My palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy...
I’m not gonna lie… I’m a little nervous sending out this first email.
It reminds me of the first time I DJ’d in a club in front of a giant crowd.
The feeling in the pit of my stomach… the lump in my throat.
But like Eminem says, “You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow, This opportunity comes once in a lifetime”
So here it goes…
For this issue I’m going to share a tip on marketing, a tip on sales, one of the tools I’m currently using, a book I’m reading, and a cool video to watch.
📣 Marketing
Dora was wrong!
Swiper YES swiping!
I’m going to let you in on a little secret 🤫
Every great marketer has a SWIPE FILE. I’ve kept one for more than 20 years and it has helped me more than anything else in my business.
What is it?
A swipe file is a collection of headlines, ads, copy, text, newsletters, websites, social media posts that you find fascinating or helpful, that you can “swipe” ideas from when writing your own headlines or creating content. I have both a digital version and a physical version where I clip out things.
Like Picasso famously said, “good artists borrow, great artists steal.”
Great ads and headlines make $$$$. Companies spend millions of dollars on getting their messaging right because good copy = GOLD. So why not “borrow” from the best?
You can start yours today by scanning your inbox or flipping through magazines.
Here are some cool links where I find some of my favorites:
Quick note here: You don’t want to be a douchebag and outright copy everything word-for-word! You want to use it as inspiration and a guide and make it your own.
📈 Sales
“Would you like fries with that?”
And with that simple question, McDonald’s made their profitability skyrocket 🚀 (they’ve also made a killing with combos & bundling)
Every business has the opportunity to create an upsell or a cross-sell regardless of what business you’re in. Every single one.
You can use this technique to get your customers to try a new product, add on an extra service like training, coaching, or an extended warranty. You can also bundle multiple products or services to increase average order size.
Think about it…
They’re already buying from you. So they like you, they trust you, and they are ready to give you money - right now. Why not present them with an upsell? What’s the worst that can happen, they say no? No harm, no foul. The best thing that can happen? You make extra revenue and have your customers try new things.
Every sale gives you this opportunity. If you don’t ask every time, you’re leaving money on the table 💵
If you can’t think of how this applies to your business? Drop a quick post in my FB group and I will give you ideas that can help you.
BTW, this also works if you’re buying something for yourself or your business. If they don’t offer you the upsell and you’re considering additional purchases, ask for it. I just got myself free delivery on furniture by just asking. Saved $100!
🛠 One of my Favorite Tools
I use many different tools on a daily basis, but my favorite one nowadays is Notion
Notion is an all-in-one workspace for your notes, tasks, wikis, and databases that helps you write, plan, and get organized.
I use it to keep track of all my projects, links, my SWIPE FILE, plans, and even my notes and outlines for this newsletter.
They have a basic version that’s free, and a pro plan that costs something like $4 a month. They also have a version for bigger teams if you need that.
📚 This is What I’m Reading Right Now
(You can click on the book if you want more info)
📺 Watch This
Speaking of brand cults… I found this fascinating!
Wow, I lost myself in the moment and I dropped bombs! And just like my first DJ set, I can’t believe it’s coming to a close.
Now I can’t wait to do it all over again!
Ralph Q out!
P.S. - Let me know what you thought! Drop me a note
P.S.S. - Think someone can benefit from this info? Sharing is caring!
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