There is usually a hype-cycle that occurs during the early adoption phase of anything new. And in the Social Media Marketing (SMM) space, you will find a broad range of vendors, consultants and suppliers who have rushed in to take advantage of the “next big thing”. While most are honorable in their intentions, there is a subset of vendors who will:

• Make it sound so much more difficult than it is
• Promise unrealistic and over inflated results

This occurred during the early years of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and this hype is now occurring with social media. Do not be fooled by the “rainmakers”. There is a lot of snake oil being sold today. If you are going to use an outside agency or vendor to help you please make sure you vet their qualifications fully. The best way to not get taken advantage of by the Social Media Rainmakers is to do your homework first, develop a plan and even consider taking a marketing benchmark to see what your competition is doing. You may still get hounded, but the power of knowledge can help keep you from wasting your time.

Web 2.0 Marketing: For the last five to ten years, the Web was largely an informational channel. However in the past few years, the Internet has become increasingly interactive and social in nature. New forms of community-based channels, driven by a change in customer behavior, are starting to evolve the landscape of the Internet. Social Media Marketing (SMM) has now been added to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and other marketing practices that comprise Web 2.0 Marketing

5 Helpful Social Media Tips: As with any form of communications, if you follow sound marketing fundamentals, use good judgment and take the time to learn best practices, the use of Web 2.0 and Social Media Marketing does not take a rocket scientist to implement. Experienced marketing and corporate communications professionals can easily obtain the skills and knowledge to effectively take advantage of the benefits. There are a lot of free tools and sites available that you can use and learn from. But keep in mind, that while there is significant upside to this new media if done right, there are also documented case studies of companies doing it wrong that has hurt their brand reputation. It is important to approach this new media in the right way. Here are 5 helpful tips:

1. Not all Social Media Sites Are Created Equally
   Creating connections with your target audience is important. However, are you making contact with the right ones that will provide you value? Each social media site has a slightly different brand, member make-up and topics they are interested in. Spend time to understand the sites that are out there and select the ones that attract the audiences you want to interact and build a relationship with.
2. Focus on Giving Value First
   Social media is all about giving to the community. Before you get accepted you need to first give value. If you are seen as only there to sell or for your own self-interest, people will not respond to you. It is a great place to showcase to them your thought leadership. Look for ways to differentiate yourself by providing valuable content and they will seek you out.
3. People Do Business with People They Like
   Customers want to buy from people they like and respect. Once they have an affinity for your expertise and what your company/product stands for they will reward you. It is ok to open up and show your personality. Social media is based on trust and making connections that create a mutual benefit. Like-minded contacts will follow you.
4. Create a Fan Base
   Social media communities are becoming an important way where people trade stories and provide critiques on products, companies, people, etc. The people in your community can represent the best way to advertise – by word of mouth. Create a reason for your contacts to be a fan and to become a referral for you.
5. You Can’t Evaluate What You Don’t Measure
   There are a variety of free tools that allow you to monitor the conversations that are taking place on various social media and blog sites. You need to monitor, evaluate and judge the dialog that is taking place regarding your company and products. When keeping a close watch on the dialog you can make corrections or change to the way you interact with your communities to create the greatest value.

Social Media is Different: While social media can be viewed as an extension or a component of Search Engine Marketing, it really is quite different. In many respects, it fits under the broader category of word-of-mouth marketing – which can either be online or offline driven. The key difference is that it relies on the collective nature of social groups that have similar interests, like to share information and who want to establish relationships. When integrated into your overall Web 2.0 marketing plans, it can be a powerful new strategy. There are many objectives achievable through Web 2.0 marketing and social media:

• Drive increased Web traffic
• Create relevant links to your Website
• Increase brand awareness
• Improve conversions
• Stimulate conversations
• Establish relationships and create brand affinity

Focus on Strategic Planning: While outside agencies can be a big help, do your homework first to learn what makes social media tick. Spend time visiting and participating in online communities and doing a little reading. It really is not that difficult to implement correctly. Before deciding on the social media path that best fits your business model, you need to gain a deeper understanding of your customers’ needs, wants, issues, passions, concerns, and the communities in which they participate in, and so on…

Benchmark Your Current Position: As part of your strategic development process you should also benchmark your current execution level, gain a better understanding of what your competition is doing and develop a road map focused on what you want to accomplish through social media channels.

