3 Ways B2B Enterprises Can Leverage Podcasting

Written by Robin Thompson on April 14, 2020. Posted in Blog, Business Development, Leadership, Podcasting, Publishing, Sales, Vocal Leadership.

Podcasts' popularity has the potential to open doors for every company, including B2B. Here are three ways B2B enterprises can leverage podcasting

The most popular podcasts are businesses unto themselves. From interview formats to history lessons to true-crime storytelling, long-form spoken content has captured the imagination of the public. A staggering 165 million Americans have listened to a podcast at some point. Top podcasts earn millions of viewers and attract top-paying advertisers.

If you operate a business-to-business enterprise, this may seem to have nothing to do with you. Your warm market is not millions strong—you may only be a few thousand appropriate prospects in the world. Even if all of them became avid listeners, it wouldn’t attract big advertising dollars.

Still, a successful podcast isn’t just about direct revenue. Podcasts are relatively easy, cheap, and even fun to produce, and their popularity has the potential to open doors for every company, including B2B.

Here are three ways B2B enterprises can leverage podcasting.

1. Establish Yourself as an Authority

Producing an authoritative podcast makes you an authority. Podcasting can up your cache in your industry, even if your content does not specifically target your B2B warm market.

If your podcast resonates with the consumer base of your B2B vertical, B2B prospects will take notice. It could lead them to favor your brand over competitors as their B2B vendor. They might agree to be guests on your podcast, establishing their own authority and forming a bond of reciprocity that could blossom into a business relationship.A quality podcast could open the door to speaking engagements, exclusive invitations, and VIP industry insider status. No convention MC is mad about including “Host of the popular podcast XYZ…” when they list the credentials of the keynote speaker in their introduction.

2. Laser-Target Your Warm Prospects

The smaller size and specialization of your warm market is a good thing when it comes to podcast promotion. There may not be many of them, but all of them will be interested in what you have to say. There may only be a handful of podcasts targeted directly to their needs. You could target your prospects with paid search or email campaigns with your podcast as the content.

Consider—a prospect may spam-file a marketing email or scroll right past a social media ad … but a podcast with an attractive subject matter specific to their industry? That may go on the Bluetooth media player of your prospect’s car on the drive to work. Talk about making a warm prospect even warmer.

3. Hone a Brand Message

To cut through the noise in a crowded marketplace, you need a brand message that sets you apart. B2B companies probably already know this, but they may not know how to communicate that voice to the world.

One of the keys to the podcast boom is the unique ability of the format to humanize the podcaster. Like FDR’s fireside chats (arguably the original podcast), it’s a chance for listeners to dive deep into an aloof public persona and find the genuine person beneath.

Podcasts allow you to tell your story—articulate the journey that led you to your position of expertise. Even if a mass audience does not gravitate to your content, it’s an opportunity to forge a personal connection with the B2B prospects who will resonate with your message.

It’s a chance to be edgy, honest, unflinching and authentically you, to put your brand purpose out into the world and see what comes back.

Ready to put into the world your voice and your brand's purpose?

The Tremendous Power Of The Pause In…Your Leadership

Written by Robin Thompson on April 3, 2020. Posted in Blog, Personal Development, Video, Vocal Leadership, Voice.

During these extraordinary times, I invite you to find and embrace the tremendous power of the pause in…your leadership. Take a look

We are living extraordinary times. Times of change where we are all being asked to stop, to observe ourselves with more intention, to act with more kindness. From a distance.

This is a time where we have the opportunity to consider what we have been taking for granted and make some choices.

I invite you to consider making a small shift. A small shift that carries huge change and opportunities with it.

Hey, it's Tina Dietz coming to you live from my office studio here after a long day of having many conversations with leaders from all over the US and Canada.

And what's on everybody's mind?

How are we going to keep doing business as usual when nothing is business as usual?

And here's the opportunity.

We live in extraordinary times.Which gives us the opportunity to be extraordinary leaders.

Now, what does that mean? Does it sound like a lot of pressure?Do you say to yourself “Oh, I'm already a leader, and now I just got to figure this out.”

Well, I would request that right here right now in this moment that you actually just pause.

There is so much power in taking a pause.For your mind.For your spirit.And for whoever you're communicating with.

We live in a world where we are very uncomfortable with silence.

Even in a moment of silence, you're thinking to yourself “What are they going to say next? What are they going to do next? What am I going to say next? What am I going to do next?”

And that is a lost opportunity.

Because it is only in the listening of ourselves, and in the listening of others that we truly have an opportunity to create something new.

