Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Published by:
GIOVANNI MARSICO
MY GIFT TO YOU
The following eBook is a prelude to Giovanni Marsicos upcoming
hardcover book, The Gifted Entrepreneur.
As a special thank you for reading this guide,
and for subscribing to Giovannis blog at www.giftedentrepreneur.com,
were going to email you instructions on how to receive a FREE hardcover
copy of the limited edition VIP release of The Gifted Entrepreneur.
(If youve received this PDF from a friend, please subscribe
at www.giftedentrepreneur.com to receive your free copy.)
GIOVANNI MARSICO
Table of Contents
SECTION 1 THE PURPOSE ECONOMY
The Purpose Economy.....................................................................................................................................7
Purpose Is The New Paradigm......................................................................................................................8
The Battle For Your Heart..............................................................................................................................10
Givers Guilt: Doing Well vs. Doing Good................................................................................................11
The Gifted Entrepreneur...............................................................................................................................13
From Gifted Student To Gifted Entrepreneur........................................................................................14
SECTION 3 CONCLUSION
Conclusion What To Do Next...................................................................................................................49
About The Author...........................................................................................................................................50
The Archangel Manifesto.............................................................................................................................51
SECTION 1:
THE PURPOSE
ECONOMY
GIOVANNI MARSICO
Are You An Entrepreneur With A Big Heart, Who Feels Like There Is Something Missing
In Your Life?
Do you want to make a bigger difference in the world, but feel pulled back by the time
and financial constraints of growing a business?
If so, then I have a gift for you. But first:
How would you like to start a movement with me? A movement that could make you a
fortune, and at the same time, empower you to make the world a better place?
Together, you and I are going to change the world.
Let me explain...
Over the past few years, Ive discovered something so big, and so awe inspiring,
that it will change the face of business forever.
Ive identified a trend that is about to explode -- but is currently invisible to most
entrepreneurs (including your competitors).
Its a new way of doing business that will set you apart from your competition, and
skyrocket your sales.
If youre like me, you want to build a massive, successful business. But you also want to
make a positive difference in the world.
The common belief is that you can either do one, OR the other.
For-profit OR non-profit.
GIOVANNI MARSICO
The study goes on to state, Beyond CSR, cause marketing or altruism, Purpose is a core
strategy for profit and growth based on linking an organizations reason for being to
improving lives and impacting society.
10
GIOVANNI MARSICO
The premise of the book is that in an over-communicated society, the way to succeed is
not to focus on more communication, but to create a position in a prospects mind.
That is, the winners of the new Purpose Economy are the businesses that are perceived to
care for, and love, their clients and community the most; i.e. the ones perceived to have
the MOST heart.
On the other hand, the losers in the new Purpose Economy are the businesses that
are perceived to care for and love their shareholders and profits the most; i.e. the ones
perceived to have the LEAST heart.
11
12
GIOVANNI MARSICO
13
My Gifted Journey
In 1984 my elementary school tested students, and I was labeled as Gifted.
From Grades 5-8, I left my regular class for one day a week to attended Gifted class.
It was my first time experiencing what Napoleon Hill would call a Mastermind: the idea
that being around other smart and talented people (even children) would make me
smarter and more talented.
The Mastermind experience would continue throughout high school, as I was lucky
enough to attend St. Michaels College School, a private school in Toronto, Canada,
for intellectually and athletically gifted students.
14
GIOVANNI MARSICO
Dan Sullivan
It was at Strategic Coach where I met the two men that would change my life forever.
The first was Dan Sullivan, the owner of Strategic Coach. Dan is one of the smartest
people on the planet. I learned more during my three years at Strategic Coach than I had
the previous 25.
While most team members would leave at 5pm to be home with their families, I would
stay after work to read every possible strategy, tool and book that Dan published. I tried to
get myself into every possible workshop to be around the clients. I absorbed everything
that was taught like a sponge.
Joe Polish
My other life-changer is Joe Polish. Joe is one of the worlds top marketing experts,
as well as a client at Strategic Coach.
In 2004, I had to opportunity to work on a Strategic Coach marketing project with Joe.
