About Us
Digital Marketing On Steroids
A lot has evolved since digital marketing was introduced. Let me give you a quick summary of what's happened in just the last year or so. All independent small business is under attack. Today I'm going to talk about the specialty graphics industry, but it could be almost any industry. The principles are the same. Some segments have already been decimated. If you own a franchise, there's a bit more protection. If you're an independent small business, read on. If you already haven't been hit, it is only a matter of time.
• SEO has become a moving target that can't be achieved on a consistent basis. The competition for search page ranking has become extreme. Even if you work your tail off to land on page one, ranking on the first page of Google DOESN’T LAST. Worse, future results can't be predicted. Add to this, search volume is way down and the search that is occurring is on mobile devices.
Google is constantly changing how search results are delivered. In 2015 alone there were over 500 changes to the ranking algorithms. As a result SEO has become a colossal waste of time and money. You are better off spending the money on paid advertising than taking the time and money to chase an elusive first page ranking.
Big G keeps the rules secret and changes them anytime they want to, all at your expense. I don’t know about you, but doing business with someone who plays by their own rules, and won’t tell me what they are is a losing game. The risk is just too great. The latest update, bases your rankings on what others are saying about you on Social Media instead of targeted search keywords. It’s a whole new game.
• You don’t have time for this. It’s too technical and there's too much to learn. I hear this over and over from so many. You’re not web developers, don't know social media, and most of you aren't copywriters, AND you simply don’t have the time to learn all this new stuff, no matter how good the content is.
The “Do It Yourself” model isn't working. You needed ongoing contact time and personal attention OR you need someone to do it for you.
• There's no tracking to see if all this work made any real difference. Today analytics have changed the game. Everything is tracked and accounted for, but it won’t do you any good if you don't apply it.
• Digital disruption is happening everywhere, and it's getting worse for small businesses. For instance, In the speciality graphics industry Internet players like CustomInk, Build-a-Sign, and now upstart TeeSpring are KILLING IT online. So much so they’ve attracted big venture capital (VC) firms from the East Coast and Silicon Valley who've dumped over $100 Million into them in the last year alone. These companies are only a few years old and each has rocketed to annual sales exceeding $300 million. By the time you read this, these three companies will have combined sales over $1 Billion. How much of that came at the expense of local independent businesses like yours?
This is what happens when an industry shows up on the VC radar screen, and it isn't pretty. Their sole goal is to disrupt the existing market, at any cost. They don't need to make a profit like you or me, that's what the VC money is for. Once it starts, there's no turning back. Think of what's happened to the music industry, video rentals, video production, photographcy, book publishing, mail order, taxis, and the list goes on and on. If it hasn't already hit the area of business you're in, it will soon. There are hundreds of millions of Venture Capital dollars looking for the next disruptive opportunity. You need to be prepared.
For the graphics printers, this is the THIRD, and most serious digital distruption in their industry in the last 20 years. They're playing by entirely NEW rules. It's also by far the most serious round of digital attack. AND NOBODY is talking about it!!!!
For companies like CustomInk, Build-a-Sign, and TeeSpring it's great. They're taking marketshare right and left. Nobody's safe. Local printers are finding it more and more difficult to compete. It’s like Walmart or Home Depot coming to your town if you’re a mom and pop hardware store. . . and this is JUST the beginning.
What Does This Mean to You?
I wanted to get some initial reaction to the concepts so I introduced them to the speciality graphics industry through the industry press and trade shows. In 2015 I’ve written 10 articles on digital marketing for Impressions and Screen Printing Magazines, 8 last year. There's more to come and I've ONLY scratched the surface with the content in those articles. The idea was to see how interested and aware people are. The response I get is:
They know they need to do something, but they don't know where to begin and they don't have the time to learn it.
IT'S TIME TO RETHINK AND REBOOT
Imagine this. I ask you for a dollar and in return I give you ten dollars? A smart business person would immediate ask if they could do it again, but this time, "Can I give you $10 for $100? " My reply would be: "Sure, here you go".
The next question would be: "How often can I do this?" The answers are: "As often as you're able".
What I've just described is the difference between marketing as an expense and marketing as a high return investment. As crazy as it sounds, this is exactly what I've created and what I'm offering today. This isn't theory, hype, or a pitch. This isn't some "get rich quick" scheme. Everything is based of solid math and marketeing models, and we've already run 4 sessions to prove it works for companies just like yours. It's just super smart business.
Before you see what I did, I need to be perfectly clear and state the obvious.
-- F U L L D I S C L A I M E R -–
What was created is impressive, but these were my results, and the results of others. They are unique to each company. Your results will be different. You may not experience any success. I have no way of knowing if you will be successful or not. The methods, techniques, and processes designed, developed, and tested worked for me, and others. There are no income claims. While I have set goals and expectations for each participant, the results will be entirely up to you based on the efforts you put forth.
– END DISCLAIMER –
WHAT RESULTS?
