I heard a fascinating question at a recent Meetup* event celebrating Seth Godin’s newest book, Linchpin.

During a conversation about information overload and what marketers can do to get their message through, one of the participants asked me:

“How do you break through the clutter and get someone to BUY your program.”

She wasn’t talking about Free Marketing Made Easy in particular – rather she was asking in general, on behalf of all entrepreneurs everywhere.

I thought about it for a while, and came up with the following:

• First, you need a remarkable story – something genuinely unique. And you need to emphasize your value proposition with a compelling story line. For example, one of my colleagues recently started an entrepreneur camp for kids. That’s different. I bet you’ve never received an email declaring “Teach Your Kids How To Run Their Own Business.” I’d also be willing to bet that if you had kids you’d open the email. Step 1 accomplished.
• Next, you need credibility. Here are my favorite ways to establish yourself as a credible, reliable expert:

1. A public track record of success.
2. “Social Proof” which is often accomplished through testimonials – getting other well-recognized experts to say good things about you.
3. Samples – giving something away for free so people can try it at no risk and decide if it is worth the purchase price (which is why we offer our Social Media Fast Start series, podcasts and videos).

Consumers are skeptical, and to the questioners point, it is getting more and more difficult to compete in the noisy, crowded, global marketplace.  But smart people, like you, get it. You aren’t afraid to stand out because you believe in what you are doing. So do I. So share some love, and tell our other readers about your break through message.  Go ahead and indulge in a bit of self-promotion by commenting below. Chances are our readers will check out your site (so you’ll get some traffic) and you’ll be helping your fellow entrepreneurs by sharing your success story.

*By the way, Meetup is another great FREE marketing tool. Use it to promote your company’s events and find out about competitive industry happenings in your area.