A tech company that …
There is no shortage in the news about “a tech company that…” Redfin is a tech company that sells real estate. NIKE is pining to be a tech company that sells shoes. Starbucks is a tech company that sells coffee. WeWork is a tech company that leases office space. McDonald’s is a tech company that serves hamburgers. In a world full of “tech companies that….”, be a human company first.
How to Combat Stage Fright
Aside from the standard advice of how to overcome stage fright, you know the kind: Picture your audience naked (terrible advice)… Rehearse your presentation… Don’t think about what can go wrong… There is one piece of advice that I rarely hear taught, but is perhaps the most powerful way of overcoming your fear of public speaking. Fear of Public Speaking Jerry Seinfeld says, “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.” The best…
Today’s Emergency
What is causing you particular anxiety? With the never-ending deadlines, emergencies, lists, To Dos, inconveniences, overflowing inbox, and the like, it is easy to lose perspective on the big picture. The big picture being a month, or year, or 5 years from now. How does today’s “emergency” get you closer to the goal one year from now? Does it even matter? Maybe we should triage our emergencies based on our one-year plan?
Receiving and Giving Credit
It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. Harry Truman Most people who crave credit do so out of fear or insecurity. When we operate from an attitude of scarcity, rather than an attitude of abundance, credit becomes our currency. In fact, it becomes a diminishing currency because we must work exponentially harder for it to maintain its value. Whereas, when we intentionally dole out credit – flipping the equation – we actually become more well off since we are viewed more favorably by others (since we are handing out credit), our own attitude becomes others-focused, and we have the benefit of…
Are you money-based or values-based?
We’ve probably all operated a business during tough financial times. In those times, it’s tempting to say yes to projects or clients because of the potential income it may generate. But at what cost? Not all projects will align with the values you have for yourself or your brand. Not all projects will have the pay-off of something you can point to and say, “I did that.” Being proud of your work means it is congruent with what you stand for, not just the dollar signs.
Thin and Forgetful or Real and Memorable
The trend in today’s media is short, snappy, bite-sized bits of information. I think it started with the 140-character Tweets by then, Twttr. Vine (eventually bought and killed by Twitter) raised (or lowerd…?) the bar with looping videos capped at 6 seconds; TikTok limits videos at 15 seconds; investment platform, Robinhood sends out their “Snacks” newsletter; and news media breathlessly interrupts with 10-second “breaking news” segments. These are all designed for “people on the go” – who need to know what’s going on now and don’t have time for the fluff. But so much context lives in the unspoken. Ties are made and dots are connected. The argument I hear…
On Unsubscribe. Or anything really
I recently tried to unsubscribe from Marriott’s email newsletter and promotional list. When I first clicked on “UNSUBSCRIBE”, the generic form forced me to re-enter my email address before unsubscribing (huge annoyance of mine). Next, it showed an a error telling me I could not unsubscribe from their digital mailings online. Instead, I was directed to contact them using their Contact Us page. Not only is this a violation of the CANN-SPAM law here in the United States, it creates such a hellacious experience for the user. Aim to make it as easy for your customer to leave as it is to join. Many of us don’t want to think…
Start by…
Doing 1 push-up Drinking 1 glass of water Paying $1 towards debt Reading 1 page Publishing 1 blog Making 1 sale Deleting 1 old contact Taking 1 photo Donating 1 unused item Walking 1 lap Asking for 1 referral Attending 1 event Start today. Repeat tomorrow.
On Raising Your Price
If you are a specialist, expert, leader, or consultant who has the ability to set their own rates, you may struggle with how to price your services. As if that isn’t difficult enough, what about when it’s time to raise your prices? How do you know how much to charge? How much to increase? Does the rate increase apply to everyone? I am a huge proponent of experts realizing their value and charging what they’re worth. But, if you don’t value your time and skills, there is no way you can expect others to do it for you. Some Indicators It’s Time To Raise Your Prices Sometimes we don’t know…
The Quick Thanks
Take a moment today to find something to be thankful for for each person who crosses your path. If you’re a customer service representative, be thankful for each person who is calling: “thank you that I have the opportunity to help this person.” Be thankful for your co-worker, spouse, partner, trash can emptier, or construction zone flagger. In the moment, you may not realize how much they are making your life easier; a smoother commute, a clean workstation, or sharing the workload. The practice won’t take but a second, but the habit and impact can last a lifetime. And you may be surprised by who benefits the most.
Starve your distraction
What are you passionate about doing? What is keeping you from doing that? In an age where everything is instant, and distractions use powerful psychology against us, it is imperative that we are intentional about our attention. Whether you want to write a book, launch a business, or just fold the laundry, take a hard look at what is distracting you from moving forward with your goal. Don’t let the meaningless replace the meaningful. Take control and starve that distraction. Your purpose is much bigger than some may have you to believe. 
What do you do and how often do you do it?
It said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. I think that could be expanded to include doing the same thing over and over, but not looking for a way to do it more efficiently. Have you ever found yourself repeating a process over and over? Especially at work? Recently, I realized that I was repeatedly doing a task which required 3 to 4 hours each iteration. In truth, much of the content created in those precious hours were boilerplate. Yet it took me years to realize that I could create a mega-template that would satisfy the needs of those who…
On Reputation and Shared Values
Having a connection is critical to the success of the reputation lending and borrowing economy. According to Stoute, “shared values are a critical part of how these things create new reputational capital. Whenever you try to do things without shared values, it does not work; the public sees it, but it looks like money is driving everything. When reputation borrowing or lending takes place, it only works when the impression created is that no money is being exchanged. People have to believe that it is being done with Goodwill, that it is being done for the right reasons, and not because of commerce.” The Reputation Game by David Waller Rupert…
Tabloids Are Not Real Life
There’s an important distinction between the news and tabloids. Ideally, one is made up of facts and substantiated evidence while the other is created entirely for entertainment value. Perusing through today’s headlines, it is difficult to discern what is fact and what is fiction. Modern headlines are specifically designed to elicit an emotional response and nothing else. …except perhaps a click. The strategically worded headlines of today’s media exist only to cause a response and strengthen the confirmation bias. It is not meant to inform, educate, to provide well-balanced discussion. When we get our news from such thin sources – often the headlines alone – it is easy to believe…
Sharing Your Story
Each day, I run into people with unique experiences and expertise. At first thought, it may be hard to think of a topic or two that you have an expertise in, but I promise you: each of us possesses in-depth knowledge that others wish they had. Once you can accept that, you must then overcome a falsehood called “imposter syndrome”. We all have a fear of being seen as a fraud or outed as an imposter. But When we realize that each human battles this to a degree, we can take control of this misleading belief. Who can be made better by hearing your story? Who can hit their goals…
Analysis Paralysis
There’s a careful balance between being paralyzed by analysis and counting the cost before moving forward. General George S. Patton Jr. said, “A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week.” How true in our lives. Certainly, it is wise to know the cost of the journey before we embark. However, when we allow the analysis phase to hold us back, we often end up taking no action at all. Be wise. Count the cost. But also choose to move forward. Taking action will reveal options that analysis will never find. What are you paralyzed by? What are you allowing to hold you back as…
The Positive Side of Being Overwhelmed
Are you overwhelmed? Overwhelmed as in too many choices. Too many checkboxes on the to do list. Too many emails awaiting your response. Too many priorities begging for your attention. Today I was struck with the conceptual antonym of being overwhelmed. When framed differently, consider that you’re actually blessed with choice. Imagine how many others are working hard right now to be in your exact position. Instead of viewing “too much” as a negative, consider that you are experiencing an abundance. How can you adjust your perspective to see the blessing before you? Now, instead of being overwhelmed, you can proactively choose which path to pursue.
