Category: PR for small business
Speaking is probably one of the more intimidating tactics when it comes to putting yourself out there. Today’s Marketing Moxie episode goes deep into this topic as part of the Brilliant Basic Training series. Guest expert Chantelle Adams joins us to talk about taking the stage and getting over your fear.
Items Discussed in this Episode:
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How to get started with speaking
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Understanding your story and how it benefits the audience
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What you need on your speaker’s page on your website
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Creating a master list of places you want to speak at
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Building yourself as an expert beyond speaking
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Giving your fear a name and owning it
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Tapping into your fear and flipping the script
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Where to look for speaking gigs
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How to make the most of each and every speaking gig
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Working the cancellations so you can be the fill in
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Getting paid for speaking
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Creating lasting relationships with your audience
[Tweet “Scared of speaking? @chantelleadams says you should name your fear on the #marketingmoxie #podcast”]
Top 3 Takeaways for this Episode:
1. What can you name your fear? Flip that script so you feel ready to take the stage.
2. Look at local organizations where you can build your confidence and track opportunities.
3. Maximize each opportunity so that you can find ways to engage further with the audience.
Links in this Episode:
Is your marketing sucking up ALL of your time? If you are spending hours and hour every single week sending emails and promoting your business, WHEN are you actually doing your work?
I know, you had to stop for a second and consider that, right? It’s a damn good question.
Harsh but practical business lesson coming right up. You need to work in your business and not just on your business.
Believe me, I know, it’s way too easy to get caught up in the busy work. But all those tasks don’t necessarily bring in the green. (Or if you are Canadian like me, the loonies, twonies and jazzy looking red 50 dollar bills.)
That 89th time you checked Facebook as part of your “social media strategy” is not working for you. Sending out another half hearted guest post pitch when you detest writing is the definition of insanity.
Excuse me while I step up on my soapbox.
Marketing shouldn’t be done for the sake of marketing. It should be done with a plan in mind and driving towards a specific business goal.
It’s totally obvious I know, but many of us fall into this trap without realizing it.
Please stop torturing yourself by doing a whole pile of things because you are “supposed to”…there are no entrepreneur bonus points for being busy. Just because your mentor, competitor or business bestie does it, in no way means it is good for you or your business.
You are not entrepreneurial superwoman. So please just stop trying to do everything.
So, what should you actually do? Cover the basics, but find a way to make them work for you. Work within your zone of genius and then outsource the rest or simply let them go.
When you consistently are working so hard against your skills and talents, time is wasting.
Then what happens? It’s not freakin’ pretty is it?
Frustration mounts and next thing you know it’s wine o’clock and nothing is getting done. Then you wake up with one hell of a headache and want to eat french fries and salt and vinegar chips all day long instead of getting down to business.
Working In Your Zone of Genius
The best thing you can do when it comes to promoting yourself is starting in your zone of genius.
Now, as much as I’m a huge fan of pushing yourself, in this case we are going to play to your strengths in an effort to reduce resistance.
You need to make a decision. Quick.
Is your zone of genius writing or speaking?
This should be pretty clear cut as we all generally fall into one category. If you are blessed to be gifted at both, just pick one to start. (Overachievers, I’m looking at you.)
From there you’ve just narrowed down all of your options. Sweet, right?
- If you’re going with writing: Guest posting, blogging, social media, op-ed/opinion columns
- If you’re focused on speaking: TV/radio interviews, podcast interviews, local or industry speaking engagements
If you are stuck swimming in the sea of overwhelm, dial everything back and focus only on one of those tactics.
If you love writing, maybe you are going to guest post. Or if you are talker, maybe a podcast is right up your alley.
Picking a focus that’s within your natural talents is going to make your marketing so much easier. You can get clear and map out a plan of attack for the next 30-60-90 days.
One thing done really well instead of a bunch of things thrown together and done on a wing and a prayer will be so much more impactful in the long run. It’s your marketing, so step up and do it your way instead.
In episode #5 we delve into the world of guest posting research in a bite-sized 12 minutes!
Items Discussed in this Episode:
- The importance of guest posting research and why you can’t skip this step
- Using your ideal customer to help shape your research
- Looking at the competitive landscape to find opportunities
- Getting up close and personal with every site
- Leverage Google search and Topsy to find new opportunities
- Take the time to get to know media/bloggers you’ll be reaching out to
[Tweet “Guest post research separates you from the rookies. Get the scoop in the latest episode of #marketingmoxie #podcast http://bit.ly/1bcXIGP”]
Top 3 Takeaways for this Episode:
- Get clear on your ideal customers and where they may be hanging out online
- Conduct in-depth research on the web site and find a “hole”
- Use Google and Topsy to unearth opportunities
Links in this Episode:
- Entrepreneur to Expert Ebook
- Guest Posting Resource Page
- Topsy (Twitter Search Tool)
- Sites that Accept Guest Posts
Things just got heavy. Okay, not really. But I’ve got a confession to make about my business.
