In this encore episode I sat down with Lewis Dalton, a copywriting pro and co-founder of Pine, to dig into the magic behind writing copy that actually converts. Lewis shares some fantastic, down-to-earth advice about finding the sweet spot between short-term and long-term benefits in your messaging, how to blend emotion and logic to really hook your audience, and why getting specific with your target market matters more than ever. Whether you’re working on sales funnels or just trying to write better emails, you will find some  great tips to help you turn prospects into customers.

ere are 4 key points from the interview with Louis Dalton on copywriting:

1. Balance Short-Term and Long-Term Benefits: When writing copy, focus on both short-term wins (quick, immediate benefits) and long-term outcomes. Short-term gains help keep potential customers engaged and excited, especially when selling products with delayed results.

2. Use Both Emotional and Logical Appeals: Effective copywriting taps into emotions to create interest, but it must also provide logical reasons—such as proof or data—to convince people to buy, especially for high-ticket items.

3. Tailor Copy to Your Audience: Different audiences respond to different tones. For example, engineers might prefer more logical, fact-based copy, while creatives or coaches may engage more with emotional appeals. Understanding your audience helps strike the right balance.

4. Qualify Prospects: Breaking down larger commitments (like a 16-week course) into smaller, more digestible steps can help qualify the right prospects. It prevents you from trying to "twist arms" to get clients who aren't truly invested, saving time and effort.

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Check out video versions of these interviews https://www.youtube.com/@MTFWPodcast

I am a LinkedIn junkie, but unlike people with other addictions, I'm not looking for a 12-step program to cure me of my habit because I think LinkedIn is healthy for my business. Instead, what I've done is developed a six-step process that allows me to simplify content creation and improve the quality of the content I'm creating.

The six steps are easy.

Define your objective. Figure out why you're really on LinkedIn and what you can realistically accomplish. Build out your profile and becoming someone people want to get to know.

Identify who your target audience really is and getting laser focused on putting messages out there that are relevant for them.

Spend the majority of my time engaging with the content that other people put out there, strategically connecting with other individuals.

And finally, when you do all those five things well, creating content is easy. 

Looking for a more detailed look at this process?   Watch the Video Now 

This time of year, we always start thinking about the holidays and holiday marketing.  That's why I was so excited to chat with Caroline Balinska on holiday marketing.  Here are 5 key points from my conversation with Caroline

1. Plan in advance: One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is not planning holiday campaigns early enough. Starting at least three months in advance to set up social media posts, emails, and design imagery is not too early

2. Focus on relevant holidays: Not all holidays are relevant to every business. It's important to pick holidays that align with your products. For instance, World Animal Day is more relevant for pet-related products than Valentine's Day.

3. Stand out with unique content: For holiday campaigns, businesses should create fresh and themed content, including new imagery and emotional trigger words that resonate with their target audience.

4. Leverage post-holiday opportunities: Businesses can continue benefiting from holidays even after they pass by extending promotions or using SEO strategies like Pinterest for long-term visibility.

5. Budget for ads: Caroline advises putting ad budget behind special event days, especially niche holidays, to maximize marketing.

Learn more:  moreclientslesshustle.com

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FROM MY ARCHIVE - In this conversation I asked the question  “Why should I write a book?” Let's face it writing a book may seem overwhelming, especially if you don’t think of yourself as an author. But my guest, Kim Thompson-Pinder, overcame her own challenges to become an author and publisher, shares her insights into why a book can be a game-changer for entrepreneurs.

Here are some key takeaways from our conversation:

Credibility and Authority: Being an author gives you instant credibility. As Kim shared, "Authors are seen as experts," even if that’s not always true in reality. Perception matters, and holding a book with your name on it can open doors that may have otherwise been closed.

Targeted Marketing Tool: Kim emphasized the importance of writing a book tailored to your target audience. By addressing their specific problems, your book becomes a tool to build trust and convert readers into clients. The more targeted your content, the more effective it is at overcoming objections and positioning you as the go-to expert

Self-Publishing for Control: If you're serious about writing, Kim strongly advises self-publishing to retain control over your message, book design, and profits. The traditional publishing route often leaves authors with little control and lower financial returns. But she highlights the importance of hiring professionals for editing and cover design to ensure a polished, professional product.

Writing the Book: The process of writing can seem daunting, but Kim offered a simple formula: break the book down into manageable sections. Think of each chapter as a smaller problem your target market faces, and by solving them, you create a clear, engaging narrative that speaks directly to your audience.

Positioning the Book: A book is not just about getting your name out there—it’s a powerful marketing tool. You can use it to generate leads and establish long-term relationships with potential clients, leveraging its authority at every stage of your business growth.

Kim’s journey from being told she wasn’t a writer to becoming an author of five books (with two more on the way) and helping over 200 entrepreneurs write theirs is incredibly inspiring. Whether you’re considering writing for the first time or looking for ways to amplify your marketing, this episode offers invaluable insights.

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One of the questions that I get asked on a regular basis is, what's the best marketing platform? Where should I be spending my limited marketing dollars and time? And every time I hear that question, I think about something my boss said to me way back in my corporate days.

Rick told me  a mediocre idea executed well would outperform a brilliant one executed poorly every single time. And I really took that message to heart.  It has been the basis of my marketing through my whole career. 

So my advice to you as you're trying to find that one perfect platform, stop! Stop looking for the one perfect marketing venue and instead find one thing to execute perfectly.

Looking for some help on developing your execution plan? Give me a buzz. I'd love to work with you. 

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Your website isn’t just a pretty face for your business. Done right, it’s a 24/7 salesperson, constantly working to attract and convert leads even when you’re not. But how do you make sure your website pulls its weight? I sat down with **Lori Highby**, owner of Keystone Click, to get to the bottom of what makes a website not only visually appealing but also a powerful sales tool. Here are some key takeaways:

Speak to Your Customer’s Pain Your website’s primary job is to solve your customer’s problem. Lori emphasized the importance of understanding your *ideal customer* and addressing their pain points right from the start. Visitors are looking for solutions, and if your site speaks directly to their problems, it will grab their attention immediately. 

*Tip*: Each page of your website should focus on *one* problem or pain point. Avoid overwhelming your audience by trying to solve everything on a single page.

Pass the “Billboard Test Lori introduced a great concept: the "billboard test." You have just seven seconds to capture someone’s attention when they land on your website. If your message isn’t clear, they’re gone. So what should you focus on? A unique value proposition and proof of your work. 

• Unique Value Proposition (XYZ Statement) - Clearly define what you do, who you do it for, and what benefits your customers get by working with you. For example, "We build websites for contractors, helping them attract more business.
• Proof of Your Work: Instantly build trust with visitors by showcasing testimonials, client logos, or press mentions. People need reassurance that you can deliver.

 Make It Easy to Convert Once you have their attention, it’s critical to make the next step obvious. Whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, booking a consultation, or making a purchase, your call to action (CTA) needs to be clear and compelling. 

*Tip*: Don’t make your visitors work to figure out how to engage with you. Have multiple, easy-to-find CTAs on each page guiding them towards conversion

Craft Your Homepage as a Gateway Your homepage is like the cover of a book — it introduces your brand, but more importantly, it should act as a gateway to the rest of your website. Lori suggested thinking of it as a “choose your own adventure.” Make it easy for visitors to navigate to different sections of your site based on their needs, but keep the overall message simple and clear.

The Post-Conversion Experience Matters What happens after someone fills out a form or takes a desired action on your site? This is often overlooked but incredibly important. Lori pointed out that the follow-up, like a thank you page or an automatic email, should continue to build trust and confidence in the decision they’ve just made.

*Tip*: Reinforce their decision by providing additional value, like testimonials or next steps, and ensure the entire process feels seamless and professional.

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From my archive, a great conversation with Denise Praul

If a prospective customer is introduced to you by someone they trust, you're far more likely to close that sale than if they stumbled upon you on Google. That’s the beauty of referral marketing, and it goes beyond traditional word of mouth. But how do you create a system that consistently brings in high-quality referrals? That’s what this conversation is all about.

When someone is referred to you, you’re borrowing the reputation of the person who made the referral. This is a game-changer because the new client comes in with a built-in level of trust that makes closing the sale much easier. They’re not starting from scratch—they already believe in you because someone they trust vouched for you.

It’s easy to get caught up in the technical details of your product or service, but customers are more interested in how it benefits them. Denise points out that for referral partners to help you, they need to know exactly who you want to work with and why someone should choose your services. Focus on solving pain points, not just listing features.

Instead of constantly trying to build new relationships, Denise suggests focusing on the network you’ve already developed. People who already know, like, and trust you are your best advocates. Train them on how to refer you by clearly explaining your target market and the benefits of your services.

Referrals are a two-way street. You can’t just expect to receive them without offering something in return. Be proactive in asking others how you can help them, and genuinely try to send referrals their way. A good question to end any meeting with is: “How can I help you?” This opens up a deeper conversation about how you can support their business too.

People remember stories. If you want your referral partners to easily explain what you do, share real-life examples of clients you’ve helped. These stories make your work more relatable and easier to understand, making it more likely they’ll think of you when they come across a potential referral.

Building a referral system isn’t just about luck—it’s about being intentional. By focusing on trust, relationships, and storytelling, you can create a steady stream of high-quality referrals. And the best part? When someone comes to you by referral, they’re already primed to buy.

Looking for more networking tips? Grab a copy of my book https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C3BMD6JW

We often get advice about how we should interact and engage on social media. You need to be subtle. Don't be too pushy. Don't jump to offering your product and services right away.

That is all good advice. I would never want to walk into a networking event and start talking to the very first person I meet about how I can help them without finding out a little bit about them.

But, sometimes that advice to be subtle takes us in the wrong direction. We're so careful not to promote our product or services that people don't know what it is we really do.

I know I can be guilty of this and so today I'm going to tell you I work with businesses that have spent money on marketing and are not satisfied with the results. They're looking for a quick independent assessment of what they're doing and how they can do it better. Sound like you? Well then book an appointment today.

Oh, and come back and listen to longer episodes of More Than a Few Words wherever you listen to podcasts.

BOOK AN OFFICE HOUR - 

Loved chatting with Helene Gidley, founder of A2 Agile Incorporated, about how an an agile approach can help small business owners stay organized, adapt to change, and avoid burnout. Here are a few key takeaways:

1. Agile is about visibility and adaptability: Helene emphasizes the importance of making your work visible and breaking it into small, manageable chunks. This allows you to respond to changes quickly and see progress incrementally.

2. Keep tasks visible: She suggests using physical tools like sticky notes to keep tasks front and center. This old-school method helps you stay focused and track your progress more effectively.

3. Treat time as a valuable resource: Helene discusses the importance of scheduling time not just for meetings but also for completing tasks, ensuring that you prioritize and protect your time as a valuable resource, just like your budget.

4. Break tasks into smaller steps: Large tasks can feel overwhelming, so Helene recommends breaking them down into smaller, actionable steps that can be done in short time increments, providing a sense of accomplishment as you check them off.

About Helene

Helene Gidley, founder of A2Agile Inc. is a vibrant entrepreneur and agile coach celebrated for her extraordinary ability for getting things done. Drawing on 40 years of experience, Helene shows you how to use powerful Agile Project Management techniques to get things done and build your best life.

Learn More https://www.a2agile.com/agileliving

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One of the things I love about having a podcast for 15 years, is my archive.  Buried in there are hundreds and hundreds of amazing conversations that I want to share with my current audience

This conversation from early 2020 with Dr. Yamilette Willams  ( Dr. Yam) is a great example. Here are the key takeaways from my interview  on communication styles:

Dr. Yam identifies four main communication styles, which are divided into two categories: outgoing vs. reserved and people-oriented vs. task-oriented. These include:

• • D (Dominant): Outgoing and task-oriented.
  • I (Influential): Outgoing and people-oriented.
  • S (Steady): Reserved and people-oriented.
  • C (Compliant): Reserved and task-oriented.

She goes on to explain how recognizing the communication style of the person you're interacting with is key to effective communication. For example, task-oriented individuals prefer concise, direct communication, while people-oriented individuals respond better to engaging and emotional conversations.

Understanding communication styles is helpful when pitching ideas or building relationships with clients. By listening to the type of questions people ask (e.g., "what," "how," or "why"), you can identify their communication style and tailor your message accordingly.

Business owners and managers can also use this information in their hiring, team building and leadership development processes.   

The four styles are not equally distributed across the population.  S (Steady) personalities make up the majority (69%), followed by C (Compliant) at 17%, I (Influential) at 11%, and D (Dominant) at only 3%. This highlights the importance of focusing communication strategies toward S and C types in most interactions.

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It’s hard to keep up with all the changes in digital marketing and still run a business.

Stay one step ahead with resources, tools and links to conversations with industry leaders from around the world about marketing, social media, design, technology and life as a business owner.  Never miss another conversation, tip or tool: 

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I am a serious coffee drinker. A typical morning starts with two full mugs of coffee, after which I’m ready to face the world. So when I was in Italy a few weeks ago I was worried that the little cup of cappuccino they put in front of me wouldn’t be enough.

Funny thing, it was.  The rich full flavor satisfied my coffee taste requirement and that expresso packed a powerful punch.  So as I sipped my little cup of cappuccino it occurred to me there was an important lesson in that cup. It was a lesson that applied to life and business.

It isn’t about quantity. It’s about quality. When it comes to delivering a service, instead of doing a lot of mediocre projects do fewer better projects and charge what you’re worth.  For marketing spend your time crafting one memorable blog post or powerful podcast instead of one hundred silly social media updates to deliver the punch your marketing needs.

As you think about your next business step go have a cup of cappuccino. Not that  tasteless vente they serve at Starbucks,  but a real high quality small cup of cappuccino with a powerful punch.

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If you're a player in the digital space today, you need to know what it takes to get the attention of Google and encourage them to drive people to your website. To dive into this topic, I invited Barb Davids, founder of Compass Digital Strategies, to join me.

