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Kent Lewis grew up in the Seattle area. In college he studied business and marketing. After college he went to work for a PR agency but left to go into the digital marketing industry in 1996. Kent has formed several marketing agencies during his career. He is quite up front about challenges he faced along the way as well as what he learned from each issue he faced.   Kent's philosophy about community is quite interesting and well worth adopting. He believes very much in giving back to his community. Today his day job is serving as “Executive Director of NextNW, a non-profit trade association that unifies the Pacific Northwest advertising & marketing professionals interested in professional development, sharing best practices, and collaborative problem-solving”.   Kent gives us many relevant and timely business insights. I hope you agree that this conversation gives us some good business lessons we all can use.     About the Guest:   Kent Lewis, Executive Director, NextNW Lewis is currently Executive Director of NextNW, a non-profit trade association that unifies the Pacific Northwest advertising & marketing professionals interested in professional development, sharing best practices, and collaborative problem-solving. He is also Founder of pdxMindShare, Portland's premier career community, with over 12,000 LinkedIn Group members. With a background in integrated marketing, he left a public relations agency in 1996 to start his career in digital marketing. Since then, he's helped grow businesses by connecting his clients with their constituents online. In 2000, Lewis founded Anvil Media, Inc., a measurable marketing agency specializing in search engine and social media marketing. Under his leadership, Anvil has received recognition from Portland Business Journal and Inc. Magazine as a Fastest Growing and Most Philanthropic Company.  After selling his agency in March 2022, he became a CMO for the acquiring firm. Beyond co-founding SEMpdx, Lewis co-founded two agencies, emailROI (now Thesis) and Formic Media. As a long-time entrepreneur, he's advised or invested in a host of companies, including PacificWRO, Maury's Hive Tea and ToneTip. Lewis speaks regularly at industry events and has been published in books and publications including Business2Community, Portland Business Journal, and SmartBrief. For twenty years, he was an adjunct professor at Portland State University, and has been a volunteer instructor for SCORE Portland since 2015. Lewis tours nationwide, averaging 30 speaking engagements annually, including a regular presenter role with the Digital Summit conference series. Active in his community, Lewis has been involved in non-profit charity and professional trade organizations including early literacy program SMART Reading and The Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO).  Industry recognition and awards include Portland Business Journal's Top 40 Under 40 Award, American Marketing Association Oregon Chapter Marketer of the Year, and Top 100 Digital Marketing Influencers by BuzzSumo.   Ways to connect with Kent:   Links https://kentjlewis.com/   And LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kentlewis/     About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Well, hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset. Today. We get to chat with an award winning entrepreneur, and he just told me a really interesting factoid. We'll have to, we'll have to talk about it, just because it is about one of the most fascinating things I've heard in quite a while, and a very positive thing. But I'm not going to give it away, because I'm going away, because I'm going to let him talk about it, or at least start the discussion. I'd like you all to meet Kent Lewis. Kent has been an entrepreneur for a while. He helps other entrepreneurs. He works in the non profit arena and does a variety of different kinds of things. And rather than me telling you all about it, you could read the bio, but more important, meet Kent Lewis and Kent, welcome to unstoppable mindset.   Kent Lewis ** 02:05 It's, it's a pleasure to be on the show. Thank you for having me, sir.   Michael Hingson ** 02:10 Now where are you located? I'm based in Portland, Oregon, yeah. So you're, you are up up the coast, since I'm in Southern California. So yes, you know, one of these days I'll be up that way again. Well, Alaska Airlines will fly me up there.   Kent Lewis ** 02:27 Yeah, totally right. Yeah, good   Michael Hingson ** 02:29 to have you, unless you come this way first. But anyway, well, I'm really want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. And why don't we start? I love to do this. Tell me a little bit about kind of the early Kent growing up and all that stuff.   Kent Lewis ** 02:44 Yeah, so I grew up in Seattle, Washington. I think something that's influenced me is that my dad was is, or is, a retired architect. And so there was always this design esthetic, and he was an art collector enthusiast, I should say. And so I was always surrounded with art and mid century, you know, furniture and there's just style was a it was a thing. And then my mom was always in when she was a social worker and went into running nonprofits. And so I grew up around that as well of just giving back. So if you ever heard that common term, you know, learn, earn, return. Start your life you're learning, then you're maximizing your earnings during your career, and then when you in and around later in life, you start giving back, right, returning, right. And I learned from my mom that you never stop you never stop learning. You never stop returning. And my my mantra as an entrepreneur is never stop earning right? So, so I've always been giving back and donating my time, and I've always appreciated sort of good design and well thought out things. And I think that's influenced my career in marketing and as an entrepreneur, business owner, and now more of an advisor, Coach type,   Michael Hingson ** 03:59 well, so growing up in Seattle, did you visit pikes market very often?   Kent Lewis ** 04:04 My dad used to work right, right, like, two blocks away. So I would go there all the time. In fact, I remember when there was just one Starbucks when I was a kid, yeah, at Pike Place Market, and they used to sell large chunks of delicious, bitter sweet chocolate, I know, you know, in the behind the counter, and it was a very hi and you could smell the teas and all that. It was a very different experience, very cool place. And so, yeah, love   Michael Hingson ** 04:33 the pipe waste market. I understand that they don't throw the fish anymore. No, they do. They do. Oh, yeah, absolutely. Maybe it was just during the pandemic that they decided not to do that, but   Kent Lewis ** 04:44 think you're right about that. But they definitely, they, they're still, it's still a major attraction. It's too big of a thing to stop.   Michael Hingson ** 04:51 Wow, that's what I was thinking. And that's just way too big of a thing to to stop. My probably not the greatest fish fish catcher, I've been there, but I. I never caught a fish.   Kent Lewis ** 05:02 Yeah, that's only got, like, one or two in my life. And I don't, I don't do it much, but   Michael Hingson ** 05:08 Well, well, that's the place to go anyway. So where did you go to college?   Kent Lewis ** 05:13 I went to Western Washington University in Bellingham, uh, just 1020 minutes from the Canadian border, because, in part, when I was in school, it was a 19 year old drinking age in Canada, so I was 20 minutes away from my earlier drinking age. Turns out, I grew up going to Vancouver, BC quite often for the soccer exchange program when I was a real young youngster. So I fell in love with Vancouver, and as I've had been fortunate enough to travel the world a bit, I realized that it was one of my favorite cities, and it still is. It is such a global, amazing egalitarian, like, no matter your color, race, creed, you could be a millionaire or you could be a bus driver. There was no not the same class, classism you see in other US cities or around the rest of the world. It's truly an amazing and it's also, of course, beautiful   Michael Hingson ** 06:04 there. I found that true throughout Canada, and I've enjoyed every Canadian city I've ever been to. One of my favorites is really going to Toronto. I was always impressed as to how clean it really was.   Kent Lewis ** 06:17 You know, that's true. I've been there a couple times in conferences, and I found it to be clean and impressive, you know, and then, but my, one of my favorite, other cities I only spent overnight, there was Montreal. What a beautiful, beautiful place, absolutely stunning. I   Michael Hingson ** 06:35 spent two days in Montreal once when I was selling some products and turn the TV on at 1131 morning that I was there and watched the Flintstones in French. That was unique. That was unique. Cool. How cool is that? Yeah, it's awesome. That was kind of fun. But, you know, so you, you went to college. What did you major in?   Kent Lewis ** 06:58 I majored in business with a marketing concentration, which is great because I ended up doing marketing for a career, and for 22 years ran my own agency, or my own business, basically.   Michael Hingson ** 07:10 So what did you do when you got out of college?   Kent Lewis ** 07:14 I went immediately into the world of public relations agency life. I always wanted to be a found out after college that I, what I really wanted to be was a copywriter, you know, writing ads. I just coolest thing as a kid. I just didn't know that. It's, I didn't realize what it, what it you have to go to Ad School. You can't, you can't graduate regular college and become a copier. At least you weren't able to when I was, you know, back in the mid 90s. So I started in PR because it sounded hard to pitch the media and try and get them to say what you want them to say about your brand, your client and your brand. And that did me well, because when I got in from went from PR in 94 to digital marketing, SEO, search engine optimization 96 my PR background was extremely helpful. You know, in in that, in that whole world. So because doing PR builds Domain Authority, which builds your rankings in Google, and the rest is history. So, so it was very helpful. It gave me a bit of an edge. And then my business background meant I was better equipped to to go from doing the work to managing people, they're doing the work, to doing my own thing, you know, and running a instant running team, I was running a business. So that was super cool. You   Michael Hingson ** 08:38 know, it's interesting. I've especially because of the World Trade Center, but not only, but before it as well, I learned a lot about dealing with the press. And I've, I've watched a lot of press interviews today, and it's, it's amazing how often and then people have said that this is the way you should do it. No matter what the press person asks you, you answer with the with the answer you really want to give, whether you answer their questions or not. And I think that's an interesting approach, and I suppose it can be positive, but especially for for politicians who don't want to answer the tough questions. But I I know that for me, I've always tried to structure my answers in such a way that it gets them to take the question that they originally asked that I might sort of answer and reframe it so that I will answer a lot of times that, for example, talking about blindness and blind people, there are just so many misconceptions about it and and all too often, like first time I was on Larry King lives, Larry was asking questions about guide dogs. And he said, Now, where did you get your guide dog? And I said, from San Rafael, California. He said, well, but the but the main. School is a new is in Michigan, right? And I said, No, it's a different organization. And what we learned after doing that interview was that the way to deal with Larry was to program him and send him questions in advance with answers. Then he did a lot better, because the reality is, he didn't really know necessarily the answers in the first place. It's just amazing how you know how a lot of times it's just shallower. The Press tends to over dramatize. But I appreciate what you're saying about marketing and PR, I've done so much of that over my lifetime, and for so many reasons, in so many ways, I know exactly what you're talking about.   Kent Lewis ** 10:47 Yeah, yeah. That's, yeah, it's, it's a fascinating world that I've, that I've, you know, been live, living and working in. And I, yeah, I'm impressed, yeah, Larry King Live. That's pretty cool. And, you know, hopefully you've helped people just side note, you know, get a clear understanding of what it is, what it is both like to be blind and then how you navigate this world successfully, as if you're, you know, fully sighted. You know,   Michael Hingson ** 11:18 well, one of the things that I actually learned over the last couple of years is something that I've actually written an article and had it published about, and that is that we've got to change our view of disabilities in general. People always say, well, disability is a lack of ability. And I say, and I always say, No, it's not. And they say, Well, yes, it is. It begins with dis. And I said, then, how do you equate that with disciple, discern and discrete? For example, you know they begin with D is the reality is, disability is not a lack of ability. You think it is. But I've added to that now when I point out that, in reality, every person on the planet has a disability, but for most people, their disability is covered up. Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb, or at least we give him credit for it back in 1878 so for the last 147 years, all we've done is spent so much time improving on the technology that provides light on demand, which just covers up your disability, but it's still there. And I realized that one day I was at a hotel in Los Angeles at three in the afternoon when we had a power failure, and everybody started to scream, even down in the lobby, when they had all these nice big windows that were letting in all sorts of light, but it wasn't giving them the light that they wanted and the amount that they wanted, and people panicked. So I realized then, oh, well, now the reality is they're light dependent, which is as much a disability as my light independence is. It's just that it manifests itself differently, and there are a whole lot more light dependent people than light independent people. But we've got to really change our definition and how we view it. So   Kent Lewis ** 12:58 that's really insightful. It's good to think about.   Michael Hingson ** 13:01 Yeah, it's kind of fun. But, you know, so, so where did you, where did you go off and go to work in the in the marketing world? So you did? You didn't go to Copyright School? Or did you? No, no,   Kent Lewis ** 13:13 I just know. I once I talked to the creative director at this agency in Seattle where I did my first internship. He's like, Yeah, you'd have to go back to art school. And I was like, what school I just finished? So, you know, it didn't really matter. And we So, with that said, we, you know, I moved into PR, and then I moved to down to Portland from Seattle, because I could actually get a paying job because the internship I did three months full time, virtually, basically no pay, I found a low paying job instead in Portland. So I moved I only knew one person here in Portland, my cousin. She's still here. We both have families now, and I know a lot more people, but I basically have, since moving here to do my second agency job. I've been, I've been a part of 10 agencies in my career. I've been, I founded two, co founded two, fired from three and exited the four that I created, or co, co founded, basically. And so right now I have a consultancy. I could say that's my 11th agency, but I don't even really count it as an agency. I'm just a fractional CMO, you know, marketing advisor at this point, just a few hours a month, because my my day job as of January, is running a nonprofit called next northwest.org which is a it's a trade organization for marketing and advertising and creative community, the creative services world. And it has 119 year history in Portland. And now it's, it's now expanded to five states and into Canada. And so I've got this I'm working. I manage a board of, you know, decent sized board, and a decent sized advisory. Committee that I created, and just the last couple months, and we do learning events for the creative community and networking events and celebrations, like, you know, awards, award shows to celebrate the work. So that's kind of my day job. And then I also speak and write a lot you and I share a passion for for education and learning and sharing knowledge. And so I've been, I've probably averaged 25 speaking engagements a year for the last 20 years, and last year was 30. For instance, I fly yours, mentioned your your travel. I'm flying to Tampa on Sunday to present on Monday, on a panel about AI in the senior care space, for instance. And then I come back and I, I, you know, got it. I got one or two more. But I, you know, I typically do a dozen fly flying gigs, and then I do a lot of webinars and local gigs as well.   Michael Hingson ** 15:55 So what are you what are you going to say? What are you going to say about AI in the senior care space?   Kent Lewis ** 16:01 That's a great question. So what my focus as a marketer is, here's how you can use AI to streamline and automate and maintain or improve quality. So it's not meant to it's not a secret hack, cheat code to lay people off. It's a It's get more out of your current resources, basically, and do more with less, and do it more effectively. That's kind of, that's, you know, that's my, what I'll be talking about is the how you know how to use it for research, ideation, content creation, content editing, reporting, synthesizing information, customer service, that kind of thing. So I only have, you know, it's a panel event, so I'm only doing like a 10 to 15 minutes part, and then there are other presenters doing their part, and then we have a little Q and A, usually, I'm a sole presenter on whatever topic, usually digital marketing or employee engagement, which is what I got passionate about. Once I sold my agency. After 22 years, I became an employee at that the agency that acquired my company, and I was immediately underwhelmed and disappointed in what it was like to be an employee, and wanted to fix it. So that's what I had been focusing on when I given a choice. I want to evangelize. You know, what I learned from my experience, and I've done a good amount of research, and, you know, two weeks ago, I presented in Portland on the topic to entrepreneurs. Then the next day, I flew to Denver and did the same presentation to a group of agency owners. And then the next day, I did a webinar for similar group of entrepreneurs, you know, so three versions, three days in a row, a 3060, and 90 minute version. So,   Michael Hingson ** 17:42 pretty fun. Yeah. So how many books have you written?   Kent Lewis ** 17:47 Ah, I knew you'd say that so or ask that. I have not written any books, but I have, darn but I've written, you know, probably 200 articles. I could easily AI them into some sort of book, if I wanted to. You know, I went from writing 80% to 90% of my art content was on digital marketing for the first 20 years. And then the last 10 years, I focused almost exclusively on writing about entrepreneurship and and business ownership, leadership and employee intention, retention, engagement. And, you know, so I mostly syndicate my articles, like business journals, occasionally in Ink Magazine, etc. So if I were to write a book, it would be about the business side of things, instead of the second, I would write something about digital marketing. Not only am I no longer an expert, and consider myself an expert relative to others, those books are outdated the second they're printed, right? So, so it doesn't make sense to really write a book on digital marketing, and everything's already been said, etc. So, so if I wrote a book, it would be probably more on the employee engagement side versus anything. But I will say that I don't know if you know who Seth Godin is. He's the number one marketing blogger in the world. He's written many best sellers, Purple Cow, permission, marketing, etc. He's remarkable guy. And I had was fortunate to talk with him and then meet with him over lunch in New York City 15 years ago. And he said, after our two hour lunch, he charges $75,000 for speaking engagement. So it gives you a sense of who he is. He has for for 20 years. And so he said, Kent, you've got a book in you. I was like, I wish you hadn't said that, because now I don't want to, I don't want to disappoint him, right? So there you go.   Michael Hingson ** 19:31 Well, if you write one at some point, you have to send us a picture of the cover and we'll stick it in the show notes whenever. Yeah, that sounds great, but yeah, I you know, I never thought of writing a book, but in 2002 we went to the AKC Eukanuba canine championship dog show in Orlando. It was in December, and among other people I met there. Here I met George Berger, who was at that time, the publisher of the American Kennel Club Gazette, and he said, You ought to write a book. And I went, why? Well, because you you have a great story to tell. You should really write a book. Well, it took eight years and a lot of time sitting in front of Microsoft Word to get notes down, but eventually I met someone named Susie Flory who called because she was writing a book called Dog tails. And it was a story of what she wanted to write stories of, actually, 17 different dogs who had done some pretty interesting and miraculous things. And she wanted to write a story about my guide dog at the World Trade Center, Roselle. And she said, Tell me your story, if you would. And I did. And when we were done, there was this pause, and then she said, You need to write a book. And since I've written books, I'll help you. And a year later, underdog was published, and it became a number one New York Times bestseller. So that was pretty cool.   Kent Lewis ** 21:01 That's fantastic. Congratulations. Very impressive.   Michael Hingson ** 21:04 And then last year, well, in 2013 we published a children's book called running with Roselle, but more adults by a thing kids, because it's not a picture book, but it tells the story of me growing up and Roselle growing up, and how we met, and all that. So it isn't really as much a World Trade Center book. But then last year, we wrote, live like a guide dog. And the intent of live like a guide dog is to say to people, look fear is all around us, and so many people just allow themselves to be paralyzed, or, as I say, blinded by fear, so they can't make decisions. They don't learn how to control it. But if you learn how to control fear, you can use fear as a very powerful tool to help you stay focused, and you'll make better decisions. So we use lessons I learned from my guide dogs on my wife's service dog to write, live like a guide dog. And so it is out there, and it's it's a lot of fun, too. So you know, it isn't the easiest thing to write a book, but I would think you have a book in you, and you should, well, I   Kent Lewis ** 22:03 appreciate that vote of confidence. And hey, I mean, you did it, and you had an amazing story, and you've done it multiple times. Actually, it's great inspiration for me.   Michael Hingson ** 22:16 Well, I'm looking forward to reading it when it comes out. You'll have to let   22:20 us know. Yeah, will do so   Michael Hingson ** 22:23 you at some point, switched from being an employee to being an entrepreneur. How did that all happen? Why? Why did you do it? Or what really brought that about?   Kent Lewis ** 22:38 Well, I kept getting fired.   Michael Hingson ** 22:40 So why'd that happen?   Kent Lewis ** 22:42 Yeah, so that's the fun part. So I I've never been fired for cause like a legit clause. I'm a high powered, high performer, and so I actually, that's why. So the first time I was fired was by the guy that invited me to co found an agency. His name was Ryan Wilson. He was my he was my boss. And then he was fired by our larger agency. He ran a team that I worked on. I worked for him. I was inspired by him. I I was mentored by him. I thought the world of him. So when he came to me three months after he got fired, it was about, it's always about a girl. So he he basically, he got divorced. And so this other woman, they met at the office, and they were soul mates, and they he had to clean up his life. And he did, and he said, I've got an agency die. I've got two clients ready to sign. I need key employees, and you're one, one of them, then I would hope you would join me. I said, No, the first time he got his act together. I said, yes, the second time, and that. So I we built an agency together with, you know, we start with six people. I brought in two other people and another gal that ran the PR side. I was running the digital side. She brought in somebody said we had six of us on day one, and a year later, we didn't have a formal share shareholder agreement for our percentage of the company that went from being worth zero to being worth a few million dollars, and we felt that we should have something in writing, and before he could, we could get something formally in writing. My, my other partner, she, I didn't really want to do the business with her, but I didn't really have a choice. I want to do the business with him. She said, I'm asking for more equity. I said, Okay, I feel like that's fair. I think we've earned it, but, and I'll, I'll be there with you, but I wouldn't have done this if she hadn't said, I'm going in. Are you with me? So when I we asked, she asked me to make the ask. I wasn't necessarily prepared or thinking about it, and it really offended him. He was really mad, and he was playing to fire her, and by me teaming up with her, he felt, you know, slight. And he fired us both, and the next week, I started anvil, my agency, Anvil Media, that I ran for 22 years, I did a couple other starts, one with a college friend and a guy I had met at that that at one of the first, one of the earlier agency agencies I'd worked at. He and we, he and I and my college buddy started an email marketing agency in 02 and then I decided, well, this isn't for me, but I now learn it's not that scary to hire employees. So then I started hiring employees at anvil and late 03 and so I ran anvil with employees for, you know, 20 years. Two of those first two years were just me and some contractors and and then, oh, wait, I started a second agency because I needed a more affordable solution for my partners in small business called Formic media. Ran that for five years before I merged it with with anvil. But in between, I was also fired. When I first started anvil, I was it was just a hang of shingle in 2000 to do some consulting, but I wanted a full time gig, and a year later, I had an opportunity to run my my team from the agency. I was fired from that company. That agency was sold to another agency for pennies on the dollar. And when my old boss died, rest in peace, we hadn't really cleared the air yet, which is it still is one of my greatest regrets. You know, for nine months we didn't talk, and then he passed away. Everybody peace, not before he passed away, I was able to get, yeah, his his soul mate. They weren't married yet, but they were going to get married. She told me that two weeks before he died, he expressed regrets and how we had ended the relationship, how he had fired me, and he was looking forward to reconnecting and re engaging our friendship. And so that made that meant the world to me. I had a lot of peace in knowing that, but I so the first the second place I got fired was this agency again about a girl. So the first time was a girl telling me, you need to ask the boss for more money or more equity. And I did, and that offended him. And the second time was my girlfriend at the time, who's who moved over from that agency to the new agency where my my old boss died before he could really start there. She was dating on the side the Creative Director at that agency, and he'd been there over 20 years. And so when I started there, I saw something was up, and I was like, Is there anything going on? She's like, No. And so eventually I just broke up with her anyway, because I just it wasn't working, even if she wouldn't admit that she was having a side relationship. But I was eventually fired because he was a board, you know, he was on the board. He was, he wasn't my boss, per se, but he was one of the senior partners, and they just wanted me out. You know, she might have money. Wanted me out. He definitely wanted me out. So that was the second time I got fired. And then the third time I got fired was it kept the stakes get given, getting bigger. When I sold my agency 14 months later, they fired me, really, not to this day, not for any cause. It's that they asked me to take an 80% pay cut a year into my buyout, and I and then I they were going to close my Portland office, which I was, I own the building, so I didn't want to lose my own myself as a tenant, so I offered to reduce my rent 30% so I basically, for two and a half months, worked for free for this agency that had bought my agency. So they were making payments to me. I was carrying the note, but they they couldn't. A year later, they're like, I'm sorry. So they a year later, I took a pay cut for two and a half months, and when I asked them, you know, when am I getting back to my pay? They said, Well, you know, we can't guarantee. We don't have a path for you back to your full pay. And I was like, Okay, well, then I told my wife, let him inform them that we're going to go back to, we are going to go back to our full rack rate on our rent. And when I, when we notified them, they they totally, they totally fired me. So they canceled the lease, and they fired me, and so they so it. And you know, I, my team was slowly being dismantled, a 10 of us, 11 of us, I guess 10 or 11 us went over, and within a year, there were only two wait. Within two years, there was only one person left on my team. So it was a really sad, sad experience for me. It wasn't as hard to sell my business as I thought. It wasn't as hard, you know, just emotionally, it wasn't as hard to sunset my brand after 22 years. Wasn't easy, but it was way easier than I thought. What was hard for me was watching them was was closing the office. It broke my heart and and then watching them dismantle my team that I spent, you know, two decades building, most of that team was within 10 years, the last 10 years, last even five years of of our business. Us. There was a relatively new team, but we were so tight, and it was just heartbreaking. So, you know,   Michael Hingson ** 30:09 yeah, wow. So what do you think was your biggest mistake in running your own agency?   