The New Year comes with a lot of changes. It is the time when we all want to start fresh.  If you made a lot of blunders in the past year, it is time to make your New Year’s resolution – at least that’s the line of thinking for many people at this time of the year. However, many people come up with their resolutions, but hardly adhere to them at all.

But stress not! Here are simple guidelines that will make you stick to your New Year’s resolutions.

1)The New Year is just like any other day - You must realize that making your resolutions on this day is just like any other day. Do not put a lot of emphasis on the resolutions you make. This in itself often causes tension. Treat the New Year as a channel and vehicle for change in your life, nothing more. In fact, if it helps, your first resolution may be that you will make a list of the rest of your resolutions by February 1^st or another date.

2)Flash Backs - You need to look back and reflect on the things you have done. If you find some of them were not necessary, you need to put them on your resolution list. This will make you follow them up and change. In short, history doesn’t need to repeat itself. Live better by learning from your past.

3)Reviewing different areas - Think of the aspects in your life that are working well, and focus on your positive traits and skills in these aspects as you create new resolutions. Plus while you’re at it, you also need to change the resolutions you have been making in the past that don’t work. In short, do not focus on the same old aspects that you have always failed to implement. Maybe you need new deadlines or other key elements in your resolutions. Just make sure you don’t set yourself up for failure.

4)Writing down - If you put the resolution down on paper, it will be easier for you to memorize and keep handy. And tape a short version to your bathroom mirror to see each day.

Follow these steps and you will have a brand new year. It is time for new actions, new dreams and a new lifestyle all together.

Southern Fidelity Mortgage would like to wish all of our Employees, Referral Partners, and Customers a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Please have fun, be safe and post your comments and pictures on our Facebook Wall…

http://www.facebook.com/SouthernFidelityMortgage 

Viral marketing has become a respectable and most importantly, very effective means of marketing among businesses worldwide – that’s if it is done correctly and respectfully.

Correctly and respectfully? What does that mean? It means not abusing the system. It means using viral marketing tactics to spread the word about your business, your product and your service without offending others or being self-serving.

But, viral marketing is inherently self-serving, isn’t it? Well, yes and no. To be truly effective, viral marketing must include a give and take approach. You must engage others, take part in conversation, and give as much as you get. In other words, don’t expect your message to spread itself. Viral marketing takes time, careful planning and well-thought out execution.

It has, for lack of a better word, an incurable need for attention.

While viral marketing can be applied in a number of ways, there are 3 main approaches:

#1 – To Share. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube are in fact products of viral marketing themselves. While they’re sole purpose is to allow (and encourage) users to share information, they too must share their service via their users. It’s simple, really. Their users believe in them and enjoy their websites so much, that they share those websites with others. Knowing this and trusting this would take place, these social media powerhouses have become multi-million, some billion dollar businesses thanks to, you guessed it, viral marketing.

#2 – To Add Value. Adding value is not a characteristic unique to viral marketing. It is a common marketing approach across the board. For hundreds of years, business owners have understood the importance of offering their customers “more”. For instance, buy this product and receive this additional product for free. You get the picture. So, this notion of adding value applies to your viral marketing in the same way. However, rather than simply applying added value to your products and services, make value-added offers to those who share your message. For instance, send this message to an additional 10 people, and receive a free product. Incentivize and you will see results!

#3 – To create buzz. Similar to sharing, creating buzz is can be extremely effective. How is it different? While sharing refers to others literally sharing information with friends (i.e. Like my Facebook page? Sign-up for your own Facebook page today and see more of what I’m up to, including photos, favorites and more!) creating buzz is more about spreading the word. Consider how gossip spreads, or the way in which gossip magazines create stories based on hearsay. The idea is to get people “talking” about you and your business in a positive way so that they begin to encourage others to become customers, sign-up or carry on the conversation on their own.

As you can see, viral marketing is about more than inundating your audience with your message. Its about strategic planning and taking an approach that puts your business in a positive light while enticing others to not only become customers, but to spread the word as well.

What ways are you creating Buzz in your business?  Do you have any creative strategies to share with us?  We would love to hear about them, please post them on our Facebook Fanpage at: http://www.facebook.com/SouthernFidelityMortgage

No matter what business you are in, the power of joint venture relationships could be one of the most profitable marketing tools you could use.  It is as simple as two non-competing, but somehow related businesses working together to help each other’s bottom line.  A pet store owner and a veterinarian, a restaurant owner and a theater owner, an auto dealer and a car wash owner… you get the point.   They can share customer traffic, customer lists, and share advertising dollars.  Joint Ventures became very popular in recent recession years and should be a part of your daily marketing plan.

In practically every industry, it is very easy to get creative and find reciprocal relationships that are out there just waiting to be initiated!  Let me give you a few examples of just how profitable this strategy could really become.