She started our conversation by emphasizing that small business owners shouldn't panic when they hear about changes in Google's algorithm. The digital landscape is constantly evolving, but immediate drastic actions are unnecessary. Patience is key. Here are a few more tips from that conversation . 

1. The S.W.E.E.T. Framework: Barb introduces her S.W.E.E.T. framework for optimizing websites for SEO, which includes:

   • Select a target keyword: Identify what people are searching for and align your content accordingly.
   • Work on a blog post: Create or update blog content to address the target keyword directly and provide clear, useful answers.
   • Enhance with summaries: Optimize meta titles and descriptions to attract clicks from search results.
   • Establish trust: Add elements like bios, contact pages, and testimonials to build credibility.
   • Tell the world: Distribute and promote your content consistently to maintain visibility.

2. Content Refresh and Distribution: Barb advises regularly updating old content and continuing to promote it. Content shouldn't just be published once; it needs ongoing attention and promotion to stay relevant and visible.

3. Handling AI and Search Changes: With the introduction of AI-generated content summaries by Google, Barb suggests that small business owners shouldn't worry too much. Currently, these changes don't significantly impact most small businesses, and maintaining good content practices will still help websites perform well.

4. Focus on Fundamentals: Despite technological advancements, the basics of SEO—like answering user questions, selecting relevant keywords, and building trust—remain crucial. These fundamental strategies help businesses maintain a strong presence in search results.

Listening to episodes from my archive, is a great reminder of how somethings in marketing don't really change . In 2018, I had a conversation with Jennifer Crawford about hosting your own conference.  Her advice is as relevant today. 

Hosting a conference isn’t as difficult as you think and Jennifer Crawford believes the pay off can be huge. Planning an event for 200 or fewer attendees gives you a chance to meet face to face with people you may only know through online events. The interactions allow you to build deeper connections with your community of customers, prospects, referral partners, and yes, even competitors.

Don’t try to be all things to all people. Keep the focus narrow and you are more likely to attract the right people to the event.

About Jennifer 

Jennifer’s passion is helping people grow their businesses. In addition to business and conference consulting, she is also the co-founder of a recently launched company, Sparent–a virtual temp agency staffed by stay at home moms with skills to spare.

She lives with her hunk of spunk husband, Thor and their 140 lb. drool beast, Meatball in Fairfax, VA.

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I am sure you think this headline is a mistake, that I meant to say something else, but I really mean this. If you want to build a successful business in a vibrant marketplace, you will grow faster if you help your competitors. Before you decide I am completely crazy, consider the following:

1. You don’t know everything. Hanging around with other business owners in the same industry gives you a chance to learn a few things in  exchange for sharing a few tips of your own.
2. Improve the quality and perception of your industry. If a customer has a bad experience with a service provider in your industry, it’s easy for them to assume that all companies who do what you do are the same. Getting involved with trade associations which offer training, professional and business development will improve the overall industry in which you are a participant.
3. Everyone is not your customer. Getting to know companies who provide similar services to yours in slightly different niches gives you an chance to set up a referral relationship where each company actually gets more of the kind of customers they want to work with.
4. Customers need education. This is particularly true when you are trying to build awareness and demand for a new or different product or service. Customers may be unwilling to try your product or service if you are the only company talking about this approach, but when multiple companies all tout the same benefits, all of you have an easier time making a sale.
5. Everyone needs a little positive karma. Sometimes it’s just nice to pay it forward. When I started Roundpeg, I reached out to a few business owners who had been running marketing firms for awhile. They graciously gave me time, tips and tools to help me get started. Today I do the same. I like being able to look around the community and know that I played a role in helping other businesses get their start.

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I've been podcasting for a long time, but if I had to classify my podcast, it's an enjoyable hobby. However, there are ways to make money with your podcast, and that's what I talked with Darren Saul about.

Here are some key takeaways from the conversation

1. Sponsorship Opportunities:  Podcasts don't need to have thousands of episodes to attract sponsors. Even from the beginning, podcasters can approach companies aligned with their content to collaborate. This approach can lead to mutually beneficial partnerships where both parties promote each other.

2. Premium Content: Offer exclusive, premium content that listeners have to pay for. While the main podcast episodes remain free, additional in-depth content, resources, or even behind-the-scenes access can be monetized through platforms like Patreon or a subscription model on the podcast's website.  The key is deciding what information to give away, and what to put behind the paywall 

3. Consulting and Coaching: As podcasters build their audience and establish themselves as authorities in their field, they can leverage this position to offer consulting, coaching, workshops, and even keynote speaking. This not only generates revenue but also enhances their credibility and brand.

4. The Power of Podcasting as a Marketing Tool: Darren reiterates beyond direct monetization, podcasting is a fantastic way to build trust and credibility. It can serve as an effective marketing strategy that draws people to a business, offering long-term benefits beyond immediate financial gains.

About Darren

Darren Saul is a Serial Podcaster, Strategist, Trainer, Coach, Keynote Speaker and Student of Human Attention. He started using the Power of Podcasting to build his photography business and was so amazed with the results he never looked back! He is now a Podcast Junkie who consults with organizations to help them get serious business results integrating Podcasting into their marketing strategy.

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As small business owners, we work so hard to find each client. We nurture them through a sales process and then they sign on the dotted line and we start doing business with them. Often, once we have closed the sale, we turn our marketing attention to the next prospect, and the next and the next. 

Back in 2017 I had a conversation with Nick Cavarra,  who argued that was a huge mistake.  Why? Because the people who already know you are significantly easier to market to than a group of strangers. 

Make it personal. Remember, even in business-to-business transactions you are dealing with people. So use follow-up activities to interact personally. One of my favorite tips from our conversation was to take a picture of the person and include it in a follow-up note. Particularly if you deal with a younger consumer, they are unlikely to print photos on a regular basis, so your note or card will hang around. 

Segment your list. Odds are your customers are not just one large homogenous group. Take the time to segment your list based on their interests, hobbies or the products they use. Don’t send messages about dog food to cat owners, or invitations to a beef barbecue to a vegetarian. Sure this takes work, but the payoff comes when customers who feel valued come back time and time again. 

Send something tangible. If it takes 6 – 7 interactions to make an impression, it helps to switch them up. Send an email, but also call and occasionally send something in print. It is easy to dash off an email, but it is also easy to delete it as soon as it arrives and forget the message just a moment or two later. But printed information, a card, a note or a brochure, is likely to be kept around a bit longer. Just the act of opening the envelope engages your customer with the contents of the message.  Also, there is the perception that mailing a letter took more time than dashing off an email (and it does). Time is a precious commodity and people are impressed when they think you took extra time.   

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Recently, I had to clean out all of my closets because we were replacing the flooring. The process was interesting because buried deep in those closets were things I hadn't used or thought about in years. And quite frankly, I hadn't missed.

Every now and then I ran across something that made me stop and say, "Wow, that's really cool, I should use that again. And it made  me thin about my marketing.

When you look at all of the different things you've done over the years, you've got a marketing closet. From time to time, you need to take it all out and evaluate each piece. Is it still adding value? Is there something you forgot about that you used to do that worked really well? Are there things you just need to let go of?

If you haven't done it in awhile, it is time to clean out your marketing closet. And if you need a little help, give me a buzz. Set up an office hour and we can talk about what should be in your marketing closet. 

$38 Billion!  Yes that is billion with a "b".  That is the impact women have on the global economy.  If you want a piece of that market, you need to learn how to connect with female consumers. Robyn Newton joined me for a conversation about selling to women.  Here are the key points from the conversation:

1. Women as Powerful Consumers: Women control over 85% of purchases in the U.S., making them a key demographic for businesses to understand and cater to. They are not just the shoppers but also major influencers in the purchasing process.

2. Understanding What Women Care About: Brands need to understand the specific values and concerns that resonate with women, such as family, health, mental well-being, the environment, inclusion, and safety. A brand's message should authentically reflect these priorities to connect effectively with female consumers.

3. Avoiding Common Mistakes: Many businesses fail to consider women's unique buying habits and preferences, often making them feel overlooked or undervalued. It's crucial for companies to acknowledge and respect women's purchasing power and preferences, avoiding outdated stereotypes and practices.

4. Successful Brand Examples: Robin highlights brands like Subaru and Bumble, which have successfully integrated values important to women, such as safety, inclusion, and empowerment, into their marketing strategies. These brands have built strong connections with female consumers by aligning with their values and needs.

5. Personal Connection and Storytelling: Integrating women's stories into marketing and showcasing the people behind the brand can create a more personal and relatable connection with consumers. Women are more likely to engage with brands that celebrate and uplift other women, creating a sense of community and trust.

In this episode from my archive, Merit Kahn explains how you can transform any sales conversation with four simple words : 

• Shift from Selling to Selection: To be selected as the right solution focus on guiding potential customers through their decision-making process rather than pushing a sale.

• The Power of "Are You Open To?": These four words help you figure out if the prospect is open to hearing new ideas and reduces resistance, making the conversation more collaborative.

• Self-Reflection and Openness: The sales process is about you as well.  Are open to new possibilities. This mindset can positively influence how you present your solutions and connect with others.

• Inclusive Decision-Making: This approach makes the customer feel in control. Instead of forcing decisions, asking questions like "What would you like me to do now?" allows the customer to guide the next steps, creating a more comfortable and empowered experience.

There are three questions you need to answer before you launch your next marketing campaign. The questions are simple, but the answers may not be.

Who is your customer? Too often, business owners try to go really broad as they define their target. If you want to create an effective marketing campaign, narrow in on a specific niche. You can always target a different audience with your next campaign.

Who is your competitor? This is not a time to puff up your chest and say, I don't have any competitors because you do. And sometimes they don't even do exactly what you do, but they're competing for your customer's attention and cash.

What is it that you want to accomplish with this campaign? I know you want to sell more, but do you want to sell more of a specific product? Do you want to sell more high-priced products? Are you trying to attract new customers or get your old ones to come back time and time again? 

Each of those objectives will lead you down a path to a very different campaign. So before you start working on your next marketing campaign, think about those three questions.

And if you need help with the answers, go ahead and set up an office hour appointment with me

Donna Peterson, CEO of World Innovators and I chatted , about the importance of growing and maintaining a high-quality email list. Here are a few key takeaways:

Quality Over Quantity: Donna emphasizes that when it comes to email lists, having a smaller, highly-targeted list is much more effective than a large, unfocused one. A clean and updated list ensures that your messages are reaching the right audience, which can significantly improve engagement rates.

Know Your Audience: Understanding your audience goes beyond just their job titles or industries. It's about knowing where they prefer to receive their content and what types of messaging resonate with them. This insight helps tailor your communication strategies for better results.

Creative Engagement: Donna highlights the effectiveness of unique approaches like LinkedIn Live series to attract new subscribers. By offering valuable, easy-to-digest content, businesses can provide high perceived value without demanding a large time commitment from their audience.

Cross-Promotion and Authority by Association: Collaborating with other entities that serve your target market can be a powerful way to grow your list. Using lists from industry-specific publishers can also lend credibility and ensure compliance, as these sources have already vetted their audiences.

Consistency and Accountability: Regular engagement with your audience, whether through frequent meetings or consistent content delivery, helps maintain interest and accountability, encouraging ongoing interaction and growth.

Look for More than a Few Words, a Marketing Conversation for Business Owners wherever you listen to podcasts https://morethanafewwords.com

Would you like to be a guest on a podcast?  If so, you want to pay attention to what Kelly Mosser has to say about pitches.

The biggest mistake most potential guest make is the emphasis of the pitch. The message boils down to “I want airtime on your show. Here’s why I deserve it. Here’s why you should give it to me.” This one-sided approach misses the key detail that podcasts are a business collaboration.  When you focus on what you can get, and what the audience might take away, the host and the show are kind of forgotten. Put yourself in the shoes of the host. Why would they want someone on their show who doesn’t care about them.

If you understand you are entering a business partnership with the host together it is easier to think about how can you help the host achieve his/her goals. Then you need to explain what you bring to the audience.  When you start with that approach  you are much more likely to be invited to be a guest on the show.

Every woman has that little black dress in her wardrobe. Classic in design it is not too trendy and not too stodgy.  It is incredibly versatile. With the right accessories, jackets, scarves or cool shoes it is perfect for every occasion, year in and year out. 

And every smart marketer knows that email is their little black dress. It goes well with all of the other elements in your marketing wardrobe. From the hottest marketing trend to the most basic marketing campaign, email makes all your other marketing more effective. 

Updating your website? Promote it on email. Building your social community? Reconnect with your audience through email.

As you’re planning your marketing wardrobe for next season, don’t forget email, your little black marketing dress. 

I enjoyed chatting with Jackson Calame about the importance of having a clear vision for your business. Here are some key takeaways:

1. Vision Beyond Profits: Jackson emphasizes that a business vision should go beyond just making profits. He talks about creating a balance between personal well-being and professional success and highlights his mission to bridge the economic gap between North and South America.

2. Thriving vs. Surviving: Jackson distinguishes between a survival mentality and a thriving mentality. Instead of just reacting to problems, thriving involves focusing on solutions and being your best self to achieve the best results.

3. Power Branding: Becoming a market leader, or a "power brand," isn't about being better than others but about being the best version of yourself. Jackson shares the importance of having a strong support system, much like Batman has Alfred, to handle the technical details and allow business owners to focus on their strengths.

4. Tools and Mechanics: He advises entrepreneurs to focus less on the specific tools and more on finding the right experts to help build their brand. It's about having the right team in place to support and elevate the business.

5. Language and Mindset: The language we use shapes our mindset. Jackson and Lorraine discuss the power of words and how shifting from controlling language to more empowering language can improve relationships and business outcomes.

