Archive for July, 2017
365: Get Your Messaging Right, Ditch the Content Creation Treadmill, Re-Purpose and Market Intentionally with Content Strategy Coach Lain Ehmann
Lain Ehmann, bestselling author and communications strategist, specializes in helping six and seven figure entrepreneurs uncover hidden profits and potential. Her superpower is saying what your customers and clients really need to hear, to get the results you want as quickly as possible.
Lain shares ways to repurpose your content (not just in media such as YouTube or podcasting) but also in terms of content types such as relationship building, storytelling, or expert articles. If you'd like to get more eyeballs on your websites, amp up your content marketing, or do more in less time, listen to today's episode.
Quotes:
“They know they have value. They know they can help their target audience, but they don't always know how to translate it. They're so into the jargon, so into the technology, that they don't always know how to turn it into value-driven messaging and language their audience can respond to.” – Lain Ehmann
“Very few people see everything you put out. So, the fact that you tell them in one place, then again somewhere else—very few people will actually remember reading it.” – Lain Ehmann
“What got you here won't get you there. You have to change things up. It will take you so far, and then you have to try something else.” – Lain Ehmann
Takeaways:
02:20 Translate technical expertise into clear, value-driven language that helps your audience understand your unique solution.
10:46 Don't just create more content; strategically repurpose existing content across different channels with tailored messaging.
17:43 Most people won't see or remember all your content, so repeating your core message through different mediums is crucial.
21:40 Build a content strategy by starting with your unique promise and working backwards to create consistent, channel-specific messaging.
24:18 Reward your super fans by providing unique content across different platforms, not just duplicating the same material.
Resources
- Easy Steps to Defining Your Unique Value and Communicating Your Clear Message (Free Worksheet)
- Life in the Fast Lain (Official Site)
- Lain's blog (Blog)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:03 — 27.5MB) | Embed
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364: Educate, Entertain, and Engage: Market Your Business Using YouTube and Facebook Live Videos with Lou Bortone
Video Godfather Lou Bortone has been a pioneer and thought leader since YouTube launched in 2005. Lou is a popular speaker, author, and ghostwriter of six business books. He’s also the author of the forthcoming book "Video Marketing Rules: How to Win in a World Gone Video." Listen in as Lou tells us the easiest ways to get started and get good at video, as well as video marketing opportunities such as YouTube and Facebook Live.
Quotes:
“No matter what the technology is, if your content isn't good, nobody's gonna watch it.” – Lou Bortone
“Good video should either educate, entertain, or engage in some way, shape, or form. If it does one of those things, great. If it does all three, that's a home run.” – Lou Bortone
“Just because you know the technology is there doesn't mean you know the content is there or have the courage to appear on video.” – Lou Bortone
Takeaways:
01:53 Video marketing has transformed from a niche experiment to a mainstream business necessity.
02:35 Anyone can now be a broadcaster with smartphone technology, eliminating previous production barriers.
03:50 Facebook Live offers a low-pressure entry point for creating video content without high production expectations.
15:16 Content quality matters more than expensive equipment or slick editing.
17:19 Effective videos should educate, entertain, or engage your audience - ideally achieving all three.
Resources
- Lou Bortone (Official Site)
- Lou's Blog (Blog)
- Lou's Courses (Courses)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:20 — 24.1MB) | Embed
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363: Run with the Right Ideas, Setup the Correct Goals, Be Unique, and Resonate with Your Marketplace Using the Seven Steps to Business Success with Peter Mehit
Peter Mehit, the expert on how to start, fix, and sell any business, returns to the show to share his seven steps to business success. By applying these seven steps, you'll find you no longer waste time or resources on "dead-end" ideas, and you'll have an easier time getting customers, partners, and investors to buy into your idea. Here is the "7 Steps Methodology"...
- idea: what we find is important
- visualize: spend 15 minutes every day doing nothing and focusing about what this future business looks, sounds, smells, and feels like
- thoughts: ask questions such as, "Who's my customer?" And, "What equipment do I need?"
- action: describe your idea to others
- methods: hire employees, etc.
- friends (feedback and investors)
- circumstances
Quotes:
“Success cannot be demanded. It is the result of friends who bring the circumstances of your success with them, and you earn friends by knowing what you're doing and knowing where you're going.” – Peter Mehit
“People follow those who know where they're going and know what they're doing.” – Peter Mehit
“Focus is what wins the game, not speed or action.” – Peter Mehit
Takeaways:
09:04 Clearly visualizing your business idea helps you understand if you're on the right track.
