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# Beyond the Badge with Shaun Nestor

Find Purpose and Profit Beyond the Badge

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://www.shaunnestor.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Blog](https://www.shaunnestor.com/blog/)
- [The Power of Niche – Why Focusing on a Specific Market is Key](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-power-of-niche-why-focusing-on-a-specific-market-is-key/) - What’s your niche? The intersection of your skills, passion, and market demand is your sweet spot. Once you define it, you can build a business that serves with clarity and purpose.
- [How to Overcome Self-Doubt When Transitioning from Law Enforcement to the Private Sector](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-overcome-self-doubt-when-transitioning-from-law-enforcement-to-the-private-sector/) - Feeling uncertain about transitioning from law enforcement to the private sector? Learn how to overcome self-doubt by reframing your experience, finding support, and continuously building confidence
- [Books I Read in 2017](https://www.shaunnestor.com/books-read-2017/) - 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
- [What is Engagement Bait](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-is-engagement-bait/) - What is Engagement Bait by Shaun Nestor | Dec 19, 2017 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
- [Vine's Announcement Underscores This Important Marketing Advice](https://www.shaunnestor.com/vines-announcement-underscores-this-important-marketing-advice/) - Vine’s Announcement Underscores This Important Marketing Advice by Shaun Nestor | Oct 27, 2016 [bctt _builder_version=”3.0.47″][/bctt]
- [Finding Hope and Purpose This Holiday Season: Lessons for Life Beyond the Badge](https://www.shaunnestor.com/finding-hope-and-purpose-this-holiday-season-lessons-for-life-beyond-the-badge/) - Discover how the holiday season can help you reflect, refocus, and reignite your sense of purpose as you transition out of law enforcement.
- [The Emotional Side of Transitioning Careers: How to Navigate Uncertainty and Stay Resilient](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-emotional-side-of-transitioning-careers-how-to-navigate-uncertainty-and-stay-resilient/) - Discover how to turn the challenges of career transitions into opportunities for growth, resilience, and rediscovery in this actionable guide for law enforcement professionals.
- [The Power of Adaptive Leadership in Crisis Situations](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-power-of-adaptive-leadership-in-crisis-situations/) - Adaptive leadership isn't just about leading in normal conditions; it's about staying agile in moments of crisis. These five tips will help you pivot your team in real-time to improve outcomes.
- [The Transformative Power of Leadership in Law Enforcement](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-transformative-power-of-leadership-in-law-enforcement/) - Unlock the power of law enforcement leadership! Discover how effective leaders shape recruitment, boost morale, and drive change. Dive in for insights into the evolving landscape of policing.
- [Top Mistakes Police Officers Make When Leaving Law Enforcement—and How to Avoid Them](https://www.shaunnestor.com/top-mistakes-police-officers-make-when-leaving-law-enforcement-and-how-to-avoid-them/) - Leaving law enforcement is no easy task, but avoiding these common mistakes can make all the difference. Learn how to network effectively, translate your skills, and prepare emotionally for a smooth career transition.
- [Discovering Your First Responder Business Skills Beyond the Badge](https://www.shaunnestor.com/discovering-your-first-responder-business-skills-beyond-the-badge/) - Unlock the potential within you! Join our Beyond the Badge cohort for first responders and turn your unique skills into a profitable first responder business.
- [Forget Networking—Here’s How to Build a Support Squad That Will Boost Your Career](https://www.shaunnestor.com/forget-networking-heres-how-to-build-a-support-squad-that-will-boost-your-career/) - Tired of awkward networking events? Learn how to build a supportive community of people who will help you grow, succeed, and thrive in your next career.
- [Why Every Police Officer Is a Subject Matter Expert — Even If They Don’t Know It](https://www.shaunnestor.com/why-every-police-officer-is-a-subject-matter-expert-even-if-they-dont-know-it/) - Police officers often overlook the value of their own expertise, but the skills they’ve developed in law enforcement make them highly sought-after experts in other industries.
- [The Best Jobs for Retiring Cops Are Hidden Secrets Only Insiders Know About](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-best-jobs-for-retiring-cops-are-hidden-secrets-only-insiders-know-about/) - Uncover the hidden world of ghost job listings—perfect opportunities for retiring cops that only industry insiders know about.
- [How Retiring Officers can Shape the Future of Law Enforcement](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-retiring-police-officers-can-shape-the-future-of-law-enforcement/) - Discover how retiring police officers can become the key to bridging the experience gap and strengthening the future of law enforcement.
- [It's been a while ... But](https://www.shaunnestor.com/its-been-a-while-but/) - Have you ever received a message from a business associate, brand, or vendor that started with, "It's been a while, but ..." where they then launch into a pitch of their new product or service offering? How does that make you feel? The, "It's been a while" part should not be glossed over. A lot
- [Everything About Everything](https://www.shaunnestor.com/everything-about-everything/) - One of the greatest parts of my job is the opportunity to connect with special entrepreneurs who have cracked the code on something great. They each have their own story, their own passion, their own reason for being in existence. When I meet them, they are often at the point where they're trying to find
- [The Diminishing Return of Tasks](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-diminishing-return-of-tasks/) - At what point does a long list of tasks become counterproductive? In economics, there is a concept called the point of diminishing returns. My Econ teacher explained it using the classroom as an example: if the 30 students were tasked with placing 60 chairs and 15 tables in the classroom, two students could do it
- [The Value of Trust](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-value-of-trust/) - Don’t rely on questionable transparency reports to convince the world you are good. And don’t shrug off a data breach impacting millions of your customers. Understand the value of trust.
- [Pencil vs The Sharpie](https://www.shaunnestor.com/pencil-vs-the-sharpie/) - When we judge on perception or unspoken expectations, we set our people up for failure.
- [Beyond Your Why](https://www.shaunnestor.com/beyond-your-why/) - Moving Beyond Your Why - how finding alignment in different perspectives will lead to a stronger team and purpose
- [Open-Ended Solutions](https://www.shaunnestor.com/open-ended-solutions/) - How we frame the question opens up the conversation with our client How we - as the expert - frame our opening statements sets the stage for the interaction with the client. If you’ve ever walked into a retail store and were greeted with, “Let me know if you need anything,” you probably didn’t buy
- [Meets Expectations](https://www.shaunnestor.com/meets-expectations/) - What got you to where you are will not get you to where you’re going. On most employee evaluations, we can be categorized in three standards: Exceeds Expectations, Meets Expectations, and Needs Improvement. Those who excel or consistently exceed expectations are often promoted. However, the new title does not absolve them from their previous tasks.
- [Carrots and Sticks, Streaks and Nudges](https://www.shaunnestor.com/carrots-and-sticks-streaks-and-nudges/) - Nudges change our behavior, but what behavior are we changing and why? My Apple Watch has daily, weekly, and monthly fitness goals built-in. I wish it had “Vacation Mode” or “Rest Day.” My Kindle rewards me with a digital badge for reading daily. I wish it had a “I read off-line today” button. Corporate 401(k)
- [Listening](https://www.shaunnestor.com/listening/) - Listening is good, hearing is better. A foundational element to every relationship is communication. Often, we think of communication as projecting our message - through voice, written word, gestures, or signs. More important than talking is listening. And more important than listening is hearing. Hearing allows us have meaningful conversation, discover understanding, build relationships, solve
- [All The Right Questions](https://www.shaunnestor.com/all-the-right-questions/) - In our current culture, there is a lot of pressure to be the one with all the answers. The expert, the go-to, or the decision-maker. In our current culture, there is a lot of pressure to be the one with all the answers. The expert, the go-to, or the decision-maker. Far more valuable is the
- [The Power of Emotional Intelligence](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-power-of-emotional-intelligence/) - Applying emotional intelligence to yourself and those around you gives you the insight to see beyond what is happening on the surface.
- [A Reason For Thanks this Thanksgiving](https://www.shaunnestor.com/a-reason-for-thanks-this-thanksgiving/) - There is far more to be thankful for this year than in years past. Personally, I find Thanksgiving to be a "reset", a time to come together with loved ones after the adventures of summer. Wedding season is over, summer vacations are over, school is back in session, new chapters have begun, and seasons have
- [We Use Only The Worst Quality Ingredients](https://www.shaunnestor.com/use-worst-quality-ingredients/) - These words have never been used in any marketing campaign promoting goods. Who would use the worst? In a world where your competition uses "the best quality ingredients" and offers the "best customer service" or provides the "best value," you must position yourself as the natural alternative to "the best." What actually sets you apart?
- [You’re a Media Company Now](https://www.shaunnestor.com/youre-media-company-now/) - The best marketers are storytellers. They sell the emotion, not the product 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... They care about the origins and ingredients of the products they use. They
- [Comparison is the thief of…](https://www.shaunnestor.com/comparison-is-the-thief-of/) - In today’s culture, it is nearly impossible to ignore “success.” We are bombarded with images of celebrities, megamansions, exotic sports cars, private jets, and extravagance. Our social media feeds are filled with perfectly crafted photos of avocado toast, beach-ready bodies, impeccably organized homes, and sunsets framed in far-off locales. The problem with buying into this
- [5 Strategies to Becoming a Better Writer](https://www.shaunnestor.com/5-strategies-to-becoming-a-better-writer/) - Writing is important for any business. In the world of online branding and presentation, strong copy is the backbone of your company blog, website, and social media posts. But while some people are born with a knack for writing, others struggle with it. Becoming a better writer takes time and patience, but there are some
- [Purposeful Planning: How to Plan and Achieve Your Goals](https://www.shaunnestor.com/purposeful-planning-how-to-plan-and-achieve-your-goals/) - We are quickly approaching the end of the year and we will soon be overrun with year-end recaps and rushed New Year’s resolutions. How can we set ourselves up for success?
- [How To Get The Most Out of Social Media](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-social-media/) - Social media grew in popularity because it bridged gaps and allowed for nearly any conceivable tribe to find one another in solidarity. Now, we're wrestling with divisiveness, anger, and mental illnesses all stemming from social media. Why is this? I propose it is because we lost sight of what made social media a success in
- [Taking a Risk on Dissent: How to Disagree and Commit](https://www.shaunnestor.com/taking-a-risk-on-dissent-how-to-disagree-and-commit/) - Jeff Bezos instilled a principle at Amazon called disagree and commit. The idea is that we can disagree with our opposition, but commit to trying their suggestion. More often than not, they don’t know if their idea will work. Just like we don’t know if our idea will work. It takes trust - a little
- [The One Bully: Overcoming the Negative Voice](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-one-bully-overcoming-the-negative-voice/) - When we build in public, we open ourselves up to criticism. When we pursue our passion, we put ourselves out there for failure. When we accept the promotion, we will be gossiped about. When we ship a product, sell a solution, or deliver a result, we risk an unhappy customer. However, the odds are far
- [21 Questions to Make Your Year-end Goal Setting More Effective](https://www.shaunnestor.com/21-questions-to-make-your-year-end-goal-setting-more-effective/) - A blueprint to craft a successful 2022 Two weeks ago, I shared the framework I use for goal setting and future planning. Based on the feedback, many of you found it helpful to have a starting place to organize your goals. In addition to goal setting (future-looking), I find that reflecting on the year is
- [What are UTM Parameters? And how to use them to track your marketing efforts](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-are-utm-parameters-and-how-to-use-them-to-track-your-marketing-efforts/) - At first glance, UTM parameters might seem like a confusing mess, but they’re actually a lot simpler than you think. In this post, we’ll explain what UTM parameters (sometimes referred to as UTM Tags or UTM Codes) are and how you can use them to track your marketing performance. UTM parameters are short text codes
- [You're Unique ... just like everybody else](https://www.shaunnestor.com/youre-unique-just-like-everybody-else/) - How to define your unique positioning statement In a world full of "me too!" and cheap knock-offs, it can be difficult to differentiate ourselves from the competition. A quick search on Amazon for anything from heated blankets to phone chargers returns hundreds, if not thousands of results. How can you stand out? How does your
- [Understanding and Defining Your Guiding Principles and Values](https://www.shaunnestor.com/understanding-and-defining-your-guiding-principles-and-values/) - Your guiding principles serve as guardrails and filters for difficult decisions and tough choices. The Ancient Greek aphorism "know thyself" is an oft-cited phrase that can be found in nearly every self-help book ever published. In the earliest known uses of the phrase, Greek playwright Aeschylus uses it in the context that most modern TikTok
- [Matt D’Avella on Creator Burnout and Building an Audience for the Long Run](https://www.shaunnestor.com/matt-davella-on-creator-burnout-and-building-an-audience-for-the-long-run/) - Preface: This week I am doing something very different. I came across an interview with filmmaker, Matt D'Avella, about the stress of constantly creating content. He articulates this so well that I feel it best just to share the introduction of the interview. I encourage you to read the entire piece. - Everyone wants a
- [The Best Productivity Apps for Entrepreneurs (2022 Edition)](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-best-productivity-apps-for-entrepreneurs-2022-edition/) - With so many things competing for your time, it can be hard to prioritize and get everything done. Fortunately, there are tons of great productivity apps for entrepreneurs to help streamline your workflow. Whether you’re just starting out, or find yourself drowning in a sea of tasks, these tools are here to help you stay
- [Overcoming Imposter Syndrome](https://www.shaunnestor.com/overcoming-imposter-syndrome/) - When we try something new - especially when that something is public - the loud, internal critic highlights the cracks, flaws, and mistakes. The internal critic triggers self-doubt, false narratives, and - occasionally - paralyzing fear. The fear of being “found out” as a fraud; one whose experience or advice can be questioned. Where the
- [The Work We Do: How to get more done without sacrificing what’s important](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-work-we-do-how-to-get-more-done-without-sacrificing-whats-important/) - Often, our schedule, calendar, and routine all operate on auto-pilot. Meeting requests are mindlessly accepted, appointments are made, and tasks are checked off. The To-Do list gets longer and our feed fills up with more noise. At some point, more is pushed to “Tomorrow” or – worse – “Someday.” And Someday is a death sentence
- [Go Slow and Grow Things](https://www.shaunnestor.com/go-slow-and-grow-things/) - Consider going against the grain and nurturing what is most important. A common refrain in the tech world is, "go fast and break things." And it seems this mantra is widely accepted as sound business advice. Who wouldn’t want to go fast, to get there sooner, or to see "hockey stick" growth? After all, that
- [I Didn't Misinterpret Anything](https://www.shaunnestor.com/i-didnt-misinterpret-anything/) - In communication, nearly every person makes this fundamental flaw in understanding Over the weekend, I was privy to a conversation between two entrepreneurs. I believe they thought they were pitted against each other in debate. From an outsider's perspective, however, they were a lot closer to agreement than they thought. The debate was carrying on,
- [Where Are the Directions?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/where-are-the-directions/) - Finding the balance between choose-your-own-adventure and this-is-how-we-do-it takes intentionality and consistency. If you've ever been surprised by "house rules" when playing a board game, you can appreciate how a lack of understanding can be detrimental. Perhaps if you had known the non-traditional rules before starting, you would have adjusted your strategy. On the other hand,
- [Grace-culture Vs Us-culture](https://www.shaunnestor.com/grace-culture-vs-us-culture/) - A grace-based culture gives allowance to grow with compassion and empathy It may seem out of place for a leadership and marketing blog to discuss the topic of grace, much less grace in the same sentence as company culture. But the health of an organization hinges on the actions and expectations of its leaders, advisors,
- [Successful Remote Work is Fueled by Emotional Intelligence](https://www.shaunnestor.com/successful-remote-work-is-fueled-by-emotional-intelligence/) - Recently Inc highlighted a 10-word remote work policy by Gravity Payments CEO, Dan Price. The policy is simple, giving employees the latitude and grace to work in an environment that works for them. Price writes, "If you get your work done, that's all that matters." In certain work environments, this approach will work just fine.
- [What Great Leaders Do](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-great-leaders-do/) - A great leader inspires those around them to reach their fullest potential, cultivates leaders, protects culture, and casts a clear vision of the mission.
- [Unscalable](https://www.shaunnestor.com/unscalable/) - Unscalable tasks are the ones we cannot do when we grow - but we must do to grow
- [How to Overcome Limiting Beliefs](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-overcome-limiting-beliefs/) - Limiting beliefs are not usually based on fact. They are based on the story we tell ourselves. Accepting this gives us the tools to overcome them.
- [How One of My Favorite Startups Nailed Their Product Hunt Launch](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-one-of-my-favorite-startups-nailed-their-product-hunt-launch/) - A Product Hunt launch can catapult a product into popularity within the tech community. One of my favorite startups, Heyday, just launched, here's how it went.
- [Survival Problems vs. Growth Problems](https://www.shaunnestor.com/survival-problems-vs-growth-problems/) - What got you here won't get you there. Let's examine Survival Problems vs. Growth Problems.
- [The Cost of Time](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-cost-of-time/) - It is easy to forget that time has a cost. As a leader, how are you spending your most precious resource?
- [The Great Debate](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-great-debate/) - Very few decisions are limited to This or That. Let's explore the fallacy of the great debate.
- [The Uninfluencer](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-uninfluencer/) - What is the trade-off for sharing your entire life with strangers? Let's talk about being an Uninfluencer.
- [The War For the Last Word](https://www.shaunnestor.com/war-for-the-last-word/) - As leaders, we must let go of the need to get the last word in. We need to expect to be snapped at. We must anticipate that others will communicate poorly.
- [Should I Niche or Not?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/should-i-niche-or-not/) - We often overvalue the possibility of attracting a customer by chance and underestimate the power of proficiency.
- [Credit Undue](https://www.shaunnestor.com/credit-undue/) - With the explosion of social media, we’ve all seen a proliferation of lovely, high-quality photos. Beautiful remote locations, stunning product photos, perfectly framed food dishes - everything looks better, sharper, and professional. At the same time, the products we use everyday have effected our behavior. Safety features in modern cars and trucks leads to an
- [Blogging For Your Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/blogging-for-your-business/) - The benefits of blogging for your business can be measured in many ways: from an increased bottom line to better-qualified clients and top-of-mind awareness to industrial authority. I cannot overstate how much a business can benefit by sharing knowledge in the form of a blog on its website. Let's touch on a few ways blogging
- [Robots vs Humans: How to Stand Out in the Future of Content Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/robots-vs-humans-how-to-stand-out-in-the-future-of-content-marketing/) - Computers - AI - will soon overwhelm human writers in terms of the volume of content produced. How can humans connect with their audience in the future of content marketing? Mark Schaefer recently posted his 10 Ideas About the Future of Content Marketing - the topic of Content Marketing and speculating about it is probably
- [How to Avoid Unnecessarily Hard Work: Four Alternatives for Effective Leaders](https://www.shaunnestor.com/four-alternatives-to-unnecessarily-hard-work/) - How to make the shift from unnecessarily hard work to effective leadership through hard work
- [Battles Make You Better](https://www.shaunnestor.com/battles-make-you-better/) - Battles Make You Better. There is beauty in the battle - lessons learned, strength discovered, and strategies tested.
- [Are You Marketing to a Prospect or a Person](https://www.shaunnestor.com/marketing-prospect-person/) - When drafting our marketing strategy, it is easy to think of the recipient as a prospect or customer. But we forget they are a human. Are you marketing to a prospect or a person?
- [How to Charge for the First "Meet the Team" Meeting](https://www.shaunnestor.com/charge-first-meet-team-meeting/) - Here are three things to keep in mind when deciding to charge for the first meet the team meeting.
- [How to Overcome Just About Everything](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-overcome-just-about-everything/) - Don't get trapped in the insecurity loop, instead, focus on the audience. They matter.
- [The Ghosting Generation](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-ghosting-generation/) - To stand out in the ghosting generation, many times, all we have to do is show up.
- [Would They Miss You If You Were Gone?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/would-they-miss-you-if-you-were-gone/) - Be so good they would miss you if you were gone.
- [Leadership Styles: are you a Maintainer or Motivator?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/leadership-styles-are-you-a-maintainer-or-motivator/) - Any leader who wants to take their organization to new levels must be able to motivate their team to move forward.
- [The Leadership Ladder](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-leadership-ladder/) - Nothing is more tragic for a leader than to get to the top of the ladder and realize you’re all alone. Invest in others. Help build their ladder.
- [Shopify or Squarespace: which is better for ecommerce?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/shopify-or-squarespace-which-is-better-for-ecommerce/) - Shopify and Squarespace are two of the most popular ecommerce platforms available. They both have their pros and cons, but which one is the best for your e-commerce business?
- [4 Ways to Become a True Thought Leader](https://www.shaunnestor.com/4-ways-to-become-a-true-thought-leader/) - A true thought leader brings a human element to the conversation, provides a unique perspective, breaks down barriers, and exposes underlying themes.
- [What Recent Instagram Changes Mean for Content Creators](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-recent-instagram-changes-mean-for-content-creators/) - All over the web there are hundreds of content creators realizing they must either adapt their content into the new video-heavy format of Instagram or be left in the dark.
- [What is Leadership (Actually)](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-is-leadership-actually/) - What is leadership? There is a lot of talk about it, but what is it actually? Leadership is not titles, roles, or positions. It is far more nuanced. And accessible.
- [<strong>How To Use Content Marketing to Attract Your Ideal Customer</strong>](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-use-content-marketing-to-attract-your-ideal-customer/) - In the era of digital saturation, you may question how to use content marketing to attract your ideal customer. Let's explore some benefits and strategies.
- [Death By Committee](https://www.shaunnestor.com/death-by-committee/) - I think death by committee - ultimate inaction - is worse than making the wrong decision.
- [It's Not For You](https://www.shaunnestor.com/its-not-for-you/) - Intentionality and - in some cases, exclusivity - in your product positioning is key to a successful sales strategy. Because not everyone is your customer.
- [Are You Afraid to Identify as a Leader?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/are-you-afraid-to-identify-as-a-leader/) - The reluctance to identify as a leader has kept many capable people from taking on leadership responsibilities. Why are good people uncomfortable with thinking of themselves as leaders?