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I’m an extrovert. I love people.  I love being around people and talking to people.  But there are a whole bunch of people, introverts, who really don’t enjoy interacting they way I do.  Here’s the trick,  you’ve got to be able to reach both of those audiences. And if you’re an introvert you have to learn how to participate in the world.

This week’s guest Amanda Watts share some great tips on how introverts can be effective, and maybe even enjoy of networking.

It stars with understanding where your energy comes from. An extrovert, she explains, will wake up in the morning and even though they are well rested they will be a little low on energy. They actually gain energy with every interaction they have with someone. Each conversation is like a coin in your energy bank. So you gain coins throughout the day and at the end of the day if someone suggests you go out partying you’re ready to go.

In contrast, an introvert starts with the most energy at the beginning of the day. Every time they interact with someone they “lose” a coin  of energy.  So if they have had multiple meetings throughout the day, their energy bank is depleted, and they would rather go home to recharge, the go out partying and have more interactions. It is not that they don’t like people.  They just need time to recharge.

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Wouldn’t it be nice if we all just got along. That might seem like a good idea but it really isn’t. You can’t eliminate conflict completely. and you shouldn’t.

Well-managed conflict actually cultivates discussions and create opportunities to uncover new and innovative solutions. Accept conflict as a natural part of your relationship with employees and with all of the people in your life.

It isn’t necessarily good or bad.  It can be very healthy if the conflict occurs when people have different ideas on how to solve a problem and they feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. The conflict resolution process leads to open and honest conversations often about more than just the issue on the table. It can be messy and it might take time to work through some of the conflicts but the end result is going to be a great solution.  

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I had a wonderful conversation with Josh Elledge about strategies for generating inbound leads and moving away from outdated, spammy marketing tactics. Here are the key points from their conversation:

1. Shift from Outbound to Inbound Marketing:

   • Traditional outbound methods like sending unsolicited emails are no longer effective. Consumers, including business decision-makers, are overwhelmed and turned off by spam.
   • Josh emphasizes the importance of creating an inbound funnel that attracts potential clients naturally, reducing the emotional toll on marketers.

2. Noble Intent and Authenticity:

   • Success in modern marketing requires leading with noble intent and genuine empathy. Businesses should prioritize the needs and desires of their customers over their own sales goals.
   • Transparency and authenticity are crucial. Consumers can detect when a business's primary motive is self-serving, which can drive them away.

3. Utilizing Platforms for Networking:

   • Platforms such as podcasts, YouTube channels, or Facebook groups can be powerful tools for building authority and networking. By highlighting and celebrating others, businesses can create reciprocal relationships with leaders and potential clients.
   • Josh has successfully launched many B2B podcasts, which he describes as the ultimate networking tool for building relationships and authority without needing to sell aggressively.

4. Generosity as a Strategy:

   • Leading with generosity and providing value upfront is essential in today's business environment. Creating a "butterfly garden" of valuable content and resources can attract clients more effectively than chasing them down with aggressive sales tactics.
   • This approach involves understanding and empathizing with the target audience's values and pain points, offering solutions that resonate with them.

5. The Power of a Platform:

   • Building and leveraging a platform allows businesses to earn time with high-level leaders and create opportunities for collaboration. This can be done by using one's own platform or collaborating with others.
   • The key is to focus on serving and celebrating others, which naturally leads to reciprocity and business growth.

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​I am an email marketing fan so I was excited to invite Kendra Corman to join me for a conversation on how to make email marketing effective.

She started by explaining why email is so important.  Sure it is great to build a community on social media, but what will you do if Facebook goes down or cuts off your profile. You are stuck.  But if you have email addresses, you  own those contacts and can take them wherever you want.

You have the flexibility to contact them when you want and to share information  they want and need to know.

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Every parent knows, It takes a village to raise a child. Each of the adults in the child’s life, relatives, teachers, coaches, brings a different perspective. The same is true for your business. No matter how smart you are or how much you know about your business, there are gaps in your skill-set.

Your business village should be filled with smart, talented subject matter experts to help you fill in the gaps. If you are running a small business your village won’t be comprised of employees, but an advisory board comprised of professionals, who provide information and guidance in their areas of expertise.

Who Do You Need in Your Business Village? (On your advisory board)

Your attorney’s primary objective is to protect you and your business from risk. As you start you business your attorney can advise you on the right structure for your business and submit appropriate state and federal documents. As you business grows turn to your attorney for a range of legal documents such as contracts, non-disclosure agreements, and non-compete agreements with employees. An attorney who is familiar with your business makes the process of creating new documents much more efficient because you won’t have to start each review by explaining what your business is about.

There are bookkeepers, financial accountants and tax accountants. Which do you need? Well that depends on your comfort level with the numbers of your business. A bookkeeper keeps your day to day operations on track, paying bills and invoicing clients. A financial accountant is someone who can provide guidance not just bookkeeping assistance.

Your accountant should prepare financial reports on a monthly basis and review key numbers with you. Your accountant should be able to help you predict if you have enough cash to meet future obligations and growth goals.

A tax accountant does more than just prepare your tax returns, understanding your business, he/she can help you make decisions about when to invest, when to pull back, and how to avoid paying more than you should in taxes each year.

The worst time to establish a banking relationship is when you need money. As you start your business get to know your local business banker. He/she will advise you on the types of accounts you will need, develop a cash management strategy, and secure funding when you need it.

For many small business owners, the business is your retirement plan. The question is will this be enough? Don’t guess. A good financial planner will look at both your personal and business finances to make sure you have what you need when you are ready to walk away from the business.

Sure, you can manage your computers and software on your own. You can post content on social media and call it marketing, but just like every other element of your business, you need to stop and ask yourself, should you? Is this the best use of your time, and do you really have the expertise to manage those roles in house. If not, it is time to add these professionals to your team. In both cases, the industry is changing rapidly. You need people on your advisory board who understand both the trends and your business objectives. Lean on them to make the right suggestions about where and when to invest so you can focus on growing your business.

Sure you may own your own business, but you don’t have to do it all on your own. Start building your village today. Don’t try to do it all at once. Find someone in one of these categories and enlist their aid in filling the other slots on your advisory board.

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Mickey Kennedy, founder of eReleases joined me for another conversation about building your authority and online visibility.  This time we talked about the importance of using surveys and studies to stand out as a subject matter authority.

Why does this strategy work?  First of all the media loves data.  Fresh data from industry-specific surveys can attract media attention. You can use a platform like SurveyMonkey to create a 16-question survey, including some fun or unusual questions to capture interest.

You don't need to do it on your own.  consider partnering with small or independent trade associations to distribute your survey. These associations often seek media attention and can help amplify your survey in exchange for being mentioned in the press release.

This strategy works because the survey results helps position you as an industry expert so once you are done conducting the survey, create a dedicated page on your website with all questions and responses. Highlight key findings in your press release and direct journalists to this page, potentially leading to more coverage. . Share resulting media coverage on your website, social media, and newsletters to build trust and credibility with potential customers as well. 

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What is the fastest least expensive way to get clients? Guest, Gall Doby suggests  there is one strategy that people often ignore, and it’s right in front of them.

Looking for new sales? Start with your current clients. Almost every single client ( assuming you are doing a good job) will be willing to do business with you in a different way. Maybe it is an add-on to their project, a few more things and they hadn’t originally considered or an entirely different project.

It’s so much easier to go to your current clients and try to add something on to a project.  Then right behind that group are your past clients. Both of these groups know, like and trust you so it is one of the easiest, fastest and the cheapest ways to get more business.

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Let’s go on a buying journey. Think about the last item that you bought, where you spent more than $100. Maybe it was something for your business or home. Write down the item you bought and work backwards through your buying journey. Describe why you chose that particular product. Did you see an ad? Did someone recommended it? Was there information on social media which made you curious? Write down all of the things you remember related to that purchase.

For example, we recently installed new windows in our house. Before we bought the windows, we talked to a few of our neighbors, checked. Angie’s List, and then we went to the company website.

Do this exercise two or three times for different types of purchases, so you get a better picture of your typical buying process.  What information sources to you rely on and what influenced you?

Next, build your customer’s buying journey the same way. Evaluate your marketing based on  your typical buying process. If you were a customer for your product or service, would you notice your marketing? If the answer is yes, that’s great. if you are your target customer.

If you’re not your target customer, you got some work to do.  Ask several of your customers about their buying journey and see how that lines up with your marketing.  Make sure you are spending money on marketing to enhance their buying journey.

The trick for small business owners is not to spend more money, but to spend well, making investments designed to motivate customers to pay attention to you.

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Janine Liston, a business strategist and pricing expert, joined me for a conversation about the complexities and strategies behind setting the right price for products and services.

Here are a few key takeaways:

• One common myth is that the lowest price always wins. Many business owners believe this, but it’s not true for most products and services. Targeting the right customer who values your product is more important than simply offering the lowest price.
• When you set your price, you need to put the customer first. Rather than developing a product and then finding customers, businesses should understand their customers' problems and create solutions tailored to them. This approach ensures that prices reflect the value delivered to the customer.
• What's a fair price?  It is actually a balance between what customer are willing to pay, and what is profitable for the business. Many businesses overlook customer value and willingness to pay, focusing too much on costs and competition.  Sometimes, customers are willing to pay much more than you think.
• Price can often communicate messages about your quality.  A higher price signals higher quality, but this only holds if the product or service meets those expectations.
• Pricing is not a one-time task but a continuous process. Be open to adjusting pricing over time and don't be afraid to raise them when necessary. 

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Did you miss this conversation with Connie Jones about limiting beliefs?  Then you want to check it out now.

We create these upper limits for ourselves fueled by messages we have received starting early on in childhood about who we are and who we are not.  And who we are supposed to be.  We create patterns of playing roles that are consistent with those messages, but sometimes the messages are wrong and the pattern becomes a trap.

To break the cycle of limiting beliefs, you must first identify the belief, recognize it is creating your reality and chose to change what you believe.  Often it stars with simply acting “as if” until the new behavior becomes natural and you being to believe you can do or be more.

Words have the power to move, motivate, inspire, frighten, and cheer. What you say and how you say it can have a profound impact on another person. And some words, called power words, have more impact than others. These words have a strong meaning which is likely to trigger a psychological or emotional response. They are persuasive, pushing people to take action.

Power words fall in to one of three categories: seductive, emotional, or sensory (visual). As you write web copy, email communication, and social media status updates, employing these powerful phrases will help you grab and hold the attention of a reader.

These terms have the ability to “seduce” readers, overriding logical reasoning and compelling them to take action. Examples of seductive words include:

• New – People often equate new with better. When you offer something new, they assume it is better than what they already have.
• Free – We are conditioned to respond to the word “free.” That promise reduces the resistance to action.
• Because – Simply giving people a reason is all they need to give you a try.
• How To – This is a common search phrase for almost every product category. The phrase “how to” promises practical information. If you use it, be sure your content delivers on the promise.

Tapping into human emotions with your headlines is more challenging. There isn’t a short list of emotional words that always works. Instead you need to consider the emotions themselves and find ways to tap into them.

Common emotions which will drive action include fear, jealousy, curiosity, joy, surprise, anger, disgust, trust, and anticipation. Not all emotions will work the same way. For example, anger may cause someone to share something on social media, but not purchase a product or a service. In contrast, fear or jealousy may drive someone to take action and buy.

Some studies indicate people are more likely to take action to avoid negative outcomes than to achieve positive ones. Example: What do your competitors know that you don’t? That question is designed to elicit fear from the reader.

Sensory words paint a picture in the mind of the reader. These descriptive words are designed to activate one or more of the senses. They describe how we experience the world: how we smell, see, hear, feel, or taste something.

Engage the eyes with words related to colors, shape, or appearance. For instance: gloomy, dazzling, bright, foggy, or gigantic. Make something tangible when you describe textures. These same words can be applied to feelings and abstract concepts also such as gritty, creepy, slimy, fluffy, or sticky.

When you read words like cha-ching, kaboom, or pow, you can almost hear the sounds. Other descriptive words such as crashing, pounding, or ringing will engage the reader’s auditory sense.

Especially helpful if you are writing about food, words related to taste and smell may get your prospective reader salivating for your product. Many of these words like zesty, tantalizing, sweet, stinky, or stale will transform bland copy.

Remember that motion is sensory, too. Active words such as vibrating, soaring, mind-boggling, staggering, or bumpy take the reader on a journey with you

I love chatting with Lindsey Anderson, and it has been awhile since this seasoned online business consultant, bestselling author, and podcast host, dropped by for a chat.

It this conversation we talked about her experience as a play in a reality TV game ( The Trust)  and what she learned about using social media effectively as a business owner rather than as an influencer.

Lindsey introduced her VEMS model, which is designed to help business owners build a compelling social media presence that drives sales and engagement. The model consists of four key components:

1. Vibe: Share personal aspects of your life to help people connect with you. Choose three consistent elements to showcase, such as your location, family, or health interests. This humanizes your brand and helps potential clients relate to you.

2. Experience: Regularly share client stories and experiences. This demonstrates your expertise and shows potential clients what working with you is like. Authentic, real-time updates about client interactions can be particularly effective.

3. Methodology: Highlight your unique methods and structured approaches. This gives potential clients confidence in your systematic process and distinguishes you from those who offer ad-hoc strategies.

4. Skills: While it's important to share tips and skills, balance this with other elements to avoid appearing one-dimensional. This prevents you from giving too much away for free and helps maintain interest in your services.

About Lindsey

As business owners try to grow their business they assume they have to do it organically.  The problem with the organic approach is you have to be patient. It takes time for the business to mature and grow.

But that is not the only way to grow. Your path to success might include merging with another company or through the acquisition of another business.  Deb Curtis, an expert in SBA-Supported Business Acquisition Loans & Smooth Ownership Transitions shares a few tips and things to consider before you jump into acquisition mode

What do you want people to say about you when you're not in the room. What do you want them to tell people. who are looking for someone who does what you do?