Our brains chatter the same thing about 85% of the time. By the time you're thirty, your personality is pretty well solidified. You have very similar vocal patterns. You have very similar mental pattern. Not that we don't learn new things; we do. But our personalities get kind of firmed up. And now, with all of the change happening, we have the ability and the opportunity to consider what we have been taking for granted. And maybe make some choices around making small shifts.

So, the small shift I'm asking you to make today is to give yourself more room to pause, and more room for silence.In your own life, and the conversations that you're having.

Before you respond to something somebody says —you're in a team meeting, you're in a conversation, you're running the meeting and you feel like you have to have all the answers— take a deep breath with everybody.

Invite everybody to take a pause together.“Let's just take a minute, and give this a little thought. Let's just take a moment and consider what was just said. Let's just take a moment to take a deep breath together. How are you guys doing?”

And let the moment settle before you get into a checklist, before you get into who's doing what and when and how, in that agile daily huddle rapid speed delivery that we all have.

So, that is what I'd love for you to consider today. in upping your leadership game. Particularly, your vocal leadership game, is the power of the pause.

There's a lot more ways that we can use pauses in our vocal leadership and in our delivery and in our presence to make a difference with our teams to engage, and inspire, and inform, and create beautiful, beautiful levels of performance in others as a leader.

We can talk about that if you want.Send me a message and we can talk more about that. You can learn more in some of the articles below.

And just enjoy as much as possible in all of the fracas that we're dealing with now.

Take a moment.

You deserve it. Your people deserve it.

We're All in This Together. Take care.

How much are you allowing yourself (and your team) to pause?

What’s The Right Book To Write For Your Mission?

Written by Robin Thompson on March 4, 2020. Posted in Audiobook Marketing, Blog, Business Development, Publishing.

Let me guess…you've got at least 3 book ideas clamoring in your head, but you can't sit down and write ANY of them! Here's the help you need, from publisher and book development expert, Julie Ann Eason.

Let me guess…You’ve got about 3 different books in your head, all clamoring to be written. So why can’t you just sit down and write them?

They’re all important. They all help people. They’ll all position you as the expert in your industry. You just have to figure out the right one. Right?

I see it every day, unfortunately. Would-be authors going around and around in their brains trying to figure out which direction to go.

There’s probably a book you really want to write, one you think you should write but it doesn’t excite you, and then there’s the real book. The gem. The one that’s going to set you apart and truly showcase your unique brilliance. The book of your heart. You may not even know it exists, but it’s there. You just have to uncover it.

The Right Book Will Align With Your Audience, Purpose, and Goal

The mistake most nonfiction authors make is starting from the inside. They think what do I WANT to write about? That’s where they get stuck because they know so much about their topic that they could write ten books! They struggle for months or even years puttering away on a draft, trying to figure out what’s the most important information they can share with their audiences. That’s a lot of pressure. It wastes a LOT of time and often money. And it’s why my clients come to me for book development, even when they’re already great content creators.

Instead of working from the inside-out, we switch it up and think from the outside-in. That means instead of trying to figure out what you want to say, think about your reader and what they need to hear. We start by answering three questions.

1. Who’s your audience?

Who, exactly, will be reading this book? What’s their problem? What’s your solution? This is the starting point for any book, especially a nonfiction book that’s going to attract people to your business.

2. What’s the purpose or promise of your book?

What will those readers be able to do when they finish your book? How will they be changed? What will they believe? If this isn’t clear from the start, no one’s going to read your book. It won’t even get noticed.

3. What’s the goal for you as the author?

What do you want the reader to do when they’re finished reading? Do you want them to hire you? Buy a product? Donate to a cause? Change their life? Feel better about themselves? Vote a certain way? Writing and publishing a book is a major investment of time, energy, and money. There should be an ROI for you as the author.

These three questions form the foundation of your book development. They must align, if you’re going to have a successful book. Think of your book the missing link between you and your reader. If the book is aligned with what they need and what you want, you have a direct connection and they will likely want to know more about you and what you do. If your book is completely off-base and misaligned, well, that connection may never happen.

I recently consulted with a well-regarded public speaking coach. She wanted to grow her business helping people feel more comfortable delivering value from the stage. When she came to me, she wanted to write a book on women’s empowerment. She told me she had no idea how to get her book out of her head and onto the page. She just couldn’t understand why she was having so much trouble getting started. The reason was simple: her business goals and her book topic didn’t align with what her readers needed. She needed to write a book like How To Nail Your Next Presentation, not one about women’s issues. Once we worked through her book development, she changed direction to align with her clients’ needs and all the pieces just naturally fell into place. The actual writing flowed easily after that.

