Do Yellow Page Ads Work?

Hi Bob,

“Is it worth while to have a yellow page ad? I’ve tried various size ads but haven’t had much success. I have a good site www.xxxxxxxxxx.com that pulls in some good leads. What do you recommend?” Thanks Ross

Howdy Ross,

Believe it or not, there are still a lot of people that are using the yellow pages to meet their needs.  Not everybody is on the internet today searching Google and Yahoo.  Nor are all your prospects reading your Facebook post right when they’re ready to install a biometric security system or a high-end residential security system. It certainly would be a glorious world if we could get all our prospects and customers to follow all our tweets and facebook updates…wouldn’t it?

Al Gore…

Where did security dealers advertise they’re security services before Al Gore invented the internet? Why the good old fashioned yellow pages, of course. There’s still a need for a Y.P. ad today cuz not all your prospects are going online to search you out. Besides, you shouldn’t rely on only one method to drive traffic to your security business.

Ross, I’m not sure you what your Y.P. ad generates for you in a year, but….

If your spending anywhere between $30-$3000 per month on Y.P. advertising and it’s bringing home the bacon – at least enough to justify it (at a 2:1 ROI or better?) why would you fire this sales rep (your Y.P. Ad) that’s bring you in new security installations?  Make sure you do the math, first and foremost before you react.

Also, you need to check out your Y.P. ad? Is it compelling enough to make someone pick up the phone and call you?  Do you do differentiate yourself from the other installers that are advertising next to you?

Here’s a simple exercise:  Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes and ask yourself, why would I choose Ross’s security company over all the others to call?  The answer must be your USP (unique selling proposition) which is your all powerful tool for driving sales into your shop instead of your competitions! Does your Y.P ad reflect your USP? Do you have a USP? Very Important!

While I looove the internet, I wouldn’t rely just on one online method, like Facebook, to market my security services…even though it’s free.  And I certainly wouldn’t conduct all my marketing efforts online, either.  I do a combo of online and offline (website, pay per clicks, SEOs, Facebook, Twitter, banner ads, back links, direct mailings, Y.P. ads, clients newsletters, trade shows, etc, etc, etc…)  Is your demographic actually looking for security systems on Facebook?

A Dime – Piece…

It’s too bad that you were not on my e-mail list a few months ago, when we held our National Yellow Page Ad Contest where dealers around the country had the opportunity to send in their yellow page ads to a win a free ad makeover. The ad we did for the winner will be on display this month in the October issue of the Smokin’ Security Newsletter.

Acres of  Diamonds Teleseminar

ATTENTION: All Newsletter subscribers, on October 22, 2009 at 7pm EST, I’m going to be hosting a teleseminar open to all Smokin’ Newsletter subscribers. On “How to Turn Your Security or Low-Voltage Business into a Jericho Diamond Mine” by implementing the NEW Service that Soars quarterly newsletter, this should be the staple of all your security marketing efforts.

Bob Maunsell
Former Sgt U.S. Air Force

Have an E.S.P style day, Easy, Successful, Profitable.

Now Go Smoke Your Competition!

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I’m Sorry Your Boring?

I’m Sorry You’re Boring…?

Gothchaya didn’t I…

Today I want you to consider what will happen to your security company if, shall we shall say, it becomes ho-hum – yah know, kinda boring…trust me, it happens to the best of ‘em!

I didn’t mean to offend you (if I did), but…

I just wanted to get your attention! To remind you that if your security marketing becomes boring nobody will give yah a lick of attention – and mind you – you  need all the *attention* you can get nowadays for your security business.

Who wants to get stuck standing next to the boring dolt at a party? That’s right…no one.

Who gives a lick of attention to the wallflower in the corner of the room?  Not many.

You got to remember there’s so much stimuli out in the world competing for your clients’ and prospects’ attention, that your advertising has to rise above the noise and chatter of all the other yahoos out there!Have your marketing campaigns and security sales presentations become as boring as watching paint dry?