Well, it’s actually not about my business as you know it. But rather the fact that it’s not my only love. You see, I’ve been moonlighting on my business for a long time.
Here it is.
I have a second business in direct sales.
Over the past few months, I’ve really struggled with how that fits into my story as an entrepreneur. The more I put myself out there, the more it’s been on my mind.
Does it hurt my credibility?
Does it make me look unfocused?
Finally, after a long drive through the rolling countryside and consultation with some amazing ladies in a mastermind group I have some clarity.
My direct sales business is what has given me the know-how and confidence to take my business online and has prepared me for everything that goes with it.
The Backstory
Nearly 10 years ago, I was on maternity leave and I was quite frankly, a bit bored. After jumping off the crazy train of my big and busy job, being home with baby in a rural area left me with time on my hands that I didn’t know what to do with. I’ve always loved journaling and creating artbooks with photos, so when I found scrapbooking…I was quickly hooked.
A few years later, I was building my content and communications business and things were going great. Crafts were a creative outlet away from my computer and blissful relaxation time. A friend then introduced me to a direct sales company called Stampin’ Up whose products I loved. Hello, they all coordinate!
I literally loved the products so much I couldn’t stop myself from building it into a business.
That brought me on a six year journey to today. I’ve changed up my core business from traditional to online, my crafting has evolved from a hobby to a successful business, with me becoming a top performer in the company with customers all over Canada.
I’ve been on all-expenses paid trips to dream destinations and been recognized as the top seller in Canada more than once. (And for the record, while it may not sound like a lot, it is a lot of work to sell $92,000 of rubber stamps and other crafty supplies.)
In short, I’ve accomplished a lot in both businesses.
What I Learned from Direct Sales
While I’m hardwired with a business brain, direct sales has made me a much better person and marketing professional.
So, go ahead, bag on these “cute” home-based businesses that ladies start for some extra cash, but I will tell you this, there’s some seriously savvy women working in the industry.
Women who are making an incredible living doing something they love, which really, isn’t that something we all aspire to?
There’s a huge laundry list of things I could discuss here from learning how to grow and manage a team, to developing some crazy online skills to patience.
However, in all of this, my biggest lesson has been to find joy in the journey.(With apologies to my friend Julie who uses that as her tagline!) As someone who is super goal oriented, I’m always striving for something new, something bigger…but it’s not simply enough.
After hitting goal, after goal, after goal…I’ve finally realized that I need to simply chill out a bit and truly enjoy what I’m doing because accomplishing the actual goal is just a checkbox.
When the Goal…Is Just a Goal
Yes there’s the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment that comes with achieving any goal. I’m not going to deny it.
But what happens when there’s no more goals to reach? When bettering your best or selling more is the difference between joy and straight up insanity? When the goal shouldn’t be bigger or better?
That’s where I am with my direct sales business. I’ve done what I set out to do, so I’m reconnecting to the joy of creating with people and helping them be crafty.
Goals shouldn’t be set so you can check off the box. It’s not enough.
That’s what’s driving me ahead in my “core” business today. Goals are set with a business purpose in mind. No big things to help me feel like I’ve “made it” or to be Internet famous.
Today’s goals are designed to help grow a business that fits into my life and lights me up.
It took six years and a whole lot of rubber stamps for me to remember that the decision to become self-employed and “be the boss” was about escaping a life of checking boxes and doing things based on someone else’s rules.
It’s about freedom to live my life, my way*. No more checkboxes.
*My life, my way may or may not include yoga pants, not leaving the house for an entire week in the winter and multiple trips throughout the year where I don’t work at all.
I’m super stoked for a New Year, but I’ll spare you listing out my big goals and plans for the coming year. I actually do my planning all year long, with monthly updates, so it’s ongoing. Possibly never ending.
Business happens in real-time and I reserve the right to change my mind as I go. So, no way am I writing them all out here, because I can guarantee they will change, evolve and possibly mutate with each passing day.
For those of you that are working out your dreams, plans and goals for 2014 or are simply ready to rock and roll today’s post is for you. I wanted to share my top tips from a PR/content point of view for the coming year, along with specific resources and tools to help you get the job done.
Goals are dreams with a deadline. Check out @magspatterson’s tips and resources for standing out in 2014.http://bit.ly/1cnagZ8
Fine Tune Your Public Persona
I’ve said it again and again, but your web site matters more than you realize to the success or failure of your business and your ability to effectively promote yourself. Your brand and message need to be clear and really connect with your ideal customers. Your site should signal “hey, I’m an expert” to everyone who visits.
