Create a Marketing Team

Bryan Walden Pope, the architect of The 7 Pillars of Successful Marketing, first introduced the concept of marketing teams to me and others 6 years ago.

He suggested that you identify 5-6 people that could help you improve your marketing and sales. You choose people with special expertise you need. You invite them to meet as needed (over a meal you pay for works best). Other than the meal they volunteer and serve without compensation. They give you ideas or brainstorm solutions.

Experience Serving on a Marketing Team

I want to share an experience I had this week that I think could help each of you build your business. Doyle, an owner of a small chain of bookstores in four states, invited me to participate in a marketing team meeting. He also invited five others to participate:

• Three of the people own retail stores of various types
• One teaches at the Center for Entrepreneurship at a local university
• Bryan Walden Pope helps business owners improve their marketing and sales
• I work with people who want to improve their business and get better jobs

We met at a restaurant. Doyle paid for all seven breakfasts. He let Bryan Pope facilitate the meeting. They wanted some ideas about how to increase client loyalty in Doyle’s stores and on his web site. The group generated more than 23 ideas in 90 minutes . Those 23 ideas cost Doyle the price of 7 breakfasts. If any of the ideas generate even $4,000, Doyle would realize a 400% return on investment.

All of us felt wonderful about helping Doyle. We cheerfully shared our expertise, experiences, and ideas. Helping a friend gave great satisfaction. Besides, we enjoyed having breakfast together.

Help from My Marketing Team

A marketing team differs from a mastermind team in the focus on your business rather than each member seeking assistance. For example, when I created my marketing team five years ago, I chose friends who worked in

• Video production
• Pod casting
• Book publishing
• Social media
• Printing

I meet with my full group once a month. I consult with individual members of the team occasionally throughout the month. I consult one of them once a week. They helped me learn how to pod cast and upload my weekly pod casts. Another introduced me to many marketing tools that I use in my business. Another helps me publish my books. Still another taught me how to publish eBooks

None of them ask for compensation except for hard products. I would pay them. In fact, I’ve offered. Just as I would not accept compensation to give them ideas or suggestions, they do not accept it either.

Analyze what expertise you need. Make a list of people you would invite to your team. Then, invite them to a lunch or breakfast. Explain the concept and what you would like. Then, listen. Don’t defend, argue, or contend. Just listen. Write down the ideas. Then, implement the best ones. It works.

Comeback on Tuesday for our 3rd part to learn how others can help you grow your business