Consider this….Are your methods for securing and safeguarding homes and business recycled from 10 years ago, or are you using modern, state-of-the-art electronic counter measures to keep the crooks and meth-heads out of the places you’re trying to protect? Then why not join the 21 century with your marketing techniques as well!? Do your clients even comment if you send out a newsletter, or a quarterly postcard? If you’re not playing on the edge with your security marketing and security application knowledge…you will in FACT become boring and irrelevant.

The money is in the Shock-And-Awe Marketing of your security company, and delivering WOW service!

Do People Want You To Show Up?

This is one of the keys to the kingdom- when people WANT you to show up. Here is a heart-felt testimonial I received from one of my (Smokin’ Security Newsletters Members)

Bob,

I can’t wait to receive the monthly newsletter from Bob and his group. I have a brass balls guarantee with referrals on the back. Just finished our 4th bi-monthly newsletter and I’m hearing from customers that they like it. Even had one customer (retired teacher) that made corrections on it and brought it by the office. I thought that was great because it showed that he read it. Also received a call thanking me for the thank you card I sent a new client. I am seeing positive changes that will only help as our company goes forward, we  still have things to do as our company works on a new educational web site. Thanks for the help and motivation.

Charlie Cleary
Always Alert Security
Bethany, OK.

As you can see from Charlie, he’s not boring; he’s brought excitement into his business and his clients are stimulated and involved with his marketing.  Charlie has gone from working *IN* his business to working *ON* his business…because that’s where the money’s at, Jack!
So, what are you doing – right now – to make your security company standout in your marketplace? It’s easier then you might think!

Be that bright light of enthusiasm

Check out my little eight-year-old marketing whiz!  She came up with a great attention getting scheme…on, of all places, the inside of a bottle cap.  She said she would think of a way to get my attention, when I wasn’t looking, and she certainly did!  She knew a daily habit I had, she interrupted it, broke through the clutter and got my FULL attention, and she made me smile.

There is so much negativity, fear, and hopelessness moving around this economy right now, what you need to be now more then ever is that bright light of enthusiasm, and put a big old smile on your clients face!

The #1 thing to remember in marketing is not to be boring!

Bob Maunsell
Former Sgt U.S. Air Force

Have an E.S.P style day, Easy, Successful, Profitable.

Now Go Smoke Your Competition!

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To Catch More Fish, Use More Poles!

Hey Everyone,

Just chilling out in the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport waiting for my 12:30 flight back to Boston. Great blog post for you guys today, check it out!

Multiple Fishing Poles In The Water…

This past weekend for the first time in about five weeks it actually felt like summertime. I took my little girls down to the reservoir to do a little fishing with me, so we kicked back for a few hours and I had some Q.T. with my girls.

Now is as good a time as ever to talk about catching more fish (security prospects) so let’s get going

Before I let anyone in to my security mavericks coaching program that must complete an in-depth questionnaire that asks for specific statistics, I personally review each and every one of them.

Here is what I’ve uncovered:

•    73% – This is the percentage that admits to doing only ONE marketing activity per month.
•    84% is the percentage of security dealers with NO structured referral system in place.
•    98% – is the percentage of security dealers who are just winging it with no formalized marketing plan.

Sadly Only One Fishing Pole…

I once consulted with a security dealer who had been in business for about 15 years who was very lucky: he started his business in a small town with a huge manufacturing plant he was busy doing security installs at the plant and he would also grab quite a bit of business from the workers in the plant installing residential alarm systems.

He was able to do this with out doing any alarm promotions or any marketing for his security company. He was fat and happy until the day the plant closed down and shipped over to South East Asia.

That’s when he called my office in a complete state of terror, and said Bob I just lost 85% of my revenue base, not only with the plant closing and losing the commercial security side of the business did he take a direct hit, but his residential security business took another direct hit when his clients were no longer able to pay the monthly monitoring because they just lost their jobs! (btw his residential monitoring was only $15 per month, pretty cheap).