Kent Lewis ** 30:19 That's a great question. I think the biggest, biggest mistake was not understanding the Hire great people and get out of the way. Lee Iacocca, you know, to paraphrase him, I hired great people and I got out of their way. But what I didn't do was make sure they had all the proper training, alignment of core values that they had, there was enough trust between us that they could come to me with they were struggling or failing. Apparently, I was a fairly intimidating figure for my former my young recruits, but most of that time, up until the last five years, I always had a senior VP my right hand. I hired her with the attention that she might take over the business someday, she was totally creating a wall between me and my employees, and I didn't know it until 2012 and so, you know, I had 10 years to try to undo what she had created the first 10 years, basically of a fear based management style, so that that didn't help me, and I didn't believe it. I didn't really see it. So then I rebuilt the company, and from the ground up, I blew it up in 2013 so 10 years after of having employees, 13 years of having the business, I completely dismantled and blew it up and rebuilt it. And what did that look like? It started with me just not wanting to go to work in the building, and I realized I can't quit because I'm the owner, so I have to fix it. Okay? I don't mind fixing things. I prefer to fix other people's problems instead of my own, but I really a lot of people do, right? Yeah. So I wrote a credo, basically, what would it take for me? What are, what are it got down to 10 truths, what? What are the truths that I need to go into work and that others around me, co workers, team members, need to also agree on so that we can work together successfully. So it went from being about clients to being about the team and being about accountability. And you know, it was so it was so decisive. It was so radical for my current team that had been with me five to 10 years of they lose clients, I get more clients. And I eventually told them, I can't replace clients as fast as you're losing them. It's not a sustainable business model, so you need to be accountable for your actions and your decisions. That's the new anvil. You and you're out. I gave them 72 hours to think about it and sign it. Signed literally to these credo. It's not a legal document, it's just a commitment to credo. And half the team didn't sign it, and they quit. And then within 12 months, the rest of the team either quit or we've I fired them because they did not fit in the new anvil. And it's funny because everybody else that I brought in didn't even it didn't even register. The credo was so unremarkable to them, because we were already aligned by the time we hired them, we'd done our research and the work to know who fit, and so they didn't register. So eventually we just dropped the credo was no longer needed as a guide or a framework. It's still on the website, but, but you don't, you know it doesn't really matter. But that's what I got wrong, is I did not build the trust. I did not have I had processes in place, but but without the trust, people wouldn't tell me how they felt or that they were struggling. So a lot of process wasn't recognized or utilized properly. So I rebuilt it to where and rebuilt the trust to where the team that was with me when I sold I was very close with them. There was 100% trust across the board, a mutual respect, arguably a mutual love for the craft, for each other, for the company, for our clients, and it was a lot of fun to work with them. I didn't sell because I was unhappy. I sold because I was happy, and I thought now's a good time to go and find a good home. Plus my wife was my operations manager for five years, and she wanted out. Frankly, I thought it was easier to sell the business than try to replace my wife, because she was very good at what she did. She just didn't like doing it, yeah? And she also didn't like, you know, me being her boss. I never saw it that way. But once she explained it, after I sold, she explained, like, you know, you boss me around at work, and then you try to boss me around at home, and I'm not having it. You pick one? Yeah, so, so I was like, I think, like, I bossed you around. And she's like, Hey, you just, it was your company. It was always going to be your company. And, you know, that's fine, but you know, I want to move on. I was like, Okay, why don't we just sell and so that, yeah, they the operational people. And so it took her, took that load off of her. She's worked for. Nonprofit now, so she's happy, and so that's good.   Michael Hingson ** 35:05 Well, it also sounds like there were a lot of people that well, first of all, you changed your your view and your modus operandi a little bit over time, and that's why you also got you fired, or you lost people. But it also sounds like what you did was you brought in more people, not only who thought like you, but who really understood the kinds of goals that you were looking at. And so it was a natural sort of thing. You brought in people who really didn't worry about the credo, because they lived by it anyway.   Kent Lewis ** 35:38 Yeah, that's exactly right. And that was, that was my lesson. Was, you know, I always knew there's a concept called Top grading. You know, you thoroughly vet client, you hire slow and you fire fast. Most entrepreneurs or business owners hire fast and fire slow, and it's very, very expensive and but, you know, I got that part and I just better. I was far better at, I was far better at, what would I say, creating processes than kind of feeling, the love? And so once I figured that stuff out, it got a lot it got a lot better.   Michael Hingson ** 36:16 It's a growth thing. Yes,   36:18 exactly, yeah. Well, you   Michael Hingson ** 36:21 have something, and you sent me something about it. You call it Jerry Maguire moment. Tell me about that.   Kent Lewis ** 36:28 Yeah. So that's, you know, I just, I just sort of backed into the story of just being unhappy. But what ended up happening more specifically that Jerry Maguire moment was putting my son to bed in March of 2013 and I mentioned that feeling of not of dread. I didn't want to go to work. I was frustrated with my team, disappointed in my clients, not appreciating the work we were doing, frustrated with some of my partners. You know, in the business, I felt disconnected from the work of digital because I'd worked on the business for longer than I'd worked in the business by that point, and so I just, it was, it was, I was a bit of a mess. And I realized, like, I need a reason to get up and go to work in the morning. And that's when I came up. I was inspired by Jerry Maguire's manifesto from from the movie, and apparently you can find it online. It's a 28 page manifesto. So I ended up distilling into those 10 truths that we called the credo, and so what happening is just again to recap, it took me a like a couple days. I had instant clarity. I like I fell asleep like a rock. Once I realized I had a plan and I had a framework, I felt better about it, even though there was much work to do. So as I mentioned, you know, half the team quit within the first week, the other half bled out over the next year. That meant 100% employee turnover for two years in a row. As like as I upgraded my team, that was painful. I had to hire three people in order to keep one good one. You know, as I as I search, because we don't have formal degrees in the world of digital marketing, right? So it's hard to find the talent, and you want to hold on to the good ones when you get them. So it took a long time to get the team dialed. Meanwhile, my clients got tired of the turnover. As I was trying to figure it out, they started leaving in droves, and so in 2014 in March, a year later, exactly, I lost my five biggest clients in a 30 to 45 day period. So I lost, you know, 40, over 40% of my revenue vaporized, and I could not replace it fast enough. So I didn't take a salary for nine months. I asked two senior execs to take small pay cuts like 10% and as we hunkered down, and so I didn't have to lay off any good talent, and so I didn't, and we sprinted, we rebuilt, you know, the pipeline, and brought some new clients in. By the end of the year, I paid back my my two senior employees, their 10% that they pay cut. I paid them back, but I didn't take a salary for nine months of that year. It was the worst year I'd ever had, and the only time I ever had to take a pay cut or miss a paycheck myself. So that was the price I paid. The plus side is once I realized that the focus should be on the employees, which was what the credo was, I didn't realize at the time that it wasn't about my clients anymore. They were the life blood. They were the blood flow, right? But we have this organism that needed love, so we I breathe life back into it, one employee at a time until we had a higher functioning group. So it took me five or six years, and in 2019 so six years after I blew the business up, I had an offer on the table, had a sale agreement finalized, and we were less than a week away from funding, and I backed out of the deal because I felt, one, it wasn't a good cultural fit, and two, there was more work to do. It wasn't about increasing my valuation more. It was about finishing my journey of an employee first agency and. Three years later, I sold for one and a half x higher multiple, so an additional seven figures to to another agency based on a stronger profitability, even though the revenue is about the same, stronger, you know, profitability right better. Happy clients, stable clients. It was a lower risk acquisition for them and the so that was the high point. The low point was becoming an employee and wanting to be the best damn employee that agency had ever seen to being a very disappointed, disengaged, disheartened, disheartened employee. And I then I decided I started writing notes of everything, not to do that they were doing wrong. And I decided, once they let me go, I need to focus on this. I think I needed to help my other fellow entrepreneurs ways to avoid going through what I went through as an employee, because I had just been one, and most of my employ, my entrepreneur friends, haven't been an employee for over 10 years. You easily, quickly forget what it's like to be an employee, and I want to remind them and as other senior leaders, how important it is to put your employees first, otherwise you can never deliver on your brand promise no matter what it is, because they won't deliver to your standards. Because it's you know, they don't feel the same attachment to a business if they as if they're not owners, right?   Michael Hingson ** 41:22 But it sounds like you also, when you did sell, by that time, you had employees, one who had bought into the credo, into the philosophy, and two were satisfied. So it was a much better situation all the way around. Anyway,   Kent Lewis ** 41:38 exactly. It's right? And that's, that's the thing is, I realized it's not about throwing money at a problem. It's about throwing time and care at a problem. And the problem is that most employers, there is no loyalty employ to employees anymore, and therefore there's no employee loyalty to brands anymore, to their employers. And so I'm trying to unwind that. And it's not about pension plans, per se. It's not about bonuses, really at all. That's one of 120 items on my punch list of auditing and employee journey is, yeah, do you have a bonus program? Mine was basically spot bonuses, little spot bonuses for timely things, because the big cash bonuses blew up in my face. You know, i i the biggest bonus check I ever wrote. The next day he quit and created a competing agency. Now, he had planned that all along it, the bonus was only helped him do it faster, but I realized there was no appreciation for the bonuses. So stop doing that. So instead, I would bonus, reward the team with experiences rather than cash. And they the cash they got from a really, I paid over market, so that money was not an issue, and so that experiences were the memorable part and the fun part, and it helped motivate when we'd have a little contest with, you know, the wind being a dinner or whatever it was, something fun, right?   Michael Hingson ** 43:00 I was, earlier today, talking with someone who's going to be a guest on the podcast. He's in Germany, and we were talking about the fact that there's a major discussion in Germany right now about the concept of a four day work week, as opposed to a five day work week, and in the four day work week. Inevitably, companies that subscribe to the four day work week have higher productivity, happier employees, and some of those companies have a four day work week with a total of 36 hours and up through a four day work week with 40 hours, which is, of course, 10 hours a day. And what he said, I asked the question, did it make a difference as to whether it was 36 or 40 hours? What he said was mainly not, because it was really about having three days with family, and that that whole mental attitude is really it that we, we have forgotten, I think, in this country, about employee loyalty so much, and we just don't see anything like what we used to see.   Kent Lewis ** 44:09 100% you are correct,   Michael Hingson ** 44:13 and so it is. It is an issue that people really ought to deal with in some way. But you know now the new chancellor in Germany wants to go back to a five day work week, just completely ignoring all the statistics and what's shown. So the discussion is ongoing over there. I'll be interested to see how it goes.   Kent Lewis ** 44:36 Yeah, yeah, totally. I would be in Troy. Yeah. We know for whatever reason, for whatever reason that they've you know that well, I guess it kind of makes sense. But you know, you wouldn't think you could be more productive fewer days a week, but the research is showing that these people, that you know, that the like the Northern Europeans, are the, you know, Finnish and Scandinavians are like the half. People on the planet, despite not being in maybe the friendliest climate, you know, 12 months of the year because of a lot of how they value, you know, work life balance and all of that. And I think that's the thing, you know, we we came from an industrial age where unions got us the weekends off. You know, it's a very different we've come a long way, but there's still a lot more to go, so I, I will be interested to see what happens with the with that concept that four day work week.   Michael Hingson ** 45:26 Well, the other part about it is we had the pandemic, and one of the things that came out of the pandemic, at least, I think, in the minds of a lot of employees, was even working at home, and having to do that, you still got to spend more time with family and people value that. Now I don't know how over time that's going to work, because I know there's been a lot of advocating to go back to just everybody always being in the office, but it seems to me that the better environment would be a hybrid environment, where, if somebody can work at home and do at least as well as they do at the office. Why wouldn't you allow that?   Kent Lewis ** 46:04 Right? Yeah, I think it's that's the other thing is, I do believe hybrid work is the best solution. We were doing three three days, two days in the office, required, one day, optional flex. I ended up going in most days of the week before I, you know, even after we sold and we sell at the office, because I like, I'm a social being, and I really enjoyed the time at the office. And it was, it was, I designed the space, and it was, you know, as my place, and it was my home away from home, you know. So I feel like I've lost a little bit of my identity, losing that office. Yeah, so, but yeah, I do think that it makes sense to be able to do remote work, whatever, wherever people are most effective. But I do know there is a reality that companies are fully remote have a struggle to create cohesiveness and connectiveness across distributed teams. It's just it's just science, right? Psychology, but you can be very intentional to mitigate as much as you can the downside of remote and then play up as much as you can the benefits of remote people having their life and they see, on average, I heard that people valued their remote work about to worth about $6,000 on average, that there's a number that they've quantified.   Michael Hingson ** 47:21 Wow. Well, I know I've worked in offices, but I've also done a lot of work at home. So for example, I had a job back in the late 1970s and worked and lived in Massachusetts until 1981 and the company I worked for was being pursued by Xerox. And the the assumption was that Xerox was going to buy the company. So I was asked to relocate back out to California, where I had grown up, and help integrate the company into Xerox. And so I did. And so that was the first time I really worked mostly out of home and remotely from an office. And did that for two and a half, almost, well, a little over two and a half years. And my thanks for it was I was terminated because we had a recession and the big issue really was, though, that Xerox had bought the company and phased out all the people in sales because they didn't want the people. They just wanted the technology. And I've always believed that's a big mistake, because the tribal knowledge that people have is not something that you're going to get any other place. Totally, totally agree. But anyway, that occurred, and then I couldn't find a job, because the unemployment rate among employable blind people was so high, since people didn't believe blind people could work. So I ended up starting my own company selling computer aided design systems, CAD systems, to architects. Some of the early PC based CAD systems. Sold them to architects and engineers and so on. So I did have an office. We started, I started it with someone else, and had an office for four years, and then decided I had enough of owning my own company for a while, and went to work for someone else, and again, worked in an office and did that for seven years. Yeah, about seven years, and then I ended up in at the end of that, or the later part of that time, I was asked to relocate now back to the East Coast, because I was selling to Wall Street and New York and Wall Street firms really want, even though they might buy from resellers and so on, they want company, companies that make products to have them an office that they can deal with. So I ended up going back and mostly worked out of the office. But then, um. I left that company in 1997 and it was, it was a little bit different, because I was, I I had my own office, and I was the only person in it for a little while. We did have some engineers, but we all kind of worked in the office and sometimes at home. But for me, the real time of working at home happened in 2008 I was working at a nonprofit and also traveling and speaking, and the people who ran the nonprofit said, nobody's interested in September 11 anymore. And you know, you're you're not really adding any value to what we do, so we're going to phase out your job. Yeah, nobody was interested in September 11. And three years later, we had a number one New York Times bestseller, but anyway, your face yeah, so I ended up opening the Michael Hinkson Group Inc, and working out of home, and I've been doing that ever since. I enjoy working in an office. But I can work at home and I can, I can adapt. So my exposure to people and working not at home is when I travel and speak and get to go visit people and interact with them and so on. So it works out   Kent Lewis ** 51:05 that's, that's fantastic, congratulations. That's awesome.   Michael Hingson ** 51:10 It is, it is, you know, sometimes a challenge, but it works. So for you, what is your philosophy? You obviously do a lot of giving back to the community nowadays, is that something that has kind of grown over time, or you always had that? Or what's your philosophy regarding that?   Kent Lewis ** 51:29 So I I believe that, as I mentioned, I believe earlier that learn and return us. I believe that you should giving, giving back your entire life, as soon as you're able to, in whatever way. And so I, you know, when I first moved to Portland, I barely knew anybody. I was volunteering at this local neighborhood house where it was, you know, as tutoring this kid, and ironically, in math. And I'm terrible at math. Then I went to Big Brothers, Big Sisters for a while, and then I for the last 19 for last 25 years, I've been a volunteer, and for eight or nine of those years, I was on the board of smart reading. It's a, it's a, it's not a literacy program in that you're not teaching kids to read. You're teaching kids a love of reading. So you just sit with, you know, title, title, one school kindergarteners in an area near you, and you sit and read with them for 10 to 15 minutes, that's it. And it's a game changer, because some of them didn't own any books. And then they get to take books home with them, you know, like scholastic style books. So anyway, I I decided, of all, like I have friends, that their their passion is pets, others, it's like forests or planet or whatever. To me, I think I can, I can solve all of those problems if I invest in children, because they're shaping our future, and we can put them on a trajectory. So for instance, statistically, prison capacity is based on third grade reading levels in blue. So if you're if you can't learn to read, you can't read to learn, so you need to have a be a proficient reader by third grade, or you're left behind, and you're more likely, 10 times more likely, to be in the system, and you know, not in a good way. So I realized, well, if I can help these kids with a love of reading, I was, I was slow to learn reading myself. I realized that maybe we, you know that one kid that you find a love of reading, that finds books they love and is inspired by the books and continues to read and have a successful educational career, then that's that person may go on to solve cancer or world hunger or whatever it is. So that's kind of how I look at so that's my theory in general about giving. And then specifically my passion is children. So that's kind of my thing, and I think there are a lot of different ways to do it. Last night, I was at my wife's auction or the fundraiser for her nonprofit, which is around the foster system. It's called Casa court, important court, court appointed special advocate. So these kids in the foster system have an advocate, that that's not a lawyer or a caseworker, you know, by their side through the legal system. And I think that's a fantastic cause. It aligns with my children cause. And I was, I had seven my parents fostered seven daughters, you know, Daughters of other people, and the last two were very that I remember were transformative for me as an only child, to have a sister, you know, foster sister that was living with us for, in one case, two years. And it was invaluable and helpful to me. She helped me find my love of reading, helped me learn my multiplication tables, all that things that your parents might be able to do, but it's so much cooler doing with somebody that's, you know, I think she was 17 when she moved into our house, and I was, like, nine, and she was so helpful to me, so inspiring. So in a nutshell, that's, that's what we're talking about   Michael Hingson ** 54:55 when you talk talk about reading. I'm of the opinion and one of the best. Things that ever happened to reading was Harry Potter. Just the number of people, number of kids who have enjoyed reading because they got to read the Harry Potter books. I think that JK Rowling has brought so many kids to reading. It's incredible.   Kent Lewis ** 55:14 Yeah, yeah. 100% 100% I Yeah. I think that even you may, you know, you may or may not like rolling, but I as a person, but she did an amazing thing and made reading fun, and that that's what matters, yeah, you know,   Michael Hingson ** 55:33 yeah, well, and that's it, and then she's just done so much for for children and adults. For that matter, I talked to many adults who've read the books, and I've read all the books. I've read them several times, actually, yeah, now I'm spoiled. I read the audio versions read by Jim Dale, and one of my favorite stories about him was that he was in New York and was going to be reading a part of the latest Harry Potter book on September 11, 2001 in front of scholastic when, of course, everything happened. So he didn't do it that day, but he was in New York. What a you know, what a time to be there. That's fantastic. But, you know, things happen. So you one of the things that I've got to believe, and I think that you've made abundantly clear, is that the kind of work you do, the PR, the marketing, and all of that kind of interaction is a very time consuming, demanding job. How do you deal with work and family and make all of that function and work? Well,   Kent Lewis ** 56:41 good question. I, I believe that that the, well, two things you have to have, you know, discipline, right? And so what I've done is really focused on managing my time very, very carefully, and so I have now keep in mind my oldest, I have three kids, one's graduating college as a senior, one's a sophomore who will be a junior next next year, and then The last is a sophomore in high school, so I'm there at ages where two are out of the house, so that's a little easier to manage, right? So there's that, but similarly, I try to maximize my time with my youngest and and with my wife, you know, I built in, you know, it was building in date nights, because it's easy to get into a rut where you don't want to leave the house or don't want to do whatever. And I found that it's really been good for our relationship at least once a month. And so far, it's been more like almost twice a month, which has been huge and awesome. But I've just intentional with my time, and I make sure 360 I take care of myself, which is typically working out between an hour and an hour and a half a day that I'm I really need to work on my diet, because I love burgers and bourbon and that's in moderation, perhaps sustainable, but I need to eat more veggies and less, you know, less garbage. But I also have been at the gym. I go in the Steam Room and the sauna, and I'm fortunate to have a hot tub, so I try to relax my body is after my workouts, I've been sleeping more since covid, so I work out more and sleep and sleep more post covid. And because I'm working from home, it's really I find it much easier to get up and take breaks or to, you know, just to manage my time. I'm not traveling like I used to, right? That's a, that's a big factor. So, so anyway, that's, that's kind of my take on that. I don't know if that really helps, but that's, that's kind of where I'm at.   Michael Hingson ** 58:59 The other part about it, though, is also to have the discipline to be able to be at home and work when you know you have to work, and yeah, you get to take more breaks and so on, but still developing the discipline to work and also to take that time is extremely important. I think a lot of people haven't figured out how to do that   Kent Lewis ** 59:19 right exactly, and that is so I do have an immense amount of, I do have an immense amount of, what would you say discipline? And so I don't know, yeah, I don't have that problem with getting the work done. In fact, my discipline is knowing when to stop, because I get into it, and I want to get things done, and I want to get it off my plate, so I tend to do sprints. But the other lesson I have from covid is listening to your biorhythms. So, you know, we're a time based society, and we look, you don't want to be late for this and that I you know, that's great, fine. But what's really more important in my mind is, um. Is to, is to be thinking about, is to let your body tell you when it's tired, if and and more importantly, is to not stress about in the mornings when I wake up early. By that, I mean between four and 6am before I really want to get up at 630 and I just if I'm awake, then I'll write stuff down to get it out of my head, or I will just start doing my start my day early and and not stress about, oh, I didn't get enough sleep. My body will catch up, yeah, it will tell me to go to bed early, or I'll sleep better the next day, or whatever it is. So that was important, and also to learn that I'm most I can get a lot of tasks done in the morning. And I think bigger picture, and that's what, that's why I wake up early, is all the things I need to do that I forgot. I didn't write down or whatever, and I think of them at between four and 6am but the other is that I do my best writing in the afternoon, like between four and six. So I told my, my wife and my, you know, my my kids, you know, my first figures out when they were both in the House. I was like, I may be working late, jamming out an article or doing whatever right before dinner, or I might be a little late. Can we can wait for dinner for a little bit? They're like, Yeah, that's fine. We don't care, right? So, but normally I'd be like, I gotta get home because it's dinner time. But now that I'm already home, I just keep working through, and then, and then, oh, I can take a quick break. But my point is, they're totally adaptable.   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:27 But you communicate, yes, communication issue is key. Is key, absolutely. That's really the issues that you do communicate.   Kent Lewis ** 1:01:36 It's all about setting expectations. And they had no expectations other than eating dinner. And we've been eating dinner later. Just, just a natural evolution. So it's not, it's not even an issue now, because I don't want to, I don't want to, what, right? What? Late at night, I just found it late afternoon, I just in a zone. Anyway, yeah, you listen to your body, and I'm way less stressed because I'm not worried about, oh my god, I have to get to bed at a certain time or wake up at a certain time. It's like, just kind of run with it, you know, and and go from there. So what's next for you? What's next? So I want to shift from going from speaking for free to speaking for a fee. There you go. And the re the reason why is I never asked for, and I'd even waive, you know, honorarium or pay because I got more value out of the leads. But now that I don't have an agency to represent, two things. One is, I want to get paid to do my employee engagement retention talks, because it's I'm getting great feedback on it, which is fun. But I also am being paid now by other agencies, a day rate, plus travel to go speak at the conferences. I've always spoken on that like me and want me and I just represent. I just changed the name that I'm representing. That's it, you know,   Michael Hingson ** 1:02:56 well, and there's value in it. I realized some time ago, and I k