That year, Joe invited me to a marketing conference held in Scottsdale Arizona by another
marketing master, Dan Kennedy. The date was May 5, 2004 a date I will never forget
as it was then that I was introduced to the incredible world of Direct Response Marketing.
It was also the day I had the privilege of meeting Mark Victor Hansen, speaker and author
of the Chicken Soup for The Soul book series (with more than 140,000,000 books sold
15
16
SECTION 2:
THE GIFTED
MARKETING
FORMULA
GIOVANNI MARSICO
By Applying This Formula, Gifted Entrepreneurs Like You Will Be Empowered To:
Be completely differentiated where you can increase prices and stand out
in the crowd
Have a unique system for generating high quality leads
Create better quality, long-term and loyal client relationships
Steady stream of better quality referrals
Build an army of client evangelists spreading the word about your
business and your cause
Devote your focus and resources to deepening your offerings,
instead of thwarting (non-existent!) competition
Develop remarkably powerful and lasting client loyalty from individuals
who align with your values and beliefs a.k.a. Your Dream Clients
Build valuable equity in your brand and essentially become synonymous
with the industry itself
Reap the rewards of enhanced visibility, credibility, trust, and reputation
Build rapport with pre-qualified dream clients who are motivated to buy
Identify new forms of unique revenue and profit generation
19
And Most Importantly, Youll Be Empowered To Create Positive, Sustainable, Social Change
In A Profitable Way!
13-02-21
5:07 PM
CM
MY
CY
CMY
20
GIOVANNI MARSICO
There Are 9 Integrated And Sequential Phases In The Gifted Marketing Formula.
The first phase is the Dream and Planning phase, called THE DREAMLAB APPROACH.
In this phase you will define your two dreams: your Purpose, which will be the core of your
strategy; and your Dream Client, which is an archetype of the client most likely to share
your dream, pay the most, refer the most, and have the best relationship with you.
The second phase is the Innovation phase, called THE ORIGINAL SYN METHOD.
This phase is all about ethically raising prices while eliminating the competition by
borrowing great ideas and best practices from businesses outside of your industry.
This phase shows you how to become a one-of-a-kind and unique organization in a
brand new industry where you have no competition.
The third phase is the Branding, Packaging, and Storytelling phase called THE DNA
PACKAGER. In this phase you will carefully articulate your companys unique story,
or Distinct Natural Advantage (DNA), making it easier for you and your Dream Clients to
spread the word about your business, your products/services, and your Purpose.
The fourth phase is the Education and Lead Generation phase, called THE DABSTER
TECHNIQUE. Dabster is another word for expert, and this phase shows you how to use
the power of Education-Based Marketing to package and sell your wisdom in an effort
to position yourself as an expert and educate prospective Dream Clients about your
business and purpose.
The fifth phase is the Dream Client Attraction phase called THE CHECK MAGNET
GAMEPLAN. This phase is all about using Direct-Response marketing techniques to
attract and build a massive database of Dream Clients.
The sixth phase is the Sales and Conversion phase called THE FUNNEL OF LOVE
MODEL. This phase transforms the traditional sales funnel into a love funnel, by
treating your prospective Dream Clients as your most coveted relationships, and treating
the sales process like being in a loving, blissful marriage.
21
The seventh phase is the Referral phase, called THE MATCHMAKER MATRIX.
This phase shows you how to have your Dream Clients and other Gifted Entrepreneurs
refer boatloads of business to you, using the art of Cupidification. This phase also
shares how to build strategic partnerships with complimentary and cooperative Gifted
Entrepreneurs.
The eighth phase is the Exponential Growth and Profitability phase, called THE
SUPERSIZER SYSTEM. This phase is modeled after McDonalds Supersize concept,
and shares a series of strategies which can deepen your client relationships and increase
profits by providing more forms of unique value.
The ninth and final phase is the Community and Tribe phase, called THE CHOIR
BUILDER. This phase shows you how to deepen your connection not only with your
Dream Clients, but also among them. The Choir Builder lets you create your companys
Choir, or community, into an army of evangelists who sing the praises of your business
and your purpose to the world.
22
GIOVANNI MARSICO
We Have A Dream
A Dream Client, then, is a Top 20 Client that shares your Dream, believes in your Purpose,
and wants to be a part of your community (what we call The Choir explained in the final
phase of the Formula).