- [How To Create a Healthy Work-Life Balance While Engaging with Social Media](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-create-a-healthy-work-life-balance-while-engaging-with-social-media/) - Here are a couple of tips to power up your social media without burning out your personal life.
- [How to Successfully Schedule Your Time as an Entrepreneur](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-successfully-schedule-your-time-as-an-entrepreneur/) - If you want to be successful as an entrepreneur, you need to schedule your time. This guide will help you create a realistic, effective, and sustainable schedule.
- [The Losing Strategy of The 'No-Win' Mentality](https://www.shaunnestor.com/no-win-mentality/) - As leaders, we must elevate above the noise and end this self-destructive culture of, "I'm going to make sure you lose."
- [Stop Discounting Your Products and Services](https://www.shaunnestor.com/stop-discounting-your-products-and-services/) - Stop discounting your products and services. Instead, charge what you're worth, be confident in your value, and target customers who accept your pricing.
- [How Did We Get Here?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-did-we-get-here/) - Leaders need to understand the nuance and be able to build a culture that answers, "How did we get here?"
- [Don't Wait Until You're Perfect to Start](https://www.shaunnestor.com/dont-wait-until-youre-perfect-to-start/) - Don't wait until you're perfect to start. Waiting, putting yourself in a never-ending cycle of pause, only hinders you in the long run.
- [What Is Evergreen Content?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-is-evergreen-content/) - What is Evergreen Content? It is a type of content that remains relevant and useful long after it's been published. It's the kind of content that you can continue to come back to again and again within your marketing strategy.
- [Why Thinking In Small Bets Will Save Your Project](https://www.shaunnestor.com/why-thinking-in-small-bets-will-save-your-project/) - Small bets early in your project force you to do what is important first: prove your thesis, talk to customers, and get paid for your work upfront
- [More Isn't Always Better: Why a Product Line Simplification Might be What Your New Business Needs](https://www.shaunnestor.com/more-isnt-always-better-why-a-product-line-simplification-might-be-what-your-new-business-needs/) - Simplify your product offering. By "owning" a niche you can establish yourself as a true subject matter expert and give your customer clarity, not confusion.
- [Read This Later](https://www.shaunnestor.com/read-this-later/) - Read This Later has great intentions, but leads to being overwhelmed. Here's how to overcome the digital information overload with a simple formula.
- [Social Media Engagement Is a Low Form of Influence](https://www.shaunnestor.com/social-media-engagement-is-a-low-form-of-influence/) - Rather than measuring vanity metrics like Likes, Retweets, or Comments, measure what matters: real people eagerly buying and sharing your product.
- [The Tactic of Trust: how to authentically build trust](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-tactic-of-trust-how-to-authentically-build-trust/) - Brands have promises, politicians have taglines, companies have core values, marriages have vows, and society has norms. All mechanisms for instilling trust. We trust a chair will support us when we sit, that our money will maintain value, and our lights will come on when we flip the switch. We trust the food from the
- [Common Digital Marketing Strategy Pitfalls (And How to Avoid Them)](https://www.shaunnestor.com/common-digital-marketing-strategy-pitfalls/) - Developing a digital marketing strategy is the key to success in today's competitive online environment. Let's talk about how you can create your own.
- [When You Doubt Your Self-Worth](https://www.shaunnestor.com/when-you-doubt-your-self-worth/) - Leadership positions can be incredibly isolating - they can lead to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. Here is how to overcome those feelings when you doubt your self-worth.
- [All The Best](https://www.shaunnestor.com/all-the-best/) - The focus of the coming year will be more 1:1 consulting with my clients and the launch of a leadership cohort. All the best to you and your business.
- [Boost Your Content Creation Game with These Must-Have Tools](https://www.shaunnestor.com/boost-your-content-creation-game-with-these-must-have-tools/) - Here is my current collection of recommended tools for content creators, including social media management, writing assistance, and content organization.
- [Jack of All Trades, Master of One](https://www.shaunnestor.com/jack-of-all-trades-quote/) - The phrase “Jack of all trades, master of none” is Benjamin Franklin misquoted. Instead, he encouraged others to be a “Jack of all trades, and a master of one”
- [How to Handle Client Change Requests During a Project](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-deal-with-client-change-requests-during-a-project/) - Do you have a plan to handle client change requests? If not, here are some suggestions so your project is not thrown off the rails.
- [How To Respond When A Guy Asks You Out For Coffee](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-respond-when-a-guy-asks-you-out-for-coffee/) - Flattering or awkward? Let's talk about how to respond when a guy asks you out for coffee. Here are some options for what to say and how to respond.
- [9 Important Social Media Marketing Questions Small Business Owners Must Know](https://www.shaunnestor.com/social-media-marketing-questions-plaguing-small-business-owners/) - There are a lot of positives to social media marketing. There is also a lot to consider depending on your business needs and how social media marketing will work for you.
- [Replacing Urgent with Important](https://www.shaunnestor.com/replacing-urgent-with-important/) - What if we commit to being a little more intentional about spending those precious minutes on what is important, not just what is urgent.
- [A Love Note to Entrepreneurs](https://www.shaunnestor.com/love-note-entrepreneurs/) - One of the biggest challenges we face, as creators and innovators, is understanding how to make our ideas resonate. Please find encouragement in this love note to entrepreneurs.
- [How to Set An Hourly Rate As a Freelancer or Subject Matter Expert](https://www.shaunnestor.com/im-starting-an-influencer-marketing-agency-how-much-should-my-hourly-rates-for-my-services-be/) - Learning how to set an hourly rate as a freelancer or expert is often a mystery. Let's talk about how to get paid what you're worth.
- [How and When to Start A Blog For Your Brand](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-and-when-to-start-a-blog-for-your-brand/) - There is power in a blog! Follow along as I discuss how and when to start a blog for your brand. You'll learn the ins and outs of blogging for your business.
- [5 Networking Disasters You Can Make on LinkedIn](https://www.shaunnestor.com/5-networking-disasters-can-make-linkedin/) - With more than 360 million professionals registered on LinkedIn, it can feel like you struck networking-gold. After just a couple keystrokes, you can find dozens of potential clients in a certain city, with the right title and at the right kind of company. As an agency owner, it sure can be tempting to connect with every
- [How to Start Your Professional Social Media Presence](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-start-your-professional-social-media-presence/) - By now, I'm sure the need for social media in your business is apparent. That said, a recent survey indicated that only 6% of businesses were successfully using social media to generate sales leads for their brand. If you are a part of the staggering 94% not using social media (or not using it efficiently)
- [3 Tips to Convert Your Existing Website to a Sales Machine](https://www.shaunnestor.com/3-tips-to-convert-your-exisiting-website-to-a-sales-machine/) - In my conversations with brand owners and marketing VPs, many of them have indicated that their website is listed as an expense line item rather than an asset. Why? In today's market, a website should be the most valuable salesperson on your team -- and certainly listed as an asset. A strong, highly-optimized website is
- [Authentic You vs Crazy Everybody](https://www.shaunnestor.com/authentic-you-vs-crazy-everybody/) - Many marketers, myself included to some degree, have preached the importance of being authentic in your marketing. I was recently asked about this and realized that “your authentic self” has different meanings to different people.
- [A Vendor vs A Trusted Advisor](https://www.shaunnestor.com/a-vendor-vs-a-trusted-advisor/) - Are you a vendor or a trusted advisor? How you position yourself dramatically influences how your customer feels throughout the engagement.
- [Starting With a The End in Front](https://www.shaunnestor.com/starting-end-front/) - Define your ideal customer and address every possible objection they have.
- [Your One Thing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/one-thing/) - Rather than attempt to duplicate Apple's one more thing, focus on your one thing. What is your reason for being? Choose your one thing and beat everyone else at doing it.
- [The Value of Values](https://www.shaunnestor.com/value-values/) - Core values and mission statements mean nothing unless the organization aligns with them. Don't write them and tuck them away.
- [Setting the Course: Creating a Strategic Plan for Your Agency](https://www.shaunnestor.com/setting-course-creating-strategic-plan-agency/) - To say agency life is busy may be an understatement. Work isn’t confined to the normal 9-5 schedule, and it can feel like there are never enough hours in the day to find new business, make sure existing clients are happy, contribute to projects, and lead a team of employees. Oh, and you still need
- [The Convenient Controversy](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-convenient-controversy/) - As soon as one attention-grabbing headline starts to wane, another will conveniently appear, starting the cycle over again. Playing on your emotion, attention, time, energy and mental health.
- [36 Places To Get Free Images For Your Blog (2022 Edition)](https://www.shaunnestor.com/36-places-to-get-free-images-for-your-blog/) - They say a picture is worth a thousand words. As content creators, sometimes it is hard to get free images for our work. Here are some places to check out.
- [How to Become a Freelancer with No Experience](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Habits of Unsuccessful People vs. Successful People](https://www.shaunnestor.com/habits-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 Habits of Unsuccessful People Easily give up Fear change Act before they
- [How To Use a Buyer's Journey to Increase Sales](https://www.shaunnestor.com/using-buyers-journey-increases-sales/) - It pains me to see sales professionals doing the right thing, yet miss the mark when it comes to their monthly or quarterly sales goals. I've watched as brands dump money into their sales and marketing budgets to expand their brand awareness, increase sales, and decrease the workload of these departments only to be met
- [How I Work: My Toolbox For Marketing a Modern Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/work-toolbox-running-modern-business/) - Running any business is challenging. Running an agency like Never Mind Marketing is even more complex. We essentially help 21 different companies run their marketing departments at any one time. Keeping track of campaigns, goals, challenges, personas, communications, and upcoming projects for 21 different teams means we need to have our own internal process locked
- [How to Generate Business Leads from Pinterest](https://www.shaunnestor.com/generate-business-leads-pinterest/) - Pinterest is one of the more popular social media platforms today. In fact, if you are not careful, you can find many hours of a lazy Saturday afternoon consumed by it.... not that I am speaking from experience. Pinterest is popular because it gives users the ability to quickly and visually categorize things they like.
- [6 Critical Steps To Master Before Using Social Media for Your Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/6-critical-steps-master-using-social-media-business/) - Social media remains a hot topic in the world of business - and rightly so. No other marketing platform gives brands such direct access to consumers and vice versa. Consumers love following their favorite brands, seeing what their friends are interested in, and finding new brands or products. There are some basic stepping stones brands
- [Hindsight Being 20/20: What Digital Influencers Wish They knew](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-digital-influencers-wish-they-knew/) - The world of digital marketing and online marketing is so fast-paced that it can be scary to put yourself out there. You don’t want to try something new and fail. You don’t want to make a mistake that could cost you your reputation or brand. I understand your trepidation. As a coach or consultant, it
- [$50,000 Per Hour? The Problem With Hourly Rates for Coaches and Consultants](https://www.shaunnestor.com/50000-per-hour-the-problem-with-hourly-rates-for-coaches-and-consultants/) - You're leaving money on the table and short-changing both yourself and your client When consultants or coaches base their price on the hour, they are doing themselves and the client a disservice. It is common practice for coaches, consultants, freelancers, or experts to charge per-hour to solve the problems of the clients. We got to
- [How to Tell Your Clients You're Raising Your Prices](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-tell-your-clients-youre-raising-your-prices/) - It’s hard enough asking your boss for a raise. But, it’s a whole new ballgame when you’re the boss and you decide to increase your rates. First, it can be hard to tell if you are really justified in charging more for your services (you don’t have someone like a boss to “approve” the raise).
- [5-Minute Guide: Getting Started in Podcasting](https://www.shaunnestor.com/5-minute-guide-getting-started-podcasting/) - If you thought podcasting had its 15 minutes of fame and became outdated, then you obviously haven’t been following the explosive fame of “Serial,” the fastest podcast to reach 5 million downloads in the history of iTunes. The show centers around a journalist’s re-investigation of a 15-year-old murder story. “Serial” has consistently topped the iTunes
- [How to Attract More Backlinks To Your Website](https://www.shaunnestor.com/attract-backlinks-website/) - Success in the world of online marketing is driven by hundreds of factors. But, if we boil them down, getting more people to your website is really about two things: Original, Consistent, High-Quality Content Links I've talked a lot about generating new content (here, here, here, here, and here). So today I'll talk about the
- [Is It Hustle? Or something else?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/hustle-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
- [How to Achieve Work-Life Balance as a Freelancer](https://www.shaunnestor.com/achieve-work-life-balance-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 of months of wearing lounge-y clothes during the day and answering work emails at night, you may find yourself losing track of the day
- [Living The Life You Deserve: Intentionally](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Leading the Leader](https://www.shaunnestor.com/leading-the-leader-2/) - We are led by something. Whether we care to admit it or not, we are all being led by something. We may be being led by people around us who influence us, the current culture that has sway over us, or even our own emotions - which can be unreliable or even misleading. As leaders
- [Authentic You vs Crazy Everybody](https://www.shaunnestor.com/authentic-you-vs-crazy-everybody-2/) - More outrage leads to more attention. Many marketers, myself included to some degree, have preached the importance of being authentic in your marketing. I was recently asked about this and realized that “your authentic self” has different meanings to different people. There is a difference in “being real” and “being yourself.” For example, we are
- [How to Find Product Market Fit: The Secret to Building a Successful Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-find-product-market-fit/) - Product market fit is about identifying a specific audience and then ensuring that your product meets their needs. In other words, it's making sure you're helping a specific audience make progress against that audience's common problems. It's obviously valuable to understand what you're selling and who you're targeting. But perhaps it's even more important to
- [Are You Helping Your Next Customer Buy From You?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/helping-next-customer-buy/) - 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
- [How to Know Exactly What Your Prospect Is Thinking](https://www.shaunnestor.com/know-exactly-prospect-thinking/) - Wouldn't it be helpful if you knew exactly what your next customer was thinking? Believe it or not, your prospects have a lot of questions about your product they want answered before they contact you. We know from studying the behavior of buyers, that they progress through three stages of the buying process: Awareness >
- [The First Step of Your Marketing Strategy](https://www.shaunnestor.com/first-step-marketing-strategy/) - Your primary marketing mission should be to add value to your customers. Everything else will fall into place. When the focus of your marketing strategy is to add value, you naturally align with the needs of your customers. No longer is your sales department the 'enemy', but a team of trusted industry advisors. When a customer
- [Are You The Right Fit For Inbound Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/right-fit-inbound-marketing/) - Inbound marketing has radically changed the traditional sales process. The basic premise of inbound is reaching the right people, at the right time, with the right content. The idea of a sales funnel has been around since the late 1800s, we have adapted several iterations of this model; which maps the process a theoretical customer
- [Content Marketing Statistics for 2014](https://www.shaunnestor.com/content-marketing-statistics-2014/) - The world of marketing has changed drastically in the last decade. We are experiencing a full-scale assault on traditional marketing tactics. The weapon of choice: content marketing. Content marketing is a powerful tool for building a brand following, capturing sales leads, and driving your website to the top of search engine rankings. The basic premise
- [Blueprint for the Perfect Blog Post](https://www.shaunnestor.com/blueprint-perfect-blog-post/) - Blogging is one of the easiest and fastest ways to build a loyal following and increase revenue for your brand. However, many folks find it hard to get started because they don't understand all of the elements of effective blogging. The truth is, we are uncomfortable in the uncertain. I'd like to help take some
- [A Few Topics to Consider](https://www.shaunnestor.com/a-few-topics-to-consider/) - I hope you find these mini-topics helpful, inspiring, and encouraging I was having difficulty settling on a topic for today’s newsletter. I had a number of small ideas that, individually, would not justify a post. I’ll list a few of them. I hope you find encouragement or inspiration in these. As always, if there is
- [How To Start An Email List From Scratch: A Complete Guide To Email Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-start-an-email-list/) - Starting an email list from scratch can seem overwhelming. There are so many things to consider, like what to offer, how to build trust with your audience, and how to create a lead magnet that converts. But don't worry! In this post, I'm going to walk you through everything you need to know about building
- [Why I am an Unapologetic, Raving Evangelist for Inbound Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/unapologetic-raving-evangelist-inbound-marketing/) - I don't just like inbound marketing. I believe in it. I'm a raving fan of it. An ambassador. When I started Never Mind Marketing, the now-pillars of inbound were only loosely connected. We knew web design and layout were important, we knew search engine optimization was important, and we knew that social media was important.
- [Time Management Tips for Social Media Brand Managers](https://www.shaunnestor.com/time-management-tips-for-social-media-brand-managers/) - One of the top concerns with any brand owner or manager is the time suck that is social media. It seems that any "quick update" on Facebook results in the loss of a week's worth of productivity as you mindlessly check out pictures of cats, food, and your friend's children. That said, social media is
- [Your Internal GPS](https://www.shaunnestor.com/your-internal-gps/) - Your journey requires two known points Yesterday I spoke with a client who was facing uncertainty. Both professionally and personally, she is feeling unfulfilled. She said, “I am just feeling lost and I don’t know what I’m doing.” I think considering these last 12 months, such a feeling is understandable. I asked what she was
- [Content Overload](https://www.shaunnestor.com/content-overload/) - More, more, more! The danger of our content creation and consumption Content creation is more than a trending topic in the marketing world. It has become increasingly necessary to stand out and a way in which to measure the reach or success of a brand. Not only is there an expectation of creating content, but
- [What Should I Write About?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-should-i-write-about/) - Content, Content, Content! But what do you publish? Without a doubt, experts and service providers understand the importance of creating and publishing content. When we share our knowledge and expertise, we attract an audience of prospective clients and build brand awareness. But what do we share? All this talk of publishing and it seems like
- [How B2B Trade Shows can Benefit from Social Media](https://www.shaunnestor.com/b2b-trade-shows-can-benefit-social-media/) - Some of my favorite speaking gigs are B2B trade shows. Most often, the attendees of my sessions are business owners themselves, or a representative tasked with learning "how to do social media". It is exciting to me to see the "Aha!" moments on the faces of those who realize social media isn't just for sharing
- [How to Ask Clients for Referrals [3 Scripts]](https://www.shaunnestor.com/3-scripts-asking-clients-referrals/) - You can spend hours Googling the best tips, tricks and best practices on how to ask clients for referrals, but one thing is missing from all those articles: the actual words that are supposed to come out of your mouth. Where is a referral script!? We’ve all been in that situation, whether professional or personal,
- [Coronavirus: Remote Work Roundup](https://www.shaunnestor.com/coronavirus-remote-work-roundup/) - With coronavirus (COVID-19) madness dominating the headlines, it is a good time to consider the remote work concept. Whatever you may call it, remote work, telecommuting, distributed work, or just working from home, there is a place for all of us - not just coaches and freelancers - to consider alternative workspaces. I've collated a
- [How Is That Working For You? Perhaps Try This Instead](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-is-that-working-for-you-perhaps-try-this-instead/) - Every day (no exaggeration), I receive unsolicited emails or LinkedIn messages pimping products or services. The latest batch is in the link building / app development / SEO services realm, but the industries shift. Tomorrow, it may be something else. My question to those taking this approach: how is that working for you? How is
- [3 Tips for Managing Your To-Do List & Boosting Your Productivity](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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. Your schedule is yours
- [Remove Frustration with Social Media Scheduling](https://www.shaunnestor.com/remove-frustration-social-media-scheduling/) - Have you ever felt overwhelmed trying to manage your brand's social media accounts? Or wake up in a panic wondering if you have published a time-sensitive promotion to your social media followers? What about the feeling of being chained to your computer or mobile device to maintain a consistent presence? It's time to put an
- [The Best Tools for Tracking and Growing Your Social Media Engagement](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-best-tools-for-tracking-and-growing-your-social-media-engagement/) - As soon as you start investing in a social media strategy for your business, you’ll run up against the challenge of proving its value. Stakeholders will inevitably ask you how to measure success on social media, and they’ll want to see numbers and graphs illustrating the hard numbers and business benefits of Twitter, Facebook, and
- [Rate Calculator for Coaches, Consultants, and Freelancers](https://www.shaunnestor.com/rate-calculator-for-coaches-and-consultants/) - What is your time worth? Every coach, consultant, and freelancer needs to know what their minimum hourly rate should be. But sometimes, it can be tricky to do the math. That’s why I created this easy-to-use Rate Calculator for Coaches and Consultants. It can help you find your minimum hourly rate in a matter of
- [How a Buyer Persona Can Help You Connect with More Coaching Clients + Close More Sales](https://www.shaunnestor.com/buyer-personas-help-connect-customers-close-sales/) - Wouldn't it be better if you knew what your buyer wanted even before they did? To be successful with inbound or content marketing, your brand - whether it is the sales team, marketing team, social media team, or coaching staff - your brand needs to deliver the right information to the right people at the
- [How to Build a Coaching Business: 5 Factors to Consider](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-build-a-coaching-business/) - Is building a coaching business the next step in your personal or professional growth? Coaching has never been easier to offer, technology advancements in remote meetings, screen sharing, digital learning environments, and scheduling tools have made building a coaching business accessible to anyone with topical expertise. But before taking any action, I recommend figuring out
- [The Best Content is Consistent](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-best-content-is-consistent/) - Thank you to everyone who has responded, shared their stories and struggles, and taken control of their content strategy. I believe content is more than just a marketing gimmick, it is a way to share your knowledge, to impact your customers, to solve problems. For that reason, I am more committed to sharing how you
