Helpful Marketing™ Webinar

UOmahaKevin Dewalt, 1/31/2014

Don’t try to find customers. Get customers to find you.

Your Biggest Entrepreneur Challenge

• Great idea?• Great product?• Money?• Co-founder?• Getting out of Omaha?

Nope.

Getting Customers

Finding customers & building closer relationships with them will determine your success or failure.

Today we will learn how.

Question 1

Why do you think finding customers the hardest part of entrepreneurship?

(and if you disagree…how will you do it?)

News Flash…

Customers don’t care about ……you.……your idea.………your product.

Only about solving their problems.

Helpful Marketing

A strategy for winning customers by proving you help them solve problems.

(or in a game … satisfy needs)

Helpful Marketing

A strategy for winning customers by proving you help them solve problems.

(or in a game … satisfy needs)

…do this and customers will find YOU.

How to do Helpful Marketing

1. Know WHO (and Why) – target persona2. Create free advice, content … ANYTHING to

help your target solve problems.3. Pursue opportunities to help your target.4. When targets find you, capture the

relationship, continue helping – and sell.

Today’s Workshop

We’ll cover getting someone to find you.

1. Create your Target Persona2. Create your first helpful content3. Get people to come and read it

Step 1 – Who?

Create your Target Persona - fictitious representative of your customer.

Write, teach, talk, build – with your target in mind

My “Dave” Target Persona

Dave is a 35-year-old American who lives in Wichita, Kansas. He is married, college educated, and has a daughter. Dave’s life dream is become an entrepreneur and sell web and mobile products online. He has a full-time job and is willing to work very hard to make his dream a reality. He has some technical skills but unfortunately doesn’t live near a startup hub - and thus he has a hard time connecting with entrepreneurs to get advice when he needs it.

Question 2?

Why can’t I just say I help “entrepreneurs”?

Anyone have a target persona? Make one up on the fly?

Step 2 – Help solve a problem

• Pick one of your target’s problems.• Create content – newsletter, blog, video,

webinar…anything to begin proving you help them solve it.

Step 2 – Help solve a problem

• Pick one of your target’s problems.• Create content – newsletter, blog, video,

webinar…anything to begin proving you help them solve it.

But…write TO your target

Question 3 - Problem

Does someone have a problem in mind? Any ideas?

DANGER – Don’t make this hard

You DON’T …

… need a hard problem.…… need to be original – only helpful.……… want to write like you do in school.

Example – Don’t do this

Many entrepreneurs who live in 2nd or 3rd tier startup communities struggle with the decision of whether to continue working on their startup in their smaller, local market or move to major startup hubs like San Francisco, New York, etc.

Startup hubs in major cities have pros and cons, and entrepreneurs should consider these options carefully when evaluating whether to move. Obviously entrepreneurs in major hubs have more access to resources like capital, partners, and team members….

…ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ…….

Question 4

Why is this bad?

Question 4

Why is this bad?

BORING and reads like everything else on the web.It isn’t PERSONAL.There is no STORY.

** It doesn’t convince DAVE that I care about helping HIM!

BetterHey Dave!You’re probably wondering whether you should leave home – where you don’t meet a lot of other entrepreneurs – and move to a startup hub like San Francisco. Well…before you do, let me tell you some pros and cons – it isn’t all sunshine and roses in California.

(Ok, maybe in LA is is all sunshine…)

A LOT of entrepreneurs ask me for help on this question – here’s what I tell them…

Sure, there is more money in San Francisco, better coffee shops, and people are a lot more receptive to new ideas. However, it is INSANELY expensive. Plus you’ll have a really hard time finding employees AND you’ll give up all of the relationships of the people that know you in Wichita. Let’s face it…in Wichita you’re probably unique and people will want to help you…in Silicon Valley you’re just another dude.

Question 5

Why is this better?

Question 5

Why is this better?

1. The focus is DAVE – his problems2. It conveys that I help “Dave’s”3. It is 10x easier to write

It is not original or elegant - just helpful.

Step 3 – Get people to read it?

• Write down a list of everyone you know who might know your target.

• Think of other places your target goes.

Then ask for ADVICE.

Email asking for adviceHey Traci,

How are things! I just wrote a blog post and I was wondering if you know of anyone who could give me some advice on it. I’m trying to help entrepreneurs figure out whether they should do their startup in their home town or move to San Francisco. I imagine some of the startups you work with in Omaha have this question too.

Could I trouble you to give this a quick read and give me some advice?

1. First, am I right? Do entrepreneurs in Omaha struggle with this question?2. Do you think I captured all of the questions and problems that entrepreneurs

in Omaha have?

…..

Wrap up

You have been born in AMAZING times.

• Globalization• Do your startup from anywhere• Crush bigger companies – by being helpful

Yes…startups are hard…but in the long run I am very, very optimistic for you.

Learn more

Helpful Marketing Workshop in Omaha – April 19, 2016– kevindewalt@kevindewalt.com or

tahancock@unomaha.edu

Free resources from Kevin:– 1-on-1 help: sohelpful.me/kevindewalt– Helpful Marketing 101 email course

http://kevindewalt.com/take-a-free-course-from-me/