Before you get into the weeds of 2014, consider doing a review on your site to make sure you have everything in order from your about page to your bio to your social media profiles. This is your public face, so you need to go pro all the way. Here are some resources to help you step up your game:
About Pages
Five About Page Mistakes to Avoid
How to Write an About Page (Copyblogger)
12 of the Best About Pages on the Internet (Blog Tyrant)
How to Create an Amazing About Page (DIY Themes)
Bios
Bragging and Your Professional Bio
4 Steps to Writing a Professional Bio (Huffington Post)
8 Steps to Writing a Bio Like a Pro (Undercover Recruiter)
Social Media Profiles
10 Elements of a Successful Social Media Profile (KissMetrics)
26 Tips to Enhance Your Social Media Profiles (Social Media Examiner)
How to Use LinkedIn to Build Your Expert Status (Conversational Marketing)
How to Write a Rockstar Twitter Bio (Mashable)
Fine tune your public persona to help reach your goals with these resources from @magspatterson. http://bit.ly/1cnagZ8
Get on Stage
Speaking is a must when it comes to establishing yourself as an expert. To date, I’ve not blogged at all about speaking, but it’s on my list for 2014. There’s something magical that happens when people can see you in person. Check out these resources if you have speaking on your list for 2014:
Why You Belong on Stage (Smart Passive Income Podcast)
9 Ways to Sound Like You Really Know What You Are Talking About (Business Insider)
Getting Your First Public Speaking Gig: 10 Essential Tips to Follow (Jobstock)
Getting on stage is key to becoming a credible expert this year. Tips and more from @magspatterson. http://bit.ly/1cnagZ8
Start Guest Posting or Take it To the Next Level
Unlike speaking, I’ve written extensively about guest posting both on this blog and in guest posts. Here’s my fave resources on guest posting:
Three Lessons for Guest Posting with Confidence (LKR Social Media)
Could Guest Posting Be the Perfect PR Launch Pad for your Business? (BlogWorld)
Preparing for Your Guest Posts Sydney Bristow Spy Style
Drive Your Message with Content, Not Updates
Solid PR and social media starts with content. It can be content you’ve created or content you are curating. The point is that you aren’t just always selling and updating. That you deliver VALUE and you have a clear plan. Willy nilly posting on Twitter and Facebook will not drive business results or make people want to engage with your brand.
Take the time each week, month and/or quarter to carefully plan out your content for your blog, newsletter and on social media. Use a planner to streamline the process and make it easy to manage. I’ve personally committed a 2 hour block every Monday morning so it can be ready to go for the week and I can focus on interacting and engaging, vs. finding something to post.
Systems (I know, some of your just felt faint at that word) are what can help content creation and curation go smoothly. Worry about what to post and when is simply paralyzing so creating an editorial calendar or system to help you manage everything will help you ensure you can stay on track.
I will be talking way more about this in the coming weeks as I have some killer systems from my corporate work that I am working on adapting for small businesses. In the meantime, these tools and articles can help you with your content planning and marketing:
Essential Content Marketing Editorial Calendar Template (Social Media Today)
3 Components of a Content Editorial Calendar that Works (Copyblogger)
How to Double Your Content Marketing ROI in 2014 (Forbes)
2-Step Editorial Calendar Template (Content Marketing Institute)
Trying to figure out editorial calendars and systems for your content? @magspatterson has curated some great tools. http://bit.ly/1cnagZ8
I’ve been busily planning all of my blog and other content, and I’ll be talking more about all of these areas. If you have specific things you want to see covered off, want to learn or just have questions about, I’d love to hear from you below in the comments.
Everyone, and I mean everyone is in planning mode. Getting excited for 2014, figuring out business plans, budgets and so much more.
There’s something magical about the promise of a new year, but nothing can dash those hopes as quickly as an investment gone bad.
We’ve all been there. An expert, course, a coach…something that you are sure is going to help you. But then you get going and realize something isn’t quite right. It’s not what you signed up for. The results aren’t what you thought they’d be. You are frustrated. Maybe even pissed off.
While it’s natural to want to “blame” the person you bought the service from, I’ve got a different take on it.
Have you ever heard the term “let the buyer beware”? In the online world, it’s up to you to do your homework and not take things at face value. I know for me, my “bad” investments were really the product of me not being clear on what I was looking for or not making sure it was a sound investment. My bad.
Cutting Through the Hype
In the internet marketing world, it’s time to for us to become better educated and make smarter decisions about where we invest our money. Take the responsibility on for verifying facts and making sure things are what they seem.
Think of it in dating terms. If you were going to meet up with someone you met online for a date, you’d do some homework beforehand. You’d take precautions to make sure it was safe. You should do the same damn thing with investing your money, time or energy in any program or service.