Laura López, de "Actual Comunicación Amodiño", empresa que se adica á xestión da comunicación dixital. Hoxe falamos dos hashtags máis empregados nas redes preferidas. 🔊"En Europa, moitos usuarios non seguen a creadores específicos, o que podería implicar unha tendencia cara a un consumo menos personalizado de contidos". 🔊"Os creadores de contido, non inciden só nas áreas máis expostas mediaticamente, senón tamén na saúde e na alimentación". 🔊"Se ben coñecer ao completo as temáticas máis faladas en redes sociais pode non ser tarefa doada, os hashtags máis empregados poden darnos unha boa pista ao respecto". 📢 Os hashtags máis empregados nas redes preferidas Se ben coñecer ao completo as temáticas máis faladas en redes sociais pode non ser tarefa doada, os hashtags máis empregados poden darnos unha boa pista ao respecto. ✔️• En Instagram: a plataforma de Metricool analizou 28 millóns de cancelos e clasificounos en catorce temáticas diferentes. E así que nos atopamos con mascotas, (#mascotas, #mascotasfelices, #tiendademascotas), arte (#artedigital, #artecontemporaneo, #picsartedit), beleza (#belleza, #bellezanatural, #salondebelleza), fitness (#fitness, #fitnessmotivation, #fitnessmodel), comida (#comida, #comidasana, #comidasaludable), fotografía (#fotografia, #fotografias, #fotografiainfantil), humor (#humor, #darkhumor, #humornegro), o propio Instagram, lifestyle (#estilodevida, #estilodevidasaludable, #estilodevidafit), moda (#moda, #modamasculina, #modainfantil), música (#musica, #musical, #musicaltheatre), natureza (#naturaleza, #naturaleza_spain, #naturalezaviva), marketing (#marketing, #marketingdigital, #digitalmarketing), viaxes (#viajes, #agenciadeviajes, #viajesporelmundo). ✔️• En TikTok: a mencionada plataforma, tamén recolleu hashtags virais en TikTok desta tempada. Atopámonos deste xeito con hashtags de nenos e maternidade (#hijo, #bebé, #cutebaby, #kidstiktok), moda (#otoño. #autumn, #zara), beleza (#skincare, #belleza, #calendariodeadviento), finanzas (#finanzaspersonales #solana #autónomos), comida (#recetasfáciles #pizza #recipe), deportes (#fútbol #laliga #sánchez), vehículos e transporte (#motor #motorsport #derbi), manualidades e trucos (#diycraft #handcraft #scrapbookingideas), educación (#studytok, #estudiantes, #study), mascotas (#perro #animal #puppylove), entretemento (#noticias, #política #gobierno), tecnoloxía e electrónica (#iphone #apple #tecnologia), fogar e melloras (#decoración, #homedecor, #navidad2024), saúde (#fertility, #mentalhealthcare, #mentalhealthhelp), viaxes (#newyork, #erasmus, #donostia), videoxogos (#fortnite #game #disfraz) 📢 Onde consultar os temas máis populares da rede? Para consultar os temas máis populares existen varias ferramentas e plataformas que nos permiten coñecer que se está comentando en tempo real, aínda que en xeral case todas as redes sociais mostran os hashtags máis populares. ✔️• Trending de X. X ten unha sección de tendencias que mostra os temas máis comentados na plataforma. Pódense ver tanto as tendencias globais como por localizacións máis concretas. Esta ferramenta atoparémola dentro da pestana “Explorar”. ✔️• Explora de Instagram. Na pestana de explorar de Instagram móstrasenos contido que está a ser popular e relevante para nós. Como truco adicional, se buscamos unha temática concreta no seu buscador e seleccionamos a subcategoría “hashtags”, mostrarásenos aqueles máis populares por volume de utilización. Así, por exemplo, se buscamos “radio”, veremos que as máis populares con #radio (24,3 millóns de posts), #radiofrecuencia (1 millón), #radiofrequency (1 millón) ou #radiostation (909 mil publicacións). ✔️• TikTok Creative Center. TikTok ten un centro de creatividade que conta cunha biblioteca dos anuncios que mellor están a funcionar, os hashtags, cancións e creadores que son tendencia, así como unha “guía de inspiración”. ✔️• Google Trends. É unha ferramenta de Google que mostra os temas maís buscados no buscador en tempo real e permite filtrar por ubicación, tempo e categoría. Esta plataforma axúdanos a coñecer non só as tendencias en redes sociais, senón tamén en buscas xerais de Internet, o que dá unha perspectiva máis ampla dos intereses dos usuarios. ✔️• BuzzSumo. Se dispoñemos de ferramentas especializadas como BuzzSumo, poderemos analizar as tendencias en redes sociais de maneira máis detallada, mostrando os temas e artigos máis compartidos en varias plataformas. Iso si, require de conta e algunhas funcionalidades son de pago. ❓Pregunta para a próxima semana: cal é o idioma das redes? 👉Máis Información ACTUAL COMUNICACIÓN Amodiño: ✔️Páxina Web: https://actualizadoscomunicacion.com/ ✔️Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actualizadoscomunicacion ✔️Twitter: https://twitter.com/actualizadoscom ✔️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actualizados_comunicacion/ 🎙️"SUSCRÍBETE" ao podcast.👍 👉MÁIS ENTREVISTAS: https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-salta-da-cama_sq_f1323089_1.html 👉Máis Información e outros contidos: ✔️Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PabloChichas ✔️Twitter: https://twitter.com/pablochichas ✔️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pablochichas/ ✔️Clubhouse: @pablochichas ✔️Twich: https://www.twitch.tv/pablochichas