- [Customers reward companies that solve their problems](https://www.shaunnestor.com/customers-reward-companies-that-solve-their-problems/) - Addressing the myth of first-mover advantage In business, there is an oft-cited first-mover advantage. It’s the idea that the first company or product to market is most likely to succeed. This isn’t always the case. In fact, three years before Jeff Bezos launched Amazon.com, Book Stacks Unlimited tried their hand at selling books online. The problem:
- [$10,000 of SEO Advice: Free](https://www.shaunnestor.com/10000-of-seo-advice-free/) - Many of your questions can be answered with one word How do I rank #1 in search engines like Google or Bing? How do I attract more website visitors? How do I convert more visitors to leads? How to I show up for more than just one keyword in search engines? How do I demonstrate
- [Your Passion and Purpose Clarify Your Perspective](https://www.shaunnestor.com/your-passion-and-purpose-clarify-your-perspective/) - In the non-stop barrage of content, it can be difficult to know how to stand out. There is a ton of generic advice when it comes marketing yourself, a product, brand, or service - but generic advice leads to generic results. And your message is too important for generic results. The best content rises to
- [Don't Let Big Tech Privacy Changes Discourage You](https://www.shaunnestor.com/dont-let-big-tech-privacy-changes-discourage-you/) - Recently, there has been a lot of focus on privacy in the tech world. Rightfully so. Big tech companies like Amazon, Google, Facebook, et al have long obliterated users’ privacy for their own benefit. For their part, Apple has announced some pretty significant changes to their operating systems that seem to benefit the users. In
- [You have no idea how important you are](https://www.shaunnestor.com/you-have-no-idea-how-important-you-are/) - This is a force multiplier beyond your own confidence These are powerful words, especially when you consider ways to personalize the end: ...to this team ...to this company ...to our success ...to this family ...to me In the context of leadership, these words supersede seniority, titles, or roles. In the context of relationships - the
- [I Don’t Know](https://www.shaunnestor.com/i-dont-know-2/) - Admitting you don’t know is not admitting weakness As leaders, it can be difficult to admit when we don’t know something. Somewhere, it became truth that a leader must know everything about everything. What a fallacy. Still, there is a pressure that we as leaders need to have everything figured out, that we cannot question
- [Freedom](https://www.shaunnestor.com/freedom/) - Freedom comes at a cost, but so does a lack of freedom Today, we celebrate America’s 245th anniversary of freedom. One of the most incredible social experiments ever conducted continues to be a beacon of hope for many. Freedom comes at a cost, I think we can agree on that. But a lack of freedom
- [When It Gets Tough, Conversations For The Win](https://www.shaunnestor.com/when-it-gets-tough-conversations-for-the-win/) - Let’s talk… I call them “crunchy conversations.” They can be awkward. Or uncertain. Or direct. They’re certainly not comfortable. But they should never be avoided. In times of uncertainty, change, difficulty, or the fog, your team and partners crave direction and guidance. They look to you for even a sliver of stability. As leaders, it
- [Drip by drip](https://www.shaunnestor.com/drip-by-drip/) - Where are we building trust I recently purchased a license for some online software. It was really on a whim. After reading the reviews, one thing over-shadowed the actual software: the lessons. Over and over, the customers cited the creator’s email lessons as the best part of the product - and it’s not even part
- [Amazing Customer Interactions](https://www.shaunnestor.com/amazing-customer-interactions/) - We have the opportunity to create memorable, shareable moments through our customer interactions. Sometimes called ‘transactional messages’, some customer interactions are often relegated to the bottom of the To Do list. Think reminder notices, policies, receipts, or the check out process. The internet has shrunk the world, leading to - among other things - a
- [Product-market fit: A non-negotiable starting point](https://www.shaunnestor.com/product-market-fit-a-non-negotiable-starting-point/) - Product market fit is achieved when you have a product with a clear value proposition that resonates with paying customers Eloquently stated by Openview Partners: Before diving into PLG [product led growth], we need to back up for a minute and acknowledge the importance of having a strong product-market fit. In a sense, it’s the combination of
- [The Most Important Customer Review of Bidsketch You'll Ever Read](https://www.shaunnestor.com/important-customer-review-bidsketch-youll-ever-read/) - As a small business owner — and a bit of a geek — I am always seeking out new tools or processes that will improve the efficiency of my coaching and consulting company; both internally and for our customers. I'm often asked which tools I recommend, how to streamline processes, and improve efficiency. When it
- [How to Respond When Someone Asks You for Coffee [Template]](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-respond-when-someone-asks-you-for-coffee-template/) - QUICK NOTE: This post is about professionals being asked out to coffee (or lunch) as a way for folks to get free advice. It has generated a ton of visitors who, I am guessing, are looking for dating advice if a guy asks you out for coffee. Lucky for you, I wrote a post just
- [Someone Referred You…Now What? How to Turn Referrals into New Clients](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-turn-referrals-into-new-clients/) - Everyone talks about how to get referrals -- the ways to get your existing clients to refer you to a new pool of people. We’re guilty of this, too. We’ve written about how to build your agency through referrals, the wrong ways to ask for referrals, and how to do the work for your clients
- [Care enough about your Craft to Charge for it](https://www.shaunnestor.com/care-enough-about-your-craft-to-charge-for-it/) - If you’re an entrepreneur or have a side hustle, I would bet my favorite LEGO set that someone has asked you to work for free. It can be tricky to tell a prospective client “no,” especially if the person asking is a friend, but you have permission to stand up for yourself. Whatever you do
- [A Simple Beginner's Guide to SEO](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-best-guide-to-seo-for-beginners/) - I ran across this infographic by DigitalHawkins; it is probably the simplest way to explain SEO (search engine optimization) to a beginner. Keep in mind that this isn’t the whole story, but it is a great start to understanding the overall idea of SEO. Cheers! Post On X How to Reach Your Customer Online First,
- [Attracting the Right Visitors](https://www.shaunnestor.com/attracting-the-right-visitors/) - I'd rather have 10 dedicated contributors than 100 random followers Last week I talked about choosing between being a generalist or defining your professional niche. One of the forgotten benefits of choosing a niche is the increased efficiency of attracting the right clients. See, when you do a little of everything, you also dilute your marketing
- [Should I niche? Or be a generalist?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/should-i-niche-or-be-a-generalist/) - To be recognized as an expert in your industry, should you choose a niche? Or position as a generalist? I am often asked about choosing a niche or maintaining a broad service offering. In my experience, when you are starting (or looking to gain more clients), defining a niche is a far better strategy than being a
- [Growing Credibility in Your Niche](https://www.shaunnestor.com/growing-credibility-in-your-niche/) - It is best to build your authority in a niche market or industry before expanding When you are aiming to get more clients, reach more readers, or build a community of fans, it is easy to assume that a broader reach is best. That’s simply not true. If you want to build credibility and authority
- [Time Invested is not Time Wasted](https://www.shaunnestor.com/time-invested-is-not-time-wasted/) - Our need to be connected often shortcuts our ability to connect with those around us 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. If anything, the now-omnipresence
- [8 Simple Leadership Values](https://www.shaunnestor.com/8-simple-leadership-values/) - Leadership is hard. Not complex. Challenges are opportunities in disguise. Lead from where you are. Educate. Nurture. Repeat. Dedication runs longer than 9-to-5. Keep going. Focus first on relationships. Sales will follow. Good leaders manage. Great leaders coach. People don’t care what you know until they know that you care. Don’t market to people. Market
- [Traits of a Leader](https://www.shaunnestor.com/traits-of-a-leader/) - The perfect summation of a leader The goal of every leader should be continued growth. Being a disciple means being both a follower and a learner. Our posture is always one of humility – knowing that we don’t know it all. Shaun Nestor
- [Twitter Enters the Paid Newsletter Game](https://www.shaunnestor.com/twitter-enters-the-paid-newsletter-game/) - This is the model for experts / influencers / coaches / consultants / teachers I’m a proponent of paid newsletters. Providers like Substack, Ghost, and Revue allow content creators to monetize their niche following. I am still growing my own, but I love the concept and execution of these platforms. BENEFITS OF PAID NEWSLETTERS Rewards content creators directly
- [Leading the Leader](https://www.shaunnestor.com/leading-the-leader/) - We all derive our insights, thoughts, and instinct from somewhere. We are led by something. Whether we care to admit it or not, we are all being led by something. We may be being led by people around us who influence us, the current culture that has sway over us, or even our own emotions
- [Besting the Outrage Ecosystem](https://www.shaunnestor.com/besting-the-outrage-ecosystem/) - We can do better than the accepted standard In 2021, I plan to write without succumbing to the outrage ecosystem. And I plan to maintain with a level-headed perspective and a clear-eyed view of our collective future. -Om This is a great goal, but also one that should go without saying. Let's be adult enough
- [A constant state of triage](https://www.shaunnestor.com/a-constant-state-of-triage/) - When we appropriately prioritize our tasks, they earn our attention. And our best work comes from intentional attention. To triage is to assign degrees of urgency to something. In the medical field, it is the process of determining the priority of patients' treatments by the severity of their condition or likelihood of recovery with and
- [The Importance of a Story](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-importance-of-a-story/) - Once there is a story, strategy, and principles, leaders take ownership and grow with mentorship, guidance, and learning from mistakes. Leonard J Marcus, authorYou're It: Crisis, Change, and How to Lead When It Matters Most
- [On Active Listening](https://www.shaunnestor.com/on-active-listening/) - I’m not trying to change your mind. I’m actually mostly trying to understand how you think and start from there. Moncef Slaoui
- [Comments are dying](https://www.shaunnestor.com/comments-are-dying/) - Recently, a number of websites I followed either removed their comments section or announced their intent to do so. We're shifting away from the social part of social media.
- [Facebook Hopes You Forget, Not Forgive](https://www.shaunnestor.com/facebook-hopes-you-forget-not-forgive/) - Once again, Facebook plays fast and loose with user's privacy, stepping back only when they get caught. Since at least 2003, Facebook has responded to criticism by offering a vague apology when rolling out privacy-eroding changes. Usually, these changes are called “features” and forced upon users with little to no warning. Staring down a storm
- [Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking](https://www.shaunnestor.com/soundtracks-the-surprising-solution-to-overthinking/) - Overthinking isn't a personality trait. It's the sneakiest form of fear. It steals time, creativity, and goals. It's the most expensive, least productive thing companies invest in without even knowing it. And it's an epidemic. When New York Times bestselling author Jon Acuff changed his life by transforming his overthinking, he wondered if other people might benefit
- [The Winning Strategy: How your coaching business can benefit from a Burger Chain](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-winning-strategy-how-your-coaching-business-can-benefit-from-a-burger-chain/) - All companies want to do well; but companies that truly succeed, well they have leaders with long-term vision and a plan to get to the top and stay there. Anyone can have a good business idea, but no matter how brilliant it is, if they are not able to define and execute a coherent long-term
- [The Art of Business Wars: Battle-Tested Lessons for Leaders and Entrepreneurs from History's Greatest Rivalries](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-art-of-business-wars-battle-tested-lessons-for-leaders-and-entrepreneurs-from-historys-greatest-rivalries/) - Business is a fight for survival. In business as in war, leaders match their wills in pursuit of opposing outcomes, they devise strategies, and marshal resources for victory. Success can turn on the smallest of details; a single tactical blunder can topple an empire. Ultimately, one side triumphs—and victory is all that matters. David Brown,
- [Should I niche? Or be a generalist?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/should-i-niche-or-be-a-generalist-2/) - I am often asked about choosing a niche or maintaining a broad service offering. In my experience, when you are starting (or looking to gain more clients), defining a niche is a far better strategy than being a generalist. That said, once you are established, you can expand your service offerings. But at the start, you must
- [As a Coach, Should I Go Niche or Be A Generalist?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/as-a-coach-should-i-go-niche-or-be-a-generalist/) - I am often asked about choosing a niche or maintaining a broad service offering. In my experience, when you are starting (or looking to gain more clients), defining a niche is a far better strategy than being a generalist. That said, once you are established, you can expand your service offerings. But at the start,
- [Growing Credibility in Your Niche](https://www.shaunnestor.com/growing-credibility-in-your-niche-2/) - It is best to build your authority in a niche market or industry before expanding When you are aiming to get more clients, reach more readers, or build a community of fans, it is easy to assume that a broader reach is best. That’s simply not true. If you want to build credibility and authority
- [Content Overload](https://www.shaunnestor.com/content-overload-2/) - Content creation is more than a trending topic in the marketing world. It has become increasingly necessary to stand out and a way in which to measure the reach or success of a brand. Not only is there an expectation of creating content, but also consuming content. Masquerading as “staying up to date”, we over-consume
- [Content Overload](https://www.shaunnestor.com/content-overload-3/) - More, more, more! The danger of our content creation and consumption Content creation is more than a trending topic in the marketing world. It has become increasingly necessary to stand out and a way in which to measure the reach or success of a brand. Not only is there an expectation of creating content, but
- [Building Your Own Branded Social Media Platform](https://www.shaunnestor.com/building-your-own-branded-social-media-platform/) - Since the early days of Snapchat, which made the format so popular, Stories have become a powerful way to engage audiences on social media. Today, over 500 million Instagram accounts use Stories every day. Now, you can publish Stories on your website — a place where you truly own your own content. With Stories, you
- [Your Internal GPS](https://www.shaunnestor.com/your-internal-gps-2/) - Yesterday I spoke with a client who was facing uncertainty. Both professionally and personally, she is feeling unfulfilled. She said, “I am just feeling lost and I don’t know what I’m doing.” I think considering these last 12 months, such a feeling is understandable. I asked what she was looking for, where she wanted to
- [Your Internal GPS](https://www.shaunnestor.com/your-internal-gps-3/) - Your journey requires two known points Yesterday I spoke with a client who was facing uncertainty. Both professionally and personally, she is feeling unfulfilled. She said, “I am just feeling lost and I don’t know what I’m doing.” I think considering these last 12 months, such a feeling is understandable. I asked what she was
- [Using Content Marketing to Grow your Coaching Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/using-content-marketing-to-grow-your-coaching-business/) - Growing a coaching business can seem like a daunting task. Coaches are often busy with client work and don’t have time to grow their business. I’ve seen this scenario play out time and time again, and it’s always a shame. We must understand the difference between working on your business vs working in your business.
- [Time Invested is not Time Wasted](https://www.shaunnestor.com/time-invested-is-not-time-wasted-2/) - Our need to be connected often shortcuts our ability to connect with those around us 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. If anything, the now-omnipresence
- [8 Simple Leadership Values](https://www.shaunnestor.com/8-simple-leadership-values-3/) - Leadership is Hard, Not Complex Challenges are opportunities in disguise. Lead from where you are. Educate. Nurture. Repeat. Dedication runs longer than 9-to-5. Keep going. Focus first on relationships. Sales will follow. Good leaders manage. Great leaders coach. People don’t care what you know until they know that you care. Don’t market to people. Market
- [Traits of a Leader](https://www.shaunnestor.com/traits-of-a-leader-2/) - The goal of every leader should be continued growth. Being a disciple means being both a follower and a learner. Our posture is always one of humility – knowing that we don’t know it all.
- [Traits of a Leader](https://www.shaunnestor.com/traits-of-a-leader-3/) - The perfect summation of a leader The goal of every leader should be continued growth. Being a disciple means being both a follower and a learner. Our posture is always one of humility – knowing that we don’t know it all.
- [Product-market fit: A non-negotiable starting point](https://www.shaunnestor.com/product-market-fit-a-non-negotiable-starting-point-2/) - Product market fit is achieved when you have a product with a clear value proposition that resonates with paying customers Eloquently stated by Openview Partners: Before diving into PLG [product led growth], we need to back up for a minute and acknowledge the importance of having a strong product-market fit. In a sense, it’s the combination
- [Leading the Leader](https://www.shaunnestor.com/leading-the-leader-3/) - We all derive our insights, thoughts, and instinct from somewhere. We are led by something. Whether we care to admit it or not, we are all being led by something. We may be being led by people around us who influence us, the current culture that has sway over us, or even our own emotions
- [Besting the Outrage Ecosystem](https://www.shaunnestor.com/besting-the-outrage-ecosystem-3/) - We can do better than the accepted standard In 2021, I plan to write without succumbing to the outrage ecosystem. And I plan to maintain with a level-headed perspective and a clear-eyed view of our collective future. -Om This is a great goal, but also one that should go without saying. Let's be adult enough
- [Besting the Outrage Ecosystem](https://www.shaunnestor.com/besting-the-outrage-ecosystem-2/) - In 2021, I plan to write without succumbing to the outrage ecosystem. And I plan to maintain with a level-headed perspective and a clear-eyed view of our collective future. -Om This is a great goal, but also one that should go without saying. Let's be adult enough to not buy into the outrage ecosystem in
- [Twitter Enters the Paid Newsletter Game](https://www.shaunnestor.com/twitter-enters-the-paid-newsletter-game-3/) - This is the model of monetization for experts / influencers / coaches / consultants / teachers. I’m a proponent of paid newsletters. Providers like Substack, Ghost, and Revue allow content creators to monetize their niche following. I am still growing my own, but I love the concept and execution of these platforms. BENEFITS OF PAID NEWSLETTERS Rewards content creators directly
- [Twitter Enters the Paid Newsletter Game](https://www.shaunnestor.com/twitter-enters-the-paid-newsletter-game-2/) - I'm a proponent of paid newsletters. Providers like Substack, Ghost, and Revue allow content creators to monetize their niche following. I am still growing my own, but I love the concept and execution of these platforms. Benefits of Paid Newsletters Rewards content creators directly Builds affinity among subscribers Both exclusive and scalable Value-building towards higher
- [The Left Handed Pen](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-left-handed-pen/) - How much would you pay for a nitrogen-pressurized, hermetically-sealed pen? What is the value of such a device? If you're on Earth, the value is pretty low. If you're a right-handed writer, the value is probably even lower. But if you're a left-handed writer, one who pushes the pen across the page, you've undoubtedly noticed
- [A constant state of triage](https://www.shaunnestor.com/a-constant-state-of-triage-2/) - When we appropriately prioritize our tasks, they earn our attention. And our best work comes from intentional attention. To triage is to assign degrees of urgency to something. In the medical field, it is the process of determining the priority of patients' treatments by the severity of their condition or likelihood of recovery with and
- [Comments Are Dying](https://www.shaunnestor.com/comments-are-dying-3/) - We're shifting away from social on social media Recently, a number of websites I followed either removed their comments section or announced their intent to do so. Frequently noted as the reason for removal included a lack of engagement, a lack of civility, a change in reader habits, or - as they were originally designed
- [Comments are dying](https://www.shaunnestor.com/comments-are-dying-2/) - We're shifting away from social on social media Recently, a number of websites I followed either removed their comments section or announced their intent to do so. Frequently noted as the reason for removal included a lack of engagement, a lack of civility, a change in reader habits, or - as they were originally designed
- [What's Important To You?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/whats-important-to-you/) - Let's Shape 2021 Together I am drafting the content plan for 2021 and want to make sure it is aligned with what you are looking for. Which of these would you like to see covered in the coming year? Do you have specific questions? Case studies? Have you tried any of these and fallen short
- [The Importance of a Story](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-importance-of-a-story-2/) - Leaders take ownership when the story aligns with the principles Once there is a story, strategy, and principles, leaders take ownership and grow with mentorship, guidance, and learning from mistakes. -Leonard J Marcus, authorYou're It: Crisis, Change, and How to Lead When It Matters Most
- [On Active Listening](https://www.shaunnestor.com/on-active-listening-2/) - I’m not trying to change your mind. I’m actually mostly trying to understand how you think, and start from there. - Moncef Slaoui
- [Unlocking Potential: 7 Coaching Skills That Transform Individuals, Teams, and Organizations](https://www.shaunnestor.com/unlocking-potential-7-coaching-skills-that-transform-individuals-teams-and-organizations/) - Michael K. Simpson, a senior consultant to FranklinCovey, has spent more than twenty-five years training executives to become effective coaches, mentoring and guiding leaders and managers to encourage and develop the talent of their people—the most important asset in any organization. In this guide, you will acquire the skills to coach your personnel from the
- [Brave New Work: Are You Ready to Reinvent Your Organization?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/brave-new-work-are-you-ready-to-reinvent-your-organization/) - He’s found that nearly everyone, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley, points to the same frustrations: lack of trust, bottlenecks in decision making, siloed functions and teams, meeting and email overload, tiresome budgeting, short-term thinking, and more. Is there any hope for a solution? Haven’t countless business gurus promised the answer, yet changed almost nothing
- [Be the Go-To: How to Own Your Competitive Market, Charge More, and Have Customers Love You For It](https://www.shaunnestor.com/be-the-go-to-how-to-own-your-competitive-market-charge-more-and-have-customers-love-you-for-it/) - In Be the Go-To, Theresa reveals a groundbreaking, step-by-step approach called the Apollo Method for Market Dominance. It’s a detailed, pragmatic recipe for becoming your market’s Go-To brand, brought to life through fascinating, behind-the-scenes stories from the Apollo Space Program, Tesla, Disney, Apple, Lego, Salesforce, Amazon, REI, and more. Use her four pillars of sustainable differentiation
- [Start Finishing: How to Go from Idea to Done](https://www.shaunnestor.com/start-finishing-how-to-go-from-idea-to-done/) - How much of your time and attention lately has been focused on things that truly matter to you? Most people's honest answer is: not enough. Everyone is buried by busywork, responsibility, distraction, and fatigue. The joy-producing, difference-making ideas are waiting for when the time is right, when the current project is over, when they have a
- [What Great Storytellers Know](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-great-storytellers-know-seven-skills-to-become-your-most-influential-and-inspiring-self/) - We all have stories. Learn how to tell yours. We've always used stories to entertain, teach, and inspire. And despite what we’re often led to believe, storytelling is not an innate ability. It’s a skill anyone—from marketers and professional communicators to parents and teachers—can, and should, master. In What Great Storytellers Know, bestselling author and
- [Demand Side Sales](https://www.shaunnestor.com/demand-side-sales/) - Here’s the truth: sales does not have to feel icky for you or your customers. In fact, with the right approach, sales can be an empowering experience for all. Bob Moesta, lifelong innovator and coarchitect of the “Jobs to be Done” theory, shares his approach for flipping the lens on sales. Bob shifts the focus
