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.…
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…
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…
Does It Matter
It’s easy to get caught up in the every day. The mundane cycle that repeats endlessly for seemingly no reason. Instead of accepting the status quo, take inventory of your activities and examine their purpose. Question your routine. Create art that attracts. Create marketing that makes a difference. Be an expert in your craft. Make it matter.
How to Achieve Work-Life Balance as a Freelancer
When you first start out as a freelancer, you find complete joy in cutting out a commute and wearing whatever you want during the day (even PJs). However, after a couple months of wearing lounge-y clothes during the day and answering work emails at night, you may find yourself losing track of the day and time, and your personal needs. The 100% flexibility and autonomy of freelancing are what attracts many people to work for themselves, but they also present their own set of challenges. One of the biggest challenges for all freelancers, newbies and veterans alike, is achieving work-life balance. [Tweet “Autonomy attracts a lot of folks to freelance…
I Am Not A Salesperson
I love this image found on Britney Jones’ Facebook profile. She is a stylist for Stella & Dot, the fashion and jewelry retailer. But she is not defined by her title. I suspect that any reader of this site could easily identify with the title “Salesperson” or “Marketer”. In fact, in my last reader survey, nearly 80% of the responses self-aligned a variation of those positions. But that is not what makes us who we are. We are made up of smaller, yet more important attributes. For Britney Jones, she is a wife, a mom, a friend. Those are the attributes that make her who she is, and the attributes that make…
Living The Life You Deserve: Intentionally
In school, work, and play, it is easy to get swept up in the moment and lose sight of the longterm goal. The number of things demanding our attention seem to grow each day. It is hard to keep from being overwhelmed or consumed by everything. Of course, in the “Play” column, getting swept up in the moment can be healthy; we need to be able to operate without boundaries. In work and school, however, we must exercise a little more discipline in how our time is used if we want to be proactive rather than reactive. This is living with intention. [Tweet “When we operate within the bounds of intention, we are giving…
4 Keys of Successful Agencies
In real estate investing, there are a few key strategies successful investors use to mitigate their risk: Never over-extend yourself Buy in a single market that you can monitor, study, and understand Never buy based on emotion Look for an angle to add value to an existing investment Never manage a property from a distance [Tweet “With the right principles in place, the particulars take care of themselves.”] Running your agency or consultancy is no different. Whether you are just starting or looking to grow, these strategies can make or break your business: Your Time Is Limited Do all you can to outsource what others can do. Develop a process to…
Your Superpower
How many people on this planet can say they have done all the things you have done? How many others have faced the same trials and sorrows? How many can boast of having the same emotions, reactions, viewpoints, bias, suspicions, opinions, hypothesis, and feelings? [Tweet “You have something to offer. You bring something unique to the table. You are you. “] Exactly zero. For better or worse (depending on how you choose to view it), this set of experiences defines our life’s fingerprint. It is your superpower. When you speak, it is the sum of your whole life. When you make a decision, it made from your exclusive perspective. When you create,…
How To Separate Your Work and Personal Life as an Entrepreneur
As entrepreneurs, it is really hard to not think about your business or your ideas. There is always so much to work on, it may seem like the To Do list gets longer the more you’re away from “work”. You may even feel guilty for not working when you’re at home or — on vacation (gasp). You’re not alone! Here are some recommendations for how to separate your personal and work life as an entrepreneur. First, let’s clarify that it should be hard to turn off your work mind. This is your life’s purpose. Don’t fight it. Instead, be intentional about how your approach your work and personal life. If…
Informational Interviews: Get the Inside Scoop About Your Passion
What if you could get the inside scoop about your passion from someone who has years of experience? What if you could learn the challenges associated with your passion ahead of time and prepare yourself? What if you could get connected to a whole network of people in your dream industry in just 30 minutes? Take the guesswork out of your passion with informational interviews. Informational interviews are one of the most effective, easiest ways to break into an industry. And, not only will you make connections that may very well lead to your dream job, you’ll also get the inside scoop and expert advice on the industry you’re pursuing.…
Passion or Hobby? Take This Quiz to Find Out