Social Media Marketing is not as hard as it seems or in some cases portrayed by social media rainmakers. If you plan to use an outside resource, the more you know about social media yourself the better you can manage the value you gain from using agencies that focus on building your network/community/following. Social media is a new channel you can take advantage of. Do your homework first by developing a plan and you can achieve success.

Jim Arnold is a results-oriented marketing professional who has held leadership roles with IBM, EDS, Sabre/Travelocity and other notable companies. He is a forward-thinking strategist who has a passion for testing innovative ideas, developing new go-to-market strategies and leveraging the latest Web 2.0 marketing technologies to drive increased levels of business value. He recently co-founded MetricsBoard, a new Web 3.0 performance benchmarking company that is crowd-verified and crowd-generated.

Metricsboard.com provides FREE automated benchmark assessments covering a broad range of business topics. The benchmarks take less than 10 minutes online to complete. In return, you receive a full results report with free comparison data on best practices, a maturity rating against your competition (peer group) and strategic recommendations. There is a benchmark for Web 2.0 Marketing, B2B Sales and IT Infrastructure – with more subjects to come. Your privacy is protected and you will not receive any sales follow-up calls.

Find out how you compare against your competitors? Learn the latest Web 2.0 Marketing and Social Media best practices and performance tips. Download complimentary ePapers. Visit: http://www.metricsboard.com

Author: Jim W Arnold
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera Times

Ezine publishing, as a concept has been growing by leaps and bounds because of its ability to deliver on the expectations of those who believe in it. What makes ezine publishing even more attractive is the fact that it is a completely free resource that utilizes backlinking as an effective SEO technique to generate and boost traffic.

3 Reasons Why Ezine Publishing Is A Rainmaker

1. It’s Free…Completely and Totally Free!

Getting published on an ezine is easy, beneficial, and completely free. There are no upfront fees that need to be paid in order to get your articles published on ezines. All you need to do is create an author account using a valid email address and get started. Once you submit your article, as per the ezine’s editorial guidelines, your article will be checked by a human editor and upon approval get published.

2. Increase Your Popularity Easily and Quickly

Ezine publishes allows you to increase your website popularity easily and very quickly. A published article with a resource box that has a brief biography about you including your areas of expertise and interest along with a one-way link to your website is a great tool to boost your website traffic. As people read your article, they will be impressed to click on your website link and visit your website to find out more about your services and products.

3. Earn Trust and Respect

Submitting your articles on trusted and respected ezines is bound to garner respect and credibility for you as well. Don’t stop yourself from submitting articles on other popular and respected ezines to maximize exposure to not just diverse visitors but search engines as well.

Fabian Tan is a well-known Internet Marketing expert and the author of the popular 45-page Report:

“Murder Your Job: How To Build Cash Sucking Autopilot Businesses In 30 Days Or Less!”

Head over to http://www.MurderYourJob.com to get your FREE copy now before its gone!

Author: Fabian Tan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Excise Tax

Pick a sales training buzzword and it may have touched you.
Maybe managers said you should go to a course to get your
inner feelings in tune with your Palm schedule in tune with
work-life balance, and everything in tune with your life
strategy. Life was great. For about a week.

Then, products changed or were recalled. Lawsuits
mounted. Customer expectations in today’s financial and
ethical marketplace demanded more of you and your
company. In too short a time, your corporate financials were
being restated while your 401K melted and your stock
portfolio slunk away, embarrassed by its original
exuberance. Half your department or division or the whole
company disappeared. Life was great once.

If you’re in sales or marketing, you know what you did every
day. That was the daily drill. You can’t do it any more. And,
you certainly can’t do it at a trade show.

Here are four ways to understand your own – and your
company’s – sales style at a trade show. Maybe you’re still
hot. Probably not.

THE GOOD OL’ BOY NETWORK …
This is the way it used to be and in some industries, it still
is. Women may have broken some of the glass in the
ceiling, minorities may be a tad more than token, and you
may believe age doesn’t matter. Wrong. It’s attitude,
networking and politics. It’s still who knows who.

