An Inbound Marketing & Sales Braindump
I've been doing Google Ads for clients since 2009 but never run a paid ad for myself. Instead, I've built my business by making friends, building relationships, and creating win-wins.
Braindump below. 👇
I've been doing Google Ads for clients since 2009 but never run a paid ad for myself. Instead, I've built my business by making friends, building relationships, and creating win-wins.
Braindump below. 👇
1/ Let everyone know what you do
Make it a habit to naturally drop what you do into conversation. You want your name to spring to mind when people talk to other people.
Make it a habit to naturally drop what you do into conversation. You want your name to spring to mind when people talk to other people.
2/ Pay attention to how people introduce you to others
Years ago I paid a marketing consultant to help me figure out how to stop being known as a "Google Ads Guy" (I can help with other stuff dammit!).
I kept getting introduced by that label so I embraced it instead.
Years ago I paid a marketing consultant to help me figure out how to stop being known as a "Google Ads Guy" (I can help with other stuff dammit!).
I kept getting introduced by that label so I embraced it instead.
^^^ See what I did there?
3/ Position yourself how THEY refer you on, not how YOU want to be referred on.
I might want to be "The guy who generates phone calls for plumbers using Google Ads and mobile landing pages".
They'll just go "Oh, you do Google Ads?"
Sigh.... "The Google Ads Guy" it is then.
I might want to be "The guy who generates phone calls for plumbers using Google Ads and mobile landing pages".
They'll just go "Oh, you do Google Ads?"
Sigh.... "The Google Ads Guy" it is then.
What will this look like for you?
In your circles can you get known as "The Wordpress Guy", "The Twitter Lady", "The Productivity Guy", etc?
In your circles can you get known as "The Wordpress Guy", "The Twitter Lady", "The Productivity Guy", etc?
4/ Want to get known as "The XYZ Guy/Gal"?
1) Talk about XYZ.
2) Help people with XYZ.
3) Be SEEN to help people with XYZ.
1) Talk about XYZ.
2) Help people with XYZ.
3) Be SEEN to help people with XYZ.
5/ Show, Don't Tell
Don't TELL people you "do Twitter marketing" or "build Websites" or whatever.
SHOW them.
Tell stories that SHOW you do it. Stories are what people remember. Stories are what people will tell other people when they refer you on.
Don't TELL people you "do Twitter marketing" or "build Websites" or whatever.
SHOW them.
Tell stories that SHOW you do it. Stories are what people remember. Stories are what people will tell other people when they refer you on.
6/ Don't say "PM me"
Add so much freaking value that people reach out to you instead.
Add so much freaking value that people reach out to you instead.
7/ Ask about them first
Him: "So what do you do Andy?"
Me: "Oh, I work for myself. What is it that you do again?"
Him: (Reply...)
Me: "Oh, so you're a plumber? Do you work for yourself?"
Him: "So what do you do Andy?"
Me: "Oh, I work for myself. What is it that you do again?"
Him: (Reply...)
Me: "Oh, so you're a plumber? Do you work for yourself?"
Him: (Reply...)
Me: “Actually, I help plumbers get more phone calls using those little ads on Google."
[Branch 1]: Him: "So you do Google Ads?"
(Game on! I didn't call them Google Ads...)
Me: “Actually, I help plumbers get more phone calls using those little ads on Google."
[Branch 1]: Him: "So you do Google Ads?"
(Game on! I didn't call them Google Ads...)
[Branch 2] Him: "I never click on those ads."
Me: "Haha. Everyone says that, but I think Google makes $200 million a day from people clicking on them."
blah blah
Me: "Haha. Everyone says that, but I think Google makes $200 million a day from people clicking on them."
blah blah
8/ When your back's against the wall
Sending hand crafted emails to all the people you've ever done work with. Make it short, friendly, and non-needy.
(OK, this is an outbound strategy courtesy of Dan Gallapoo, but it works a-m-a-z-i-n-g.)
Sending hand crafted emails to all the people you've ever done work with. Make it short, friendly, and non-needy.
(OK, this is an outbound strategy courtesy of Dan Gallapoo, but it works a-m-a-z-i-n-g.)
Example:
Hi Bob,
Hope you and your family are well.
Just thought I'd let you know some space has cleared in my calendar. If you need any help with Google Ads or know anyone who does then just reach out.
We must catch up soon. It's long overdue!
Speak soon,
Andy
Hi Bob,
Hope you and your family are well.
Just thought I'd let you know some space has cleared in my calendar. If you need any help with Google Ads or know anyone who does then just reach out.
We must catch up soon. It's long overdue!
Speak soon,
Andy
The important part is saying some space has cleared in your calendar.
