Archive for the heart of marketing
Soft Sell Marketing Misconceptions – A Dime a Dozen
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Recently I read a blog post comparing soft sell with hard sell and the writer listed several of the many soft sell marketing misconceptions.
The Writer Wrote: “But in the race to present one’s personality to the client, it’s important to keep in mind that these soft factors are likely to result in new work only if the proposed soft sell involves something that the prospect or referral source actually believes will address a personal need. Much of the friendly, hey-I’m-really-nice marketing plans miss that mark entirely.”
This was my comment:
Misconceptions regarding soft sell have become a dime a dozen and it’s arguable they’re worth even that.
The idea that soft sell is — friendly, hey-I’m-really-nice marketing plans — would of course miss the mark. This notion arises from traditional hard sell marketers whose focus on Get The Check precludes them from really understanding the process of relationship marketing that serves the customer, serves the seller, and makes a profit.
To focus on presenting one’s personality, and under the pressure of being in a competitive race while doing it, can only be crippling, because it takes all of the real connection, the real emotion out of the process.
Presenting one’s personality is mechanical. To believe you have to present is a sure sign of insecurity and a lack of confidence that leads to thinking – “Oh I better present a good face if I’m going to make this work.” Used-car-salesman anyone?
First and foremost, clients are looking to have their problems solved – WIIFM – what’s in it for me. And yes, the best client relationships are built on a personal relationship but not at the expense of getting the job done.
Because It’s All in the Connection,
Jim
The Heart of Marketing, our #1 bestseller, will give you practical insights into how Soft Sell marketing can work for you — for your profits and your soul.
Soft Sell = Compassion: A Commercial Paradigm Shift
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Compassion and commerce may seem self-contradictory like an oxymoron: for example, 
“deafening silence” or “poor little rich girl.” Compassionate commerce seems to be a self-nullifying idea, at least in the way compassion and commerce have been understood and experienced.
So how can marketing and selling and compassion be a perfect self-supporting way to do business?
The definition of compassion that most people would agree with is:
A deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.
And that understanding suggests feelings like pity, charity, condolence, mercy, or sorrow.
From this point of view putting compassion and commerce in the same sentence subverts if not destroys the intention of each.
However, is there a way that compassion and commerce can be mutually supportive so that the marketplace can evolve in a more humane and loving direction? Read More→
The Heart of Marketing – #10 on Morgan James 2009 Best Seller List
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Morgan James Publishing, a leading provider of books from entrepreneurs with vital information, inspiration and guidance that readers need to be successful compiles an annual list of its best-selling entrepreneurial books based on purchases by its retail customers nationwide.
Our 6th book The Heart of Marketing – Love Your Customers and They Will Love You Back, which is our manifesto for spiritually rich relationship marketing online, otherwise known as soft sell, heart-based marketing was #10 on Morgan James Best Seller List for 2009!
The Heart of Marketing has been received with outstanding praise by many leading marketers – online and off. And since the book resulted from a survey about online marketing for service providers, this statement on the book cover from David Riklan, whose business caters to the needs of service providers, summarizes the depth and power of this new best seller.
“I really like the message embodied in “The Heart of Marketing.” Part marketing, part self growth, part spiritual expansion, this book opens the way for your much larger future while changing the way we’ve all thought about business and making money.”
David Riklan – Founder, SelfGrowth.com
For too long traditional marketing and sales training has focused on getting the sale at any cost. And that is partially responsible for the current economic tragedy that has hurt so many people around the world. And that’s what led us, as psychologists and relationship experts, to see the need for a new, evolutionary advancement in commerce – marketing inspired by consciousness, conscience, caring and commitment to community. And that’s why The Heart of Marketing is such a passion and work of love for us both.
From all over the world we receive feedback from grateful readers:
“Your book The Heart of Marketing was excellent. It’s a must have that’s for sure. Thanks for writing it!” Michelle Fredericks, Dongducheon-si, South Korea
Morgan James Publishing is an innovative book producer, encouraging entrepreneurs to expand their businesses with books that not only provide guidance and education for the readers, but are also entrepreneurial vehicles for their authors. All of Morgan James titles are available at your favorite bookseller both online and off.
For more information about The Heart of Marketing, and to see all the Bonus Gifts provided by leaders in relationship marketing online when anyone gets the book through Amazon, go to http://www.TheHeartOfMarketing.com
Target Now Carries The Heart of Marketing
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Long gone are the days when people turned up their noses about the new chain store some referred to in a ersatz French pronunciation as “Tar-get”.
