, but it is not easy to write a long copy while keeping the readers engaged. Only world-class copywriters can write a several-page letter.

56. Repetition is the master skill. Study and practice all the points daily, until they become a habit.

By adding massive value to people, networking, leveraging testimonials and referrals, relationship building, are the top five revenue-generating moves I learned from this marketing mentor.

He is practicing them for the last 30 years and has generated millions for companies he worked and coached.

They are so simple but so rare that we couldn’t find entrepreneurs or companies following them often. I wish I could apply all of them consistently. But for this time I wanted to pass it on to you, thinking it could add some value to your life.