This is non-needy, and has them thinking:
1) How they can help you fill the space.
2) How they can help someone get that space before it's filled.
This is non-needy, and has them thinking:
1) How they can help you fill the space.
2) How they can help someone get that space before it's filled.
9/ Talk to *everyone*
(This is similar to let everyone know what you do.)
When you’re starting out, get into the habit of talking to folks.
Don’t discount people because you don’t think they’re your ideal client avatar.
You do NOT know your ideal client avatar yet.
(This is similar to let everyone know what you do.)
When you’re starting out, get into the habit of talking to folks.
Don’t discount people because you don’t think they’re your ideal client avatar.
You do NOT know your ideal client avatar yet.
When your barber/hairdresser asks what you do, tell them. Watch where they get confused. Watch where they glaze over. Figure out how to stop talking industry jargon so your barber/hairdresser can understand you.
10/ Ask questions that "Show, don't tell"
A prospective cleaning company contacted me.
I didn't TELL them about the experience I have of running campaigns for cleaning companies.
I asked questions that SHOW this experience.
A prospective cleaning company contacted me.
I didn't TELL them about the experience I have of running campaigns for cleaning companies.
I asked questions that SHOW this experience.
11/ "Show people their bleeding neck." (Perry Marshall)
Point out to them where they're losing something they hold very dear to their heart.
Point out to them where they're losing something they hold very dear to their heart.
12/ Think "The first purchase is a test."
It's not about passing or failing these tests, it's just about finding out whether it's a good fit (both ways!)
It's not about passing or failing these tests, it's just about finding out whether it's a good fit (both ways!)
13/ The "WHO, WHAT, HOW" formula
(A meh to "elevator pitches".)
Here's 3 simple questions that can help you when someone asks what you do, or if you want a simple tagline on your website or business card.
More importantly, they help YOU focus on what your business is about.
👇
(A meh to "elevator pitches".)
Here's 3 simple questions that can help you when someone asks what you do, or if you want a simple tagline on your website or business card.
More importantly, they help YOU focus on what your business is about.
👇
1) Who do you help?
2) What do you help them with?
3) How do you do it?
Example: "We help blacksmiths get more phone calls and sales using Google Ads and mobile websites."
2) What do you help them with?
3) How do you do it?
Example: "We help blacksmiths get more phone calls and sales using Google Ads and mobile websites."
We don't really have blacksmiths as clients. That's just a placeholder.
If someone asks what I do and I don't know what they do, then I try to find that out first.
"Oh, you're a plumber?"
"We help plumbers get more phone calls and sales using Google Ads and mobile websites."
If someone asks what I do and I don't know what they do, then I try to find that out first.
"Oh, you're a plumber?"
"We help plumbers get more phone calls and sales using Google Ads and mobile websites."
14/ “Follow demonstrated cashflows.”
(From one of the Tropical MBA podcasts)
What do people ALREADY spend money on that indicates they have the problem you can solve?
(From one of the Tropical MBA podcasts)
What do people ALREADY spend money on that indicates they have the problem you can solve?
Your market is not “all women who live in New York who like tennis”. That’s a demographic.
Your market is the people in New York who bought a tennis racket, clothes, or pays for a tennis club.
Your market is the people in New York who bought a tennis racket, clothes, or pays for a tennis club.
15/ "Help the people in motion." (Amy Hoy)
I help business already spending money on Google Ads, or some other marketing channel. That’s a big monthly demonstrated cashflow right there.
Personal Trainers get new clients at the gym.
I help business already spending money on Google Ads, or some other marketing channel. That’s a big monthly demonstrated cashflow right there.
Personal Trainers get new clients at the gym.
16/ Leverage your network first
I consider Google Ads the purest form of cold traffic because they’re actively searching when they find you.
It still doesn’t beat warm leads and word of mouth referrals though.
I think the trick is to master warm, then go to the cold channels.
I consider Google Ads the purest form of cold traffic because they’re actively searching when they find you.
It still doesn’t beat warm leads and word of mouth referrals though.
I think the trick is to master warm, then go to the cold channels.
If you can’t sell to someone who’s been referred to you, then how can you sell to someone who has never heard of you?
17/ When you're just getting started... "Spend your money on diesel and coffee." (Blaise Brosnan)
Meet people, either IRL or online. Have a coffee not a sales pitch.
Get to know people and build relationships. Good things start happening.
Meet people, either IRL or online. Have a coffee not a sales pitch.
Get to know people and build relationships. Good things start happening.
18/ Stop trying to be a salesman
How would you say hello to someone at the coffee break when you’re attending a course?
Do that.
Stop with all the awkward throat clearing and value vomiting.
