The Screwtape Letters: Invisibility

The Screwtape Letters: Invisibility

Welcome to SalesFish Brand Marketing & Sales, the most strategically biased B2B Marketing Agency, telemarketing services, telemarketing companies (sales agency) and digital marketing companies, serving Orange County, Los Angeles, San Jose, Sacramento and the Pacific Northwest (Bend, Portland, Seattle). We gladly serve California and all 50 United States!

To: Wormwood
From: Screwtape
Subject: Making the Patient Invisible

My Dear Wormwood,

You will of course pardon the recent pause in my communications. I trust you have been keeping up with your duty to make the patient stumble. Need I remind you of the consequences, should his business thrive? I think not.

You have done a reasonable job of influencing the patient to buy into the present zeitgeist: An unbalanced focus on sales and marketing to the near exclusion of branding. Branding is the process of strategically creating coordinated words and images to make an indelible impression on the human psyche. Branding should be a continual creative endeavor, though I’m glad to say that most think of it as a one and done. How sweet are the words, “I’ve done my branding.”

Look around you…everywhere, outdated logos, names without taglines, ad campaigns that go straight for the jugular without any style or strategy. It’s laughable! The patient thinks he can “get by” because his branding is “done.” That’s exactly what we want him to think!

Technology is moving so fast that the human mind has developed coping mechanisms to deal with the constant barrage to the senses. To survive in a visually-cluttered marketplace, the brain automatically ignores what it’s already seen. As the enemy would say: If you’re not innovating, you’re invisible. Only the constantly creative will survive.

Keeping the patient stuck in the blind spot of commerce is simple. Continue encouraging him to obsess on marketing for the sale, while virtually neglecting his brand. The more obscure and outdated his brand becomes, the harder he will work for ever-diminishing returns. In time, he will achieve complete invisibility and slide into oblivion, buried by more relevant brands.

Your affectionate Uncle,

Screwtape

P.S. The Patient must not be allowed to work with the enemy (He is a mighty warrior of that Intrepid full-service marketing agency in Bend, Oregon). He wields a powerful sword of creativity that cuts right through the clutter.

Call SalesFish today and our high-touch, dedicated team will assist you in assessing your strategic sales goals, and the marketing and sales tactics best suited to your specific needs. And, yes, we will also advise you on the best A.I. tools that actually work and complement the real people in your business!


Stay tuned for more relevant content on creating world-class digital marketing strategies and B2B telemarketing sales strategies. We at SalesFish Brand Marketing & Sales thank you for joining us in our commitment to unwavering strategic planning, B2B brand marketing and B2B sales execution.

Call today and our “high-touch” dedicated team will assist you in assessing your strategic sales goals to tailor our marketing and sales tactics to your specific needs.

SalesFish B2B Telemarketing Services

SalesFish Net of Sales Services:

  • B2B Direct Sales, Channel Sales and Marketing Strategies
  • On-Site B2B Presentation, Negotiation and Sales
  • B2B Telemarketing and B2B Telesales Services
  • Cold Calls and Appointment Setting
  • Online Presentations and Webinars
  • Product Awareness and Announcement Calls
  • Primary Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Surveys
  • Experiential Event Marketing
  • Pre and Post-Event Calls
  • Audience Acquisition, Exhibit Sales and Sponsorship Sales
The Value of Mistakes

The Value of Mistakes

Welcome to SalesFish Brand Marketing & Sales, the most strategically biased B2B Marketing Agency, telemarketing services, telemarketing companies (sales agency) and digital marketing companies, serving Orange County, Los Angeles, San Jose, Sacramento and the Pacific Northwest (Bend, Portland, Seattle). We gladly serve California and all 50 United States!

Failure may not be an option, but it is a specter that stalks the psyche of those who endeavor to start, own or run a business. Most businesspeople try hard to avoid what the world considers failure, but if one chooses to see the value in setbacks, failure loses its sting. “Where there is fear of failure, there is failure,” said General George Patton.

Muhammad Ali said, “To be a champion, fight one more round.” JFK said, “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” Most people will experience failure on the path to success, and it could even be said that setbacks are prerequisites to success.

Here are a few benefits we gain from “failure” that can ultimately lead to success:

  • Perseverance: A gritty determination to keep going no matter the obstacles is often what separates those who win from those who quit. If we refuse to be beaten, then we never will be. The more we “fail,” the more perseverance we develop, and the more likely we are to find success. A speech Rocky Balboa gave his son in Rocky VI is apropos:

“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Get up and keep moving forward.”