From scratch, with new customers I did not know before I started: $55,000 in new sales in the first 30 days. You can go back in my [Mark Coudray] Facebook Timeline to September 20th, 2013 and read what I posted. This was above and beyond what we were already doing.
The first new customer was engaged in 5 days for $25,000. Honestly, this surprised me. Within 2 weeks, I had a second account, who I did not know prior to the test, sign a one year contract for $25,000 and since then I have done an additional $8,000 with them. And that was just the beginning.
This was great, but much was learned along the way. There were revisions, refinement, more revisions and refinement again for a full year. It’s now to the point where. . .
Approximately six times a year I'll be accepting a very limited number of new students into the program. The first phase is the Catalyst Accelerator. It's the starting point. It's where you see if this is right for you. It will give you a very good taste of how you'll need to work to be successful in the digital economy.
It’s aggressive and accountable, but won’t take a huge chunk of time. Based on the prior Accelerator Sessions, you can count on spending 3 hours per week on the weekly assignments, 1 hour on the lesson, and potentially 1 hr on the weekly live Q&A call, so 5 hours max per week. The webinars and calls are recorded and posted so you can access them at anytime if you can't be on the live call.
You can watch the weekly webinar lessons whenever you want. The weekly lesson opens on Tuesday. The Q&A sessions on Thursday are LIVE and I stay on them until all questions are answered. In addition, each week you'll be receiving strategically timed motivational emails to keep you on track and to help you get the assignments completed ontime.
The webinars are very action oriented and minimal theory. As much as I love why things work, I've found most of you just want to know what you need to do. You’ll be given actual assignments with instructions and the expected outcome. That’s all. You should be able to complete the assignments within the 2-3 hours each week. If you work more, your return will be greater.
WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU?
Catalyst Accelerator does for your marketing what putting and automatic press did for your production. This is no joke.
Accelerator is designed for one thing ONLY: To PROVE CORE CONCEPTS by increasing your sales by at least $25,000 . Most of our students accomplish this by the end of the 8 week long program, if not sooner. This isn't for just a few people to achieve. For EVERYONE to achieve it, they only need to be committed to do the work. You don't need to be super smart.
Now an additional $25,000 in sales may or may not be significant for you business. The point is to prove to you my 10:1 formula. You give me $1 and I deliver to you at least $10 in new sales. While I cannot guarantee your results, this isn't rocket science. As designed, it has been proven to work for those who have done the assignments. It hasn't worked for those who have not. No surprise there.
Some of you are going to say you're too busy for more work. If you do the math, the time you put in will be worth over $500 per hour, similar to what you should be earning per hour on an auto press. Honestly, is the marketing work you're doing now generating that kind of return for you? If you think you're too busy to find the time for this, then by all means PASS.
REASONS FOR FAILURE
THERE ARE TWO REASONS WHY YOU WILL FAIL:
1) You don't do the work and you talk yourself out of success,
2) You don't believe in yourself or your ability to make it happen.
The Catalyst Accelerator is different from the past. The BIG difference, by design, is a program where you work less to get more business. It's the opposite of how you used to work. It's a combination of instruction, coaching, and consulting. If you're worried this won't work for you, then it's not right for you. If you honestly feel "I can do this," go for it. Trust your gut intuition.
BY APPLICATION ONLY
Each Section will be limited to a small group by Application Only. You’ll see why in a moment.
HERE'S THE DEAL
If you can answer these five questions honestly and truthfully, I want you to CLICK the LINK below and fill out the Catalyst Accelerator Application. From this I’ll personally review the Application and quickly let you know if you qualify for the program. I will probably call you personally to talk with you about what's holding you back and where the biggest challenges in your business are.
1) Your company must be able to handle the increase in sales. Think about this carefully. This means, working capital, employees, space, everything. If you don’t understand this part, I’ll work with you in advance of your application to determine if this makes sense for you. Rapid growth can be just as dangerous to your business as not enough sales.
If you've sold and delivered at least $25,000 MORE per month than your current monthly average, this is for you. For a small to medium shop this could be double your current level. If it’s more than double, this program is too aggressive right now and is NOT a good fit for you. For larger shops $25,000 of additional sales will show you the program and principles work. The next step is scaling.
2) You can’t be down to your last dollar. The purpose of the Catalyst Accelerator is to generate additional cash so you’ll be able to participate in the ongoing Catalyst Development program. You will stretch. It’s intended to be a stretch, and that's exactly WHY this isn’t for everyone.
Don’t even consider this if you aren’t committed or if you’re looking for someone to hold your hand and babysit you through. You're an ideal fit if you typically get things done once you've set your mind to it, but just haven't figured out this Digital Marketing puzzle.
I’ll tell you right now, up front. I have time for the people who:
1) Follow the directions,
2) Do their assignments and
3) Take action.