23
Dream Clients are much more loyal, more engaged, are more profitable, easier to work
with, will pay a premium for your products and services, will refer more business, will
complain less, and will stick with you through good times and bad.
Not only will Dream Clients refer more business, weve found that Dream Clients will know
other people like them, and such the quality AND quantity of the referrals will be better.
The most effective outcome of The Dreamlab Approach would be to define a Dream that
is shared among your Dream Clients and team.
ACTIONS STEPS
To define your companys Dream, start by asking the following question:
What local or global issues, problems, or challenges break your heart?
(The kind of thing where if you heard a negative news story about it, you
would get really sad, frustrated, or angry, but if you heard a positive news
story about it, you would feel elation, tears of joy, etc.)
You can also ask your Top 20 Clients that same question, along with:
What is your purpose, passion, movement, cause, or mission?
Why does your company exist, and why should people care?
What do you stand for, or stand against?
How do you want to make the world a better place?
24
GIOVANNI MARSICO
25
Or what about Tesla Motors, a high-end electric car company without traditional
dealerships. How do they reach consumers? They buy premium retail space in upscale
malls across the country.
26
GIOVANNI MARSICO
ACTIONS STEPS
Make a list of 10 companies, brands, and products that you love that are
OUTSIDE of your industry. Start to take notice of all their marketing and
communications, customer service strategies, technologies and overall great
ideas. Which of these ideas could you implement in your own business, in
order to make it more unique and valuable for your Dream Clients?
You may also want to survey your Dream Clients and find out which other
companies they LOVE outside of your industry. Find out why theyre so
enamored. The more you take notice, the more youll be able to innovate.
Remember, stealing is a sin if you do it WITHIN your industry, but its a syn
if you borrow from companies OUTSIDE of your industry!
27
Purpose
The first and most important element of the DNA Formula is Purpose. This is from Phase
1 (the Dream). What is the reason for starting your business? What social problems and
issues do you want to address or solve? What are you passionate about? What do you
want your legacy to be?
If we were to travel 100 years into the future, what would you want to be known for?
If you could live the life of your dreams, what would your obituary say that would make
you happy with the outcome of your life?
People
The next element is People, or Dream Clients. If you take all of your clients, what qualities
would you say existed in the top 20%? Just as you require a laser-sharp focus on your
companys unique strengths, you also need to identify the unique qualities of your Dream
Clients. If you could design your ideal customer or client, how would you describe them?
The more detailed you are about your ideal client, the more you will begin to focus your
efforts on attracting people like them to your business. Dream clients will be the most
profitable, the easiest to work with and will provide the most referrals. They will also
spread the word about your business, be repeat clients, and most importantly, they will
be as passionate about your Purpose as you are.
28
GIOVANNI MARSICO
complaints? What keeps them up at 2am, worrying, stressing and full of anxiety? And
conversely, what excites them? What motivates them? What are their aspirations? The key
is to connect with your Dream Clients on an emotional level. Its about connecting with
their HEARTS.
Promise
The fourth P is Promise. Once you know the pain (and pleasure), its time to identify the
cure, pain relief, or path to pleasure. Your promise is the solution to your Dream Clients
problems. Imagine that youre standing at the altar, and your prospective client is there
with you. You are about to recite your vows. What will you promise your client? During
this process, you will determine your companys greatest strengths. Sometimes, however,
your existing capabilities will not be enough to solve your clients problems. In an effort to
further develop your DNA, you could outsource, hire, or develop new capabilities.
Proof
The proof is in the pudding its also in the DNA. Now that youve articulated the promise
to your Dream Client, how do you offer proof that you will stand behind your promise?
How will you guarantee the results and benefits in your vows? How do you eliminate the
risk of doing business with you?
Positioning
Positioning is a marketing term that was first coined by marketing experts Al Ries and
Jack Trout in their book Positioning The Battle For Your Mind. Ries and Trout say that
a company must create a position in the mind of the consumer. Positioning will take all
of your brainstorms and ideas and put them into a coherent sentence or paragraph that
truly defines your companys DNA. It will also create the story of your brand.
Packaging
Packaging is the final P. Think of Packaging as the tangible version of your Positioning.