  • Knowledge: One of the most valuable benefits of setbacks is the opportunity to learn and adapt. “Success can only be achieved through repeated failure and introspection,” according to Soichiro Honda, founder of Honda Motors. “The wise learn many things from their foes,” said ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes.
  • Resourcefulness: Former Navy Seal Richard Marchinko wrote that, “Mistakes are messengers, telling us that we have not yet fully understood the situation. Every mistake is an opportunity to correct the course of action…yesterday’s solutions are today’s mistakes, and today’s mistakes are tomorrow’s innovations.” Resourcefulness is knowledge and introspection put into action. It means doing things differently, and creatively adjusting your thinking and your strategies.

Call SalesFish today and our high-touch, dedicated team will assist you in assessing your strategic sales goals, and the marketing and sales tactics best suited to your specific needs. And, yes, we will also advise you on the best A.I. tools that actually work and complement the real people in your business!


Stay tuned for more relevant content on creating world-class digital marketing strategies and B2B telemarketing sales strategies. We at SalesFish Brand Marketing & Sales thank you for joining us in our commitment to unwavering strategic planning, B2B brand marketing and B2B sales execution.

Call today and our “high-touch” dedicated team will assist you in assessing your strategic sales goals to tailor our marketing and sales tactics to your specific needs.

SalesFish B2B Telemarketing Services

SalesFish Net of Sales Services:

  • B2B Direct Sales, Channel Sales and Marketing Strategies
  • On-Site B2B Presentation, Negotiation and Sales
  • B2B Telemarketing and B2B Telesales Services
  • Cold Calls and Appointment Setting
  • Online Presentations and Webinars
  • Product Awareness and Announcement Calls
  • Primary Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Surveys
  • Experiential Event Marketing
  • Pre and Post-Event Calls
  • Audience Acquisition, Exhibit Sales and Sponsorship Sales
Using Content to Drive Conversions

Using Content to Drive Conversions

Welcome to SalesFish Brand Marketing & Sales, the most strategically biased B2B Marketing Agency, telemarketing services, telemarketing companies (sales agency) and digital marketing companies, serving Orange County, Los Angeles, San Jose, Sacramento and the Pacific Northwest (Bend, Portland, Seattle). We gladly serve California and all 50 United States!

No matter how much content you may be generating to promote your business, you also have to think about the bottom line. Is your content driving a sufficient level of conversions? Here are some tips on creating content, which will be powerful in achieving this crucial aim!

  • Focus on one thing. Content usually is more effective if it is emphasizing a single call to action, rather than multiple goals. You will increase the probability of conversions if you guide the readers along a journey towards taking just one critical step. Don’t distract them in a way that dissipates their energy in multiple directions.
  • Practice balanced link building. This point of keeping a proper focus with your content is prominently displayed when it comes to the important topic of link building. While it is recognized that lots of links can often be a factor in building a strong SEO rating for your website, don’t overdo it! When link building gets out of balance, conversions rates tend to go way down. Readers have too high of a chance of being taken away from your site before they even reach your primary call to action!
  • Tap the power of association. In some cases your readers may be further convinced of your legitimacy and take your call to action if they see you associating with someone they already recognize. If is often valuable for a growing business to try to work with name brands while their own brand is not yet well known. Equally effective can be personal communications, such as interviews with prominent people within an industry. Although they are not always so easy to obtain, these types of relationships can be effective at increasing brand awareness and a higher conversion ratio. If you are fortunate enough to have some of these valuable connections, keep an appropriate amount of energy focused on maintaining them.
  • Speak to needs. You website calls to action will be more effective when readers feel that you deeply understand their needs and wants. The public tends to more strongly trust people who are genuinely empathetic with their day-to-day problems. So establish a genuine rapport! What issues might they be struggling with, and have you had any similar challenges? If so, how did you more successfully navigate the hazardous terrain?  It might even be possible for you to describe how one of the products or services that your company currently offers helped you with your own tricky situation! This could be a great opportunity to engage in some compelling story telling based on real life. A story which closes with a convincing call to action in a timely manner!

Call SalesFish today and our high-touch, dedicated team will assist you in assessing your strategic sales goals, and the marketing and sales tactics best suited to your specific needs. And, yes, we will also advise you on the best A.I. tools that actually work and complement the real people in your business!


Stay tuned for more relevant content on creating world-class digital marketing strategies and B2B telemarketing sales strategies. We at SalesFish Brand Marketing & Sales thank you for joining us in our commitment to unwavering strategic planning, B2B brand marketing and B2B sales execution.