All of those comments add up to your personal brand. Now a lot of business owners are under the misconception that somehow they control their brand. But they don't.

Your brand is something that exists in the mind of your customers.  All you can do is influence it with your marketing messages and your actions and over time you will create a brand representative of who you are.

Looking for more resources on branding and positioning?  Start with the position statement workbook 

If you’re a woman business owner or thinking about becoming one, there are unique challenges you’ll face compared to your male counterparts. However, success is achievable, as demonstrated by Sharon Gillenwater, a tech startup founder who sold her company, Boardroom Insiders, for $25 million. Here are a few key points from our conversation.

Funding and Networking Obstacles:

Women receive only about 2% of venture funding. Additionally, if you’re not part of the entrepreneurial network, gaining access to funding and talent can be tough. It’s crucial to build a network of contacts who can guide and support you.

Importance of Clear Planning and Communication:

If you are preparing to seek funding, be sure you can clearly articulate your business idea, model, and market. Talk to to as many knowledgeable people as possible to refine your plan and pitch

Keeping Financial Records Clean:

Sharon shared a personal lesson on the importance of keeping business finances separate from personal finances. The take-away - Proper record-keeping from the start can prevent complications when your business grows or when you’re ready to sell.

Customer Focus:

Despite skepticism from funders and industry experts, Sharon’s focus on customer satisfaction proved to be a key factor in her success. She advises ignoring the naysayers and listening to your customers.

One of the advantages of having more than 1,000 episodes in my archive, is the wealth of great information buried there.  This week I dug way back, to find a conversation I had with Allison Carter back in 2013,  when she was my regular co-host.  We always had a good time, but I really loved this conversation about finding your brand voice. 

• Just as you can recognize someone's speaking voice, their writing voice is unique too. It’s like a fingerprint. A strong, consistent voice can help a company build its brand and connect with its audience.

• Your writing should convey the essence of who you are, not just mimic how you speak. It's about creating a connection that feels genuine and consistent with your personality, whether you're warm and fuzzy or more reserved and snarky.

• Just like you wouldn’t talk to a child the same way you’d talk to your doctor, your writing should be tailored to your audience. This keeps your messages clear and relatable without coming off as condescending or overly complex.

• Even teams, with diverse individual styles can present a unified voice by defining parameters  for each writer.  For larger companies, formal guidelines can help maintain this consistency.

• Understanding and defining your company's voice is crucial. It shapes how you communicate on social media, in emails, and in all other forms of content. This reflection of your company’s personality can significantly impact how customers perceive and interact with your brand.

I am often asked, why I chose to name my company “Roundpeg.” The obvious answer was because I spent all those years in corporate, feeling like a square peg in a round hole, and this is where I fit!

But there is more to the story. I wanted to build a business around the ideas of creativity, collaboration, and positive energy, and for me, creativity begins with a “R.O.U.N.D” process.

If you want creative output, you need creative input! Collecting a variety of information, without worrying how it fits, is the foundation of the research phase. Input comes from everywhere, what you read, what you see when you are out for a walk, what you learn from others.

• Explore your environment. Look for new ideas, trends and tools.
• Seek inspiration everywhere. Take a walk and really look around you. I often find inspiration from nature.
• Learn something new. Enhance your education, expand your talents, abilities and skills.
• Look back to move forward. Analyze data and study historical trends.

The second step is the most fun. In this phase, everything is possible. The process works well with a diverse group, people with very different skills, personality styles, and experience. Make sure everyone in the room understands, there are no bad ideas and no limitations.

Keep the sessions short so the energy stays high, but remember some people are more comfortable thinking out loud and may overpower the more analytic folks in the room. To get all the best ideas look for ways to balance the conversation invite people to submit ideas in writing after the session.

Don't have group - Carrie Anton had some great tips on how to Brainstorm by Yourself.

• Connect to your inner child, don’t be afraid to be silly or outrageous. Sometimes in the craziest idea there is something worth exploring. Be creative, think, and daydream
• Bring people together to brainstorm and answer the “what-if” questions.
• Generate many, many ideas.

This phase involves reviewing all the ideas you have generated and selecting a few to explore in greater detail. You are still not completely critical, and crazy suggestions will still play a roll in this phase. Remember in this phase there are still no bad ideas and no limitations such as budget, time, or people.

There are however a few best ideas, and these are the ones you need to focus on expanding. As you embrace these ideas, unite related concepts, look for connections and ways to build on the ideas of others.

• Question the information you have collected. Is it relevant reliable and usable?
• Identify common threads and reoccurring themes.
• Borrow ideas from others, build on initial suggestions adding alternatives and enhancements.
• Select a few to take forward.
• Look for ways to take ideas to the next level don’t be afraid to invent and innovate.

It is important to take a break between uniting and nurturing. It may be only a few minutes or a few days. This break marks the transition from wild ideas to critical review.

The time between the stages is important for the more analytic and introverted members of the group. It gives them time to process information, formulate responses and questions so they are ready to share their ideas with the group or individual members.

The nurture team may be expanded or changed as the real work begins, evaluating ideas with objective eye to improve and refine the concepts so they become actionable.

Identify and eliminate obstacles as you nurture the best ideas, giving them the chance to blossom and grow. Many ideas don’t survive this phase, as impractical or unworkable ideas are rejected, so the best ideas can blossom.

• Objectively evaluate ideas.
• Reject what doesn’t work.
• Simplify the over-complicated.

To move from concepts to reality, you must commit to a course of action. Develop action plans, timelines, deadlines, and measures. Success depends on your passion, commitment, enthusiasm, and your ability to learn from your mistakes.

• Market your idea.
• Deal with critics.
• Measure progress.
• Survive success.
• And Begin Again!

It is a round process, because, as soon as you think you are done, it is time to start again!

I had a great conversation with Jason Barnard ( @jasonmbarnard  ) about online branding. Importance of Brand SERPs:

One of the standout points Jason emphasizes is the critical role of Brand Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). He explains how they reflect a brand's online reputation and visibility, and why businesses should prioritize optimizing their Brand SERPs for better recognition and credibility.

Knowledge Panels: Jason delves into the significance of Knowledge Panels, those information boxes that appear on the right side of Google's search results. He discusses how they can enhance a brand's authority and trustworthiness, offering tips on how to get your brand featured in these panels.

AI and Future Trends: The conversation also touches on the impact of artificial intelligence in digital marketing. Jason shares his thoughts on future trends, suggesting that AI will continue to shape the industry in exciting and unexpected ways, influencing how brands interact with their audiences.

Personal Branding: Lastly, Jason talks about the power of personal branding in the digital age. He offers practical advice on building and maintaining a strong personal brand, emphasizing its importance for professionals looking to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

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In this conversation from my archive, chatted with Matt Nettleton about the importance of practice and the danger of over practicing.

Have you ever done something for the first time, without prior knowledge and been able to achieve success? If so, you’re truly unique. Most humans find themselves meeting new challenges with a series of frustrations and failures. Imagine an infant as they decide to walk for the first time, they stand up then they stagger and inevitably they fall. To become consistent walkers they repeat the stand-stagger-fall cycle for a few weeks or months.

This pattern of stand-stagger-fall is repeated throughout our lives. Over time we learn that practicing tasks makes eventual success more likely. We also learn that preparation is a bit of a grind certainly not enjoyable and nearly always hard work. But learning to effectively gain new skills and improve performance with existing skills is the key task we all face as adults. So, we learn to practice.

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When it comes to marketing, it's easy to focus on activity. Just create a list of tasks and check them off as you complete them:

• Write five blog posts ✔
• Send an e-newsletter ✔
• Post status updates on Facebook and LinkedIn ✔
• Schedule ads ✔
• Create a landing page ✔
• Send postcards ✔
• Make phone calls ✔

As you check things off your list, you feel good about all you have accomplished. But when you focus exclusively on the activities of marketing, you're missing half the equation.

It doesn't really matter how much marketing you do if you're not getting results. Whether you are doing your own marketing or you have hired a company to do these tasks for you, don't settle for a list of activities. You need to hold your marketing accountable for results. You need to focus on the productivity of your marketing, and that's harder to do.

Productivity measures might include:

• Traffic or Interest: Did the actions create engagement on social media or drive traffic to your website or your storefront?
• Leads:Did people fill out a form, download information, or call for an appointment?
• Conversion: Did any of those people who came by or called become customers?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, stop wasting money on marketing. Put systems in place monitor web data and actual inquiries. Ask people how they heard about you or why the called. Study your closing rate. Once you have the numbers you will know have a better idea of what is working and where you need to be spending more time.

• Don't look at the numbers individually, because they work together. If your campaigns are driving lots of traffic but visitors rarely stay long or take the next step, look at both what you are offering in the campaign and the user experience when a visitor arrives.
• Lots of fans on Facebook may make you feel good, but if they don't engage with your content you might be offering the wrong thing, or you might not have great fans after all.

The bottom line: Anyone can look busy. As a business owner, you need to be sure that when you and your team spend time, it isn't just activity, but productive activity.

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If you’re looking to harness the power of testimonials for your business, this conversation with Danielle Klemm, a positioning and funnel strategist, is packed with insights.

She packed so much information into the short conversation:  Here are just a few highlights. 

There is a structure to a great testimonial

Testimonials should follow a story structure with a beginning, middle, and end. When asked to give a testimonial, customers usually describe their experiences from the end point, but that isn't where your next customer is in their process  You need to guide the conversation starting from the problems they faced before using your product or service.

Ask specific questions to prompt customers to talk about their initial challenges, the aha moments they experienced, and how your product or service solved their problems. This approach not only enhances the testimonial but also provides valuable marketing language directly from your customers.

Do more with testimonials

Beyond just posting on social media or your website, testimonials can be used creatively across various platforms. This includes integrating them into blog posts, case studies, media publications, and even at physical booths using QR codes. The goal is to make these testimonials part of your natural sales process, helping to build credibility and trust.

Learn More https://www.danielleklemm.com

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Seven years ago, I chatted with Luke Magsamen, who was a member of the Roundpeg team at the time, about marketing automation.  While tools have changed, the strategies we discussed are as relevant today to help you keep a business running smoothly, even while you sleep. Here are some key points from our discussion:

1. Automated Messaging: Automated emails and messages can engage both new and existing customers without constant manual effort. This includes sending birthday wishes or reminding customers about abandoned carts.

2. Essential Tools: To implement a successful automated marketing campaign, you need a good email program, engaging landing pages, and a comprehensive database of customer information.

3. Personalized Campaigns: Personal touches, like birthday discounts or anniversary reminders, can re-engage customers effectively. Luke shared his experience with Dollar Shave Club, where a birthday discount prompted him to make an additional purchase.

4. Ongoing Engagement: Automated emails can keep customers engaged over long sales cycles. For instance, sending a series of emails with different resources after a proposal can guide potential customers towards a purchase decision.

5. Evergreen Content: Ensure your automated emails contain evergreen content that remains relevant over time. Avoid seasonal references or outdated information by linking to updated content on your website.

6. Complementary Follow-up: While automation is powerful, it’s essential to complement it with personal follow-ups, such as phone calls, to maintain a human touch in customer interactions.

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Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work with start-ups, as they look for name for their new business or product. The process is rarely easy, but always interesting.

The process should start with a look at the ultimate customer and the unique elements of the solution being presented. Even in traditional industries, looking for a unique twist will help set the business apart.

So what else should you consider on your quest to find the perfect name?

• Simple and Memorable: If the name isn’t short, punchy and relevant customers may struggle to remember it when it is time to buy! Prospective customers may do a Google or voice search for your business. If you name is hard to pronounce or spell, they may have trouble finding you.
• Relevant: It may or may not be descriptive, but it should evoke a feeling, perception, or impression in the mind of your target audience.
• Unique: If you want to trademark the name, it needs to be unique in the category.

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One of the things that happened during Covid was that virtual events exploded.  And today, even as we return to in person activities, there is still a place for virtual events in your marketing.  That was the topic I dove into with Michael Tucker. 

Here are some key points from the interview with Michael Tucker about virtual events:

1. Building Trust and Credibility: Michael loves virtual events because they are a powerful way to quickly build trust and credibility with an audience. They offer an opportunity to teach, engage, and build relationships, which can expedite the sales process.

2. High Energy and Engagement: Successful virtual events require high energy and engagement. Keeping the audience's attention is crucial, and this is best achieved by showing up with passion and enthusiasm, even if you’re not naturally an extrovert. The content should be crafted with the audience in mind, focusing on what is relevant and valuable to them.

3. Starting Small and Focusing on Quality: It's important to start with the resources you have, such as an existing email list or social media following. The goal should be to attract a quality audience, not necessarily a large one. A smaller group of highly interested and relevant attendees can be more effective than a larger, less engaged group.

4. Crafting a Clear Goal and Transformational Content: Every virtual event should have a clear goal. The content should be designed to help attendees achieve their goals and should lead them to the next step in their journey, which could be making a purchase or booking a call. The content must create a transformation by shifting their beliefs and actions, rather than just providing value.

5. Selective Value and Strategic Content: It’s important not to give everything away in the event. Instead, provide enough value to create a shift in the audience’s thinking and leave them wanting more. This makes them more likely to take the next step, such as hiring you or buying your product.

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In this conversation from our archive, I had a chance to talk with Brenden Kumarasamy from MasterTalk. Brenden shares practical tips to enhance communication and public speaking abilities. Here are four simple exercises you can add to your daily routine.

1. Random Word Exercise: Pick a random word and create a 60-second presentation around it. This helps improve your ability to think on your feet and make sense of unexpected topics, which is crucial in business settings.

2. Question Drill: Practice answering one question about your business every day. This prepares you for the unexpected questions you might face in sales calls or networking events and builds your confidence and expertise over time.

3. Video Messages: Send 20-second video messages to people you appreciate without retakes. This exercise helps you practice spontaneous communication and strengthens relationships.