In this value-packed episode of Building Your Empire With SophieZo, digital marketing expert Sophie Zollmann reveals game-changing strategies for developing an authentic marketing style that sets your business apart. Discover why following generic marketing trends could be hindering your business growth and learn how to create a unique marketing approach that resonates with your target audience. Key Topics Covered: • Digital marketing trends vs. authentic brand messaging • Developing a Unique Value Proposition (UVP) for effective online marketing • Utilizing SEO tools like Google Trends and BuzzSumo for content strategy • Content marketing techniques that align with your brand identity • Social media marketing strategies that showcase your authentic brand voice Actionable Takeaways: 1. Identify your business's unique attributes to craft a compelling UVP 2. Leverage digital marketing tools to stay ahead of industry trends 3. Create SEO-optimized content that reflects your authentic brand voice 4. Implement social media strategies that attract your ideal customers Whether you're an entrepreneur, small business owner, or marketing professional looking to enhance your digital presence, this episode provides essential insights on building a distinctive brand in today's competitive online marketplace. Transform your digital marketing strategy and learn how to build a thriving online business that stands out from the competition. Listen now to unlock the power of authentic marketing in the digital age! Join us for Building Your Business with SophieZo anytime and connect with Sophie at SophieZo.com.  

This episode dives into the key steps to create a data-driven and audience-focused content plan to fuel your WordPress website's success.In this episode, you'll learn:The importance of keyword research tools like LowFruits and Semrush  to understand user search queries.How to leverage Google Trends Google Trends tool to identify trending and seasonal topics.Tips for analyzing your website traffic with Google Analytics Google Analytics to discover your top performing content and audience demographics.The value of tailoring content to different audience segments based on age, location, interests etc.Techniques for competitor analysis using tools like BuzzSumo competitor research tool to uncover successful content strategies.How AI writing assistants like ChatGPT ChatGPT AI assistant can spark fresh content ideas and craft optimized headlines.The benefits of using an editorial calendar to stay organized and consistent with content publishing.Why repurposing and updating older blog posts is important for SEO and content freshness.The power of collaboration with influencers and guest blogging to expand reach and build relationships.Bonus Tip:Utilize writing enhancement tools like SEOBoost to improve content quality and audience engagement.By following these strategies and consistently creating high-value content, you'll be well on your way to building a thriving WordPress site with a loyal audience.If you liked this episode, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. Or watch our Podcasts on YouTube. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

Ross Simmonds is the Founder and CEO of Foundation Marketing, a content marketing agency that strategizes, distributes, and optimizes content. Foundation has worked with some of the most successful SaaS and publicly traded cloud companies in the world. Ross has been named one of the most influential marketers in the world by multiple marketing publications and firms like BuzzSumo and Semrush. He is also a sought-after public speaker, an angel investor, and the author of Create Once, Distribute Forever. In this episode… In today's fast-paced and content-rich online landscape, simply sharing links to a piece of content on various platforms is not enough. This approach is outdated; instead, you must repurpose engaging content to build your brand. What content distribution strategies can you leverage, and how can you maximize value in your campaigns? Many entrepreneurs fear judgment and don't want to seem overly promotional, especially if they don't recognize the value in their content. As a shy kid who spoke an average of five words a day, renowned content creator Ross Simmonds understands the fear of judgment, rejection, and public presentations. To overcome this fear, he recommends shifting your mindset to recognize how your content benefits your audience, allowing you to promote it on as many channels as possible. Widespread content distribution and amplification requires creating a pillar asset like an informative and engaging YouTube video or podcast that you can repurpose into highlights, reels, or moments. Tune in to the latest episode of the Up Arrow Podcast as William Harris welcomes Ross Simmonds, the Founder and CEO of Foundation Marketing, to discuss content amplification and distribution strategies. Ross talks about evaluating content engagement, his book Create Once, Distribute Forever, and how to use AI to accelerate content creation.

Crafting the Employee Experience    Take away: Developing an abundant mindset centered on gratitude for what you have, rather than lament what's lacking, is key to living a fulfilling life. Balancing business growth with personal fulfillment means defining your "why" and ideal lifestyle, not just chasing endless expansion. Prioritizing employee engagement through efforts like "stay interviews" and enabling people to do what they're passionate about leads to higher profitability and client satisfaction. And instilling financial literacy around passive income streams like real estate from an early age can set a strong foundation for long-term wealth creation.   Money Learnings: Kent's parents had purchased a 10-unit apartment building before he was born. While they had modest incomes from their jobs, the rental income and equity buildup from the apartment building provided an additional stream of income and financial security. This taught Kent the value of real estate investments for generating passive income. His parents taught him not to rely on Social Security for retirement income, as it may not exist by the time he retires. They emphasized that he would need to create his own wealth and fund his own retirement through savings and investments. His uncle's example of buying his first apartment building while in college, and dressing professionally because successful real estate investors dressed that way, also influenced Kent's view of real estate as a path to building wealth from an early age.   Bio: Kent Lewis founder of pdxMindShare, an online career community and networking group mentioned on Seth Godin's blog. Formerly a CMO and founder or co-founder of multiple agencies, he's known as a thought leader in digital marketing. He's been an adjunct professor for more than 20 years at Portland State University and a volunteer instructor for SCORE. Lewis co-founded SEMpdx in 2006, a trade organization for search engine marketing professionals. His recognition includes Marketer of the Year by the American Marketing Association and Top 100 Digital Marketing Influencers by BuzzSumo.   Highlights from this episode: Building passive income streams through real estate investments as a way to achieve financial independence. Balancing personal fulfillment with business growth - finding the right size and structure that aligns with your values and desired lifestyle. Prioritizing employee engagement and satisfaction as a key driver of profitability and client retention. Conducting "stay interviews" to understand what motivates employees and how to improve their experience. Defining your "why" and living life on your own terms, rather than chasing other people's definitions of success. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude and focusing on what you have, rather than what you lack, to live an abundant life.   Links: https://kentjlewis.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/whats-your-story-write-book-kent-lewis/ https://twitter.com/kentjlewis https://www.anvilmediainc.com/     Richer Soul Life Beyond Money. You got rich, now what? Let's talk about your journey to more a purposeful, intentional, amazing life. Where are you going to go and how are you going to get there? Let's figure that out together. At the core is the financial well being to be able to do what you want, when you want, how you want. It's about personal freedom!   Thanks for listening!   Show Sponsor: http://profitcomesfirst.com/   Schedule your free no obligation call: https://bookme.name/rockyl/lite/intro-appointment-15-minutes   If you like the show please leave a review on iTunes: http://bit.do/richersoul   https://www.facebook.com/richersoul http://richersoul.com/ rocky@richersoul.com   Some music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast   Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.

What is good content? How is A.I. impacting the creation of content? And what are the opportunities for content writers in the near future? All good questions that we didn't have answers to. Until we invited Ross Simmons to join us for the 402nd episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast. This is a good one. Click the play button below, or scroll down for a full transcript.   Stuff to check out: Create Once, Distribute Forever by Ross Simmonds The Copywriter Club Facebook Group The Copywriter Underground   Full Transcript: Rob Marsh: Before we jump into this episode, I just want to give you a quick heads up that The Copywriter Accelerator will be opening up for the one and only time this year… at the end of August. I won't share any details at the moment, you can find out more when you visit thecopywriterclub.com/waitlist. Over the past decade, written content has become a critical marketing component for tens of thousands of organizations looking to get attention online. That content takes a lot of different forms from articles and blog posts to case studies, lead magnets, white papers and other written assets used to attract and keep the attention of readers. But what makes good content? How is AI impacting content writers today? And how do you ensure that you clients see content as an investment that pays off, rather than a cost that they need to cut? Hi, I'm Rob Marsh, one of the founders of The Copywriter Club. And for today's episode of The Copywriter Club Podcast, I talked with content writer and founder of the content agency Foundation Marketing, Ross Simmonds. Ross got his start writing about fantasy football in high school and has been recognized as a top marketer by publications like BuzzSumo and SEMrush. His work has been featured in dozens of publications including Forbes, HuffingtonPost and CBC. Ross answered those questions I just posed and a lot more. This interview opened my eyes to several new opportunities and I think you're going to like it. But before we jump in with Ross… We have a new gift for you as a listener to The Copywriter Club Podcast. We went through the past 400 episodes of this podcast looking for the ideas that our guests have shared over the past couple of years related to finding clients. We pulled out a bunch of our favorites and compiled them into a new pocket sized guide that will inspire you as you look for ways to attract the right clients to your business. It's a bit like having a couple dozen of the best copywriters in your pocket advising you on how to find your next client. To get your copy, visit thecopywriterclub.com/pocket and download this new guide. And with that, let's go to our interview with Ross Simmonds. Rob Marsh: Ross, welcome to the podcast. You are one of the people that I have had on my list for a long time, and have been wanting to talk to you. We've had a little trouble connecting the last couple of months. You've had some travel and lots of stuff going on. But let's start out the way that we like to here on the podcast. And that is, tell us about your story. How did you become a content marketer and now ultimately founder of Foundation Content Marketing Agency? Ross Simmonds: Yeah, Rob, thanks for having me on. I'm excited for this conversation. I'll take people back into time a little bit. So I've always had a passion for writing and for creating things from the time I was a young kid. When I was a young kid, I fell into that whole meme and being obsessed with the Roman Empire. And I was writing books about what the Roman Empire must have been like. And I was doing that probably when I was like 10 years old. So early on, I was creating and writing chapter books and stuff like that. As time went on, I continued to be passionate about writing and creating.  And in university, I ran a fantasy football blog. And I was writing every single day about fantasy sports and how I thought people should adjust their strategies in the wo...

Welcome to my podcast show today. We are going to reveal the new AI tools to streamline your content marketing efforts: In this episode, we delve into the transformative world of AI-powered tools that are revolutionizing content creation, distribution, and analytics. Discover the latest innovations, including the groundbreaking GPT-40, an advanced AI writing assistant that elevates content generation to new heights. We'll also explore Jasper, Copy.ai, and Frase, revealing how these tools help you produce high-quality content effortlessly. But that's not all. Learn how AI is optimizing content distribution with tools like HubSpot and SocialBee, ensuring your message reaches the right audience at the right time. Finally, uncover the secrets of AI-driven analytics with Google Analytics and BuzzSumo, providing you with deep insights to refine your strategy and boost engagement. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just starting out, this episode is packed with actionable insights and expert quotes to help you stay ahead in the competitive landscape of content marketing. Tune in and transform your content strategy with the power of AI! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rajni-yadav54/support

You can have complete social content domination if you know how to leverage the power of AI. In this episode, Ross Simmonds, Founder & CEO of Foundations, joins Jake and reveals how to use AI to expand your reach and distribute your content at scale. Discover why Ross champions video content as the most versatile form of media and explore the "4 Es" for creating incredible content. Tune in to learn how to transform one piece of content into twenty and uncover the insights behind Ross' book on this very topic. You'll gain valuable tips on building a scalable distribution engine to maximize your content's impact. What You'll LearnHow to use AI to distribute your content and expand your reachWhy Ross believes video content is the most versatile form of contentThe 4 Es of creating incredible contentHow to turn 1 piece of content into 20 pieces of contentWhy Ross wrote a book on this very specific topic How to build a scalable distribution engine About RossRoss Simmonds is the founder & CEO of Foundation, a global marketing agency that provides services to organizations all over the world ranging from some of the fastest-growing startups to global SaaS brands. Ross was named one of Atlantic Canadas Top 50 CEOs and one of the top marketers in the world by BuzzSumo and SEMRush. Ross is also a well sought out public speaker, an angel investor, and the author of multiple books.Connect with RossLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmondsX: https://twitter.com/thecoolestcoolCheck Out Ross' Website: https://rosssimmonds.com/Connect with JakeGet a FREE copy of Jake's bestselling book, Big Idea To Bestseller, when you cover shipping and handling - https://go.bigideatobestseller.com/free-bookFollow Jake: @jakekelferSubscribe to Jake's YouTube Channel - @jake_kelfer 

Join Dots Oyebolu as he engages in a fascinating conversation with Ross Simmonds, Founder and CEO of Foundation Marketing. Recognized as a leading voice in content marketing, Ross shares his insights on modern content distribution strategies that drive revenue in marketing.Key Takeaways:(01:46) Ross' journey from selling do-rags in high school to becoming a revered content marketing strategist.(03:53) "Content user fit" and the need for marketers to understand their audience deeply through market research tools like SparkToro and Audience.(09:03) "Content market fit": Ross discusses identifying content themes that resonate with target audiences on specific platforms.(13:40) The strategic importance of generating backlinks through tools, proprietary research, and a stats roundup for enhancing SEO.(20:05) A discussion on the future of SEO and SEM in the face of evolving digital marketing landscapes.(22:44) Ross encourages marketers to diversify their strategies, likening AI tools to an "Ironman suit" for marketers To achieve greater efficiency and creativity.(24:06) Ross underscores the timeless essence of storytelling in human connection and marketing.(29:46) Ross suggests focusing on generating customers and revenue over complex marketing metrics.Resources Mentioned:Ross Simmonds -https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds/?originalSubdomain=caFoundation Marketing | LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundationmarketing/Foundation Marketing | Website -https://foundationinc.co/Ross Simmonds' Personal Website -https://rosssimmonds.com/SparkToro -https://sparktoro.com/Buzzsumo -https://buzzsumo.com/Insightful Links:https://www.coseom.com/b2b-saas-marketing-the-future-is-now-embracing-modern-strategies-and-trends-2/ https://www.beacondigitalmarketing.com/blog/b2b-content-strategy-new-era https://foundationinc.co/lab/modern-distribution-playbook/ https://divbyzero.com/blog/saas-content-marketing-strategy/ Thanks for listening to the Marketing Leadership podcast, brought to you by Dots Loves Marketing. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help get the word out about the show. And be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation.#PodcastMarketing #PerformanceMarketing #BrandMarketing #MarketingStrategy #MarketingIntelligence #GTM #B2BMarketing #D2CMarketing

As a 6x entrepreneur, 10x agency professional and digital marketer since 1996, Kent Lewis is currently Founder of pdxMindShare, a networking group and online career community. He speaks internationally, writes for industry publications like Inc. and SmartBrief and is regularly quoted in the media. Kent was President and Founder of Anvil Media for 22 years, before selling his agency in 2022. He was also an adjunct professor at Portland State University for 20 years. Kent was named a Top 40 Under 40, Marketer of the Year by AMA Oregon and a Top 100 Digital Marketing Influencer by BuzzSumo. Key Moments [08:06] Struggling with age bias in work. [11:04] Realized business leader's intent wasn't perfect. [12:50] Realized importance of employee experience for success. [17:11] Smaller shops target tech market, face competition. [20:01] Avoided investing initially, then pushed sales and marketing. [22:09] Overcoming challenges, rebuilding, and finding success. [26:23] Survive challenges, maintain support, open up. Find Kent Online https://pdxmindshare.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kentlewis/ https://twitter.com/kentjlewis If you're enjoying Entrepreneur's Enigma, please give us a review on the podcast directory of your choice. We're on all of them and these reviews really help others find the show. GoodPods: https://gmwd.us/goodpods iTunes: https://gmwd.us/itunes Podchaser: https://gmwd.us/podchaser Also, if you're getting value from the show and want to buy me a coffee, go to the show notes to get the link to get me a coffee to keep me awake, while I work on bringing you more great episodes to your ears. →  https://gmwd.us/buy-me-a-coffee Follow Seth Online: Seth | Digital Marketer (@s3th.me) • Instagram: Instagram.com/s3th.me Seth Goldstein | LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/sethmgoldstein Seth On Mastodon: https://s3th.me/@pch Seth's Marketing Junto Newsletter: https://MarketingJunto.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Featuring:-Sinead Norenius, VP of product management, CisionA world with better content. That is the tagline for BuzzSumo, a content marketing platform that is part of the Cision family and is overseen by Sinead Norenius, VP of product management at Cision. With a promise such as that, it's not hard to imagine that she would know a thing or two – or a ton more – about influential content.When you listen to this podcast, you'll quickly learn that expertise is very real and very powerful.Authenticity and transparency are two words constantly on the minds and lips of brands and their communicators. They can also be elusive. Norenius devotes attention to how you can focus on both to create genuine connections with your audience.She also sheds light on a far-too untapped goldmine to reach consumers.“Micro and nano influencers,” suggests Norenius, “are your C-to-C strategy.” Why? Because “these are consumers with a really loud megaphone.”Another type of influencer with which all brands must become familiar? Virtual and CGI influencers. If you're unclear about this, you won't be after this podcast.And though it can be very hard to control, user-generated content must be an always-on strategy for communicators, she advises. “Look at it as the ongoing social media conversation in which your brand needs to be involved.”