- [Vision Driven Leader](https://www.shaunnestor.com/vision-driven-leader/) - In The Vision Driven Leader, New York Times bestselling author Michael Hyatt offers six tools for crafting an irresistible vision for your business, rallying your team around the vision, and distilling it into actionable plans that drive results. Based on Michael's 40 years of experience as an entrepreneur and executive, backed by insights from organizational science and psychology,
- [Relational Intelligence](https://www.shaunnestor.com/relational-intelligence/) - Considering Jesus's relational model for choosing the twelve disciples, Relational Intelligence will walk you through how to assess your relationships, define them, discern them, align them, and finally activate your relationships to unlock your greatest potential. Years of ministry leadership experience and personal experience have convinced Dr. Dharius Daniels: there's no such thing as a casual relationship.
- [Shape Up](https://www.shaunnestor.com/shape-up/)
- [Burger King UK hands over Instagram account to local restaurants](https://www.shaunnestor.com/burger-king-uk-hands-over-instagram-account-to-local-restaurants/) - A Whopper of a deal The marketing department at Burger King has shown - again (here, here, here, and here) that they are not afraid of trying new things. This week, they used their massive social media presence to encourage hungry patrons to not go to their local BK. Instead, they appealed to users to
- [Strategic Clarity for Coaches and Consultants](https://www.shaunnestor.com/strategic-clarity-for-coaches-and-consultants/) - I’ve spent most of my life helping entrepreneurs pursue their passion. Now, I help coaches and consultants find strategic clarity. Sign up now so you don’t miss the first issue. In the meantime, tell your friends!
- [Cautionary Advice about Facebook’s Paid Online Event feature](https://www.shaunnestor.com/cautionary-advice-about-facebooks-paid-online-event-feature/) - Yesterday, Facebook rolled out a “paid online event” feature. They bill it as a way for small businesses or solopreneurs to easily generate revenue on their events in an all-in-one place. I implore you, don’t give Facebook more of your data. Use literally any other paid-event solution. I have a short list (below) that I
- [Your Brand Community](https://www.shaunnestor.com/your-brand-community/) - I think community building is going to be the next "thing" in marketing. Regardless of your industry, having a "safe space" for your fans, prospective customers, existing customers, and employees to congregate is going to be a unique differentiator. Think of it as a moat around your brand. Brand communities are the next logical evolution
- [Coronavirus could be "tipping point" for Work From Home (WFH)](https://www.shaunnestor.com/coronavirus-could-be-tipping-point-for-work-from-home-wfh/) - Kate Lister, president of Global Workplace Analytics, said the coronavirus crisis will be a “tipping point” for WFH programs. She expects that 25-to-30 million U.S. employees will regularly work from home within the next two years — up from 5 million who do so half-time or more now. What do you think? Has your business
- [Considerations for Using Question & Answer Sites to Grow Your Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/considerations-for-using-question-answer-sites-to-grow-your-business/) - Like I previously mentioned, question and answer sites can be an overlooked marketing tool. If you haven't considered using them, I highly recommend you explore it as a new marketing avenue. I've used sites like Quora, Clarity, and many others for years - and have attracted a good number of consulting clients. When using Q&A
- [How Contributing to Question & Answer Sites Boosts Your Marketing Efforts](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-contributing-to-question-answer-sites-boosts-your-marketing-efforts/) - One of my favorite forums for providing expert advice is on question and answer sites. I've contributed thousands of answers which have been read by nearly one million entrepreneurs. I've recommended this same approach to clients I coach because Q&A sites offer such a unique connection to prospective customers. A few reasons I enjoy and
- [The Pandemic is Causing Us to Search for Less Biased News Sources](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-pandemic-is-causing-us-to-search-for-less-biased-news-sources/) - We are drowning in a sloppy stew of misinformation, one-sided opinion, hearsay and news that uses us rather than representing news we can use. And now, confronted with one of the greatest crises that humankind has faced in the modern era, our future and perhaps our very survival depend on access to news that is
- [What is the best way to promote and increase traffic to a restaurant website? [Q&A]](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-is-the-best-way-to-promote-and-increase-traffic-to-a-restaurant-website-qa/) - Like most business owners, restaurants want to drive as much traffic to their storefront as possible. And with the ease people can find information online, it is reasonable to want a strong web presence in the form of a website. However, contrary to what I usually recommend, I'm not sure a website is the best
- [On Difficult Times](https://www.shaunnestor.com/on-difficult-times/) - It goes without saying that we are facing troubling times right now. The world, as each one of us knows it, is upside down. Each day, more uncertainty mounts and new unknowns are presented. Our finances, health, lifestyle, and freedom are continually thrown into question. It is common, healthy, appropriate, and - most certainly, human
- [Crisis Communication Principles](https://www.shaunnestor.com/crisis-communication-principles/) - As far as crisis communications go during a time like this, there are a few essentials to remember: Always rely on credible sources. Whether looking for or providing information, be sure you have information that makes you more trusted. Be honest. It's okay to be vulnerable in this time; people will understand. Honesty will help
- [The Only Permission You Need](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-only-permission-you-need/) - We often let an invisible need for permission to hold us back, as if the universe will tell us when we can take action. The truth is, for a vast majority of us, the only permission we need is our own. We are holding ourselves back. Why? Because it is the path of least resistance,
- [“I don’t have anything to say.” Baloney.](https://www.shaunnestor.com/i-dont-have-anything-to-say-baloney/) - Perhaps the most common objection I hear when talking to entrepreneurs about sharing their passion is, "I don't have anything to say." False. You have a unique perspective. You have experience. You have an opinion. You have insights. You have product knowledge. You have training. You have lessons learned. You have something to say. More
- [Recessions are Self-Fulfilling Prophecies](https://www.shaunnestor.com/recessions-are-self-fulfilling-prophecies/) - If you convince yourself a recession is eminent, you are prudent to cut back on spending and increase savings. On a broad scale, such shifts in spendings slow the economy around you. Such shifts cause others (producers, manufacturers, creators, operators, etc) to slow their own spending, leading to a wide-spread spending freeze and recession. The
- [The Quick Thanks](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-quick-thanks-2/) - 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: "I am thankful that I have the opportunity to help this person." Be thankful for your co-worker, spouse, partner, trash can emptier, or
- [It’s Okay to Be Offended](https://www.shaunnestor.com/its-okay-to-be-offended/) - Another day, another person offended or outraged. Does it seem like there’s much more to be offended about nowadays? I think the stems from two societal issues: 1. Everyone believes their opinion matters equally 2. Everyone has a worldwide stage to voice their opinion The problem is, not everyone’s opinion is equal. Certainly, everyone has
- [Magicians and Politicians](https://www.shaunnestor.com/magicians-and-politicians/) - Both use slight of hand to distract you from the trick. In the audience, we think we’re smart enough to spot it - but we are not. We are not well practiced, we are susceptible to human shortcomings, and we want to believe it’s real. When you find yourself believing the magic, perhaps it is
- ["I would..."](https://www.shaunnestor.com/i-would/) - In a mentorship or leadership position, these two words are extremely powerful. By using them, you are telegraphing to your student how they should complete a task, instead of allowing them to solve a problem, fail, or even surprise you with a new approach. Your choice in words has given them the way of doing
- [Netflix Finally Allows Users to Disable Autoplay in Previews](https://www.shaunnestor.com/netflix-finally-allows-users-to-disable-autoplay-in-previews/) - It’s not every day a simple settings change makes the news the way this has. I’ve seen headlines ranging from pure excitement and celebration to the relief that accompanies removing a rock from your shoe. Perhaps it’s time to reconsider how past decisions impact the end user now. What setting or “feature” within your organization
- [How do SaaS Startups Make Money?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-do-saas-startups-make-money/) - This question came to me on a popular Q&A site. I thought it may also be helpful to many of you questioning how you may generate a profit from your product or service, so I am resharing it here with some additional content. First off, let's define what a SaaS is before we start talking
- [Who Is In Your Camp?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/who-is-in-your-camp/) - Who do you surround yourself with? Supporters or Critics? Cheerleaders or Complainers? Allies or Attackers? Defenders or Defamers? Friend or Fretter? Who we surround ourselves with is paramount to our success. The business battle is hard enough to succeed in, we don't need those in our circle pulling us down. This week, take inventory of
- [Pay What You Want Marketing Consulting](https://www.shaunnestor.com/pay-what-you-want-marketing-consulting/) - As I mentioned in my "A Look Ahead" post, I was inspired by the pricing model of The Mad Optimist, a startup soap and body care company based in Bloomington, Illinois. Their "Choose Your Price" model is an interesting way of balancing the needs of their audience. When asked about the unusual model, the founders
- [A Look Back: This Year's Top Blog Posts](https://www.shaunnestor.com/a-look-back-this-years-top-blog-posts/) - Although I have been terrible at keeping to my blogging schedule (the cobbler's children have no shoes), when I write, it is sparked by something I've observed, heard from a business owner, or a common struggle. My goal is to help entrepreneurs reach their own goals - both personally and professionally. I believe there is
- [What Is the Worst Marketing Strategy?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-is-the-worst-marketing-strategy/) - A legitimate question came in over the weekend: “What is the worst marketing strategy?” In short: spending your resources to get your product in front of the wrong audience. You may be surprised to learn how often this happens- usually unintentionally, and unknowingly. If you’re spending time, effort, or money to get your product/service/widget in
- [Can We Put It On Social Media?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/can-we-put-it-on-social-media/) - It’s reasonable to want to use social media to spread a message or promote an idea. In the early days of social, before the notions were conceived and expectations set, it was acceptable to just “put it on social media.” It was almost an afterthought. It was a catch all that received very little intentionality.
- [A tech company that ...](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [How to Combat Stage Fright](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Today’s Emergency](https://www.shaunnestor.com/todays-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
- [Receiving and Giving Credit](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Are you money-based or values-based?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Thin and Forgetful or Real and Memorable](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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”
- [On Unsubscribe. Or anything really](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Start by...](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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 Quick Thanks](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Starve your distraction](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [What do you do and how often do you do it?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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?
- [On Reputation and Shared Values](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Tabloids Are Not Real Life](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Sharing Your Story](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Analysis Paralysis](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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.
- [The Positive Side of Being Overwhelmed](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Modern Information: Empty Words Lead to Inaction & Distraction](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Media vs News](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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,
- [Instead of Complaining About Competition, Actually Compete](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [3 Reasons I Gave Up Facebook](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Social Media Privacy?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Social Media's Business Backlash](https://www.shaunnestor.com/social-medias-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
- [Books I Read in 2018](https://www.shaunnestor.com/books-i-read-in-2018/) - Creating Great Choices: A Leader's Guide to Integrative Thinking Fast/Forward: Make Your Company Fit for the Future The Business of Expertise Negotiating Your Salary: How to Make $1000 a Minute Steward Leader Meditations The Loyalist Team Built for Growth: How Builder Personality Shapes Your Business, Your Team, and Your Ability to Win Win Without Pitching
- [About Blogging for Digital Marketing Agencies](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [What are the topics to write about for a digital marketing agency as a content creator?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Big Rocks, Little Rocks, Sand, and Water](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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,
- [An Ecommerce, Content Marketing, Affiliate Marketing Dilemma](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [How much should you charge a small business for monthly social media content creation and management?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Social Media Marketing in 2018: Next Steps](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Your Brand’s Brand](https://www.shaunnestor.com/your-brands-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
- [Your Circle](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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,
- [The Case for a Beautiful Website](https://www.shaunnestor.com/case-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
- [What are the best digital marketing practices in recent times?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Time Invested is not Time Wasted](https://www.shaunnestor.com/time-invested-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
- [The Social Media Algorithm and Your Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [How do I know that video marketing and content can introduce customers to me?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [The Social Media Echo Chamber](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Don't Let Your 'How To' Posts Destroy Credibility](https://www.shaunnestor.com/dont-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
- [Playing Politics In Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/playing-politics-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.
- [As a small business with little content, can I benefit from marketing automation?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [I Don’t Know](https://www.shaunnestor.com/i-dont-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
- [Confusing Complexity with Capability](https://www.shaunnestor.com/confusing-complexity-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
- [With the Recent flood of "internet marketing coaches", what does the future of the marketing world look like?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Filtering Your Ecommerce Photos is a Mistake](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Cultivate a Culture of Compassion](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Where to Start Your Content Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/start-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
- [Your Best Birth! Online Childbirth Education Course by Alise Marsh](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [What are the best ways to contact businesses as a freelancer besides email?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [What You Can Learn From The "Big 4" About Building Your Brand Platform](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Valentines Day for Entrepreneurs](https://www.shaunnestor.com/valentines-day-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
- [Your Business, 2 Years From Today](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Where can one obtain a short training to be a good freelance marketer](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Encouragement. For you.](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Advantages of an Advisory](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Are We A Good Fit?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Negative Reviews Are Opportunities Many Entrepreneurs Miss](https://www.shaunnestor.com/negative-reviews-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
- [Under what circumstances would it be appropriate to turn down business from an existing or potential client?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Your Strategic Toolshed](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Where Are You Starting?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [How Buying Social Media Followers Erodes Trust In Your Brand](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [What Separates a Good Salesperson From a Bad Salesperson](https://www.shaunnestor.com/separates-good-salesperson-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
- [What's your most valuable advice for startups?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/whats-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
- [Moving My Website From One Host to Another](https://www.shaunnestor.com/moving-website-one-host-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.
- [What is the best tool/platform to use to make an online course?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-is-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
- [You Want to Buy It?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Hate Has No Place In Your Organization](https://www.shaunnestor.com/hate-no-place-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,
- [2018 Is The Year of Strategy](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Readers, What Are Your 2018 Goals?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/readers-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
- [Work Worth Doing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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.
- [Your Natural Abilities](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Comparison is Killing Your Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/comparison-killing-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
- [The Two Ps to Consider in 2018](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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: What needs to be put down What needs to be picked
- [How to Find Clients as a Freelancer](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [How to Talk to People](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Honing Your Brand Voice](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [What Will Your 2018 Story Be?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [How to Build an Online Business With Little to No Experience](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-build-an-online-business-with-little-to-no-experience/) - 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 any kind is challenging. Add to that the ever-changing landscape of
- [Why I Said ‘Yes’ to Kickstart Kings](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [How to Overcome the Greatest Obstacle in B2B Sales](https://www.shaunnestor.com/overcome-greatest-obstacle-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
- [Transparency in Advertising](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [What Are You Looking For](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [3 Tips to Rejuvenating a Stagnated Marketing Department](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [How to Choose the Right Digital Marketing Mix to Grow Your Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [3 Reasons You Need to Start Using Content Marketing Today](https://www.shaunnestor.com/3-reasons-need-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
- [How to Tell Where Your Website Traffic is Coming From](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tell-website-traffic-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
- [How to Write Successful Case Studies That Land You More Clients](https://www.shaunnestor.com/write-successful-case-studies/) - 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
- [How to Manage Unpaid Invoices](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [What Is Content Strategy?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [How Do You Start a Blog When You Have Absolutely No Audience?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/start-blog-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
- [How to Easily Achieve Your Blog Writing Goals](https://www.shaunnestor.com/achieve-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
- [Blog Writing Checklist: How to Write an Amazing Blog Post](https://www.shaunnestor.com/blog-writing-checklist-write-amazing-blog-post/) - We all remember the basics from elementary school: every story should have a beginning, middle, and end. Unfortunately, in today’s content-saturated market, that just won’t cut it. An amazing blog post needs to catch readers’ attention as they scroll through a newsfeed. It needs to keep their interest until the last paragraph. It needs to
- [Trust Deposits](https://www.shaunnestor.com/trust-deposits/) - Trust is the currency upon all relationships are built. It is made up of tiny deposits that span a lifetime, but can bankrupt in an instant of poor judgement. As leaders, it is important that we start with trust. We must know the ramifications of our actions - not only to satisfy ourselves - but
- [What Are Your Breakpoints?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-are-your-breakpoints/) - This morning, Seth Godin shared about breakpoints in sidewalks. He wrote: A neighbor recently put in some new sidewalk. As usual, the workman interrupted the unbroken swath of perfect concrete with lines every three feet. What are the lines for? Well, the ground shifts. When it does, perfect concrete cracks in unpredictable ways, often ruining
- [Does It Matter](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [How Much Does Content Marketing Cost?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/much-content-marketing-cost/) - Eighty-eight percent of B2B marketers are currently using content marketing, according to the Content Marketing Institute. There’s no question that we all understand the value of content marketing, but not many of us truly understand what that value is worth; what the content marketing cost actually is. Content marketing is no small investment; it can easily
- [Go Ahead](https://www.shaunnestor.com/go-ahead/) - It is easy to talk ourselves out of something we believe to be true. There is a lot of risk when it comes to taking action. Today, I encourage you: step out. Move forward. Take action. Sure, someone may get bothered over it. But someone else may get bothered that you didn't share your gift.
- [5 Early Warning Signs of a Bad Client](https://www.shaunnestor.com/5-early-warning-signs-bad-client/) - There comes a time in your freelancing career when you realize that the money just isn’t worth it. The money isn’t worth putting up with a bad client. Sometimes, it’s better to just walk away. As a freelancer, it took me a long time to realize I don’t have to accept every job that comes
- [How to Commit to Writing Every Day](https://www.shaunnestor.com/commit-writing-every-day/) - What do you think about writing 500-800 words every day? I’m not talking about sending 25 emails or dozens of tweets. I’m talking about cold, hard words on paper. If the idea of writing every day scares you, that’s totally normal. It’s hard to write every day! But the more you do it, the better
- [The Polite Way to Turn Down Work](https://www.shaunnestor.com/polite-way-turn-work/) - It may seem counterintuitive to have a plan to turn down work - but as many experienced freelancers and consultants can attest, not all clients are good fits for your services. An associate recently discovered this after spending a considerable amount of time going back and forth with a prospect on the terms of their work
- [Before Your Prospect Wants To Hear From You, They Must Know This ...](https://www.shaunnestor.com/prospect-wants-hear-must-know/) - Our prospects must believe that we care about them and their goals before they'll be interested in hearing about us. -Pete Caputa, VP of Sales HubSpot
- [How to Choose the Right Webinar Software](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-choose-the-right-webinar-software/) - Webinars are one of the most effective ways to connect with your audience and give them high-quality, educational content. When customers see your face or even hear your voice, you go one step further in building a strong relationship. While webinars require less time and effort than creating an e-book or report, they still aren’t
