12 Minute Marketer

Taking calculated/estimated risks is an absolute necessity. We're constantly met with taking risk in our lives and business whether it's insignificant or truly terrifying.  Learning how to overcome obstacles is part of the journey when marketing such as facing objections by outside forces keeping you from launching a campaign. But without some kind of risk, wouldn't you agree everyone (who has ambition) would have little reason not to say yes? Or perhaps every reason to 'go for it'?  The beauty of risk is the barrier. Only a small percent of businesses and individuals are willing to take risks where the outcome is uncertain. And those are the opportunities you can dominate. Like going to College/University, we're pushed to follow a process, a system designed to control our destiny. Marketing teaches us to think outside the box, to buck the trend, to bring a creative side to attracting sales, leads, and clients. Experience can move us in ways that no book, class, teacher, or podcast can - getting 'down to busi

The most successful people in the world don't just rely on themselves, they lean on others to push them along the way.  Who's helping to keep you in check? Do you have someone who's giving sound advice, someone who you can share with along your journey? Having an accountability partner is very valuable component to keep you focused on your goals...even if the goals were to change. Without an accountability partner, are you being truthful to yourself? Perhaps you can simply lean on your mother as someone who wants to see you flourish. Ask if she'd be able to check in with you once a week, before you party on Friday night.  Whether it's your personal life, small seemingly tiny changes you're driving towards that just need a little support. Or it's your business where the feeling of loneliness sets in frequently as you struggle to feel like anyone can help push you along the way.

After 9.5 hours of travel, 4 very solid & long days of value, networking with dozens of awesome individuals, and an list of emotions, we've been blown away to truly get the validation and proof that we aren't as crazy as we thought after all.  You see, we have a history of thinking outside the box, being the unconventional individuals bringing diversity to the crowd. Conversations with those we've helped tend to result in incredible discoveries, 'ah-ha!' moments where we show a perspective they may have never considered. The event showcased some wild examples of overcoming adversity as well as real vulnerability, ultimately being a very moving experience. A couple of the speakers that were on entirely opposite ends of the spectrum were Natalie Hodson and Alex Charfen. First, Natalie spoke about her incredible vulnerability with a personal incident that resonated with women and exploded her attention. Alex on the other hand spoke about having over $250 Million in real estate, losing it all, and not knowing

Changes in your business are healthy. But changes in your business backed by data is healthier.  Time and time again we've seen clients come up with ideas out of thin air. 1. Why make X change? 2. What reasons do you belief X will bring the desired value? 3. How will you measure the success? (or failure) It seems these "decisions in a vacuum' tend to happen more often than not. Those in the decision chair have a wild idea that, ultimately, fits their agenda but doesn't necessarily represent the need; more sales, qualified leads, decrease bounce rate... Before going off an implementing a change, it may be a valuable process to evaluate and gather data to support such a decision. Ultimately, you should be able to quantify the end objective whether it helps or hurts, to back the claim.

Imagine having to carry 50 business cards on you 24/7. What a hassle, right? You certainly wouldn't want to miss the opportunity for someone to connect with you...so, perhaps you'd need more than 50 cards with you for any given day.  The digital world has helped shape an alternative. Rather than handing someone a paper business card, one that you might need to change in a couple months...hand them your website.  That's right; tell them your URL (like thriveunlimited.com) and they can view EVERYTHING...rather than the limited space available on a card.  At the end of the day, the end-consumer wants to find out something, whether it's your pricing, details behind the value you offer, or simple the location of your office. The evergreen value of a website provides global visibility where you can give visitors an accurate representation of your products & company. Certainly, no business card can make that same offer.

Well, we're back with a new look, new name, and new energy! AND WE. ARE. AMPED. Our previous Podcast called 12 Minute Marketer was a great run teaching us the real work involved in recording and publishing a podcast when you do NOT have a large team to do all of the heavy lifting. Now, Thrive Podcast is one of the ways we'll be sharing our experiences, opinions, suggestions, knowledge...you get the idea. We greatly appreciate your time and attention, every moment you're willing to share with us. So...join us again for our *first* real episode!

While 12 Minute Marketer was a blast, we have rebranded with an exciting name, focus, and look!  That's right, the next time you listen to this Podcast...Thrive Podcast will be the name. So, don't be too confused; it's going to look different.  But, we appreciate, REALLY APPRECIATE, that you're even here. Now we welcome you to join us even more than before.  

The importance of websites today hasn't been stronger in history. Most of us consumers will "Google" a business whether a restaurant, vehicle repair shop, or retailer. Rather than spend the 20 minutes driving to the location only to find out it's under construction or isn't open will immediately set a negative tone...we ask the internet.  We've talked about social networks, be it Facebook, a Google Business listing, Yelp, etc. and the importance of establishing a presence. But, ultimately a website that truly talks about your business and the experience you provide to customers/clients is the reigning champion of story-telling. It's the hub of information, where you can control 100% of the content and user experience, one that no other network sets the standards. 

Our world of apps and social platforms continues to grow, without an end in sight. New apps come with hope that they can solve a problem or even to "kill" a competitor.  LinkedIn, one of the original long standing social networking sites, has won over millions of people but it has also lost thousands and thousands for various reasons. And if you're one of those who is not a fan of LinkedIn, we have a suggestion. If you haven't heard of "Shapr", you may be in for a treat. It's a lighter weight networking app that is focused on helping you connect with people that are relatable, relevant, or even those you meet in real life )as they call it "IRL").