If It Looks Too Good To Be True
There’s a lot of ways to quickly verify claims made by “experts” to make sure they are legit. But too often we simply don’t take the time to do it.
Start with this. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Time honored wisdom if you ask me, especially when you can’t look someone straight in the eye as you make a deal. Trust your gut. If something seems hinky, you need to dig in a bit more.
As a PR pro, I’ve got a few secrets to share with you too.
You know those “logos” you see on someone’s home page saying they’ve been on big name media outlets? It’s not always what it seems.
There’s lots of ways to self-publish content on these outlets, which is fine to a point. But if it doesn’t go through an editor of some sort, should you really be taking it as third party credibility?
Here’s the perfect example. If you use certain paid packages on newswires that distribute press releases such as Marketwire and PR Newswire, your press release will repost to sites like Yahoo! and the Wall Street Journal. That’s why at the end of these pages you have this type of message:
Another example is using CNN’s iReport. You can share your stories using this “citizen journalism” platform and then you could hypothetically claim you’ve “been” on CNN.
I actually wanted to test this out. I had my CNN debut published to the site within 1 minute of submission. Again, how much street cred is there in that? CNN makes it clear that they have not reviewed the content with the “not vetted by CNN” clearly visible.
To combat this, when you see those snazzy media logos on a home page, you need to actually look at the associated piece of coverage. Do they have the coverage listed on a press page on their site? Can you find it easily on Google?
Watch for the disclaimers that you see above from Wall Street Journal and CNN as that can tell you quickly if the coverage is self-published or a paid service.
Verifying Testimonials
Back when I was in my PR program in college I learned in my very first semester that press releases quotes are written by PR people. They are not actual quotes. I was outraged at the time to say the least.
The same goes with testimonials on sales page or “client love” pages. They are crafted with an eye on getting you to buy from them. I think we all know it’s not exactly an unbiased review, as obviously everyone is going to showcase the most relevant testimonials.
Look at the tone and manner of testimonials. Who do they come from? Take a glance at the person providing the testimonial to see how it lines up with that their quote says.
Go beyond the face value of testimonials by asking for unbiased reviews from people you trust. For big ticket investments, talk to people who’ve done the program and ask them for the nitty gritty so you can make sure it’s the right fit for you.
A little homework upfront can help you make the right investments in your business and go a long way to helping ensure you don’t get taken.
Every week I have at least one conversation with a client or fellow entrepreneur about the business of being an expert.
I just cringed as I wrote the words “the business of being an expert”, because really, it sounds wrong. Even after 15 years of doing just that with my clients it gives me the ick. And I’m not alone.
The expert biz is a tricky one which elicits strong responses across the continuum including:
- Anyone can be an expert
- Everyone has expertise
- That person has no business saying they are an expert
- I could never be an expert
- I don’t like the word expert
This list is really just the tip of the iceberg and probably explains why I talk SO much about this expert thing.
Fake it Until You Make It
As with every argument, there’s two sides to the story, so I wanted to share my two cents.
The common wisdom is to fake it until you make it and let me tell you, I am completely guilty as charged of doing this, especially as a junior PR pro. But it wasn’t so much a fake…as a stretch. I was pushing to the very brink of what was believable and acceptable.
That’s where the problems start. Experts should be anything but fake. To be an expert, people need to trust you.
Most people have some sort of true expertise but the problem comes when they start reaching too far.
If you build on a foundation of fakery you aren’t doing yourself any favors.
When 5 years experience suddenly becomes 8 or your first year in business becomes a raving success when it actually kind of sucked, you’ve gone too far. People are smarter than you realize and can do basic math. #trustfail
Tweet: Why fake it til you make it is terrible advice with @magspatterson http://bit.ly/1iWqLRU
Positioning Yourself as a Legitimate Expert
For you to be a expert for the long haul, you need to start somewhere. Before you start seeking out PR and other opportunities to build your profile you need to hone in on specific things you can be an expert on.
Waking up one sunny Thursday and deciding you’ll be an expert on some trendy topic or something that a peer in your industry is really dominating is not the path to success.
The good news is that expertise is all relative. So if you are working with social media newbies you may be able to teach them a thing or two about how to use Pinterest. The key is to be able to back up your claims.
You need proof. Customer success. Metrics. Training. Results. Third Party Credibility.
Tweet: Building trust is the key to being a true expert – @magspatterson http://bit.ly/1iWqLRU
Choose your expert niche wisely based on what you can backup. Because the world doesn’t need another wanna be social media ninja or self-proclaimed life coach.
There is a better way. You may just need to dig deeper to find it.
Join me on December 12th for a free webinar Entrepreneur to Expert: How to Become the Go-To Expert in Your Niche to learn more. Click here to register now.