1 00:00:00,269 --> 00:00:03,869 Robert Plank: marketer of the day Episode 733 duct tape 2 00:00:03,869 --> 00:00:07,889 marketing make consistent daily progress through introspection 3 00:00:07,919 --> 00:00:15,869 and consistent focused action with john Janse. Everyone and 4 00:00:15,869 --> 00:00:18,959 welcome back to the marketer of the day podcast. We are here 5 00:00:18,959 --> 00:00:22,319 with john Chan's, who is a marketing consultant. He's a 6 00:00:22,319 --> 00:00:26,459 speaker, and he is the author of duct tape marketing, the 7 00:00:26,459 --> 00:00:29,879 referral engine duct tape selling the commitment engine 8 00:00:29,909 --> 00:00:34,589 and SEO for growth. And he has a new daily devotional book, which 9 00:00:34,589 --> 00:00:38,969 is called the self reliant entrepreneur 366 daily 10 00:00:38,969 --> 00:00:42,779 meditations to feed your soul and grow your business. And it 11 00:00:42,779 --> 00:00:47,339 taps into all kinds of spooky, mystical sometimes lost 12 00:00:47,339 --> 00:00:51,329 sometimes recovered advice and wisdom from decades and 13 00:00:51,329 --> 00:00:54,299 centuries past we're going to find out all about what you 14 00:00:54,299 --> 00:00:56,819 should have been doing in your business all along or, and also 15 00:00:56,819 --> 00:00:59,459 combined with some new cutting edge techniques. All kinds of 16 00:00:59,519 --> 00:01:02,579 time areas worked in there, john, glad to be talking to you. 17 00:01:02,700 --> 00:01:06,270 Unknown: Well, thanks. I know people if they're watching this 18 00:01:06,270 --> 00:01:09,060 as opposed to listening, you can see your Superman shirt there. I 19 00:01:09,060 --> 00:01:09,420 love it. 20 00:01:10,110 --> 00:01:12,780 Robert Plank: Cool. Yeah. Just, I didn't even realize what shirt 21 00:01:12,780 --> 00:01:16,200 I had on. But sometimes you get dropped in an present day 22 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:18,870 situation and you say I have to work with what I have. Right? 23 00:01:19,770 --> 00:01:22,470 Unknown: Well, you know, it's funny, of course, I've been 24 00:01:22,470 --> 00:01:25,680 doing a lot, not only my own shows, but just workshops and 25 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:28,200 things that are using this technology and you know, 26 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:31,380 forever. forevermore, as we're recording, these people's 27 00:01:31,380 --> 00:01:34,920 bedrooms are going to be captured for posterity on some 28 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,440 of these recordings, and it's kind of interesting to see 29 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:40,500 people attending, attending meetings like they are now in 30 00:01:40,500 --> 00:01:41,730 kind of makeshift places. 31 00:01:42,300 --> 00:01:44,580 Robert Plank: Yes, yeah. And someday we'll look back and say, 32 00:01:44,610 --> 00:01:47,310 Oh, yeah, I remember when I had that that table or that thing on 33 00:01:47,310 --> 00:01:52,740 the wall? Yeah. So before the media, it is a historical time. 34 00:01:52,740 --> 00:01:56,790 And so you have all kinds of things that that go on in your 35 00:01:56,790 --> 00:02:00,060 business, you're a podcasting pioneer, you've been doing 36 00:02:00,060 --> 00:02:04,500 weekly shows since 2005. So much to think about or discuss. But 37 00:02:04,500 --> 00:02:08,520 as far as what you have been focused on excited about in the 38 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,580 last six to 12 months, what's been happening in your business? 39 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:14,370 Unknown: Well, you know, as you mentioned, I did have in the in 40 00:02:14,370 --> 00:02:17,070 that timeframe, I did have my latest book come out, I'm 41 00:02:17,070 --> 00:02:22,500 actually working on my next, I guess, what authors do. But, you 42 00:02:22,500 --> 00:02:26,880 know, I say the thing that that I don't know if I'm excited 43 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,820 about it, but it's been, it's been, you know, it's on my mind, 44 00:02:29,820 --> 00:02:31,500 it's happened to all of us, you know, that's one of the things 45 00:02:31,500 --> 00:02:34,410 about the time that we're in you and I recording this late in 46 00:02:34,410 --> 00:02:39,330 April of 2020. You know, the world is sort of universally 47 00:02:39,330 --> 00:02:42,780 experiencing something. And so, even though we might respond to 48 00:02:42,780 --> 00:02:46,800 it differently, I think everyone can can relate in some fashion. 49 00:02:46,830 --> 00:02:50,040 And so, you know, I there's no question that that's kind of 50 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:52,560 coloring, you know, how I'm going about doing business home 51 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,320 writing, how I'm advising how and consulting. And, you know, 52 00:02:55,320 --> 00:03:00,150 the thing that that I'm the most hopeful from this is that, you 53 00:03:00,150 --> 00:03:02,250 know, I'm seeing a lot of small business owners really, 54 00:03:03,420 --> 00:03:06,720 obviously struggling in some cases, but in other cases, you 55 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:09,390 know, seeing how they can serve and reach out. And I just think 56 00:03:09,390 --> 00:03:12,180 there's this kind of community engagement, that that's going 57 00:03:12,180 --> 00:03:14,790 on, at least in the world where I play the most, which is small 58 00:03:14,790 --> 00:03:17,670 business, that that I hope, I hope sticks around, quite 59 00:03:17,670 --> 00:03:21,660 frankly, because I think it's a healthier way to view business, 60 00:03:22,980 --> 00:03:25,320 Robert Plank: turning a bad thing into a good thing. And 61 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,590 using this time of maybe being cooped up. And you know what, 62 00:03:28,590 --> 00:03:32,250 