4. Jigsaw Puzzle Strategy: When preparing for a big presentation, practice your introduction and conclusion multiple times before tackling the middle. This ensures a strong start and finish, which are critical for making a lasting impression.

Brenden emphasizes that these simple exercises can significantly improve your public speaking skills and overall communication effectiveness. For more tips, check out MasterTalk on YouTube.

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Social media is a lot like going to a singles bar. You’re going to meet a lot of nice people and have some interesting conversations.  But at the end of the day your goal is to bring your date home.

In the world of digital marketing home is your website and your email list.  This is where you can have that great one on one conversation without all the distractions like silly videos, cat pictures and baby images.  This is where you can control the conversation.

As your creating marketing and advertising for social media, remember, you want to bring your date home. 

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I enjoyed the time I spent with Deborah Bowers, a seasoned marketing expert, to discuss the essentials of digital advertising for small businesses. Here are a few key points from our conversation:

Importance of Digital Advertising: Deborah emphasizes the necessity of incorporating paid advertising alongside organic marketing to reach a wider audience and drive more sales

Starting with Digital Advertising: For those new to digital advertising, Deborah suggests focusing on directional advertising, targeting people who already know they want a product or service. Spending more of your budget on people who are closer to the point of purchase is an effective way to stretch limited marketing funds.

 Digital Search Ads: These ads appear to users based on their search behaviors across multiple platforms, allowing businesses to target potential customers without the need for a separate budget for each platform.

Targeting and Budget Management: Deborah explains the importance of targeting specific demographics and setting limits on how often ads are shown to avoid overspending and annoying potential customers. She emphasizes the need to capture leads effectively through well-designed landing pages.

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Do you feel overwhelmed by social media if you do you're not alone but I've got some good news for you because there are things you can do to manage the chaos and make the time you're spending on social media productive.

Our guest, Andrea Jones explains one of the challenges with social media is that it's a mixture of our business and our personal life.  She suggests dividing platforms by purpose—some for personal use and others strictly for business. This helps manage focus and reduce distractions.  She has some other great suggestions in this lively conversation

Time Blocking: Instead of stressing over posting frequently, spend a set amount of time each day engaging with your community and creating content.

Content Strategy: Balance your posts between connection and conversion. Andrea recommends the 80/20 rule—80% of content should aim to connect with the audience, and 20% should focus on conversion.

Reflect Business Activity: Use real business interactions and questions as the foundation of your content, keeping your updates relevant and engaging

Define Social Media Goals: Understand what you want to achieve with social media, whether it’s building authority or driving sales. This clarity can help turn social media from a chore into a valuable tool.

For more insights, check out Andrea's podcast, the Savvy Social Podcast, and her website, http://onlinedrea.com.

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The internet is fueled by cats. Cute cats, funny cats, grumpy cats, cat photos and cat videos. It's cats, cats, cats, all day long. I'm actually okay with that because I like cats. We even had two cats, Clyde and Truman who lived Roundpeg  and if you followed us on social media you would see them regularly featured.  Clyde even had her own Facebook page and probably has more fans than I did.

And it is this love of cats that kind of inspired us to do a fun promotion for our marketing seminars. We designed an ad with a headline that said:  Free Kittens with every seminar. If you read the fine print, we weren't giving away kittens but you did get a chance to play with our cats

It was a little bit out there, so we wondered how our audience would react, so we created a more traditional version as an alternative.  We both graphics on Facebook and on LinkedIn, thinking we  we knew exactly how this was going to play out. We expected the kittens to do well on Facebook and  the more traditional version to score points on LinkedIn. 

We were wrong!.  The cats got barely got a ripple on Facebook, with few people noticing and interacting.  It certainly didn't t get the viral shares I expected. Instead the traditional graphic, when reshared to my personal page with a bit of text telling friends and family where I was going to be in the next month got lots of engagement.  

LinkedIn just the opposite. The traditional schedule got a few thumbs up but the cats went viral. The image was shared and reshared.   People kept commenting and talking about it, long after the seminars were over.

The lesson we learned:  Don't be afraid to shake things up. Be a little silly and to go outside your box or simply look for ways to do exactly the opposite of what everybody else is doing.  If you can do that, you are more likely to get noticed.

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Monica Pitts, founder of MayeCreate Design and host of the "Marketing with Purpose" podcast brought her energy and humor to this conversation about your website.    Like me, she considers it a critical part of your overall marketing.

1. Authenticity and Realness: She emphasizes the importance of using real images instead of stock photos and writing website content in your own authentic voice. Being genuine helps customers connect with you.
2. Storytelling: Your business is unique. Even in a cluttered industry, you need to find your unique stories and tell it on your website instead of using generic marketing language.
3. Consistency: Once you embrace your unique voice, you need to maintain it is message across all platforms, from your website and social media, to in person interactions.  This cohesive brand experience helps prospective customers understand who they will really be working with. Not everyone will appreciate your unique voice.  That's ok, the ones who do, will make the best customers.
4. Practical Tips for Content:  Content is everywhere.  One great source are you sales and customer service teams. Every day they hear the questions customers want answered.  Use the questions and answers to fuel your content.
5. Website Performance: Speed is everything.  Beyond the great content and effective conversion forms, your website must be driven by a powerful and fast engine to deliver information to visitors quickly, before they click away

What To Put On Your Website - A page-by-page website content checklist. Learn what to put where and how to make it all come together for a website that’s as easy to use as a coffee cup. GET STARTED NOW 

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I know you think we’ve talked SEO to death, but the field keeps changing and there are different approaches. My guest Meg Casebolt explains many people think think SEO is incredibly complex and you need to have an expensive team come in to fix your website for it.  They also assume you must produce boatloads of content to be successful.

She doesn’t think either of those things is true.  Today, the trick is not quantity, but content which clearly defines who you serve and how you help that audience.  Here are a few simple tips that can easily improve your SEO

Optimizing Existing Content: Utilize tools like Google Search Console to identify what content is already performing well. Update and repurpose existing content, and create cornerstone pages that compile related resources, which can rank better in search results.

Link Building and Authority: Effective use of internal and external links can enhance SEO. Linking to and from reputable sites builds credibility and signals to search engines that your content is trustworthy and authoritative.

Creating Leads through SEO: Every piece of content should direct users towards further engagement, whether that’s filling out a contact form or accessing a lead magnet. This strategy turns SEO into a tool for generating and nurturing leads, not just driving traffic.

Content Strategy Alignment: Align content creation with your lead magnets and overall marketing goals. By reverse-engineering from lead magnets, you can create content that naturally leads users through the customer journey, ultimately converting them into leads.

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I'm sure you're familiar with the story of Prince Charming. He went trudging through his kingdom carrying a shoe looking for the prefect girl. He tried it on multiple people until he finally found his one true love.

Well, that's a fairy tale but it has real applications for your marketing. In a way you have to be like prince charming. You have to go trudging through different types of marketing until you find something that fits. You're going to consider and reject a lot of things before you find that perfect marketing for your business.

But here's the catch. Unlike prince charming you don't always get to live happily ever after. That dream solution is great this year but it may not be perfect next year and so you've got to be willing to go trudging through marketing solutions over and over again to continually find the best fit for your business. 

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Your audience is out there. The people that are just dying to work with you. The problem is they don't know you exist.  Being a guest on a podcast can help those ideal clients get to know you.

My guest, Jamie Atkinson, shared some great tips on how you can be invited to be a guest on more podcasts. 

1. Podcasting for Visibility: Podcasting provides an easy platform for organic conversations, helping entrepreneurs reach new audiences and make more sales.

2. Finding Podcast Opportunities: Utilize platforms like "Need a Guest" on Facebook, connecting podcasters with potential guests, making it easier to get booked on shows.

3. Crafting Effective Pitches: When reaching out to podcast hosts, be transparent, do research, leave a 5-star review, and emphasize how you can promote the episode for a win-win collaboration.

4. Consistency is Key: Spend time daily reaching out to multiple hosts. Aim for two podcast appearances per week to maximize exposure and reach new audiences.

JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP 

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If you missed my conversation with Jeff Felton about using email to build trust with prospects, take a few minutes to listen now. 

Most people think about email marketing as a sales tool. But my guest, Jeff Felten thinks it is so much more.  Email can play a valuable role as a way to build trust and relationships with your audience.

1. Trust is the Currency of Business: This is especially for service-based professionals. While many talk about the impressive ROI of email marketing, Jeff believes that for service businesses, trust is even more critical than immediate sales.

2. Social Proof and Generosity: These are the two main strategies to build trust. Social proof involves showcasing past successes and client testimonials. Meanwhile, generosity, such as providing valuable content and offering one's time, can also foster trust and engagement.

3. Engage in Conversations: Encourage your email recipients to reply as a means of starting conversations. It humanizes the interaction and helps identify qualified prospects.

4. Replies as the Holy Grail: While opens and clicks are important metrics, replies indicate genuine interest and can lead to meaningful conversations, 

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A few weeks ago, I dropped a quick marketing tip about creating less content.  That advice might seem counter intuitive when you are engaged in the battles of the content wars.  But the trick is  finding ways to expand your content.  I shared some suggestions on how repurpose your content instead of reinventing the wheel.

Now, I have one more suggestion.  Let AI do the work for you. Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating you actually publish that very stuffy, or all too bro style content.  Instead, let AI do what it does best.  Summarize transcripts of interviews and meetings.   Create bullet lists, social shares or blog posts from your original content.  Yes, you will still need to rewrite, but at least you have a starting point. 

And my new favorite too is Opus Pro,  which will transform a longer video, into a series of short, binge-worthy clips. 

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Business owners often tell me they know some of their marketing is working they just don't know which part.  So as a result, they waste a lot of money on the wrong types of marketing. So I invited Sara Nay, of Duct Tape Marketing to join me for a conversation about how business owners can stop wasting money. 

She had some great tips.  

1. Strategic Approach Over Tactical Rush: Many business owners dive into marketing tactics without a clear strategy. Instead of blindly following trends or competitor actions, they should focus on understanding their target audience and crafting messages that resonate on the right channels. It's about thinking strategically about the entire customer journey, not just individual marketing tactics.

2. Measuring Success and ROI: Another common mistake is not measuring the effectiveness of marketing efforts. Metrics like conversion rates, click-through rates, and customer retention are crucial for determining the success of marketing campaigns. Without proper tracking and analysis, businesses may continue investing in ineffective strategies.

3. Holistic Marketing Hourglass Approach: The interview introduces the concept of the "Marketing Hourglass," emphasizing the importance of guiding customers through the stages of know, like, trust, try, buy, repeat, and refer. This holistic approach involves not only attracting new leads but also nurturing relationships, ensuring customer satisfaction, and encouraging referrals for sustainable growth.

4. Customer-Centric Focus: Successful marketing starts with taking care of existing customers. If businesses fail to retain or satisfy their current clients, no amount of marketing can compensate for poor service or product quality. Prioritizing customer experience and satisfaction lays the foundation for effective marketing efforts.

5. Continuous Optimization and Adaptation: Businesses should regularly evaluate their marketing strategies, track relevant metrics, and adjust their approaches based on data insights. Continuous optimization ensures that resources are allocated effectively and that marketing efforts remain aligned with business goals.

Go to: https://dtm.worldback/growth to learn more.

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A flywheel, builds energy, as you push it slowly over time it gets faster and faster and faster.  A marketing flywheel will do that as well. With consistent action, the marketing flywheel will deliver more and more results. 

In this conversation from our archive, Josh Ramsey explains the Marketing Flywheel revolves around three pillars. 

1. Building Lasting Impressions: Tell a clear story and have a unique design so customers remember you when they're ready to buy, even if they're not ready now.

2. Easy to Find, Easy to Buy: Just as a product needs to be on the shelf in a physical store, it must also be readily accessible online. Competitive pricing, ease of purchase, and fast loading times are essential components of your easy to buy strategy.

3. Reach Everyone: Connect with all kinds of customers, not just the ones already looking for you, to grow your business. Instead of focusing narrowly, cast a wider net while still targeting the most promising groups.

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I love working with entrepreneurs. They’re excited and enthusiastic and their energy is contagious as they talk about their great idea. Unfortunately, I often have to tell these amazing people I can’t help them because excitement and energy is not enough to make a business successful.

Usually it’s because their idea is only half-baked. There’s a good concept but they haven’t really done the homework to fill in the details. The gaps usually occur in one of several categories

• Not enough experience in the industry
• They haven’t thought through the fulfillment process
• Incomplete competitive assessment

In this episode, I share a few examples of how half-baked ideas could have been completed with a little work and a little patience  but entrepreneurs are impatient.

Don’t let this happen to you.  If you have an idea for a business do your homework learn about the industry, your competitors and your customers.  Give your idea a chance to succeed by putting it back in the oven for a little while. When you’re ready to talk about your half baked marketing idea give me a call  

If you are like many small business owners, you're probably laying awake at night worrying about your business, working all day long and in your spare time, thinking about your business Well, according to Joey Drolshagen that's not the way to get ahead.  

He suggests:

Mindset Shift: From the traditional notion of hard work to a more strategic approach, Joey challenges the idea that exhaustive effort is the only path to success,.

Awareness and Alignment: Many business owners dive into tasks without considering alignment with their goals, leading to burnout and inefficiency.

Dynamic Vision: Your vision should inspire and motivate you, helping you make prioritize tasks and make better decisions.

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Open-mindedness and Learning: Even if you have been doing this for awhile, Joey stresses the importance of having an open mind and a beginner's mindset.  

Systems and Delegation: When you have systems in place and get comfortable with delegating it is easier to focus on working on the business rather than just in it 

LEARN MORE ABOUT JOEY - https://coachwithjoey.com

I love to tell stories. Not only because they’re fun, but because they’re great for business.  That’s why I was excited to sit down with master storyteller, David Hutchins a few years ago.   If you missed the conversation back then, here's you chance to learn more about storytelling. 