Bob, what are my options… My oldest daughter is going to college in two years, and my whole world was just flipped upside down?

Up to this point this dealer wasn’t doing a stitch of security marketing to promote his business, and I mean nothing, nada, zilch to acquire more clients or to expand his reach.

Here is what I instructed him to do, and he was able to turn his security business around within 12 months.

Massive Action – Adding More Fishing Poles…

Phase # 1 for this dealer was to understand that you need multiple baited fishing poles in the water to attract and reel in enough “fish” into your business. With a dozen, two dozen poles in the water you will create a hornet’s nest of lures and hooks to attract and catch enough “fish” into your business. With a dozen, two dozen poles you will generate a huge buzz of activity, what I find is that success and energy feed off  themselves, and the new prospect flow picks up just because you have so much going on!

The feeding frenzy effect is the same in security marketing as it is in fishing. So the # 1 job for this dealer was to add more fishing poles, as fast as humanly possible (website, monthly client newsletter, Free Recorded messages, postcard system, referral generator, etc) .

He wanted me to give him a “magic pill” (that one ad that would make it all come back) that would solve all his problems, I told him to keep dreaming and to stop thinking about being a one-hit wonder, to tell you the truth there is no such thing as a “magic pill” to instantly increase your revenues or sales by 50% or 100%. It takes a willingness to implement new strategies and build a killer security marketing system that will turn you into a ROCKSTAR and not a one hit wonder.

I said if there was such a thing as a “magic pill” ad or marketing piece, everyone would be using it, and pretty much render it useless anyway. The “magic pill” approach is just a immature view of the reality of effectively marketing your security business.

Babe Ruth…

Chasing marketing home runs is like gambling at the roulette wheel “hoping and a praying” for that big score. It (almost) never happens my friend. Baseball games are won by consistent base hits, smart base running, and quality pitching, not homers. I educated this security dealer that rather chasing the pipe dream, instead construct and organize a formal security marketing plan. No single pole will replace the 20 he is missing, however I promised him that the dozen or so poles we could implement right away would average him about 24 new pre-qualified prospects per month.

His Results:

I’ll give this dealer credit. Within 120 days he went from zero marketing poles to adding the 12 marketing poles (i.e. security marketing systems) to his business I had recommended. In six months he was averaging almost 22 new installs (almost back to pre-plant closing levels)! In 12 months he was able to double the number of new installs to 40 a month.  He said that having a formalized marketing plan actually took less time and was less stressful then relying on that one large plant to feed his business.

Happily Ever After…

Thanks to the vital concept of marketing poles, he saved his security business in the short term, and doubled his income in the long term. The lesson is very clear, “diversity equals stability”, don’t rely on home runs *cough* NY Yankees *cough* or just one fishing pole to have a successful security business!

Want $2,649,594 worth of FREE Security Marketing Advice? Check out my Blog!
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Keep On Rockin In The Free World

Thank God I brought back this leaf hat from the El Yunque National Rain Forest in Puerto Rico. It has come in handy since it’s been raining cats and dogs up here in New England since we got back!

Here are just a couple of random guitar rifts what I love about this country:

In America we have the greatest chance for “opportunity”, even in this national and international recession there has NEVER been a better time to start a security business of your own, or acquire another alarm dealer, or grab more market share for your current security company, it’s a beautiful landscape for a security entrepreneur who are in the conquering mode.

Succeeding in America is easy, it is neither magical nor mysterious, and that’s why everyone wants to come here. If you choose to develop a marketing mindset, and you turn your marketing powers lose on your security business and make it magical you’re your gonna make a mint for yourself gu-ran-teed!  What other country can you do that in…?  Only in America…

The real genius to make the marketplace flourish doesn’t come from the government it comes from entrepreneurially wizards  guy’s and gal’s like you and me out there hustling everyday making it happen not waiting around for  the big fat slooow  government to take care of us.