Are you ready to embark on an electrifying journey deep into the heart of content creation? Welcome back to It's Simply Digital! In this episode, we're not just sharing tips; we're launching a full-scale content revolution to propel your skills to new heights. We've carefully curated five game-changing hacks to supercharge your content creation game. Get ready to create some excellent content!   In this episode, I discuss: Your content is your sales page and your cold outreach. Connecting emotionally with your audience using aspirational identity. Addressing fundamental human needs like love, security, connection, and status. Sharing your brand's mission and values to foster a sense of belonging. Answering your audience's questions effectively. Conducting keyword research for targeted content. Utilizing tools like Answer the Public, BuzzSumo, and AI-powered research. Using AI platforms and editing software for efficient content editing. Keeping content to a fifth or sixth-grade reading level. Emphasizing the importance of visual content in storytelling. Leveraging tools like Canva and Adobe for graphic creation. Simplifying complex graphic design with AI-powered tools. Scheduling content with social media management software like SocialPilot. Analyzing engagement data to optimize posting times. Harnessing email marketing and automation for personalized outreach.   Key Takeaways: The Power of Quality Content: Your content is now your sales page and the key to connecting with your audience emotionally. Deliver the aspirational identity your audience seeks by focusing on emotions like love, security, connection, or status. Keep it relatable and aligned with your brand's mission. Content Planning and Research Tools: Answer your audience's questions and perform keyword research to create content that draws them in. Combine keywords with clear, valuable answers to engage your audience effectively. Visual and Video Content Creation: Visual and video content is essential for today's audience. Use tools like Canva, Adobe, or AI-driven platforms to create captivating visuals that complement your powerful content.    These hacks can transform your content creation process. Remember, your content is your bridge to your audience, your opportunity to connect, and your key to success. Don't underestimate its power. Stay tuned for next week's episode for more valuable insights; until then, keep crafting awesome content!   Go be awesome!   This podcast is brought to you by our newsletter—actionable tips delivered to your inbox every Friday.   Find It's Simply Digital on LinkedIn and Instagram.  How can I help you with your brand? Learn more by heading to our website. Want to support this Podcast? Like, share, and tell your friends!  Listen on Spotify. Listen on Apple.

Marketing isn't just about selling; it's about connecting. In the digital landscape, staying ahead of the curve is not just a choice; it's a necessity. Whether you're a digital creator, entrepreneur, or a realtor, these tools will transform the way you connect with your audience and position your brand.Here's what we discussed:Uncover essential tools for bloggers, email campaigns, and podcasting.Explore Feedspot's podcast insights and BuzzSumo's most-shared articles.Discover the grassroots power of Reddit and Quora for unfiltered audience insights.Leverage influencer insights and monitor industry trends with Google Trends.Answer burning questions with AnswerThePublic.com.Master the art of aligning trends with authenticity.But remember, it's not just about following trends blindly. It's about authentically aligning your brand with what matters most to you and your audience. In today's episode, we're not just marching in the trend parade; we're leading it.So, grab your marketing toolkit and join us for a journey into the world of entrepreneurship, where success means staying ahead of the game.Learn more about Katie and Next Step Social Communications:Speaking: https://katiebrinkley.com/Website: https://www.nextstepsocialcommunications.comLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiebrinkleyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/@rockymountainmarketingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamkatiebrinkley/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/socialprofitlab Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2001, Chris Carr launched a start-up in his spare time – a marketing company called Farotech. What started primarily as a web design firm quickly grew into a comprehensive digital marketing agency specializing in helping clients in the healthcare, orthopedics, manufacturing, SaaS, and cybersecurity fields see explosive growth through a proven marketing system. Since early 2020, Chris has become a thought leader in artificial intelligence (AI). Through years of analysis, workshops, and hands-on experience, he's observed the rise of modern AI and its potential to reshape the business landscape. Recognizing that most businesses are not ready for this massive disruption from AI, Chris offers workshops and lunch-and-learns to equip businesses for the future that's already here. Find out more at farotech.com. Today, we're going to talk about AI and branding. My guest, Chris Carr, is at the forefront of these topics. He will share actionable tips that you can start doing now to incorporate AI into your business so you aren't left behind when everyone else moves forward with that technology. “If you're an individual who's not willing to adopt that technology [AI], there's a chance you will get replaced by somebody who does. ” – Chris CarrThis week on SmallBizChat Podcast:Building hyper-personalization into your marketing. Why your marketing should start with your branding. The stages of solving a problem. How AI is changing every industry. Targeting your brand to your audience. Standing out in an AI-filled marketplace.Chat priming. Authenticity in branding. Resources Mentioned:Become Your Own Boss: https://smallbizladyuniversity.com/ Boss Quiz: https://smallbizladyuniversity.com/boss-quiz/ There's an AI for That: https://theresanaiforthat.com/ SparkToro: https://sparktoro.com/ BuzzSumo: https://buzzsumo.com/ Connect with Chris Carr:Website: https://farotech.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-carr-84b1a02/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/chris_carr YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Farotech Podcast: https://farotech.com/podcasts/ LinkedIn:Can your brand survive and thrive in an AI-centric world? Chris Carr of Farotech believes it can, but only with the right strategies in place. Join us on the SmallBizChat Podcast as we explore the role of AI in branding and the key shifts businesses must make to remain relevant. Listen in today!#SmallBizChat #business #AI #branding

Struggling for inspiration when it comes to content creation? Tune into our latest episode where we delve into the exciting world of content creation, discussing everything from the importance of brainstorming sessions to the power of personal experiences. We'll explore how to survey your audience effectively, draw inspiration from competitors, and use content idea tools like AnswerThePublic and BuzzSumo to boost your creativity. Discover how to capitalize on news and trending topics, benefit from industry events, and bring in guest contributors for fresh perspectives. We'll also cover the art of repurposing old content, and the impact of sharing case studies and success stories. Finally, we'll wrap up by encouraging all creators to delve into their own personal experiences for authentic, relatable content. Join us as we navigate through these diverse content creation methods, and say goodbye to those inspiration struggles!Help support The LOTS Project by checking out OpusPro using my affiliate link https://www.opus.pro/?via=849311Find out more about me at https://thelotsproject.com

Marketing your business can be challenging. There are so many tools out there not to mention the various strategies you'll need to develop in order to ensure your efforts bring results. In this episode, Terri and I are chatting about the top ways to measure your marketing and discuss some of the different tools you can use to boost revenue and expand your business reach.  Links:  Track website data with Google Analytics Track email and other marketing channels with Constant Contact View, schedule and track multiple social channels with Hootsuite Tools to do competitive analysis and other types of marketing research: SEMRush, BuzzSumo, Brand24, Social Status Learn more about Triangle business services for other business and commercial needs Follow our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages! Learn more about Triangle Credit Union  

J'en parle ici ;)  Voici les étapes pour créer votre entreprise avec des outils IA : Trouver le nom parfait avec Namelix : pour générer des noms de société créatifs et percutants qui correspondent à votre vision et à votre marque. Créer une identité graphique avec Canva ou Tailor Brands concevoir facilement des logos, des visuels et des supports marketing attrayants pour donner une identité visuelle professionnelle à votre entreprise. Trouver des idées de service avec Marketnews ou AnswerThePublic pour découvrir les dernières tendances du marché et à trouver des idées de services en analysant les recherches des utilisateurs. Créer une présentation impressionnante avec Tome ou Beautiful AI pour créer des présentations percutantes et professionnelles en utilisant des modèles alimentés par l'IA et des fonctionnalités de conception intelligente. Prospecter avec des messages vidéo grâce à Vidscale pour créer et envoyer des messages vidéo personnalisés à vos prospects, ce qui vous permet de vous démarquer et d'établir des connexions plus authentiques. Trouver de nouvelles idées de croissance grâce à Chat GPT pour générer des idées de croissance, répondre à des questions commerciales et obtenir des conseils personnalisés. Analyser les nouvelles tendances avec Talkwalker pour surveiller et analyser les tendances, les mentions de marque et les sentiments des utilisateurs sur les réseaux sociaux et le web. Trouver des idées de contenu avec Buzzsumo pour trouver les sujets les plus populaires et les plus partagés dans votre secteur, vous permettant de créer du contenu pertinent et attrayant pour votre audience. Générer des posts sur les réseaux sociaux avec Agorapulse ou Podsqueeze pour planifier, automatiser et générer des posts pertinents et engageants sur vos plateformes de médias sociaux. Automatiser votre messagerie avec Manychat pour interagir avec vos clients, gérer les requêtes fréquentes et automatiser votre support client. 

El análisis de la competencia online es parte indispensable de la estrategia de marketing digital. Nunca deberíamos invertir nuestro tiempo y dinero en un nuevo negocio, emprendimiento o proyecto sin antes haber estudiado a nuestros competidores potenciales. Para saber cómo hacerlo, en este episodio contamos con Sebastián Pendino, consultor de marketing digital y negocios online. “Esto lo puede hacer cualquier empresa sin tanta cantidad de recursos. Estudiar la competencia no es demasiado complicado”, afirma nuestro especialista. En ese sentido, recomienda “armar un listado de nuestros competidores que conocemos, e investigar los que no conocemos, y simplemente con un programa podemos armar una columna con el listado de competidores y varias columnas con los puntos que nos interesa analizar, desde ventajas competitivas o debilidades, si son fuertes en redes sociales, si responden rápido a los comentarios, etc.”. “No hace falta tener herramientas tan sofisticadas. Podemos analizar la competencia simplemente simulando ser un comprador”, agrega. El consejo que nos da Sebastián es “entrar en las redes sociales de la competencia, y eso es ver los comentarios de los usuarios que hacen ante cualquier tipo de post”. Luego podemos entrar debajo de cada producto donde están las reviews y “ver si hay críticas y qué hay a favor, porque también podemos imitar cosas que nos gustan de nuestra competencia”, aclara nuestro especialista. “Y finalmente comprar uno de sus productos y ahí podemos ver la demora en la respuesta de soporte, si es una única persona que está respondiendo y gerenciando el negocio, etc.”, detalla. Luego de eso podemos ver la web y usabilidad, ver cómo son los carritos de compra, si hay descuentos, si hacen remarketing, y finalmente apuntar al newsletter, para saber sus novedades. Las debilidades de nuestros competidores podrían ser nuestras fortalezas competitivas, y pueden ser nuestra propuesta de valor. Con el análisis de cinco competidores es suficiente para obtener la información que necesitamos. Hay 3 cosas fundamentales para mirar la competencia. El primero es la experiencia de usuario: “Es fundamental, porque si hacemos publicidad, pero el proceso de compra no funciona, se desperdició todo ese esfuerzo”, destaca nuestro especialista. “Luego es lo que es soporte, si responden en el chat o por redes, si responden rápido y nosotros poder mejorar eso”, comenta Sebastián, y añade: “Y tercero es ver los precios y ver qué hacen en cuanto a ofertas, promociones, etc.”. Aunque no es posible saber completamente cuánto gasta nuestra competencia para atraer clientes, Sebastián nos hace algunas sugerencias. Podemos usar la herramienta Semrush, “que te permite saber qué anuncios está haciendo la competencia y podemos saber el PPC”, explica nuestro invitado. “Y también el analizador de palabras claves de Google suele darnos el PPC para tener una idea de cuánto cuesta. Pero no sabemos cuántos clics está recibiendo la competencia y ahí siempre queda la duda del valor total que está invirtiendo. Hay números que nunca vamos a saber, pero podemos tener una noción de cuánto están pagando por clic y el costo de adquisición del cliente”, asevera. Existen algunas estrategias para ser más competitivos, y una es a través de la fidelización de clientes. “Ahí podemos ir con tarjetas por puntos para otro tipo de compra posterior, podemos hacer ofertas y promociones y trabajar bien lo que son redes sociales, email marketing, y algo fundamental es crear una comunidad de gente que esté muy amarrada a nuestro producto y en eso podemos combinar nuestra marca personal con la marca comercial”, desarrolla Sebastián. “Otra cosa que puedo recomendar para ser más competitivo es educar, donde vamos explicando ventajas usos, formas de utilizar nuestros productos y servicios”, señala. Para lo que son las herramientas pagas, Sebastián hace referencia a las de “Social Listening, que analizan la reputación online”. “Podemos auditar la marca de los competidores con ciertas keywords. Y además hay herramientas que funcionan con inteligencia artificial para saber si el comentario que están leyendo es positivo, neutro o negativo, entonces tenemos resúmenes que podemos analizar y saber qué es lo que hablan tanto de nuestra marca como de los competidores. El software que más uso es Awario y hay otra conocida que se llama Mention. Para ‘espiar' a la competencia está Brand 24 y SpyFu y para ver contenido es BuzzSumo”, cierra nuestro invitado. Página web: sebastianpendino.com

How do you come up with content ideas?In this episode, I'm sharing the four places you should go first when creating your editorial calendar. I am all about quarterly content planning. It is planned enough that you aren't flying by the seat of your pants but agile enough that you can pivot if you need to.Key Learnings:1. Look for trending content.2. Built a guest posting shortlist from BuzzSumo.3. Look at forums to find out what people ask about your expertise.4. Feed the Google monster with low-hanging fruit.Website: https://www.sarahnoelblock.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahnoelblock/Newsletter: https://tinymarketing.me/newsletter-Support our Sponsors:Bonjoro - Get 15% Off - https://tinymarketing.me/bonjoroFlodesk - Get 50% Off - https://tinymarketing.me/flodeskDemio - https://tinymarketing.me/demio

https://DarkHorseSchooling.com SUMMARY: The Dark Horse Entrepreneur podcast helps entrepreneurs who are struggling with technology, procrastination, and imposter syndrome. In this episode, Tracy Brinkman discusses how to generate endless content ideas. He recommends ten websites that entrepreneurs can use to get ideas for their next piece of content. These websites include sites like BuzzSumo, Quora, and Reddit.   Tracy discusses how important it is for experts in their field to come up with content ideas, and provides a list of ten websites that can help generate an endless stream of content ideas. The websites listed include: Quora, Reddit, Google Trends, and BuzzSumo. Tracy  emphasizes that the purpose of the list is not to provide ideas that can be copied and pasted, but rather to give experts an idea of what their audience might be interested in.   The conversation discusses the website Socrates which is a search engine designed to help you learn more about your target audience. You can use Socrates to find out what topics and keywords that are already popular inside your target audience as well as common problems they're facing and questions they're asking. The information from Socrates can be used to create content that is relevant and useful to your audience.   Quora is a website where people can ask and answer questions on any topic. It is a great resource for finding content ideas, as you can easily find questions relevant to your niche or industry.   TIMESTAMPS 0:00:00   10 Websites for Endless Content Ideas 0:02:14   10 Websites to Help You Generate an Endless Stream of Content Ideas 0:03:51   How to Use Socrates to Learn About Your Target Audience 0:05:34   How to Use Quora and Answer the Public to Create an Endless Stream of Blog Post Ideas 0:07:07   Quora: A Great Way to Generate Content Ideas 0:08:28   How to Use Various Websites to Generate Content Ideas 0:13:17   How to Use Various Online Platforms to Find Content Ideas for Your Life Coaching Business 0:19:04   How to Use Google Trends to Find Out What's Being Talked About in the Coaching World 0:20:36   10 Ways to Find Ideas for Your Life Coaching Business 0:22:21   Ten Websites for an Endless Source of Content Ideas   HIGHLIGHTS This is a great way to find some visual content that is relevant to your audience to help you come up with ideas that are both interesting as well as being visually appealing.   Now in this particular example, it's actually the introduction to one of the people Twitter is trying to get me to follow. But if I click on their profile, they have a whole host of great pieces of content in here.   And as you might expect, these conversations can be a great source of content ideas to get started. Once again, type in the keyword or phrase and see what people are tweeting about.   How you can as a life coach to keep up with this example and I beat this one down the ground, could give your prospects, your clients, your customers some great ideas for motivational gifts for their loved ones on the holiday season.   Reddit is one of the most popular websites in the world and it's also a great source of content ideas. Simply browse through all the various Reddits. Some of you may think of them as forums and see what people are talking about.

Join me for a great conversation with Maddy Osman, bestselling author and owner of The Blogsmith, an SEO content agency for B2B tech companies that works with clients like HubSpot, Automattic, Kinsta, and Sprout Social. Maddy Osman is the bestselling author of "Writing for Humans and Robots: The NewRules of Content Style." She's a digital native with a decade-long devotion to creating engaging, accessible, and relevant content. After teaching herself web design at age 11, she found her true passion in content creation—learning the intricacies while transitioning from technical to creative SEO marketer. Maddy's journey from freelance writer to founder and CEO of The Blogsmith yielded numerous insights to share about content creation for enterprise B2B technology brands. Her efforts earned her a spot in Semrush's and BuzzSumo's Top 100 Content Marketers and The Write Life's 100 Best Websites for Writers. She has spoken for audiences at WordCamp US, SearchCon, and Denver Startup Week. During the interview we have discussed, how to explain SEO, SERPS, SEA and all things related to creating content that engages people and robots. Enjoy the show! You can connect with Maddy via her site or LinkedIn.