Modern Information: Empty Words Lead to Inaction & Distraction
Countless books, think pieces, Twitter threads, comedy shows, and podcasts have scrutinized the diseased body politic down to its smallest, rottenest internal part. The insight industry is booming. Interesting forms of expertise and cultural capital have been developed. Stars of analysis, wit, and protestation have been born. We are alert as never before to the jurisprudence of the Supreme Court, the rules of Congress, racial and economic injustice, the techniques of propaganda, the elements of malignant narcissism. The ship may be about to hit the iceberg, but we have excellent hypotheses about the captain’s complex childhood and the shortcomings of the hull design. Joseph O’Neill, Real Americans Found in: This…
Media vs News
Are there more bad events happening lately? Or are we just exposed to more? Are there fewer good deeds? Fewer people helping others? More people hurting others? In an age where discord and disagreements seem to flare up everywhere, we must take a moment to realize we are pawns in a game. Seth Godin writes, Over the last twenty years, the mass media has shifted, from “here’s the news,” to, “hey, it’s just media.” As a result, a system has been built in which situations, emergencies and bad news have been packaged and promoted twenty-four hours a day. In the face of that maelstrom of noise, it’s easy to come…
Instead of Complaining About Competition, Actually Compete
Direct-to-Consumer marketplaces are eating up established industries at an unprecedented rate. Savvy entrepreneurs and using today’s technology to solve painpoints in nearly every corner of the market. From movie tickets and ride-services to moving companies and food delivery, consumers have more freedom and choice than ever before. Generally, this is viewed as great news! Except if you’re an established business with little to no interest in … you know, actually competing. Recently, peer-to-peer moving company, Dolly, announced a recent fund raising series. The response? Established moving companies sued to block Dolly’s ability to operate in the state, saying the company did not possess the same licenses required by the larger…
3 Reasons I Gave Up Facebook
I’ve given up Facebook … again. More specifically, I have given up on Facebook. I deleted my profile (the second time since I joined in 2006 or 2007). Why? Three reasons actually: 1. Their Stance on Privacy Recently, Facebook has suffered one privacy blow after another. The information of millions of users have been exposed repeatedly. Facebook arrogantly brushes off these data breaches and generally buries them in a busy newsday, nearly guaranteeing the vast number of their billions of users will be unaware of the issue. Their blog (which you can find here) usually downplays the significance of such privacy violations by using words such as, “some”, “a small…
Social Media Privacy?
Another day, another Facebook privacy disaster. The world’s most prolific social media platform today announced two different security issues. Interestingly enough, they made the announcement the same day as some other big news dropped. I don’t think it is a stretch to believe this timing was unintentional. In its latest privacy-shattering revelation, Facebook says it “unintentionally” uploaded the email contact lists of 1.5 million new users without permission. Following an investigation that stemmed from their earlier admission that it was requesting email passwords from certain new users in order to verify their identities, Business Insider found that the site was then performing an import of the user’s email contact list without…
Social Media’s Business Backlash
British cosmetics company, Lush, is dropping its Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts in the UK and is redirecting the 1 million followers to the web, email, and phone for direct consumer communication with the brand. Lush said it was sick of “fighting with algorithms,” and that it did not want to pay for sponsored posts. Lush will keep its North American social accounts which contributed to a 42 percent social growth rate month over month. The choice isn’t so radical when last year a study revealed a third of Gen Z planned to quit social media permanently because it didn’t make them happy. – THE DRUM Don’t miss the significance of this for either side of…
About Blogging for Digital Marketing Agencies
I was asked, “Why do you think it is really worth it the write a blog in a digital marketing agency” Others have addressed some of the reasons blogging for business is good, overall. Specific to a digital marketing agency, I think it serves a few purposes: Practice what you preach It is highly effective Gives you a playground I find it incredibly disheartening when an “expert” proclaims one thing and seems to do the opposite, or at least something very different. As a digital marketing agency, you should be utilizing the best practices of the industry, and experimenting to find your own (Point #3, above). If an agency can…
What are the topics to write about for a digital marketing agency as a content creator?
This question is a part of my Free Q&A Series where I answer questions posed by entrepreneurs around the world on sites like Quora, Clarity, and various freelancing forums. QUESTION: What are the topics to write about for a digital marketing agency as a content creator? ANSWER: As I have said many times, understanding your target or ideal client is the first place to start. Understanding and developing empathy for them will help you hone your content and the tone in which you use. As a digital marketing agency, you see the importance of using content to attract those ideal folks. This works because, when people have questions, they turn to…
How to Become a Freelancer with No Experience
I’ve heard many times that as soon as you start getting paid for you work, you’ve officially “made it.” That once you have your first client, everything will fall into place and get easier. While both those statements are true, they don’t do anything to help encourage new freelancers to begin their careers. Almost every freelancer starts off with zero experience and no clients. Everyone has to start from scratch and although it can be challenging and frustrating, it can be done. Here are three tips to becoming a freelancer with no experience: Build a Portfolio of Personal Work Prospective clients want to see your work in action. If you’re…
Big Rocks, Little Rocks, Sand, and Water
We learn about order of operations in elementary mathematics. The idea that a process must follow a pre-scripted series of steps to insure the correct answer is found. Order of operations does not apply to just math equations. In fact, it applies to everything from financial decisions, HTML code, product launches, publishing a blog post, and prioritizing your company’s resources. Consider you have a large jar. Around it, you have a collection of large and small rocks, a pail of water, and a bucket of sand. If you pour the sand in first, you can be assured the rest of the material will not fit in the jar. Same with…
An Ecommerce, Content Marketing, Affiliate Marketing Dilemma
This question is a part of my Free Q&A Series where I answer questions posed by entrepreneurs around the world on sites like Quora, Clarity, and various freelancing forums. QUESTION: I have an e-commerce store and I want to start blogging for it. I not only want to blog about my products but also write about other topics for affiliate marketing revenue. Should I just do blogging on my store website (www.domainname.com/blog)? or should I start blogging on a separate channel and call it “blog.domainname.com”? How would it affect my page ranking? ANSWER: Great question! Content marketing (the use of content to attract a targeted audience) is a powerful and…
How much should you charge a small business for monthly social media content creation and management?