1. The Power of Stories: Stories create connection and belief, which leads to better outcomes in business.

2. Selecting the Right Stories: Choosing the right stories by strategically identifying the types of stories that align with a business's goals  drive engagement and shape the organization's culture.

3. "Us at Our Best" Stories: These stories illustrate what it looks like when a business is delivering top-notch value and excellence.

4. Intentional Storytelling: Hutchens stresses that storytelling should be intentional and methodical, crafting stories purposefully to achieve their desired results.

5. Repetition and Consistency: The more often people hear the stories, the  more likely that people will engage with the business's vision and goals.

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I love email .  It is not that I love getting email in my inbox. But I love email as a marketing tool. 

There are a lot of people who say things like "email doesn't work" or "it's passe"  They argue there are all sorts of other tools. you can use that are so much more effective.

Well,  I agree,  other tools do exist, but there are some things email does better than any other tool. 

When I have permission to send you  an email we have an interaction that is one on one in your inbox.  There are no distractions. Even if it's only a few seconds I'm the only thing you're paying attention to.

People open emails every single day.  They may ignore social media, taking a break from Tik Tok but too much of their life is still wrapped up in their email . So if you've got a marketing message. You need to be thinking about delivering it in an email.

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In life you are often judged by the company that you keep.  The same is true online, your reputation is influenced by who you run with and the clubs to which you belong.  You demonstrate those connections through backlinks. What are backlinks? How do you get them? Why do you need them?  Those are just some of the questions I asked Brandon Leibowitz

1. What Are Backlinks?
   • Backlinks are clickable links from other websites that point to your site. For example, if an article on Forbes.com links to your website, you gain a backlink from Forbes. The more quality websites that link to your site, the more credible and trustworthy you appear to search engines like Google.
2. Strategies for Cultivating Backlinks:
   • Analyze Your Competitors: Tools such as Moz, Semrush, and Ahrefs can help you identify who is linking to your competitors. By examining their backlink profiles, you can discover potential opportunities for your own site.
   • Guest Posting: Offer to write valuable guest posts for other blogs in your industry. This provides value to the host website while also giving you an opportunity to earn a backlink.
3. Focus on Quality Over Quantity:
   • Not all backlinks are created equal. Links from reputable, high-authority sites carry more weight than links from lower-quality or irrelevant sites. M
   • Avoid linking to or receiving links from sites that don't align with your niche. Google watches who you link to and who links to you, and mismatched or spammy links can harm your SEO.
4. Avoid Spammy Backlink Offers:
   • If you receive unsolicited emails offering content in exchange for a backlink, be cautious. These offers often come from questionable sources and could damage your credibility. Choose quality sites and build genuine relationships instead.
5. User Experience Matters:
   •  Linking to irrelevant or low-quality sites can harm the user experience, leading visitors to leave your site and not return.

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From my archive: 

When you started your business you probably assumed that sooner or later you would get around to building a life to go with it.  According to guest Nicole Bandes, that is not necessarily the best way to approach things. She believes you can actually build a successful business around your amazing life.  

Here are a few of the key points from our conversation

1. Ditch Tradition and Embrace Your Own Path:

   • Many of us feel pressure to follow traditional paths set by our parents or grandparents. But when you  forge your own paths you can design a business that suits your lifestyle and values.  

2. Seek Harmony, Not Balance:

   • The idea of work-life balance can feel unattainable, but focusing on harmony offers a more realistic approach. It allows you to dedicate more time to your business when needed, like during a launch or product creation. The trick is to use flexibility to prioritize personal interests and family time when you are not in crunch time.  

3. Outsource and Delegate:

   • There’s never a wrong time to start delegating. Outsourcing tasks that take up too much of your time or aren’t in your wheelhouse, such as bookkeeping, can free you up to focus on what you love and excel at. 

4. Strategic Time Management:

   • Be strategic with your time. Eliminate unnecessary tasks and avoid chasing every shiny object.  

5. Look for Support Systems:

   • Look for ways to build your own support systems, whether it's hiring someone for administrative tasks or leveraging tools and resources to streamline your processes.

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One of the most common mistakes business owners make is thinking that there’s some single magic key word or phrase that they must dominate. But that just isn’t how search works anymore. Why? Because today, people are more likely to use natural language as they type or dictate to Siri. So instead of typing a short phrase like furnace repair, they’re more likely to ask “Who can I call to replace my furnace?” or “Why is my furnace making a funny sound?”

Today if a prospective customer goes  to Google to look for a business like yours, they are using phrases and questions.  And your website must contain those words. They tell Google and other search engines exactly what your website or page is about. That information is then stored in the search engine database so it can be presented to prospective customers when they’re looking for a product or service.

As you think about your keywords, think about natural language and how people are more likely to talk when they’re looking for a business like yours.

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Client relationships are just that, they are relationships.  While you hope that every new clients is in it for the long haul, we've all had those clients that we wanted to break up with.  So as you are looking for your next client relationship, maybe you need to think about it like a date.  Jennifer Tamborski, a seasoned digital marketing strategist, shared some of the parallels between dating and client acquisition. Just like dating there are stages in the process: Introduction, flirting, dating, commitment, and keeping the romance alive.

1. The Introduction - It is about knowing who your ideal client is and creating marketing how to attract them messaging to attract them. 
2. Flirting through content and communication: This is about creating awareness and engaging with potential clients through the right channels and content. Knowing where your ideal clients hanging out and tailoring messages to attract their attention.  
3. Dating - Next, prospects have to get to know you. Using lead magnets and drip campaigns build the relationship slowly, over time. Too many people try to rush the process pushing the sale and commitment before the prospect is ready. 
4. Maintaining long-term relationships: Once clients have committed, keeping the relationship strong involves nurturing them with continued engagement. Effective email marketing and providing added value can help maintain client relationships over time.

For many of us, the Covid pandemic feels like ancient history as our lives and businesses have gone back to normal. But for some companies, there is no going back. That's the case for Meetup.com. In late 2022 I had a chance to chat with David Siegel, founder of Meetup and how they completely turned their business on it's head during the pandemic. 

His lessons on how to adjust to a crisis are relevant for every business owner.  If you missed the conversation, this is your opportunity to listen to the entire conversation.

• Clear Mission: Establishing a clear mission helps guide decision-making during challenging times. 

• Embrace New Opportunities: A crisis can present new opportunities for growth and innovation. The trick is to have the process in place to move quickly. 

• Challenge Sacred Cows: Continuously question established practices and assumptions within the organization. Just because you have always done it that way, doesn't mean it is the right direction for you now. 

• Include Diverse Voices: Bring new team members into the organization who offer fresh insights and ideas. Allow different perspectives to challenge existing biases 

• Balance In-Person and Virtual: Striking a balance between in-person and virtual interactions is essential. Both serve different audiences and offer unique advantages, helping organizations maximize connection and collaboration.

About David 

David Siegel is CEO of Meetup overseeing its global business, which has 52 million members, hosts 15,000 events daily, and has events in 193 countries

David hosts Keep Connected, a podcast dedicated to the power of community and the author of Decide and Conquer: 44 Decisions That Make or Break All Leaders

When it comes to using AI for your marketing, I am reminded of the Russian proverb - Trust, but Verify.  It rhymes in Russian... But it makes sense in any language.  

When you are thinking about using AI, remember that sometimes, AI will make up information to answer a question. There are some really alarming instances where someone used AI. They even cited the information given to it by the robot only to find out at the worst possible moment that the source didn't exist. 

So use the tool to write content, but never never never let it go without looking it over.  Ask yourself, is this up to my standard? Does it sound like me? And, most important, is it accurate.

It was a real treat to have Robin Waite back in the guest chair. A business coach and public speaker, Robin share a success story about one interview that lead to 1,500 leads and over £150,000 (approximately $180,000) in business revenue. His story underscores that the journey to overnight success often involves months or years of effort, intentional networking, and value creation.

So how did he do it? Robin shared a simple five step process that helped him create a successful partnership, and is only marketing plan. 

1. Hyper Intentionality: Be clear about who you want to partner with and what you want to achieve from the partnership. Instead of focusing solely on personal gain, begin by delivering value to the other party and building relationships that benefit everyone. 
2. Get Out and Meet People: In today's digital age, it's easy to rely solely on online interactions. However, there is real value of attending events, meeting people face-to-face, and making personal connections. 
3. Be Helpful: When you are willing to provide value and assistance to others without expecting immediate returns you can open doors to future opportunities. 
4. Find the Inside Person: When dealing with an organization, get to know both the key decision-makers and the gatekeepers who can facilitate introductions and opportunities.  
5. Be Ready to Seize Opportunities: Sometimes you need to be willing to drop everything for the right opportunity. 

Curious about the podcast interview that opened so many doors for Robin - Listen now 

Maybe you think your business is too small to take advantage of PPC.  Our guest, Ameet Khabra doesn’t think that is true. You can use this powerful tool as long as remember that Google is not doing something out of the goodness of their heart.  

Google is not a charity, it is a business.  Everything they do to improve search and analytics is ultimately designed to increase their advertising sales.  So use the tools, look at their suggestions, but always remember their goals are not always aligned with yours. 

About Ameet

Look up the definition of “obsessed” and you’ll find a picture of Ameet. She has spent the last decade figuring out why people do what they do online, what prompts them to take action, and how to use this insight to make marketing work better. Today she uses that experience to design dazzling campaign strategies for our clients and teach future generations of PPC pros at the university level.

Learn more by following  adwordsgirl on Instagram    

So today's marketing minute is a bit of a rant.

Every day people reach out to me on LinkedIn, offering to help me grow my business. I’m sure they genuinely believe (not) they can help me. I’m just not interested.

Don't get me wrong, it isn't because I think I am the leading authority on every subject and have nothing else to learn. I object to their sales process, targeting anyone with a key word in their bio.

Don't be someone I will hate! 

Before you reach out and offer your services to me or anyone else on LinkedIn look at my career path and my experience. Consider where I am on my journey to make sure you are offering a relevant solution. That will make your marketing efforts more productive.

I’ve been podcasting for 15 years and I have released one thousand episodes. I don’t need tips on how to start or promote a podcast. If I haven’t figured it out by now, I never will.

Ask questions about what I’m working on or struggling with before you dive in with your solution. I ran a digital agency for 19 years, so your five years of experience does not impress me.  And I sold three years ago, so I don't need your lead generation, or while label services for my clients. 

Your books and training courses all sound fabulous (maybe not) but I have been teaching marketing to college students and business owners for more than 30 years. So, no,  I don't need a free pass to your introduction to marketing workshop. 

That’s ok. Find people who fit the profile of a typical buyer and approach them. Don’t waste your time, creating less than great impressions on the wrong people.

Not sure how to find your ideal client? Well I can help that!

Earlier this year, I had a chance to chat with Samantha Bradshaw, a small business and IP lawyer, about how to pick a name for your business.  If you missed that episode, you can find it here.

This is a continuation of that conversation where we focus on whether you should invest in a trademark for your business.   Samantha shared a few things to consider as you weigh the pros and cons.

Consider Your Business Goals:  If you plan to expand your business, work in it long-term, or pass it on to others, trademarking can solidify your reputation and become a valuable asset when selling the business or protecting your brand. On the other hand, if this is a lifestyle business or you don’t expect to grow beyond you local community, you may not need a trademark.

Understand Your Risk Level:  The purpose of a trademark is to protect what you are building.  For a small local business, such as with a single-location restaurant, your risk level may be lower and trademarking may not be necessary. You will still want to run a clearance search to check for potential conflicts with other businesses or brands using a similar name.

Benefits of Trademarking: Trademarking protects against copycats and helps distinguish your brand from others. It also facilitates licensing opportunities and enables smoother expansion, such as opening new locations or entering other markets.

How many times have you heard someone say, “s.ocial media is social”?   When you hear that, what do you wonder what it really means, or how you actually get social on social media?  That was the topic of my conversation with Deirdre Tshien co-founder and CEO of Capsho, the world’s first AI-powered Podcast Copywriter.

Dierdre’s explained a good strategy is based on more than just posting  content.  It is built on conversations and interactions with your audience.  To do this effectively, you need four types of social media posts.

1. Awareness Post: Start with a question or statement to open a conversation and gauge interest.
2. Elaboration Post: Dive deeper into the topic you’ve introduced, providing more value and demonstrating your expertise. Mixing interactive and informative content keeps your audience interested and establishes you as authority. 
3. Community Post: You don’t have to have all the answers. Sometimes the best thing to do is share content from someone else.  Also, build community by letting your audience see the real you. Share information about your life and business and highlight the actions of your network (clients, partners, etc.) .
4. Action Post: Wrap up with a call to action, inviting your audience to take the next step, like subscribing to your podcast or joining a webinar. Afterall that is why you are posting on social media, right? 

So you want to become the expert in your field. and you are writing blogs, crafting seminar slides, recording podcasts.  You’re doing it all. But let’s be real, constantly coming up with fresh angles on the same topic can be draining. And in the fast-paced world of online content, what’s hot today might be forgotten tomorrow. Or, your best piece of content was released at the wrong time, so very few people saw it.