- [The Foundation of your Sales Strategy](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-foundation-of-your-sales-strategy/) - Your sales strategy must unequivocally revolve around one simple element: develop a genuine relationship with the customer. To see the entire collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [Your Legacy](https://www.shaunnestor.com/your-legacy/) - The absolute best part of my job is being a part of my clients' legacy. Congratulations on all your achievements! For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [7 Life Hacks for Freelancers](https://www.shaunnestor.com/7-life-hacks-for-freelancers/) - How many times have you inadvertently allowed technology to hurt your productivity, rather than help it? Do you subconsciously check social media every hour? Are you addicted to Google Calendar and find yourself scheduling back-to-back meetings for weeks on end? Do you type the same message over and over again? [bctt tweet "#Productivity is not
- [Don't Call It A Dream](https://www.shaunnestor.com/dont-call-it-a-dream/) - A goal without a deadline is simply a dream. Write down your goals and make a plan. For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [Why You Should Stop Giving Your Content Away for Free](https://www.shaunnestor.com/why-you-need-to-use-gated-content/) - As content creators, we've been ingrained to focus on web traffic. We write BuzzFeed-inspired titles in the hopes of getting more clicks and constantly bombard our social media following with messaging promoting our newest piece of content, all to get more visitors. However, if you're giving away all your content for free in exchange for a couple
- [Layer Upon Layer](https://www.shaunnestor.com/layer-upon-layer/) - Anything of value - a business, a relationship, financial wealth - is built layer upon layer. Wise words from Dave Ramsey For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [5 Landing Page Mistakes You Need to Avoid](https://www.shaunnestor.com/5-landing-page-mistakes-you-need-to-avoid/) - With a strong social media and content strategy in place, getting visitors to a page can be simple. The tough part comes after that, when you want to subtly direct someone to perform a very specific action on that page. A landing page is all about one thing: conversions. The goal is to design a
- [Everything Works Out In The End](https://www.shaunnestor.com/everything-works-out-in-the-end/) - Wise words from Michael Hyatt For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [My Review: The Best WordPress Form Plugin](https://www.shaunnestor.com/my-review-the-best-wordpress-form-plugin/) - Finally! A WordPress forms plugin that's easy and powerful! If you have ever tried building a "Contact Us" form or email newsletter subscription signup, you've probably experienced the frustration of creating a custom form to allow your visitors easy conversion. I'm excited to review a brand new tool that eliminates the frustration of building custom
- [Inside Scoop: One Writer’s Tips on How to Find and Work With the Best Freelance Writers](https://www.shaunnestor.com/inside-scoop-one-writers-tips-find-work-best-freelance-writers/) - As a freelance writer, I’ve worked with more than a dozen companies. From startups to agencies to lifestyle brands, I’ve seen (almost) all of it. I’ve worked with some amazing clients, and some not-so-amazing ones. I’ve seen the right way to hire a writer and the wrong way. I’ve worked with clients who need to
- [To get more clarity](https://www.shaunnestor.com/to-get-more-clarity/) - To get more clarity, take a step in the direction of the destination. Wise words from Michael Hyatt For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [Feeling Stuck? Here are 5 Content Marketing Ideas to Reinspire](https://www.shaunnestor.com/feeling-stuck-here-are-5-content-marketing-ideas-to-reinspire/) - Content marketing has had a great year. It was the most important digital marketing trend in 2015 and 70% of content marketers created more content last year than in 2014. You may have dabbled in content marketing with blog posts, videos, or infographics, but let’s make sure it’s a top priority this year. Here are
- [Should You Invest in Paid Advertising to Attract More Website Visitors?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/should-you-invest-in-paid-advertising-to-attract-more-website-visitors/) - When you’re doing everything you can to generate conversions and revenue from your website, the last thing you think about is spending money to make money. If you just wait around and hope that your target demographic will stumble upon your website and magically convert, you’ll end up costing your business more money in the
- [Working on the Right Problem is more Important than Working Hard](https://www.shaunnestor.com/working-on-the-right-problem-is-more-important-than-working-hard/) - Running fast in the wrong direction will not win a race. Make sure you are working on the right things rather than just working hard on things. For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [Inbound Marketing for Real Estate Professionals](https://www.shaunnestor.com/inbound-marketing-for-real-estate-professionals/) - As I have said before, social media marketing is really relationship marketing. It stands to reason, of course, that it should be used for relationship-based businesses like real estate. When I first started researching the real estate industry, I was shocked at the fundamental lack of successful, prolific, and strategic use of social media (and
- [How to Fire a Client [3 Scripts!]](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-fire-a-client-3-scripts/) - We spend so much of our professional lives fearing that we'll get fired from our jobs that when the tables turn, we have no idea what to do or say. Becoming a freelancer, consultant, or owning your agency means that you have the power and flexibility to take on the projects you want and work
- [Leadership Is](https://www.shaunnestor.com/leadership-is/) - Wise words from Glennon Doyle Melton, a part of Michael Hyatt's Influence & Impact Summit, 2015 For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [What Stood Out: Week of February 21st 2016](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-stood-out-week-of-february-21st-2016/) - Welcome to this week's edition of What Stood Out As you may know, I review thousands of articles relating to marketing, business, productivity, or leadership each week. While many of the posts are insightful and well-written, some truly rise to the top and challenge my thinking or offer a new perspective. Often, these gems don't always
- [How to Create 8 Pieces of Content in 2 Hours](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-create-8-pieces-of-content-in-2-hours/) - You don't need to forgo a night's worth of sleep to create quality content. Nor do you need extra caffeine or superpowers. The secret to creating a ton of quality content in a short amount of time is to repurpose existing, successful content. This saves you time and effort, allows you to reach new audiences,
- [Trading Urgent for Important: Husbands](https://www.shaunnestor.com/trading-urgent-for-important-husbands/) - Timely share by my friends at Fierce Marriage following my post this morning. Husbands, it is critically important that we prioritize our most valuable resource: our time. https://instagram.com/p/BCLUF6Bjr09/
- [What Kind of Content Should You Create: Long or Short?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-kind-of-content-should-you-create-long-or-short/) - Twitter makes our lives easy. We know that our posts have to be 140 characters or less, and if we include a picture and a hashtag or two, we should be good. [bctt tweet "Effective long-form content is ~2,416 words. Daunting as it seems, it is achievable. "] If only content creation had the same
- [Blogging Ideas: How to Become a Better Content Creator](https://www.shaunnestor.com/blogging-ideas-how-to-become-a-better-content-creator/) - Did you know that, according to HubSpot’s 2015 Marketing Benchmark Report, companies that blog 6-8 times per month generate over 2X more leads than companies that blog just twice a month? Valuable content is the meat that attracts visitors and leads to your company. Making the commitment to an increased blogging frequency should significantly increase your lead
- [When You Can't Lead Others](https://www.shaunnestor.com/when-you-cant-lead-others/) - If you are unwilling to make the journey, it is impossible for you to lead your team through it. Wise words from Citizens Creative House; photo by Jeff Marsh Studios For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [I Am Not A Salesperson](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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,
- [Lead Gen: You’ve Generated a Ton of New Leads…Now What?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/lead-nurturing-what-to-do-with-new-leads/) - We place a lot of importance on increasing website traffic and generating leads. We spend time on social media, pay for advertising, and maintain a blog all to get people to come to our site. We test button colors and landing pages to find the best way to convert those visitors into leads. You get
- [Why People Resist Change](https://www.shaunnestor.com/why-people-resist-change/) - One of the most common reasons people resist change is their focus on what they will lose, or the cost of their decision. Instead, focus on what you will gain as a result. For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [5 Myths About Content Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/5-myths-about-content-marketing/) - Content marketing is everywhere. Eighty-eight percent of B2B marketers use content marketing and it was the most important digital trend in 2015. However, there are still a lot of questions left unanswered. How often should you be blogging? Should you be producing more videos? How does a blog post really become viral? To help you
- [What Stood Out: Week of January 31st 2016](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-stood-out-week-of-january-31st-2016/) - Welcome to this week's edition of What Stood Out As you may know, I review thousands of articles relating to marketing, business, productivity, or leadership each week. While many of the posts are insightful and well-written, some truly rise to the top and challenge my thinking or offer a new perspective. Often, these gems don't always
- [The Best Way to be an Anomaly is to Act Like One](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-best-way-to-be-an-anomaly-is-to-act-like-one/) - The best way to become an anomaly is to act like one. - Gary Vaynerchuk For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [Managing Data Islands Now a Required Skill for Marketers](https://www.shaunnestor.com/managing-data-islands-now-a-required-skill-for-marketers/) - Stop me if you've heard this one: Export Contacts Import/Merge Sort by Conversion Remove Duplicates Manually look for trends Painstakingly identify a dozen or two contacts that fit the criteria Wonder if you forgot anyone.... did you export from the customer list? What about the folks from your last webinar? Sound like a nightmare? The
- [Inbound Vs Outbound Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/inbound-vs-outbound-marketing/) - This article was originally published in 2012. Amazingly, it is still accurate. Today’s consumer is bombarded with upwards of 3,000 advertising interruptions each day. Marketing and advertising budgets are being stretched and sales people are working harder. All this to generate a massive amount of noise within the population, but not a tremendous amount of return
- [If You Don't Understand Respect, You Are Not Capable of Serving](https://www.shaunnestor.com/if-you-dont-understand-respect-you-are-not-capable-of-serving/) - Service, and ultimately leadership, is based upon a keen understanding of respect. For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [The Best and Worst Ways to Generate Leads](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-best-and-worst-ways-to-generate-leads/) - There are the best and worst ways to do everything. There’s the best way to write subject lines, there are the worst ways to use Facebook, and there’s the best way to design a homepage. But what are the best and worst ways to generate leads? It’s easy to invest money in social media,
- [Writing Down Your Goals Changes How You See The Situation](https://www.shaunnestor.com/writing-down-your-goals-changes-how-you-see-the-situation/) - In order to stay focused and on track, you must have record of your path. Writing down your goals serves as a map to guide you through unforeseen circumstances. For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [A Preview of Tomorrow's Event](https://www.shaunnestor.com/preview-tomorrows-marketing-qa-event/) - I am hosting a free digital marketing question and answer session tomorrow. Register today to save your spot and remove roadblocks holding your marketing from hitting your goals.
- [5 Digital Marketing Resolutions for 2016](https://www.shaunnestor.com/5-digital-marketing-resolutions-2016/) - Exercise more. Eat healthier. Take control of your finances. A New Year always signals the onslaught of personal resolutions (some kept, some quickly forgotten), but have you made the time to come up with some professional New Year’s resolutions? The beginning of the year is the best time to reevaluate your business, set new goals,
- [Its Not Us vs Them](https://www.shaunnestor.com/its-not-us-vs-them/) - It's not "Us vs Them", in business, we must decide that its "Us Helping Them" For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [Your Digital Marketing Questions Answered ... for free](https://www.shaunnestor.com/your-digital-marketing-questions-answered-for-free/) - I talk to entrepreneurs each day who struggle with using digital marketing to move their business forward. They ask questions like: I know I need to be using social media to promote my business, but what do I do? I see other brands doing a contest on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest. How
- [How Does Content Marketing Generate More Sales?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-does-content-marketing-generate-more-sales/) - It’s easy to attribute increased web traffic or social shares to content marketing. The tricky part is connecting cold, hard sales with a blog post or e-book. It’s a common misconception that content marketing is only good for brand awareness or boosting traffic, but it can also have a powerful effect on the bottom line.
- [What Stood Out: Week of January 3rd 2016](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-stood-out-week-of-january-3rd-2016/) - Welcome to this week's edition of What Stood Out As you may know, I review thousands of articles relating to marketing, business, productivity, or leadership each week. While many of the posts are insightful and well-written, some truly rise to the top and challenge my thinking or offer a new perspective. Often, these gems don't always
- [Who You Surround Yourself With Matters](https://www.shaunnestor.com/who-you-surround-yourself-with-matters/) - Who you surround yourself matters. Find those who support you, challenge you, and better you. For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [Checklist: Social Media Content Calendar Must-Haves](https://www.shaunnestor.com/social-media-content-calendar-must-haves/) - "Staying organized" is one of the most popular business resolutions. Whether it's as simple as decluttering your workspace or as complex as revamping an existing process, improving organization can save you time, reduce stress, build confidence, and ultimately save money. Get a jumpstart on your New Year's business resolution by creating a social media content
- [The World Is Yours](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-world-is-yours/) - To stand out today, you just need to show up and apply yourself. This is both a sad truth and a wonderful opportunity.
- [What Stood Out: Week of December 28th](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-stood-out-week-of-december-28th/) - Every week, I review thousands of articles relating to marketing, business, productivity, or leadership. While many of the posts are insightful and well-written, some truly rise to the top and challenge my thinking or offer a new perspective. Often, these gems don't always fit into the traditional topics covered on my blog; nevertheless, they should
- [Success Takes Time. Don't Quit](https://www.shaunnestor.com/success-takes-time-dont-quit/) - The idea of an 'overnight success' is a myth. Do not buy into this fallacy. Work hard, don't quit. Success takes time. For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [4 Little-Known Tricks to Supercharge Your Social Selling Strategy on LinkedIn](https://www.shaunnestor.com/4-little-known-tricks-supercharge-social-selling-strategy-linkedin/) - In the world of social selling, LinkedIn can seem like a no-brainer. Unlike Twitter or Facebook, LinkedIn was designed for networking professionals. It was built to facilitate the sharing of personal work details and helps users target very specific types of people. If that isn't a salesperson's dream social network, I don't know what is. While LinkedIn's
- [What Stood Out: Week of December 21st](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-stood-out-week-of-december-21st/) - I hope you and your family had a wonderful and relaxing Christmas! Every week, I review thousands of articles relating to marketing, business, productivity, or leadership. While many of the posts are insightful and well-written, some truly rise to the top and challenge my thinking or offer a new perspective. Often, these gems don't always
- [Must Be Present To Win](https://www.shaunnestor.com/must-be-present-to-win/) - To be relevant in today's economy, you have to be where your customers expect you to be. No longer is it enough to "be" on social media, to have an ecommerce store, or have a blog ... You must have the means in place for your customer to meet you where they are; to speak
- [What Stood Out: Week of December 14th](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-stood-out-week-of-december-14th/) - Every week, I review thousands of articles relating to marketing, business, productivity, or leadership. While many of the posts are insightful and well-written, some truly rise to the top and challenge my thinking or offer a new perspective. Often, these gems don't always fit into the traditional topics covered on my blog; nevertheless, they should
- [The Key Ingredient In Your Business Is You](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-key-ingredient-in-your-business-is-you/) - You are your greatest competitive advantage. No one else in the world has the skills and knowledge you do. Accept this and use it for good. For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [The Cost & Value of Qualified Leads](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-cost-value-of-qualified-leads/) - According to a recent study by Ascend2, 70% of B2B marketers cite improving the quality of their leads as the most important objective of a lead generation strategy. Spending time on less-qualified, or even not-qualified leads, is a costly initiative for any B2B entity. Not only is the sales team's attention divided, but they spend
- [What Stood Out: Week of December 7th](https://www.shaunnestor.com/stood-week-december-7th/) - Every week, I review thousands of articles relating to marketing, business, productivity, or leadership. While many of the posts are insightful and well-written, some truly rise to the top and challenge my thinking or offer a new perspective. Often, these gems don't fit into the traditional topics covered on my blog; nevertheless, they should be
- [Love and Leadership](https://www.shaunnestor.com/love-and-leadership/) - Love and leadership are remarkably similar. Successful leaders understand the importance of forgiveness and owning their mistakes. Image from my friends at Fierce Marriage For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [3 Marketing Automation Ideas for Coaches and Consultants](https://www.shaunnestor.com/3-marketing-automation-ideas-for-small-businesses/) - Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could automate all your emails? And never have to type out another introduction email or thank you email again? Well, now you can. Sort of. [bctt tweet "Marketing automation can be intricate, but it doesn’t have to be complicated."] With marketing automation, you can automate all your incoming business
- [Mailbox Alternatives](https://www.shaunnestor.com/mailbox-alternatives/) - Zero inbox. Inbox control Email management. Whatever you want to call wrangling your email inbox into submission, I've counted on Mailbox for years. With news that creator Dropbox is shutting down my second favorite email management app, I can admit that I am moving into the 5th stage of grief: acceptance. Mailbox was, as far
- [Stop Waiting. Start Creating.](https://www.shaunnestor.com/stop-waiting-start-creating/) - Success requires action. Planning is great, but a plan without forward movement is useless. Stop waiting. Start creating. From Michael Hyatt For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [Create a Culture Where The Customer Is Respected As the Sole Reason You Exist](https://www.shaunnestor.com/create-a-culture-where-the-customer-is-respected-as-the-sole-reason-you-exist/) - Create a company culture where the customer is the center of all you do. Because they are. For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [What if Giving Thanks Included More Giving](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-if-giving-thanks-included-more-giving/) - In this season of giving thanks for our many blessings, what if we consider increasing our emphasis on "giving"? Consider what you have to give to each of the following: Your customers Your employees Your visitors Your favorite charity Your family Your friends Your competitors Your ___________________ It's commendable to give thanks. It's honorable to
- [4 Keys of Successful Agencies](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Content Marketing For Any Industry](https://www.shaunnestor.com/content-marketing-for-any-industry/) - Content marketing is a scalable way to reach exactly the right person, at exactly the right time. And it works for any industry. For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [Overcoming Objections to Inbound Marketing [Blab]](https://www.shaunnestor.com/overcoming-objections-inbound-marketing-blab/) - What We're Blabbing About Freelancers, Agencies, and Consultants: Have you ever run into sales objections when proposing inbound or content marketing services to a prospect? This week, we discuss how to address and overcome these objections - including the dreaded cost vs value objection. If you are stumped on how to overcome an objection we
- [Questions From 'Generating Sales Leads Using Social Media' Workshop](https://www.shaunnestor.com/questions-from-generating-sales-leads-using-social-media-workshop/) - Thank you to everyone who joined me last week for "Generating Sales Leads Using Social Media" workshop. We had a lively question and answer session at the end and I want to publish some of the questions that we covered. [bctt tweet "Don't forget about your past customers; they have valuable insights that they will
- [Your Superpower](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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? [bctt tweet "You have something to offer. You bring something unique to
- [Everything Is Easier When You Don't Concern Yourself With What Everyone Else Is Doing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/everything-is-easier-when-you-dont-concern-yourself-with-what-everyone-else-is-doing/) - Everything is easier when you don't concern yourself with the actions, opinions, or passive comments of others. Stay focused on your calling and realize your success. For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [Selling on Social Media Workshop - Today](https://www.shaunnestor.com/selling-on-social-media-workshop-today/) - Have you ever struggled to generate new sales leads using social media? Or maybe you feel like social is a massive time suck that takes you away from running your business? In today's free, online-based workshop, I will be covering how to combat these feelings and how to use social media to generate qualified sales
- [The 3 Best Social Media Calendar Templates (for Free!)](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-3-best-social-media-calendar-templates-for-free/) - With a 140-word maximum, social media sure seems like it was designed to be quick and easy. You can write a message and upload a photo to Facebook in under 30 seconds, or craft a blog post and immediately publish and promote it to your followers on LinkedIn Pulse. But, while social media is constantly being
- [Aim to be a Trusted Advisor, Not a Vendor](https://www.shaunnestor.com/aim-to-be-a-trusted-advisor-not-a-vendor/) - It is so much better to be considered a trusted advisor rather than a vendor. Look how you can help your client reach their goals, rather than simply satisfying your own. For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [Making the Most Out Of Your Holiday Marketing [Blab]](https://www.shaunnestor.com/making-the-most-out-of-your-holiday-marketing-blab/) - What We're Blabbing About With the holidays approaching, marketers and business owners around the country are scrambling to make the most out of their marketing. Whether you have an ecommerce site or physical store, you won't want to miss Sean Royer and me discuss how to use your online marketing to drive sales this holiday
- [Free Workshop: Using Social Media to Generate Sales Leads](https://www.shaunnestor.com/free-workshop-using-social-media-to-generate-sales-leads/) - Like I'm sure you've experienced, generating high-quality leads for your business is increasingly difficult. Buyers have changed, their buying habits have changed, and -- thus, our marketing must change. I know it is incredibly challenging to attract the right type of prospect, but social media helps build the bridge between brand and consumer. I invite
- [How to Get Prospects to Respond to Your Email](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-get-prospects-to-respond-to-your-email/) - The average person receives 85 emails per day. And we only spend 15-20 seconds reading each one. With numbers like these, sending a cold email to prospects seems frightening. How do you make sure your email doesn’t get lost in a sea of newsletters, personal correspondence, spam, and other sales pitches? [bctt tweet "Instead of
- [3 Critical Elements of a Successful Social Media Sales Strategy](https://www.shaunnestor.com/3-critical-elements-of-a-successful-social-media-sales-strategy/) - Imagine showing up to run a race and learning that there is no formal course. Or that your cross-country road trip partner has not planned a single detail between point A and B. Such is the same for marketers using social media without a clear goal. [bctt tweet "Creating an ideal customer persona does not