Call today and our “high-touch” dedicated team will assist you in assessing your strategic sales goals to tailor our marketing and sales tactics to your specific needs.

SalesFish B2B Telemarketing Services

SalesFish Net of Sales Services:

  • B2B Direct Sales, Channel Sales and Marketing Strategies
  • On-Site B2B Presentation, Negotiation and Sales
  • B2B Telemarketing and B2B Telesales Services
  • Cold Calls and Appointment Setting
  • Online Presentations and Webinars
  • Product Awareness and Announcement Calls
  • Primary Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Surveys
  • Experiential Event Marketing
  • Pre and Post-Event Calls
  • Audience Acquisition, Exhibit Sales and Sponsorship Sales
How Content Marketing Makes (or Breaks) the Sale

How Content Marketing Makes (or Breaks) the Sale

Welcome to SalesFish Brand Marketing & Sales, the most strategically biased B2B Marketing Agency, telemarketing services, telemarketing companies (sales agency) and digital marketing companies, serving Orange County, Los Angeles, San Jose, Sacramento and the Pacific Northwest (Bend, Portland, Seattle). We gladly serve California and all 50 United States!

Getting on page #1 of Google or having 20,000 Likes on a given social media platform won’t get you anywhere. Email newsletters are destined for the trash, and all your efforts will be in vain—all of this will be true IF your content is stiff, boring, stale, lifeless. Without great, living content, even the most well-funded marketing efforts will fall flat.

You’ve probably heard it before: Content is king. ANY marketing medium is only as good as its content, including the way you use the written word, images, audio, and video to tell a story.

Ever hear someone say something like, “He was good looking, but boring as a cardboard waffle,” or “I thought she was cute till she started talking”? It’s easy to focus your marketing on being seen, but form without substance won’t get results. WHAT you say is even more important than where you say it. HOW you say it is paramount.

According to the Content Marketing Institute (CMI):

“Content marketing is a…technique of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience—with the objective of driving profitable customer action. Basically, content marketing is the art of communicating with your customers and prospects without selling. It is non-interruption marketing. The essence of this content strategy is the belief that if we, as businesses, deliver consistent, ongoing valuable information to buyers, they ultimately reward us with their business and loyalty…Consumers have simply shut off the traditional world of marketing. They own a DVR to skip television advertising, often ignore magazine advertising, and now have become so adept at online ‘surfing’ that they can take in online information without a care for banners or buttons (making them irrelevant). Smart marketers understand that traditional marketing is becoming less and less effective by the minute, and that there has to be a better way. Thought leaders and marketing experts from around the world…have concluded that content marketing isn’t just the future, it’s the present.” (What is Content Marketing? If You’re Not Content Marketing, You’re Not Marketing)

If you’re constantly pitching your products and services without offering something of value or interest to your audience, you are going to turn people away. However, if you’re educating, entertaining and engaging people with great content, you will see returns.  Here are a few stepwise tips, based on the “AIDA” model to help you understand how content marketing leads to a sale, without giving the appearance of selling:

A: Get Attention—right away!

You will either catch or lose your audience within a few seconds. Don’t start your website, advertising, posts or updates touting your features or explaining who YOU are. Start with a gripping headline and an introductory paragraph that answers the question, “Why should I care?” Why are people searching for your services or products anyway, and what is their emotional state? Meet them at that place. Someone searching for “specialty coffee shop” is going to be in a very different state of mind than someone searching for “off-road vehicle repair.”

I: Draw the reader in and generate Interest.

Capitalize on the attention you’ve gained with interesting, compelling, and educational content. “According to the Roper Public Affairs, 80% of business decision makers prefer to get company information in a series of articles versus an advertisement. 70% say content marketing makes them feel closer to the sponsoring company, while 60% say that company content helps them make better product decisions. Think of this—what if your customer looked forward to receiving your marketing? What if when they received it, via print, email, website, they spent 15, 30, 45 minutes with it?” (CMI)

D: Compel the reader to make a Decision.

Your content should be so compelling and informative that the reader will decide that they simply must know more, that your company has what it takes to meet their needs.  They may not yet be ready to buy—they may not even act for months—but if you can get them to decide that you are worth further consideration, then your content is working. You will have Top of Mind Awareness (TOMA), and they will act when they eventually need what you offer.

A: Lead the reader to take Action.

Provide your reader/visitor with a simple, non-threatening way to get more information, or gain access to an exclusive benefit. Make it easy and obvious, but don’t always go straight for the “Buy Now” button. Offer white papers, free consultations, free samples and other resources, along with the option to buy. Some people act in small steps, nibbling before they bite, so don’t try to set the hook too early.

