Tony Shap Consulting

Tony Shap is a business development consultant for companies that are looking for rapid growth. Follow Tony Shap on Twitter Ranked #11 on Inc. 500

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Sample Email Marketing

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A product for everyone is rarely reaches much of anyone. [Seth Godin]

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I help companies get new customers and grow their businesses from 7 to 8 figures.

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Lack of new customers is curable

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Content Marketing ebook

If you’re in the business world (and I’m guessing you are, since you’re reading this), you know that things are constantly changing. That means you have to be on your toes if you want to beat out the competition, which can be pretty cutthroat. Whether you sell products or services, there are plenty of other businesses who are trying to beat you out for that top position. So why am I telling you something you’re already aware of? The reason I’m sharing this is because even in the dog-eat-dog activity going on out there, you can leave the others so far in the dust that they’ll never even have a chance to nip at your heels.

Thanks, but no thanks. I’ve been doing this for years and I’ve got it all under control. I’m sure you’ve been doing a fantastic job marketing your business, especially with your level of experience. There are plenty of tried and true methods that people have used for years, and they’ve proven their effectiveness. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about: Flyers, cold calling, a barrage of weekly ads. As great as these activities have been, it’s time to lay them to rest and get updated. Dinosaurs were great, but even they died out because they didn’t really fit anymore. The same is true for old marketing methods. You may get responses, but you’ll actually be missing out on the majority of customers who have left the dark ages behind and entered the era of technology. Thanks to all of the nifty electronic devices available these days, customers have gotten pickier about who they turn to for their needs, just because they can. People don’t generally flip through a phone book to find a company any more. (Some of those in the newer generation don’t even understand the concept of such a book.) Instead, people hop online via computer or smartphone and do a search for what they need. They get a listing of potential businesses for easy comparison, and they can easily narrow their search by what they like. The biggest attraction to potential customers is not necessarily a cost comparison. In fact, it tends to be more social oriented. People want you to care about them in return for coming to you. And if you don’t oblige them, another company will. Technology has made our world much smaller, and relationships have taken on a whole new meaning. The one who gets the business will be the one who makes an excellent and fast first impression.  So what exactly are you proposing? I’m proposing that you get in on the cutting edge of today’s trends by focusing on inbound (or content) marketing. When your company meets people at their level and engages them with personal answers to their business needs, they’ll cling to you like a dog to his favorite human companion. You’ll earn their trust and they’ll be singing your praises to everyone they know. Even though we’re a tech-savvy world, word of mouth is still a great way to get new business, so earn your awesome reputation and you’ll be exponentially increasing sales. And the sooner you start down that path, the sooner you’ll be nabbing those customers who haven’t committed yet. When you do, they’ll commit to you and remain as long as you take care of them. Got it. But what’s content marketing, and how do I do it? That, my friend, is why you have this information in front of you. Content marketing is what I live and breathe, and I love helping businesses learn how to use it effectively to outshine the competition. So, pull up a comfy chair and grab your favorite snacks, while I show you how to take your business to the top of the class.

Chapter 1: What’s So Special About Content Marketing?