- [A Social Selling Strategy](https://www.shaunnestor.com/a-social-selling-strategy/) - A social sales strategy does not need to be overly complex. If you focus on providing value to your prospective customers, you will see success. It's that simple. For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [3 Must-Have Strategies for Social Selling on Twitter](https://www.shaunnestor.com/3-must-have-strategies-for-social-selling-on-twitter/) - If you could say anything to a potential customer, what would it be? Now, what would it be in 140 characters? [bctt tweet "The distance between a prospect and a business can be crossed with a simple "@" sign. #socialselling"] Today, the distance between a prospect and a business can be crossed with a simple "@"
- [Blab Just Changed Personal Branding With Live Embedding](https://www.shaunnestor.com/blab-just-changed-personal-branding-with-live-embedding/) - I talk a lot about content marketing and personal branding. Moving forward, nearly every person will be their own "brand" regardless of their current employer. This is even more relevant for consultants, industry experts, coaches, authors, advisors -- those of us whose livelihood depends on successful personal branding. [bctt tweet "For advisors and consultants, using Blab's
- [30 Marketing Ideas for the Modern Marketer](https://www.shaunnestor.com/30-marketing-ideas-for-the-modern-marketer/) - Sometimes it is hard to keep the creative juices flowing. With all the tasks vying for our attention, plus fighting social sharing overload, it is difficult to maintain "freshness" in our marketing. Here are 30 ideas that you can use in your next marketing campaign to mix things up. Remember to track the results; if
- [Celebrating Servitude](https://www.shaunnestor.com/celebrating-servitude/) - When we celebrate an attitude of servitude, we will find ourselves lifted up. For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [Freelance vs Agency: Which One Is Better?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/freelance-vs-agency-which-one-is-better/) - Zero commute, working in your PJs, doing your laundry during the workday -- freelancing sure sounds appealing, doesn’t it? But then you think about happy hour with colleagues, learning from incredibly smart, experienced colleagues, and working with big, national brands. And then agency life sounds pretty sweet, too. [bctt tweet "Agencies come with security, while
- [Better Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/better-marketing/) - Once a year or so -- usually around this time -- I feel internally challenged to step up my writing, better my consulting, and improve my marketing strategy. Last year I launched Daily Marketing Minute, a 90-day personal challenge that was opened to the public. [bctt tweet "Better marketing doesn’t feel like marketing at all."] This year, I’m
- [You Miss 100% of the Shots You Don't Take](https://www.shaunnestor.com/you-miss-100-of-the-shots-you-dont-take/) - Some motivation to GO FOR IT! A photo posted by Shaun Nestor (@shaunnestor) on Sep 23, 2015 at 9:28am PDT For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [People Will Never Forget How You Make Them Feel](https://www.shaunnestor.com/people-will-never-forget-how-you-make-them-feel/) - People will NEVER forget how you made them feel. For better or worse. A photo posted by Shaun Nestor (@shaunnestor) on Sep 20, 2015 at 9:32am PDT For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [Fall Down 7 Times, Stand Up 8](https://www.shaunnestor.com/fall-down-7-times-stand-up-8/) - Success comes from not giving up. Keep up the fight, you'll see your victory! A photo posted by Shaun Nestor (@shaunnestor) on Sep 16, 2015 at 6:56pm PDT For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [How Important is a Mobile Friendly Website to your Business?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-important-is-a-mobile-friendly-website-to-your-business/) - If you’ve been spending the last two years of your life with your eyes glued to your smartphone, then you probably haven’t noticed that everyone else is doing the same thing. While this new lifestyle isn’t exactly helpful for our social life, it has huge upsides for businesses, giving you a powerful way to directly connect with consumers.
- [Why Content Marketing Can Be a Bad Idea for Your Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/content-marketing-can-bad-idea-business/) - Do you remember the video of skydiver and BASE jumper Felix Baumgartner breaking the speed of sound in the Red Bull Stratos project? Or Google’s interactive, timely Google Doodles? These are just two examples of successful content marketing, where brands are engaging consumers in a completely non-promotional way. Content marketing has taken off in the
- [23 MORE Industries That Can Benefit From Content Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/23-industries-can-benefit-content-marketing/) - A few weeks ago, I wrote a list of 23 industries that can benefit from having a strong inbound or content marketing strategy. Since then, I've thought of 23 more that should have been included in the first list. If you think you cannot benefit from a plan that attracts the right people, at the right
- [These Two Words Are Prohibited In Sales & Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/two-words-prohibited-sales-marketing/) - "How do I squeeze more business out of an existing customer?" "I am preparing an email blast to my list..." These two words: squeeze and blast are prohibited in my office. When talking about our customers, we should not use words that invoke some sort of adversarial separation between us and them. This is not a battle to "squeeze"
- [No One Is You -- That Is Your Superpower](https://www.shaunnestor.com/no-one-is-you-that-is-your-superpower/) - You have a unique perspective that no one else can create. This is your competitive advantage in everything. A photo posted by Shaun Nestor (@shaunnestor) on Sep 6, 2015 at 4:24pm PDT For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [I'm Not Here to Be Average; I'm Here To Be Awesome](https://www.shaunnestor.com/im-not-here-to-be-average-im-here-to-be-awesome/) - I'm not here to be average. A photo posted by Shaun Nestor (@shaunnestor) on Sep 3, 2015 at 8:30am PDT For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [Great Customer Service is the Result of Two Things](https://www.shaunnestor.com/great-customer-service-is-the-result-of-two-things/) - It's easy to show up. It takes guts to care. But that's what sets us apart from everyone else. A photo posted by Shaun Nestor (@shaunnestor) on Sep 2, 2015 at 7:43am PDT For a complete collection of my quote cards, click here.
- [7 Simple Social Media Tips](https://www.shaunnestor.com/7-simple-social-media-tips/) - Social media is a revolutionary method of communicating with fans, followers, prospective customers, and Strangers (those who you, likely, would not otherwise reach). Even more compelling is the ability to use social media to reach your competitor's circle of influence and -- quite frankly -- steal them away. Here are 7 simple social media tips
- [Understanding Customer Personas](https://www.shaunnestor.com/understanding-customer-personas/) - "Manager Mary" is used as a fictional representation of an ideal customer example Understanding customer personas, sometimes called 'buyer personas' or 'buyer personalities', is an important first step in the inbound marketing process. Knowing the overall personality of your customer, where they live, their age, their interests / hobbies / likes / dislikes, makes marketing to them much
- [How Social Media is Changing the Sales Process](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-social-media-is-changing-the-sales-process/) - There is a fundamental shift in sales today; and your competitor knows it. Old marketing methods are producing old results. It obviously isn’t working the way it used to. There is a gold rush for education as companies scramble to sell to a more knowledgeable buyer. Smart marketing and inbound marketing principles are beginning to
- [Why Do I Only Hear From You When You’re Selling?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/why-do-i-only-hear-from-you-when-youre-selling/) - "We're Back!" That is the subject line from a company haven't heard from in ages. They were announcing their latest widget and telling me to buy now. Was I important to them prior to the launch? Why didn't they warm me up? Why didn't they court me? Why didn't they woo me? Successful sales has always revolved
- [How to Write an SEO Post that Is Optimized for Google and Ranks on the First Page](https://www.shaunnestor.com/write-seo-post-optimized-google-ranks-first-page/) - Search engine optimization (SEO) is like a cat-and-mouse game between Google and content creators. Writers are always trying to meet Google’s search algorithm to make it on the first page and Google is always changing its algorithms to ensure that only the best content ranks. [bctt tweet "Google wants us to find what we’re looking
- [23 Industries That Are Ripe For Growth with Content Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/23-industries-ripe-growth-content-marketing/) - Sometimes I wish I were in a different industry. Why? It's not that I dislike marketing -- just the opposite, actually. [bctt tweet "With inbound marketing, there is so much potential to out-maneuver your competition. Are you?"] But I'd really love to apply what I know about content and inbound marketing to promote my new
- [Four Elements of Social Selling](https://www.shaunnestor.com/four-elements-social-selling/) - Last week, LinkedIn opened their Social Selling Index (SSI) to the public. I find scores like this fascinating, we have so much social noise out there, sometimes it is hard to know what is working and what's not. It is nice to see the data to prove (or disprove) the sales and marketing trends we're seeing
- [What Is Content Marketing?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-is-content-marketing/) - Big data, native advertising, vlogging, content marketing. With new buzzwords cropping up every week, how do you know which new marketing strategy is actually worth pursuing? And which ones will just fizzle out and die, à la MySpace? While you don’t have to immediately start video blogging (vlogging), we do recommend that you pay closer
- [Professional vs Personal Social Media Profiles: How to Differentiate](https://www.shaunnestor.com/professional-vs-personal-social-media-profiles-differentiate/) - Who are you? And who do you want to be? This is no ordinary existential crisis. This is a 21st century question we should all ask ourselves. Who do you want to be on social media? What is your brand? What do you want to broadcast to millions of people over the Internet? With social
- [The Costly Misstep Agencies Make When Pitching A Prospect](https://www.shaunnestor.com/costly-misstep-agencies-make-pitching-prospect/) - Eight out of ten agency owners I speak with are making the same fatal mistake when pitching their services to prospects. That's a full eighty-percent! Even more concerning is the misstep is so easily correctible. Once freelancers, consultants, and agencies realize how to fix this, they experience larger contracts, longer retainers, and higher close rate.
- [The Biggest Mistake You Can Make When Networking](https://www.shaunnestor.com/biggest-mistake-can-make-networking/) - Networking is not easy stuff. You’re constantly putting yourself out there in potentially uncomfortable situations, meeting strangers for coffee or amping up your small talk game at a conference or networking event. Then, you finally break through and meet that one connection who introduces you to his or her friends, and everything falls in place.
- [How To Develop a Social Media Strategy](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-develop-a-social-media-strategy/) - Whether you care to accept it or not, social media is here to stay. It is becoming a powerful marketing tool for businesses all over the world to connect with their customers. The questions is no longer, "should we be doing social media?" It is now, "are we doing social media right?" One way to do
- [Social Media Marketing for Coffee Shops](https://www.shaunnestor.com/social-media-marketing-for-coffee-shops/) - Social media is a relationship-based form of technology that has been adapted to market to people. Never before in the 150 years of marketing history have we seen such wide adaption of two-way marketing. When you think of TV, radio, newspaper, and billboards, they push a message to the consumers. Social media has changed that
- [3 Major Reasons Your Marketing Efforts Are Not Successful](https://www.shaunnestor.com/3-major-reasons-your-marketing-efforts-are-not-successful/) - NOTE: This is written to the forward thinking marketer who has overcome the first hurdle of getting stuff done: the excuse. “It didn’t work.” “We tried that already.” “Our previous web guy / consultant / designer / gardener didn’t understand us.” Congratulations, you’ve made it through the hardest part. Kudos for accepting a level of
- [How To Separate Your Work and Personal Life as an Entrepreneur](https://www.shaunnestor.com/separate-work-personal-life-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
- [Informational Interviews: Get the Inside Scoop About Your Passion](https://www.shaunnestor.com/informational-interviews-get-inside-scoop-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?
- [Passion or Hobby? Take This Quiz to Find Out](https://www.shaunnestor.com/passion-hobby-take-quiz-find/) - 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
- [Using Webinars to Generate Revenue](https://www.shaunnestor.com/using-webinars-generate-revenue/) - Have you ever attended a webinar? That is, a live meeting or presentation held on the internet. Most webinars are either sales or training-related. The best ones deliver a high amount of value to the participants. Chances are, you came away from your last webinar experience with a great deal of respect for the presenter
- [Want to Quit Your Job and Follow Your Passion? Ask Yourself These 5 Questions](https://www.shaunnestor.com/want-quit-job-follow-passion-ask-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
- [How to Overcome The Biggest Challenges of Social Media Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-overcome-the-biggest-challenges-of-social-media-marketing/) - Social media is quite the beast. From corporate boardrooms to home-based hobbyists, the idea of "social media marketing" can cast fear into the hearts of even the most courageous marketers. There are many misconceptions surrounding social media -- especially as it relates to marketing or promoting your business. [bctt tweet "Today's marketers must understand that
- [How to Weave Your Passion into Your Everyday Life](https://www.shaunnestor.com/weave-passion-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%
- [How to Increase Traffic to Your Website With Little to No Budget](https://www.shaunnestor.com/increase-traffic-website-little-no-budget/) - Regardless of your industry or product, we all want to increase the amount of traffic to our website. Right? After all, more visitors usually means more sales. But what happens when you feel like you've hit a brick wall in terms of website traffic? The easiest way to increase website visitors is to pay-to-play. You
- [I Need Your Help [Survey]](https://www.shaunnestor.com/need-help-survey/) - Every day I hear from folks in various stages of their business -- the one thing they have in common: they all feel "stuck." I want to help overcome that feeling and have decided to develop a brand new training course that addresses the common problems brands are facing right now in the world of
- [How to Find and Identify the Right Mentor](https://www.shaunnestor.com/find-identify-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
- [5 Tips for Asking for LinkedIn Recommendations (and Two Scripts)](https://www.shaunnestor.com/5-tips-asking-linkedin-recommendations-two-scripts/) - We all crave social validation. When we want to try a new restaurant, we instantly turn to Yelp and read the reviews. If a restaurant doesn't have any reviews, we probably won't go there. The same goes with clothes, technology, outdoor equipment and more. Basically, if an item is sold on Amazon, we take the time
- [Why LinkedIn Company Pages Are a Waste of Time](https://www.shaunnestor.com/linkedin-company-pages-waste-time/) - When social media became a "thing," companies scrambled to create Facebook profiles, Twitter pages, Google+ pages, Pinterest boards, and LinkedIn company pages. Why did they do that? What was the reasoning behind a B2B company creating a Pinterest board or a doctor's office making a Twitter page? [bctt tweet "Before you start creating original content or
- [5 Little-Known Ways to Maximize Your LinkedIn Presence](https://www.shaunnestor.com/5-little-known-ways-maximize-linkedin-presence/) - How well do you really know LinkedIn? Yes, you can join groups, publish on LinkedIn Pulse, and customize your profile, but that's just scratching the surface. The majority of LinkedIn users do the bare minimum. They add their resume to their profile, upload a picture, and connect with former colleagues. But, by spending a little more
- [How to Use LinkedIn Groups to Land New Clients](https://www.shaunnestor.com/use-linkedin-groups-land-new-clients/) - What's the last group you joined? No, I'm not referring to a weekly running group or Spanish language group. I'm talking about LinkedIn Groups. As every marketing professional knows, one of the biggest challenges we face is finding "our tribe," the perfect group of people that fit our target audience. We can create killer content
- [LinkedIn Pulse 101: Everything You Need to Know](https://www.shaunnestor.com/linkedin-pulse-101-everything-need-know/) - Anyone who has written a blog post or guest article knows that writing the actual piece is only half the battle. The real challenge is getting your post in front of your target audience. Sure, you can post the article on social media and send it out in an email, but that will only reach so
- [In Remembrance of Those Who Gave Their All](https://www.shaunnestor.com/remembrance-gave/) - Today is more than BBQs and a day off work. Today, we remember the service men and woman who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom enjoy each day. This country was founded on certain beliefs - the idea that we have the right to worship, express our thoughts, and be active in the
- [Should You Charge Late Fees?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/charge-late-fees/) - "Our bookkeeper is on vacation!" "It must have gotten lost in the mail!" "I never saw that invoice..." Here they come. The never-ending stream of excuses for late checks. Getting your clients to pay you on time is one of the most frustrating and most common issues you will face as an agency owner. But, however
- [The Best Way to Approach New Clients](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-best-way-to-approach-new-clients/) - Client outreach is a huge part of business development. Yet most sales folks are stuck using methods that are outdated or just ineffective. Should you continue cold calls? Mass emails? The best way to approach a new client is to look for ways to genuinely build a relationship with them. Here are some tips on how
- [Why You Should Publish Your Prices Online](https://www.shaunnestor.com/why-you-should-publish-your-prices-online/) - You can find anything online. From stalking former high school friends to ordering your groceries, we have grown accustomed to accomplishing any task we want on the Internet. With millions of search queries right at our fingertips, we expect to find the information we need in seconds. And, when that information isn't available, we move on to something
- [How Blogging Helps You Rank Higher In Google [Webinar]](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-blogging-helps-you-rank-higher-in-google-webinar/) - Please join me for an upcoming webinar co-hosted with the Agency Growth Formula. I will be discussing how blogging can help you rank higher in Google and other search engines. The webinar is free, but seats are limited to the first 250 participants. I expect this webinar to fill up quickly! The webinar is at 10am
- [The Best Social Media Platform For Promotion is....](https://www.shaunnestor.com/best-social-media-platform-promotion/) - Which social media platform is best for promotion? ...all of them. Or none of them. Frankly, this popular question is only one-half of the right question. A better question is Which social media platform is my audience on? [bctt tweet "Don't just seek out the best social media platform to promote on. Seek out the platform
- [So, What Is It You Do?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [The 3 Biggest Pricing Mistakes](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-3-biggest-pricing-mistakes/) - Pricing is one of the trickiest things about starting a business. Why? Because we all get scared about setting prices. If you charge too much, you'll lose clients. If you charge too little, you're leaving money on the table. If you're charging the same rates as your competitors, you're just being a copycat (and you're not placing
- [[Webinar] 3 Ways to Generate Qualified Leads Through Social Media](https://www.shaunnestor.com/webinar-3-ways-to-generate-qualified-leads-through-social-media/) - Hey everyone, I will be presenting a brand new webinar next Thursday, April 23rd at 10am PST. I encourage you to sign up! I will be talking about 3 Simple Ways to Generate Qualified Leads Through Social Media. Registration is now open here. I look forward to meeting you on the call! -Shaun
- [Progressive Profiling: What Carnival Cruise & Shopify Teach Us](https://www.shaunnestor.com/progressive-profiling-what-carnival-cruise-shopify-teach-us/) - Raise your hand if you hate filling out forms. I'll bet a lot of hands are up right now, heck, I am even typing this one-handed... In sales and marketing, collecting data online is incredibly important. When the web was first introduced and became a primary pillar of marketing, we developed online forms to help
- [How to Get More Referrals by Doing the Work For Your Clients](https://www.shaunnestor.com/get-referrals-work-clients/) - We all like simple. In an era where we can order just about anything with the touch of button on our smartphone, we have become more and more accustomed to easy. Remember when we used to have to call to order a taxi? And wait on hold for minutes, and then wait outside your pick-up
- [Respond Within 10 Minutes for Best Results](https://www.shaunnestor.com/respond-within-10-minutes-best-results/) - "Respond within 10 minutes for best results." That is the helpful tip found on the bottom of every email notification real estate giant Zillow sends to agents. It is no surprise that a quick response to a prospective client, regardless of the industry, results in improved close rates and overall customer satisfaction. The early bird
- [The Wrong Ways to Ask for Referrals](https://www.shaunnestor.com/wrong-ways-ask-referrals/) - There’s a right and wrong way to do just about everything. With client issues, the right way is always to vocalize concerns and solicit feedback. The wrong way is to ignore issues until they go away. With missed deadlines, the right way is to communicate ahead of time and warn your client that the project
- [Cultivating a Culture of Confidence Within Your Agency](https://www.shaunnestor.com/cultivating-culture-confidence-within-agency/) - Confidence is extremely sexy. Just ask anyone in the dating scene, a mate with confidence is attractive. In fact, a recent survey from Men's Fitness Magazine found that nearly 80% of women identified self-confidence as the sexiest trait a man can possess. (Men, let's be careful not confuse confidence with arrogance. One is desirable, the
- [3 Lessons Learned from the Top Podcasts](https://www.shaunnestor.com/3-lessons-learned-top-podcasts/) - Millions of listeners can’t be wrong. From Serial to This American Life to Fareed Zakaria GPS, these podcasts have achieved success in all forms – millions of downloads, hundreds of broadcasts, and perhaps most important of all, a loyal, engaged following. So, what makes a podcast about foreign affairs so popular? Why was Serial, a
- [How Highly Regulated Industries Should Use Inbound Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/highly-regulated-industries-use-inbound-marketing/) - A large percentage of my work includes helping those who are in highly-regulated industries such as financial advisors, insurance sales folks, health and medical professionals, housing and real estate, and loan processing. Many falsely believe that regulations outright prohibit the use of social media, inbound marketing, email, or blogging. I have a completely different take.
- [Best Practices: Dos and Don’ts in Podcasting](https://www.shaunnestor.com/best-practices-dos-donts-podcasting/) - Don’t miss deadlines. Do listen to client feedback. Don’t be late to a meeting. Do think outside the box. Everything we do is made up of “dos” and “don’ts.” Ever since we were young, we were taught, “Don’t chew with your mouth open” and “Do say thank you.” The same goes with our jobs --
- [5 Free Ways to Promote Your Podcast](https://www.shaunnestor.com/promote-your-podcast/) - You’ve submitted your podcast to iTunes and thousands of listeners come pouring in, right? Does the whole “If you build it, they will come” saying apply to podcasts? If only it were that easy. In some ways, making content for your podcast is easier than promoting it. It’s fun to think of new ideas, interview
- [9 Ways to Be More Productive Today](https://www.shaunnestor.com/9-ways-to-be-more-productive-today/) - Are consumers getting a good deal or a bad deal? That was the question posed in an article I read earlier today. I found the article interesting until the very last point, where the author said that a "lack of time and mental bandwidth" basically excused the personal responsibility of these busy consumers -- who
- [Money on the Table: How to Price Your Agency's Services](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-price-your-agencys-services/) - Isn’t it funny how much of a difference pricing can make? A t-shirt that costs $12.00 may seem overpriced, but $9.99 seems so much more affordable, even though the actual difference is only two dollars. Pricing is so much more than numbers and monetary value. It can say a lot about quality of services, competition,
- [How Top Producing Real Estate Agents Use Blogging [Quick Tip]](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-top-producing-real-estate-agents-use-blogging/) - The key to using a blog to attract new customers is to identify the burning questions your customers are asking -- and answer them. “But what about giving away all of my trade secrets?" “What if my competitors read what I’m writing?" You will never cannibalize your business by providing valuable information to your prospective
- [5 Out-of-the-Box Questions to Identify Your Purpose](https://www.shaunnestor.com/5-box-questions-identify-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
- [9 Keys to Finding Your Agency's Passion](https://www.shaunnestor.com/9-keys-to-finding-your-agencys-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.