If you’re in certain industries – usually the ones at the
beginning of the industrial food chain or international money
making – you may think your job is safe because of trust and
GOB networking. Yet, because of international tensions,
economic disasters, lousy mergers, and technology which
produces a 24-hour business day, those handshakes you
felt so comfortable with before, now may get you handcuffs
or a brush off.

TRADE SHOW – Don’t rest on laurels or assume the GOB
will protect you or guarantee your deals. Self preservation
may be more important, pricing may be more critical, and
the pecking order may have changed without making the
papers. What to do? Gather critical information before you
go to the show, don’t be naïve, and learn to open up your
networking channels.

THE RAINMAKER …
It was expected that the right connections (often from GOB),
basic product knowledge, a handle on financials and a
pleasing personality could get you business. Maybe you
were no more than the hunting dog who was well dressed
and played tennis or golf, so you could flush out business
and bring it back for someone else to close and control, but
you brought cache to the firm.

If you’re in the professional services firms – such as
accounting, banking and insurance, law, architecture, etc. –
this has been an accepted method for years. The
designated “Golden Boy” has been critical to these types of
businesses because advertising was not allowed or was
considered crass. The belief was that – work should speak
for itself, and the firm and client should like each other.

TRADE SHOW – This is still a critical aspect of marketing but
don’t expect to do more than nudge the timeline along. It is
time to meet with prospects for a second or third time,
understanding that your competitors will do the same. Time
to bring out your “big guns”, the partners and experts who
will handle the account if you score.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT …
Now get serious about business. Clients disappear.
Products lose dominance. Suppliers change. The smart
firms have individuals and departments, or outsource
experts, who work only for development of new business.

It’s a whole new ball game and you may be in a different
league without knowing it unless you’re smart about who
your markets really are, where they are, and your
understanding of trends – are you current or obsolete? This
is sophisticated analysis, not just friendly hand shaking.
Real-life market research. Serious looks at partners,
strategic alliances and allegiances. Cutting losses. Adding
specialists. Consider corporate intelligence to be the cutting
edge of staying in business this year, next year and more.

TRADE SHOW – The short intense time at a show is
absolutely the best way to find out what’s happening in your
industry. When you hear a new word three times, that’s a
trend. Learn all you can about it, its originators and its
potential for your firm. On the flip side, watch the intelligence
your firm gives in trying to entice prospects. Remember that
the more you give away at a trade show, the less you have to
discuss at deal time.

SALES PROFESSIONAL …
The full-time, on-time, my-time-is-money guy who has been
through all the courses yet has the innate sense of making
the sale and, best of all, securing the best deal to make the
client happy. Of course, the company is happy with the deal,
the margins and the prospect of continuing business.

Competitive, smart, dogged, technology intense and
friendly, this is the best person to ask for competitive
information. Yes, he knows his clients but his antennae’s up
and can tell you what’s going happen to clients in the next
year, the trends in the market niche and ways to save
business – better terms, time to buy or drop.

TRADE SHOW – There’s a tendency to send sales folks to
trade shows. Nice idea. Not necessarily right. Check your
answers to these points -

1) Is this a sales or a marketing show? Are you closing
deals or showing off products and services?

2) The sales oriented show is generally in the retail related
sectors. Examples – the shows are about toys, school
supplies, hardware, stationery, holiday decorations, etc.
Short term sales opportunities. Send your best deal closers
to these types of shows.

3) The marketing shows are generally in technology, harder
industries, those requiring a long-term sales process with
waltzing, tap-dancing, RFPs and more bureaucracy than the
retail segments. Depending on the size of the show, one
sales person to three or four marketing personnel is usually
adequate, but you must know the capabilities of your staff,
the expectations of the attendees, and your firm’s realistic
ROI on this particular show. Jeez, are you planning to
follow-up? What are the requirements of on-floor staff in that
process?

4) Remember that every show is different. And, the
difference between you and your competitor is the
sales-oriented preparation you make before the event.
Know your people, know your corporate style. Be prepared
each time.

Julia O’Connor – Speaker, Author, Consultant – writes about practical aspects of trade shows. As president of Trade Show Training, inc,, now celebrating its 11th year, she works with companies in a variety of industries to improve their bottom line and marketing opportunities at trade shows.