Personally, I believe the biggest reason when you boil it down the reason to go in to business for yourself is *FREEDOM*. *Financial Freedom*, *Entrepreneurial Freedom* or whatever   *FREEDOM*, means to you!

Leave your comments below and let me know what freedom means to you!

Check out one of my favorite MTV Music Awards performances from back in the day from Neil Young and Pearl Jam do a killer performance on Neil song  Keep On Rockin’ In The Free World…..

I’m going off the grid for a few days talk to ya when I get back in town!

Have an E.S.P Style day! (Easy. Successful and Profitable)

Have a Great July 4th Weekend!

Now Go Smoke Your Competition!

Peace
Bob

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21 Ways To Cat Burglar Proof Your Home – Free Security Marketing Report!

Hey Everyone,
Lately, we’ve received a ton of phone calls and emails from all around the country about our Free report – “21 Ways to Cat Burglar-Proof Your Home”.  The report is now available exclusively to members of the Security Mavericks Coaching Program. Check out the video I did this morning in my kitchen (after I finished packing my kids school snacks.) In it I talk about the free report.  For all my Maverick members reading this, make sure you read through my “21 Ways To Promote Your Free Report” listed below - just a little follow up on last weeks killer group coaching call.

If anyone is on the fence about joining my Mavericks program, make sure you read through the FAQ’s I included towards the bottom of this article.

21 Ways To Promote Your Free Report

1-    Having a * FREE* report about safeguarding peoples’ homes from nuts, wackos, and  home invasions is a major credibility builder.
2-    Promote your “21 Ways To Cat Burglar-Proof Your Home” in the local newspaper.
3-    Include the offer for the FREE report in your Yellow Page ad.
4-    Include the FREE report on your website.
5-    Promote/include the FREE report on your security company’s www.facebook.com page.
6-    Promote the FREE report on your security company’s www.twitter.com page.
7-    Promote your FREE report on your business card.
8-    Promote your FREE report on your door hangers.
9-    Promote your FREE report on your service vans.
10-    Contact your local radio show and ask to become the “5 Minute Security Guy” (got a guy now doing this in his market that’s on track for an extra $100,000.00 in revenue!)
11-    Promote your FREE report on little yard signs that you can post all around town.
12-    Promote your FREE report on the bulletin boards at the super market.
13-    Send out an e-mail blast to your client base telling them about the new Free report “21 Ways To Cat Burglar-Proof Your Home” that you just wrote and would like to send them  – cuz your just thinking about how great a client they are!
14-    Include this FREE report as a *special bonus* in your residential sales presentation.
15-    Tout your new FREE report in your monthly security newsletter to your client base.
16-    Contact all the Police Departments in a 50 Mile radius and send them the FREE report with a few of your business cards inside of it.
17-     Give your new FREE report as a trade show handout to prospective new home owners.
18-    Create a www.youtube.com  video and post it on your website touting yourself as the local security guru with your new Free report “21 Ways to Stopping Cat Burglars” as the prescription to cure their fears.
19-    Go to the local Chamber of Commerce and give a presentation on safeguarding residents’ homes from thugs & crack-heads.
20-     Send out this FREE report to all the high-end real estate agents, in your area, as a FREE bonus they can handout to their new clients.
21-    Include this FREE report in all the residential security system quotes you send out the door.

There you have it – 21 ways to put a “choke hold” on your competition. This is the type of fame you want; being an author and offering free educational material is a huge credibility builder. Before even speaking with you, potential clients will believe that you – and only you – are able to solve their security problems!

Frequently Asked Questions (about the Mavericks program)

Q1:  Bob, I live in a small town.  Will your marketing system work here?

What I teach is emotional and educational based marketing.  This type of marketing is non-geographical and works ANYWHERE.  I have clients all over the country in large cities and small towns using my marketing systems and experiencing great results.  One security client of mine, that lives in small town in upstate New York, just got 42 responses from a freebie direct mail piece I include in my security maverick coaching program.  This stuff is proven and works all over the country!