Quick Example

Imagine reaching out to a carpet cleaning company.  This is a company comprised of sales people that are inside of people’s homes for a minimum of 30 minutes every day.  Some basic education on a single product / program / etc. that you’d like to promote, along with leaving  them well equipped with brochures, business cards and anything that grabs attention… and voila!  How many carpet cleaners do you need out there working for you??  Now, to be fair, you would want to send plenty of your coveted referrals his way as well.  You could split advertising costs, or not.  As long as you stay inside the law, and you make RESPA happy, you can work on these joint venture relationships as your primary marketing strategy.

A Few More Ideas

That was just a very basic example to give you an idea of how this could work.  A few more ideas could be your local pizza parlor, salons, dry cleaners, family owned restaurants, CPAs, and auto dealerships.  Basically, any business that has a list of customers (or steady, consistent traffic of regular customers) that knows, likes and trusts them.

Businesses spend countless dollars attracting their ideal customer / client.  This is a way for you to add new clients without the investment of up front, out of pocket marketing costs.  This is a way to add value to, not only each business’s bottom line, but also the mind of the customer.

Final thought

Make it easy for the potential JV Partner to say ‘yes’.  It should involve little or no work for the new JV Partner.  You should have all of the sales materials, documentation and signage that will be used furnished to the JV Partner so he / she does not have to invest any time or money.  It’s a very good idea to throw in a ‘Guarantee’ of some sort (even a communication guarantee), so that the JV Partner does not endanger his reputation.  DO NOT become cheap at this point.  Make it an irresistible offer, send business right back to them, directly from your list of clients.  Make it a solid WIN – WIN!  Remember how difficult it is to find your own clients, alone!  Finally, when this strategy starts to reap benefits, nurture the relationship.  Get testimonials and use them to secure other JV Partners.

Precious Resource

Now to get you jump started, Southern Fidelity Mortgage has a basic Joint Venture Endorsement Letter to offer you.  This letter will act as a template for your potential JV Partners to send to their lists.  If you would like a COMPLIMENTARY COPY of this letter, simply visit our Facebook Fanpage and post a comment referencing this post and we will send it ASAP.  We truly hope you’ve enjoyed reading this, and more importantly would love to see you use this technique to close more deals!  Our Facebook Page is: http://www.facebook.com/SouthernFidelityMortgage

This might seem a little ‘outside of the ordinary’ for a blog post.  However, this is a powerful strategy that is overlooked by so many...The hidden power of Appreciation.

Have you ever done something nice for someone, no matter how big or small, and they did not thank you in the end?  Did you notice it?  Did it bother you?  Did it change the way you feel deep down towards that person… maybe just a little?  Well, that feeling goes both ways.

On the other hand, have you ever checked the mail only to find a thank you note sent by someone that you’ve helped and forgotten about because the task was so small and meaningless to you?  Well, to that person it meant a lot.  Because of the added effort on their part and the gesture they’ve shown you, it made your day!  Lifted you up!

That is exactly what I’m talking about.  Appreciation is a hidden power; it touches each of us in a different way.  It connects us on a deeper level, and for that it’s worth mentioning.  Showing an act of appreciation does not have to cost much, but the rewards can be enormous.  Here are a few ideas that you could start implementing today to help grow your connections, referrals, and ultimately sales.

Thank You Cards – This is the most obvious one.  I wanted to lead with something that we all are aware of.  I think it’s worth investing in a box of thank you cards to keep in your desk.   Create an ‘Appreciation List’.  This is a list of people that you need to ‘Thank’ in various ways when the time is appropriate.  Complete your list at the end of each day, and then start your next day by filling out and sending your Thank You Cards.

This will quickly become a habit that you will not want to stop!

Become friendly with the local florist – I have a friend that keeps a running tab at a local florist.  Every time he is able, he sends flowers to his staff, clients and anyone else that seems appropriate.  It does not have to be flowers; they have all types of creative things to send.  Get resourceful and use your imagination!  I can promise you that you will not only make their day… they will be talking about you all day and night, carrying around your gift.  That’s a way to bring referrals and to create ‘raving fans’!  Always remember to send gifts, flower, etc. to their work, not home.

Stock up on Gift Cards – When passing through the line at the grocery store.  Many of them have gift cards hanging near the checkout.  Every time you go through, grab one or two.  They could be $5 Starbucks cards, or even  $50 card to a restaurant.  However, once again… they make very nice gifts.  Everyone appreciates a gift card now and then.

The most important thing to remember in sending the gift is the card.  Always remember that the card is about THEM, not YOU.  So, start the message out with something like, “You really did an incredible job with…” or “You made my day…!” This will immediately grab their attention because everyone loves to read things about themselves.

I wanted to end this post with one last important point.  You do not HAVE to spend money on this.  You can create a card yourself.  You can send an ecard, an email, a text or anything you can imagine.  You can even pick up the phone and call!!

Please consider Appreciation as a marketing strategy.  It could just drive your sales and make people happy along the way!

Don’t’forget to visit our Fanpage at http://www.facebook.com/#!/SouthernFidelityMortgage

You will find several FREE GIFTS just for visiting us!