Julia is an expert in the psychology of the trade show environment and uses this expertise in sales training and management seminars. Contact her at 804-355-7800 or check the site http://www.TradeShowTraining.com

Author: Julia O’Connor
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Benefits of electric pressure cooker

It is interesting how we can read about someone else’s ideas and put our own spin on those ideas and make them uniquely our own.

One of the most worn out books I own is Robert Bly’s How To Become A Recognized Authority In Your Field In 60 Days Or Less. The cover is falling off this little paperback book of wisdom. I have highlighted, bookmarked and notated many of the pages in it. And I keep learning from it.

But I am also spinning out my own ideas using Bly’s work as a starting point.

The genius of Robert Bly’s strategy is that you become successful by giving your knowledge and information away in the form of booklets, ebooks, articles, speeches, workshops, seminars, CDs, DVDs and by writing books.

He says, “Volumes have been written about selling and marketing, especially for entrepreneurs, small businesses and self-employed professionals. But there is one marketing strategy that, if you master it, eliminates the need to do any other type of selling or marketing ever: becoming a guru.”

A “guru,” as Bly uses the term, is not a negative at all. It is what he refers to as a person who has become a recognized authority in his or her field. In other words, rainmaking is marketing your professional practice or business by becoming a known expert.

Here are 11 steps I have come up with, fully given Bob Bly credit for sparking my own ideas, that you can use to become a recognized authority in your own field:

1. Start a blog on your topic. Write at least 2-3 paragraphs a day. Soon you will find that your ideas flow and you will probably be writing much more, but discipline yourself to write at least 2-3 paragraphs a day.
2. Don’t let any perceived technical ignorance keep you from creating a blog. If you can send someone an email, you can start a blog in about 10 minutes if you use Blogger.com.
3. Don’t be embarrassed when the inevitable days come when you write nothing but junk. That’s not the point. Even your worst writing can be rewritten later after time has given you perspective on it. Your only goal at this stage is to be writing out your ideas about your field each day. It is a building process. Besides, at first no one will be reading your blog, so there is nothing to be embarrassed about.
4. For the time being, focus only on blogging every day for two months. Two or three paragraphs a day, every day. Then print out everything you have written. You will pleasantly surprise yourself that some of your material is very good. The rest may need revision and polishing, but it too will be useful.
5. Now take your accumulated writings and start writing articles using this material. Publish some of your articles online at some of the more than 400 article submission sites or article banks on the web. Just do a Google search for “article submission sites” and you will have more than enough places to submit your articles to.
6. Also write some larger articles for offline publications. Get a copy of the Writer’s Market, which is published by Writers Digest Books each year. Don’t attempt to send your articles to the larger publications (yet), for now target trade magazines that service your target clients.
7. These trade magazines are much more flexible and likely to accept articles from unknowns. Most will even pay you a small fee for your articles, so you can now start covering some of your costs.
8. Keep reprints of your articles for marketing purposes. They will make great inserts in your mailings and publicity kits.
9. Keep blogging while you do all this, never let yourself write less than your daily 2-3 paragraphs. Your blogging produces your raw material that can be reworked and recycled into other formats.
10. About the time you are basking in the glow of becoming a published writer, you will have written enough material that can be “morphed” into many useful formats. Your material might comprise a booklet you can send to prospective clients, or you might rework that booklet to be an ebook you can email to anyone who may help you build your business.
11. Within a year, you should have enough material to start thinking about a bigger project like an outline for a workshop or a full-length book. It has been said that a book is the ultimate sales literature. Imagine a client who is trying to choose between you and a competitor. If you are the professional who can give this person a book you have written &well I think we all know how the client will choose.

The real genius of marketing yourself by becoming a recognized authority is that clients will come to you. As an expert you will be able to charge higher fees than your competition and you will generally work with the best clients.

COPYRIGHT(C)2006, Charles Brown. All rights reserved.

Author: Charles Brown
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Programmable pressure cooker

I’ve been doing a lot of speaking and coaching lately on business development, and someone asked a great question: what are the top obstacles to rainmaking success?

I’ve identified three universal challenges. Do any of these sound uncomfortably familiar to you?

1. “I don’t know what to do.” There’s so much information out there about how to bring in new cases and clients and, even more importantly, how to ensure that your current clients are satisfied – no, delighted – with the service you provide. Sometimes, having lots of good information is overwhelming. When I work with someone on rainmaking, one of the first things we focus on (after clearly identifying the goal at hand) is to simplify tasks, according to a targeted plan. Don’t flail around and try “the latest thing.” Figure out what works well for you and do it consistently.