If you’re not sure where to start or you’re struggling to get the words down on the page, you might be trying to write the wrong book. Remember, work from the outside-in. Once you’ve got your book subject, target audience, and overall business goals in alignment, things tend to move along more smoothly.

Good luck, and I can’t wait to read your book!

Julie Anne Eason is a book development expert and the author of The Profitable Business Author and The Work At Home Success Guide. She had ghostwritten New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling books for industry leaders like Russell Brunson, Annie Grace, and Cristy “Code Red” Nickel. Her publishing company Thanet House Books offers a variety of writing and publishing services for nonfiction authors. She also founded The Nonfiction Book Academy to help people write and publish their books on their own. Want some help with your book? Click here to tell us about your project.

Julie Anne Eason – Book development and self-publishing expert

Taking Care of Your Money Maker

Written by Robin Thompson on September 12, 2019. Posted in Blog, Business Development, Creating Wealth, Leadership, Voice.

Your voice is your livelihood. You spend a great deal of time and effort using it to communicate with the masses. It is vital to your success. But examining the self-care movement reveals that the topic of caring for your voice gets very little attention.

As a physical therapist with an extensive background treating patients who did not respond to other interventions, I learned that the fastest path to healing and optimizing function is in treating nerves.

Nerves control everything and sometimes they get pinched between bones, muscles, ligaments, and more. If you change the nerve input to the body, the pain and mobility immediately changes.

The nerve that I have found yields the most profound effects on the body is the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is a major parasympathetic pathway that comes out of your brainstem. It is outside of your spinal cord. Ideally the vagus nerve has an optimal tone, or range in which it fires. The gold standard measurement is heart rate variability (HRV).

Everyone has an optimal HRV range based on their age. Someone who is anxious or stressed has a high HRV, exceeding the boundaries of this optimal range.

Trauma sometimes shuts down the vagus nerve to the point where we go into freeze mode.

Someone who is traumatized to the point of freeze or severely depressed may have a flattened HRV, not filling the optimal range.

The feeling of having a high HRV is easily identifiable. When you get stressed and get that lump in your throat, your heart races, your palms sweat, and you get constipated or have diarrhea, that all happens because your vagus nerve is suppressed.

This is the same as being in “fight or flight” mode. It can be induced by stress or trauma. Many people live constantly in an elevated state of fight or flight. In this state our sympathetic nervous system dominates, and the calming parasympathetic pathways don’t always recover to a point of balance.

Due to the size of the vagus nerve and far-reaching effects, removing mechanical trauma to give it more room to move has a seeming “magic wand” effect on a myriad of problems in the body.

I have very specific exercises that I teach to my clients based on my examination findings and their goals. Often where a patient is experiencing symptoms is not where the problem is. Keeping the vagus nerve free to move at all of its major choke points goes a long way toward preventing everything from hoarseness to back pain.

How does vagus nerve compression show up in your body? Here’s some general info and what can you do about it! These exercises do not have any known precautions or contraindications. If you have any questions or concerns, please consult with your healthcare team before proceeding.

Side effects may include calming your pre-show jitters, making you sound smooth on the airwaves, improving your interview skills, prevention of voice disorders, normalized digestion, decreased pain and inflammation, resolution of trauma, healing of heart issues, reduced anxiety, and experiencing more pleasure.

Voice: Trauma and stress always shows up in the breath and the voice. The vagus nerve innervates muscles of speech and swallowing. One of the exciting developments in my profession has been the use of vocalization exercises for patients with incontinence. These patients are literally causing excess downward pressure causing them to pee on themselves because their voices are all bottled up, mechanically and spiritually. Keep your throat chakra open. Remedy: Chant. You can chant “Om”, vowels, Sanskrit, even curse words. Just chant.
Breath: Again, trauma always affects the voice and the breath. In the midst of stress and trauma, our diaphragms go from being a nice round dome, to a flattened one. Remedy: Exhale. The major exhalation muscle, the transversus thoracis, sits under the breast bone and is often tight, keeping us breathing shallowly. You can stretch it out by inhaling for a count of five, holding for a count of eight, and exhaling like you are blowing up a balloon for a count of thirteen. The voice exercise will help with this, too.
Heart: Our vagus nerve innervates our heart, and thus generates the electromagnetic fields of heart, which is what connects us to others. Some interesting research has found that our electromagnetic fields synchronize with the electromagnetic field of the earth, and that when space weather disrupts the earth’s field, it also shows up as a disruption in ours. The severity to which it disrupts appears to be dependent on the strength of our interpersonal connections. This connection is 360-degrees, yet most of us only pay attention to the 180 degrees in front of us. Remedy: Inhale in to the back side of your heart for five repetitions. Bonus: Amplify the benefit by using the 5-8-13 breathing pattern.
Head: When you have a forward head posture, you are pinching your vagus nerve at the base of your skull. Remedy: First, identify the tragus of your ear. It is the tab that you would use to cover the opening to your ear to dampen sound or otherwise avoid hearing. Gently grab the tragus of each ear between your thumb and index finger, and pull each one sideways, like your head is a piece of taffy and you are unwrapping it. Hold for one minute. Bonus: Do the 5-8-13 breathing while you are holding this stretch to amplify the benefits.
Pelvis: Most of us sit way too much. Our pelvic floor gets weak because of the convenience of chairs and seated toilets. Many people don’t get in and out of squatting positions often, taking their joints through a full range of motion and keeping the pelvic floor strong and flexible. Remedy: Guided imagery often works well with the pelvic floor. Bring your attention to your lower abdomen. If you are familiar with chakras, you can bring your attention to your second chakra. Imagine breathing in and out of your pelvic floor and gradually extending the breath up to the top of your head to clear a channel between your pelvic floor and the top of your head. Bonus: This activity addresses all five compression points!