sometimes, I talk to some of these entrepreneurs, and they 63 00:03:32,250 --> 00:03:34,980 say, Oh, well, my schedule hasn't changed at all. I used to 64 00:03:34,980 --> 00:03:36,990 work from home. And I'm thinking, yeah, but didn't you 65 00:03:37,020 --> 00:03:39,600 at least go out to networking events, or like go to 66 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:43,050 conferences a few times a year, like, even if you are an 67 00:03:43,050 --> 00:03:46,470 absolute shut in, things have changed with you. And maybe even 68 00:03:46,470 --> 00:03:49,260 the friends you have the people you interact with, things have 69 00:03:49,260 --> 00:03:52,920 changed. And I guess we have one of two choices, right, we could 70 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:57,180 let it get the best of us. Or we could use the advantages or the 71 00:03:57,180 --> 00:04:01,410 opportunities that this opens up for us. And you have your your 72 00:04:01,410 --> 00:04:04,290 daily devotional kind of book, which seems like it's a good 73 00:04:04,290 --> 00:04:08,100 opportunity for those of us who are stuck at home in one way or 74 00:04:08,100 --> 00:04:11,700 another to reflect and get a little bit of a drip feed every 75 00:04:11,700 --> 00:04:15,240 single day. And my understanding of this daily devotional book 76 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,660 concept is you open it up and it says, you know, may 1, here's 77 00:04:18,660 --> 00:04:22,260 just one page to digest. And then every day, there's just a 78 00:04:22,260 --> 00:04:25,620 little bit so you don't get overwhelmed, but it also makes 79 00:04:25,620 --> 00:04:29,280 everyday count. It's not like just reading a chapter of a book 80 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:32,820 or just one page, you get kind of a self contained nugget of 81 00:04:32,820 --> 00:04:35,010 wisdom every day. Is that on the right track? Is that how you 82 00:04:35,010 --> 00:04:37,650 Unknown: structure? Absolutely, I mean, I wrote this book, 83 00:04:37,650 --> 00:04:41,850 really, quite frankly, in some ways for myself because it fit 84 00:04:41,850 --> 00:04:43,620 into a practice that I've done and I know a lot of 85 00:04:43,620 --> 00:04:47,040 entrepreneurs do kind of a morning ritual where you know, 86 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:51,180 you may read reflect or meditate or or do exercise or something 87 00:04:51,180 --> 00:04:54,840 to kind of get yourself centered for the day. And for a lot of 88 00:04:54,840 --> 00:04:57,720 people reading and journaling, you know in the morning is a 89 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:00,630 practice that they do so this was meant to to kind of give you 90 00:05:00,630 --> 00:05:06,390 one idea, one, maybe, you know a bit of inspiration, but also 91 00:05:06,390 --> 00:05:08,280 challenge you a little bit. There's a question every day 92 00:05:08,280 --> 00:05:12,630 that in some cases is, is hard to answer. I actually mined 93 00:05:12,900 --> 00:05:16,530 literature from, as you you said in the intro for the mid 19th 94 00:05:16,530 --> 00:05:18,900 century, which I think today is still some of the best 95 00:05:19,350 --> 00:05:23,070 entrepreneurial literature ever written. Because it was a time 96 00:05:23,070 --> 00:05:25,830 period when we the United States was going through its kind of 97 00:05:25,830 --> 00:05:30,000 first very big major counterculture period, we were 98 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,340 on the cusp of the Civil War, women were starting to try to 99 00:05:32,340 --> 00:05:34,980 get the right to vote, we were trying to abolish the illegal 100 00:05:34,980 --> 00:05:38,160 act of human slavery. And so a lot of the writing that came out 101 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:40,830 of that period was some of the first where it was like, hey, 102 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:43,230 this may cost you everything, but you have to we have to 103 00:05:43,230 --> 00:05:45,690 follow our heart. Let's we don't, let's stop listening to 104 00:05:45,690 --> 00:05:48,480 politicians and teachers and preachers and parents and people 105 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:51,900 that came before us, we have to do what's right for us. And 106 00:05:51,900 --> 00:05:55,110 we're the only ones who can decide what that is. I just 107 00:05:55,110 --> 00:05:58,560 think that that's great writing are great advice for 108 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:03,510 entrepreneurs. And, and I, of course, I wrote this book in the 109 00:06:03,510 --> 00:06:07,560 fall of 2018, the spring of 2019, the book came out in the 110 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:11,730 fall of 2019. And where I tell you, you know, and I've been 111 00:06:11,730 --> 00:06:14,130 hearing from people daily, you know, it couldn't be more 112 00:06:14,130 --> 00:06:18,510 relevant today than, you know, had I known what we were going 113 00:06:18,510 --> 00:06:21,870 to go through when I was writing this. In fact, here's if you 114 00:06:21,870 --> 00:06:25,020 don't mind, because it takes, as you alluded to, it takes about 115 00:06:25,020 --> 00:06:31,350 30 seconds to read an entry. is the best way it's like a free 116 00:06:31,350 --> 00:06:34,830 sample is the best way to to experience exactly what the book 117 00:06:34,830 --> 00:06:36,390 can and how its format. Is that alright? 