2. Mindset challenges. The challenges that we create up for ourselves (and please note that I am including myself here!) vary dramatically. I’ve heard all of the following:

• Rainmaking is easier for them (men, women, lawyers in big firms, lawyers in small firms, litigators, transactional lawyers, and on and on and on).
• Everything I do has to be perfect, and I’m busy getting ready to get out there. (This crops up a lot with lawyers who see speaking, writing, and holding leadership positions in an organization as a good route for business development.)
• I have to do it all myself, so I’m going to clear the decks and then get started.
• I’m too young.
• I’m too old.
• I tried [insert an activity here] and it didn’t work, so why should I bother?
• My technical skills are so good, I don’t need to market.

There may be at least a grain of truth to each of these rationalizations (and the infinite variations that exist), but buying into these statements is a huge red flag. These “reasons” justify a lack of success and perhaps even a lack of effort. Neither leads to great results.

3. “I don’t have enough time to get my work done and live, and now I should add on business development activities? You’ve got to be kidding me.” This obstacle is the most valid and therefore the most insidious. It also plays into the mindset obstacles, because very often a lawyer who holds a negative belief about client development will sink more and more time into fruitless rainmaking activity. Imagine, for instance, a lawyer who polishes an article to the point of “perfection,” only to find that it’s no longer newsworthy. Fortunately, you can implement three steps to create time for business development: prioritization, systemization, and delegation.

What blocks your rainmaking efforts?

Author: Julie A. Fleming
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: WordPress plugin Guest Blogger

The term rainmaker in business means “an achiever of outstanding results in a profession”. Do you want to excel in your career? Then be a rainmaker! Some people think that means bringing in new business. That is not the only thing it is. It also means doing an exceptional job.

A big part of being an exceptional employee is making things happen. If you are a salesperson that means bringing in a new account. As an accountant, there are new cost cutting measures; as a production person, looking for new and top notch factories; as a designer, new concepts that will add plus business. Even as a receptionist starting out you want to stand out. Be so extraordinary that clients tell your boss how you have made the experience of coming to your office exceptional.

Always look out for ways to bring extra value to your company. In my case I am working on trying to bring new businesses to my company. But, from the beginning of my career I always looked for ways to stand out. What ways can you stand out? How can you be a rainmaker?

Be the one that does the exceptional job. Come in a 1/2 hour early leave a 1/2 hour late. Don’t take long lunches. When you work, work. Don’t let people steal your time. If someone comes to hang out in your office to gab, tell them you have a project to do and have to stay focused. Tell them you can talk after work. Being focused on your job while you are at your office will give you a leg up on all your coworkers. Most people waste a lot of time at their job and their actual productive time is quite low. Don’t be that person .

Where are the opportunities for you where you work? Always be looking out for ways to grow your job. Take on new duties. I don’t necessarily mean more work (not that you shouldn’t help out your boss wherever possible). What I am talking about are responsibilities that stretch you as an individual and make you more valuable in your place of employment and the industry. You will become more capable. By doing this you’re sure to bring the attention of your higher ups. Doing exceptional work and bringing in new business or ideas are very important parts of being a rainmaker.

There is another way to be impactful on your company’s business. That is the person who takes the idea and runs with it. Many ideas die on the vine through lack of follow through. What if you were the person who made it happen? In a meeting when the idea comes up ask if you could help with the concept. Offer to do the leg work. Find out the information and the action steps required to get the project going. Some people are thinkers and some are doers. Nothing wrong with being the doer. In most cases the doer is way more valuable than the thinker. Being a person who spearheads projects is another component to being a rainmaker.

The rainmakers in an organization are the people who rise to the top. These people are usually the CEO’s of a company. So always being looking for ways to help impact the success of your company. Don’t have the attitude that, “It isn’t my job, or I am too low down on the totem pole”. You can do this and it will speed up your path to the top.