Becoming an expert in any craft takes patience, execution, and constant progress. In the internet marketing space, the same requirements apply but one incredible difference from the internet world is that everyone has the same opportunity. During a recent conversation, Mike was asked to share his tips on being an internet marketing expert. Here's how we break down the elements: 1. Surrounding Yourself with Knowledgeable People 2. Self Awareness 3. Execution Defines You 4. Perfection is the Enemy of Good Using these 4 major pieces of the puzzle in your every day practice will absolutely make a difference in the results you achieve. It's not just about the tools, tactics, and strategies. The total combination of all aspects of becoming an expert defines the given results.

Small companies have an road ahead that many wish not to travel. The road is long, tiring, and could require many more hours invested before experiencing desired results. But, a little known golden ticket can be of great service.  If you're unaware of what a "Social Influencer" does in the market, this is a bit of a lesson for you. We'll certainly talk more in-depth but we break down what it means to be a Social Influencer and how you can benefit. Some business markets are certainly more suitable for finding good influencers, such as health & wellness. But more important, it's best to start out 'small' to test the waters a bit, getting some initial experience.

You may be like a large number of other businesses and individuals who struggle to on the creative side of content creation. And it's totally not your fault - being creative may not be part of your DNA. Some inspiration, however, can help give you great ideas. In this episode, we share some suggestions on how to find ideas as to what kind of content you can create for your own market and audience. Keep in mind, the relevancy to your business will vary so take your time doing some research. Other leaders in your market may be sources of ideas that give you an 'Ah Ha!' moment, one that wouldn't otherwise come to mind. And you can outsource other help to take on the actual creation of the content. 

Social Media combined with Marketing can capture some incredible results. The vast potential with the ability to reach millions of people that you would never otherwise connect with is nearly hard to wrap your head around.  Despite being 2017, new networks that may provide a slightly different experience than existing platforms create a constant need to develop skills, attain new knowledge, and even to the most valuable action...putting to practice what you've learned. Ultimately just using a platform because it's "cool" is a waste of time and energy, for most cases. The question: why are you and/or your company on a particular platform? Or, why are you even using Social Media in the first place? We've talked previously about why a strategy is very important to your end-goal. And, once again, it has come back to another episode.

The choice is yours, every day. Each hour, every minute. The beauty of having the ability to make decisions is...it's up to you!  Being a "modern marketer" includes devotion to knowledge, education, reading, listening, absorbing, and taking action. Do you choose to watch a TV show over listening to a thought leader in a 20 minute YouTube video? Have at it, but don't complain that you're struggling. While you may claim to procrastinate, the leading reason for not completing a task...the truth is, it's just not as important to you. Ultimately you've decided something else is more important.  How do you spend your time? What is ACTUALLY more important to you, at the end of the day?   

How can you provide value to your audience that they actually want? What steps have you taken to assure the content you're creating is desired by your clients/customers?  The questions are simple, the process of discovery can be simple, too.  Immediately obvious, asking the question you want to know about how your audience engages with content and WHAT content they actually want can immediately help point you in the right direction. What good does it provide by creating content that clients don't find helpful? How much time would you waste creating such content, that which your audience don't care about? Surveys, in many forms, can help.  Ask the question you want to know. Let your audience actually tell you. Provide bigger value giving answers, strategies, and knowledge that matches your audience's interests. 

You get in the trenches, the weeds of your business. At times individuals in your organization become focused on a tunnel, trapped in specifics of a goal. Too easily the basic data becomes swallowed by the transactional details behind individual campaigns. During a recent event, Mike spoke with several business owners and entrepreneurs whom asked some varying questions. One piece of advice, however, became clear as an important share.  While questions certainly have answers, the deeper need is to take a step back. Regularly evaluating the over-arching goal of the combined efforts is highly important.

We've mentioned Gary Vaynerchuk in the past but in this episode our discussions takes his second book called Jab Jab Jab, Right Hook with some direction. You may not know Gary or any of his books, though you'll quickly understand some of the principles from our discussion. Building credibility & value with your audience first, before asking for the sale, is substantially more valuable. Small businesses don't really want to wait, to put in the lengthy time it may take to build that credibility, to make all of the small "jabs"...and that could be a sign to re-evaluate the business.  Your funnel should be designed to follow the process, to attract an audience without *really* asking for anything. What you give out is what you get to keep - focus on the relationship side well before you ask someone to pull out their wallet. It will benefit you far more in the end.

There isn't a single entrepreneur, marketer, or business owner who doesn't want "more". A larger audience, more Facebook page likes/fans, more Youtube subscribers, more newsletter subscriptions - it's valuable across the board...or is it? A question posted in a Facebook groups asked how they [the individual posting] could get more Instagram followers. The reality is that getting more followers is like someone giving you their phone number to talk about selling them a house (if you're a real estate agent) yet that person never answer your phone calls and never returns the voice messages you've left them.  Would it make a difference if you had another 1,000 followers on Twitter if zero of those followers do not engage, do not see your posts? Engagement beats vanity numbers every time.

Business websites, landing pages, Facebook pages, blogs,...the list goes on. Your audience (potential customers) find you but may not be taking further action. How many opportunities are you missing? These (4) tips apply to nearly any market in the online marketing world, where your audience simply needs some better direction.  First in line is "Social Proof'" - your cold audience will become your actual customers faster if they can see others are raving fans and/or got results themselves. Second is giving free "Magnets". If you don't know what a magnet is, the podcast will go into detail, but it's the single-best way to capture someone's interest.  Third - give, give, give...then ask. Don't go for the close to quick. And fourth...keep it simple. Be sure your audience isn't stuck making a decision.

Every campaign and initiative should have walls. Each one of your goals should contain a strategy and goals. Outlining each, while it might seem trivial, can help protect you from "campaign creep" - taking on too much for the same desired outcome.  In an age where every click you make on the internet takes you deeper, further away from where you started, you need to have a shield ready to 'stop the madness'.  An analogy we share gives a glimpse where Money, Time, and Results are connected. Results, however, does not always occur when Money or Time is involved.