Now the Bull’s Eye — the logo for Target — often represents finding just what you want, at the price you want AND with the Soft Sell Marketing help you want right at Target.
And for us, it also represents Target’s online expansion into areas that they don’t specialize in their offline stores — like books — marketing books.
So we were delighted to see in a recent Google Alert for our most recent book title The Heart of Marketing — that Target now carries our #1 best seller The Heart of Marketing: Love Your Customers and They Will Love You Back (Morgan James Publishing, 2009) online!
What fun to see another new “wrinkle” in online marketing – reassuring us all that business online is continuing to expand and will continue to do so into the future – far beyond what we can imagine right now.
Take a look at http://budurl.com/thomtarget
Because It’s All in the Connection,
Judith & Jim
BH&M III — Successfully Serving the Deep Needs of Soft Sell Marketers
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Recently we held our third Bridging Heart and Marketing Conference. That’s what “BH&M III” stands for — only this time we did it Virtually. .
<><><><> And We Are Beyond Thrilled
With How It Went <><><><>
It was a worldwide celebration of spiritual liberation coupled with financial inspiration! We had participants from all around the world – France – Netherlands – Ireland – Israel – Trinidad and Tobago – Australia – Canada – Mexico – Norway – Panama – UK – and. of course all over the US.
We offered fifteen 90 Minute marketing sessions – a buffet of online and offline marketing strategies, techniques, principles, and deep wisdom. Each speaker was outstanding – and we are very demanding – so we don’t say this lightly. They were heartfelt, motivating, and on target with their wide-ranging and specific marketing topics.
<><><> Participants Received Invaluable Information
As They Learned About – <><><>
Leadership Styles and the Elements of the Servant Leader
Posted by: | CommentsIn a free eBook I just read – 26 Principles of Working for Good – written by Jeff Klein, Julie Van Amerongen, and Elad Levinson, one of the principles they listed is “Servant Leadership.”
Jeff Klein identifies the term “servant leadership” as first being coined Robert K. Greenleaf. Servant leadership, Klein continues . . .
“reflects the practices of spiritual masters and inspirational leaders throughout human history.He then listed ten characteristics of the servant leader:
listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of others, and building community.Having just written a post on the current Internet marketing buzzwords I thought it appropriate to follow with this list, because it describes what we and you are doing as soft sell marketers, even though we may never have consciously articulated them.Each of these qualities warrants a post in itself and it is my intent to do just that.So let’s begin with “listening.” Read More→
Love – The Cornerstone of Soft Sell Conscious Marketing
Posted by: | CommentsThere are a lot of buzzwords being buzzed about in Internet marketing circles. The list includes “transparency” and “believability”. “Authenticity” is a very big buzzer.
I wrote a series of posts last year about some of these words and I included “interdependence” as crucial to understanding the necessity and value of Soft Sell Marketing.
But after a year I’ve come to believe, through Judith’s and my my own experience . . . Read More→
The Heart of Marketing — “The Book I Wish I’d Written”
Posted by: | CommentsJohn Aberle ( http://www.HelpCustomersBuy.com ) placed his review of The Heart of Marketing on amazon.com
We’re posting it here because it so directly expresses what soft sell marketing is all about and why it’s so important that all of us soft sell marketers keep expressing and developing the heart-based, conscious, soft sell way of marketing — for our benefit and the benefit of our customers, and for the benefit of the world at large.
“I’m so grateful to Judith & Jim for writing The Heart of Marketing: Love Your Customers and They Will Love You Back. I used to feel alone in the business world because I always believed in soft sell sales and soft sell marketing long before I had a name for it. Moreover, it didn’t seem cool in the business world to admit that money wasn’t my main motivation – even though I have loved my sales career – and excelled at it.
It took Judith & Jim to show me I wasn’t alone or unique. As they say about people they met who are mostly caregivers, “These people didn’t have big money as their foremost objective. To be sure they all wanted to make money …. But equal to making money was their need to serve the well-being of their customers and clients, and in so doing, earn the income they desired – not the othe way around.” (p. xxviii)
I find it exciting that Judith & Jim reveal in The Heart of Marketing that there is a community of people who feel like I do about sales and marketing. In the years I got my sales training, it was primarily hard sell. I had to develop my techniques alone. Like many things we figure out for ourselves, someone else can expand our understanding. This book clarifies my thoughts about soft sell sales and about heart-based marketing.