Be natural and build relationships like you’ve done all your life.
How would you say hello to someone at the coffee break when you’re attending a course?
Do that.
Stop with all the awkward throat clearing and value vomiting.
Be natural and build relationships like you’ve done all your life.
14/ "Sales is a screening process." (Blaise Brosnan)
Scared of doing sales? Maybe you consider yourself an introvert, techie, or creative and don't like the idea of selling.
Step 1: Realise your goal is to find the people who want to buy your product.
Less scary eh?
Scared of doing sales? Maybe you consider yourself an introvert, techie, or creative and don't like the idea of selling.
Step 1: Realise your goal is to find the people who want to buy your product.
Less scary eh?
15/ "Always be closing?"
No, that doesn't mean you have to always be trying to close the person in front of you. It means if the person in front of you doesn't want or need your product then keep going up the road.
PS: Try to remove "closing" from your vocabulary anyway.
No, that doesn't mean you have to always be trying to close the person in front of you. It means if the person in front of you doesn't want or need your product then keep going up the road.
PS: Try to remove "closing" from your vocabulary anyway.
16/ "Who already has your customers?" (Jay Abraham)
What business already has your market as their customers? Can you create a win-win with them?
What business already has your market as their customers? Can you create a win-win with them?
17/ "Your market is a demonstrated cashflow." (from a TropicalMBA podcast)
What are people ALREADY spending money on to solve the problem you can solve?
What are people ALREADY spending money on to solve the problem you can solve?
18/ A simple definition of marketing?
1) Find out what people want to buy.
2) Find out how to sell it to them.
3) Find out if you can make a profit doing it.
4) Do it.
1) Find out what people want to buy.
2) Find out how to sell it to them.
3) Find out if you can make a profit doing it.
4) Do it.
19/ “Your job is to find out as soon as possible if the person in front of you sees the value in what you do, or just the cost.” (Blaise Brosnan)
If they just see the cost then keep heading up the road. Someone up there will bite your hand off. Go find them.
If they just see the cost then keep heading up the road. Someone up there will bite your hand off. Go find them.
20/ Landing pages don’t convert.
They sit there being landing pages.
PEOPLE convert.
From visitors into prospects
... into buyers
... into customers (people with a custom of buying from us)
... into referrers
... into champions.
Landing pages don’t convert, *people* do.
They sit there being landing pages.
PEOPLE convert.
From visitors into prospects
... into buyers
... into customers (people with a custom of buying from us)
... into referrers
... into champions.
Landing pages don’t convert, *people* do.
21/ For goodness sake, please stop using words like traffic, clicks, signups, conversions, and users.
They’re people, just like you and me. People with hopes, fears, dreams, and pasts.
You didn’t get 100 clicks yesterday. You had 100 people visit your website.
They’re people, just like you and me. People with hopes, fears, dreams, and pasts.
You didn’t get 100 clicks yesterday. You had 100 people visit your website.
22/ Start with people who already know you, and just be conversational.
Listen to this podcast where I launched without a website and hit $1,300 MRR in 90 days:
soundcloud.com/andy-black-605…
Listen to this podcast where I launched without a website and hit $1,300 MRR in 90 days:
soundcloud.com/andy-black-605…
23/ Don’t judge a landing page in isolation.
If someone visits via an ad on Google then what was their search term and what did the ad say?
If someone visits via an ad on Google then what was their search term and what did the ad say?
24/ Sell what people already want to buy?
https://twitter.com/AndyBlackJnr/status/1363649734997651457
25/ “You don’t need a website, you need sales.”
26/ “You can’t invoice for input.” (Blaise Brosnan)
The market doesn’t care how busy you’ve been, how much you’ve learned, or what tech you’re using.
The market doesn’t care how busy you’ve been, how much you’ve learned, or what tech you’re using.
27/ "People listen to experts, they follow leaders." (Dan Gallipoo)
Want followers?
Pick a direction, get started, keep going.
Want followers?
Pick a direction, get started, keep going.
28/ Google Ads can be really simple:
1) Search Term (ST) : "oven repairs dublin".
2) AD: "Dublin Oven Repairs".
3) Landing Page (LP):
Dublin Oven Repairs
• We fix ovens.
• We serve Dublin.
• Arrange a callout.
<Call Now>
The Holy Trinity of paid search: ST -> AD -> LP
1) Search Term (ST) : "oven repairs dublin".
2) AD: "Dublin Oven Repairs".
3) Landing Page (LP):
Dublin Oven Repairs
• We fix ovens.
• We serve Dublin.
• Arrange a callout.
<Call Now>
The Holy Trinity of paid search: ST -> AD -> LP
29/ Less is often more.
