Archive for February, 2017

255: The Voice of Your Dreams: Get Noticed, Serve Others, Overcome Setbacks, and Build Up Passive Income with Aaron Anastasi

Aaron Anastasi from TheVoiceOfYourDreams.com has been on a journey from being an up-and-coming singer to a online teacher. He shares many of his success principles, including finding the joy in service, having a big "why", skylining it, talking to a singular customer avatar, and making use of deadlines and structures.

Quotes:                                                                                                                                   

“We all have this voice of our dreams that calls to us, but it can be hard to hear and hard to follow when our voices of limitation are shouting so much louder.” – Aaron Anastasi

“When I went from ‘it's all about me’ to ‘it's all about serving others,’ there was a big shift in my life, my focus, my level of joy, and certainly my level of income.” – Aaron Anastasi

“It's good enough. We can fix it later and get feedback later. Let's just keep moving and get it done, because done is better than perfect.” – Aaron Anastasi

Takeaways:

02:42 Shifting focus from self-interest to serving others can dramatically improve personal and professional success.

11:15 Perfectionism can block progress; sometimes it's better to complete a project and improve it later.

12:04 Structured creativity allows for more productivity and innovation than complete artistic freedom.

14:01 Creating content with genuine intention and a desire to help others can lead to organic growth and success.

22:07 Identifying and challenging personal limiting beliefs can unlock new opportunities and potential.

Resources

• The Voice Of Your Dreams (Books Website)
• The Voice of Your Dreams (Book)
• The Voice of Your Dreams on Audible (Audio Book)
• Aaron Anastasi (Instagram)
• Aaron Anastasi (Twitter)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:45 — 22.7MB) | Embed

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254: Red Zone Marketing: Make Your Marketing Exciting, Engaging, Unique, Focused, and Helpful from the Right Messaging and Branding with Maribeth Kuzmeski

Maribeth Kuzmeski from RedZoneMarketing.com has some breaking news: most companies' messaging sucks! They don't have a value proposition, story, elevator speech, or anything of the sort. Instead, specialize in something specific, focus on what's in it for your customers, model your competitors, and think about the outcomes/emotions you can provide for people.

Quotes:                                                                                                                                   

“Marketing isn't working at all if nobody's selling anything.” – Maribeth Kuzmeski

“The key to getting someone to pay attention is more about who you work with than what you do, especially if what you do isn't really all that compelling.” – Maribeth Kuzmeski

“The biggest mistake in marketing is not that you're not doing enough or spending enough; it's that you're not messaging yourself correctly.” – Maribeth Kuzmeski

Takeaways:

05:02 Craft a specific, targeted message that focuses on who you help and the outcomes you deliver, not just what you do.

07:57 Develop multiple messaging templates tailored to different target markets and events.

16:03 The most unique part of your business is often the people behind it, not just the product or service.

16:53 Word-of-mouth and personal recommendations are more powerful than generic marketing efforts.

21:56 Your marketing message should address what people want, not just what they need.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:18 — 21.3MB) | Embed

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253: Self-Publishing: Step into Greatness by Transforming Your Personal Story, Experience, and Passion into a Published Book with Michelle Prince

Michelle Prince from MichellePrince.com says that everyone has a story. She's an expert at taking anyone who wants a non-fiction book and fleshing out not only what they want to accomplish with that book, but also developing the first draft and editing it into something publishable. She also talks about the different types of books you can create, from a business card book, a small "7 things" book, a huge story/message book, or a multi-author book where you only write one chapter.

Quotes:                                                                                                                                   

“Everyone has a story, no matter who you are or what you do, but generally, people who want to share their story and get it into the hands of others are those who are ready to step into their greatness.” – Michelle Prince

“Every story matters, you just have to figure out what you want to do with it.” – Michelle Prince

“The biggest mistake all authors make is underestimating the process, how much time it will take, and how many little decisions have to be made along the way.” – Michelle Prince

Takeaways:

00:53 Every professional has a unique story that can be transformed into a book to boost their business credibility.

04:55 A book's purpose varies - from being a business card to creating speaking opportunities to sharing personal development insights.

07:55 The hardest part of writing a book is extracting the author's core message and experiences from their mind.

13:04 The book creation process can take as little as 4-8 hours of focused conversation and questioning to develop a first draft.

16:02 Publishing a book involves more than writing; it requires a clear marketing strategy aligned with the author's specific goals.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:49 — 20.9MB) | Embed

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252: From Lead to Gold: Develop a Life Plan and Business Plan That Results in Happiness and Joy with Alchemy Advisor Stephen Rodgers

Stephen Rodgers from TheAlchemyAdvisors.com wants to help you discover your higher purpose and develop a life/business plan around that. Steve shares his best resources with us and talks about his daily ritual involving exercise, affirmations, yelling/screaming to music, and his daily scoreboard point system.

Quotes:                                                                                                                                   

“Breaking through resistance is the price you pay for the dream you want.” – Stephen Rodgers

“I've learned more from my challenges and my failures than I have from my successes.” – Stephen Rodgers

“Every goal and every action has a gestation period, just like it takes an orange tree a certain amount of time to grow or an elephant baby to be born.” – Stephen Rodgers

Takeaways:

02:39 Connect with a network of professionals and mentors who can provide support and guidance.