Let’s start here, since this first point is pretty important when it comes to moving into modern times. Before you put inbound marketing into practice, you should know the benefits you can expect to receive by choosing this over traditional outbound marketing. The first exercise in content marketing, Daniel-san, is not wax on, wax off. You must train your mind to think big picture thoughts and consider the advantages of using a long-term strategy such as content marketing. Let’s use real estate as a backdrop while we compare long-term inbound marketing to running a pay-per-click (PPC) campaign. Whether you’ve tried PPC in the past or you’re currently running a campaign, I’m sure you know the workings. PPC is an awful lot like leasing a house. Each month you fork over the rent money, but you’re never any closer to owning the house and have nothing to show for that money. With PPC, each month you fork over that money, but there’s no return. Even if you’re seeing some results (I’m being generous here), those results won’t change. You’ll never really get ahead, so it’s pointless to keep investing. If you’ve heard the saying, “don’t keep doing the same thing, expecting different results,” that truly applies to PPC. Please, for Pete’s sake (even if you don’t know him), don’t get trapped into thinking next month will be different, because it won’t. I’ve been there myself. Now when it comes to inbound marketing, it’s a lot like purchasing your dream home. White picket fence, great neighborhood, all of the modern amenities. It’s an investment that pays off, because your hard-earned money is being invested in something that’s yours. Content marketing is the same kind of investment, because by creating content that works and putting it out on places like social media, blogs, or even your company website, you’re going to fill the top of your sales funnel with great possibilities. You’re building long-term equity by putting out content that stays there. It doesn’t disappear at the end of the month, but keeps on attracting new customers, day after day. This is the kind of thing that draws potential clients in and builds trust and loyalty. So stop watching your funds spiral down the drain with PPC campaigns that leave you with little more than a thinner wallet. Instead, start personally engaging with your audience by offering valuable new content on a regular basis, and watch them flock to you like hungry bees to a honeycomb.  You will have to take the time to create the content to put out there, using engaging storytelling in what you write. But it’s an investment that will bring great returns, kind of like cash back rewards on your credit card. You spend money; they give you a return of cash. You write content and put it out in cyberspace; it brings in new customers and a return for your effort. So tell the landlord you’re moving out, and switch from PPC campaigns to an inbound marketing strategy.

Chapter 2: Creating Content, Part One

Now that you understand the advantages of using inbound marketing in your business, let’s talk about how you can take those first steps. You don’t have to be Stephen King or Robert Frost to succeed in writing good content. You just have to be practical about it. Don’t ramble on about everything under the son, and don’t think that having a way with words is going to be all it takes, either. The key here is writing something that’s relevant. If you can’t get their attention, and you’re not addressing what your potential customers are looking for, no emotion-tugging soliloquy will bring them to your door. And valuable content is not a bunch of variations on the same sales pitch. That’ll get you voted off the island, with no hope of coming back for a second try. If you start off on the wrong foot, it’s difficult to fix your pace and undo the damage. So be careful when you write, and try to think like a customer. So are you saying to nix the sales pitch completely? Yup. It can work, but not well. Do you know how a sales pitch generally scores? It’s a numbers game. You come up with a pitch that sounds good, and then you throw it to everyone. Not just players on the field, but everyone in the stands and the parking lot, too, hoping to get a bite. You may get a few nibbles, but those nibbles don’t guarantee anything, because there’s no loyalty. If you don’t actually manage to reel them in, in all likelihood you’ll never see them again. And those who didn’t like the pitch will brand you an impersonal salesman and ignore any future attempts. Remember, people want relational. They already know they want to buy from someone—they don’t need you to remind them. Rather, they need you to show them why you’re the best pick.  It’s similar to a “Hail Mary” play in football. The team, looking for an impressive, adrenaline-rush score, throws a frantic Hail Mary to try and speed to a touchdown. On occasion, it works and the team becomes the talk of the town. However, more often than not, it doesn’t work. Not only does the team lose their chance to score, the opposing team is in a better position to benefit from the loss. The risks are higher than potential, iffy benefits, so give up the frantic pressure tactics and earn their trust instead. How do I do that? Let’s continue with the football context. If a team doesn't go for a Hail Mary, how do they score? They drive the ball down the field, one play at a time, scoring first downs to keep possession. Carefully planned plays and following through bring them steadily closer to the goal. The closer they get, the better their chance of scoring. Think of your content in the same way. You want to earn your customer’s confidence with each play you make, getting closer to scoring the sale. They’ll grow to trust you when you use engaging storytelling and give them valuable content that’s relevant to their business. Play by play, the relationship will grow, and before you know it, you've gently walked them straight to the end zone for a touchdown. When you help your clients solve their problems, they’ll have faith in you and view you as a friend to whom they’re loyal.