This question is a part of my Free Q&A Series where I answer questions posed by entrepreneurs around the world on sites like Quora, Clarity, and various freelancing forums. Hi there, I wish I could give you an exact amount — or even a decent range. But, in reality, the answer is it depends. There are a number of factors I would use to quote this. Some of those factors include: How much content, and what kind, is being created? How much time are you expected to put into strategy, planning, and vision casting? How much time are you expected to devote to answering and replying to incoming queries? How…
Social Media Marketing in 2018: Next Steps
I’ve resisted the urge to write about the Facebook privacy meltdown and ensuing faux-panic. In truth, I believe most of the controversy is entirely overblown and extreme examples are being made. But they are being made, nonetheless. And Facebook isn’t helping itself. Where does that leave businesses? Many feel that they “must do something” as a small, yet vocal, subset of consumers and lawmakers are calling for “something” to be done. We’ve seen large brands like Tesla, SpaceX, Mozilla, and Playboy all say they are giving up their Facebook presence. Another outcry. Another PR-driven opportunity to “take a stand.” Late last year, for the first time ever, Facebook reported a…
Your Brand’s Brand
Throughout history, we’ve used branding to mark everything from bread to livestock. Bakers would cut unique marks in their bread dough as a way to signal trust to their consumers. Ranchers used iron to sear their brand and track commingling cattle. Today, we associate branding with our businesses. Branding serves the same purpose: to give consumers, workers, and users a sense of what to expect. Actors use their personal brand to build anticipation around their upcoming theatrical release. Companies backfill their brand with “Best Place to Work” awards or Fortune recognition. Automobile manufactures intentionally place their logo on cars where we expect to see — the brand. Brands work best…
Your Circle
Literary giants C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams and Hugo Dyson famously gathered at an Oxford pub called The Eagle and Child (which you can still visit today). The group, known affectionately as The Inklings served as both inspiration and support for one another. They read published works, shared manuscripts, and discussed life and social issues. Perhaps surprising to learn, even after each had written wildly successful pieces, they each battled their own insecurities, self-doubt, creative drought, and personal issues. Sound familiar? Have you ever suffered from the internal battle? Have you ever doubted yourself and your abilities? Have you ever wondered why you’re doing what you’re doing? Have you ever thought about getting “a…
The Case for a Beautiful Website
Many of the expert entrepreneurs I talk to are passionately consumed with the details. The little things that go into making a beautiful website – perhaps choosing from 1000s of font and color combinations. Or obsessing over a competitor’s website. Or wanting a carbon copy of something they’ve seen. While I can support attention to detail, we must also remember utility. And the fact that we should provide a service to our clients. If the client cannot navigate the site, find what they are looking for, or feel pressured into contacting you before they get information- they’ll leave. You’ve lost the sale. In addition to aesthetics, remember usability, functionality, and…
What are the best digital marketing practices in recent times?
This question is a part of my Free Q&A Series where I answer questions posed by entrepreneurs around the world on sites like Quora, Clarity, and various freelancing forums. You asked, “What are the best digital marketing practices in recent times?” It is a bit of an unanswerable question. There are so many variables that could be considered “the best” depending who you are and your purpose. Email spam is highly effective. As are the promises of money from foreign royalty. Website exit-intent popups work well — for some brands. For others, they fall on their face and drive angry mobs to social media. Content marketing continues to rule as…
I’m starting an influencer marketing agency. How much should my hourly rates for my services be?
This question is a part of my Free Q&A Series where I answer questions posed by entrepreneurs around the world on sites like Quora, Clarity, and various freelancing forums. Hi! And congratulations for starting your marketing agency. You asked, “I am starting an influencer marketing agency. How much should my hourly rates for my services be?” First: you’re going about it backwards. Having an hourly rate is fine for internal purposes, but should not be on any external (client-facing) materials. To determine what you need to make hourly (again, for internal reasons). Use the following formula: Determine the income you want to generate annually Determine how many work days you…
Are You Helping Your Next Customer Buy From You?
Think of the last big ticket item you purchased. Likely, you started your journey online. You did some basic research, read reviews, compared products, did your due diligence, etc. Then, maybe, you reached out to a brand directly? Not always, but, if you had a question, you probably sought out an answer from a trusted source. Before you committed, you educated yourself. Now, let’s switch hats. Now you’re the leader of the brand selling big ticket items. You know there is uncertainty in the mind of your buyer. You know there are conflicting pieces of information floating out there. You know what the customers should know before deciding on a…
Time Invested is not Time Wasted
We live in an ever-connected society. The technology that was supposed to make our lives easier, actually makes it more frantic. Our need to be connected often shortcuts our ability to connect with those around us. The same with time. Our time-saving technology has tricked us into believing that there is a microwave option for nearly everything. We can summon rideshares, check real-time reports, gauge user response, and click ourselves to exotic far off lands through the lens of a smartphone. What we forget is the long game. The view that is only accessible by taking the walking path. Or the efforts now that will help us next week, or…
The Social Media Algorithm and Your Business
“Every day we’d be having meetings saying, ‘What was Facebook’s algorithm change today, and what can we do?’ It was always an issue,” said Jessica Rotkiewicz, who worked as a news and branded content producer at LittleThings until she was laid off last April. “At the end of the day, the company was relying on another party they couldn’t control.” Digiday highlighted a small ecommerce company, LittleThings. As the company grew from their modest beginnings in the pet supplies industry to a social media favorite sharing inspiring content, they realized they had an unhealthy dependency on Facebook. On a whim, Facebook could adjust their algorithm and decimate the viewership of…
How do I know that video marketing and content can introduce customers to me?
This question is a part of my Free Q&A Series where I answer questions posed by entrepreneurs around the world on sites like Quora, Clarity, and various freelancing forums. In short: video and content marketing can work for anyone. Of course, there are very, very few exceptions. Where most entrepreneurs and marketers miss the mark is creating content that their audience does not find engaging. After publishing a few non-engaging pieces, the marketer gives up and claims that content/video marketing does not work. For best success, take a long, hard look at your ideal audience. Understand their needs, frustrations, and struggles. Then, identify how your product/service can solve those problems…
Comparison is the thief of…
Not only is comparison is the thief of joy, but also: Relationships Intimacy Friendship Satisfaction Pleasure Creativity If you must, maintain comparison in the periphery. But you are better served to define your own strategy and blaze your own trail. Copying someone else will always land you in second place. They are not fighting your battles just like you are not fighting theirs.