24:37 Don't waste years on a bad idea; be willing to walk away early to save time and energy.
29:18 Simplicity and relatability matter more than complex jargon when communicating your business concept.
35:27 Take time to be still and quiet to hear your own thoughts and develop a clear business strategy.
37:44 Solving problems often starts with making one phone call or reaching out to the right person.
Resources
- Custom BPS (Peter Mehit Official Site)
- Killer Business Plan by Peter & Lydia Mehit (Book)
- The Master Key System by Charles Haanel (Book)
- phone number: 800-741-8444
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:46 — 36.4MB) | Embed
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362: Acuity Scheduling: Automate and Manage Your Online Appointments, Sell Coaching Without a Website, and Streamline Your Productivity with Gavin Zuchlinski
Gavin Zuchlinski is the founder of Acuity Scheduling, the slickest way for businesses to automate and manage their appointments online, allowing clients to schedule themselves.
Listen in as we discuss why your business (online OR offline) needs to use both a unified calendar and a scheduling tool so that clients and customers can schedule themselves. (35-40% of customers call to schedule appointments OUTSIDE of business hours.)
The best part about our conversation today about Acuity Scheduling is that this tool isn't limited to online businesses, podcasters, and coaches. Gavin unpacks many interesting case studies from massage therapists, bakeries, and delivery services that have not only amplified their productivity but also dominated their competition by using this one simple tool.
Quotes:
“My goal is really to minimize your involvement with logistics for the appointment, so you can focus more on what you're really good at.” – Gavin Zuchlinski
“A lot of these things come down to logistics—how things tie together, availability, and booking—and there are so many opportunities that it's definitely a much bigger space and a much harder problem than I initially anticipated.” – Gavin Zuchlinski
“We take a lot of pride in listening to everyone and improving things because of that. There's so much to do in scheduling, and that's really our focus.” – Gavin Zuchlinski
Takeaways:
02:54 Businesses can grow by making appointment booking more convenient for customers, with some seeing increased success simply by offering online scheduling.
05:21 Online scheduling tools can save businesses significant time by automating appointment logistics and reducing back-and-forth communication.
17:36 Modern scheduling platforms can pool staff availability, allowing clients to book with any available team member through a single, streamlined interface.
22:48 Flexible scheduling tools should allow businesses to easily adjust their availability, like adding breaks, closing specific days, or extending hours as needed.
27:06 The ultimate goal of scheduling software is to reduce administrative work, allowing business owners to focus more on their core services and less on managing appointments.
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361: Tell a Story, Look for Inspiration Outside Your Bubble, Mass-Produce, Course-Correct, Connect with Others, and Grow Your Business in Any Niche with Joe Pardo
Business consultant Joe Pardo is a business consultant to entrepreneurs and multi-million dollar businesses all over the world. He helps them grow by focusing on the "T.O.P." (Team, Offer, and Process).
He's always believed that society starts with you, and that to change society you must first change how you think. Joe left his family's $100 million business and pursue his dreams of starting his own business, and founded the "Dreamers Podcast: Business Lessons From Those Who Live Their Dreams" to build his platform of helping business owners pursue the business and lifestyle of their dreams. Listen in as he discusses creativity, finding your voice, ramping up, being productive, and course-correcting to ensure you're focusing on what's making you money.
Quotes:
“I bring my own style to everything I do, from writing books to consulting, and even creating artwork and music. I try not to let myself get too influenced by others. I don't think, 'Oh, look what they're doing, I should do the same thing because that's what's going to work for me.'” – Joe Pardo
“Time is crucial. We only have a finite amount, and we all get 24 hours. When creating time-based content, think about it in terms of percentages.” – Joe Pardo
“The key is to figure out what's at the core of what you're trying to achieve. If you're getting someone to tell a story, you need to ask the right questions to draw it out without being interrogative.” – Joe Pardo
Takeaways:
02:37 Creativity thrives when you look beyond your own industry and blend ideas from different fields.
12:31 Start small with content creation and gradually increase your output as you build confidence and systems.
25:45 Develop a consistent interview approach that allows for both structure and spontaneous storytelling.
37:44 Don't get stuck perfecting every detail; focus on creating content that connects with your audience.
45:29 Your unique voice and perspective matter more than having professional-looking equipment.