Content marketing is a specialized skill; you may hire someone who knows how to build a gorgeous website or who knows Facebook inside and out, but if they are not a great content writer, then your marketing will fall short. Make sure that your sales and marketing team includes a Content Marketing specialist!

Call SalesFish today and our high-touch, dedicated team will assist you in assessing your strategic sales goals, and the marketing and sales tactics best suited to your specific needs. And, yes, we will also advise you on the best A.I. tools that actually work and complement the real people in your business!


Stay tuned for more relevant content on creating world-class digital marketing strategies and B2B telemarketing sales strategies. We at SalesFish Brand Marketing & Sales thank you for joining us in our commitment to unwavering strategic planning, B2B brand marketing and B2B sales execution.

Call today and our “high-touch” dedicated team will assist you in assessing your strategic sales goals to tailor our marketing and sales tactics to your specific needs.

SalesFish B2B Telemarketing Services

SalesFish Net of Sales Services:

  • B2B Direct Sales, Channel Sales and Marketing Strategies
  • On-Site B2B Presentation, Negotiation and Sales
  • B2B Telemarketing and B2B Telesales Services
  • Cold Calls and Appointment Setting
  • Online Presentations and Webinars
  • Product Awareness and Announcement Calls
  • Primary Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Surveys
  • Experiential Event Marketing
  • Pre and Post-Event Calls
  • Audience Acquisition, Exhibit Sales and Sponsorship Sales
Sales: It’s Not About You

Sales: It’s Not About You

Welcome to SalesFish Brand Marketing & Sales, the most strategically biased B2B Marketing Agency, telemarketing services, telemarketing companies (sales agency) and digital marketing companies, serving Orange County, Los Angeles, San Jose, Sacramento and the Pacific Northwest (Bend, Portland, Seattle). We gladly serve California and all 50 United States!

There is one small word in the English lexicon that will kill a sale faster than any other. That word is “I.” Its close cousins me, we, us and our can also derail a deal faster than anything else. These short, but powerful, words will bounce visitors right off your website, hasten your mailer’s journey to file 13, compel viewers and listeners to change the station. No bueno.

It’s understandable that most businesses want to share THEIR stories, put themselves in front of the camera, hear their own voices online. But is talking about yourself any way to start a relationship? Dale Carnegie didn’t think so. In his classic guide, How to Win Friends and Influence People, first published in 1936, he outlined “Six ways to make people like you”:

  1. Become genuinely interested in other people.
  2. Smile.
  3. Remember that a person’s name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
  4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
  5. Talk in terms of the other person’s interest.
  6. Make the other person feel important—and do it sincerely.

Technology has changed our communications media, but it hasn’t changed our basic psychology. If anything, digital media have made your prospects more self-focused since with social media, “all the world’s a stage.” Your audience wants to be heard, known and understood—they want to have their stories told and to have others say, “You’re interesting.” Put them into the spotlight first, and they’ll be more likely to stick around to find out about you and your business.

Since you generally have just a few seconds to grab someone’s attention before they divert it elsewhere, it’s essential that you immediately establish: “I get you. I understand what you want and need.” Before you start giving solutions, demonstrate that you can relate to how they are feeling in that moment. Once you make that connection and your prospects feel understood, you can start to show how your products or services are relevant to their lives.

Here are a few simple things you can do to put the spotlight where it belongs:

  • Whether you’re writing website content, an ad or a video script, start with the word “you.” It’s a good way to start a draft with the right focus.
  • Next time you go onto your social media pages, remember this mantra: “Like, comment, share.” Visit other people’s sites, “Like” their pages and leave them with a friendly comment. Share their content on your page. Social media may be 21st Century, but the principles behind it are timeless—it’s still all about how to win friends and influence people.
  • Become a student of marketing, a critic of ads. Evaluate all the marketing communications you run across today in the light of their focus: are they establishing rapport with their audiences, or talking all about themselves? You’ll soon find yourself paying attention to ads, rather than trying to tune them out. You’ll look at websites with a critical eye. It’s actually pretty fun to study other companies’ marketing and it will help you make yours better.

The truth is that it’s not about you. It’s about the customers you’re trying to win and the public you want to influence. Good salespeople know that every marketing communication—from print ads to website home page copy—needs to begin with telling their story, not yours. Put the customer in the spotlight and they will want to know more about you. The best way to get attention is to first give attention.

Call SalesFish today and our high-touch, dedicated team will assist you in assessing your strategic sales goals, and the marketing and sales tactics best suited to your specific needs. And, yes, we will also advise you on the best A.I. tools that actually work and complement the real people in your business!