The Social Media Echo Chamber
What many users of social media do not realize is they are the product being sold. More specifically, access to them (the users) is what is being sold. Advertisers will spend mounds of money for access to specific people. The more specific, the more money those advertisers will pay. So, naturally, it is in the best interest of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Medium, and Snapchat to keep users coming back. Ideally, more frequently and for longer periods of time. Additionally, it is important for those users to feel good about being on those sites. Because, who wants to hang out where they don’t feel good? So platforms like Facebook,…
Don’t Let Your ‘How To’ Posts Destroy Credibility
Lately I’ve seen a lot of “How To” posts from industry “experts” intentionally misleading readers. The series of posts that sparked this one is a recent trend advertising that they have the steps for readers to gain verification on platforms like Instagram or Twitter. In fact, I’ve seen three posts today with the title, “How To Get Verified on Instagram”. All three posts from different brands or consultants whose services are to help small business owners grow their social media presence. The problem: you cannot initiate verification on Instagram. They pick you. You can do things that better your odds of verification, and that is what the content of these…
Playing Politics In Business
DISCLAIMER: This post contains political topics. I am not going to debate the merits of the topics themselves; this post talks of a brand’s response to an issue. You can replace guns with any topic you wish and the argument stands. Thursday, the outdoors equipment retailer, REI, decided they needed to be in the pro-gun/anti-gun debate. If you’re keeping track, that list includes Delta, United Airlines, Enterprise Holdings, Dicks Sporting Goods, Walmart, Kroger, MetLife — and now REI. It is beyond puzzling why a giant corporation decides to jump into political hot-button issues where they are likely to alienate half of their base. It is possible to have an opinion or personal stance about a…
As a small business with little content, can I benefit from marketing automation?
This question is a part of my Free Q&A Series where I answer questions posed by entrepreneurs around the world on sites like Quora, Clarity, and various freelancing forums. ABOSLUTELY! In fact, utilizing marketing automation is likely to result in some great benefits for your company that will allow you to create more content and further improve the business. The thing about marketing automation most business leaders fail to recognize, is that it is not “set it and forget.” It is a constant evolution and improvement to your systems. Additionally, it does not need to overtake your entire sales and marketing process at once. You can automate a piece at…
I Don’t Know
Three very powerful words. Takes a lot of courage to admit that you don’t know something. In a world where we reward know it all’s, experts, and the “always right”, it is refreshing to find someone who can admit they are not Encyclopedia Brown. Perhaps even more impactful words, the ones the lead to real change: “…but I will find out.” With this mentality, we develop a community of insightful leaders. Rather than staying stuck with what they don’t know, they press forward with a commitment to learn more. Imagine the impact you can have to those around you when you approach each problem with an open mind and the…
Confusing Complexity with Capability
Last week, I met with two different entrepreneurs, in two very different industries. Yet they had the same problem. Internal complexity masking as capability. Any consulting session with me generally starts with a discussion about where you are, and where you want to go. It includes me asking a series of clarifying questions to get to the root of the frustration you’re facing. Often, the problem isn’t what has been self-diagnosed. If it were, you would have fixed it instead of calling me. (grin) These pointed questions often reveal layers and layers of complexity that have built up over time within the organization. Not just layers of management, or layers…
The ‘No-Win’ Mentality
If recent tragedies have highlighted anything, is that we do not know how to debate or conduct meaningful dialog. A difference of opinion should be welcomed and heard out. Differing points of view provide us a force multiplier. Rather than 10+10, we should be dealing with 10×10. Complex issues demand the ability to view a problem from multiple perspectives, identify contributing factors, offer solutions to each factor, and continual reassessment. Instead, we pick one or two possible solutions and wave them as a “One Size Fits All” answer to a problem requiring 10, 20, or even 100 smaller answers. On top of that, we are quick to argue, tear down,…
With the Recent flood of “internet marketing coaches”, what does the future of the marketing world look like?
This question is a part of my Free Q&A Series where I answer questions posed by entrepreneurs around the world on sites like Quora, Clarity, and various freelancing forums. As others have mentioned, this is not recent flood. Anytime folks see what they presume to be low-hanging fruit, they will flood into the market. The market becomes saturated and eventually corrects. The real experts survive and the bottom-feeders drown. It happens in every industry from real estate to wedding photographers and lemon farmers to social media. The true coaches are pretty unbothered by this. They will continue to learn, experiment, build a moat of expertise, and help their clients. The…
Filtering Your Ecommerce Photos is a Mistake
Without a doubt, the barrier to worldwide commerce has been lowered – if not destroyed – by the internet. Data from Statista anticipates a 246.15% increase in worldwide ecommerce sales, from $1.3 trillion in 2014 to $4.5 trillion in 2021. That’s a nearly threefold lift in online revenue. The idea of a local tribe trading goods and services exclusively is long gone. Now, we can buy everything from snow to an original poster for the 1932 movie, Freaks with the click of a button. An analysis by Slice Intelligence found that, in 2016, 43% of all US online retail sales were done through Amazon. Not only that, but many third-party brands leveraged the retail giant’s…
Cultivate a Culture of Compassion
Compassion is seeing a long face and genuinely asking what’s wrong. Compassion is seeing another struggle and offering to help. Compassion is knowing the news will be bad, but asking anyway. Compassion is the essence of care and concern and being willing to help when possible. Compassion is digging deeper than the glossy surface. It is seeking to learn more, even if it will be unfavorable for you. It is getting out of your own safety and security to help another in a bad situation. It is inconvenient. It is easy to pass over and ignore. It takes intentionality. But the payoff is without measure. The impact you have on…
You’re a Media Company Now
It doesn’t matter whether you sell houses, cupcakes, yoga sessions, or treadmills, you are a media company. Or, at least should be thinking you are. Let’s look at today’s consumers. Today’s consumers care about the origins of the products they use. Today’s consumers care about the people behind the products. Today’s consumers want to understand the market before buying. Today’s consumers want to be educated enough to make the right decision. Today’s consumers care about what others have to say about products and services. Now, let’s look at traits of a successful media company. A media company excels at telling the story of a product; how it came to be,…
Where to Start Your Content Marketing
Many entrepreneurs struggle to use content marketing because they don’t know where to start. Yet, they repeatedly hear that content marketing is the way to get new customers. Yes, it is a tactic that has repeatedly proven that it can get more customers, nurture prospects, retain existing clients, and boost exposure to your brand. I feel for those entrepreneurs. I realize it can be hard to know where to start. You’re are already busy, you don’t need to add another “thing” to your To Do list – only to have it not work. The beauty is in the simplicity. If you’re going to use blogging, share something that educates your next…
Your Best Birth! Online Childbirth Education Course by Alise Marsh
This is part of my new series, Shoutout Saturday, where I highlight amazing accomplishments, big wins, and triumphs from those within my circle. Some are clients, some are peers; but their work deserves attention. My friend, Alise Marsh, has been working tirelessly to launch an online version of her childbirth education series. She has been a certified doula for many years and assisted with countless births! Over those years, she has helped expectant mothers and families prepare for the birth experience, understanding birth options, finding clarity in the unknown, and how to navigate labor and delivery choices. Her online course is an extension of her passion. An opportunity to reach…
What are the best ways to contact businesses as a freelancer besides email?