Packaging is how the Dream Client interacts with your DNA using all of their senses:
29
seeing, hearing, touching, and sometimes even smelling and tasting. If Positioning is the
story, then Packaging is the physical book. If Positioning happens inside your prospects
mind, Packaging happens in their heart.
ACTIONS STEPS
Take your business through the Seven P process. What Promise can you
make to your Dream Clients that is completely unique? What Pain are you
relieving, or what Pleasure are you helping them achieve?
As a fun experiment, take what I call the ST test. When writing your
promise, try using a superlative (e.g. the biggest, smallest, longest, quickest,
first, most, etc.). Imagine that your business was going after a world record
how could you be the ST of something?
30
GIOVANNI MARSICO
In Entrepreneurs We Trust
There is a common misconception held by many entrepreneurs that their most important
marketing function is to promote products and services. In reality, the most important
function is to establish that youre knowledgeable, experienced, talented, and can be
trusted. It should establish that you CARE for your clients more than anyone else.
The second most important function is to educate your prospects. Moving forward, I dont
want you to think about your marketing, advertising or sales efforts as
selling. Rather, I want you to think in terms of educating or teaching.
Consumers flip through magazine ads to get to the articles, and use commercial breaks
to go to the bathroom. Theyre tired (and sometimes afraid) of hearing sales pitches. The
hairs on the back of their necks shoot up the moment you begin delivering a sales pitch,
whether in person, in print, or on air.
In contrast, people sit up and listen when you share important facts and expert
information that helps them make an informed buying decision.
31
ACTIONS STEPS
With permission, record the next 10 conversations and sales calls you have
with prospects. Make note of the most common questions asked, the most
common misconceptions, fears, motivations, and aspirations.
Have those recordings transcribed, and then edit the transcription to write
a report. Feature as much information required to help your prospects
make an informed decision when it comes to choosing a product, service, or
service provider in your industry, how to avoid the most common mistakes,
how to make and save time and money, and so on.
As a bonus, the content of this guide can also be turned into educational
videos on your website, live workshops, press releases, and much more.
32
GIOVANNI MARSICO
33
Hey stranger, will you marry me? They pull out a wedding ring on the
first date. While prospects arent necessarily afraid of commitment (anymore
than any other segment of the population), they certainly need get a feel
for whether the fit is right for them before they become a client. Remember:
the purpose all lead generation, whether its through marketing, advertising
or direct prospect communication, is NOT to make the sale. Its to advance
the relationship and move towards the next step in the sales funnel.
The biggest mistake Check Repellents make is paying for image advertising that does
nothing more than get their name out there, These ads focus on the business, product,
or service.
The Check Magnet, on the flipside, is an entrepreneur who knows how to attract Dream
Clients. Instead of ineffective image advertising, Check Magnets use Direct Response
Advertising which focus on Dream Clients and their needs; not a business and its
needs. It also conveys a compelling reason for Dream Clients to take action, and a clear
mechanism for responding to an offer.
Essentially, there are five steps to the Check Magnet Gameplan. This system helps you
create ads that are much more effective, more targeted, and offer the ability to track your
return on investment.
34
GIOVANNI MARSICO
ACTIONS STEPS
In the last phase, I asked you to write a report based on conversations with
your prospects. The easiest way to put The Check Magnet Gameplan into
action is with Facebook advertising.
When you advertise on Facebook, you need to tell the system exactly who
youre targeting, and then you need to create an ad that offers a headline, an
image, and a few lines of text (very similar to a classified ad).
Lets say youre a real estate agent in a city called ABC, and youve written a
report called The 5 Biggest Mistakes Homeowners Make When Selling Their
Homes in ABC City.
35
With Facebook, you can target residents of ABC City, and then create an ad
showing an image of the report, with the title of the report and the words
download this free report today as the call to action.
This is just one example of the thousands of ways to use The Check Magnet
Gameplan.
36
GIOVANNI MARSICO
We Need To Talk
Divorce can be expensive! The business term for divorce is attrition, or the measure of
clients that stop doing business with you. Why do clients divorce you? Often its because
they may not require your services, or move away. But it may also be for the same reasons
why people divorce each other: lack of communication and attention.
