When you have the intention of making a sale or securing a deal, your duty is first to be a gentleman, and then, if it requires it, to be a gangster. A gentleman conducts himself with confidence, clarity, warmth, and respect.

When you believe fully in the product or service you’re offering, and know that your prospect would truly receive value from having it, here’s how to secure the deal in 3 easy steps…

Step #1: Offer

As a gentleman, confidently approach your prospect and clearly state who you are, what you’re offering, and how you feel it would add value to their business or lifestyle.

Step #2: Listen

As a gentleman, listen intently to their response. Is it that they want to purchase straight away? If so, great, sign on the dotted line please!

If they explicitly say “no, not at all” - then ask yourself again: “Is it truly going to add value to them?” If not, nevermind, walk away with your head up, and onto the next prospect.

If their response if more like “yes, but…” or “kinda…” or “no, but ummm…”, chances are that they really would benefit from having your product or service right now, yet they have a barrier that’s popped up for them in the shape of:

• I don’t know you:
  • How do I know you’re qualified?
  • How do I know you’re reputable?
  • How can I trust you?
• I don’t believe you
• I don’t want it / need it yet
• I can’t afford it
• It won’t work for me
• You don’t understand my problem
• What happens if I don’t like it?

This is where you shift your mindset from that of a gentleman, into the mindset of a gangster…

Step #3: Combat

As a gangster, systematically address each and every one of these barriers, so that you may overcome the prospect’s buying resistance, and through that, persuade them to take action and secure the deal.

If they ask “how do I know you’re qualified?” then respond with details of you / your company’s history and track record. If they say “it won’t work for me” then offer them a handful of solid testimonials from others who are in a similar position to them who have benefited massively by using your product or service. If they say “what happens if I don’t like it?” then offer them a ‘60 day no questions asked money back guarantee’.

IMPORTANT: you’re not in combat with your prospect. You’re in combat with that space that’s between you and the prospect, that’s keeping you from securing the deal. You’re addressing each of the barriers above with verbal combat and solid proof.

So there you have it: How to be a Gentleman and a Gangster to Secure the Deal in 3 Easy Steps.

When you know that something hot is happening right now and you want to support it, here’s how you can get a good looking, self funding, great work promoting website up and running within a day.

In the example, we’ll use www.oneandonlymadonna.com, which is the site we have set up for our friend Evelyne Brink, who is currently on her way to winning the BBC1 prime time show hosted by Graham Norton: “The One and Only”. When she wins, she’ll have the opportunity to take her Madonna tribute show to Las Vegas for three months!

Here’s a 10 step plan on how you can create your very own site just like it…

Step #1: Get A Domain Name

Think up a domain name that you know people will be searching for. In our case, we chose www.oneandonlymadonna.com because our intention was to promote Evelyne Brink and help her get to Vegas, and the phrase “one and only madonna” was certainly catching on - Evelyne is most certainly the “one and only Madonna” on that show! See our article on Descriptive Domain Names for guidance.

Then go to GoDaddy.com and purchase the domain name that you think is ideal for your promotional campaign. You can pick one up for about £5. Sometimes you can even get a discount of 10% by searching Google for “godaddy promo code“and entering that code when you make your purchase. Hey, every penny counts!

While you’re getting this domain, you’ll need to point it to an external web host such as Dreamhost, by entering the relevant name servers - in this instance, you’ll need ns1.dreamhost.com. ns2.dreamhost.com, and ns3.dreamhost.com

Step #2: Get A Hosting Account

Next you need a place to actually host your website. We recommended Dreamhost for their hosting package, and you can get a terrific deal of approximately £60 for a year’s worth of hosting an unlimited number of domains.

Step #3: Add Your Domain To Your Hosting Account

Once you have opened your hosting account, you can add your new domain to be hosted at your new Dreamhost account. At this time, also create a new FTP account to upload files where necessary, and an email address to receive email correspondence specific to this campaign.

Step #4: Load Up Your Content Management System

The next step is to install the application on your host that lets you design and add content to your website quickly - for this you’ll be installing Wordpress, which is commonly used for blogs.

When logged into Wordpress, along the left hand menu, select Goodies –> One-Click Installs, and proceed with the instructions for setting up your new Wordpress site on your domain.

Once installed, you’ll want to log in to your new Wordpress website and set up the permalinks to show URLs with the full date and post name, as well as set the title and description for the site.

Step # 5: Install A Decent Looking Revenue Generating Theme

Now that you have the core website set up, you want it to look good and set up in a way that it generates revenue for you through contextual adverts such as AdSense and Amazon Associates - you’ll need to sign up with these services and enter the codes it generates into your theme.

The quickest way to find a decent theme that achieves this is by searching “adsense optimized wordpress theme” in Google, downloading a theme you like, and following the instructions given to you on how you can install the theme on your site.

Another way to make further revenue is to sell affiliated products - i.e. products that other people have either created or are distributing, and you are simply referring people to them and making an affiliate commission on each sale.   You can set up your very own affiliate store by signing up as a My Affiliate Store member.

Step #6: Add A Mailing List

Set up a mailing list on the site that can capture your visitors’ name and email addresses so that you may keep in touch with them and send them regular updates by email about the artist, to keep them engaged on the site. We recommend you use Professional Cart Solutions.

Step #7: Add Quality Content

When the look and feel of the site is set up, you’ll want to start adding relevant content. In our case, we located videos from YouTube, pictures of Evelyne as Madonna from Flickr, and Diva Eve’s music from the Last.fm playlist.

Evelyne has many fans around the world, so we have also been in touch with some of her most dedicated fans who are more than happy to write about Evelyne and how she progresses in BBC1’s The One and Only show with Graham Norton to be selected to perform as Madonna in Las Vegas for three months.

