Online Business Freedom

photo credit: soldiersmediacenter

In the book, “Made to Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath, the authors talk about how US army commanders create intricate, multi-faceted plans, and equally complicated backup plans for all their campaigns.

These detailed blueprints were created and given to the troops to ensure organization and razor sharp focus from the men.

But something disturbing would happen on the battlefield.

Despite the thoroughness of the preparation, once the fighting commenced, the army would forget about the plans altogether.

According to Colonel Tom Kolditz, the head of the behavioral sciences division of West Point:

“You may start off trying to fight your plan, but the enemy gets the vote. Unpredictable things happen - the weather changes, a key asset is destroyed, the enemy responds a way you don’t expect. Many armies fail because they put all their emphasis into creating a plan that becomes useless ten minutes into the battle.”

The army brass was concerned.

That is, until they realized that their troops were confused by the numerous goals that needed to be accomplished, seemingly all at the same time.

And in the heat of battle the soldiers didn’t know how to prioritize their objectives.

It was similar to you saying to your spouse, “Honey? Can you go to the market and pick up a loaf of bread? We’re having company over for dinner… Oh, but ALSO go to the drug store and pick up my prescription… oh, and you know what, go drop this letter off at the post office… but on the way, can you stop by the video store and pickup a copy of “When Harry Met Sally”… Oh, and….”

By the time you’re done with your list, your poor spouse is thinking, “Okay, I need to pick up a loaf of bread at the post office because we’re having Harry and Sally over for dinner at the drug store…”

It was no wonder the troops were confused.

So here is how the army commanders solved this problem.

They began writing a single sentence at the top of every battle plan that had what was known as the “Commander’s Intent.”

The Commander’s Intent was the core objective of that campaign, so that if all the rest of the plans were blown to hell, THIS is what must be accomplished.

They had ONE goal, and that was to fulfill the Commander’s Intent.

For example:

“Take control of the enemy occupied hill”

“Wipe out the enemy machine gun nest”

“Free the hostages”

ONE laser focused statement overrode everything else.

As a result, in the thick of battle, if everything else was forgotten, the troops knew that their ULTIMATE goal was to fulfill the Commander’s Intent.

The result was that it improved army efficiency immeasurably.

How does this relate to you?

Think about your own marketing efforts.

Are you confusing your prospects with multiple messages, multiple links, or multiple calls to action?

Are you asking them to do more than one thing at a time?

If so, you are confusing your prospects, and probably killing the sale.

As master copywriter Michel Fortin says, “One message, one market, one outcome.”

The point is you need to have what my friend, and successful Internet Marketer, Mark Widawer calls “Marketer’s Intent”.

Every one of your ads, emails, and website should have one objective, and one objective only.

For example…

* Your squeeze pages should sell the opt-in, NOT the product yet

* Your emails should sell the prospect on JUST clicking on a link to the sales page (if that’s what you want them to do) — that’s it

* Your website should sell the product, not 101 different affiliate programs, upsells, and downsells — once they BUY your product, then you can begin introducing related products and services. But not all at the same time!

I hope this makes sense.

Review your marketing and make sure you have applied Marketer’s Intent (ONE message, ONE market, ONE outcome!) in every single one of your sales messages.

-James D. Lee

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