Lets say you have annual revenues of $1,000,000, and that your business has a 20%
attrition rate. This means that on average, 20% of your client base stops doing business
with you on an annual basis, or that you start the following year with $800,000 in
37
revenues. In other words, to increase revenues by 10% from the following year, you need
to add 30% more clients!
If you reduce your attrition rate by half, bringing it from 20% down to 10%, youve actually
increased next years revenues by $100,000! And all you had to do was KEEP clients that
were going to stop doing business with you, which is much easier and less expensive than
trying to acquire new clients for your business.
ACTIONS STEPS
Make a list clients who have stopped doing business with you over the past
24 months. Now imagine a dear, close friend that you havent seen in years,
and write a We Miss You letter to all of the clients who have divorced your
business.
Start by thanking them and appreciating their business, mention that you
havent seen them in a while, and make them an exclusive offer to win back
their business. I once worked with a fitness club that had great success
with this concept. The cost of sending the letter was roughly $500, and it
generated over $14,000 in revenues.
38
GIOVANNI MARSICO
Cupidification
The remedy for this mistake is quite simple: I call it Cupidification, which is a hybrid of the
words cupid and edification.
39
As you probably know, Cupid is the god of love and desire. One shot of Cupids arrow
can make you fall in love with anyone!
And edification is an act of edifying, which is the state of moral uplift, improvement or
guidance.
To explore this concept and how it relates to our discussion, lets look at two scenarios
involving Bob the plumber, and Bill the customer with a broken pipe.
SCENARIO 1: Bob walks up to Bill and says: Hi Bill, Im the greatest plumber in town.
I can fix your pipe.
SCENARIO 2: Fred, a local electrician who knows both Bob and Bill, says: Bill, I hear you
have a broken pipe. You should definitely speak to Bob. Hes the greatest plumber in
town.
QUESTION: In which scenario is Bill more likely to hire Bob?
Obviously, the answer is Scenario 2. This is the power of edification, or third party
endorsement. For edification to exist, there has to be three parties: the person with the
problem, the person with the solution, and the matchmaker, or person who connects
the first two.
40
GIOVANNI MARSICO
Celebrity endorsements, and product placements in movies, etc., are primes example of
Cupidification in the marketing and advertising world.
Ultimately, it boils down to this: your Dream Clients are craving the opportunity to trust
and, believe it or not, fall in love with you and your solution. And so your marketing efforts
must focus on building that trust and earning that love.
Of course, trust and love dont happen overnight. They take time, effort and commitment.
However, once achieved, the rewards are incalculable.
ACTIONS STEPS
Make a list of 5-10 businesses that would benefit from being introduced to
YOUR Dream Clients. Then, interview each of them about THEIR businesses,
and turn the interview into a report, blog post, podcast, or video that
you can send to your clients and their clients. Make the interview 90%
educational, with an offer at the end for each respective database.
You can also contact your Dream Clients, and tell them you are currently
writing a report on the biggest mistakes people make. Interview your
clients about their experiences, and then you can ask if they know of anyone
looking to use the service you offer who would benefit from reading the
report.
41
Supersize Me!
While working at a cinema chain, soon-to-be McDonalds executive David Wallerstein
observed that most people who wanted more popcorn wouldnt buy a second bag,
but they WOULD buy a larger bag. He took that insight to Ray Kroc, and persuaded him
to do the same thing. And behold, supersizing was born!
Since then, the approach has been adopted by virtually all industries, from hair salons to
car dealers, from coffee shops to professional services, and the list goes on.
One of the supersizer strategies is to create a premium (think extra large) version of your
product or service. For example, imagine increasing the price of your product or service
by 50%, 100%, or 1000%. At these new premium levels, what extra forms of value can you
provide to your Dream Clients?
42
GIOVANNI MARSICO
It may sound crazy, but think of Toyota launching the Lexus brand, or Starbucks charging
$5 for a product other companies charge $2, or a local hair salon that charges $150 for a
Master Stylist and $50 for a regular stylist.
Be A Gold Digger
Most entrepreneurs love the thrill of the chase. Unfortunately, that often compels them
to race through the sales cycle, close the deal as soon as possible (often overlooking key
points of value along the way!), and jump over to the next prospect so they can begin the
chase anew.