118 00:06:37,230 --> 00:06:38,610 Robert Plank: Let's do it fire away. 119 00:06:39,029 --> 00:06:42,059 Unknown: So we're recording this April 30. So let's read April 120 00:06:42,059 --> 00:06:45,779 30. So every day starts with a title. A short reading from the 121 00:06:45,779 --> 00:06:50,219 literature today happens to be Ralph Waldo Emerson, then 122 00:06:50,579 --> 00:06:54,029 100 150 words for me and then a question. So today's is a 123 00:06:54,029 --> 00:06:59,039 portion of the self. brings in other jewels are not gifts, but 124 00:06:59,039 --> 00:07:03,239 apologies for gifts. The only gift is a portion of the self 125 00:07:03,329 --> 00:07:06,389 that must bleed for me. Therefore the poet brings a 126 00:07:06,389 --> 00:07:10,379 poem, The shepherd, a lamb, the farmer corn, the miner, a gem, 127 00:07:10,379 --> 00:07:14,279 the sailor coral and shells the painter, a picture of the girl 128 00:07:14,309 --> 00:07:18,959 handkerchief of her own sewing, is a segment from Ralph Waldo 129 00:07:18,959 --> 00:07:23,729 Emerson's essay called gifts, which was written in 1844. My 130 00:07:23,729 --> 00:07:27,629 reflection, thou must believe for me, wow, that doesn't sound 131 00:07:27,629 --> 00:07:32,579 good at all. How do you share your gifts? Not a logoed pen or 132 00:07:32,579 --> 00:07:36,629 a coffee mug? I suggest In fact, how much of your work your gifts 133 00:07:36,689 --> 00:07:40,319 are still hidden from the world? Are you waiting to be discovered 134 00:07:40,379 --> 00:07:43,709 to have a literary agent, angel investor or art critic tell the 135 00:07:43,709 --> 00:07:48,569 world about your brand's you're not ready yet, right? problem is 136 00:07:48,629 --> 00:07:51,989 you never are. So start sharing your gifts now. Don't bring 137 00:07:51,989 --> 00:07:56,429 apologies bring you unfinished as you are, start by giving 138 00:07:56,429 --> 00:07:59,699 those you encounter the gift of your presence or even a silent 139 00:07:59,699 --> 00:08:04,349 word of thanks for who they are. Share honestly and openly who 140 00:08:04,349 --> 00:08:09,419 you are and receive who others are with equal vigor. Your 141 00:08:09,419 --> 00:08:13,619 challenge question today is what gift Can you bring to the first 142 00:08:13,619 --> 00:08:14,639 person you meet today? 143 00:08:15,870 --> 00:08:17,130 Robert Plank: And what was your answer? 144 00:08:18,810 --> 00:08:23,550 Unknown: So my answer is the one that I actually and again, this 145 00:08:23,550 --> 00:08:29,430 won't be for everybody, but I try to go through my day, 146 00:08:30,300 --> 00:08:34,710 silently wishing peace, joy, and having this every single person 147 00:08:34,710 --> 00:08:37,470 I meet. So I actually put it in my calendar, every meeting that 148 00:08:37,470 --> 00:08:42,360 I have, you know, before I begin it, that is a is a, a silent 149 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:45,450 wish, which is my gift and they may or may not receive it as 150 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:49,560 such, to to them. So that's some that's actually a practice that 151 00:08:49,740 --> 00:08:50,790 that I've done for years. 152 00:08:51,570 --> 00:08:55,560 Robert Plank: Well cool. And I'm not by hearing the, the like the 153 00:08:55,560 --> 00:08:59,520 old timey lesson and then the modern day lesson and then 154 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:03,870 getting the question it's, it's making a lot of sense how, even 155 00:09:03,870 --> 00:09:07,710 though we might be going through the same physical actions, 156 00:09:07,710 --> 00:09:10,800 because you know, we have the business to run or we have work 157 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:15,240 to do. It's changing the channel in our in our brain. I saw some 158 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:19,350 joke yesterday that people who were stuck in quarantine there, 159 00:09:19,380 --> 00:09:22,410 they they missed the lifestyle of going to three different 160 00:09:22,410 --> 00:09:25,350 buildings in the same order and doing the same things. And now 161 00:09:25,350 --> 00:09:27,900 they're only stuck in one building, doing the same thing. 162 00:09:28,020 --> 00:09:30,690 And it's in it's a little bit sad, but in a lot of ways it's 163 00:09:30,690 --> 00:09:34,860 true. And because we can't you know live one day climbing a 164 00:09:34,860 --> 00:09:38,790 mountain or one day paragliding or one day flying to Dubai, 165 00:09:38,790 --> 00:09:42,930 sometimes day after day may be the same but if we can change 166 00:09:43,050 --> 00:09:47,460 what's inside then it does not have to be a slog and we can 167 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,250 make those progress and set those goals because we're 168 00:09:50,250 --> 00:09:53,400 changing what's inside. So that's what what I got by 169 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:56,160 hearing about this, this format here you have 170 00:09:56,369 --> 00:09:58,589 Unknown: and I think that that you know some of the things you 171 00:09:58,589 --> 00:10:02,909 alluded to the ritual routines, you know, the habits that we 172 00:10:02,909 --> 00:10:05,909 practice are all done sort of mindlessly. I mean, we do them 173 00:10:05,909 --> 00:10:09,599 because that's what we did yesterday. And I think a little 174 00:10:09,599 --> 00:10:13,139 bit of what this pause if you want to call it that, uh, you 175 00:10:13,139 --> 00:10:15,749 know, hopefully it's creating in some people is the idea that, 176 00:10:16,379 --> 00:10:19,649 hey, maybe I need to enjoy the day, maybe I need to, you know, 177 00:10:19,649 --> 00:10:22,649 be more present, you know, for every single thing that I'm 178 00:10:22,649 --> 00:10:27,899 doing because, you know, the stress and a lot of the grind 179 00:10:27,929 --> 00:10:30,449 that a lot of people feel is because they're worrying about 180 00:10:30,599 --> 00:10:32,849 paying the bills or worrying about tomorrow, they're worrying 181 00:10:32,849 --> 00:10:36,629 about that meeting, they get that client instead of enjoying 182 00:10:36,629 --> 00:10:39,269 the present moment. And I think that, that, you know, sometimes 183 00:10:39,269 --> 00:10:42,629 it takes a shock to the system, to, you know, to bring us back 184 00:10:42,629 --> 00:10:43,349 to the present. 