Author: Maria Pesin
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

As I write this, the economic outlook for the UK (and Europe) is looking precarious to say the least. Although we are not currently in a recession, market conditions are tough with a credit squeeze, rocketing fuel and power prices, falling house prices and statements from the Bank of England and many leading retailers that trading conditions are worsening. The press would have us believe that a recession is just around the corner. I’m not sure I buy this, but regardless, leadership is becoming more important than ever.

So how do we lead in these situations? For me there are 6 points to consider:

1. Have Vision
   This is important at the best of times, but at the worst, it become critical. Articulating your vision to your employees allows them to perform in an atmosphere of confidence. If they feel that you know where the company is going and that they are involved in this journey, they will be more inclined to roll their sleeves up, to give you the discretionary effort which can be the difference between success and failure. Keep them abreast of developments, good and bad. Make them feel a valued member of your team. Get this right and they will walk through the proverbial brick wall for you.
2. Understand Your Shortcomings
   This is in both yourself and your team. In good times, we tend not to think about our own weaknesses. In bad, they can really hurt you. Now is a good time to work out what your people need to do to improve their skill sets with coaching and/or training courses. Brainstorming meetings with employees you rate can kick start innovation.
3. Nurture Your Employees
   Your top performers are less affected by market downturns than others because they are the most mobile and confident. To hang on to them they must feel part of your team. Get creative in how you make them feel like this: increase their professional development, think about their reward structure etc etc. However don’t neglect everyone else. If they perceive the top dogs getting more than they do, it will quickly breed resentment which can undo all the good work you’ve done elsewhere.
4. Empower People
   This is about trusting your team. Delegate to them and allow them to make strategic changes without asking permission if they think it is in the best interests of the firm. In bad times, speed of decision-making is crucial.
5. Don’t Cut the Marketing Budget
   This is one of my biggest concerns with clients as they don’t seem to see the obvious flaw in this logic. In order to survive, you need to sell. When the market it poor, your sales drop. So you need to find new sales channels. How can you do this if you cut the marketing budget? I’ve always felt that there is a strong argument to be made for actually increasing the marketing budget in a slump. But one thing you must do is “sweat” your budget. Get the most “bang for buck” by putting pressure on your PR company, advertising agency etc. This can easily be sweetened by paying them a performance related bonus – a real “win win” in this market.
6. Be Brave, Be Creative
   When the going gets tough, you need to look at every aspect of your business including things which you hold dear. Nothing can be sacrosanct. Remember this is about survival so everything can and must change if it helps in this regard. If it doesn’t help, think about whether it is actually necessary at all. If it adds to your costs, kill it. A healthy does of realism makes it much easier to be brave – and creative!

You will note that I have hardly mentioned costs in the list above. Indeed several of the points will increase your cost base in the short run (training, coaching etc.). Many companies won’t have a lot of cost they can strip out as they have outsourced in the past and can use the Internet for much of their workflow. Ironically cutting costs can bring about the very recession we fear. If I cut costs, my suppliers get squeezed so they cut costs which in turn squeezes their suppliers. And so it goes on. This takes liquidity out of the marketplace and it is liquidity, not interest rates, which determines how people feel. If your mortgage rate goes up, but you have money in your pocket, you don’t feel too bad. But remove the cash element and you quickly feel upset.

Being a leader in times of trouble is what seperates the successful from the failures. It is hard to do emotionally as you won’t get much time just to be, but it will pay off believe me.

---

Copyright © 2009 Philip de Lisle. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact legal@www.philipdelisle.com so we can take legal action immediately.
Plugin by Taragana

View Rainmakers Bio
Go to Source

Philip de Lisle :

A new directory enquiries service has recently launched here in the UK called 118 800. It will allow you to ask for someone’s mobile number.

Most people, I suspect, feel that their mobile is their very private domain and don’t want it invaded by cold callers. It’s bad enough when that happens on one’s home telephone.

I’d heard about this service before but thanks to the weekly email I receive from Money Saving Expert (an excellent service for finding the best deals on insurance, utilities), I learnt just how insidious this service is. If you’ve ever forgotten to opt out when signing up for an online service (or offline come to that) and provided your mobile number, the chances are that this service will have bought your details and added you to their database.

But all is not lost! You can opt out! Don’t forget to do your partner’s phone and particularly those of any children you might have as many (most?) kids phones are registered to a parent and so outside the rules governing contacting minors. 118 800 have a removal page here.

I strongly recommend that you take action now!