Chapter 3: Creating Content, Part Two

When it’s time to design that content you’re going to be putting out for your inbound marketing, there are two important points to remember. The first point is creating a headline for your piece. The headline is the very first thing a potential customer will see, so it really has to stand out, like a bad hair day. (Okay, maybe not quite like that, but it should be memorable.) It doesn’t take a journalist to come up with a good headline, though if you know one feel free to ask. In any case, it should set the tone for what you’re writing. Do a little research and think outside the box so that you’ll have something unique and attention-grabbing. Your headline should also whet their appetite and make them want to read what you have to say. Think about how often you browse through a newspaper or magazine and skip tons of stuff, because it blends in like chameleon on a leaf. Maybe you missed some good articles, but you don’t know and don’t care because they’re long gone. They didn’t make the grade. Unless you want to be a face lost in the crowd, get those creative juices flowing.  Case in point: Which of these two headlines would have a better chance of getting you to read the accompanying article: “Shark Spotted At Johnson Beach” or “Woman Barely Escapes A Great White Shark Attack”. They both have some interest, but people like something that gets them intrigued. They’ll be sucked right into the storyline, where your engaging storytelling will score some first downs. And top it off by finding a great photo that’s relevant to your business. You’ve heard a picture’s worth a thousand words, so why not add to your content with an image that’ll help in the attention-getting department. Now for the second point: The ever-important CTA (a.k.a. Call-To-Action). Lots of businesses do great up to this point, and then fall flat. You don’t want that to happen, because having a great CTA is important—even more important than brushing your teeth. For real. Like your headline and content, your CTA has to be unique and engaging. Scrap any ideas of offering a glorified “Submit” button. Those things went out with the dinosaurs. They’re extinct because they don’t fit in anymore. Period. No, not even if you make it colorful and exciting. Submit is submit, and we’re in the age of equality so give it up. Instead, use the CTA as your closing chance to offer value that causes the customer to pick you over your competitor. Be fun, be daring, be awesome. Some great basics are “Click For Your FREE Quote!” or even better, “Get A FREE Gift With Your Estimate.” The stars are the limit, so think big and come up with something that’ll knock their socks off (and hire you to fix the problem).

Chapter 4: The Trust Factor

You know how important trust is when you’re dating someone special or trying something new, like skydiving. Well, when it comes to inbound marketing, trust is extremely important. The life of your business depends on it. So, refill your drink and let’s dive into how you can earn the trust of potential customers. First of all, start your engines properly. Search engines, that is, like Google and whoever else is out there. When you write great content, and I know you can, you’ll score big in search engine results. Anyone can shell out the bucks to get a well-placed ad for exposure. It’s a bidding game, and the higher a business pays, the better their spot, like front-row tickets to a pop concert. It’s a shame that businesses still do this, seemingly oblivious of how it really doesn’t work. Most people are internet-savvy now; even senior citizens have become adept at surfing the web. And let me tell you, people find it downright creepy when ads for items they searched mysteriously begin popping up everywhere. It’s like being watched, and it’s not appreciated, so they practice their annoyance by deliberately NOT clicking on those ads. Too bad for the business that spent the money; it was wasted. So please, remember our good friend Pete, and for his sake don’t do this. Instead, write unique, relevant content. The more consistent you are with putting good content out, the more you’ll be rewarded by coming up on the first page of search results. Those are the results people click on, because they respect that you’re being personal and not trying to buy your way into their life. That earns major trust. For your actual content, tell a story. Not just a “See Spot Run” story, either. Something relevant and engaging. Why? Let me tell you. Think of when you’re not feeling well. You don’t hop online and search for doctors by your town, do you? Not likely. You probably look up your symptoms for some good old self-diagnosis, and then look for someone who can help you because they know what you’re talking about. You can do the same for your business. Make sure you write stuff that helps people looking for someone who can serve their needs. You can mention your positive qualities, but don’t overdo it. Instead, write about how you do what you do, because that’s what the audience is looking for. It’s how they’ll find you. How do I know what to write about? It’s not complicated and doesn’t require any extravagant math formulas. You’re in business because you know how to do what you do. Sit back and think about the kinds of questions customers ask you, whether they’ve used your company before, or they’re currently with you. Write down questions they’ve asked, problems they’ve encountered, concerns they’ve raised. Compile a FAQ (that’s frequently asked questions, in case you’re new at this) and use those things to write content. When others search for those kinds of answers, your company will come up and Bam! You’ll earn their trust. They see you have answers and have successfully helped others out of similar situations, so they feel like you’re friends and they want your help. You’ve now established the beginnings of a relationship, and if you’ve done your job well, the dating will continue.