The trick for every professional, trying to build a reputation as a subject matter expert is how do you make the most of your best work without boring your audience to tears?  I will let you in on a secret, it isn’t about creating more and more content.  It is  about repurposing your content smartly. Instead of reinventing the wheel, give your existing stuff a new lease on life.  Then, instead of killing yourself to create a mountain of new content, use some of my favorite repurposing tips  to fill your feed. Then you will have more time to create fewer, better pieces of content. Check out these tried-and-tested tactics:

1. Roundup Posts: Imagine rounding up all your related posts, images, and podcasts into one neat package. It’s like a highlight reel for your audience, giving them a chance to catch up on what they might’ve missed. Just remember to sprinkle in some fresh descriptions to keep things interesting.
2. Email Wrap-Ups: Your email list is gold. Keep your subscribers in the loop by sending them the cream of the crop content directly to their inboxes. It’s a win-win—they stay engaged, and you get to showcase your expertise.
3. Content Resharing: Sometimes a piece of content doesn’t hit the mark the first time around. No biggie. Give it another shot with a fresh twist. Timing is everything, so don’t be afraid to test different schedules and keywords.
4. Content Calendar: Keep track of your content with a simple calendar. When you’re running low on ideas, revisit and update your old posts. A little refresh can go a long way.
5. Refresh Existing Content: Maybe you have a great piece of content that once got lots of attention from visitors and search engines, but recently has been ignored. Spend time updating your existing content to breath new life into the piece. Start with your keyword, enhance the content by incorporating into the conversation. Expand on the ideas presented. (Hint this is a great place to turn to Chat GPT for an idea or two) Add a new image, link to other relevant content and create a new social share. 
6. Compilation or White Papers: Show off your expertise by pulling together your top-performing posts into a polished document. It’s like a greatest hits album for your content. Share it with your audience and watch your authority soar.
7. Exploring New Media: Mix things up by trying out different formats. Turn your blog post into a podcast or video to reach a new audience. And don’t forget to include a transcript for those who prefer to read.

With these tricks up your sleeve, you’ll be getting the most out of your content without breaking a sweat. Remember, it’s all about working smarter, not harder

I spent some time with Denzil Eden, the founder of Smarty AI, an AI productivity assistant that aims to enhance routines and automate tasks. Denzil shared her experience as a female entrepreneur in the tech space.  Throughout our conversation, she had great insights and advice for other women looking to play in the tech space.  Here are the key points from the interview:

1. Challenges in the Tech Space: Denzil shares her journey as a young, female founder in the tech space and highlights the uphill battle she faced due to the crowded productivity market and the subconscious biases against women in tech. Her perseverance and resilience helped her navigate these challenges, ultimately leading her to success.

2. Advice for Aspiring Founders: Denzil emphasizes the importance of validating ideas and understanding customers' needs before building a product. She suggests using landing pages, prototypes, and user interviews to gauge interest and gather feedback before investing significant time and resources, which can save founders from pursuing ideas that may not have market demand.

3. Investor Relationships: Denzil advises that founders should carefully vet potential investors, treating the relationship like a marriage. Finding investors who align with the company's vision and the founder's values ensures a smoother partnership and greater support for the business's long-term goals.

4. Cultivating Networks: She stresses the importance of building and maintaining a strong professional network, as it can greatly benefit a founder's career and the success of their business. Denzil notes that networking helps founders access resources, advice, and potential collaborators, all of which can be crucial for growth.

I don't know about you,  but I spend way too much time creating content. I'm always looking for a faster way to get it done so I can get back to the part of my business that actually generates revenue.  If you're struggling with those same issues this conversation with Aaron Witnish is just for you.

Aaron introduces a three-step process for generating thirty days of content in just ninety minutes. To start the process, do a bit of research.  Use Google’s "People Also Ask" feature to identify questions real people are asking about your product  or service every day. 

Once you have the questions record the answers.  You can gather a wealth of material in a short video that can be repurposed into  clips for social media or longer written posts.  Using AI Tools like Opus Clip you can easily cut long videos into short clips, saving time and effort in the editing process. Using Chat GPT to summarize the transcript  creates content that is still authentic because it started with your words, not a generic search 

Aaron also shared some of his favorite production tips and suggestions for collaborating with podcast hosts.  

About Aaron 

Aaron Witnish is the Co-Founder of contentonly.au which specializes in an extraction system that creates 30 Days Of Content In 90 minutes a month.

If you had told me fifteen years ago, when I was running around recording conversations on my iphone that I would still be doing it a thousand episodes later, I would have told you you were crazy.

But here I am, celebrating 1,000 episodes. I have had an amazing ride meeting interesting people from all over the world. I have learned so much from them about marketing and marketing trends and I have enjoyed sharing that information with you, my audience.

So instead of asking for anniversary presents, I want to give you one.  I have a special thank you offer.  If you comment on post and tag me, anywhere on social media, share a screen grab of a review, or simply drop me a note, I'll send you a code for unlimited, free access the toolbox.

That is a lifetime membership so you'll have the ability to access all of the training programs, all the workbooks, all the content, forever.

So drop a review, send me a note or leave a comment and you're in.

And, if you're curious about any of the conversations you've missed  you'll find them in the archive

Subscribe now, so you never miss another episode.  

Like it or not, short form video needs to be a part of your overall plan.  So Jennifer Denney and I chatted about some of the things you can do to make better looking, short form content, with minimal effort.

1) Remember it is disposable content, so it doesn't need to be perfect. 

2) Record longer content and break it up into smaller bites (under a minute in length). That is much easier than trying to record one short tip every day. 

3) Use AI to create shorts with captions. 

4) Keep the main image in the frame.  Different platforms will crop; the video in different ways. 

5) Mix up the style so the content looks fresh in the feed, but still looks like your brand

6) Don't be afraid to reshare videos that your audience may not have seen. 

More on this topic

FREE TRIAL OF OPUS CLIPS TO START CREATING YOUR SHORT VIDEOS. 

If you are like most business owners there is a lot of chaos and stress in your day.  So sometimes you just need to take a breath.  I have talked with other stress reduction experts in the past, so it was fun to revisit the topic with Ann Swanson, a best-selling author whose book on yoga practices has been translated into 15 languages.

In this conversation we talk about how  a few minutes of yoga or meditation can completely reset your day. These simple techniques provide immediate stress reduction and improvement in your ability to focus.  A short pause can also lower blood pressure and heart rate. 

Ann shared some simple techniques such as focusing on breath and body sensations.  Shifting your attention to relaxing just one part of your body. Integrating mindfulness cues into your daily activities,  

LEARN MORE

These days, every content marketer is experimenting with AI.  And it is a wonderful tool if you use it well. For example, you can ask it to create 10 or 12 social media posts that refer back to one blog post.

However, you need to review those updates and make sure they actually sound like you because left to its own devices, artificial intelligence has essentially two voices. Stuffy Professional and College Frat Boy.

If neither of those tones are you, you need to go in and tweak the tone so the content content sounds like it's coming from you.

I've had a lot of great conversations about AI lately with some really smart people.  Be sure to look for them in the feed and subscribe, so you never miss another episode. 

If you’re like most business owners you don’t have all the answers. There’s so many skills you need to master, and tasks you need to accomplish that you may need to turn to the experts to get your questions answered. Hiring an army of consultants can be overwhelming and expensive so that’s when belonging to a mastermind group can be so beneficial

Zachary Parker Harris joined me to discuss the benefits of mastermind groups for business owners. As the leader of Junto Global, he helps entrepreneurs connect and build relationships for business success.

Parker explained how a mastermind group creates the space for continuous learning and relationship building. To be effective, there needs to be open and authentic communication where members can bring both their strengths and weaknesses to the table. They discuss the value of exploring high-leverage questions and how masterminds can uncover deeper issues than initially apparent.

Comparing mastermind groups to consulting, Parker explains the unique advantage is having multiple perspectives simultaneously, offering both support and challenge to entrepreneurs.

If you're like me, you're cranking out a ton of marketing content and your wishing you could get way more bang for every minute you put into it. Well, according to Greg Wasserman, head of growth partnerships and community for Cast Magic, if you're willing to enlist the aid of a little AI your can make the time you spend much more effective.

Greg really believes in the importance of recording everything, whether it's thoughts, meetings, or conversations, as potential content sources. With the help of AI tools you can transform these recordings into various resources, such as blog posts, social media clips, and LinkedIn posts, giving you a consistent content presence without spending hours and hours to create the content. .

Think about content as a volume play, as you try to increase your brand visibility and engagement. Greg suggests using AI to repurpose content not only saves time but also allows you to cater to the evolving algorithms of search platforms.  For example, Google prioritizes content that answers customers' questions. So lean on AI to help your rewrite existing blog posts in a Q &A format.

One important side note, AI will not replace you completely.  Greg reminds the audience that It is critical to maintain authenticity in content creation.  AI tools should complement your unique voice and brand rather than replace it entirely.

Throughout the interview, Greg provides practical insights and examples, demonstrating how AI can streamline content creation processes and enhance brand presence across various digital platforms.

As a kid I loved the story of the tortoise and the hare.  One day the tortoise and the hare line up for a race. The hare with its speed seemed destined for victory. But the tortoise pulled off a surprising win.

While he was clearly outclassed in speed the tortoise focused on the finish line.  Steady and plodding he made consistent motion forward.  In contrast the speedy rabbit burst forward, then paused and started again. His mad dash at the end just wasn't enough to win the day. 

I often think of this fable when I talk to business owners who are frustrated by the lack of results in their marketing. It's usually because they're approaching marketing like the hare.  They get excited about a marketing idea and dive in with great energy and enthusiasm.  Of course, they are expecting immediate results. 

When the results don't come they get distracted by the next great idea. They lose interest or simply forget.  But good marketing rarely provides instant results.

Sure it would be great if the first time you ran an ad or sent out a newsletter people flocked to your door. But that's not how marketing works.

Every day people are presented with hundreds and maybe even thousands of advertising messages. As the human brain tries to make sense of this barrage of data people subconsciously give preference to things they're familiar with so your information and marketing may not make an impression the first time. 

Eventually it becomes familiar and your message breaks through. So if you want to win the race for marketing success take a lesson from the tortoise. Keep focused keep moving forward and I'll see you at the finish line

In this conversation, I jumped into the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its applications beyond just content creation. Focusing on automation and workflow efficiency,  AI enthusiast, Parker Olson discusses how he uses AI to streamline operations in his business, PodPitch - an initiative fueled by AI.

Day-to-day business tasks like data collection, data analysis, content creation, and more can be efficiently automated using AI. Olson introduces us to some handy tools for such purposes, like Bardeen and the ChatGPT API for Google Sheets. These tools can gather data from popular websites, analyze large datasets, clean and summarize the data, and even outreach prospective customers - all in real-time.

Today's businesses are leveraging AI to automate their LinkedIn tasks, using tools like MeetAlfred. Coupled with ChatGPT and Bardeen, this AI trio can run a comprehensive LinkedIn profile analysis to determine potential customers. By comparing and contrasting your profile information with others, it gives you a list of potential business connections.

But AI doesn't stop at LinkedIn automation; it also helps identify other sources for content publishing and relevant websites for clients. By creating a Google filter for specific search terms, AI tools can gather data on the latest publishing channels directly into a spreadsheet and provide an insightful analysis of the content.

Kris Ward is back in the guest chair, this time with a lively conversation about entrepreneurial personalities. She delves into her unique approach of categorizing entrepreneurs into five distinct personalities based on their problem-solving and process management styles. From the "Rushaholic" who thrives on speed but may overlook details, to the "Sufferpreneur" who excels at crisis management but struggles with burnout, each personality has its strengths and weaknesses.

As Kris introduces each personality type, she highlights the common pitfalls and misconceptions associated with them. You probably won't change your type so it is important to understand your tendencies and find a balance between the strengths and weaknesses of your personality.  Kris encourages entrepreneurs to lean into their unique traits effectively, whether it's the meticulousness of the "Perfectionizer" or the multitasking prowess of the "Jugglerrama."

Mastering your personality starts with self-awareness and Kris has offer listeners the opportunity to explore their own entrepreneurial personality with this simple quiz. 

​

My husband is an amazing cook. He reads recipes, comes up with his own variations, blending and layering ingredients in new and delicious ways. Even though he is amazing in our kitchen, he could not own a restaurant. Why? He knows how to time a meal with three dishes for eight people, but expanding that to thirty dishes, for one hundred people requires skills he does not have.

The same challenge exists when it comes to professional social media. Lots of people are good on social media. They are funny and engaging. They have a large following and interact regularly. But just because they are great at managing their own accounts does not mean they have the skills to be a successful social media chef.

It is easy to improvise when you are cooking for a few people. A pinch of this, a dash of that. If you don’t have enough potatoes you can substitute with carrots. When you are cooking for a larger group and they expect a potato, that is what you have to serve. Slight variations will dramatically change your dishes when you are cooking on a large scale, so a precise recipe is required to order the food you need in bulk. In professional social media, that recipe is your content calendar. It outlines the ingredients (types of content) and the schedule (how often and when you will post). It is also used to create your shopping list.

A professional doesn’t just grab a random stock image at the last minute. Posts are planned, appropriate images and Gifs are selected, or created and scheduled to drop in the timeline at exactly the right time. While many experts have conducted research to find the exact right time, Sprout social has a terrific post on this topic. A professional social media chef knows how to use the industry standards, individual client data, and their own experience honed across a range of clients to create the ideal schedule.

When my husband is cooking the rest of the family stays out of the kitchen. He manages his time, switching from pot to pot so every dish arrives on the table at the same time. That works on a small scale, but restaurant chefs must create standard practices, train their staff, delegate tasks, and stay on top of everything that is happening at the same time. They can let go because they have laid the groundwork.

A professional social media chef will do the same thing.  Whether they are part of your marketing team or an outside expert, their first task must be to create standard practices. Next, social media won’t work if you are relying on just one person to put messages out there. Everyone on your team needs to be trained and know how to engage in order to support the company’s social media program. Non-profit organizations with small staffs and large volunteer groups should extend this training to the loyal external community. When it comes to social media, the more people supporting the chef, the more delicious the result.

Walk into any restaurant kitchen during the dinner rush and it feels a bit like managed chaos. Somehow, in this chaos, the chef knows what is going on at each station. Social media management can feel that way as well. This is especially true as you widen your team, allowing multiple people to share and even post directly to your social pages. A good social media chef is continually training, coaching, providing guidance to marshall the resources of their entire team.