Q2:  Bob, How long will it take to see results?

I have two strategies that I will give you right away that will help reactivate your current inactive clients.  You should see sales from that within 3-7 days.   My other marketing strategies will take a little longer, but not much. In a nutshell, if you’re serious about cranking up your marketing machine you will see huge results in 45 days.  And within 6 months, an entirely new way to market your business.

Q3.  Bob, what if I’m tight on cash, can I make your system work for me?

Absolutely!  Several of my security marketing pieces can go out in your invoices.  These pieces will generate referrals, stimulate new leads and attract new clients – that Pay Stay and Refer!

Q4:  Bob, I know absolutely nothing about marketing or growing my business.  Can I still join your coaching program?

To be honest, do you think I was born with these marketing skills – Heck No!  I had to learn the hard way.  I spent over $50,000 attending seminars, consulting programs and coaching clubs and made a lot of mistakes along the way.  When you’re a member of my coaching group, you’ll have a built-in mastermind which will teach you all you need to know to market your security business successfully.  You’ll learn from other security installers who are just like you; you’ll get all the short-cuts that will allow you to leap-frog over your competition.

Q5:  Bob, you have a two-month brass balls guarantee.  What is that all about?

If after 2 months you are not completely satisfied with the program, you’ll get all your money back and we’ll part as friends.  The only thing you have to do is take the first step and fill out the application and fax it back to my office.  Then we’ll see if you are qualified for the program.  The “catch” is that I ONLY want serious security entrepreneurs to apply.  If you are not totally committed to changing your marketing style and the way you do business, then your business will not change and I cannot help you.  So don’t waste either of our time.

For Those Ready To Rock With My Security Mavericks Program, I Salute You!

Want $2,649,594 worth of FREE Security Marketing Advice? Check out my Blog!
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Security Marketing Tip – How Good Are Technical Skills At Getting You New Clients…?

Can your technical skill and doing a superb installation help build your security company image? You betcha ya!

When you can show your new client that you tech’s can program the alarm system to transmit signals over the internet, that sends  you an SMS message when your child comes home from school and turns turns off the alarm system, so then you know when to go online and view the camera images from work,  to make sure everything is running smoothly at home. At that moment is  when  your client knows that they have a cracker jack security company doing the installation for them.

Then you break out the dust devil and vacuum up all the crumbs on the floor, and you leave there home cleaner then when you got there, leaves a great impression too.
After all this does promote a positive image, about your security company! Always pay attention to the little things… That’s what drives most folks completely bonkers, are the little things in life.
Although these your technical skills and job cleanliness  may go unnoticed by some, many folks will notice these traits and these will be the ones that will become your raving clients and refer you to like -minded folks, which is vital to the growth of your security company.

Have a Good 1!

Create an ESP Style Security Business For Your Self… Easy-Successful and Profitable!

Want $12,649,594 worth of FREE Security Marketing Advice? Check out my Blog!
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Got A Difficult Question? Just Ask Me!
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Do What You Do So Well and So Uniquely That People Can’t Resist Telling Others About Your Security Company…

Howdy,

What an amazing Memorial Day weekend we had up here in Massachusetts; beautiful weather, lots of friends over the house for grilling on the Barbie. We were cranking the new U2 CD “No Line On The Horizon” all weekend long. I also watched my little girl, Kiera, and her Brownie Troop march in her first Memorial Day parade – she makes her Daddy so proud!

I had some time to kick back and write up this security marketing blog post, as it pertains to one of my all time favorite quotes from Walt Disney himself  “ Do what you do well and so uniquely that people can’t resist telling others about you”…

So how can you “BE” that type of security company, where your name spreads like wild fire with WOM “word of mouth” advertising. Just think how many people you know that have gone to Disneyland and come back and can’t stop talking about the great time the whole family had; they show all the pictures of all the rides they went on. I think most people don’t even realize how much money they dropped, until after the fact, because Disney does such a great job awing and entertaining its visitors.