Chapter 5: Grow Your Social Butterfly

You knew it was coming, and you were right. Every business endeavor ultimately comes down to interacting with people. Because today’s society is highly tech-efficient and stays connected on social media, you’ll have to get on the bandwagon and do likewise. Social media has exploded in popularity, and there are a countless number of platforms now in use. These include the well-known Facebook, along with Pinterest, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Vine, and more. If you don’t beat out the competition, you’ll fall behind fast. What does that have to do with anything? Well, social media is the number one way to boost your brand and promote your business with great content. The cross-posting possibilities are endless, and like a mushroom cloud, you can just grow and grow. By getting your company active on social media, you can connect with all your “friends” (today’s generation prefers that term to customers) and share lots of valuable content. This earns their loyalty because you’re actively engaging with them. You can put out announcements, discounts, secret deals and even free tips for them to use. However you connect, keep interacting because that’s how you build a relationship. (Kind of like that dating thing.) Your “friends” will come to trust you more and more, and in turn will treat you like a friend, not like a salesman. Another benefit is that they’ll tell all their friends what a good friend you are, and you’ll grow in popularity. Everyone wants to be on the “in” list, and your customers will feel like they’re part of your company when you give them engaging storytelling and interaction. Social media’s new for me. Do you have any tips? Yup! Give your customers the red-carpet treatment like the royalty they are. Offer special deals that only they can access. Things like coupons, contests, anything that builds excitement. Blogging is a great start, but social media will build two-way relationships in a way blogging can’t. Those relationships are what give you the advantage over competitors. When your customers are your friends, they won’t give a second thought to abandoning you for a new love interest. Time and interaction will strengthen your relationship, a lot like years of marriage.  Awesome content for inbound marketing is like a tree. (Yeah, can you tell I like analogies?) It starts with a seed, which is putting your content out there for potential customers. Once the seed is planted, you can’t ignore it. You have to nurture it with water, weeding and pruning so it will grow strong. To do nurture your content, promote in on social media and water it with engaging storytelling that ties back to what you wrote. Give value that’s valuable, not just a bunch of “fluff.” The more you care for your content marketing, the healthier your seed will grow, until it becomes a large, healthy tree that gives you lots of delicious fruit. Farmers patiently wait for their crops to come in and then joyfully reap the harvest. Your company can do likewise and experience the long-term benefits from your marketing approach.  If it feels like a lot of information to digest and put into practice, don’t let it overwhelm you. I can help you get running on the track of success, because I love content marketing. It’s my specialty, so reach out to me, Tony Shap, [phone] and let me help you nurture that seed into a tree.