Melanie Weller spent over 25 years in the field of physical health as an athletic trainer and Physical Therapist. she is a board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, a Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults, and a Certified Athletic Trainer.Though Melanie spent most of her career in an outpatient orthopedic setting, she also has worked in hospitals, schools, and home health. Melanie's practice and teachings now looks beyond basic bodywork to the imprint of culture, society, ancestry (and more) on our ability to understand and access our greater intelligence.

Melanie Weller – Physical Therapist, Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, Certified Athletic Trainer and Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults

How To Create a Lead Magnet To Attract Fans and Customers

Written by Robin Thompson on August 1, 2019. Posted in Blog, Leadership, Marketing, Sales.

Do you want more fans? Do you want more buyers? Do you want more listeners? Do you want leads for your business? Do you want to connect with your audience in a meaningful way?

Your Lead Magnet can do all of these.

It can turn a listener into a fan because it gives them something interesting and useful, from you.
It can get you more buyers for your products and services because it gives them something that solves their problem.
It can get you more listeners because it may be the first contact an online searcher has with you.
It will get you leads for your business. That is its purpose.
And finally, the lead magnet will help you to connect with members of your audience in a meaningful way because you get to communicate with your leads via email and share information that you don’t share as part of your show.

It's been said, “the better the lead magnet, the bigger the list”.

Actually, I said it many years ago and continue to say it because it’s true.

Yes, I am talking about the lead magnet. The enticing content that makes your reader, listener, audience member want to give you their email address so you can communicate with them on a regular basis ‘privately’ by email.

In all truth, the lead magnet can make or break a lead generation process. A good one will lead to success and a bigger email list. A bad one will lead to dismay because few people will want to get on your list.

Is a Lead Also A Potential Customer?

The short answer is “No”.

A lead is an unqualified contact. Any person that hasn’t been qualified as a prospect is a lead. In the sales process you do this:

Gather leads > Qualify them into prospects > Move them through your sales funnel to become a paying customer.

For example: Your customer is a sales manager in a Fortune 500 company. You may have 50 people download your lead magnet and give you their email address. Of those 50 people, 23 are solo business owners, 5 are business consultants, 11 are virtual assistants, and 12 are sales managers. All of these people are leads.

A prospect is an individual or organization that fits your criteria to be a potential customer. They don’t have to express interest in what you are selling to be considered a prospect, they just have to fit the right qualifications.

For example: Of the 50 people who gave you email addresses, all are leads and 12 are prospects, aka potential customers.

What Is A Lead Magnet?

A lead magnet is anything of value that you offer for free in exchange for someone’s email address.

You can do it through a creative landing page or a simple graphic on your website.

It’s referred to as a “magnet” because it is part of an attraction marketing effort. You want to attract people to your site and program so you offer an enticing freebie. The freebie acts like a magnet, attracting those who are interested in what you’re offering. Those who give you their email address in exchange for that freebie are Leads.

Leads can become prospects.

There are two ways they can qualify to be prospects:

they click on links inside the lead magnet
they click on links inside the emails you send to them (because they’re on your list)

What can you create and offer that is irresistible to your ideal customer?

What can you create and offer that delivers real value and piques their interest in your paid offers?

What steps are involved to create a lead magnet?

Create a Lead Magnet in 5 Steps

1. Know Your Ideal Customer

Your program is focused on a target audience. This means your lead magnet should be of value to the buyer inside your target audience or the buyer that you want to be a part of your audience.