Stay tuned for more relevant content on creating world-class digital marketing strategies and B2B telemarketing sales strategies. We at SalesFish Brand Marketing & Sales thank you for joining us in our commitment to unwavering strategic planning, B2B brand marketing and B2B sales execution.

Call today and our “high-touch” dedicated team will assist you in assessing your strategic sales goals to tailor our marketing and sales tactics to your specific needs.

SalesFish B2B Telemarketing Services

SalesFish Net of Sales Services:

  • B2B Direct Sales, Channel Sales and Marketing Strategies
  • On-Site B2B Presentation, Negotiation and Sales
  • B2B Telemarketing and B2B Telesales Services
  • Cold Calls and Appointment Setting
  • Online Presentations and Webinars
  • Product Awareness and Announcement Calls
  • Primary Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Surveys
  • Experiential Event Marketing
  • Pre and Post-Event Calls
  • Audience Acquisition, Exhibit Sales and Sponsorship Sales
The River of Doubt

The River of Doubt

Welcome to SalesFish Brand Marketing & Sales, the most strategically biased B2B Marketing Agency, telemarketing services, telemarketing companies (sales agency) and digital marketing companies, serving Orange County, Los Angeles, San Jose, Sacramento and the Pacific Northwest (Bend, Portland, Seattle). We gladly serve California and all 50 United States!

The great ex-president, a self-made bull moose of a man lay against a fallen log, his face gaunt and pale. “Leave me and save yourselves!”

In 1914, Teddy Roosevelt and his son, Kermit, were nearing the end of an epic trip to explore the most mysterious and daunting tributary of the majestic Amazon River. Originally named Rio da Dúvida (River of Doubt in Portuguese) before being re-christened the Rio Roosevelt, the river’s winding waters snaked through nearly impassable jungle, with imposing rapids and waterfalls.

The expedition was lost and running out of supplies; the situation was dire. Just days ago, Roosevelt had slipped on the riverbank and sustained a gash on his leg, which was now infected. He was weakened to the point of being unable to go on. But his son Kermit was forged of similar steel as his father and refused to let him perish in the “Heart of Darkness.” With Kermit half carrying his father, the intrepid pair limped their way back to an inhabited area, where Teddy was able to receive care for his wound.

There’s a good lesson in this fascinating story for your business: When you’re ready to give up…don’t. There’s always a solution to virtually any problem, even the solution involves reaching out for help. For example, you may have lofty goals but a humble marketing budget. Reaching those goals may seem out of reach, but what if you could find another business to go in on some advertising with you? Perhaps a print ad is too expensive for your business, for example, but could afford to split the cost on a co-branded ad campaign? Working together, companies can achieve more than they can alone!

After Teddy and his son returned to the U.S., some were skeptical about the River of Doubt account they shared. Teddy took on his critics in a presentation sponsored by the National Geographic Society and proved their doubts misguided. In 1927 American explorer George Miller Dyott led a second trip down the river, independently confirming Roosevelt’s discoveries.

Make your marketing an adventure and don’t be afraid to explore options that can take you further than you could imagine! Be resourceful, don’t give up and seek ways to collaborate with others, and you’ll navigate your way through the jungle of business success.

To read the full story of this adventure, you can read T.R.s account of the expedition, Through the Brazilian Wilderness or the excellent River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey by Candice Miller.

Call SalesFish today and our high-touch, dedicated team will assist you in assessing your strategic sales goals, and the marketing and sales tactics best suited to your specific needs. And, yes, we will also advise you on the best A.I. tools that actually work and complement the real people in your business!


Stay tuned for more relevant content on creating world-class digital marketing strategies and B2B telemarketing sales strategies. We at SalesFish Brand Marketing & Sales thank you for joining us in our commitment to unwavering strategic planning, B2B brand marketing and B2B sales execution.

Call today and our “high-touch” dedicated team will assist you in assessing your strategic sales goals to tailor our marketing and sales tactics to your specific needs.

SalesFish B2B Telemarketing Services

SalesFish Net of Sales Services:

  • B2B Direct Sales, Channel Sales and Marketing Strategies
  • On-Site B2B Presentation, Negotiation and Sales
  • B2B Telemarketing and B2B Telesales Services
  • Cold Calls and Appointment Setting
  • Online Presentations and Webinars
  • Product Awareness and Announcement Calls
  • Primary Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Surveys
  • Experiential Event Marketing
  • Pre and Post-Event Calls
  • Audience Acquisition, Exhibit Sales and Sponsorship Sales