Resources
- Super Joe Pardo (Official Site)
- Dreamers Podcast (Podcast)
- Joe Pardo (Facebook)
- Joe Pardo (Twitter)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:42 — 42.7MB) | Embed
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360: Don’t Buy a Duck: Plan, Execute, Track, Measure, Adjust and Grow with Strategic Marketer Derek Champagne
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Derek Champagne, author of Don't Buy a Duck: Stop Wasting Money and Only Do Marketing That Works, stops by to tell us that we need to connect with people and market our online businesses. You need to strategically snoop on your competition to uncover real solvable problems and discover those gaps in the marketplace. It comes down to five crisis points all business owners face:
- identify self: audit, business, find value proposition (that competitors can't duplicate)
- find target customer: gender, income, age, hobbies, geography, politics
- messaging: based on your customers, what message is most important to them?
- plan: lifecycle, step-by-step actyion
- execution: If you tried it once and it didn't work, why didn't it work? Perhaps it was because you only tried it one time?
Listen in as Derek also explains goal setting, productivity, and follow-through using PETMAG: Plan, Execute, Track, Measure, Adjust, and Grow.
Quotes:
“There are just too many options for us. Several years ago, there were five marketing channels. Now, we have more than 70 choices.'” – Derek Champagne
“Knowledge is power, especially when you operate from that kind of self-actualization.” – Derek Champagne
“Don't buy a duck. Don't make impulse buys. Don't buy shiny objects just because you think you need them.” – Derek Champagne
Takeaways:
04:00 Most internet marketers avoid actual marketing, getting stuck in content creation instead of taking strategic action.
11:20 Understand your competition not to copy them, but to find unique market gaps where your brand can stand out.
16:00 Emotional business decisions come from survival instincts; strategic decisions come from self-actualization and intentional thinking.
22:25 Use a structured approach like "PET MAC" (Plan, Execute, Track, Measure, Adjust, Grow) to maintain business focus and prevent entrepreneurial distraction.
23:51 Give your business strategies time to gain traction before making major changes or jumping to new projects.
Resources
- DontBuyADuck.com (Book)
- Don't Buy a Duck (Book on Amazon)
- Champagne Marketing Courses (Courses)
- Derek Champagne (LinkedIn)
- Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (Wikipedia)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:31 — 25.2MB) | Embed
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359: Awaken Your True Inner Power, Live with Purpose, and Make Positive Personal Changes with The Purposeful Millionaire James Nowlin
A near-death boating accident forced 31-year-old James Nowlin to take a long hard look in the mirror.
As a result of what he calls his awakening, this already self-made millionaire and respected CEO reshaped his perspective and reprioritized his life.
In his book, The Purposeful Millionaire, James shares the four-part formula he used to transform his life into one of abundance and purposefulness. He believes that if he can survive the literal waters from which he was pulled, you too can survive—and thrive—in life’s roughest waters.
Quotes:
“I do not believe you can have a great mind or a great spirit if you don't have a great physical body.'” – James Nowlin
“Life is short. Life is precious. It can be taken away from us in an instant. It's not about the car in my driveway, how much money I have, the house I live in, or flashy friends with flashy titles. It's about the work I'm doing and whether I'm living the calling God has given me to make the world a better place.” – James Nowlin
“You don't always have to start big in order to achieve big.” – James Nowlin
Takeaways:
02:17 Success isn't about external achievements, but about living your true calling and making the world better.
13:19 Small, consistent daily habits can transform your life, even if you start with just one push-up or a single step.
26:43 The key to high performance is understanding the deep connection between physical health, mental clarity, and spiritual well-being.
32:39 A great coach provides accountability and private support, pushing you to achieve goals you might not reach alone.
39:03 You get one shot at life, so commit to living your best, most powerful and productive version of yourself.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:40 — 36.3MB) | Embed
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358: Sales Training for Modern Salespeople: Increase Your Prices, Conversions and Profits with Hardcore Closer Ryan Stewman
Ryan Stewman, CEO and Founder of Hardcore Closer and Break Free Academy, is a 4x best-selling Author, Motivational Speaker, Sales Coach, Podcast Host, Blogger and all around Entrepreneur. He’s also a regular contributor to Forbes, Entrepreneur, Addicted2Success, Good Men Project, Lighter Side of Real Estate, Huffington Post, and more. It doesn't matter if you are selling cars, homes, financial services or consulting, Ryan’s sales mastery can help you generate higher quality leads, increase your closing ratios, and show you how to charge premium fees for the items you sell.