Want to build faster, deeper trust with your social media followers?   Today's guest, Deb Coman, is sharing exactly how to do that! You'll want to grab a pen and take lots of notes, like I did. Deb is a content conversion strategist who empowers service-based business owners to create trust-building content that generates sales, referrals, and collaborations. Deb hosts a weekly Twitter Chat called #SocialTrust Mondays at 3pm ET and was featured by BuzzSumo in their Top 100 Content Marketers to Follow Right Now. Deb's Content Conversion Lab and private services help clients simplify their marketing with actionable steps that create alignment, consistency, and connection. Deb and I dish on:    - Strategies to find content and engage on social media  - How meaningful conversation differentiate from social engagement, and why that matters to your bottom line  - Why consistency is more important than frequency   - What erodes trust in online engagement   - How many social media platforms are enough, and how many are too much   Purchase your copy of Love Based Feminine Marketing: The Art of Growing a 6-Figure Business Without Hustle, Grind, or Force, (https://tinyurl.com/ydmzb6qz) TODAY!!! Subscribe now so you'll never miss an episode and leave us a review. It really helps us know which content is most important to you. Join our Feminine Business Magic Facebook Group (https://tinyurl.com/ygdkw7ce)  with your host, Julie Foucht. This is a community of women dedicated to connecting, supporting, and celebrating each other in growing businesses that honor their Divine Feminine while filling their bank accounts abundantly.   Resources mentioned: Purchase Love-Based Feminine Marketing (https://tinyurl.com/ydmzb6qz)    Deb Coman's Free Gift: Download and Get started with building social trust with these 21 Trust-Building Topics http://DebComan.com/TrustTopics   **Contact Deb Coman via Facebook or http://DebComan.com **   **Connect with Julie Foucht via Facebook (https://tinyurl.com/yeb82uuj) or email at https://juliefoucht.com/**

Come and listen while Host Candace Gish interviews a variety of extraordinary women, whom are working to make the world a better place! #DivasThatCare Deb Coman is a content conversion strategist who empowers service-based business owners to create trust-building content that generates sales, referrals, and collaborations. Deb hosts a weekly Twitter Chat called #SocialTrust Mondays at 3pm ET and was featured by BuzzSumo in their Top 100 Content Marketers to Follow Right Now. Deb's Content Conversion Lab and private services help clients simplify their marketing with actionable steps that create alignment, consistency, and connection. You'll find Deb on almost all social media platforms and at DebComan.com

It's a new year and most of us are happy to be leaving 2020 in the rearview mirror. It was a tough year at almost every level and marketing is no exception. 2021 promises to be challenging as well, but we hope that also means an eventual return to something that feels like the old normal as vaccines are distributed and society recovers and reopens. There's no shortage of marketing tools that can help you navigate whatever lies ahead. Here are 10 that we're grateful to have. #1: Clickflow If you've ever spent time and money designing a landing page, an opt-in form, or anything else devised to drive conversions – only to be disappointed by the results – then Clickflow is the marketing tool for you this year. It's a robust, SEO-driven A/B testing apparatus that you can use to test every aspect of onsite SEO. While Clickflow isn't cheap – you'll pay $109 per month – you can get a free trial to check it out. Using it for a couple of months can help you improve your meta data, tags, and content to improve your rank on Google and get more conversions than ever before. It's a worthwhile investment. #2: Google Analytics Google Analytics isn't new but don't roll your eyes because we've included it here. A lot of small business owners don't bother checking their Google Analytics and that's a mistake that costs them customers and revenue. For a free tool, Google Analytics provides a ton of relevant (and actionable) information about your website visitors and their behavior. You can use it to determine which resources are sending you the most traffic and which content is driving conversions. You already have access to it – so start using it! #3: Screaming Frog What if you could chase Google's spiders with a frog and spy on your competitors' SEO? You can with the free version of Screaming Frog, an SEO crawler that can give you a leg up on your competitors. Using Screaming Frog, you can scan up to 500 URLs and collect technical optimization data. It allows you to check tags, identify broken links, and find duplicate content. It's a great way to audit your own site and spot holes in your competition's SEO. #4: Grammarly If you do your own content writing and grammar isn't your strong suit, Grammarly is an indispensable tool. They have free and paid versions, and the free version should be robust enough for most small businesses. Grammarly will spot spelling errors, including pesky contextual errors that most spellcheckers miss. It'll also correct your grammar, make suggestions to tighten up your content, and you can even use it to flag duplicate content online – especially useful if you outsource your writing! #5: BuzzSumo A lot of small business owners struggle to come up with great ideas for content. BuzzSumo is a tool that can help you find content ideas with its keyword search function. You can also use it to identify potential influencers to promote your products and brand. You can try BuzzSumo free for 30 days. After that, pricing begins at $99 per month. Because their search bar is located on the home page, you can get a few freebies a day even if you don't sign up for an account. #6: Feedly Businesses that are active on social media must share a combination of original and curated content. But where can you find quality content to share with your followers? That's where Feedly comes in. Feedly is a news aggregator that will collect all relevant news in your specified niche or industry. Then, you can comb through, read what interests you, and find the best content to share with your followers on Facebook or Twitter. They offer a free trial and monthly pricing starts at just $6. #7: MailChimp Email marketing is still one of the most affordable and effective ways to connect with your audience. We like MailChimp for its robust free option that allows small business owners to send up to 12,000 emails per month. While there are some email marketing providers that are better suited to huge enterprises, MailChimp offers enough features to ...

You've got to do less, to do more. Then you've got to learn how to do nothing and like it. -- Buzzsumo --> https://buzzsumo.com Feedly --> https://feedly.com Inoreader --> http://inoreader.com Jenn Odell's talk --> https://youtu.be/dveUrpp6vs8 -- Have a question you want me to answer? --> Ask it here Join the Discord for just $3 --> Join it here Looking for my Substack? --> Read it here

In this episode of the Influence By Design podcast, Samantha engages in an interesting conversation with Deb Coman, a content conversion strategist. Deb defines social trust as the “relationship currency we earn with meaningful conversations.” For full show notes, links and transcription visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/378/ ABOUT DEB COMAN Deb Coman is a content conversion strategist who empowers service-based business owners to create trust-building content that generates sales, referrals, and collaborations. Deb hosts a weekly Twitter Chat called #SocialTrust Mondays at 3pm ET on Twitter and was featured by BuzzSumo in their Top 100 Content Marketers to Follow Right Now. Deb helps clients simplify their marketing with actionable steps that create alignment, consistency, and connection. WHERE TO FIND DEB COMAN Website: https://debcoman.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DebComanWriting Instagram: @DebComanWriting Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DebComanWriting LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debcoman/ CONNECT WITH SAMANTHA RILEY Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samriley/ Instagram: @thesamriley LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samriley/

In this episode, I share 5 SEO mistakes that are preventing your site from ranking higher on Google. -=-=-=-=- Tools & resources discussed in this episode: [Blog post] 15 Common SEO Mistakes to Avoid - https://www.99signals.com/common-seo-mistakes/ Semrush: Get 1-month free trial to Semrush PRO (worth $119.95) - https://www.99signals.com/go/semrush-pro-offer/ Free and Paid WordPress Caching Plugins - WP Fastest Cache, WP-Optimize, W3 Total Cache, WP Rocket ($49/year) BuzzSumo - https://buzzsumo.com/ FindThatLead - https://findthatlead.com/ Mailshake - https://mailshake.com/ -=-=-=-=- BONUS RESOURCES + FREE DOWNLOADS If you're a fan of the podcast, here are some FREE online marketing resources from my blog, 99signals, to help you level up your marketing skills: The Ultimate Blogging Toolkit (https://resources.99signals.com/blogging-tools-ebook) - This eBook features 75+ marketing tools to help you blog better and boost your traffic! The Ultimate Guide to Link Building (https://resources.99signals.com/link-building-ebook) - Learn 25 powerful strategies to build high-quality backlinks, improve search engine rankings, and drive targeted traffic to your site. The Essential Guide to Link Building with Infographics (https://resources.99signals.com/infographic-backlinks-pdf) - Did you know you could build high-quality, authoritative backlinks with well-designed infographics? This PDF guide will show you how you can easily design an infographic and quickly build high-quality backlinks to supercharge your SEO. Top-rated articles at 99signals (https://www.99signals.com/best/) - This page contains a list of all the top-rated articles on my blog. It's a great place to get started if you're visiting 99signals for the first time. -=-=-=-=- Visit https://www.99signals.com for more insights on SEO, blogging, and marketing. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sandeep-mallya/message

To view the full episode show notes, visit:https://coachscottyrussell.com/side-hustlers-perspective/247Support for this episode comes from BuzzSumo.Supercharge your side hustle content strategy today with a FREE 30-Day Trial.--- Becoming Your Own BossTwo hurdles I hear consistently holding creatives back are the:Pursuit of perfection.Lack of motivation to make moves.When, in reality, we're holding ourselves up with these internal conflicts that we can choose to sidestep at any time.The people you look up to often deal with these—yet they refuse to let them distract them from chasing what they want.Today's guest, Elizabeth Gray of The Grayter Good, is living proof that finding success with your style is an ever-evolving process.She's an absurdly talented lettering artist, muralist, and illustrator with a combined audience of 750K+ followers (IG + TikTok).Her biggest talent is showing herself in her content and in an incredibly entertaining, yet valuable way.She's also the author of her upcoming book: The Happy Homebody: A Field Guide To The Great Indoors. (Which is all about empowering the introverted creative.)In today's episode we talk shop on:Overcoming the inner perfectionism dialogue.Finding motivation within a routine.Finding style through constraints, experimentation, and more.The Goal: To provide a little insight on how to find your style and groove while setting yourself for breakthroughs along the way.---RESOURCES & REFERENCESEp: 125 Liz GrayLiz's New Book: The Happy HomebodySide Hustler's Boot Camp Waitlist   Side Hustler's Coaching WaitlistCONNECT WITH LIZWebsiteInstagramTikTokNewsletter----FREE TOOLKIT TO SIDE HUSTLE FREEDOM6 FREE resources to help you grow an audience and build a profitable creative side hustle outside your day job. Download here.FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREONWith as little as your weekly cup of coffee, you can support the growth of this show by backing us on Patreon.JOIN THE PRIVATE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR CREATORSJoin a like-minded FREE global community of kickass creators and take your side hustle to the next level. Your family is waiting.LISTEN ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCASTING APPApple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsOvercastYouTubeCONNECT WITH MEInstagramPodcast InstagramYouTubeTwitterTikTokPinterestCREDITSMusic  -  BlookahPodcast Editor  -  Aine BrennanExecutive Assistant  -  Paige GarlandPhoto & Video Specialist  -  Jared CunninghamSocial Media Coordinator  -  Hannah SchickAnimation Specialist  -  Greg D'Amico

To view the full episode show notes, visit:https://coachscottyrussell.com/side-hustlers-perspective/249Support for this episode comes from BuzzSumo.Supercharge your side hustle content strategy today with a FREE 30-Day Trial.--- Looking to start your creative side hustle and take the next steps in scaling it?Say less, I got you…but I highly suggest checking out Pt. 1 of this series for the first 6 steps!The quick skinny…An email subscriber asked for tips on how to build his photography pursuits outside his day job and family life…All while navigating the head games that come with the pursuit of something you care about.Hence this 2-part series of 12 Steps for Starting & Scaling Your Creative Side Hustle.Again, there is no one-size-fits-all framework that's perfect for everyone.This is solely based on my experience over the past decade and countless conversations I've had with industry-leading creatives.Soak up and apply what you feel works best for you!---RESOURCES & REFERENCESSide Hustler's Coaching WaitlistSide Hustler's Boot Camp WaitlistFree Side Hustler Freedom ToolkitSide Hustler's Handbook CourseFREE Facebook GroupEp. 248: 12 Tips for Starting & Scaling Side HustleEp. 143: 6 Ways to Make Time Outside Day Job ---FREE TOOLKIT TO SIDE HUSTLE FREEDOM6 FREE resources to help you grow an audience and build a profitable creative side hustle outside your day job. Download here.FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREONWith as little as your weekly cup of coffee, you can support the growth of this show by backing us on Patreon.JOIN THE PRIVATE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR CREATORSJoin a like-minded FREE global community of kickass creators and take your side hustle to the next level. Your family is waiting.LISTEN ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCASTING APPApple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsOvercastYouTubeCONNECT WITH MEInstagramPodcast InstagramYouTubeTwitterTikTokPinterestCREDITSMusic  -  BlookahPodcast Editor  -  Aine BrennanExecutive Assistant  -  Paige GarlandPhoto & Video Specialist  -  Jared CunninghamSocial Media Coordinator  -  Hannah SchickAnimation Specialist  -  Greg D'Amico

To view the full episode show notes, visit:https://coachscottyrussell.com/side-hustlers-perspective/248Support for this episode comes from BuzzSumo.Supercharge your side hustle content strategy today with a FREE 30-Day Trial.--- I get hit up a lot with questions of, “How do I get started with my creative side hustle?”There's no one-size-fits-all instruction manual— it requires a lot of patience, experimentation, failure, and figuring it out along the way.Hence the inspiration behind this 2 Part Series of How to Start & Scale Your Creative Side Hustle.Many of these tips are interchangeable and overlap within different seasons of your creative hustle—it's not necessarily a linear progression of each 12 steps in a row.This is simply a framework to guide someone on a path that:Reduces the guesswork and boosts clarity and confidence.Provides balance and structure to leverage in the long-term.Creates work they love while establishing boundaries for self-care and relationships.Overall, take what applies to you as everyone's path is unique.----RESOURCES & REFERENCESSide Hustler's Boot Camp EnrollSide Hustler's Coaching WaitlistFree Side Hustler Freedom ToolkitSide Hustler's Handboohttps://coachscottyrussell.com/shop/p/sidehustlershandbookk CourseEp. 161  -  Find Your Secret Sauce    ----FREE TOOLKIT TO SIDE HUSTLE FREEDOM6 FREE resources to help you grow an audience and build a profitable creative side hustle outside your day job. Download here.FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREONWith as little as your weekly cup of coffee, you can support the growth of this show by backing us on Patreon.JOIN THE PRIVATE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR CREATORSJoin a like-minded FREE global community of kickass creators and take your side hustle to the next level. Your family is waiting.LISTEN ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCASTING APPApple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsOvercastYouTubeCONNECT WITH MEInstagramPodcast InstagramYouTubeTwitterTikTokPinterestCREDITSMusic  -  BlookahPodcast Editor  -  Aine BrennanExecutive Assistant  -  Paige GarlandPhoto & Video Specialist  -  Jared CunninghamSocial Media Coordinator  -  Hannah SchickAnimation Specialist  -  Greg D'Amico

To view the full episode show notes, visit:https://coachscottyrussell.com/side-hustlers-perspective/247Support for this episode comes from BuzzSumo.Supercharge your side hustle content strategy today with a FREE 30-Day Trial.--- Becoming Your Own BossThe majority of people listening to the podcast aim to become their own boss one day.To do so takes years of failing, experimenting, developing systems, and finding what works.It's not supposed to be easy—but the struggle is hella rewarding when things begin to click.Today's guest—Jimmy Bryant of Atomic Child Design—is a nature-inspired artist/brand slanging millions in merch across the land.To say Jimmy's story of “Washing dishes for $10/hour to becoming his own boss and making a killing off selling his work” is inspiring doesn't do it justice.I think you'll find it fascinating as well.In today's episode we talk shop on:Not chasing profits right away.Operating with a chip on your shoulder.Creating what you love and finding your niche.Becoming your own bossSelling merch, slow scaling, and more.The Goal: To empower you with motivation and actionable steps for becoming your own boss one day.---RESOURCES & REFERENCESSide Hustler's Boot Camp EnrollSide Hustler's Coaching WaitlistCONNECT WITH JIMMYWebsiteInstagramTwitterDribbble  ----FREE TOOLKIT TO SIDE HUSTLE FREEDOM6 FREE resources to help you grow an audience and build a profitable creative side hustle outside your day job. Download here.FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREONWith as little as your weekly cup of coffee, you can support the growth of this show by backing us on Patreon.JOIN THE PRIVATE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR CREATORSJoin a like-minded FREE global community of kickass creators and take your side hustle to the next level. Your family is waiting.LISTEN ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCASTING APPApple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsOvercastYouTubeCONNECT WITH MEInstagramPodcast InstagramYouTubeTwitterTikTokPinterestCREDITSMusic  -  BlookahPodcast Editor  -  Aine BrennanExecutive Assistant  -  Paige GarlandPhoto & Video Specialist  -  Jared CunninghamSocial Media Coordinator  -  Hannah SchickAnimation Specialist  -  Greg D'Amico

To view the full episode show notes, visit:https://coachscottyrussell.com/side-hustlers-perspective/246Support for this episode comes from BuzzSumo.Supercharge your side hustle content strategy today with a FREE 30-Day Trial.--- Flipping the Switch from Hobbyist to ProfessionalStruggling to get started or taking the next steps in your professional freelance pursuits?These tend to be the 4 biggest challenges holding back your sick gains:SystemsProcessesRoutinesBoundariesIn my opinion, these challenges are the behind-the-scenes work necessary to unlock your big breakthroughs and long-term success as a creative.Today's guest—James Martin of @Made.By.James—is a brand-by-hand-building juggernaut reigning in the UK.He's a wizard at showcasing his process within his content, which has helped him build client demand while educating his hungry, massive community (currently 220k+ on Instagram as of recording).He's also the author of his upcoming book: Your Honest Guide to Creativity and Logo Design.In today's episode we talk shop on:The business side of this game.How to avoid being stagnant and always learning.His 5-step system for working with clients.Streamlining processes and setting boundaries.Promoting your work, logos, and more.The Goal: To provide you with the next steps of flipping the switch from hobbyist to professional and taking control of your business.---RESOURCES & REFERENCESOrder James' BookSide Hustler's Coaching WaitlistCONNECT WITH JAMESWebsiteInstagramNewsletterYouTube---  ----FREE TOOLKIT TO SIDE HUSTLE FREEDOM6 FREE resources to help you grow an audience and build a profitable creative side hustle outside your day job. Download here.FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREONWith as little as your weekly cup of coffee, you can support the growth of this show by backing us on Patreon.JOIN THE PRIVATE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR CREATORSJoin a like-minded FREE global community of kickass creators and take your side hustle to the next level. Your family is waiting.LISTEN ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCASTING APPApple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsOvercastYouTubeCONNECT WITH MEInstagramPodcast InstagramYouTubeTwitterTikTokPinterestCREDITSMusic  -  BlookahPodcast Editor  -  Aine BrennanExecutive Assistant  -  Paige GarlandPhoto & Video Specialist  -  Jared CunninghamSocial Media Coordinator  -  Hannah SchickAnimation Specialist  -  Greg D'Amico