- [8 Tips to Build Your Business With Referrals](https://www.shaunnestor.com/8-tips-to-build-your-business-with-referrals/) - If you want anything in life, your best bet is simply to ask for it. You may be surprised at how successful this easy (yet bold) approach can be. I’ve seen it work in dozens of scenarios, from being upgraded to first class to receiving a higher salary to getting free samples at a bakery,
- [The Perfect Pitch: How to Excite Customers and Close Deals](https://www.shaunnestor.com/perfect-pitch-excite-customers-close-deals/) - As Don Draper of Mad Men once said, “You are the product. You feeling something. That’s what sells.” When you pitch potential clients, you embody your agency and the services provided. Your confidence, manner of speaking, body language, and personality can build long-lasting relationships or come off as a sleazy sales pitch. [bctt tweet "When
- [I Have a Dream](https://www.shaunnestor.com/dream/) - The year was 1954, and a 25-year-old named Martin Luther King Jr radically reshaped the culture of America. Sixty-one years later, I also have a dream. One that would cause a change in the culture of our businesses. One that would lead more young people to embrace an entrepreneurial spirit. King spoke out about his belief.
- [Establishing Agency Thought Leadership and Authority](https://www.shaunnestor.com/establishing-agency-thought-leadership-authority/) - Would you like your agency to be seen as the ultimate expert in your space? Do you want to improve brand awareness and visibility to new audiences? Do you want to uncover exciting data and trends? All of that can start with a blog post. Well, it’s not as simple as that, but it’s a
- [An Agency Roadmap for 2015](https://www.shaunnestor.com/agency-roadmap-2015/) - As we kick off 2015, I am excited to introduce a series revolving around the success of your agency. Over the next 6 weeks, I will be delivering real advice for agency owners and independent consultants. My true passion is helping others unlock their passion. I believe when you are aligned with your calling, there
- [10 Timeless Marketing Resolutions for Agencies](https://www.shaunnestor.com/10-timeless-marketing-resolutions-for-agencies/) - Around this time of year, it is easy to make "New Years Resolutions", but what about resolutions in general? Here is a list of 10 marketing resolutions agencies should consider regardless of the time of year. 1. Make your agency website the authority for prospective clients. 2. Create a content marketing strategy that centers around the
- [27 Metrics for Monitoring Your Agency's Health](https://www.shaunnestor.com/27-metrics-for-monitoring-your-agencys-health/) - How are you doing? No, really. How are you doing? How is your agency doing? Here are 27 metrics for measuring the health of your agency going into the new year: Sales revenue Referrals Pageviews Time on page Bounce rate Page load time Conversion rate Ranking key-phrases Social media advocates Customer attrition / churn Number
- [What Is Your Story](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Merry Christmas](https://www.shaunnestor.com/merry-christmas-2014/) - Wishing you and your family a happy holiday season! I hope you’re able to take some time to reflect on 2014 and look forward to a prosperous 2015. “Reflect upon your present blessings -- of which every man has many -- not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” ― Charles Dickens, A
- [If Everything Is Expedited, Nothing Is](https://www.shaunnestor.com/everything-expedited-nothing/) - Overheard: "Our rep just told me that we have over 2000 expedited cases right now ... " In the mad rush to close sales opportunities, and hit the aggressive year-end goals, salespeople are promising to "expedite" the sale to slip in before the deadline. While this sounds great, as a customer, the problem becomes evident
- [The Definition of Success](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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. [bctt 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
- [Proposals? Statement of Work? Quote? Agreements?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/proposals-statement-work-quote-agreements/) - What does your agency call the document you send to clients before starting work? According to a survey of agencies by the team over at Podio, the actual terminology varies greatly, but "Proposal" took the lead with 73% of the votes. Does it matter if the document is called a proposal? Quote (44%)? Statement of
- [5 Key Elements to a Winning Sales Pitch](https://www.shaunnestor.com/5-key-elements-to-a-well-structured-sales-pitch-or-proposal/) - When creating a sales pitch or slide deck, it is easy to start with information about your company. It is natural, since we want to convince the prospect that they are in good hands and can trust us. Scratch that. You must understand the client's hierarchy of needs and create a succession of 'yeses'. 5
- [How I Blog: Trips & Tricks I've Learned From Publishing Every Day](https://www.shaunnestor.com/blog-trips-tricks-ive-learned-publishing-every-day/) - Writing a blog post every day for 90 days is not an easy task. It is one I set out to do for a number of reasons, the primary reason, however, is probably to prove to myself that I could do it. Creating original, high-quality content on a consistent basis is the best and most
- [Asking a random person...](https://www.shaunnestor.com/asking-a-random-person/) - ...for a shoutout/follow/like/RT on any social platform is like walking up to a stranger on the sidewalk and asking them to tell all of their friends how amazing you are. Just don't. First, build a relationship by adding value to them. -- About the Daily Marketing Minute The Daily Marketing Minute is my project for
- [Strive To Be Better Than Average](https://www.shaunnestor.com/strive-to-be-better-than-average/) - You will not get ahead at work by simply showing up. In your career, client pitch, consultation, or calendar; you must outperform the competition and those around you. Be better than average and let your results speak for themselves. -- About the Daily Marketing Minute The Daily Marketing Minute is my project for the last
- [Don't Make My Product Launch Mistake](https://www.shaunnestor.com/dont-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
- [How To Be Intentional With Your Time](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-be-intentional-with-your-time/) - I believe time is our most valuable asset. I feel fortunate to have realized this at such a young age. It seems that each day brings on new challenges, demands, and pressures that divert our attention from the things that really matter, like family, friends, and enjoying life around us. Each day, we are given
- [What Will Kill Your Agency](https://www.shaunnestor.com/what-will-kill-your-agency/) - Most agencies have likely performed a SWOT analysis; it seems almost like Business 101, by now. But what about answering the question, "What will kill us?" What does your business truly depend on? What is the root source of your success? While reading Arun Sundararajan compare and contrast the cultural differences between Airbnb and Uber, I
- [The Invisible Gorilla](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-invisible-gorilla/) - If we are paying very close attention to one thing, we often fail to notice other -- even very obvious things -- in our field of vision. Research physiologists, Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons, explain this phenomenon as "unintentional blindness" in their book, The Invisible Gorilla. For example, when searching for reading glasses, we become so
- [Hope For The Best](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Sincere and Sincerely Wrong](https://www.shaunnestor.com/sincere-sincerely-wrong/) - The world is flat Bulls hate the color red Goldfish have a 3-second memory The sun revolves around the Earth Each of us views the world through a unique lens. Our perspective is made of a culmination of our experiences, likes, dislikes, habits, biases, pleasures and hurts. Naturally, we view our perspective as the truth.
- [The Last Chapter](https://www.shaunnestor.com/last-chapter/) - Today marks the beginning of the final chapter of 2014. What legacy did you envision? What goal or challenge did you accept 11 months ago? Today, I challenge you to look back on the home runs of 2014 -- the big wins. Where did you and your team crush it? Additionally, where did you do alright?
- [How Answering Frequently Asked Questions Can Be A Sales Asset](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-answering-frequently-asked-questions-can-be-an-asset/) - Likely, in the course of your daily business, you answer the same questions over and over. Perhaps you have answered them on the phone or via email to customer inquiries. Take a few moments to format these responses into blog posts and publish them on your website. These new frequently asked questions will serve as
- [An Attitude of Gratitude](https://www.shaunnestor.com/an-attitude-of-gratitude/) - With the omnipresence of smart phones, social media, tablets, and computers, it is easy to get wrapped up into the electronic world and miss things going on around us. [bctt tweet "This Thanksgiving, spend time focused on the real life emotions, events, and relationships surrounding you."] This Thanksgiving, spend time focused on the real life
- [Write First For Humans](https://www.shaunnestor.com/write-first-for-humans/) - When thinking of SEO (search engine optimization) on your website, speak to the human readers about topics and ideas. Don't get bogged down with specific keywords. Conceptual websites will always outlast and out-perform sites dedicated to a specific keyword. -- About the Daily Marketing Minute The Daily Marketing Minute is my project for the last
- [The Job Only You Can Do](https://www.shaunnestor.com/the-job-only-you-can-do/) - Seth Godin talks about doing the job only you can do. I could not have said it better myself. One of the milestones every entrepreneur passes is when she stops thinking of people she hires as expensive ("I could do that job for free") and starts thinking of them as cheap ("This frees me up
- [Why Blogging Generates Quality Sales Leads](https://www.shaunnestor.com/blogging-generates-quality-sales-leads/) - A buyer has made almost 70% of their buying decision before they talk to you. Seventy percent! Todays buyers are self-educating; they are coming to the table armed with more product knowledge than ever before. For sales teams, this means that the prospect is almost ready to buy, you just have to answer any last
- [The Importance of Client Onboarding](https://www.shaunnestor.com/importance-client-onboarding/) - Onboarding, the “getting started” process of bringing on a new client, user, or member, is perhaps the most critical element to the long-term success of that user. As agencies, we spend a considerable amount of time focused on acquiring leads, nurturing them to prospect, and closing them as a new customer ... ... then what?
- [Don't Build Your Castle In Another Man's Kingdom](https://www.shaunnestor.com/dont-build-castle-another-mans-kingdom/) - Online, it is easy to chase the latest platform. For brands, it is especially easy to drop everything to explore uncharted territory to be the first to market. This exploration, however, often causes brands to abandon their previous outposts in search of a new promised land. [bctt tweet "Social media platforms are outposts. Use them
- [Tell Your Story: How to talk about yourself in a way that makes people care](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tell-story-talk-way-makes-people-care/) - There is a fine-line between too self-promotional and delivering a powerful, well-deserved description of yourself. For professionals, self-promotion is critical to success, but doing it wrong can drive away partners, customers, and prospects. To maintain promotional balance, consider the following exercise: Step 1: Set the Stage Before you start, know what you want you to
- [The Single Biggest Mistake Brands Make On Their Blogs](https://www.shaunnestor.com/single-biggest-mistake-brands-make-blogs/) - "I wanna talk about me." More than just a song by Toby Keith, "I wanna talk about me"-mentality is the number one mistake brands make on their blog. Take a step back, read your last 5 blog entires. Are they brand-focused or buyer-focused? When you write for your audience, you transform the relationship from buyer-seller to
- [5 Quick Wins for Brand Leaders on LinkedIn](https://www.shaunnestor.com/5-quick-wins-brand-leaders-linkedin/) - LinkedIn is the social hub for B2B networking. In fact, it is the number one source for referral traffic to the Never Mind Marketing site. So how can you use your LinkedIn profile to attract new visitors, close more sales, and build deeper professional relationships? Look at these five LinkedIn tips that you can tackle
- [The Invisible Link Between Social Media and Sales Conversions](https://www.shaunnestor.com/invisible-link-social-media-sales-conversions/) - For modern marketers, simply being on social media is not enough. There are too many gimmicks; too much noise; too much drama. Instead, ask yourself, "What are we going to do with social?" The answer is to introduce call to action to drive intentional outcomes. Using social media with measurable purpose is the invisible link between social
- [9 Quick Ways To Segment Your Customer List](https://www.shaunnestor.com/9-quick-ways-segment-customer-list/) - One size does not fit all. Customer segmentation is an incredibly powerful way to nurture your existing list. Segmenting your customer base is like classifying each customer in a bucket with other similar customers as a way to tailor your marketing message to each group. I’ve spoken before about how my friend and I match
- [What is Keeping You From Shipping?](https://www.shaunnestor.com/keeping-shipping/) - Of course, shipping is just a placeholder for: Publishing your work Calling that client Requesting the referral Writing the blog post Sharing your expertise Booking that speech Asking for the promotion Enrolling in continued education Creating your own learning series Seeking out the ideal customer Reaching out for a donation What are you waiting for?
- [How To Solve The Biggest Problems For Your Ideal Customer](https://www.shaunnestor.com/solve-biggest-problems-ideal-customer/) - "How Have We Helped You, Today?" That is the question I ask each time I see these faces. They represent our customers. The people we exist to connect and help. It’s a big mental shift to adjust marketing from "about us" to "about them." The customer. More specifically, your ideal customer. Consider challenging yourself for
- [Getting Serious About Your Email Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/getting-serious-email-marketing/) - Sixty-six percent of American consumers over the age of 15 say they made a purchase as a result of email marketing. For you, this means your email marketing efforts need to be optimized and finely tuned to elicit a positive response from your followers. To fully optimize your email marketing, consider these essential elements: Optimal
- [What Is Inbound Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/inbound-marketing/) - Inbound Marketing is a process for generating leads and nurturing them to a point of sale through content and automation. It's not magic, it's just a very efficient and human way of connecting with customers at the right moment. -- About the Daily Marketing Minute The Daily Marketing Minute is my project for the last
- [We Hate Interruptive Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/hate-interruptive-marketing/) - It is hard not to hate someone who constantly interrupts you with irrelevant messages; one who assumes they deserve your undivided attention at all times. It is easy, however, to love someone who always says the right thing, the right way, at the right time, in the right place. Which are you? -- About the
- [Are You An Authority](https://www.shaunnestor.com/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
- [Blogging: Get Started](https://www.shaunnestor.com/blogging-get-started/) - Consistently publishing original, quality content on your website has two huge benefits. First, it excites search engines. It shows them that you are well-versed in the topic you are discussing and signals that they should send visitors to your website who are seeking information on such topics. Secondly, it attracts new visitors to your website who
- [Are You Running a Sprint or a Marathon](https://www.shaunnestor.com/running-sprint-marathon/) - Wedding pins are one of the most popular categories on Pinterest. With so much planning going into the big day, it is easy to forget about Day 2 - the day after the wedding. And the 18,250 days after. When it comes to your marketing strategy, are you preparing for a sprint or a marathon? It
- [This Point is Super Simple](https://www.shaunnestor.com/point-super-simple/) - Remember, it is the little things that count. When speaking with a sales prospect, a colleague, a customer, or an advisor, this point will always be inherently important -- and for this reason it cannot be overlooked. -- About the Daily Marketing Minute The Daily Marketing Minute is my project for the last quarter of
- [Uniquely For Me: Mass Market Personalization](https://www.shaunnestor.com/uniquely-mass-market-personalization/) - A follower who always retweets your brand's messages A frequent website visitor who reads nearly every blog post A one-time customer who takes to Facebook to lambaste a recent purchase from you An anonymous visitor who has looked at your pricing page 7 times in two days A known customer who spends thousands with you each
- [Measure, Adapt, Repeat](https://www.shaunnestor.com/measure-adapt-repeat/) - Pop Quiz: do you know how effective your marketing is? With access to tools that provide granular statistics, no marketing department should ever wonder the reach, impact, and influence of their efforts. A few key points to measure: How many visitors are coming to your website? Which version of a blog title generate the most clicks?
- [S is for Social Listening - Part 2](https://www.shaunnestor.com/s-social-listening-part-2/) - Just the other day, I encouraged brand leaders to look at social media as a listening platform. This is an area that many small businesses think larger, more established brands can outperform them. Quite the contrary. As if on cue, I witnessed the following transpire in real time, and was disappointed at the (lack of) response by
- [Attention, Chief Marketing Officers](https://www.shaunnestor.com/attention-chief-marketing-officers/) - Attention, Chief Marketing Officers, There are changes in your industry that you need to be aware of. These are transitional moments that will define the next generation of marketers and separate the prosperous from the lacking. Your buyers are mobile: They access your content on multiple screens and from multiple geographical locations. Your marketing campaigns must be
- [How Closed Customers Can Help Craft Your Marketing Strategy](https://www.shaunnestor.com/closed-customers-can-help-craft-marketing-strategy/) - Notice I didn’t say new customers. Or prospects. Closed business – people that actually pay you money for your products or services – should have the biggest impact on your go-forward marketing. Those who have opened their checkbook, signed the dotted line, and accepted the handshake have great insights that you need to acknowledge. Why
- [This Line of Advertising No Longer Exists](https://www.shaunnestor.com/line-advertising-longer-exists/) - The line between traditional advertising and digital advertising is beyond blurred — it no longer exists. And you don’t have to choose between traditional and digital. They should support and promote one another for greater impact. Regardless of platform, your marketing strategy is to strengthen your brand's relationship with customers. -- About the Daily Marketing Minute The Daily Marketing Minute
- [Better Ways of Connecting with Customers](https://www.shaunnestor.com/better-ways-connecting-customers/) - “One way or the other, we’re in the ideas business.” – Peter Coughter, author of The Art of the Pitch As a brand, you must continually find better ways of connecting with customers: Tell stories and make it personal Defy conventional and create an exceptional experience Show up when things are good The "customer service" department should be called
- [Long-form Content is the New Ad](https://www.shaunnestor.com/long-form-content-new-ad/) - Long-form content is the new ad. Brands are content creators now, and they could learn a thing or two from the film industry. Content creators are actually storytellers. They give the viewer/reader/customer a reason to stop what they are doing and focus. They give a reason to care. Focus your efforts, not on advertising, but
- [Unsatisfied is Lazy](https://www.shaunnestor.com/unsatisfied-lazy/) - Services like Netflix and Amazon offer so much streaming content, they’ve changed everything about how we pick what to watch. It’s smart to click through videos until you find something you’ll love, and it feels inexcusable to spend time and money on anything you won’t. There are so many reviews, ratings and recommendations out there that
- [Personalized Marketing: Opportunities Abound](https://www.shaunnestor.com/personalized-marketing-opportunities-abound/) - We live in an exciting era. As humans, we still want to connect and share our experiences, meet new people, and deepen our relationship with those already in our circles. We must balance our privacy (which is unique to both users and publishers), as well as our desire to be accepted and approved of. Marketing
- [Hello, My Name Is...](https://www.shaunnestor.com/hello-name/) - To introduce yourself to an individual of perceived power, work to quickly show interest in his wellbeing. The first step is to show you care. Don't sell yourself, give of yourself. -- About the Daily Marketing Minute The Daily Marketing Minute is my project for the last quarter of 2014. Each day, I will deliver
- [How Much Time Does It Take to Find a Solution](https://www.shaunnestor.com/much-time-take-find-solution/) - When your ideal customer has a problem, how long does it take for her to find a solution? Does she know whether you offer such a solution? Does she go to Google? A phonebook? A friend? Regardless of the needs of your prospect, you should work diligently to sympathize and give her the answer as fast as possible. -- About
- [S is for Social Listening](https://www.shaunnestor.com/s-social-listening/) - Interruptive sales strategies suck. No one wants to get your generic, unsolicited email or phone call. You don't need to wish for a way to gauge interest in your product or service. Social media was made for listening. It offers a gold mine for sales people to listen for folks who need their services. Prospective
- [Set Yourself Up For a Successful 2015](https://www.shaunnestor.com/set-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
- [Beginners Guide to Content Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/beginners-guide-content-marketing/) - There is a tremendous amount of buzz surrounding content marketing and its need within a brand's overall marketing strategy. Doing content marketing is much more than publishing on your blog occasionally and posting your thoughts on social media. "Do stuff and maybe it will work" is not a strategy, it is a gamble. A risky
- [How To Reach Twitter Users Who Need You](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-reach-twitter-users-who-need-you/) - Twitter is a great prospecting tool, but how do you use it to connect with new customers without coming off as spammy? According to a late-2013 study, 67% of customers were more likely to purchase from a brand they followed on Twitter. But what about connecting with those customers who are not following you? In
- [How to Convert Your Sales-Oriented Pipeline to a Client­-Oriented Pipeline](https://www.shaunnestor.com/convert-sales-oriented-pipeline-customer-oriented-pipeline/) - Today's consumers are entering the buying process much more educated and from a number of entry points. Some will come to your brand based on the recommendation of a friend, others will see a sponsored social media post, others will come in "cold" from a generalized search engine query. Your sales process must be able
- [A Stellar Example of Inbound Marketing Practices at an Offline Event [Interview]](https://www.shaunnestor.com/stellar-example-inbound-marketing-offline-event-interview/) - As you can imagine, my excitement and passion for effective marketing does not stop at the door or at the end of the work day. As my family can attest, I am always looking at creative and efficient marketing tactics. I love understanding what works and what doesn't. The other day, I was speaking to
- [7 Tips for Writing Blog Headlines](https://www.shaunnestor.com/7-tips-writing-blog-headlines/) - As I've talked about before, blogging is - by far - the best way to gain new website traffic, capture new sales leads, and better the business relationship with your existing customers. One area I see every blog writer struggle with, however, is writing good headlines to break up their blog posts into manageable chunks
- [How Writing Your Blog is like Driving To The Gym](https://www.shaunnestor.com/writing-blog-like-driving-gym/) - When thinking about how to market your business, the options can seem almost endless. Between the constant wave of information about when and how to post to social media, blogging, automated marketing, providing excellent customer service, plus the many other facets to go into building a strong brand, it is easy to get overwhelmed. So
- [11 Essential Business Survival Tips](https://www.shaunnestor.com/11-essential-business-survival-tips/) - Business isn't easy, here are 11 business survival tips for young start-ups or old pros. They serve as good reminders to keep the plain things the main things. Happy Friday 1. Be Willing To Learn Everyday 2. Have the Desire to Make A Real Difference 3. Dedication Runs Deeper than 9-to-5 4. Resist the
- [8 Simple Leadership Values](https://www.shaunnestor.com/8-simple-leadership-values-2/)
- [11 Essential Elements of a Website Redesign](https://www.shaunnestor.com/11-essential-elements-website-redesign/) - Whether your navigation is too complex, your design is dated, or you are not getting the results you want, a website redesign seems to become the topic of discussion every two or three years within many organizations. Any change in your marketing -- of which your website is likely a large part -- requires thought,
- [$10,000 Worth of SEO Advice: Free](https://www.shaunnestor.com/10000-worth-seo-advice-free/) - Here it goes, advice I charge companies $10,000 to receive - available to you for free. How do I rank #1 in search engines like Google or Bing? How do I attract more website visitors? How do I convert more visitors to leads? How to I show up for more than just one keyword in