185 00:10:44,220 --> 00:10:46,500 Robert Plank: I agree completely sometimes that things seem to 186 00:10:46,500 --> 00:10:50,130 get worse, so to speak before they get better. And I'm sure 187 00:10:50,130 --> 00:10:52,980 you've experienced this at different points, it's easy to 188 00:10:53,100 --> 00:10:57,270 regress or forget about those essential things that help make 189 00:10:57,270 --> 00:11:01,950 the day great. Me personally, I always take a couple of long 190 00:11:01,950 --> 00:11:05,250 walks every day, at least an hour, sometimes two hours. And 191 00:11:05,250 --> 00:11:09,090 then every now and then, a few days, or a few weeks ago by and 192 00:11:09,090 --> 00:11:13,020 I will forget about that habit, I will wonder why I get agitated 193 00:11:13,020 --> 00:11:16,860 easily why the creativity is it doesn't seem to be working. And 194 00:11:16,860 --> 00:11:19,770 I tell myself, Oh, I didn't have time to walk today. Because I 195 00:11:19,770 --> 00:11:23,280 was at in the office doing this and this. And it there's like 196 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:26,850 little things like that where when you take you take these 197 00:11:26,850 --> 00:11:29,010 things for granted. And then there's that there's something 198 00:11:29,010 --> 00:11:32,670 to be said about doing something that you enjoy and unplugging 199 00:11:32,670 --> 00:11:36,630 and just letting the the silence the calmness and like you said 200 00:11:36,630 --> 00:11:39,750 people do that the morning routines, the journaling, it's 201 00:11:39,750 --> 00:11:43,410 really simple, basic stuff. But if you're not doing it, it's not 202 00:11:43,410 --> 00:11:46,230 helping you. And then some people are almost superstitious 203 00:11:46,230 --> 00:11:49,320 with these morning routines, right. They're like, Well, I do 204 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:53,520 the gym at this time. And I do that. But I mean, the some of 205 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:57,060 the top people like the you know, the Elon Musk's and CEO of 206 00:11:57,060 --> 00:12:00,240 Ford, they all they all have this routines and look how well 207 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:03,360 they're doing. So there is something to that. And it also 208 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:07,470 relates to some of this 1850s wisdom, you know, goes back to 209 00:12:07,470 --> 00:12:10,230 like Thomas Jefferson days, right, some of these weird, 210 00:12:10,230 --> 00:12:14,220 kooky, crazy historical figures, they did these things, and we 211 00:12:14,220 --> 00:12:15,570 still remember them today. 212 00:12:16,170 --> 00:12:18,000 Unknown: And there's a great essay that I referenced a few 213 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,120 times in the book from Henry David Thoreau, he certainly was 214 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:24,300 from that period. And most people know him from Walden or 215 00:12:24,300 --> 00:12:27,690 civil disobedience, but he has an essay just called walking. 216 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:34,470 And Robert, you should read, because he have that idea of 217 00:12:34,470 --> 00:12:39,090 just getting out and walking, you know, oh, four hours a day, 218 00:12:39,090 --> 00:12:43,260 you know, at a time that, that there were some health benefits 219 00:12:43,260 --> 00:12:45,510 are, you know, clearly obvious, but I think also that the mind 220 00:12:45,510 --> 00:12:50,340 and body and spirit, you know, kind of equally get refreshed 221 00:12:50,340 --> 00:12:53,520 from that, that idea of of the walk, you know, and I'm, you 222 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:56,010 know, I'm the same way, I mean, I, you know, how many of us sit 223 00:12:56,190 --> 00:12:58,920 or have the opportunity to sit, you know, in front of a computer 224 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:02,580 screen for 10 hours, you know, which is, which is killing us. 225 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:06,960 So, just from, from a practical standpoint, you know, breaking 226 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:09,630 up the day that way is, is and especially if you can, you know, 227 00:13:09,630 --> 00:13:11,610 have the ability to do it outside, you know, all the 228 00:13:11,610 --> 00:13:11,910 better, 229 00:13:12,630 --> 00:13:14,670 Robert Plank: right, and you mentioned breaking up the day, 230 00:13:14,730 --> 00:13:18,690 so many times, I'll get stuck on a problem for hours and hours, I 231 00:13:18,690 --> 00:13:22,080 can't get this plugin to behave exactly the way I want, or I 232 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,650 can't figure out some kind of software, I take a walk even 233 00:13:25,650 --> 00:13:29,160 1015 minutes, come back. I can't believe it. It's it's the 234 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:31,650 simplest solution. But then because I was banging my head 235 00:13:31,650 --> 00:13:34,110 against the wall, it was not working. And then you mentioned 236 00:13:34,110 --> 00:13:36,540 there about walking, there's the physical benefits, but then 237 00:13:36,540 --> 00:13:38,970 every now and then you hear about some study where just the 238 00:13:38,970 --> 00:13:42,750 act of moving in that forward motion gets your brain thinking 239 00:13:42,750 --> 00:13:46,230 about the future and continual progress. And sometimes I leave 240 00:13:46,230 --> 00:13:48,840 the phone at home, or sometimes I bring it and use it a little 241 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:52,230 bit, I'll open up Google Docs and type a little bit of a 242 00:13:52,230 --> 00:13:55,080 document and I wrote a whole book that way, just from Little 243 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:59,070 walks and just a page at