ROBERT KNOP - FOUNDER & CEO OF ASSIST YOU TODAY - INTERVIEW WITH BUSINESSWORLD MAGAZINE

Founder and CEO Robert Knop has led marketing, sales and social media for B2B and B2C companies from both the corporate and agency sides for 25 years.

During that time, he has had the great privilege to work with some of the biggest brands in the world in his career, including Apple, Bank of America, The Capital Group, Microsoft, Toyota, Warner Brothers and Wells Fargo.

Today, he helps companies avoid becoming the next Sears by revamping the way they do marketing and sales.

Robert teaches innovative strategies that differentiate companies and individuals in commoditized markets – and most importantly adds value to end-clients – leading to tangible bottom-line impact.

When I was in college in the 1990s, the internet was first starting to catch-on. However, most websites were still using their IP addresses, not a domain name. I remember my friends and I typing in 4 random numbers in class to see what would come up.

Most simple domain names were either not taken, or had some random content (e.g. Tigers.com was a bunch of pictures of tigers, not the Detroit Tigers MLB team).

Seeing that gave me an idea: buy a whole heap of these simple-word domains. Eventually, individuals and companies will want them, and I’d be able to sell them for a profit.

The problem was I was in college. And broke. And domain names cost $100 each. Eek.

I was eating Rice-A-Roni for dinner every day – how could I follow my ambitious plan to buy 100 domain names, and hold them until this internet thing really took off?

I knew banks wouldn’t give me a loan since I had no collateral, I felt my parents would have said “no,” and my friends were all broke too.

Thus, my only option was my grandfather, who had worked his fingers to the bone as a farmer his entire life, but for the last 10 years of his life, he made some great business moves, and so I knew he could potentially loan me the money.

Could I really ask my grandfather for $10,000? What it if didn’t work out? My grandfather was one of my best friends. When I went to community college for two years to save money to go to Michigan, I stopped by his house every day to bring in his mail and talk for a while. I didn’t want to lose that.

If it didn’t work out, I would feel horrible around him for the rest of my life. My family would chastise me for taking advantage of him. I couldn’t have any of that. So, I did nothing.

Well, the rest is history. I know people who bought domains for $100 and sold them for hundreds of thousands of dollars. At one point, I worked for a company, who had a client that was trying to get investors to help them buy a domain for $6 million. SIX. MILLION. DOLLARS. And that domain was one of the names on my original list.

I still kick myself for not following-through on my idea.

My point is this – never be afraid to:

1) Start with what you’ve got – I didn’t need $10k. $1k would have started me off just fine. So would have $500. Work up to your bigger vision.

2) Ask for help – My grandfather probably wouldn’t have given me $10k, but he probably would have given me $500. And if I never paid him back, he was such a great guy, he wouldn’t have cared.

3) Follow your dreams – if you have a great idea, CHASE IT. Don’t let fear stand in your way.

Ryan Foland speaks with Robert Knop keynote speaker, and social media strategist. He is the CEO of ‘Assist You Today’ and helps brands gain and retain clients. In this episode of our podcast series, Ryan and Robert talk about various strategies on promoting yourself and the event you are speaking at in order to get more speaking engagements. One of the key messages in this interview is to follow up with people on social media channels on the day you meet them. Tune in for an interview full of ideas and advice on how to successfully spread the word about your event before, during and after the event.

About

The world has changed. Traditional strategies and tactics that have worked in the past to acquire prospects, leads and sales are becoming less and less effective. Companies that do not evolve will cease to exist. At Assist You Today, we help companies avoid becoming the next Sears or Blockbuster by modernizing the ways companies do marketing and sales. We provide on strategy, sales enablement and content with a focus on digital, mobile, social media, customer-centric processes and a data-driven approach. We custom-tailor strategies and go-to-market plans to help businesses in multiple verticals. we advise you, your sales and marketing teams and your organization how to transform your efforts from driving engagement to driving sales.

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