This question is a part of my Free Q&A Series where I answer questions posed by entrepreneurs around the world on sites like Quora, Clarity, and various freelancing forums. Hi there, when you ask, “What are the best ways to contact businesses as a freelancer besides email?” I assume you want to contact them to pitch your business. Can I offer a better solution? Think of the last time you received an unsolicited email pitching the services of a company. How seriously did you take them? How relevant was it to you at the time? How much trust did it instill in their brand? I believe unsolicited email advertisements are incredibly…
What You Can Learn From The “Big 4” About Building Your Brand Platform
Google recently announced some changes to their popular email platform, Gmail. Without getting into all the technical aspects of what “AMP” means (it is an acronym for Accelerated Mobile Pages – which means webpages load lightning fast on mobile devices like your phone), it means users of Gmail will be able to do more without leaving their email message. For example, you can Pin content to your Pinterest Boards without opening a new window or the Pinterest app. You can confirm airline reservations or change seats without opening your preferred airline app. I am a fan of removing steps and reducing friction between tasks and I am happy to see…
Valentines Day for Entrepreneurs
I have long thought the made up holiday of Valentine’s Day is eye-roll worthy. A capitalistic approach to drive greeting card sales, flowers, chocolates, and jewelry. A single day with such focus highlights broken relationships, places undue pressure on one party, creates unspoken expectations, and creates a culture of “One and Done.” My question: why does it have to center around one day? If you love someone, shouldn’t you show that affection throughout the year? The same for marketers. When we create a culture of “one and done” in business, allow unspoken expectations to exist, and place undue pressure on our clients/partners/prospects/and peers to perform, we are setting everyone up…
Your Business, 2 Years From Today
The savvy business leader is looking at tomorrow and beyond. She is aware of the challenges today, but focused on the challenges of what is coming up. She is looking at the horizon, around the corner, seeing the unseen. I see many entrepreneurs fail to invest in their business today because they are obsessed with the challenges of today. This approach lends to a continual cycle of reactive actions. Always feeling like you are a little behind. Constantly putting out fires. It leads to knee-jerk reactions rather than smooth transitions. Not only that, it gives competitors an advantage. The farmer invests in the future by planting seeds before he needs…
Where can one obtain a short training to be a good freelance marketer
This question is a part of my Free Q&A Series where I answer questions posed by entrepreneurs around the world on sites like Quora, Clarity, and various freelancing forums. I applaud your desire to be a great freelance marketer. It is an exciting and fulfilling career choice! This answer has many parts, mainly because running a freelance business has many facets. You will want to take some basic business courses to understand how you should operate your business. This will cover accounting, client communication, organizational flow, etc. You will want to take some basic marketing course to understand how to get more clients as a freelance marketer. This will cover…
Encouragement. For you.
You matter. You have a message worth sharing. You are changing the world. You are good enough. You inspire someone. Your words resonate with readers. I talk a lot about content marketing, using social media, how vanity metrics don’t matter, how being helpful and giving of yourself will result in more customers. Let me encourage you: It works. Someone is reading, even when you can’t tell. Your message is meeting someone where they are, when they need you the most – even if they have never made themselves known to you. They are out there. Reading, listening, watching, and learning. Analytics paint incomplete pictures, don’t get hung up on the…
Advantages of an Advisory
My client watched his business grow from two locations to seven in seven years. On the surface, this isn’t a bad pace. But when we dig into the details, we see how the growth happened. It started slowly, the first two stores were in operation for about five years before Store 3 and Store 4 opened within a year of each other. The ownership is a frugal and methodical bunch. Conservative in finances, staffing, and decision making, overall. They have deeply ingrained core values that serve as a strong foundation for the first chapter of their story. Then construction started on Store 5 just as an opportunity for Store 6…
Are We A Good Fit?
You wouldn’t commit to marrying the first person to talk to you in a crowded bar. Nor would you buy the first car you see in your favorite color. Everyday, we evaluate, vet, and aim to select the best option for us in the moment. Except in sales. Freelancers, consultants, and entreprenuers often commit to partnering with someone at the first sign of interest. We disregard redflags, imagine to the best possible outcome, and put the sale ahead of our own survival instincts. Instead, we should have a method of filtering potential partners (this includes clients, customers, business partners, and teammates). Consider: Do I like this person? Will we work…
Negative Reviews Are Opportunities Many Entrepreneurs Miss
If you deal with clients or customers, chances are high that someone will be upset or displeased with your service. Not only that, but they will leave a negative review on every platform they can think of. The web has given a platform for user reviews on a scale that businesses of yesteryear did not need to concern themselves with. Recently, one of my clients had negative reviews left on Google, Facebook, Yelp, and an industry forum. The review was scathing and the reviewer held no punches. The problem? They were not even a customer of my client. The reviewer had the wrong business. As I was coaching my client through…
Under what circumstances would it be appropriate to turn down business from an existing or potential client?
This question is a part of my Free Q&A Series where I answer questions posed by entrepreneurs around the world on sites like Quora, Clarity, and various freelancing forums. Knowing when to accept or turn down work is an essential skill for freelancers or contractors. Most of the time, our clients are easy to work with and the job goes fairly smoothly. Other times, however, it is best to avoid them altogether. Some examples of when you may want to turn down business from an existing client or potential client would be: A conflict of interest A job/project outside your skillset A lack of time on your part to take…
Your Strategic Toolshed
In the world of ecommerce, shovels and gloves have little in common. One is categorized in Tools while one is categorized in Fashion. When it comes to digging a hole, both can help do the job, but one is far more efficient than the other. When it comes to protecting our hands, there is a clear winner. No contest. When we add the word “garden”, the whole formula changes and we have the context to see a connection between shovels and gloves. Experience is knowing how to use one to dig a hole while using the other to protect our hands. Just having an assortment of tools in your shed…
Where Are You Starting?