What’s the difference between a passion and a hobby? They can seem very similar — both are what you enjoy, what you spend a lot of time doing, and what you would do even if no one paid you. But, how do you know if you are a recreational blogger or if you should pursue writing full time? Or, if you love cooking meals for friends or if you should go to culinary school? First, I have to say: if you are wondering if your interest is a passion or a hobby, take a moment and recognize how lucky you are to be in this predicament. The majority of people…
Want to Quit Your Job and Follow Your Passion? Ask Yourself These 5 Questions
“I Quit My Six-Figure Corporate Job to Pursue My Passions.” “How I Quit My IT Job at 35 to Pursue My Passion.” “How I Quit My Job and Found Myself.” We’ve all seen the headlines. Someone making great money quits his job to follow his passion. And, lo and behold, he finds the same degree of success when he turns his dream into his career. (By the way, all those headlines above are real). Boy, do they make it sound easy. Why would you have to think twice about leaving a stable, well-paying job to find a completely new career path? These folks sure found success. Unfortunately, like most things…
How to Weave Your Passion into Your Everyday Life
You’ve already done the hard part. You’ve identified your passion. You’ve experienced that euphoric high when you’re in the zone and love what you’re doing. And, let’s be honest, as soon as you pinpoint that passion and let your mind wander to your dream job, there’s no going back. And why would you? Over 80% of people don’t enjoy their work and nearly 75% of people don’t know their passion. You’re part of the lucky group of people who have found their passion. Like I said, the hard work is over. But you have to keep that momentum going and make the effort to exercise that passion each and every…
How to Find and Identify the Right Mentor
The first rule to finding a great mentor: you do not talk about finding a great mentor. Seriously. We often think of finding a mentor like finding a job. You search online for a couple hours, make the ask and “apply” to be someone’s mentee, and wait to hear if you’ll be accepted. If you go about mentorship this way, you will never, ever find a mentor. Maybe this is why so many people don’t have one — the majority of people are looking at it the wrong way. A mentorship doesn’t happen after one email exchange. It doesn’t happen after meeting for coffee. And it doesn’t even happen after…
3 Tips for Managing Your To-Do List & Boosting Your Productivity
“Too much month at the end of the money” I first heard that quote in 2004 when I was involved in a round-the-world internet marketing conference circuit. Over the years, I’ve found it to be an incredibly succinct statement that can be applied not only to our finances, but our time. [Tweet “Your schedule is yours to control. Are you intentional about how to spend it?”] In America, we live in a culture that seems to celebrate “being busy” and even over-working. In fact, a recent study found that some marketing agency partners were manufacturing timecards that exceeded 80 hours per work week to get promoted. We are rewarding the…
So, What Is It You Do?
I’m not sure if my grandma could articulate what I do, exactly. And I know my folks have a good idea, but, in general, it’s a bit of a mystery to those around me. They know I do “internet stuff” and help companies, but that’s about it. What Do You Do? This is a question that is asked countless times at networking events, in an effort to try to establish some semblance of a relationship — ultimately, though, it is just a polite way of filling the time before launching into our own prepared speech about what we do and how the other person can help us. Perhaps a better…
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5 Out-of-the-Box Questions to Identify Your Purpose
While discovering the “true you” and your “place in life” can sound like themes to a Disney movie, these favorite childhood characters may be on to something. Finding the passion and purpose of your agency is a real journey, one where you’ll learn more about yourself, get in touch with your inner child, and break away from reality. Why is it so important to identify your agency’s passion? Not only will it give you a competitive advantage and allow you to dominate a niche space, it will also help with your overall brand and messaging. [Tweet “Passion can go a long way in differentiating yourself and developing your brand’s identity.”]…
9 Keys to Finding Your Agency’s Passion
I believe each day is a blank canvas of opportunity or disappointment. Sure, there are days when nothing seems to “go right”, but there is an overarching joy found when you actively pursue your passion. When things get hard, it is important to maintain focus on that internal passion to overcome the challenges you’re experiencing. There are some things you just can’t teach, like passion and excitement. – Laurie A Meacham As an agency owner or leader within your organization, the job is even harder because your team expects you to fearlessly lead and keep the course. If you find yourself wavering, or lacking that internal drive, I’ve outlined 9…
What Is Your Story