Our default initial landing page has a headline we want people to say "Yes! Thank goodness I found you!!"
Then we may have a couple of feature/benefit bullet points, then a call-to-action (CTA) bullet point, then a CTA button.
Example below 👇
Our default initial landing page has a headline we want people to say "Yes! Thank goodness I found you!!"
Then we may have a couple of feature/benefit bullet points, then a call-to-action (CTA) bullet point, then a CTA button.
Example below 👇
Example of a simple landing page:
Looking for XYZ?
• We sell XYZ.
• You'll get it fast.
• Contact us to arrange a time.
< Contact Us >
Looking for XYZ?
• We sell XYZ.
• You'll get it fast.
• Contact us to arrange a time.
< Contact Us >
30/ Document publicly as you go along.
"People listen to experts, they follow leaders" right? (See 27/ above.)
Here's an example of me documenting figuring out Twitter:
(Click to view 👇)
"People listen to experts, they follow leaders" right? (See 27/ above.)
Here's an example of me documenting figuring out Twitter:
(Click to view 👇)
https://twitter.com/AndyBlackJnr/status/1365296230398652417
31/ It starts with one sale.
Until you’ve made a sale you’ve not started, you’re just limbering up.
When will you make your first sale?
Until you’ve made a sale you’ve not started, you’re just limbering up.
When will you make your first sale?
32/ Overcoming imposter syndrome...
I find the best cure for imposter syndrome is to focus on helping people. When we seek to serve we miraculously get out of our own way.
I find the best cure for imposter syndrome is to focus on helping people. When we seek to serve we miraculously get out of our own way.
33/ "Praise in Public"
Are there #praiseinpublic or #helpinpublic hashtags?
#buildinpublic & #learninpublic seem (certainly by name) to be preoccupied with ourselves and what we're doing rather than helping others.
Anyway, here's a relevant thread:
👇
Are there #praiseinpublic or #helpinpublic hashtags?
#buildinpublic & #learninpublic seem (certainly by name) to be preoccupied with ourselves and what we're doing rather than helping others.
Anyway, here's a relevant thread:
👇
https://twitter.com/AndyBlackJnr/status/1365972158778920962?s=20
34/ Want to focus attention on ONE tweet instead of repeating yourself?
Keep sending people to a tweet within a "library" thread. Let it resurface, and accumulate likes, retweets, & comments.
Some will also see it's part of a thread and continue reading.
Click to expand:
👇
Keep sending people to a tweet within a "library" thread. Let it resurface, and accumulate likes, retweets, & comments.
Some will also see it's part of a thread and continue reading.
Click to expand:
👇
35/ Figure it out in public
See 34 above? 👆
I figured that out publicly in the thread linked to below.
You do NOT need to be an expert. You just have to be in motion (see 27 above).
👇
See 34 above? 👆
I figured that out publicly in the thread linked to below.
You do NOT need to be an expert. You just have to be in motion (see 27 above).
👇
https://twitter.com/AndyBlackJnr/status/1363597131689426945?s=20
36/ Answer in public if you can
If people ask you questions in private DM then encourage them to ask in public. Your answers could help more people. This is a great way to get started and to scale.
If people ask you questions in private DM then encourage them to ask in public. Your answers could help more people. This is a great way to get started and to scale.
37/ Help in public if you can
(Similar to 4/ way above.)
"Show, don't tell" that you're helpful.
The beauty is... you don't even need to be an expert! So stop trying to become an expert and get out there and help people. (This is how to become an expert anyway.)
(Similar to 4/ way above.)
"Show, don't tell" that you're helpful.
The beauty is... you don't even need to be an expert! So stop trying to become an expert and get out there and help people. (This is how to become an expert anyway.)
38/ Find the why behind the why
Apparently people don’t buy a drill to have a drill, but because they want a hole in their wall.
I contend that’s crap.
People don’t want a hole in their wall. They want to hang a picture of a loved one on the wall.
Apparently people don’t buy a drill to have a drill, but because they want a hole in their wall.
I contend that’s crap.
People don’t want a hole in their wall. They want to hang a picture of a loved one on the wall.
39/ Rather then telling the same people different things, consider telling different people the same things.
40/ “Your job in sales is to find out as quickly as possible if the person in front of you sees the value in what you do, or just the cost.” (Blaise Brosnan)
41/ I still don’t have a portfolio.
I just help people where they are (forums, Facebook groups, now Twitter).
Help people, and especially BE SEEN to help people, and the rest falls into place.
I just help people where they are (forums, Facebook groups, now Twitter).
Help people, and especially BE SEEN to help people, and the rest falls into place.
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