Directions to New York City vary greatly depending on where you’re coming from. Not only will your route vary, but so will your mode of transportation. Without knowing the starting point, is hard to give a clear explanation of how to get to your destination. The same is true in marketing. It’s easy to discuss your destination, your goals, objectives, and campaigns. We can point to others who have done it well. But without knowing where you’re coming from, your journey is off to a tough start. – Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash
How Buying Social Media Followers Erodes Trust In Your Brand
The news is tripping all over itself to report on the widespread habit of brands and celebrities buying social media followers. The practice has been around for awhile, but is finally going mainstream and people are talking about it. What does it mean for a leader or brand? It means that we have to look beyond vanity metrics that can easily be skewed. The number of followers you have makes NO DIFFERENCE to your business. You can have 1 follower and sell a million dollars of product. Alternatively, you can have a million followers and go out of business for a lack of sales. – Note: I wrote this post…
What Separates a Good Salesperson From a Bad Salesperson
Sales is a cutthroat business! Yet a necessary one. Some of us may be naturally gifted at closing the deal, while others battle an internal voice telling us we cannot sell. Being “good at sales” is actually “being good at people”. People have needs. We have solutions. Since mankind has existed, we have been in some form of trade (or, “sales”). Whether we’re dealing sheep, berries, airplanes, or software, we exchange what we have for what we want. “You want sheep to better your farm and produce wool for your family? I have an excess of sheep. Let’s make a deal.” Standardized currency drastically changed the game; no longer did…
What’s your most valuable advice for startups?
This question is a part of my Free Q&A Series where I answer questions posed by entrepreneurs around the world on sites like Quora, Clarity, and various freelancing forums. Startups are volatile, emotional, stressful, rewarding, and overwhelming – all at the same time. Too often, they fail for a few simple reasons: Pride Not understanding the problem your audience is facing Not understanding your role in solving that problem For founders of startups, I recommend: Have crystal clear core values: What do you stand for as an organization, what don’t you stand for? It may seem strange to put this before “business” advice, but your company culture will start to take shape…
Moving My Website From One Host to Another
There are more than 3,500,000 Google search results for moving my website from one host to another host. For website owners and operators, this is a serious question. One that is packed with technical steps, detailed processes, and a specific order of operations – mess any of them up and your website could stop working altogether. Seriously, moving website hosts is a tedious and frustrating ordeal for those of us who don’t do it on a daily basis. I ran into this about 8 months ago when I was so fed up with our old website host that I started exploring alternatives. In truth, the idea of having to move our…
What is the best tool/platform to use to make an online course?
This question is a part of my Free Q&A Series where I answer questions posed by entrepreneurs around the world on sites like Quora, Clarity, and various freelancing forums. Congrats on preparing to launch your online course. From personal experience, I know that they are a fun and lucrative way to grow your business and your brand. There are a few approaches to hosting your online course. There are options like Teachable and Thinkific – both are solid choices. They are both on the easier-to-setup end of the spectrum. I recommend them for your MVP (Minimum Viable Product) to test your theory or prove your concept. The ease of use…
You Want to Buy It?
Over and over, I hear of salespeople getting frustrated. Discouraged that they cannot hit their sales goals. Frustrated that they cannot get a new client to commit. Anxious about the lack of monthly revenue. Yet over and over, I don’t hear them asking the question that changes it all. Freelancers, cupcake shops, consultants, coaches, headband makers, or photographers – to generate revenue and make a difference in your business, you must be willing to close the deal. You have to take the risk, take action, be uncomfortable. You must ask the question: “Do you want to buy it?” – Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash
Hate Has No Place In Your Organization
I hope we can all agree that hate has no place within your company. However, hate manages to be present even when we don’t realize it. Hiding in unlikely places. It hides in anomosity, resentment, hostility, antagonism, revenge, antipathy, griping, and spite. If allowed to fester, the many faces of hate eat away at company culture, employee happiness, and long-term success. Dr Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love… Our aim must never be to defeat or humiliate the white man, but to win his friendship and understanding.” Within your…
2018 Is The Year of Strategy
Last year, the goal of my agency was to speak with 100 entrepreneurs and business owners. The industries ranged from health and fitness to specialty foods; real estate to solid waste; and wedding planning to personalized calligraphy. And two food trucks! More than 500 hours was spent in one-on-one conversation with people passionate about their business. Each of these individuals expressed one unified frustration: what do I do next? They all had an idea of where they wanted to go, but lacked the vision to see what step to take next. They imagined their business expanding, hiring employees, utilizing social media better to capture new customers, improving their brand awareness,…
Readers, What Are Your 2018 Goals?
It is time to soundoff. I have covered goals extensively, lately. What Will Your 2018 Story Be Writing Down Your Goals Changes How You See the Situation The 2 P’s to Consider in 2018 How to Achieve Work-Life Balance as a Freelancer How to Separate Your Work and Life as an Entrepreneur Habits of Unsuccessful People vs Successful People Now it is time for you to share your goals with me. Why? Because people who write their goals are far more likely (something like 10 times more likely) to achieve. Do you want to take steps toward your own success? Take action. What are you committed to doing in 2018 in…
Work Worth Doing
Passion and good intent are funny things. When we get an idea for something, we pursue it with great fervor. We think of the grandness of our vision and how it will change the lives of those around us and those who use it. We think about our future with this new idea in place. Not long after the inspiration strikes, we start to get less passionate about our work. Procrastination sets in. The vision board gets pushed aside. The goals, mission, and value statements find themselves in a dark drawer. The outline of the book gets buried in Evernote. The passion fades. But the idea did not get worse.…
Your Natural Abilities
We are not all natural creatives. Nor are we all naturally leaders. Likewise, we are not all skilled with our hands. We are not all plumbers, or teachers, or communicators, or visionaries. But we all have natural abilities. In business, your greatest chance of success stems from understanding your natural abilities and unnatural abilities; your strengths and weaknesses. Don’t be discouraged by comparing to something you’re not; instead, embrace who you are. Are you naturally good with people? Are you an organized person? Are you gifted at solving complex problems easily? Are you good at finances? Your natural ability lends itself to a unique platform to share your message. How…
Comparison is Killing Your Business
It’s common to want to emulate those who we look up to. We hear the success stories of other business tycoons and think ourselves, “If I can just do that, I will experience the same success they enjoy.” The fallacy is that we are comparing our beginning to their middle. We are privy only to curated snippets of their life or third-party reports of how they operate. In reality, we miss out on the context of what has lead them to where they are now. From the mountain base, we see them at the summit. We didn’t see the arduous journey to the top. We see what they are doing…
The Two Ps to Consider in 2018
The start of a new year serves as a blank slate, a chance to change, and the excitement of new opportunities. Right now, consider how 2018 will represent positive change in your organization. What will be different from last year? Answer these two Ps: 1. What needs to be put down 2. What needs to be picked up Don’t go into the new year with unnecessary burden. And, don’t forego carrying something important because your luggage is full. Instead, go into this year with intention, direction, and organization. Happy New Year!