Every business has a story; a unique tale of how you achieved what you achieved. A compelling story of why you focus on the particular subsection of the market. The reason you get up each morning and what motivates you. The key is to perfect the telling of the story; to deliver it in a way that resonates with your audience and transfers the passion you have to them. The primary differentiating factor among most competing brands is their ability to convey their story in a way that attracts new customers and solidifies the loyalty of existing customers. Tell your story with such conviction that people begin lining up to…
Habits of Unsuccessful People vs. Successful People
Success is not defined by your socioeconomic status, race, gender, location, or bloodline. Rather, success is often found in traits within. The decision to exercise healthy habits is what differentiates successful from unsuccessful. Here is a look at the Habits of Unsuccessful vs. Successful People [one_half] Habits of Unsuccessful People Easily give up Fear change Act before they think Think they know it all Criticize Waste their time Horde information and data Talk before they listen Try to bring others down to their level Stop learning Never set goals Get distracted everyday Blame others Take the easy way out Secretly hope others fail Think, say and do negative things Don’t know what…
The Definition of Success
Some extremely worthy causes (saving the environment, world peace, or efficient public healthcare for example) will never succeed; simply because the definition of their success is undefined. [Tweet “Some extremely worthy causes will never succeed; simply because the definition of their success is undefined.”] Your ability to accurately articulate “success” directly correlates to its achievement. Moreover, your ability to empower your tribe to spread such a message enables you to reach your goal faster. All that to say, clearly define what you want and how you want it shared. To your success. About the Daily Marketing Minute The Daily Marketing Minute is my project for the last quarter of 2014.…
Don’t Make My Product Launch Mistake
Twice I have made the same mistake. The third time, I am learning. 🙂 In two different businesses, in two different places, in two different markets, I made the same mistake. That is, not talking about the project soon enough, loud enough, or often enough. There is a balance between keeping a lid on a project, leaking just enough information at just the right time, and operating in stealth mode. When you are working on your next project — whatever it may be — consider your realistic timeline for announcing it. If prospective customers don’t know you exist, they won’t know to buy. Jeff Walker, Michael Hyatt, Seth Godin (here,…
Hope For The Best
“It used to be, you would take an ad out in the Yellow Pages, get a few signs, and hope for the best.” Except times have changed; and ‘hoping for the best’ is not a strategy. Any marketing strategy, regardless of your marketing budget, product, brand, reach, or target, should be: Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Timely What is a SMART Goal? Specific includes what you want to accomplish and how you intend to accomplish it. Who, what, where, when, how, and why? Measurable means a quantifiable unit to gauge the overall success of the campaign. How will you demonstrate that the goal was met? Attainable means understanding the current limits of…
Are You An Authority
Heard on the news report: “Authorities recommend …” Almost without question, we follow the directions given to us by “authorities”: Authorities recommend residents continue to boil water … Authorities recommend drivers call 911 … Authorities recommend avoid waking grizzly bears … Authorities recommend consulting your doctor prior to … Authorities recommend applying sunscreen … When the “authorities” recommend it, they have the best interest of the tribe in mind. We can choose to ignore their recommendations, but at our peril. What are you doing to establish yourself as an authority of your domain? — About the Daily Marketing Minute The Daily Marketing Minute is my project for the last quarter of 2014.…
Starting With a The End in Front
“Everyone is our customer.” These words are figuratively inscribed on the hearts of nearly every client I’ve worked with. The problem, however, is that not everyone is your client. In fact, a very small subset of ‘everyone‘ is even eligible to buy from you. Define your exact ideal customer and remove every possible objection they have. Be their best friend and most trusted advisor. Bonus points for creating your anti-customer. Know who isn’t a good fit for you and move on. — About the Daily Marketing Minute The Daily Marketing Minute is my project for the last quarter of 2014. Each day, I will deliver bite-sized, fat-free nuggets of sales…
Set Yourself Up For a Successful 2015
Next week marks the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2014. Wow! It is hard to believe that 2014 flew by with barely a wink and a nod! For the final quarter of the year, I am focusing my efforts on delivering daily, bite-sized nuggets of inbound sales and marketing insights for busy business owners and managers. In an increasingly noisy sales and marketing world, it is easy to lose track of why you do what you do. Ultimately, I believe that relationships will transcend the daily grind we face in sales and marketing. Each day, I’ll share insights and tips to grow your business and connect with your customers…