Having themselves evolved into the realization that they are soft sell marketers, they conducted an Ask Campaign survey and found 772 other people wanting a better understanding of what soft sell marketing is and how to do it. After they refined the list, they picked 45 to answer.
This book is the book I most wish I’d written – except that until I read it, I didn’t have many of the answers. Moreover, I needed Judith & Jim to show it was all right to admit to selling for the love of it. I whole heartedly, from experience in business-to-business sales and marketing, confirm that if you “love your customers … they will love you back.”
Thanks John . . .
Because It’s All in the Connection,
Judith & Jim
To get your copy of The Heart of Marketing — and you can still get one or all of the 60 FREE marketing bonus gifts available to you once you buy the book – just go to http://www.theheartofmarketing.com — And after you’ve read it, please leave your review at amazon. We’d appreciate it.
Making Online Money with The Heart of Marketing
Posted by: | CommentsMarketing and selling are so often used to hammer the potential buyer into submission. Nearly brain-dead from the psychological pummeling, he or she gets out their credit card just to make sure they “don’t miss out,” “aren’t left behind,” and “will be popular, rich and sexy!”
But as we know, a world wide evolution in marketing is underway – creating a form of healing as marketing – and our latest #1 bestseller The Heart of Marketing is the leading voice for this spiritually empowering point of view.
These are just two of our recent book reviews -
“Reading The Heart of Marketing, you’ll find yourself swept into the consciousness enriching experience of relating with your customers as spiritual partners. Unlike many books, here you find spiritual marketing made practical and down to earth, while you are taken on a journey to personal and professional freedom – through the heart.”
scribd.com
“The Heart of Marketing is for not only for marketers and people in business. It’s for everyone! You’ll enjoy reading it even if you have nothing to sell. Judith and Jim present tools that can be applied in relationships of all kinds since it’s really about people and how they think. And their writing style is so compelling that it inspires interest on many levels. Just as their book on wedding planning is thoughtful, enlightening and entertaining, The Heart of Marketing brings new knowledge, wisdom and understanding that can be applied to all aspects of life.
Sharon Steffensen, Editor
Yoga Chicago Magazine
If you’ve not yet read The Heart of Marketing: Love Your Customers and They Will Love You Back (Morgan James Publishing, May 2009) you can get it at http://www.theheartofmarketing.com and still be able to get the 62 book launch marketing gifts provided by our book launch sponsors.
Because It’s All in the Connection,
Judith & Jim
To Care or to Dominate?
Posted by: | CommentsRaine Eisler, noted social scientist, attorney, and author has analyzed the deep structure of historic Western civilization and she coined the term “Dominator Model”—the top-down, hierarchical social structure that ranks men as the superior gender, women as second class, and winner-take-all as the “natural” code of conduct not just for human behavior but for life itself.
She wrote:
If we look at our current fiscal priorities, we see that policymakers always seem to find money for control and domination—for prisons, weapons, wars. But we’re told there’s no money for caring and care-giving—for “feminine” activities, such as caring for children and people’s health, for non violence and peace. — The Real Wealth of Nations, Berrett-Koehler, 2007
We add to her list of care-giving activities caring for the health and well being of the planet.
We have for a long time made the same argument. How is it that governments’ can fund armaments and not teachers’ salaries?
Reparations for the damage done by the Exxon-Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska were fiercely fought by legions of attorneys while at the same time we do not even drop to our knees in shame before the fact that “38.2 million Americans now live in households that suffer from hunger . . . an increase of 43 percent since 1999″ from the report entitled Household Food Insecurity in the united States, 2004.
It’s as though caring is a disease but warring is not.
Our awareness of this culture of abuse propels us, Judith & Jim, , in part, to champion a new consciousness in commerce — to help heal all that needs healing on this beautiful planet.
We ask you to support us in the work we do by purchasing our marketing support products and programs whenever it’s right for you and your needs.
If you don’t already have our much-praised Soft Topic Copywriting Secrets course, get all the information you need by going to http://www.softtopiccopywritingsecrets.com
And be sure to get our new #1 bestseller The Heart of Marketing – Love Your Customers and They Will Love You Back (Morgan James, May 2009) by going to The Heart Of Marketing and get your 62 Gift Bonuses as well!
Because It’s All in the Connection,
Judith & Jim