Henry Sims is a digital marketing nerd. Having started his career path in Mechanical Engineering and Kinesiology, he got frustrated with the boundaries of the traditional system. He left wanting more and not knowing what to do, which landed him in the world of entrepreneurship. He dove into the family businesses, where he found a deep interest in digital marketing. His passion and implementation of digital systems and strategies lead to further success of the family businesses. Since, he has worked with high level business coaches and consultants, politicians, local businesses, and more under his growing digital marketing agency, Zesty Owl. Use it because there are so many eyeballs there…and it's free Content changes a lot, but currently we see that a lot of educational content is very good as well as user content. We know subconsciously what an ad looks like….we skip by them. People want to know what's in it for them. If you can find the right content and the right…there often isn't a limit to how much you can post. But sometimes it can overwhelm people. They don't want to see the same kind of content over and over again. It's a balancing act and it depends on the platform Twitter…you need to put out a lot of content. YouTube you could be ok with putting out one video a week A lot of…businesses put out too many asks. one of the general basic rules is the 3:1 ratio…put out 2-3 pieces of content and then an ask. You don't want to keep asking all the time because there's no value in that When people don't really want to define their message and they'd rather just try and reach a lot of people, then you're diluting your message which means for those people that do matter to your business, you're giving them diluted content. So instead of trying to reach the masses…it's better to really define your message and create that content that is geared towards those people that are right for your business because they will see that and it will impact them far more than your diluted content meant for everyone. Likes is that little button we push…the engagement can be anything…see more, sharing it, commenting on it, it could be clicking the user name to see your profile. Those are all engagements. Don't care too much if they like it….if they are engaging with it, that's a good sign that it's grabbing someone's attention. It's more of a back end advertising metric that we can see Not everyone likes posts. The percentage of people that actually do like posts is low….knowing that people are clicking around on it on the back end is really valuable to know. And you can see that with your ads. If you're playing a strictly organic game, then you definitely want to drive up the comments and the shares…those are strong. A like is a very easy thing to do, putting a comment takes more time….the platforms want to make sure that gets seen by more people. Find what kind of content your audience resonates with and that's just a constant testing process. Buzzsumo  Social media is a long term game.  They build this trust over time and that gets them to reach out and get involved more. You want to be able to show who you are as well as what you do and that gives the viewers this kind of connection, some way that they can relate and connect with you and build trust with you. I like posts with photos. Photos are engaging and they help tell more than just text and they help portray an emotion differently than text does. It also, from just a pure advertising standpoint, it takes up more space i the feed so as you're scrolling through you have more chance of grabbing someone's attention by having a photo there instead of just text. I like to see new content (images) frequently but it depends on budgets and audience sizes. If your audience is very small…its going to be a lot easier and quicker to...

Affiliate marketing has been a huge source of passive income for me ever since I started blogging in 2015. It's because of affiliate marketing that I generate a steady side income of over $10,000 a month. So I wanted to do an episode on affiliate marketing, where I wanted to share some of the things I've learned so far. Then I realized a few months back I did an interview with Jules Dan for his podcast, Storytelling Secrets. In that episode, I shared my experience with affiliate marketing, the mistakes I committed while starting out, and shared a few actionable tips and tricks for affiliate marketing beginners. So I thought it'd be a great idea to publish my full interview with Jules Dan for this episode. (with his permission of course) This interview you're about to hear is from episode 46 of Storytelling Secrets. In this interview, I share everything I know about affiliate marketing. So if you'd like to dabble in affiliate marketing and would like to learn the secrets that will allow you to earn a steady stream of passive income each month, this episode is for you. Here are a few things this episode covers: Mistakes you should avoid in affiliate marketing How to incorporate storytelling in affiliate marketing 3 best affiliate marketing tools Tips to stand out in affiliate marketing 3 books I'd recommend to affiliate marketing beginners I hope you find the episode useful. -=-=-=-=- Resources discussed in the episode: Jules Dan's podcast (Storytelling Secrets) - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/storytelling-secrets-jules-dan-uzqlxKrb2Ng/ 3 Best Affiliate Marketing Tools Thirsty Affiliates - https://thirstyaffiliates.com/ OptinMonster - https://optinmonster.com/ BuzzSumo - https://buzzsumo.com/ -=-=-=-=- BONUS RESOURCES + FREE DOWNLOADS If you're a fan of the podcast, here are some FREE online marketing resources from my blog, 99signals, to help you level up your marketing skills: The Ultimate Blogging Toolkit (https://resources.99signals.com/blogging-tools-ebook) - This eBook features 75+ marketing tools to help you blog better and boost your traffic! Top-rated articles at 99signals (https://www.99signals.com/best/) - This page contains a list of all the top-rated articles on my blog. It's a great place to get started if you're visiting 99signals for the first time. More Resources for Entrepreneurs: 75+ Best Books for Entrepreneurs - https://www.99signals.com/best-books-for-entrepreneurs/ 10 Best YouTube Channels for Entrepreneurs - https://www.99signals.com/best-youtube-channels-entrepreneurs/ 10 Best TV Shows for Entrepreneurs - https://www.99signals.com/best-tv-shows-entrepreneurs/ -=-=-=-=- Visit https://www.99signals.com for more insights on SEO, blogging, and marketing. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sandeep-mallya/message

Check out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast AudienceQuestions are great. More and more, users are typing full questions into Google, rather than single words or phrases. Google can see this, and loves it when you answer them directly. If it's obvious what you're answering, they'll direct ever more users to your answers. On top of that, when you think in questions, you tend to solve a real problem. Solve someone's problem and they'll be a loyal listener for life! That's what powers real audience growth. So, where do we find these questions?“Answer the Public” is a great resource for this. It's a website which is similar, in a way, to the keyword tool discussed earlier, but it's designed to surface every possible question around a keyword or keyphrase. Type in your keyword - eg. podcasting - and you'll see a huge list of questions. You'll see them grouped by type - why? what? Who? - and you can refine it along the way. Wait till you see the questions that you never even considered!Next, let's use social media, and Twitter in particular, to see what people are asking, right now! The technique is simple: type in your keyword AND a ? or a question word. This prompts twitter to surface all tweets that ask a question related to your topic. Eg. Podcast AND ?meditation AND howNutrition AND whatAnother great resource is Quora, an entire website of questions! Type in your topic, or related keywords, and see what questions pop up.Finally, try Buzzsumo to see what type of content is really resonating with your niche right now. Type in your keywords and it'll surface the most shared content in your niche. This should give you ideas on what people are really connecting with right now. Task List: Pick at least one of the above tools and go in deep on it.Try all your topic or keyword variations and see if you can write down at least 10 of the most common questions people are asking.Use these as your next set of podcast topics and you'll increase your search visibility by a huge amount.Bonus points: use the Google keyword tool from above to check search volume and prioritise your questionsCheck out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast AudienceSupport the show (https://pod.academy)

John talks to Cheryl Clemons (LearnerLab, StoryTagger) and Steve Rayson (Kineo, Buzzsumo, Anders Pink) to get insights about how learning people can use marketing techniques to help engage learners. They also address the thorny question of whether and to what extent it makes sense for learning people to think like marketers.   TOPICS 01:25 Should you think like a marketer? 10:04 User-generated content (UGC) 13:40 Influencer marketing 16:46 Brand 24:50 Product design 28:24 AI 36:58 Evaluation   Steve mentions a tool called Satismeter used for collecting Net Promoter feedback - https://www.satismeter.com

On one hand, our Marketing RV hosts think the internet should be completely free from government regulation. Actually, that's the only hand that matters to both Ranalli and Volpe. They do recognize, however, that none are immune from making stupid decisions based on influencers. So maybe the solution is for individuals to be aware of the potential fraud in cyberspace and any space, and to do some homework before acting or reacting. Whether it's a purchase, a diet trend, trying a new exercise, or even commenting on a post, pause and think about the consequences. Sure, that's easier said than done but the alternative is a nanny state, and who wants that? Social media influencers is the topic of this podcast. One story our food-enthusiast hosts did not cover was the Fyre that burned a lot of young people expecting a luxury vacation and music festival.   Fyre may have singed the entire influencer industry, or at the very least created permanent smoke damage. Click here to read about the scandal involving a remote tropical island, models, and much anticipated music festival. If you're not familiar with the story, check out Vanity.     HIGHLIGHTS 01:00   Gene auditions for WKRP 01:15   Gene reveals a secret: ha has no hair! 04:30   16 UK social media influencers agree to disclose they are paid sponsors see who they are here. Do you know any of these 16? Lorraine knew none; Gene knew one. Here's an update to that story: 07:17   Should celebs disclose they are being paid to endorse products? Gene's use of UFC's Joe Rogan is just an example. He's still a fan! 13:20   “This is where Twitter stepped out of their space.”   14:25   Is Twitter dead? 17:55   Lorraine contends Mac and Microsoft choose to not get along. 19:00   Gene and Lorraine contend that government regulation will ruin the internet.      20:15   Gene admits to being lost without GPS. Find out where he goes to recalculate his route. 21:30   Gene and Lorraine are afraid of autonomous vehicles. 22:15   Two teens stumped by rotary phone challenge. Watch it here. 25:15   According to Buzzsumo, LinkedIn is the Heavyweight in B2B Content Marketing. 28:00   Gag me! Are we listening to Ranalli & Volpe or those polite little cartoon chipmunks Chip & Dale? 28:40   When did Lorraine become the grammar police?

This "Content Curation for L&D Professionals" episode of the HR L&D Podcast, is sponsored by Think Learning. Today, we are joined by CEO and Founder of Anders Pink, Stephen WalshStephen is an incredibly successful entrepreneur from within the content curation and learning and development space and has successfully co-founded with Steve Rayson, three content curation, e-learning and blended solutions companies including Kineo, BuzzSumo and more recently, Anders PinkAnders Pink aims to help teams stay smart through continuous learning and by curating relevant content. They help find, filter and share the latest content on any topic, client, sector or industry which saves businesses time by locating better content faster and therefore improving engagement. Anders Pink are also able to embed curated content into your Learning Platforms and this is something we find out much more about in this episode of the HR L&D Podcast!In this episode, we take a deep-dive into Stephen's 20-plus years in learning technology and communications to help us understand how learning and development practitioners can achieve a culture of continuous learning and content curation for their businesses.We also discover more about Stephen's book 'Content Curation for Learning' and we explore how L&D professionals can intelligently filter the way people see information and better support organizations by creating habit-forming practices that will help you to improve your processes for continuous learning and content curation.So, fasten your seat-belts for a journey deep into the world of content curation!In this episode of the HR L&D Podcast, we discover: * The biggest challenges to developing content curation processes * Why content curation is important in relation to Learning and Development professionals * The key strategies behind Stephen's "Seek, Sense and Share model". * The key skills you need to become a successful L&D content curator * The key takeaway practical steps you can immediately implement to successfully curate content * The key strategies you would recommend to help them make their content curation processes more efficient? * How easy is it to automate the content curation process * How you can own the content curation process? * The trends in content curation by sector * The key ‘tangible business benefits' of a business having a content curation strategy? * How Anders Pink can help you with your content curation objectivesTo find out more about the companies featured in this episode of the HR L&D podcast: * Find out more at www.anderspink.com * Click the link to access Stephen's book: 'Content Curation for Learning'...

In episode #5 of the Marketing Mantra podcast, I'll be talking about a simple SEO hack you can use to build high-quality backlinks. -=-=-=-=- Time-stamped Show Notes [00:29] Episode Topic: A Simple SEO Hack to Get High Quality Backlinks [01:18] This SEO hack is building backlinks through infographics. [01:59] The first aspect of designing an infographic involves keyword research. [02:10] Use tools like Google Image Search, Buzzsumo, and Pinterest to discover popular infographic topics. [03:37] Use design tools like Canva, Venngage, and Piktochart to design your own infographic. [06:13] Next, you need to promote your infographic and generate high-quality backlinks. [07:50] Generate an embed code for your infographic using Siege Media's Embed Code Generator. [08:39] Submit your infographic to infographic submission sites. [10:45] Promote your infographic on Reddit. Submit your infographics to this infographics subreddit. You can also share your content on these marketing subreddits. But be sure to read the guidelines. [11:38] Try Brian Dean's Guestographic Link Building Method to get tons of contextual backlinks. [14:22] That's it for this episode of Marketing Mantra! -=-=-=-=- Tools and resources discussed in the episode: 3 online tools to design infographics: 1. Canva - https://www.canva.com/ 2. Venngage - https://buff.ly/2OteACe 3. Piktochart - https://piktochart.com/ Want to hire a freelance designer to design your infographic? Check out these sites: 1. Fiverr - https://www.fiverr.com/ 2. Upwork - https://www.upwork.com 3. Freelancer - https://www.freelancer.com Siege Media Embed Code Generator - https://www.siegemedia.com/embed-code-generator 40 Infographic Submission Sites to Generate Backlinks - https://www.99signals.com/infographic-submission-sites/ How to Get Backlinks With Guestographics (by Backlinko) - https://backlinko.com/how-to-get-backlinks For a detailed explanation of the infographic link building technique, visit: https://www.99signals.com/high-quality-backlinks-infographics/ -=-=-=-=- BONUS RESOURCES + FREE DOWNLOADS If you're a fan of the podcast, here are some FREE online marketing resources from my blog, 99signals, to help you level up your marketing skills: The Essential Guide to Link Building with Infographics (https://resources.99signals.com/infographic-backlinks-pdf) - Did you know you could build high-quality, authoritative backlinks with well-designed infographics? This PDF guide will show you how you can easily design an infographic and quickly build high-quality backlinks to supercharge your SEO. Top-rated articles at 99signals (https://www.99signals.com/best/) - This page contains a list of all the top-rated articles on my blog. It's a great place to get started if you're visiting 99signals for the first time. -=-=-=-=- Visit https://www.99signals.com for more insights on SEO, blogging, and marketing. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sandeep-mallya/message

When you're just starting as an ecommerce seller, do you improve your Amazon listing first or get started on Facebook ads? There's no right or wrong order here. The main thing to remember is that you need to plan out how you can get both done at some point. In this episode, we're gonna tackle the Facebook side of things. As you may recall, I had my good friend Dave Huss join me in a previous podcast to talk about building a Facebook audience. I've had the chance to sit and have a chat with him again. And this time around, we'll be focusing on creating a Facebook page and being able to optimize it for engagement. If you're new to Facebook, find the quickest way you can earn from it. Remember, it's always good to have another revenue stream outside of Amazon. Here are some detailed steps you can follow. ENGAGEMENT 1. Ask yourself why people should care about your page. Based on your answer, pick the best niche that represents your product. Don't be afraid to go really specific, like creating a page dedicated to French cooking. 2. Select about 30 key/quality pieces of relevant content. You can use a tool like Buzzsumo to do this. If it's too costly a tool, you can do the research yourself. BUILDING THE MESSENGER LIST 3. Post or schedule posts 2-3 times initially. If you don't see traction on your posts within a couple of days, change something up. 4. Boost some of the posts to your core audience. 5. Try to get people to like the page. 6. Do a giveaway to get people on your Messenger list. Other Useful Resources: MyEcomcrew Online Merchants Guild Growth Scout Thanks for listening to this episode! If you enjoyed listening and think this episode has been useful to you, please take a moment to leave us a review on iTunes. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Happy selling!

In this episode, I sat down with “Paid Traffic Guy” himself - Dave Huss. Dave helps online entrepreneurs bring in new customers by leveraging paid traffic and using retargeting to recover lost sales through Growth Scout. He's also an ecommerce entrepreneur with brands in the arts and crafts niche that have a massive following on their respective Facebook business pages. And this was the focal point of our conversation. Dave gamely shared how he was able to leverage Facebook as a marketing platform for his products. His brands' business pages have 150,000 and 90,000 fans respectively. Here are Dave's best tips for building a following on Facebook and creating consistent engagement with the target audience. Figure out who your actual customers are. Create an avatar that embodies the key characteristics of your target demographic. Identify the “places”(e.g. social media platforms) they're hanging out in. Find a model for your own social media campaign. Take a look at your competitors, focus on brands that aren't that well known but have a strong social media following. See which aspects of their strategy can be applied to your own campaign.                                                     Test your products on your best-engaged fans, the people that care about what you're doing. Aim to reach the same people on multiple channels - social media, email etc. Run like campaigns. Spend time creating and curating engaging content. Build a content library using a scheduling tool like MeetEdgar to ensure that you have posts that are constantly in rotation. Incorporate videos in your social media posts. If you don't have the capability to create your own videos, look for cool and relevant ones on tools like Buzzsumo. At the end of the day, Dave reminds us that “...The Facebook page is not really for selling stuff. I really want to put that point across especially for Amazon sellers...The Facebook page is for building trust and engagement with your ideal customer…” Other Useful Resources: MyEcomcrew 7 Figure Seller Summit Thanks for listening to this episode! If you enjoyed listening and think this episode has been useful to you, please take a moment to leave us a review on iTunes. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Happy selling!