Keeping in stride with the Disney theme, I came up with 20 ways that you can add Mickey Mouse ears to your security business that you guys and girls can incorporate into your security marketing arsenal. Walt Disney broke industry standards about what a theme park should be. In fact, there isn’t a theme park today that can be compared to the excellence of a Disney theme park created 50+ years ago.

In the coming years you’re gonna have to break industry norms if you want to be a successful security dealer.  What got you to where you are today, won’t do you any good… cuz the rules and the dynamics have changed.

The question you have to ask yourself is, “How can I be more nimble, agile and creative with my current security marketing?”

The “WHY” you need to do this is that the last time I checked it wasn’t 2006 anymore.  It’s 2009 and the economic landscape has changed for the good.

You can’t keep wishing and hoping for the way things you used to be… and you can’t spend your life wishing for the good old days; living in the past is for people who are afraid of change; this new emerging economy will leave yah in the dust if you don’t get it!

I had a chance to catch a little news this weekend and a lot of “financial experts” say it will be at least 10-15 years before we see anything again like the 2006 economy. So why wait for what the so called experts say?  By the way, weren’t these the same buffoons who got us into this mess anyway?  What I’m telling y’all to do is “Go ahead and make your own good news” and snub your nose to all those so-called experts!

When the economy does pick up, it will look nothing like it did in 2006.  We are in a new emerging economy that will look radically different than anything we’ve ever known.

So here’s my checklist for the new emerging economy, but it’s your “To-Do-List” to implement and put to use!

1-    You need to make new rules for your security business. Don’t let industry thinking dictate how you will attract new clients into your marketing funnel.
2-    How can you better connect with your clients so you can deliver a more “WOW” experience?
3-     You have to charge a premium price on your security systems so that you have enough margin left over to provide an extraordinary service and follow up after the sale.
4-    How can you leverage your entire client base to do 10-100X more so that they will become your evangelical sales force selling for your company?
5-    Do more then you get paid for!
6-    Focus all of your energy on the $500 an hour work (marketing) not on the $15 dollar an hour work (running to the supply house to pick up stock).
7-    Outsource all the little things that drain your energy and waste your time so that you have more time to focus on the big security picture.
8-    Create PDSM (Personality Driven Security Marketing ™) and build the brand called “YOU”, cuz folks want to buy from other folks. This PDSM will stand out more in a crowded competitive marketplace.
9-    Develop and build your business’s personality that stands out. People want to buy from people.
10-    How can you turn your security business into a Pay, Stay and Refer cash generating machine?
11-    Increase the bandwidth of communication with your existing security clients and keep it real – do it with a personal touch.
12-    All your techs should be treated as mini-sales reps and provided with the proper marketing material to sell or upgrade installs.
13-    Have a risk-free, 100% money back GUA-RAN-TEE; if they’re not happy with your security services, then you will kindly refund the money with a smile.
14-    Always be on the lookout for new security marketing avenues to bring more prospects through the door to you.
15-    When you’re constantly designing and implementing effective ‘Direct Response Marketing’ techniques in your security marketing, no competitor is safe from you.
16-    Create your security business around your life instead of settling for your life around your security business.
17-    Provide a BIG enough reason why prospects should do business with you and pay you a premium for your security services.
18-    Generate more offline and online traffic and turn them into clients for life.
19-    Create more irresistible offers for all of your security products.
20-    Fire that pain in the ass client who is costing you time and money and focus on the clients who truly value your services.

And there you have it 20 ways to create a “Magnificent” security business in this new and emerging economy; btw  “Magnificent”  is my favorite track off of the new U2 album, take a listen why don’t ya.

Have an ESP – style security day that is:  Easy,  Successful, and Profitable, and stayed zoned in to this security marketing blog!

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Securty Marketing Idea of The Day – “Selling The Visible”

The whole family taking a break at Plaza de Armas in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

I know one of the easiest ways to make an impact in your security marketing campaign, is to SELL the visible aspect of your security company or low voltage installation company, this is what I call “onstage” when your out in the public eyes and your techs are on display for the whole world to see. Here are 6 quick ways to sell the visible of security business (your retirement assets!)

