Marketing Tips: VC Funding, Follow-up Tips, Conde Nast

I’ve got some more outrageous business signs for you this week; they’re hilarious! You might want to check the signage in your business, too, just in case. 

Have you seen Dragons Den, the TV show? It started in Japan, went to the BBC, and now it’s on BBC America. It’s a great show where entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a group of five VC investors. They either shoot the idea down in flames, or embrace it and invest their own money.

It’s fascinating to be a fly on the wall. I’ll show you a clip from an episode where a poor girl gets ripped to shreds. I felt sorry for her, actually. The Dragons Den concept has now been adapted for U.S. TV in the form of a new show by Mark Burnett (Apprentice/Survivor) called Shark Tank on ABC, Tuesday evenings.

Our question this week is all about following up by phone. How long should you leave it before calling a prospect? And what should you say? Find out my top tips for telephone selling in this episode.

If you need a reliable e-mail service you might want to try MailChimp. They offer a free version of their service – basic, but hey it’s free. Check out lots more NiftyClicks at NiftyClicks.com

Sean Delisle is a man who implements! Find out what he did in this week’s success story.

Finally, we have a big marketing lesson from a big brand. This time it’s Conde Nast’s Portfolio magazine, or more specifically, their marketing materials for getting new subscribers. They used a technique that’s little known, but very powerful and persuasive.

Let me know your opinion about the topics in the show – simply leave a comment below.

Enjoy the show!

Andrew Lock is a self-described maverick marketer and the creator and host of Help! My Business Sucks, a free, weekly Web TV show full of practical marketing tips, advice and resources to help small businesses “get more done and have more fun.”