Marketing Mastermind Group

One of the most common challenges that Mastermind Group members have is how to effectively market their business. This is often the main reason that the members sign up for a group - to learn what is working for other business owners and what best practices can be learned.

This morning I found a blog called The Marketing Mindshare Project. They had an interesting post on 7 Key Steps for Bringing Your Information Product to Market, Faster and Better.

Their 7 steps included:

• Take one giant step backwards by writing down your goals.
• Set a launch date for your information product and make it public.
• Listen to audio. You can advance your education by listening to audio from information marketing experts on CD or via a MP3 player.
• Take action everyday.
• Make a list of skills and knowledge that you'll need to bring your product to market, then create a plan to how to acquire some of knowledge and skills that you are lacking.
• Create an environment of productivity and positive energy.

And...

Form a mastermind group with 1 to 5 other entrepreneurs with similar interests and needs. Mastermind groups are terrific for exchanging best practices and resources, but their greatest value is as an "accountability partnership". Ask your mastermind partners to keep you on course by challenging you when they see a deviation from your original plan. If done in a positive and constructive manner, this will provide balance to rationalizations that you come up with to justify your delays. The best place to find mastermind partners is at information marketing seminars.

Who To Include In Your Mastermind Group

Paula Gregorowicz writes a coaching blog and recently discussed the topic of New Years resolutions. She goes over her thoughts on why New Years resolutions don't work and what you can do about it mentioning topics such as setting the wrong goals and thinking that doing the same thing will generate different results.

She also touches on an issue that many small business owners face as they grow their businesses - having the right goal but not having the right support around them. Paula says:

Whether or not you already have a plan, you need support to achieve the truly big things. And, if you don't yet have a plan the right support can help you formulate one that works.

She goes on to discuss the Mastermind Group concept and how it can be used to surround yourself with people who will support your initiatives and help you achieve your goals:

Successful people know that you can't go it alone. Define what sort of support you need - who can help you and then go out and get it. You might need a friend. Maybe a group of like minded individuals (support group, mastermind group, etc.) is the right fit for you. You may also need professional assistance in the form of a coach, trainer, career counselor, financial planner, etc. The most important step is to define who you need in your life to be successful and then go out there and get them. Make that commitment and investment in yourself and it'll pay many dividends.

Many of the members in our Mastermind Groups know where they want to take their companies but don't know how to do it and don't have the resources, strategies, connections to take them there.

Having members who are coaches, trainers, career counselors, financial planners, etc. can certainly help provide you with some expertise on specific areas. You should also consider members who have either already gone through what you're trying to accomplish or have the skills / expertise / contacts to help you. For example, if you're very strong at creating your product but need marketing help, make sure that the other members of your Mastermind Group are strong in marketing. If you all have the same strengths and same weaknesses you won't get as much value from the group.