Everyone listening to your program isn't your ideal customer, but your ideal customer is listening to your program.

It is possible that you have multiple ideal customers. Don't try to create a lead magnet for all of them. Instead, create a separate one for each distinct Ideal Customer.

2. Know What Your Ideal Customer Wants

You must give them a reason to download your lead magnet. The best lead magnet is the one that gives a quick solution to a common problem your ideal buyer is facing. The quicker they experience results from your lead magnet, the better.

3. Name Your Lead Magnet

You now know what you're offering and to whom, so naming your lead magnet will be easy. Similar to creating an attention-getting headline for your episode or a blog post for maximum listening or viewing, the name will help you get maximum downloads. Keep it simple, base it on the one challenge and one solution you present in it.

4. Choose The Type Of Lead Magnet To Offer

The most common lead magnets are PDF guides and reports. However, there are other options and there is a list right after step 5. The important thing for you to keep in mind is this:

Keep It Simple. The easier it is to create, the better. The easier it is to download and digest the better.

You want to solve their problem and move them into your sales funnel quickly. Choose a format that allows for fast delivery and consumption.

5. Create Your Lead Magnet

You're done with the strategic work, now you have to actually create the lead magnet.

Let’s look at the types of lead magnets that work well for many podcasters and radio hosts.

Types of Lead Magnets You Can Create Today

Now you know what a lead magnet is, why you should have one, and the 5 steps to creating it.

The most important thing for you to keep in mind is this: you already have the knowledge and likely have the content on hand, so don’t complicate it!

If you have a blog you have an eBook.
If you have an online course you have a cheat sheet.
If you have show notes or transcripts you have a resource guide.

The following list is meant to get you thinking about how you can put your content into a format that will be attractive and useful for your ideal customer. That’s all. If it seems weird or like it’s too much work, then cross it off the list. If it seems doable or like something you may already have on hand, then circle it.

A Short Guide or Report
Focus on one specific solution for one challenge your ideal customer is experiencing. This could be something like: – show how to prepare their next presentation so their team understands what they need to do- walk through the steps of preparing a speech that inspires or motivates- teach them what to look for when hiring a team member
A Cheat Sheet
Cheat sheets are more than a checklist but not as in-depth as a guide or report. They’re only a few pages and they get straight to the point. They contain a bit more information than a simple checklist by explaining each point in a short paragraph.
Toolkit/Resource List
This is an excellent way to provide reference material for them that they can use many times. It’s a great time saver for the lead and a great traffic generator for your website. Because, of course, you’ll have a few tools or resources of your own that they can purchase from your site.
Video Training/Webinar
Consider creating a video of you showing your prospect how to use your product or walking them through one thing that your service does. Then, at the end of the training or webinar you do a short sell on how they can work with you.
Software Free Trial
If your product is software, consider the Free Trial option as a lead magnet. When someone can try the product themselves they’re more likely to purchase. How many apps and products have you received a 14-day or 30-day trial to and then purchased for yourself because you liked it?
Offer a Discount
People love discounts. If it makes sense for you to offer a discount in the form of a coupon or code then all you would need to do is create an image containing that information.
Assessment
Do you offer coaching? An assessment that includes a guide on how to understand the assessment results is an excellent lead magnet because it not only brings in a lead it also will show you who qualifies to work with you.

Now What?

As you can see, there are quite a few options for creating a lead magnet. There can be more added to this list, but I think there’s enough to get you thinking. Thinking about your audience. Thinking about your ideal customer. Thinking about the content you already have or can easily create that will be attractive to your ideal customer.

What do you do now? You can begin with your own content and quickly create a lead magnet or you can outsource the creation of your lead magnet. Either way, now is the best time to get it done.

Do Your Press Releases Tell “The Story Behind the Story”?

Written by Robin Thompson on July 18, 2019. Posted in Audiobook Marketing, Blog, Business Development, Leadership, Publishing.

Great easy tips by Shel Horowitz, book marketing copywriter and strategic marketer, about how to write your book press releases.

Which would you rather read: “Electronic Privacy Expert Releases New Book” OR “It’s 10 O’Clock—Do You Know Where Your Credit History Is?”

If you follow most advice about how to write a press release for a book, you’d end up with something like the first example. You’ll put all the 5Ws in the first paragraph. And you’ll put your readers to sleep.

But when a client hired me to write a press release for a book on electronic privacy, I turned in the second example. The main text repeated the headline and continued: “It's 10 O'clock—Do you know where your credit history is? How about your employment records? Your confidential medical information?