Quotes:
“We know that technology moves fast. Moore's Law says that every year, technology doubles in capability.'” – Ryan Stewman
“A lot of people—especially smart people who listen to podcasts like this—overcomplicate things, right? We think it has to be smart in order to work, but meanwhile, the masses don't think that way.” – Ryan Stewman
“We're not going to be replaced by robots. We're just going to sell the robots.” – Ryan Stewman
Takeaways:
05:24 Modern businesses must continuously adapt their marketing approach to match changing technological capabilities.
10:39 Technology and digital sales strategies are now critical for business survival, not just an optional add-on.
18:23 Successful sales aren't about complex strategies, but about understanding the customer's core desire and simplifying your message.
21:53 Every communication should include a clear call-to-action that gives potential customers a direct path to engage with your business.
24:47 Video content is a powerful, underutilized tool for connecting with potential customers and building your brand.
Claim Ryan's Book: Elevator to the Top
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:11 — 24.9MB) | Embed
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357: Buy and Grow Online Properties with the Website Investor with Jeff Hunt
Jeff Hunt, The Website Investor, makes his living online buying and growing online businesses. He has purchased over 300 income producing websites since his first buy 10 years ago. Jeff is the author of "The Website Investor", a guide to building passive income buying revenue generating websites.
In our episode today, Jeff details his early failures with buying and holding websites, what went right and what went wrong, as well as the system he's developed since then to hit the ground running by buying money-making websites.
Quotes:
“If you do a little bit of homework and get another set of eyes on things, you can come away with some sites that can really have consistent earnings from the very, very beginning.'” – Jeff Hunt
“Businesses—even if it's just a website—are still businesses. If you think through it one step at a time, you can uncover a lot of that stuff.” – Jeff Hunt
“Don't necessarily look for anything that's rapidly skyrocketing with a steep upward curve, because things that go up quickly tend to come down quickly.” – Jeff Hunt
Takeaways:
04:40 When buying websites, cross-reference multiple data sources to verify the site's true performance and potential.
11:20 Stability and consistent performance matter more than rapid, unpredictable growth when investing in online properties.
17:50 Look for websites with established business systems that can be learned and potentially improved upon.
22:30 Successful website investing requires upfront work to optimize and streamline the site before making it truly passive.
25:37 Strategic website investing is about making smart moves - buying, improving, and potentially selling to maximize returns.
Resources
- Jeff Hunt: The Website Investor (Official Site)
- Own Optimize (Training Resources For Entrepreneurs)
- Jeff's courses (uDemy)
- The Website Investor (Book)
- Jeff Hunt (LinkedIn)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:02 — 27.5MB) | Embed
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356: Think and Grow Rich: Harness the Power of the Mastermind, Goal Setting, Visualization and So Much More with Brandon T. Adams
Brandon T. Adams from Live to Grind is a serial entrepreneur, owning a stake in a number of businesses, including the Accelerant Media Group, Live to Grind, Young Entrepreneur Convention, Arctic Stick (sold on Amazon), and an ice distributorship that serves three states. He's the V.P. of Business Development for Think Rich Films on the film Think and Grow Rich: The Legacy and the youngest person to be featured in the film.
Quotes:
“If you really want something, if you set your mind to it, set that goal in place, and surround yourself with the right kind of people, you can achieve anything.” – Brandon T. Adams
“Who you surround yourself with will define your future. It's like they say: tell me who your friends are, and I'll tell you your future.” – Brandon T. Adams
“If you don't know what you want to do right away and just go with something along the way, you're going to learn things.” – Brandon T. Adams
Takeaways:
07:42 Your mindset and belief in yourself can overcome any disadvantage or small-town background.
19:25 Learn to delegate and build a team, or you'll never scale your business beyond your personal capacity.
23:08 Set clear daily goals and write them down to stay focused and avoid getting lost in random tasks.
26:13 Surrounding yourself with the right people who push and support you is critical to success.
34:43 Treat every day like it could be your last, which will drive you to achieve more and live without regrets.
Resources
- Think and Grow Rich: The Legacy (Site)
- Live to Grind (Brandon T. Adams Official Site & Podcast)
- Outwitting the Devil: The Secret to Freedom and Success (Book By Napoleon Hill)
- Think and Grow Rich (Book)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:49 — 34.6MB) | Embed
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