a time on the phone. And it helps so 244 00:13:59,070 --> 00:14:03,000 much and it kind of along the lines of practicality of right 245 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:06,810 it's easy to talk about morning routine and this you know 246 00:14:06,810 --> 00:14:11,100 mindfulness and and all the all the good mental inner game kind 247 00:14:11,100 --> 00:14:14,220 of things that we should be doing. But then you have more to 248 00:14:14,220 --> 00:14:16,860 that in your own business, right. You do the the podcasting 249 00:14:16,860 --> 00:14:20,550 and the SEO. So it's great that there's the foundation, but then 250 00:14:20,550 --> 00:14:23,880 as far as you and your business and getting things done, what 251 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:28,770 have you been focusing on? or What should we be doing more of 252 00:14:28,770 --> 00:14:32,400 Should we do doing more of the podcasting or the SEO? Or what 253 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,220 can we learn from you about what's missing in our business? 254 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:38,670 Unknown: So I do you know, I've been doing this a long time. So 255 00:14:38,670 --> 00:14:43,020 I do have a lot of moving parts. I have a team that does great 256 00:14:43,020 --> 00:14:46,650 things. I'm a network of marketing consultants, about 150 257 00:14:46,650 --> 00:14:50,340 of them around the world that that use our tools, and so we do 258 00:14:50,340 --> 00:14:54,660 have a lot of moving parts. I would say the advice that I 259 00:14:54,660 --> 00:14:58,140 have, and this might sound a little counterintuitive. I'm 260 00:14:58,140 --> 00:15:02,850 trying to do less I'm trying to instead of worrying about Do I 261 00:15:02,850 --> 00:15:05,730 need to be on all of these social channels, and do people 262 00:15:05,730 --> 00:15:09,120 see me as an influencer? What I'm trying to do especially 263 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:15,630 right now is focus on the 20% of my best ideal customers, how can 264 00:15:15,630 --> 00:15:19,080 I be more important to them? How can I serve them? How can I do 265 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:23,880 what they love, whatever that is, in ways that just really 266 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:27,720 blow them away? Because I think that's, that's where I think a 267 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:30,870 lot of businesses go wrong. We tried it, we look at all the 268 00:15:30,870 --> 00:15:34,740 things that people say we should be doing. And so we're, we're 269 00:15:34,770 --> 00:15:39,210 busy fanatic. frenetically doing, you know, just this much 270 00:15:39,660 --> 00:15:45,600 in in too many places. When if, if we really, you know, I know a 271 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,120 lot of I mean, the best advice that I've been giving to a lot 272 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:50,580 of my clients right now is get closer to your customers right 273 00:15:50,580 --> 00:15:54,780 now figure out what they need, figure out what you know, what 274 00:15:54,780 --> 00:15:58,020 their frustration is, you know, right now and focus on on 275 00:15:58,020 --> 00:16:01,710 solving or serving that or being an asset, or bringing value to 276 00:16:01,710 --> 00:16:05,940 them. Because when we do come out of you know, this current 277 00:16:05,940 --> 00:16:09,000 time, whatever period that is, you know, that's going to be the 278 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:12,330 most important thing that you did, and they're not only going 279 00:16:12,330 --> 00:16:14,970 to remember it, I think you will have developed, probably a 280 00:16:14,970 --> 00:16:18,840 better a better business for the future because of it. 281 00:16:20,220 --> 00:16:23,280 Robert Plank: I agree completely that it's, it's tempting to be 282 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:26,430 spread so thin, in many cases, we should be doubling down. And 283 00:16:26,550 --> 00:16:28,980 what you're making me think of is, I mean, I've been at this 284 00:16:28,980 --> 00:16:33,030 for a long time, just as you have. And I do a lot of I've 285 00:16:33,030 --> 00:16:34,830 always done a lot of programming, I've always put out 286 00:16:34,830 --> 00:16:40,590 software as well. And I get very frustrated seeing people want to 287 00:16:40,590 --> 00:16:44,280 use a software tool or or wanting to do something that's 288 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,730 completely overkill, when sometimes the low tech solution 289 00:16:47,730 --> 00:16:51,840 is the answer or when just the just the marketing solutions, 290 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:58,200 the answer. And if you remember, maybe 15 years ago, the product 291 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:01,440 launches became a huge, just like buzzword, right, a thing 292 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:04,020 people were talking about, and they would talk about, 293 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:07,800 especially surveys, like, Oh, well mail your list and get them 294 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:10,170 to click on this and fill out the survey. And I was thinking, 295 00:17:10,350 --> 00:17:14,010 when someone says that, since a survey to me, I don't want to 296 00:17:14,010 --> 00:17:16,770 click on something, I don't want to click on radio buttons. But 297 00:17:16,770 --> 00:17:20,580 if someone sends me an email and asked me a question, and I can 298 00:17:20,580 --> 00:17:23,340 go and give a really quick answer, reply with one word, or 299 00:17:23,340 --> 00:17:27,930 one sentence, at least from me as as a subscriber with some of 300 00:17:27,930 --> 00:17:30,630 those marketers, I liked that