How to Find Clients as a Freelancer
There is a certain romance associated with being a freelancer. Often we conjure images of working from remote, exotic locations; the freedom from a 9-to-5 job; the ability to create our own destiny; and doing work that is engaging or meaningful. According to a 2016 survey of the freelance economy, the number of freelance workers is growing quickly. Currently, there are approximately 55 million freelancers in the United States, up from 53 million in 2014. This represents about 34 percent of the total workforce and is expected to balloon to 50 percent by 2020. But, as many of those entrepreneurs can attest, running a freelance business is hard work. From day to day operations, managing clients, and…
Books I Read in 2017
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] As a child, I devoured reading material. My mom toted me to the library at least twice a week for the quota of age-appropriate books. I excelled at reading speed and comprehension. Between books, I would read the daily newspaper while I ate breakfast. I read. A lot. But that happy habit faded as I aged. Late this year (October, if we are being honest), I decided I wanted to get back into purposeful reading. My business partner and I agreed to read each day and followed a reading schedule that would…
How to Talk to People
Step 1: Don’t talk to people. Don’t talk at people, either. When we talk to or at people, it presumes we will be doing the talking. Instead, talk with them. Listen to them. This is especially important in difficult conversations. Instead of trying to win the argument, listen and share your story. When we listen first, our verbal posture changes to become more welcoming for a conversation instead of a defensive argument. – Photo by Jason Rosewell on Unsplash
Is It Hustle? Or something else?
Staying up late on a Sunday night working on a project. Is that hustle? Working 16 hours a day on a new idea. Is that hustle? Foregoing social outings in lieu of shipping your product. Is that hustle? “Hustle” has become the drug of choice for many entrepreneurs. A glorification of doing what no one else will to see success that no one else will experience. What is it exactly? Hard work? Taking action? An attitude? Getting out of bed an hour earlier? Is it working faster? Is it applying yourself? Is it something to covet and celebrate? Working hard has never gone out of style — and I am not suggesting…
Honing Your Brand Voice
It may seem funny to think of your brand having a “voice.” But the language- the words, terms, phrases- you use in professional communication says a lot about your brand. Those intentional choices provide a consistent feel for your customers. Does your doula service say moms, mothers, or mommas? Do you have clients or customers? Do you have employees, partners, team members? Do you sign your correspondence Sincerely, Respectfully, All the best, xo? Do you provide photography services or capture meaningful moments? While these examples may seem subtle; our goal is a consistent “voice” for your brand. Think back in high school civics when we had to draft resumes. They all started with some…
What is Engagement Bait
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Medium-styled Post Title and Meta” background_color=”#fbfcfd” _builder_version=”3.0.89″][et_pb_row admin_label=”Post Title and Meta” _builder_version=”3.0.89″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_post_title admin_label=”Post Title and Author Information” categories=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”3.0.89″ title_font=”|700|||||||” title_text_align=”center” title_font_size=”28px” title_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.8)” title_line_height=”1.3em” meta_font=”||||||||” meta_text_align=”center” meta_font_size=”18px” meta_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.8)” meta_line_height=”1.8em”] [/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_post_title admin_label=”Featured Image” title=”off” meta=”off” _builder_version=”3.0.89″ title_font=”|700|||||||” title_text_align=”center” title_font_size=”28px” title_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.8)” title_line_height=”1.3em” meta_font=”||||||||” meta_text_align=”center” meta_font_size=”18px” meta_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.8)” meta_line_height=”1.8em”] [/et_pb_post_title][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.89″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.89″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Blog Post Body” _builder_version=”3.0.89″ max_width=”800px” custom_margin=”|||10%” background_layout=”light”] Recently Facebook announced their improved efforts to reduce the spread of “engagement bait” — the act of using reactions, comments, and shares to trick algorithms into showing content more frequently and to a broader audience. This has some marketers concerned. Understandable, since Facebook’s organic reach (the number of…
What Will Your 2018 Story Be?
This time of year, many services recap your year with them. My Bible app shows how many days I read the daily devotional (only missed 9), MapMyRun shows how many miles I’ve run, and Pocket tells me that I consumed more than 10 books worth of content in their app in 2017. In some ways this is inspiring, a way to look back and quantify what I spent my time doing. Looking back is also a great time to look forward. What do you want 2018 to say about you? What do you want to achieve? What will your highlights be? I encourage you to take action now. What is…
How to Build an Online Business With Little to No Experience
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ background_color=”#fbfcfd” admin_label=”Medium-styled Post Title and Meta” _builder_version=”3.0.89″][et_pb_row admin_label=”Post Title and Meta” _builder_version=”3.0.89″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_post_title date=”off” categories=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” admin_label=”Post Title and Author Information” _builder_version=”3.0.89″ title_font=”|700|||||||” title_text_align=”center” title_font_size=”28px” title_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.8)” title_line_height=”1.3em” meta_font=”||||||||” meta_text_align=”center” meta_font_size=”18px” meta_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.8)” meta_line_height=”1.8em”][/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_post_title title=”off” meta=”off” admin_label=”Featured Image” _builder_version=”3.0.89″ title_font=”|700|||||||” title_text_align=”center” title_font_size=”28px” title_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.8)” title_line_height=”1.3em” meta_font=”||||||||” meta_text_align=”center” meta_font_size=”18px” meta_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.8)” meta_line_height=”1.8em”][/et_pb_post_title][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.89″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.89″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Blog Post Body” _builder_version=”3.0.89″ max_width=”800px” custom_margin=”|||10%”] First, congratulations on your entrepreneurial spirit and desire to get started with business online. Yes! It is entirely possible to build an online business with little to no experience. Getting started with a business online can be daunting. In fact, starting a business of…
Why I Said ‘Yes’ to Kickstart Kings
Not only is it a way to take others further, faster – but I fully anticipate it will do the same for me. I believe most folks have their choice of open doors. Opportunities that seemingly “just appear” before them. Some open doors are meant to walk by while some are meant to walk through. Our ability to discern which opportunities should be taken and which should be bypassed leads to various levels of success. When the concept of Kickstart Kings was presented to me in October of 2016, I immediately had flashbacks of other projects I had been a part of. On many of those, I was the point person — seemingly…
Vine’s Announcement Underscores This Important Marketing Advice
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ background_color=”#fbfcfd” admin_label=”Medium-styled Post Title and Meta” _builder_version=”3.0.89″][et_pb_row admin_label=”Post Title and Meta” _builder_version=”3.0.89″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_post_title categories=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” admin_label=”Post Title and Author Information” _builder_version=”3.0.89″ title_font=”|700|||||||” title_text_align=”center” title_font_size=”28px” title_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.8)” title_line_height=”1.3em” meta_font=”||||||||” meta_text_align=”center” meta_font_size=”18px” meta_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.8)” meta_line_height=”1.8em”][/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_post_title title=”off” meta=”off” admin_label=”Featured Image” _builder_version=”3.0.89″ title_font=”|700|||||||” title_text_align=”center” title_font_size=”28px” title_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.8)” title_line_height=”1.3em” meta_font=”||||||||” meta_text_align=”center” meta_font_size=”18px” meta_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.8)” meta_line_height=”1.8em”][/et_pb_post_title][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.89″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.89″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Blog Post Body” _builder_version=”3.0.89″ text_font=”||||||||” max_width=”800px” custom_margin=”|||10%”] In the age of social media, many brands are jumping from one platform to another — mainly because “social media ninjas” are pontificating the need to be everywhere, all the time. First of all, this is horrible advice, but more on that later. Today,…