## Pages

- [Find Purpose and Profit Beyond the Badge](https://www.shaunnestor.com/) - Discover the Untapped $100k+ Business Already In Your Head Turn your knowledge and expertise into a profitable, fulfilling business beyond the badge. Turn your law enforcement experience into $100,000+ without a huge following, chasing clients, or wondering if you have what it takes to succeed beyond the badge. You’ve dedicated years to mastering leadership, decision-making,
- [Beyond the Badge](https://www.shaunnestor.com/beyond-the-badge/) - Beyond the Badge exists to help police officers and first responders build a profitable side gig or post-retirement opportunity leveraging their LE experience.
- [Your Blueprint to a 100k Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/your-blueprint-to-a-100k-business/) - WELCOME Congratulations on making it through Find Your Purpose and Profit! You’re obviously driven and ready to get to the next step. I’ve reserved a spot on my calendar for you and me to connect to discuss your goals and create and action plan to acheive them. Are you ready? Please enable JavaScript in your browser
- [Consulting and Training for Law Enforcement Professionals](https://www.shaunnestor.com/services/) - Unlock your potential with personalized consulting or our cohort program tailored for law enforcement professionals. Get expert guidance to turn your experience into a thriving coaching, consulting, or training business.
- [6 Steps to Plan Your Best Year](https://www.shaunnestor.com/best-year/) - Get Shaun Nestor's free 6-page guide to plan for your best year! Set meaningful goals, discover your unique message, and step into the new year with clarity and purpose.
- [Login to Beyond the Badge](https://www.shaunnestor.com/login-to-beyond-the-badge/) - Login to your Beyond the Badge account
- [Find Purpose and Profit Beyond the Badge](https://www.shaunnestor.com/beyond-the-badge-coming-soon/) - Unlock your potential beyond law enforcement! Learn how to leverage your skills in beyond the badge to build a six-figure income.
- [Emotional Intelligence for Police Officers: A Critical Skill for Modern Law Enforcement](https://www.shaunnestor.com/emotional-intelligence-for-police-officers/) - In today’s complex law enforcement profession, the ability to manage emotions effectively is not just a "soft skill"—it’s a tactical skill. Emotional intelligence (EI) has become an essential aspect of policing, allowing law enforcement officers to make sound decisions, build positive relationships, and navigate high-pressure situations. For public safety professionals, mastering emotional intelligence skills is
- [Donut Dan's LinkedIn Bio](https://www.shaunnestor.com/donut-dans-linkedin-bio/) - Donut Dan | School Security Consultant | Retired Law Enforcement Officer (20+ Years) 🔹 Helping Schools Stay Safe in Challenging Times As a recently retired school resource officer and veteran law enforcement professional with over 20 years of experience, I’ve dedicated my career to protecting students, staff, and communities. Throughout my time in service, I
- [Home](https://www.shaunnestor.com/home/) - Hi, I am Shaun Nestor, a strategic advisor for passionate people. I help everyday experts leverage the knowledge economy and build a business they're proud of.
- [How to Scale a Coaching Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-scale-a-coaching-or-consulting-business/) - Due to the inherent limitations of one-on-one coaching, many coaches seek alternatives to their products and services to better leverage their business. Here's how to successfully scale your coaching business. Scaling Your Coaching Business Whether you consider yourself a coach or a consultant, scaling a your business can be a challenge. But it doesn’t have
- [Content Marketing for Coaches & Consultants](https://www.shaunnestor.com/content-marketing-for-coaches-consultants/) - There is perhaps a no more effective way of attracting the right clients than to position yourself as an authority and expert. And there is no more effective way of being positioned as an expert than to publish original, thought-leadership content. Coaches and consultants can benefit greatly from using content marketing, automation, and easy-to-use tools
- [How to Grow a Coaching or Consulting Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-grow-a-coaching-or-consulting-business/) - As a coach, you're probably always looking for ways to attract more clients and grow your business. Here are 10 proven tips that will help you attract more coaching clients. Growing Your Business as a Coach It’s easy to feel like you’re always on the hunt for new clients. You know that you must be
- [How to Start a Coaching or Consulting Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/how-to-start-a-coaching-or-consulting-business/) - Coaching is one of the fastest-growing professions in the world. If you’re passionate about helping people, coaching could be a great career option for you. Starting Your Coaching Business There are many ways to make money. Some people start businesses, others find work they enjoy and do it for a salary, and some people even

## Campaigns

- [Join Curious & Concise](https://www.shaunnestor.com/newsletter/archive/join-curious-concise/)

## Templates

- [Printing shop](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_template&p=42419599) - Hi {{ first_name,fallback=friend }}, As we close out the year, it’s great to look back at all we’ve accomplished. Your support and belief were instrumental in so many of our successes this year. From our early days as a fledgling startup to where we are now. Thank you for coming along for the ride. Quick
- [Design](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_template&p=42419600) - ACME on the streets Creativity is the secret sauce. Creativity can be a key differentiator for your company and give you the competitive edge. At ACME, we’ll help you discover how good design can impact your bottom line. "Design" in today’s context means building cool stuff; but it also includes all the little details that
- [Marketing consultant](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_template&p=42419601) - View portfolio | Explore my process | Book a call Marketing can be a complex and daunting task for small business owners, especially when you’re starting from scratch.To help simplify the process, I’ve developed a four-step marketing framework that covers the essential components of any successful marketing strategy: audience research, messaging & positioning, content strategy,
- [SaaS monthly update](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_template&p=42419602) - Hello February! We’ve got lots of great stuff in store for you this month. A brand new case study, some articles we shared around our office and a secret promotion. Let’s do this. 💪 💅 We built a new website for ACME. It’s converting 57% better. We helped ACME build a new website in conjunction
- [Early education. Child’s play.](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_template&p=42419603) - Go on an adventure. Rather than staying cooped up inside, introduce them to the great outdoors. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know the name of a tree or whether that’s a squirrel scampering by. Learning together is part of the enjoyment and a great way to motivate your child too. What can I learn
- [Curated gear and drinks digest](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_template&p=42419604) - High quality gear. Delicious drinks. Excellent books. Epic adventures. A curated digest for the coolest cats. The ultimate home bar No house is complete without the ultimate home bar. The best way to set up an in-home cocktail bar. The must have cocktails, spirits, liquors and more. From craft vodka concoctions to whiskey sours, mix
- [Weekly digest](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_template&p=42419605) - Reading time: 0 mins Weekly digest Solarpunk, lost cities, and more quillette.com What History Teaches About the Rise and Fall of Empires The first step is better wealth distribution. If we are all—as a nation—in it together, then we should all be sharing both the burdens and the benefits. quillette.com What History Teaches About the
- [Life on Mars](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_template&p=42419606) - Issue # | Reading time: 0 mins Life on Mars: The Ethical Implications of Colonizing the Red Planet Areo Magazine Human expansion into space is at the periphery of our current, scientific knowledge. There is a long and earnest history of proposals for such a project; it fills canons of science fiction, occupies reams of
- [Your local drinking guide](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_template&p=42419607) - Your local drinking guide Singapore – August 2022 timeout.com Republic launches new menu exploring the retrospection of 60s pop culture Warhol, Hepburn, Yves Saint Laurent and the list goes on – you name it, they got a drink for it. Read more. timeout.com Republic launches new menu exploring the retrospection of 60s pop culture Warhol,
- [Recipes for summer](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_template&p=42419608) - Easy and quick Summer recipes Summer is coming, so we’re sharing with you our top 5 delicious summer time snacks recipes you can make for your entire family in 10 minutes or less. So you can spend more time by the pool. 🌭 Hot diggity dogs Create a hot dog buffet for your friends and
- [Weekly email digest](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_template&p=42419960) - Our weekly digest Here are the latest and greatest blog posts we published this week. Enjoy! By Shaun Nestor The Power of Niche – Why Focusing on a Specific Market is Key What’s your niche? The intersection of your skills, passion, and market demand is your sweet spot. Once you define it, you can build
- [Latest post update](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_template&p=42419961) - I just wrote a new blog post and wanted to share it with you. I hope you enjoy it. From Experience to Expertise The Power of Niche – Why Focusing on a Specific Market is Key What’s your niche? The intersection of your skills, passion, and market demand is your sweet spot. Once you define
- [Monthly recap](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_template&p=42419962) - ICYMI: Our monthly recap In case you missed it, here’s a curated list of all the posts we published. For your reading pleasure. From Experience to Expertise The Power of Niche – Why Focusing on a Specific Market is Key What’s your niche? The intersection of your skills, passion, and market demand is your sweet

## Patterns

- [Header with Banner + Description](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_pattern&p=32744) - A weekly newsletter to help you create better products, and understand the broader impact of technology on our work and our lives. Read online Add title
- [Header with Banner](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_pattern&p=32745) - Read online Add title Shaun Nestor | Issue # | Reading time: 1 mins
- [Header with Coloured Bar](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_pattern&p=32747) - Issue # | Reading time: 0 mins Add title
- [Header Minimal with Logo](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_pattern&p=32746) - Issue # | Reading time: 1 mins Add title
- [Header Minimal with Separator](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_pattern&p=32749) - Issue # | Reading time: 0 mins Add title
- [Header inside Coloured Block](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_pattern&p=32750) - Add title Subheading Issue # | Reading time: 0 mins
- [Header aligned Center](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_pattern&p=32748) - Issue # | Reading time: 1 mins Add title
- [Footer Minimal with Social Sharing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_pattern&p=32752) - Built with Newsletter Glue. Published with ♥ by {{ admin_name,fallback=Shaun Nestor }}.Here’s where you can find me online: {{ admin_address,fallback=PO Box 65746 Tacoma, WA 98464 }} Unsubscribe here.
- [Footer Minimal outside Container](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_pattern&p=32751) - Built with Newsletter Glue. {{ admin_address,fallback=PO Box 65746 Tacoma, WA 98464 }} If you’d no longer like to receive emails from me, you can unsubscribe here.
- [Footer inside Coloured Block with logo](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_pattern&p=32754) - Built with Newsletter Glue. {{ admin_address,fallback=PO Box 65746 Tacoma, WA 98464 }} Unsubscribe here.
- [Footer Minimal inside Container](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_pattern&p=32755) - Built with Newsletter Glue. {{ admin_address,fallback=PO Box 65746 Tacoma, WA 98464 }} If you’d no longer like to receive emails from me, you can unsubscribe here.
- [Footer inside Coloured Block](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_pattern&p=32753) - Built with Newsletter Glue. © 2021 {{ admin_name,fallback=Shaun Nestor }}{{ admin_address,fallback=PO Box 65746 Tacoma, WA 98464 }} Unsubscribe
- [Footer Minimal with Separator](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?post_type=ngl_pattern&p=32756) - Built with Newsletter Glue. {{ admin_address,fallback=PO Box 65746 Tacoma, WA 98464 }} If you’d no longer like to receive emails from me, you can unsubscribe here.

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- [Leadership Development](https://www.shaunnestor.com/category/leadership-development/) - Strategies and insights on leadership, particularly within law enforcement and beyond.
- [Rates, Fees, and Prices](https://www.shaunnestor.com/category/rates-fees-and-prices/)
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- [Finance](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/finance/)
- [Operations](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/operations/)
- [Branding](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/branding/)
- [Analytics](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/analytics/)
- [Website](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/website/)
- [ecommerce](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/ecommerce/)
- [starting an online business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/starting-an-online-business/)
- [Planning](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/planning/)
- [Hustle](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/hustle/)
- [Small Business](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/small-business/)
- [Conversation](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/conversation/)
- [Relationships](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/relationships/)
- [Reading](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/reading/)
- [Outbound Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/outbound-marketing/)
- [new year](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/new-year/)
- [Values](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/values/)
- [Advisory](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/advisory/)
- [Passion](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/passion/)
- [Goal Setting](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/goal-setting/)
- [Leaders](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/leaders/)
- [Martin Luther King Jr](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/martin-luther-king-jr/)
- [online course](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/online-course/)
- [website hosting](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/website-hosting/)
- [Authenticity](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/authenticity/)
- [Principles](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/principles/)
- [Online Reviews](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/online-reviews/)
- [Inspiration](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/inspiration/)
- [Valentines Day](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/valentines-day/)
- [coaching](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/coaching/)
- [internet marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/internet-marketing/)
- [marketing automation](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/marketing-automation/)
- [Business Development](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/business-development/)
- [Platform](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/platform/)
- [Culture](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/culture/)
- [Politics](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/politics/)
- [Building](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/building/)
- [New Clients](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/new-clients/)
- [Fees Rates and Pricing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/fees-rates-and-pricing/)
- [Balance](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/balance/)
- [Security](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/security/)
- [Competition](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/competition/)
- [Direct-to-Consumer](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/direct-to-consumer/)
- [Remote Work](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/remote-work/)
- [WFH](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/wfh/)
- [Work From Home](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/work-from-home/)
- [Paid Newsletters](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/paid-newsletters/)
- [Substack](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/substack/)
- [Email Marketing](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/email-marketing/)
- [Getting Started](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/getting-started/)
- [Guides](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/guides/)
- [Tools](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/tools/)
- [Proposals](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/proposals/)
- [Clients](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/clients/)
- [Emotional Intelligence](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/emotional-intelligence/)
- [Personal Development](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/personal-development/)
- [Law enforcement leadership](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/law-enforcement-leadership/)
- [Organizational culture in law enforcement](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/organizational-culture-in-law-enforcement/)
- [Recruitment and retention in law enforcement](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/recruitment-and-retention-in-law-enforcement/)
- [Officer wellness programs](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/officer-wellness-programs/)
- [Officer morale](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/officer-morale/)
- [Coaching culture in law enforcement](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/coaching-culture-in-law-enforcement/)
- [Stress reduction in law enforcement](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/stress-reduction-in-law-enforcement/)
- [Poor leadership in law enforcement](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/poor-leadership-in-law-enforcement/)
- [Trust and respect in law enforcement](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/trust-and-respect-in-law-enforcement/)
- [Evolving Leadership in Law Enforcement](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/evolving-leadership-in-law-enforcement/)
- [Mentoring](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/mentoring/)
- [Police Retirement](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/police-retirement/)
- [Transition From Law Enforcement](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/transition-from-law-enforcement/)
- [Career Change](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/career-change/)
- [Law Enforcement Experience](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/law-enforcement-experience/)
- [Career Transition](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/career-transition/)
- [Coaching & Mentorship](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/coaching-mentorship/)
- [Leadership Skills](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/leadership-skills/)
- [Crisis Response](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/crisis-response/)
- [Law](https://www.shaunnestor.com/tag/law/)

## Newsletter category

- [Archive](https://www.shaunnestor.com/newsletter/archive/)

## Template category

- [automations](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?ngl_template_category=automations)

## Pattern category

- [Newsletter Header](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?ngl_pattern_category=ngl_headers)
- [Newsletter Footer](https://www.shaunnestor.com/?ngl_pattern_category=ngl_footers)