better, as opposed to just be 301 00:17:30,630 --> 00:17:34,050 putting putting it into a database. And every whenever 302 00:17:34,050 --> 00:17:36,870 there's this kind of talk that we're having of, you know, get 303 00:17:36,870 --> 00:17:39,810 closer to your customers or ask your your customers things, I 304 00:17:39,810 --> 00:17:43,860 think about how few people even really asked questions, right, 305 00:17:43,860 --> 00:17:47,310 especially in the email marketing context, or there's 306 00:17:47,310 --> 00:17:52,260 only a handful of marketers that will personally send me a 307 00:17:52,290 --> 00:17:55,800 Facebook message, if they're trying to sell a course or 308 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:59,370 trying to get ticket sell tickets to an event back when we 309 00:17:59,370 --> 00:18:02,310 had those right back before we're all locked down. And it's 310 00:18:02,310 --> 00:18:05,070 like little things like that, right? That the little reach 311 00:18:05,070 --> 00:18:08,070 outs The only a handful of marketers send me something in 312 00:18:08,070 --> 00:18:11,280 the mail. So it's like this is this is all really reassuring. 313 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:16,350 It's it ties in back with the mental Miss of it all of the 314 00:18:16,380 --> 00:18:20,310 minimalism and the don't add on a bunch of stuff just for the 315 00:18:20,310 --> 00:18:23,850 sake of it, right? Don't Don't blast on 20 different social 316 00:18:23,850 --> 00:18:27,150 media channels. Or maybe if you're doing great on one or 317 00:18:27,150 --> 00:18:30,900 two, then look at back at your top performing posts or look at 318 00:18:30,900 --> 00:18:34,560 like your top fans, things like that. And it doesn't necessarily 319 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:37,950 have to be more fanciness are more software? 320 00:18:38,340 --> 00:18:41,040 Unknown: Well, and the question I always try to ask, and I'm, 321 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:42,450 you know, I've been in everything I'm talking about 322 00:18:42,450 --> 00:18:46,050 I've been guilty of at one time or another, you know, doing 323 00:18:46,050 --> 00:18:49,770 poorly, but, but the question we need to ask ourselves, 324 00:18:49,770 --> 00:18:52,740 particularly right now is is is what I'm doing when to add 325 00:18:52,740 --> 00:18:54,990 value? Or is what I'm doing going to enhance the 326 00:18:54,990 --> 00:18:59,070 relationship. You know, right now, it you see all these people 327 00:18:59,070 --> 00:19:01,320 just flooding and I get, you know, you probably do too, but 328 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:04,290 as seen as a member of the media, I get pitched by PR 329 00:19:04,290 --> 00:19:08,010 firms, you know, right, left, and everybody's pitching the, 330 00:19:08,460 --> 00:19:10,920 you know, oh, we need to do something about you know, 331 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:14,130 COVID-19 how to survive a pandemic and you know, people 332 00:19:14,130 --> 00:19:16,740 don't need that right now. In the reason they don't need is 333 00:19:16,740 --> 00:19:20,400 because everybody's doing it and you know, are you an expert in 334 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:22,560 And is that something that you really can bring value? Or are 335 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:25,350 you just regurgitating information? You know, stop it. 336 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:28,950 You know, what would add value? What would help build 337 00:19:28,950 --> 00:19:31,650 relationship focus on that instead of copying what you see 338 00:19:31,650 --> 00:19:32,430 everybody else do? 339 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:35,460 Robert Plank: That's great advice yet right? We already 340 00:19:35,460 --> 00:19:39,660 have our Phil from everywhere else of COVID-19 advice and it 341 00:19:39,660 --> 00:19:43,140 changes and it's not going to be very evergreen is it? You show 342 00:19:43,140 --> 00:19:46,170 up on that? That news appearance, you zoom in or you 343 00:19:46,170 --> 00:19:48,990 show up on that podcast and you give the COVID-19 advice, but 344 00:19:48,990 --> 00:19:52,440 then in two months, if everything's completely changed, 345 00:19:52,470 --> 00:19:55,620 or you know, there's who knows what the world would be like in 346 00:19:55,620 --> 00:19:58,920 two months after you give your your COVID-19 presentation, then 347 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:02,700 it won't apply and And sometimes it seems like a bit of a stretch 348 00:20:02,730 --> 00:20:07,170 also, right when someone appears to be giving COVID-19 advice, 349 00:20:07,170 --> 00:20:09,720 and they say, Oh, well go and buy my SEO tool that's like, 350 00:20:09,750 --> 00:20:14,880 Wait, how does that translate to that? So, yeah, and so there's a 351 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:18,090 lot of it now that we have this extra time, there's a lot of 352 00:20:18,120 --> 00:20:21,480 thinking we all need to be doing about maybe finding that happy 353 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:24,990 medium of riding the wave tapping into the conversation 354 00:20:24,990 --> 00:20:28,800 people are having, but also not just being an echo, right, like, 355 00:20:28,980 --> 00:20:32,430 be unique and be a little bit weird. So that way that we can 356 00:20:32,460 --> 00:20:36,030 stand out. And we've had all kinds of interesting things to 357 00:20:36,030 --> 00:20:38,940 talk about thinking about today. We mentioned your books. And we 358 00:20:38,940 --> 00:20:41,640 mentioned a little bit about these SEO tools. And before we 359 00:20:41,850 --> 00:20:45,510 wind down and say goodbye here, I want to make sure that we we 360 00:20:45,510 --> 00:20:48,750 covered the some of the software tools that you