If you’re asking other writers for content, you may even want to create an account for them on your site so that they can contribute content as and when they are inspired to write.

Step #8: Help Visitors And Search Engines Find Your Site

To let search engines know that your site exists and ask them to list you, simply send them a request to add your site to their database. With Google, just go to their Add URL page.

You’ll also want to further optimise your site so that your description and keywords meta tags have something useful in them for search engines to pick up when visitors are searching for your content. The plugin we recommend that you download, install and configure is the Add Meta Tags Wordpress Plugin.

Step #9: Get Fans To Rave About The Site

Finally you want fans raving about this promotional fansite by telling all their friends about it on social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. Help them do this by installing the I Love Social Bookmarking Plugin.

When fans are on your site, you can build stronger relationships with them by leveraging comments. Read our article on 6 Wordpress Comment Plugins To Build Stronger Relationships With Site Visitors.

Step #10: Sit Back And Enjoy

So there you have it - get your very own buzzing money making promotional website like www.OneAndOnlyMadonna.com up and running within a day. Now sit back, watch your favourite performer being helped along the way by their fans, and see some money coming in to make up for the time you spent building the site.

Friends want to show that they care. They show that they care by forwarding you a funny story, a virus warning, or a photo that they enjoyed. They show that they care by sending a mass email using the “To:” field and so exposing your email address to a bunch of strangers.

The next time your friend displays less-than-acceptable consideration when emailing you, how about sending them the following response…

Hi there:

Please visit http://thanksno.com/

It’s because I like getting personal messages from you, but don’t want any more email like this, please.

With love,
…

One cool, affordable, and effective way of marketing your services is to run a free teleconference for your current or potential clients and customers.

By running a seminar, you put yourself forward as an expert in the field, whilst reaching many many people at once. This certainly raises your profile, and allows you to serve more clients better.

Here’s how a local plumber can do it…

Step #1: Plan Your Teleseminar

What are the top 10 questions your existing clients ask you about their plumbing or central heating? List the questions and write a few paragraphs for each answer.

Locate and register with a free teleconference solution to run your seminar over the telephone such as www.freeconferencecall.com

Set up a webpage with a registration form where those interested in listening in on your teleseminar can register for it. Once they register, they will receive an email with the details of your teleseminar.

Step #2: Announce Your Teleseminar

Determine a date and time to run your seminar which will be convenient for you as well as the majority of your target market.

Prepare an email which announces what your teleseminar will cover, why it’ll be useful to them, when it’ll be run, and the web link for where they can register for free. Give it a decent descriptive subject such as “Free Teleseminar On The Hottest Plumbing And Central Heating Questions For Your Home”, and then send it out to all your current and past clients, offering them opportunity to invite their friends and family to it too.

You’ll soon see registrations trickling in. 24 hours before the seminar, send all those registered a reminder of the details for the call.

Step #3: Run Your Teleseminar

Simply call in to the number you are given when you register with the teleconference service, ensure enough people have arrived on the call, and aim to start on time.

If it’s a one hour call, use the first 5-10 minutes introducing yourself, where you are based and what services you offer. This’ll help to pad out the time in case there are any late comers. Then use the next 40 minutes to deliver your seminar over the phone - as simple as 10 questions, 4 minutes per question. You can ask a friend help you run like a question and answer session, with you as the expert. Use the final 10-15 minutes to address any other questions that arise for your clients, and then round the call up with details of how they can easily contact you to take up your services.

Hey presto, you’ve now helped a large number of homeowners with their most pressing plumbing and central heating questions, as well as letting them know that they can give their plumbing and central heating work to you. All this exposure for your company and services for just 3 to 4 hours of work from your end.

Chick-fil-A® have done it again by using a descriptive domain name to increase traffic to their promotion by capturing the attention of those who are looking for a free breakfast.

This is yet another promotion being run in the US by Chick-fil-A®, a fast food restaurant, where the visitor can register to be sent a coupon for a free Chick-fil-A® Chicken Biscuit in the mail.

When the site visitor goes to www.freebreakfastnow.com, they arrive at a landing page which asks them to click on an image to enter and register. When they click the ‘enter button’, the visitor gets taken to a form that asks them for their key details such as first and last name, email address, telephone number, full address, date of birth, and gender - and to top if off, they are ALL mandatory questions.

What the company gets from this is vital information about their target market - i.e. where they live, how old they are, what gender - as well as specific contact information so that further promotional material can be sent to them by post, by email, and over the phone.

Beneath these mandatory questions, there are the optional survey questions. Now HERE’s where they get really clever. They start by asking a couple of simple basic questions such as “Have you ever eaten at a Chick-fil-A® restaurant?” and “Have you ever eaten breakfast at Chick-fil-A®?”, which are most likely there to conceal the more sneakier items that follow…

Here come the subtle yet powerful marketing messages disguised as questions: “Please check which Chick-fil-A® Breakfast items you have tried:”. The page then allows the visitor to place a check mark next to any of the 5 items on the list that they may have tried for breakfast. Also, there’s the “Did you know Chick-fil-A® offers reloadable gift cards?” What this does is that even though these survey questions are optional, the visitor will still scan through them (even if they don’t answer) and even if they haven’t tried it, they will probably want to make a special trip into that fast food restaurant to have a taste of one of the other breakfast items, or even purchase a gift card.

Don’t you know, there’s no such thing as a free breakfast!?

In your business or community organisation, how can you model the promotional campaign that Chick-fil-A® have used to:

1. build your database of customers to directly promote to via email / post / telephone,
2. learn more about your target market, and
3. give your customers a subtle message about other products and services that are available?

What will be YOUR free breakfast?