In this episode, I am joined by LinkedIn strategist and CEO of Uplevel Media, Karen Yankovich. A seasoned expert with over 30 years of experience, Karen talks about how LinkedIn can be instrumental in empowering women entrepreneurs and guiding individuals towards becoming industry thought leaders.

The conversation begins with Karen elaborating on her approach to marketing based on relationship selling, a concept deeply ingrained in her due to her rich background in sales. By focusing on forming connections and creating mutually beneficial solutions, she explains how businesses can significantly benefit.

Highlighting the platform’s positioning as a hub for all things business, she shares her views on why LinkedIn holds significant potential for wealth creation, personal branding and facilitating high-level business deals. She insists on investing even just 15 minutes a day building strategic relationships on LinkedIn can pave way for big contracts.

Karen notes that to use LinkedIn effectively, it is crucial to have an appealing profile containing keywords related to your field of work. This way, your LinkedIn profile begins to attract suitable business prospects, thus creating a magnet-like effect.

She further unpacks her networking strategies, discussing how to create impactful connections with potential clients, people with a similar target audience as yours, and journalists or influencers in your field. As a final note, Karen emphasizes consistency during this outreach process - connecting with a small number of people every week, rather than trying to meet everyone at once.

Users are encouraged to apply Karen’s recommendations on their LinkedIn strategies to reach their business growth objectives. Tune in to this episode for game-changing insights from Karen Yankovich!

Join this insights-packed episode as we welcome Janet Falk, a seasoned communication professional, and the chief strategist at Falk Communications and Research. She brings over 30 years of experience and discusses her innovative approach to understanding the buyer's journey, diverging from the traditional perspectives.

Janet challenges the common belief that the buyer's journey is a passive process. She proposes an alternative idea she dubs "the confirmation process". Through this lens, the buyer undertakes a more active role, seeking to validate the identity, skills, and credibility of the professional or vendor they consider.

The episode delves deep into this confirmation process and its three critical steps: Confirming the identity of the vendor, the adequacy of their skills and experience, and social proof from others. Janet further explores how professionals can facilitate these steps, increasing their chances of positively influencing the buyer's journey.

Moreover, this episode emphasizes the crucial role of client-focused content and the science of online presence in creating an effective buyer's journey. Janet neatly ties these concepts together, outlining a roadmap that optimizes both the vendor's showcase of expertise and the buyer's needs.

Has your brand become like background noise in the marketing landscape? Repeatedly saying the same thing has value as you try to establish a consistent brand . However, when it becomes a monotonous drone, your audience tunes out.

If your message has lost its flavor and faded into the sea of sameness, it’s time to rekindle interest in your brand through subtle adjustments.

Introduce a fresh hue into your visual palette or refine your verbiage to highlight a singular aspect of your message. These subtle shifts within the familiar can jolt your audience out of complacency and reignite their attention.

It is like giving your brand a fresh coat of paint, revitalizing its presence in the minds of your audience.

I had a great conversation with Samantha Bradshaw, a seasoned small business and intellectual property lawyer, about the process of naming a business.  Yes, you want a cool name, but you also want one you can own and protect.

Proactive Legal Prevention: Samantha emphasizes the importance of proactive measures to keep creative service providers out of legal entanglements. She highlights how businesses often encounter challenges when they receive "angry lawyer letters" or court documents, underscoring the necessity of building strategies to prevent such issues from arising in the first place.

Balancing Uniqueness and Descriptiveness: Samantha discusses the delicate balance between creating a business name that is both unique and descriptive. While marketing professionals may advocate for SEO-friendly names that directly describe the services offered, Samantha explains the limitations of trademark protection for such generic terms. Instead, she encourages business owners to explore names that strike a balance between suggesting the nature of the business while remaining distinct and protectable.

Trademark Protectability Spectrum: Samantha introduces the concept of a spectrum of trademark protectability, ranging from generic to fanciful names. She elucidates how names that are overly descriptive or generic, such as "Photographer Marketing Services," are unlikely to receive trademark protection. Conversely, names that are arbitrary or fanciful, like "Apple" for computers, hold significant trademark power due to their uniqueness.

Creative Naming Strategies: Samantha shares practical advice on how to generate creative and trademarkable business names. She suggests brainstorming sessions where business owners can combine suggestive elements related to their industry to create distinctive names. By leveraging word-mashing techniques and considering tangentially related concepts, businesses can craft memorable and protectable brand identities.

Trademark's Role in Business Growth: Finally, Samantha underscores the broader implications of trademark protection beyond legal compliance. Trademarks serve as essential assets that facilitate business growth, franchising, licensing opportunities, and brand recognition. By securing a trademark for their business name, entrepreneurs lay a solid foundation for future expansion and success.

About Samantha Bradshaw

Zach Montroy dropped by for a discussion about imposter syndrome, particularly among founders and business leaders leaders.  It is a common experience in the entrepreneurial journey and Zach emphasizes the role of self-compassion in combating imposter syndrome, suggesting that individuals should treat themselves with the same kindness and understanding they would offer to others. He offers practical strategies discussed include prioritizing tasks, practicing mindfulness, and developing emotional literacy to better understand and navigate one's own emotions.

The discussion delves into the origins of imposter syndrome, often stemming from the transition into roles of leadership or entrepreneurship without formal training in those areas. Zach suggests that the weight of responsibility and the fear of failure can trigger imposter feelings, leading individuals to doubt their abilities and competence.

Practical strategies are also discussed, including the importance of prioritizing tasks and focusing on one's unique contributions. Montroy suggests using tools like the Eisenhower matrix to identify essential tasks and avoid becoming overwhelmed by the multitude of responsibilities inherent in leadership roles. Additionally, he advocates for the practice of mindfulness as a means of developing emotional resilience and awareness. By observing thoughts and feelings without judgment, individuals can better navigate through moments of self-doubt and uncertainty.

The conversation concludes with a call to action for listeners to explore further resources on imposter syndrome and leadership development. Montroy's insights serve as a valuable reminder that imposter feelings are a shared experience and that cultivating self-compassion and mindfulness can empower individuals to overcome these challenges and thrive in their leadership roles.

These days we're living in a zero click world.  What that means is all of the social media platforms and even Google are trying to get you to stay on the platform. 

They're encouraging you to find the answers you need with them and they're discouraging people from clicking through to your website. Unless of course you're going to pay for an ad.  So when you're not advertising. What do you do? How do you play in this zero click world.

There's several things to keep in mind as you map your strategy in this zero click environment. The first is you need to adjust your expectations. In some ways, we are back to the early days of social media, where you evaluate your success based engagement and the interaction on the platform. You may not necessarily clicks through to your website.  And with shifting privacy rules you may not be able to measure that even if  you do.

With these revised criteria you need to think about your content differently.  Each piece of content is a stand-alone unit that tells a story from beginning to end.  But it needs to do so, quickly because your audience has a short attention span.

Put the punchline up front.  Use compelling headlines, hook the audience in the first thee seconds of the video or the first image of a carousel.  Get right to the point right away, entertain the audience to they stay with you  and engage with everyone who interacts with the content. 

Ask questions, take polls and tell people if they want your special offer to simple leave a comment or dm you instead of clicking through to your website. 

If you've enjoyed this conversation  follow me on LinkedIn. You'll see lots of marketing tips, videos and tools.  Put a comment in the notes so I know you dropped  

I had so much fun chatting with Amy Singleton, about building authority with authentic content.  Amy is the CEO and owner of Hite Digital Norman, an Inc. 5000 digital and branding agency.

Amy's mission is to empower individuals to reconcile their personal and professional aspirations without compromise, and today, we're tapping into her expertise to explore how businesses can authentically engage with Google's algorithms to stand out in a world inundated with AI-generated content.

Understanding Google's Desires

As we kick off our conversation, Amy emphasizes the importance of understanding what Google truly wants. "Google wants things that are fast, relevant, and profitable," she explains. The search engine giant aims to provide users with quick, accurate answers to their queries, fostering repeat engagement and loyalty.

Crafting Relevant Content

So, how can businesses ensure their content resonates with Google's algorithms? Amy suggests several strategies, starting with optimizing Google business profiles and local listings. Consistency across these platforms builds credibility and trust, key factors in Google's ranking system.

Additionally, Amy highlights the significance of backend structures, such as schema markup and metadata, in enhancing a website's visibility. By providing clear signals about the content's relevance, businesses can improve their chances of appearing in relevant search results.

Answering the Right Questions

Understanding user intent is crucial in crafting effective content. Amy illustrates this point with an anecdote about a successful blog post on her previous company's website. Despite its seemingly mundane topic—how much painters make per hour—the article addressed a common query among homeowners, driving significant traffic to the site.

Embracing Authenticity

In a landscape saturated with AI-generated content, authenticity emerges as a competitive advantage. While AI can offer valuable insights and inspiration, Amy emphasizes the importance of infusing content with a human touch. Whether through storytelling or personalization, businesses can create a unique connection with their audience.

Building Authority

To further assert relevance and authority, Amy recommends leveraging press releases and securing backlinks from reputable sources. These tactics not only enhance a website's credibility but also demonstrate its expertise within its niche.

A Call to Action

As our conversation draws to a close, Amy extends a generous offer to our audience: a complimentary website audit to identify areas of opportunity and improvement. This gesture exemplifies her commitment to supporting businesses on their digital journey.

Conclusion

These days, it is all about authenticity and relevance.  When you understand Google's preferences and create content to match their strategy you can navigate the complexities of organic marketing with confidence. As Amy Singleton reminds us, success lies not in mimicking AI-generated content but in harnessing the power of human connection to engage and inspire.

Laura Templeton dropped by for a conversation about using AI to build your brand. , an author and international speaker, discusses using AI to build your brand with Lorraine Ball. At first, the idea might sound a bit out there, but Laura dives into how AI, specifically ChatGPT, can be customized to reflect your brand's voice and values.

Laura explains the concept of "custom instructions" in ChatGPT, where you can teach it about your brand, your audience, and your preferred tone. She likens it to teaching a child; it takes patience and guidance to get it right so the tone doesn't feel stiff or overly casual.

With practice and clear feedback, ChatGPT can generate valuable content for various purposes, such as website copy, social media posts, blogs, and lead magnets. Laura stresses the importance of reviewing and editing the generated content to ensure it aligns with your brand's message and style.

The conversation also touches on SEO concerns, with Laura reassuring that ChatGPT can be beneficial for SEO as it understands your brand's keywords and can incorporate them naturally into the content it generates.

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to check out my other chat with Laura - BETTER NETWORKING RESULTS

These days everyone is telling you you need to be a storyteller.  You need to be a storyteller in sales and in marketing. There are some people who are just natural storytellers, with the ability to pull you in with their words and leave you sitting on the edge of the seat. Then there is everyone else. 

So maybe you don’t feel like you’re a storyteller and this whole storytelling thing isn’t for you.  Instead when you meet someone you leap right into the facts. “I’ve been in business twenty years, I’ve done this, blah, blah, blah. Don’t do that.    Nobody wants to hear that

You don’t have to be a great storyteller to talk about a customer you helped or what it is like to work with you. A great story, isn’t about the teller.  It is about what it is like to work with you, when everything is going right  for you and more importantly for your customers.

So go ahead, tell me a story.

Can you still make money on Amazon?  That's the question I asked Lesley Hensell, co-founder of Riverbend Consulting,

Amazon, once characterized as the Wild West of online selling, has undergone significant evolution. Success on this platform now necessitates a more strategic and disciplined approach. However, with proper guidance, achieving success is possible.

So, you have a product ready to debut on Amazon. An organized is approach is required. Gone are the days of haphazardly listing products; today, approaching Amazon as a bona fide business entity with comprehensive records, invoices, and refined marketing strategies is mandatory. 

Lesley had some great tips for marketing your products.  Start with a comprehensive product detail page which  serves as your digital shopfront on Amazon. Craft compelling copy and captivating visuals to attract the shopper. Lifestyle imagery featuring infants, pets, and even models can significantly enhance your product's appeal.

But the journey doesn't conclude there! Video content holds immense sway on Amazon. Even with modest resources, you can produce engaging videos showcasing your product's features and benefits, effectively capturing potential buyers' attention.

Now, onto a critical yet often overlooked facet—advertising. While advertising on Amazon can yield substantial returns, it necessitates meticulous planning and continual monitoring. Leverage tools such as Jungle Scout or Helium 10 to conduct keyword research and optimize your ad campaigns for optimal visibility.

Here's a noteworthy tip: prioritize long-tail keywords to establish a unique niche for your product and avoid direct competition with industry behemoths.

One common mistake Leslie frequently encounters? The fallacy of the "set it and forget it" mindset. Achieving success on Amazon requires monitoring adjustments.

Looking for more information on setting up your Amazon store?  Go to riverbendconsulting.com  to learn more. 

Imagine you're sitting across the table from someone, trying to figure out if they're the right fit for your business. But here's the catch, people don't come with instruction manuals telling you exactly who they are and if they're a good match for you.  The key having productive conversations lies in understanding personality types. 

A few years ago, I had a great conversation with Benjamin Bressington, an expert in sales and communication, who shared invaluable insights gained from years of experience and trial and error.  The conversation was so good, I knew I needed to rerelease it. So if you missed it, you can catch it now. 

Over the years Benjamin has discovered four main personality types.  Identifying who he is talking to improves communication and creates connections that lead to sales, or improved relationships with employees. 

• Eagle: These individuals are decisive and action-oriented, focusing on results and efficiency.
• Pigeon/Dove: Social and empathetic, pigeons thrive on interpersonal connections and collaboration.
• Peacock: The life of the party, peacocks are charismatic and seek attention and recognition.
• Owl: Methodical and analytical, owls value precision and thoroughness, often delving deep into details.

When you know who you are talking to you can tailor your approach to build rapport and establish effective connections. 

The bottom line? Mastering conversations isn't just about what you say—it's about understanding who you're talking to and how to speak their language.