and your company 361 00:20:49,650 --> 00:20:51,840 provide that you mentioned, because that sounds a little bit 362 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:54,960 interesting. So can you tell us in these last few minutes about 363 00:20:54,990 --> 00:20:58,770 some of these tools, and what makes them different since that 364 00:20:58,770 --> 00:21:01,260 is kind of the current subtopic? Ron about 365 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:04,140 Unknown: that. So So we really don't provide software, I 366 00:21:04,140 --> 00:21:06,510 wouldn't categorize what we do as software, it's really more of 367 00:21:06,510 --> 00:21:10,710 a system. So a marketing system for small business, that's 368 00:21:10,710 --> 00:21:13,470 really what duct tape marketing is, I know I plastered the name 369 00:21:13,470 --> 00:21:16,080 on a lot of other things. But but that's, that's actually how 370 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:19,050 duct tape marketing started is that I needed a way to work with 371 00:21:19,050 --> 00:21:20,910 small business owners where I could say, here's what I'm going 372 00:21:20,910 --> 00:21:23,190 to do, here's what you're going to do, here are the results to 373 00:21:23,190 --> 00:21:25,050 hope to get and here's what it costs, you know, do you want it 374 00:21:25,050 --> 00:21:28,230 or not kind of almost a productized approach. And so for 375 00:21:28,230 --> 00:21:32,370 us, it starts with developing a marketing strategy, that we then 376 00:21:32,370 --> 00:21:36,180 build tactics around that are all integrated. So the website 377 00:21:36,180 --> 00:21:39,750 SEO content, you know, those are tactics that can stand alone in 378 00:21:39,750 --> 00:21:42,630 a silo and you hire one person to do each, you know, those 379 00:21:42,630 --> 00:21:47,460 things have to be designed and implemented strategically, if 380 00:21:47,460 --> 00:21:51,000 the business is going to survive at all today in in, you know, 381 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:55,620 the digital world that we live in. So what our consultants do 382 00:21:55,620 --> 00:21:58,830 is work with the typical small business owner to create that 383 00:21:58,830 --> 00:22:01,980 strategy to create that plan. And then on an ongoing basis, 384 00:22:02,010 --> 00:22:06,330 implement that plan, and mature a company's marketing to the 385 00:22:06,330 --> 00:22:09,390 point where they've actually built not only a system but an 386 00:22:09,390 --> 00:22:12,600 asset in their business, as opposed to an expense. 387 00:22:13,350 --> 00:22:15,840 Robert Plank: And what is the the problem being solved here? 388 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:19,110 Is it? Or is it just changed business to business? Is it is 389 00:22:19,110 --> 00:22:22,830 it SEO, ranking traffic, getting customers or whatever they 390 00:22:22,860 --> 00:22:25,410 Unknown: have? No, it's actually more global than that. I think 391 00:22:25,410 --> 00:22:28,200 with small business owners, they're actually wrestling back 392 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:32,400 control of their marketing. By installing a system, it gives 393 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:34,440 them the confidence because everybody's selling the idea 394 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:36,870 that week, everybody, I mean, they get pitched every day, you 395 00:22:36,870 --> 00:22:39,660 know, by somebody who says they're with Google, regardless 396 00:22:39,660 --> 00:22:43,350 of where they're actually calling from. And so it's it's 397 00:22:43,350 --> 00:22:47,310 more control, confidence, clarity about, you know, the how 398 00:22:47,310 --> 00:22:50,250 to actually build and scale their business. And then, of 399 00:22:50,250 --> 00:22:54,690 course, all of the, the right actions, that from a tactical 400 00:22:54,690 --> 00:22:58,620 standpoint, that actually then do bring customers, but but it's 401 00:22:58,620 --> 00:23:01,140 funny, a lot of businesses will tell you, I just need more 402 00:23:01,140 --> 00:23:03,930 customers. But what the real problem is, is they have 403 00:23:03,930 --> 00:23:06,300 absolutely no clarity about their message, or who makes an 404 00:23:06,300 --> 00:23:10,200 ideal customer, they have no control over what works and what 405 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:12,420 doesn't work or no understanding, they really don't 406 00:23:12,420 --> 00:23:16,620 have the confidence to, you know, to to kind of go ahead 407 00:23:16,620 --> 00:23:20,730 and, you know, be who they are, and, and put out in the market, 408 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:23,700 you know, in a way that that is unique to them, as opposed to 409 00:23:23,700 --> 00:23:25,470 just copying what they see everybody else do. 410 00:23:26,370 --> 00:23:30,030 Robert Plank: And I'm in all these topics that we've jumped 411 00:23:30,030 --> 00:23:33,510 to today, I'm kind of getting a common thread here of there are 412 00:23:33,510 --> 00:23:37,500 some tried and true principles, things that are that have always 413 00:23:37,500 --> 00:23:40,410 worked. And sure something is can get out of date. But it's up 414 00:23:40,410 --> 00:23:44,640 to us to maybe find the the modern j implementation of this 415 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,430 thing that's always working, it's tempting to just hit the 416 00:23:47,430 --> 00:23:51,570 button, go for the quick fix, go for the the you know, let me do 417 00:23:51,570 --> 00:23:53,580 some keyword research. And you're saying, Well, wait, 418 00:23:53,580 --> 00:23:57,000 what's the big picture? Let's not just focus on one tiny 419 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:00,900 aspect. Let's connect it all it let's duct tape it together. So 420 00:24:00,900 --> 00:24:04,410 that way, we're just seeing well, like, okay, you need all 421 00:24:04,410 --> 00:24:06,780 these things in your business. And there's all these different 422 00:24:06,780 --> 00:24:10,140 tools that come and go. But let's use what makes sense. So 423 00:24:10,140 --> 00:24:13,230 that way we can get you to your goal and not just a gimmick. 