05:00 Create a detailed business and life plan with specific goals, timelines, and action steps.

12:55 Look for the "gift" in challenging situations, turning setbacks into opportunities for growth.

17:11 Break down big, ambitious goals into smaller, manageable chunks to maintain motivation and progress.

20:29 Develop a daily ritual that includes exercise, affirmations, and personal accountability to stay focused and motivated.

Resources

• The Alchemy Advisors (Podcast)
• Focal Point Coaching from Brian Tracy (Coaching and Training Website)
• Mind Valley (Website)
• Code of the Extraordinary Mind (Book)
• Think and Grow Rich (Book)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:33 — 26.1MB) | Embed

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251: Launch Copywriting: Be Personable, Develop a Buzz Around Your Product, and Succeed with Sarah Grear

Sarah Grear from SarahGrear.com/robertrules is a copywriter who enjoys creating the "launch stack"... creating a website with landing pages, marketing emails, funnel, opt-in pages, Facebook ads, and more.

She explains her copywriting process to us, common mistakes people make when launching their products, and the things you need to know to make your upcoming product launch a huge success.

Quotes:                                                                                                                                   

“People really respect and admire you for bringing extra value without necessarily saying it and just surprising them.” – Sarah Grear

“One thing that I see people do is they assume they know what their customer wants without getting the exact language that their customer would use.” – Sarah Grear

“As a copywriter, part of what I do is look at the surveys, ask for the surveys, and find out why people aren't buying their product or why they did buy the product.” – Sarah Grear

Takeaways:

01:46 Showing up on camera and being visible can unexpectedly open up professional opportunities.

05:18 Offering additional value beyond your core service can make you stand out in a competitive market.

14:48 Breaking down complex launch campaigns into manageable, time-boxed stages helps maintain clarity and efficiency.

16:29 Batching work and having dedicated production days can significantly improve productivity and client satisfaction.

26:29 Understanding customer language through surveys and direct conversations is crucial for creating compelling marketing copy.

Resources:

• Connect with Sarah Gear on LinkedIn

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:06 — 28.5MB) | Embed

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250: Strictly Marketing: Debug the System, Follow-Up, and Outsource with Kerry Heaps

Kerry Heaps from StrictlyMarketingMagazine.com has had to wear a lot of hats in her offline and online business career. She has some very helpful and interesting thoughts about outsourcing, fine-tuning your business, making more sales, and having stronger marketing.

Quotes:                                                                                                                                   

“One thing I've learned in my 12 years is you never want to take on a company and promise things you can't deliver.” – Kerry Heaps

“If something isn't working for the company or they're not seeing the results they need, even though at some point they have to take responsibility for it, I still want to work with them.” – Kerry Heaps

“You have to go out there and market your business. So you might as well keep that pipeline full. Thinking someone isn't interested is your thinking, not theirs.” – Kerry Heaps

Takeaways:

05:12 Past work experiences, even in unrelated fields, can provide valuable skills and insights for current business challenges.

07:41 Business owners should maintain some control when outsourcing tasks, but also learn to gradually let go and trust specialists.

12:13 It's important to be honest about whether your services are a good fit for a potential client, even if it means turning down business.

15:56 When helping clients, focus on solving specific problems in their sales process by creating creative, engaging solutions that add value.

25:28 Consistent, patient follow-up is critical in sales, and most businesses give up too quickly when pursuing potential clients.

Resources:

• Connect with Kerry Heaps on LinkedIn

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:38 — 27.1MB) | Embed

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249: Your Uniqueness, Your Authenticity, Your Superpower and Your Messaging with MaryJo Cranmore

MaryJo Cranmore from MaryJoCranmore.com and Message2Media.com says that you have a unique ability (a superpower) and that can be the basis for the branding that you cultivate. Take those raw materials, hobbies, your skillset (what you've learned), your accomplishments (your experiences), and that unique piece of you to get noticed and stand out from the crowd.

Quotes:                                                                                                                                   

“We are truly in the age of the authenticity movement. It's about not being afraid, as a company or entrepreneur, to allow yourself to be part of the offering.” – MaryJo Cranmore

“Your superpower is something you haven't necessarily cultivated, but you've used your whole life. When people talk about you when you're not in the room, that's generally what they mention.” – MaryJo Cranmore

“You have to be interesting and break through the fog of what people understand about your business to give them something new and tell them something they don't know.” – MaryJo Cranmore

Takeaways:

09:02 Finding your unique "superpower" helps you stand out from competitors and attract the right clients.

11:19 Testimonials and word-of-mouth recommendations are more powerful than traditional advertising.

16:09 Media exposure is about offering a fresh perspective on current events, not just creating news.

18:19 When appearing on camera or in interviews, focus on helping the audience and being yourself rather than trying to be clever.

20:08 Authenticity in business means allowing your personal traits and experiences to be part of your professional offering.

Resources:

• Connect with Mary Jo Cranmore on LinkedIn

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:10 — 21.2MB) | Embed

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