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​Right Marketing to Sell more Fences

Right Marketing Funnel to Sell more Fences

Contractors, it’s time to leap the obstacles and become the leader in fence sales by using the right marketing funnel to bring more customers through your gates. As a result, you’ll close more deals. Just how do you do that? Glad you asked, because I’d like to give you a little summary of how it works. The first thing you need to do is attract those customers like bees to honey. The way to do that is by using an inbound marketing approach, which simply means you provide value. The way to provide value is to consistently create great content that builds trust. If you’re answering the issues they’re looking to solve, you’ll win them over quickly. And who are you winning over? Not just anyone who comes to your site. The next step in the sales funnel is to qualify your leads. Make sure the customer is a match for your ideal profile. (You do have an ideal customer profile, right?) By making sure you’re working with a qualified customer, you lessen your chances of wasting time barking up the wrong tree. Once you have those customers that are qualified, continue down your funnel by giving estimates. Don’t just go out, give a number and walk away. That’s too salesy and will lose candidates faster than you can say “uh-oh”. Instead, keep in mind that you’re really building a relationship of trust and confidence, so you want to spend some time with your future client. I’m not talking a dinner date; I’m talking education. While you’re out giving your estimate, talk to your customer and give them value, just as if you were creating content. The more you engage and get to know your customer, the more they’ll trust you and choose you over the next guy, who’s just fast-talking them. Finish out the process by making it as easy as possible for your new friend to close the deal, whether it’s payment by check, credit card, financing or plain old cash (yeah, some people do still carry the green around, though not many). By making the whole process smooth and easy, you can count on a great response when you end your sales funnel by asking for referrals, which your satisfied customer will be happy to give. So use this overview to follow the right marketing funnel and your company will outshine the others.

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Pay per click campaign killer

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10 Tips For Businesses On How To Use Snapchat

Tips for businesses using Snapchat in the most effective way. Enjoy these 10 tips for SnapChat in the context of marketing. Snapchat marketing guide for brands.

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Best Practices for Brands using SnapChat

This platform has been undervalued by most brands. Here are some best practices for brands using SnapChat.

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Best Practices for Brands using SnapChat

This platform has been undervalued by most brands. Here are some best practices for brands using SnapChat.

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SnapChat for Business

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Snapchat for your brand

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Snapchat Marketing Strategy  

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Quality Content Can Transform Salespeople

Long gone are the days of the traveling salesman with a trunk full of encyclopedias and Bibles. The era of the door-to-door vacuum salesman has been laid to rest. And blow a kiss good-bye to the tactics of fast-pitches, whirlwind demonstrations, and high-pressured sales approaches. They just don’t work anymore, because we’ve entered a whole new wave of society, where people don’t buy unless they trust the seller, and they don’t trust the seller unless they’ve built a relationship. 

The way to build those relationships and bring about trust is by creating and sharing quality content, which helps build brand awareness and loyalty with your potential customers. You may remember some famous quotes from Dr. McCoy in Star Trek, such as, “Dammit Jim, I’m a doctor, not a bricklayer.” But you as a salesperson have to have a different mindset that goes something like this, “I’m a salesperson, AND a bricklayer, AND a teacher…” and the list goes on. So get ready to put on some different hats with the following examples of being all you can be.  Start by being an ally to your potential customers with content that will help them to solve the problem they’re facing. Build a relationship that brings trust by connecting with your clients personally through social media. Join conversations and offer insight, expecting nothing in return. Use your content to help your clients move toward success, taking the time to determine how to help them find their own strengths. Follow prospects and get to know them better, and then you can use that knowledge to speak to areas they’re interested in and show them how your business can fill their needs. Don’t be a sheep, instead be unique. You want to be a cut above the competition? Make that happen through great content that stands out and shows your expertise in a given area. People will look to you for advice in what you’re good at, but you have to show them you’re good at it first. Your reputation will skyrocket and people will trust your business. Be on the lookout for problems to solve, and then step in and solve them, showing yourself to be a valuable resource, offering solutions that work. It’s a great way to build a relationship founded on trust, because you care enough to be aware and help them. And by all means, get familiar with your customers and help them think outside the box with value content. Creating quality content can be a challenge, but it’s my passion so reach out to me, Tony Shap, and I’ll help you get into the relationship-building of business with ease.