424 00:24:13,770 --> 00:24:15,780 Unknown: Yeah, you know, a lot of people talk about all the 425 00:24:15,780 --> 00:24:18,810 changes in marketing and all the new platforms and all the 426 00:24:18,810 --> 00:24:21,330 tactics and techniques. But really, the thing that's changed 427 00:24:21,330 --> 00:24:23,880 the most since I've been doing this is the way people buy, 428 00:24:24,300 --> 00:24:28,140 because now the buyer has so many options and has so much at 429 00:24:28,140 --> 00:24:32,190 their fingertips. And so, you know, so it's ability to to 430 00:24:32,190 --> 00:24:35,670 leave us, you know, for somebody else, if there's any friction at 431 00:24:35,670 --> 00:24:39,330 all, that our job as marketers is not to understand the tools, 432 00:24:39,420 --> 00:24:42,960 it's understand how those tools can actually help guide the 433 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:45,990 customer on the journey they want to take. And that never 434 00:24:45,990 --> 00:24:48,870 changes, then it's just a matter of saying how can Twitter help 435 00:24:48,870 --> 00:24:52,290 do that? You know, how could Facebook ads help do that as 436 00:24:52,290 --> 00:24:54,150 opposed to how can we like create more demand, 437 00:24:55,290 --> 00:24:57,780 Robert Plank: the strategy and the tactics like he was saying 438 00:24:57,810 --> 00:25:01,560 saying, right, it's just the tactics. Or what little tools 439 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,830 you use and and that way you're not working for the tool the 440 00:25:04,830 --> 00:25:07,500 tool is working for you as far as what you want to accomplish. 441 00:25:07,500 --> 00:25:11,610 And so we've been speaking about all kinds of interesting things 442 00:25:11,610 --> 00:25:14,850 in our in our conversation today from getting our head on 443 00:25:14,850 --> 00:25:20,250 straight using this time wisely. Maybe not missing some of the 444 00:25:20,250 --> 00:25:22,710 easy to miss gaps in our marketing. If people were 445 00:25:22,710 --> 00:25:26,430 intrigued by listening to our conversation today and and if 446 00:25:26,430 --> 00:25:28,980 they enjoyed your visit here, where can they go? Where can 447 00:25:28,980 --> 00:25:32,580 they go to start a conversation with you check out your website, 448 00:25:32,580 --> 00:25:34,980 Chicago's daily devotion? Or what are some links for us 449 00:25:34,980 --> 00:25:35,850 today? Oh, so 450 00:25:35,850 --> 00:25:38,580 Unknown: the easiest place to go, where you can really check 451 00:25:38,580 --> 00:25:42,210 out kind of what I've been doing the last 30 years and you can 452 00:25:42,270 --> 00:25:44,670 certainly find our books and podcasts and things there as 453 00:25:44,670 --> 00:25:48,690 well, our consultant network, the consulting that we do, you 454 00:25:48,690 --> 00:25:52,170 know, all kinds of tools just at duct tape marketing COMM And 455 00:25:52,170 --> 00:25:55,830 that's D UCT. Ta p e marketing. com. 456 00:25:56,580 --> 00:25:59,670 Robert Plank: I wish I had a roll of duct tape handy as a as 457 00:25:59,670 --> 00:26:03,930 a fun gag Prop, but I didn't think ahead. But for those of 458 00:26:03,930 --> 00:26:07,890 you Oh, see, you did think ahead. Everyone should be going 459 00:26:07,890 --> 00:26:12,900 to duct tape marketing.com to do the things that you know that 460 00:26:12,900 --> 00:26:16,050 you need to do in your business to use the walking time or the 461 00:26:16,050 --> 00:26:21,570 morning routine time to maybe think smarter and not be working 462 00:26:21,570 --> 00:26:25,050 harder, right? There are things that your business needs. And 463 00:26:25,050 --> 00:26:27,570 it's it's easy. And it's tempting to say I'll pull all 464 00:26:27,570 --> 00:26:31,380 these all nighters or all double down or all posts on every 465 00:26:31,380 --> 00:26:35,790 possible social media platform, including Tick Tock and that 466 00:26:35,790 --> 00:26:38,940 might be an easy recipe for burnout, that might be an easy 467 00:26:38,940 --> 00:26:44,070 recipe for overworking yourself and losing the magic Spark. That 468 00:26:44,100 --> 00:26:47,610 is the easy stuff in your business, as we mentioned at 20, 469 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:50,670 how sometimes there's the the 80% goes to waste, and there's 470 00:26:50,670 --> 00:26:53,880 that 20% that you could be focusing on to get the best 471 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:56,970 results. And it's up to you to discover what that is. Oh, go to 472 00:26:56,970 --> 00:27:00,690 duct tape marketing.com check out John's website and his 473 00:27:00,690 --> 00:27:04,650 books. And if it makes sense for you to reach out to him and 474 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:08,850 contact him and his team and join those other consultants 475 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:12,330 around the world to get their marketing where it needs to be. 476 00:27:12,360 --> 00:27:15,360 But make sure to also find the contact form there. And that is 477 00:27:15,360 --> 00:27:18,810 duct tape marketing.com and thanks so much john for stopping 478 00:27:18,810 --> 00:27:23,280 by from home and let us know what we need to know I 479 00:27:23,280 --> 00:27:30,300 appreciate it very much. Do you want to be a sponsor for the 480 00:27:30,300 --> 00:27:34,980 Robert Plank show? Make sure to go right now to Robert plank.com 481 00:27:35,010 --> 00:27:38,850 forward slash ask fill out the form and tell us how you'd like 482 00:27:38,850 --> 00:27:40,800 to sponsor the show. Thanks for listening