1-First and foremost, clean service vehicles and equipment. Make sure you wash your trucks frequently to make sure they always look their best when they’re rolling around town. Your service vehicles should  have special offers on them and tout your USP to encourage folks to call your office, that’s what I call a DRSV direct response service vehicle, instead of just a plain Jane name and phone number. Give’em a reason to call you versus the other 50 security dealers in town!

2- If your vehicle signage is down correctly you should  frequently receive telephone inquires from people who say they saw one of your service vehicles and it reminded them how they have been wanting to install a security system or have a little preventive maintenance work done to there security system. A great benchmark to go by is if you are frequently receiving inquiries such as: “One of your vans is next door at my neighbor’s house. Can they come see me about a security system when they get done? Or I just saw your van on the highway can one of your techs swing by.

3- Professional, clean uniforms are very important if you want to sell at prices higher then your competition. Your tech’s need to look their best… If you go to the Ritz Carlton do you see their staff dressed like the Beverly HillBillies.  No Sir Ree..… they’re dressed to the 9’s! If you want to sell high-end security systems then you can’t look like a low end dealer. It may cost you a little bit to get your tech’s outfitted with  khaki pants, and polo shirts with a company logo but it is far outweighed by the risk of the jobs you are potentially losing because your image is lacking professionalism.

4- Also your service techs should be silently conveying expertise when out in public eye or when at the front door of a potential client’s home or business. Just think how many conversations have been started and business cards given out at coffee shops, gas stations or restaurants because of the service tech LOOKED liked a knowledgeable guy and acted like a skilled professional in his trade.

5- Have security marketing material that is education based with free reports on home/business security and attention grabbing headlines that draw people to read your soft-selling EBSM sales copy

6- Make sure that you invest time in making sure that  your market – to-message-media is congruent with the security markets you are selling in to, whether on our website, in the Yellow Pages, direct mail, business cards or brochures, accurately project your expertise, workmanship and upscale clientele in look as well as word,”
Also check out this post about the 10 Security Business Owners Commandments, and see how you can apply these babies to your own business. I wrote those 10 commandments way back when in 1996 when the “Smashing Pumpkins” came out with that amazing alternative rock album 1979!

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NFL Draft Day Twitter – Twitter Your Security Business – Twitter Your Security Van’s….

What An amazing NFL Draft weekend for the New England Patriots, they were announcing the drafts picks by way of www.twitter.com/realpatriots, which was wicked cool, the Pat’s  really make an effort to use Web 2.0 strategies to connect with their fan base i.e. (paying customers) through the medium of “social media marketing.” This stuff began as an organic way to stay connected with friends and family, however major businesses, professional sports teams and marketing departments around the world are really starting to get serious about this stuff..

Security marketing by way of Twitter should be the 1st social media marketing that you should implement in security biz or low voltage integration company…Why is that…cuz primary its (now here’s my Boston accent coming out) WICKED EASY, plus it’s free and I personally find it fun. I would bet if you opened an account right now you would be the first security dealer in your town doing it, I encourage you to act now and take an early lead against your opponents, work on building a huge twitter following. Check out my twitter page.

Twitter engages your security clients when you “tweet” (essentially posting up little miniature blurbs of information on your page with then displays on every single one of your followers pages). You could Tweet 39- point security audits ™ ,  tweet referrals, tweet openings for a service call, tweet a new security technology that you can offer your clients. Heck tweet special offers that are only available to your twitter following!

Security Marketing using twitter is a great way to organically grow your client base for “FREE”, and get folks connected to YOU and your security company!

Coming up in the May 2009 issue of The Smokin’ Security Newsletter will be a “LIVE” Done 4 U Twitter decal that you can plaster on your van’s, at job sites, on your ladder racks, shoot even on your hard hats…

Market your security business with abandon… Fortune favors the fearless…

Sports are fun and twittering is fun, having an “ESP” Easy, Successful and Profitable style security business is fun too!