“How would you feel if you found out this sensitive and should-be-private material is “vacationing” in computer databanks around the world—accessible to corporate interests who can afford to track down and purchase it, but not necessarily open to your own inspection?”

The book and author weren’t even mentioned until the third paragraph.

Any book has multiple angles—news hooks you can use to gain media and reader attention. I chose to focus on data privacy that time. If I were writing that press release today, I might focus on identity theft, hacking, or the influence of fake news on elections. But NEVER on “expert releases book.” Publishing a book, by itself, is not news. Just in the US, it happens about a million times a year. That’s 2740 books published every day! You want to stand out in that crowd.

So if you’d rather not imitate a snooze button, try something different. Tell “the story behind the story” and create a press release that people will read (and act on). For nonfiction: What problem does your book solve, what pain does it alleviate, what success does it lead to (financial, relationship, career, personal growth, etc.) Ask yourself who needs the information, and why.

For fiction or memoir, what kinds of people will identify with your main character? What exotic situation or fascinating career fills in the backstory? For either—what seasonal or charity tie-ins, awards, or superstar endorsements make your book newsworthy? If your press release is fun and exciting, readers will realize that your book is also going to be fun and exciting.

As a book marketing copywriter and strategic marketer who writes a lot of press releases and book covers for books, I do this constantly. Here are some actual press release headlines I’ve written for clients (starting with one for my own tenth book):

NONFICTION:

Finally, A Handbook for Business To Change the World and Make a Profit—As General Motors, Patagonia, Ben & Jerry's, the City of New York, and Others Have Done (This is for my own most recent book, and I’ve left the hyperlink in to the complete press release)
54 Million Americans “Swallowed by a Snake”
At 54, He Moved Across the World—Because It’s Never Too Late for Dreams
Missing for 400 Years, Mercator’s Atlas Is Now Available in North America for the First Time

FICTION:

If Romeo and Juliet Had THIS Magical Parrot, Things Would Have Been Different: Romeo and Juliet Meets Robinson Crusoe Meets House of the Spirits—in Africa
Kidnapping…Terrorists…A Foreign Land: Carinci’s Latest Suspense Thriller Chases Danger Across the Emerald Isle
A Children’s Picture Book Where the Good Guys Don’t Win? Yes, Really!
Still More Honors for Debut Novel, “The Dark Dreamweaver”—Named an iParenting Media “Greatest Product”

In spite of their “just the facts, Ma’am” training, journalists love these kinds of press releases. And in today’s world where readers can find press releases in search results, you might even capture reader interest directly.

Shel Horowitz writes press releases and book covers and develops strategic marketing for authors, green and social entrepreneur businesses, and nonprofits. His 7th book, Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers (2007), was endorsed by Dan Poynter, Fern Reiss, and other publishing gurus. His 10th book, Guerrilla Marketing to Heal the World, is endorsed by Seth Godin and Chicken Soup’s Jack Canfield. Discuss your next marketing project with Shel: 413-586-2388 (8 a.m. to 10 p.m.US Eastern) or https://goingbeyondsustainability.com/contact/ – and pick up his free gifts for you at https://goingbeyondsustainability.com/freebies/

Shel Horowitz – Book Marketing Copywriter, Strategic Marketer & Book Publishing Consultant

The Hazards of Happiness & Achieving Your Dreams

Written by Robin Thompson on February 5, 2019. Posted in Blog, Business Development, Leadership, Personal Development.

Creating happiness can cause a lot of problems. Achieving your dreams can sometimes feel like a letdown. You spend months and years working toward a goal–like a climber ascending Mount Everest. But when you achieve it and reach the summit, that moment right after you feel the triumph, there is an emptiness.

“What now?” You start to think.

This is the plight of the high achiever and the pitfall of the pursuit of happiness.

When we (my family and myself) first moved to Costa Rica 5+ years ago, it was a triumph. We accomplished a 5-year goal in 3 years, paying off our debts and finding ourselves in a tropical country with oodles of time and resources at hand. Do you know what I did first thing when we got here?

I slept. A lot.

About two weeks later, I found myself waking up early in the morning with a knot in my stomach, and I couldn’t figure out why. I was restless, picking up doing one thing and putting it down again, dissatisfied and unsettled. One night after dinner, I stood up from the table, exclaiming, “Holy crap!” (I didn’t say crap) “I know what this is!”

“WHAT?” said my startled and confused family.

I threw my hands up and said, “I’m bored.”

Thinking about it that evening, I realized that I hadn’t probably felt boredom since I was in my early 20s, which is more than nunyabizness years ago. I had been too damn busy pursuing my Perfect Day. Now that the dream had been realized, I was at a loss.