Stephen is still in missing in Chicagoland, so we once again retained the services of guest co-host Holly Harrison for an episode featuring two topics that could not be more completely unrelated to each other.First, Holly teaches us some media relations skills that gamedevs need to know (even if they don't want to), and then, because Stephen isn't around to stop us, Mark and Martha (but mostly Mark) talk about the history of Star Trek games! Media Relations 0:01:25 Holly HarrisonMarketingProductionHey you, indiedev, use presskit()!Write a better press release using the Inverted Pyramid - Todd Versteeg, Signature StyleHolly recommended “trying out” Buzzsumo and Buzzstream.Artist Statement Guidelines - Getting Your Sh*t TogetherSimilarweb - WikipediaAsk Holly your PR questions on twitter: @hollharris. Star Trek Games 0:31:20 Mark LaCroixGaming“How a Star Trek card game quietly continues, 10 years after its official end” - Cyrus Farivar, Ars TechnicaThe unreleased sequel to the Star Trek VCR board game was called “Borg Q-Uest.”… The "Q the Referee" CCG card that features a still taken from that game's unused footage. The fictional VCR board game from Community we mentioned was called “Pile of Bu…Mark talked about the end of the 90s-era Star Trek action figure line. That sto…“Looking At The Star Trek: TNG Interactive Technical Manual From 1994” - Will Stape, Treknews“The inside story of Apple's forgotten project: Quicktime VR” - Kif Leswing, Business InsiderYou can actually play “Star Trek: Klingon” on YouTube!“Language App Duolingo Finally Added Klingon” - David Murphy, Lifehacker“The best Star Trek games” - Richard Cobbett, PC Gamer“Jeff Bezos announces Amazon is picking up 'The Expanse'” - Richard Lawler, Engadget“Retrohistories: Secret of Vulcan Fury: Trek's Lost Adventure” - Chris Chapman, YouTube“The Game Archaeologist: Perpetual's Star Trek Online” - Justin Olivetti, EngadgetUbisoft teased on Twitter that DS9's USS Defiant will appear in Bridge Crew. Mark praised Star Trek: Ascendancy on a previous episode of the program. Nicest of 2016“Hogwarts Mystery Players Upset With Use of Microtransactions” - Shabana Arif, IGN

This episode is why content strategy will make you cry tears of joy! Prepare for launch as we blast off with the oracle Andy Crestodina, Chief Marketing Officer & Co-founder of Orbit Media Studios!  We undertake this mission to learn what you should be doing with your content, how to rocket boost an article, the benefit of trigrams, and which myths to obliterate! Takeaways Original research CRUSHES all other forms of content Work harder at headlines Indicate a benefit, be descriptive, & give people value Great content does NOT win Strongest factor for results = Promotion > Quality Social media is for networking, not leads! 3 hours 20 minutes is the average time it takes to write an article #1 tactic that correlates with strong results is influencer marketing Links Orbit Media Studios: https://www.orbitmedia.com/ Blog: https://www.orbitmedia.com/blog/ Twitter: @crestodina LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andycrestodina Podcast: https://www.orbitmedia.com/blog/category/podcast-content-matters/ Content Jam: https://www.contentjam.com/ BuzzSumo research: http://buzzsumo.com/blog/most-shared-headlines-study/

One way to enhance your social media efforts and get your product seen by more people is to connect with social media influencers. Are you asking what exactly a social media influencer is, and how you find one? This step-by-step guide will show you how to find social media influencers and why you might want to consider using them in your marketing strategy. Social Media Links mentioned: FameBit by YouTube: https://famebit.com/ Unboxed: https://www.unboxed.social/ Phlanx: https://phlanx.com/ Tool to find social media influencers- Buzzsumo: https://app.buzzsumo.com/ Blog post: How to Find Social Media Influencers: http://www.socialmediamarketingtipscanada.com/?p=2255&preview= A social media influencer is someone obviously with influence, but who has a large community surrounding them. So often an influencer will have one main social media platform that is their 'base' and then several other platforms that still have a large following. Thanks for listening! Let's connect! Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheSocialLaunch/?fref=ts | Twitter https://twitter.com/lesliemcdermid | Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thesociallaunch/ Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/socialmediatips/

In this episode we're joined by Steve Rayson, Director at BuzzSumo. When it comes to SaaS growth, a lot of content and discourse focuses on hyper-growth tactics with a (false) promise that they'll magically turn you into a unicorn. But unicorns a rare. They are outliers, so I caught up with Steve Rayson, Director at BuzzSumo, to hear about another path you can take, and it's that of a SaaS Donkey. By putting sustainability and profitability above hyper-growth, BuzzSumo have built a steady SaaS business that is loved by growth and content marketers alike, going from beta launch to $5M ARR over the last three years or so. In this episode, Steve tells us about: - How BuzzSumo challenged the Unicorn Orthodoxy and became a so called SaaS Donkey - Some of the key factors that enabled BuzzSumo to go from $0 to $2.5M ARR - The role of influencer marketing in SaaS growth including how influencers such as Rand Fishkin & Matthew Barby helped spread the word about BuzzSumo - How BuzzSumo set growth targets and went from $2.5M to $5M in ARR - The things BuzzSumo might have done differently with the gift of hindsight alongside what they have planned for the future BuzzSumo >> buzzsumo.com Proud To Be A SaaS Donkey >> buzzsumo.com/blog/proud-donkey-buzzsumo-reflections-growing-5m-saas-business Anders Pink >> www.anderspink.com Follow Steve on Twitter >> twitter.com/steverayson The Growth Hub >> www.advanceb2b.com/thegrowthhub Advance B2B >> www.advanceb2b.com The Growth Hub on Twitter >> twitter.com/SaaSGrowthHub Edward on Twitter >> twitter.com/NordicEdward

[smart_track_player url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/7figureceo/7CEO_057__Taking_Control_Of_Your_Business_With_Kim_Walsh-Phillips.mp3″ title=”7CEO 057: Take Control Of Your Business With Kim Walsh-Phillips” artist=”Casey Graham” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ] Kim has two companies that are all about creating ROI for her clients through lead generation. She hates awareness campaigns because for too long she thought you marketed just for awareness, but learned it is all about ROI. You can market through results and not just pay to get your name out there. She founded and runs two companies: Lead Digital Group – generates revenue for companies using social media Elite Capital Advisors – generates seminar attendees for financial advisors She spent 10 years struggling going day to day hoping she could pay the bills and made a change when a friend gave her No B.S. Direct Marketing by Dan Kennedy. She started applying direct response marketing ideas with social media and started seeing great results. Over time she was able to present what she had done to Dan, which led to them writing a book together, No B.S. Guide to Direct Response Social Media Marketing (his #1 selling book of all time). After 10 years in business and many iterations, they reached the 7-figure mark.   LINKS Elite Digital Group: Connect with Kim & her team No B.S. Direct Marketing by Dan Kennedy & Kim Walsh-Phillips No B.S. Guide to Direct Response Social Media Marketing by Dan Kennedy & Kim Walsh-Phillips BuzzSumo: Find the most shared content & key influencers Email your top take-aways and learnings to Casey@CaseyGraham.com   TOP TAKE-AWAYS BREAKING THROUGH 7 FIGURES Kim realized she had to take charge of her life and business. After 10 years in business, she did a few things that helped her & recommends them to other business leaders: Shut Up Your Head Trash – stop telling yourself the story that you can't do it or what people will think when you do do it. We all have things we tell ourselves and mindsets that we must overcome to breakthrough Invest In Education – you have to spend money and time to help you find a different path, new skills and challenge the way you've always done things Position Yourself As The Expert – you have to provide valuable content from your voice and experience every week to your audience Take Control Of Your Prospect Meetings – instead of chasing your leads around, you have to take charge and “prospective client interview” Say “No” To The Wrong Clients – if there are clients you don't want to work with, you have to get rid of them – they're not worth the income & you need more leads so you can replace them Raise Your Prices – price is not an arbitrary number, it should be equal to the value you're providing HOW TO PRICE YOUR PRODUCTS/SERVICES The prices of your products and/or services should be based on the value that you're bringing. You need to be able to prove the value you're providing for the end user to validate their cost. If your prices are too low, the perceived value is low as well and they're more likely to get rid of you or not buy from you again. But, if your prices are higher, they perceived value is higher as well. BE THE EXPERT You have to step and platform yourself as the expert in your niche. You can do this by sharing valuable content to your audience. To learn what people are interested in, use BuzzSumo. That shows you what people are sharing on social media and you can give them exactly what they're looking for. You can create a monthly content calendar using that information. Do not spend time highlighting other people – you become the expert in your field. HIRING THE RIGHT PEOPLE Always make your candidates jump through hoops. That will prove that they are willing to go above and beyond. You need to have a quick Round One in your interview process so you're not wasting a bunch of time. Two tools to use are: Indeed – you can post your job listings and get more applicant leads Acuity Scheduling – that's an online scheduler that helps setup interview calls Kim also gives each new hire 90 days for intense on-boarding. She understands they need time to understand your company and services before they're able to represent them well. And they need time to understand the expectations you have of them. DAILY MEETING & TEAM SYSTEM Kim's team has a very specific system on how they interact on a daily basis. They have a daily meeting that includes the following: Word Of The Day – Each person shares one word that describes how they're feeling Daily Theme – Each day they focus on a different area (Motivation Monday, etc.) Basecamp Review – Each person shares their Basecamp projects for accountability Numbers Review – Each person shares where they stand with their Key Performance Indicators Agenda Items – Someone can add an item to the agenda ahead of time they need to talk about with the team LEARN FROM THE PEOPLE YOU WOULD TRADE PLACES WITH A lot of people will give you advice, but you need to filter through what they're telling you. Listen to the people who you would be willing to trade places with. If you don't like or agree with what their advice has done for them, you probably shouldn't listen to them. Email your top take-aways and learnings to Casey@CaseyGraham.com

In this episode of the SaaS Business Podcast, Ron Gaver's guest is Nick Raithel of Content Corps. Nick and Ron discuss the unique requirements startups have for content marketing. Nick points out some of the “dos” and “don'ts” of content marketing stressing the need to begin by building relationships with clients before trying to market their products or services. He describes road-mapping, a tool used by Content Corps to plot a client's marketing course, delve into competitors' tactics, and define success in advance. He discusses how road-mapping can save you time and money. He discusses the various types of content and channels for content marketing. One of his favorite types of content is email courses. When done correctly, email courses can help you win your customers' loyalty. When done incorrectly, they may turn customers away because they are perceived as marketing. With email courses and content marketing in general, the idea is to lead with value and avoid creating content that is nothing more than a thinly concealed sales pitch. He examines the various ways entrepreneurs can use social media to amplify their content by building relationships and increasing audience exposure. He then points out that published books are often overlooked as a marketing tool to build personal authority and set you apart from your competitors. Nick closes out the show with the four most damaging content marketing mistakes aspiring entrepreneurs make and offers an exclusive bonus to listeners of the SaaS Business Podcast in the form of free course tools. See SaaSBusinessPodcast.com/018 for transcript. Please see Disclosure* (below transcript) concerning affiliate links on this page. #AskGaryVee – Nick Raithel used #AskGaryVee (Gary Vaynerchuk) as an example of repurposing content. See the separate entry for Gary in this list for more information about him and what he does. Listen or read at 36:30. Audible* – I'm a podcaster. I like audio. I can listen while I do other things. Audible is now part of Amazon.com. In this episode, Nick Raithel recommends Audible to those of us with busy lives as a way to educate ourselves on the go. New users receive a 30-day free trial, as well as one free story when they register. Listen or read at 40:53. AWeber* – I am an AWeber customer and affiliate. AWeber is email marketing software. I find it to be an affordable solution satisfying my current needs. AWeber employees and (and as far as I know disinterested) third parties have told me that messages sent by AWeber end up in the Spam folder less often than some of their competitors' messages because of their conservative approach. Erik Harbison, the Chief Marketing Officer for AWeber, will be discussing the marketing stack for a SaaS company in an upcoming episode (it is in post-production now). The episode is about the various marketing tools he has used for SaaS companies more than it is about AWeber. This is in alignment with what Nick Raithel says in this episode. Listen or read at 22:53. Buffer – I am a Buffer user. Buffer is SaaS for social media automation. Buffer currently provides queues, schedules, and analytics for Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Integrations with the browser and smartphones make buffering a post easy. Reposting (at least on the basic plan) turns into a manual process, which has driven me to another app for reposting and may eventually lead to me discontinuing Buffer. Buffer analyzes engagements with your posts and can suggest an optimized schedule based on maximum engagement. Buffer can monitor Instagram for engagement but does not provide the capability to post to Instagram. Listen or read at 19:11. Buzzsumo – According to the site, Buzzsumo allows you to analyze “what content performs best for any topic or competitor,” and to “find the key influencers to promote your content.” The current pricing model has the starter plan for bloggers and small teams at too high a price point for me to try at this time. Other guests have recommended it, and I hear good things from elsewhere. If is seems like a tool you need and you can justify the price, I think you should give it a try. Listen or read at 19:28. Content Corps – Content Corps Is Nick Raithel's company specializing in content marketing services for startups. Their services cover the gamut of content marketing. Some specific areas of focus are road-mapping the customer's current and future state, creating an editorial calendar for consistent content production, creating email courses, helping clients publish books to enhance their personal and brand authority, and tailored social media engagement. Content Corps Bonuses for SaaS Business Podcast Listeners – Nick Raithel has provided two free courses as an exclusive bonus to SaaS Business Podcast listeners: “Deadly Mistakes in Content Marketing” and “The Faster Content Mini-Course.” According to Nick, the first is “a quick guide showing you seven mistakes you must avoid when doing content marketing,” and the second is “a short, actionable mini-course to help you learn faster ways to create killer content for your blog and social media.” Listen or read at 44:22. Drip – Drip is email marketing software that allows you (according to the site) “to trigger an email, campaign or tag based on any action a user takes, be it expressing interest in a topic, downloading a sample chapter of your book, starting a trial of your software, or viewing your upgrade page.” Drip also provides a visual workflow design capability for your marketing campaigns. Listen or read at 04:54. Gary Vaynerchuk – “Gary Vee” started out doing irreverent videos about wine. He is not your typical wine snob, and this set him apart. Add to that a fair amount of hustle and you will find Gary the author of five books available on Amazon,* videos, a podcast, etc. His books are about the things has done and how to do them. His book Crush It is about personal branding and Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook is about standing on in a noisy world. Listen or read at 36:30. Infusionsoft – Infusionsoft is a marketing stack for small businesses. They currently provide email marketing and customer relationship management (CRM) with all plans. Other plans provide sales automation and e-commerce. Listen or read at 22:53. MailChimp – MailChimp is email marketing software. Listen or read at 22:53. Marcus Aurelius – A Roman emperor's reflections on Stoic philosophy, published from 170-180 AD. Nick Raithel alludes to this work in his discussion about how personal study into Stoicism can give an entrepreneur mental toughness when facing challenges and disappointments. Listen or read at 43:18. Salesforce – Salesforce is one of the original SaaS companies to make it “big.” Originally customer relationship management (CRM) SaaS, it is now more of an ecosystem of apps and extensions. Founder and CEO Marc Benioff has chronicled the history of the company in his book Behind the Cloud* written with Carlyle Adler. Dreamforce, their annual expo, draws more than 100,000 people to San Francisco. If you click on the link provided, you should recognize some of the speakers. Nick Raithel mentions Salesforce as the model of what most SaaS businesses are not likely to become stating that most successful SaaS entrepreneurs are more like to become “quiet millionaires” like those studied in the book The Millionaire Next Door (see entry in this list). Listen or read at 42:30. Seneca* – When Nick Raithel discussed Stoic philosophy and its applicability to modern entrepreneurship, he specifically mentions Letters from a Stoic*. To illustrate this similarity here is an excerpt from Amazon's webpage [preceding link] about Letters from a Stoic: “This selection of Seneca's letters shows him upholding the austere ethical ideals of Stoicism—the wisdom of the self-possessed person immune to overmastering emotions and life's setbacks….” I'm not sure you can get that into 140 characters. It may be a bit too much for us today. Listen or read at 43:18. Stoicism* – Nick Raithel mentioned Stoic philosophy having applicability to modern entrepreneurship. See the entries for Marcus Aurelius and Seneca in this list. Listen or read at 43:18 The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy* by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko ­­– Originally written in 1998 and revised in 2010, the book presents the results of a study of millionaires and identifies seven common traits. Nick Raithel mentioned the book as a good fit for SaaS entrepreneurs. Listen or read at 41:13. See SaaSBusinessPodcast.com/018 for transcript. *Disclosure: Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you purchase through these links. These commissions help to cover the cost of producing the podcast. I am affiliated only with companies I know and trust to deliver what you need. In most cases, affiliate links are to products and services I currently use or have used in the past. I would not recommend these resources if I did not sincerely believe that they would help you. I value you as a visitor/customer far more than any small commission I might earn from recommending a product or service. I recommend many more resources with which I am not affiliated than affiliated. In most cases where there is an affiliation, I will note it, but affiliations come and go, and the notes may not keep up.

In today's episode, Andy is joined by Steve Rayson, Director at BuzzSumo, to talk about how to create content that is more likely to be shared online. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

   Right click to download the mp3 to your desktop. Influencer marketing - what is it? How does it work? Is it only for big businesses with bigger budgets? Find out how any business can put influencer marketing to work for them today with superhero of marketing Susan Moeller of Buzz Sumo.