If you make it through the Catalyst Accelerator, you should have no problems with Catalyst Development program. You will have proven for yourself it works and the return is more than worth the effort you put in.
If you don't keep up with the assignments, change what's asked of you, or want to debate the direction, please PASS.
3) You don’t take or make excuses. When you set your mind to a goal, you keep your head down and plow forward until you reach it. You may not have the answers on how to get there, but you know you’ll learn them along the way. The most important thing about Accelerator is action. Imperfect action will deliver better results than doing what you're doing now.
This isn’t some kind of blind faith. Everything I do is based on sound business practices and backed by the math and marketing as well as the metrics and analytics to make it work. More importantly, this isn't about my success. Lots of other companies just like yours have experienced remarkable, accelerated growth in a few short weeks.
I’ve learned you don’t need the theory in the beginning. If it feels right to you, go for it. If you're hesitant, or unsure, hang back and watch others succeed. This isn't a race. You can afford to pass now, but be ready for a future session.
Also, I can't guarantee the price will be the same moving ahead. The first round of Accelerator was a 5 week program for $1000. This year it is $2500 for an 8 week program, more if you want us to do all the work for you. The changes came based on results and feedback from prior participants. Price is based on 10% of the projected increase in sales, based on last year's actual results for the people that did the work.
Sessions generally start at the beginning of the month. I can and WILL be VERY selective in who is chosen for the program because I want everyone to achieve maximum success. If you're on the fence, sit it out. The pace is fast and the results are too. On the other hand, waiting will only delay your success. Can you really afford to wait?
4) You can follow directions without second-guessing or analyzing. If you think "YOU KNOW" how this works, you don't.
The two biggest obstacles to success are:
1) Thinking you know how this works
2) Deviating from the prescribed course.
This is really important. If you’re constantly comparing a new path with the one you've been on, this probably isn’t for you. After all, how has it worked out so far for you? Are you as profitable as you want? Is your growth where you want? Are you doing anything right now that's radically different than the way you've always done it? What worked in the past isn’t necessarily working now. The skills to be successful in the Digital Economy are very different from what's been normal for the last 100 years.
5) You’re committed to ACTION. This means, you can learn the theory along the way. You know me. I’ve always been about teaching the theory and applying it. The Catalyst Accelerator is much more focused on the actions and results than the theory. If you want the theory, it will be there as a reference, but this time around I’m focusing on the ACTIONs that will give you the results you’ve always been looking for. This is for the people who are ready to step-up right now and show immediate profit in their first 60 days in the program.
IF YOU ANSWERED ALL FIVE QUESTIONS "YES"
I'll send you a Mutual NonDisclosure Agreement for you to sign and return. This will be an online document that protects the privacy of your information and the confidential nature of the content I'll be sharing with you. You'll be bound to NONDISCLOSURE of the material and methods I'll be teaching you. What I teach is new and different. It will give you a significant advantage in the market. I don't want you sharing it and passing it around. Why would you want to create even more competition?
You’ll tell me the biggest challenge you face with your company and what's the single biggest thing holding you back. You'll tell me how important this is to you. You'll also tell me what you think you need to do to make it all happen. Your words, not mine.
With this information in hand, we'll see if the program makes sense for you and if we're a good fit for each other at this time. I don't sell this program. The way I look at it, I'm a trusted guide for you on this journey. The methods are proven and my role is to help facilitate your journey as quickly as possible. We’ll be in this together in a big way for the 8 weeks of the program.
PROVE THE CONCEPTS FOR YOURSELF - GET THE RESULTS
This eight week program is a PREQUALIFIER for Catalyst Development. When you successfully complete the program, and successfully achieve AT LEAST $25,000 in new sales, you’ll have proven to me a commitment to yourself and the principles I’m sharing with you, and you'll have profited handsomely from it. You will have layed the foundation for your new marketing future, a future of accelerated growth. But that is only the beginning. Your success will qualify you to move up to the next level, if you so choose. I want you to know and understand, success will breed accelerated growth as you move ahead. You'll learn more as you prove yourself.
FINALLY
Because of the close working relationship with each Catalyst Accelerator participant, there is a strict LIMIT for each session. It will always be less than 100, but I reserve to close registrations at any time based on the profiles of the individual companies who have applied. If this connects with you:
CLICK the button below,
FILL OUT your application,
Submit it NOW.
Sessions fill on a first come basis and when the seats are gone, you'll have to wait until the next Session begins. This doesn't take a lot of time, but it is intense.
SUPER IMPORTANT
When you complete the Catalyst Accelerator and increase your sales by $25,000 or more, AND you're accepted for a position in Catalyst Development program:
100% of your Catalyst Accelerator Tuition will be applied toward your next program investment.
That will make the Catalyst Accelerator free.
I hope we can work together. I look forward to it and in getting to know you and your business. More importantly, I look forward to participating in your success.
There's so much more, but this is already too long. I'll give you specific details once you fill out the application and we see if we're a good fit for each other.