Five years have passed since that first dinner table exclamation, and here is what I’d love for you to know as you bring your dreams into reality:

We are more familiar with the feelings associated with failure than we are with the ones related to success. As a result, having what you want can take some getting used to. Contentment, happiness, satisfaction, and fulfillment are all muscles you need to flex in order to continue to create and have a life you love (and not sabotage yourself). The more you stop to appreciate your little successes and acknowledge yourself on a daily and weekly basis, the more you “exercise” those muscles.
You may be so used to having a long to-do list, constantly doing things for others, always working under a deadline, etc., that when all of that disappears and you have an open space before you, it can feel like a chasm. Create a daily practice of being quiet and listening to your thoughts to get your mind used to being calmer and quieter. Use any kind of meditation or relaxation practice you like, or even go for a quiet walk or swim. A daily practice of this kind also results in getting amazing ideas and insights in my experience.
When you find yourself feeling guilty or placeless because you don’t know what your next step is and you can choose anything you want, remember to breathe into giving yourself permission. Take 3-5 deep “letting go” breaths (add a sigh if you'd like; it deepens the relaxation response), and tell yourself something loving like: “Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better.” Or, “All I need to do today is what I get done today.”
Make a “dream list” of all the things you'd love to learn or do or try or experience. Would you like to learn a new language? Have you always wanted to take dance lessons or learn to paint? Volunteer to work with animals, children, or a cause that’s near and dear to your heart? What are all the books you’ve always wanted to read? As you create more time and money freedom, start choosing items off this list to put into your life, rather than creating more busy-ness. Pleasure makes us more productive, not less.

Do you feel like you have a “fear of success” or find yourself overwhelmed, at loose ends, or not sure where your next priority is? Are you taking tons of action, but not getting the results you want? Reach out for a discovery session, and let’s create the life and business of your dreams.

Let’s create the life and business of your dreams

How To Achieve Successful Collaboration In Your Business

Written by Robin Thompson on January 21, 2019. Posted in Blog, Business Development, Leadership, Networking.

When you gather people together, you are helping them get connected with one another. Let's talk about collaboration in your business.

How To Achieve Successful Collaboration In Your Business

The Small Business Collaboration talks with Tina Dietz, international speaker and owner of Start Something Creative Business Solutions, about how to create immediate trust and confidence in business collaborations. Tina discusses how communication is the heart of business and advocates for good communication, as it is critical to ensuring effective collaborations. Good leaders and business owners must have communication to run a successful business and to achieve the best collaboration (which can also help personal growth). When you gather people together, you are helping them get connected with one another. They get to see who you are deep down and connect on a level that isn’t based on small talk.

During the interview, Tina explains and touches on many collaboration key factors such as:

The main ways that entrepreneurs are getting communication wrong and strategies to establish trust to build confidence
How to recognize “Happy Puppy Syndrome,” which is when entrepreneurs get so excited and passionate about something their message can be overwhelming. You can get too excited and come at someone too strong with too much information, rather than letting them come to you
Learning how to get a sense of non-attachment
Learn how to trust yourself
Have a system in place
Trust and build relationships with colleagues without getting attached

Tina also brings in personal experience and excitedly talks about the collaboration that she is most proud of, which is the Evolutionary Business Council, a global organization of thought leaders, teachers, and people looking to make a difference in the world. The idea of the organization is to achieve shared influence and collaboration. She has been a part of this organization for a little over six years and has gained a number of amazing things from it, some which include:

Collaborations
Clients
Friendships
Media Attention
Emotional support

She also talks about the keys to a successful collaboration:

Use your inner and outer voice as a tool — The mechanics of it can be used to make people really want to learn more about who you really are, your credibility, and your trustworthiness
Understand and align on a personal level with your own values
Create company and brand that is based off of and aligned with your values
Never force a connection
Build a relationship that works for both parties
Establish trust
Communication structure: have a relationship where you feel safe communicating about all aspects of business
Shared values, dreams, and goals between yourself and business partners
Get things in writing, which falls under the category of clear communication
Learn how to deal and flow with the unexpected

Collaborations aren’t always going to be successful; this goes for anyone. Sometimes on the surface, things can appear perfect, even with a friend. Intellectually, someone may have great ideas but not always follow through with those ideas. While this is harmful, it teaches you to count on yourself first and start smaller, to earn that trust and to ensure you are in alignment, not only verbally but also in reality. This is huge with not getting attached. Tina emphasizes multiple times how you are more successful when you aren’t attached to an outcome, which allows for you to communicate openly and freely. It’s okay if something doesn’t work out because there are other opportunities out there.