Focus on making your security business or low voltage integration business faster, and more interactive using the right security marketing technology and responsiveness to get MORE security clients!

tweet…tweet… till next week…

Mass Notification…Meets Walt Disney…Equals Steriods!

Mass Notification Systems

One of the hottest security niches in the pipeline for the next decade are, Emergency Mass Notification Systems. I covered this topic on a previous audio success CD for the Smokin’ Security Newsletter a few months back but here it is in a‘Cliff Notes’ version.

A Mass Notification System is an Emergency Alert System that will broadcast a message across an industrial plant, a campus, a town, a city, in seconds. Putting the word out that something important or dangerous is going down. The various niches (I always say “The Riches are in Niches”… go find yourself a profitable security niche, and become the go-2-guy in that niche) this product can be sold to are  the following vertical markets: Defense & Military, Government Agencies, Emergency Management Agencies, Commercial & Industrial and (especially) Higher Education.

Mass Notification Messages can be sent by way of SMS, Phone, Fax, E-mail, Signage, RSS Feeds (Really Simple Syndication), Website, Facebook, IM (Instant Message), count’em these emergency notification systems have a minimum of nine (9) different mediums to get the word out, to let you know when the %$#( is about to  hit the fan. I really like this technology; it’s high performance multi model alerting. Mass Notification is not relying on just one (1) method to notify a person/group of people that there is imminent danger/distress, heck no, they’re using every medium in the book to alert you if disaster is gonna strike.

I have some killer DM pieces I’m going to be mailing out later this spring to some local colleges and universities, talking about the importance of HPMMA (High Performance Multi-Model Alerting) and how my security company excels in integrating these types of systems.

Walt Disney…

One of my all time favorite quotes is from Walt Disney, he summed up his entire business model in this one quote…. “Do What You Do So Well And So Uniquely That People Can’t Resist Telling Other People About You,” this is the recipe for a super successful Security or Low-Voltage business, and a happy home life. Cuz when security installs are rolling in the door instead of trickling in like a leaky faucet you don’t have to worry about being able to take your wife and kids for some killer steaks at The Capital Grille.

I know money isn’t everything and I don’t mean to say that it is but hugs and kisses don’t pay the bills either!  The quality of your home and business life is very much proportional to the amount of security deals in your pipeline. Keep yourself in a stable cash position with referral generation based marketing that will bring smokin’ hot, pre-qualified leads to your front door.

Having a proven and profitable security marketing system or heck for that matter an alarm systen marketing system, or a CCTV marketing plan… You have to get the word out…

Burn This Into Your Subconscious Mind…

The friendlier you are, the easier it is to do business with you and the more security ideas you can inspire in your client’s brains. The MORE over the top your security service is and the more you deliver beyond what you promise, the more the “WORD” will be spread about you and your security company like a wild fire.

Steroids….

Now what if you took the Walt Disney quote “Do What You Do So Well And So Uniquely That People Can’t Resist Telling Other People About You.” and you incorporated that into a Mass Notification System where you use nine (9) mediums Phones, Faxes, E-mail, Signage, RSS Feeds (Really Simple Syndication), Web, Facebook, IM (Instant Messaging), to get the “WORD” out about your biz. Your growth would be off the charts… Now that is what I call some HIGH PERFORMANCE “WOD” (Word of Mouth). By the way all the stuff I’m touching on right now is being covered extensively with real world examples on implementing these strategies into your Security or Low-Voltage Business in April’s issue of the Smokin’ Security Newsletter.

Doom and Gloom…

In the midst of Doom and Gloom, in the midst of chaos, there are opportunities. When the world is in a state of constant flux (like right now!) there are bunches of killer security marketing opportunities that are literally waiting on your doorstep. But these opportunities are reserved for only for the security entrepreneur who doesn’t think like the rest of the pack….

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