How to Overcome the Greatest Obstacle in B2B Sales
“We’ve tried everything,” she said exasperated. “I’ve contacted them through LinkedIn and email .. and no one responded.” When I hear sales professionals utter these words, I nod my head in agreement. Like hundreds, if not thousands of other salespeople, they are usually selling in the worst possible way. Making it about themselves. When a salesperson reaches out to a prospect, it is often with the mindset that they will craft such a beautiful, perfectly written sales message that the reader will instantly drop everything else they are doing, respond, and sign up for a demo — or better yet, sign on the dotted line. This, after all, is the best product…
Transparency in Advertising
It is natural to want to put our best foot forward. When a prospective client sees you and your product, you want them to see the best possible you. But when we resort to tactics that obscure truth or manipulate the belief of the customer, we actually do more damage than good. Not only does this type of intentional engineering sell the customer a product they did not want, it also attracts the wrong customer. The hotel and travel industry has long-battled this, leading to the rise of idependent reviews that show an accurate depiction of the product. Brand leaders have two choices: Improve the actual delivered product Adapt marketing to…
What Are You Looking For
“We have so many options – almost 4,000 products,” she started as she sat down with the owner of the cafe. “We have guacamole, sliced meats, cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables – our broccoli is amazing. We have soup … stuff like that,” she continued. “We have a state of the art ordering system, once we get your application, we can get you a login and you can see everything. You can order from your phone, track your order, we can customize and design your menu. We can photograph your food. It is one of the many services we offer. Whatever you need.” It continued. “Let me show you the online ordering and…
3 Tips to Rejuvenating a Stagnated Marketing Department
Regardless of your business size, it can be difficult to know which tasks to keep in-house and which to outsource. The answer is different for virtually everyone. For example, if you are an accountant, outsourcing your bookkeeping does not make a lot of sense. However, if you are a travel blogger, it makes perfect sense to outsource your financial tracking. When it comes to marketing, there are a couple of popular trends: either keep marketing wholly in-house with a marketing department or outsource it entirely to a marketing agency or firm. What happens when you feel like your marketing has stagnated overall? Or how do you deal with an outside…
How to Choose the Right Digital Marketing Mix to Grow Your Business
Social media, SEO, content marketing, email marketing, PPC — the list of digital marketing tactics go on and on. And on top of that never-ending list, it always seems like there are new marketing strategies popping up every month. With all the different choices, how do you know which form of digital marketing is best for your business? To help you decide, we’ve taken four different scenarios and recommended the best digital marketing tactics. While there are many different ways to accomplish each goal listed below, we’re just going to focus on one or two digital marketing methods that have worked for us in the past. [Tweet “You don’t need…
3 Reasons You Need to Start Using Content Marketing Today
You may have heard a number of terms being thrown around the web lately: “Inbound Marketing”, “Content Marketing”, “Blogging for Business” — it is tough to keep up and easy to get overwhelmed. As a busy business owner, sometimes it is easier to just ignore trends and hope that it all works out. But guess what: hoping is not a strategy. [Tweet “Hoping is not a strategy. You should be using #content in your #marketing.”] Your business deserves the best shot of success you can give it, so let’s discuss a couple of reasons you need to be investing in content marketing today — for the sake of your business,…
How to Tell Where Your Website Traffic is Coming From
After months of trial and error, your website is finally getting a couple extra thousand visitors every month. You think, I’m doing something right! Break out the champagne! Not so fast. While an increase in website traffic is definitely something to celebrate, you need to first understand where these visitors are coming from. Someone coming to your site from organic search will behave differently than someone coming from Twitter. Here are three ways to tell where your website traffic is coming from: 1. Create a Basic Site Survey The easiest way to find out where people are coming from is simply to ask them in the form of a survey.…
How to Write Successful Case Studies That Land You More Clients
No one wants to be a show-off. But as a freelancer, you do need to brag a little bit. One of the best ways to land a new client is to showcase your past work and success. A user story, or case study, clearly outlines what you can accomplish based on real results. Everyone can talk about how great their work is, but a user story is based on facts, not hypotheticals. Here are three best practices for writing effective case studies that can win you more business: Don’t Focus on Yourself A case study should not highlight your services, it should highlight the people you work with. For example,…
How to Manage Unpaid Invoices
Being your own boss is one of the biggest perks of freelancing. However, that also means you have to do the not-so-glamorous work, like being your own contract manager and accountant. While you’ll spend the majority of your time in your element, you’ll inevitably be faced with the uncomfortable situation of asking your clients to pay you on time. This is when you have to put your small business owner hat on and take action right away; the longer you wait, the harder it will be to continually get paid on time. Here are four ways to manage unpaid invoices: 1. Be Persistent In the beginning of my freelancing career,…
What Is Content Strategy?
You write two blog posts a week, you send out a couple tweets. Your content strategy is good to go, right? Unfortunately, too many marketers confuse blogging with content strategy. While blogging is an important part, it is just one of many tactics that revolve around the planning, development, and long-term management of content. Here are four important parts of a content strategy: Collaboration Across the Company Like any successful marketing tactic, a strong content strategy comes when you work and align with different areas of your client’s company. For example, if you are working with a software company, you would need to collaborate with the product team to understand…
How Do You Start a Blog When You Have Absolutely No Audience?
The big brands have it easy. They start a blog and boom: millions of people read their posts and share them with their friends. They instantly have a blog audience. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come that easy for all of us. Most of us have to build our blog audience from scratch through listening, experimenting, and dedication. And the first couple months of a new blog are usually the hardest. What do you write about when you have no audience? What do they like? How do you reach them? Here are three tips to starting a blog when you have absolutely no audience: Listen, Listen, Listen When you’re just starting out…
How to Easily Achieve Your Blog Writing Goals
Marketers who prioritize blogging are 13 times more likely to enjoy positive ROI. Basically, if you consistently blog, you’re more likely to reap its benefits. But let’s say that’s old news to you. Let’s say you already knew that blogging is one of the best things you can do for your online business. The real questions is: how do you get your blog to the next level? Here are three tips for creating and achieving your blog writing goals this year: 1. Set Realistic Blog Writing Goals Start small and focus on what is possible. If you’re already running out of time in the day to respond to emails or…