As a result, these entrepreneurs put all of their focus and attention on front end sales efforts,
and little or nothing where the REAL profit and gold lies: back end relationship building.
How much of your marketing budget is allocated to bringing in NEW business, versus
communicating with existing clients; i.e. the people that have already said YES to you,
already trust you, and are more likely to do business with you again?
Chances are, youre spending your time and money prospecting for gold in the same
mountains as all of your competitors, while theres a goldmine sitting in your private backyard!
And make no mistake: this problem does far more than dramatically minimize the lifetime
value and profit potential of each client. It also outright reduces the number of clients in
the database, because folks who dont feel like they matter and are well taken care of tend
to vote with their wallet and take their business elsewhere.
ACTIONS STEPS
Have a brainstorm session with your team, where you increase the price of
your most popular product or service by 50%, then 100%, then 1000%.
At each new price point, brainstorm how you can add extreme forms of
value for your client, while at the same time investing further in your Purpose.
43
44
GIOVANNI MARSICO
The Choir Builder lets you create your businesss choir, or community, into an army of
evangelists who sing the praises of your business and your purpose to the world.
Choir Of Angels
Personally, I love the word Choir. And Im sure you know its musical definition, which is
an ensemble of singers or musicians playing together in harmony. But did you know that
Choir is also a term used to describe a group of angels?
Your Choir is your group of most devoted fans, including Dream Clients, team members,
your Dream Network, and anyone else who shares your Dream.
If your business were a rock or pop band, your Choir would be your biggest fans: the
devotees who run your fan club, travel hundreds of miles to see your gigs, buy all of your
albums, spend hours on Internet forums dedicated to you, and wait in line for days to buy
your concert tickets.
Choir Auditions
How do you identify a member of your Choir? Here are the characteristics:
they have deep-rooted FAITH and BELIEF in your Dream
they are an evangelist for your company and brand, and
spread the word to anyone that will listen
they are extremely LOYAL, and will not jump ship
to a competitor for a lower price, or because
of a mistake you might have made.
they speak your language literally! since
Gifted Entrepreneurs know to create
their own lingo that can be used amongst
the Choir
they have a strong CONNECTION to you,
to other Choir members, and most
importantly to your DREAM.
45
Choirsourcing
Once you assemble your Choir, you can then tap into the concept of Choirsourcing, which
is a community of people who share your dream, and are provided with an opportunity
connect and collaborate with you and with each other.
Without question, providing your Choir the opportunity to connect, to communicate, to
meet, and to bond will work wonders for your business. Through Choirsourcing, you can
even ask your Choir to help you design your products and services, and receive feedback
on how to improve your existing products and services.
ACTIONS STEPS
Host a FUNraiser. A FUNraiser is an in-person event which provides
your Choir an opportunity to meet in person. It can be used as a revenue
generator to raise awareness or funds for your dream, raise funds for a
charity that you support, or simply an opportunity for Choir members to get
together.
The FUNraiser can be an annual event, a monthly Meetup, a holiday party, or
any other type of gathering where people can get together in person.
This type of event can become an excellent opportunity to introduce
prospects to your business, as well as an introduction for prospective team
members or suppliers.
The key to the FUNraiser is that you will NOT be promoting your business,
products, or services. Its NOT about sales its about building community.
46
SECTION 3:
CONCLUSION
GIOVANNI MARSICO
Conclusion
I want to thank you immensely for reading this guide. I hope youve been able to discover
some strategies that you can immediately apply to your business.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
1) SUBSCRIBE
Please go to http://www.giftedentrepreneur.com and subscribe to
my blog. Its completely free.
Every day, I post an article with more details on how to apply The Gifted
Marketing Formula to your business, including case studies, and more
how-to information.
Plus, if you subscribe before May 31, 2013, youll receive details on
how to receive a FREE hardcover copy of my upcoming book, The Gifted
Entrepreneur.
2) APPLY
Go through this report and apply the Action Steps to your own business.
3)
HIRE GIOVANNI
If youre interested in hiring Giovanni to coach you through this formula,
or for a speaking engagement, please send an email to
giovanni@archangelacademy.ca
Follow Me on Facebook
Follow Me on Twitter @giovannimarsico
49
SECTION 3: CONCLUSION