Being an entrepreneur can be a lonely journey, but collaborations are all about strength in numbers. Remember to always put yourself out there and ask for help, build relationships. When you put out an idea, you can quickly start to create collaborations that aren’t part of your core business that can take you in different directions that are equally exiting. There is unlimited growth in so many different areas and directions that you never even knew existed.

Want to learn more about how we can help you develop successful collaborations in your business?

Are You a Purple Squirrel? Should You Be?

Written by Robin Thompson on December 20, 2018. Posted in Blog, Leadership, Personal Development.

Have you ever heard the term “purple squirrel?” No, we aren’t talking about a mythical animal (even though that would be really cool). “Purple squirrel” in our terms is an analogy for a very particular type of person. Wondering what it means to be a purple squirrel? You might even be one!

What is a Purple Squirrel?

A purple squirrel is someone with a really unique skillset who can apply those skills in a number of different ways. Years ago I read an op-ed piece in the New York Times noting that employers were searching for new employees who were “purple squirrels,” something that doesn’t really exist in nature. Companies in essence were looking for people who had a large skillset who could apply skills to a variety of different areas but remain in one position within the company. I had to laugh, because I immediately identified with being one of these rare creatures.

The Downsides to the Purple Squirrel Life

If you say to yourself, “Okay, sure…I think I am a purple squirrel. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” Well, as with most personality traits, there’s a little of good AND bad (but mostly good). A purple squirrel has many assets and can utilize them in almost any scenario. They are strong-willed and determined. If you can analyze data and still have a great background in marketing, if you’re a very good people-person but still know all the current software, or if you can do anything at a job in any position in that firm, you hopefully are viewed as a tremendous asset in your workplace, a valued leader. On the other hand, being a purple squirrel in a company may evoke fears from others that you’re going to take their job or be constantly trying to compete with them. Also, we all know that personalities can clash, because some people just aren’t that easy to get along with; those types of individuals really perceive a purple squirrel as a threat. A purple squirrel often speaks their mind, and sometimes others in a working environment can struggle being around this type of personality.

The Upsides

The benefits of being a purple squirrel are tremendous and can lead to great success. As purple squirrels, we have a unique vision that we want to fulfill and a unique skill set with which we can use to fill it. The challenge of having a unique vision is that not everyone can understand what you’re aiming to accomplish with that vision-so purple squirrels thrive when they can find other purple squirrels who speak the same “language.” Purple squirrels often ditch conventional 9-5 jobs and use their diverse skills and moxy to launch their own company and showcase their abilities, becoming the leaders they’ve always wanted to be by making their own rules. It’s not necessarily an easy path, but it’s a deeply fulfilling one and the innovation that purple squirrels bring to the world makes the world a better place.

You can use your “purple squirrel powers” to address the challenges you experience along the way. Cultivate your compassion for those who may be triggered or feel threatened by your unique skills. You don’t have to necessarily call someone out, but be open to the fact that they may feel a certain way that is different than how you feel. Deep communication skills are essential for purple squirrels, because often you can shift someone from being threatened to becoming your ally by being willing to get creative, dive into the difficult conversations, and find creative solutions.

Some people tend to think of purple squirrels as “too much,” but don’t let it suppress your purple squirrel-ness. Just again bring your compassion and perception to the forefront, understanding that some personality types need time to process in order to use their skills better, so a highly expressive purple squirrel can be overwhelming – and you might be missing out on a fellow purple squirrel who happens to be more of an internal processor! This is never personal; it’s just the wiring of how each individual functions—it’s all different.

Are You a Purple Squirrel?

So, what makes YOU a purple squirrel? Take some time, sit back, and think about your skills and how you use them. Do you think you’re a part of this magical circle of personality types? This will help you be a better leader as you realize and absorb those purple squirrel powers.

Purple squirrels need each other. As a fellow purple squirrel, I speak from experience when I say that it is so important to support each other and reach out to one another. We succeed faster and better when we have like minded squirrelocity around us. When you meet another purple squirrel, bring them into the tribe and help them achieve their success and understanding how to utilize their skills.

So get out there and shout out that you are a purple squirrel, and be proud to be one. Let that squirrel flag fly, fluff those tails, twitch those ears, and declare your membership in purple squirrel tribe! We are leaders, and we can do anything we set our minds to!

Want some help figuring out what obsession can boost your business?

Audio Marketing for Authors 101

Written by Robin Thompson on December 11, 2018. Posted in Audiobook Marketing, Blog, Business Development, Marketing, Sales.

Audio marketing is an extension of getting your voice out into the world and creating core relationships with your audience, resulting in more book sales and raving fans.

In this interview for Author Bridge Media, StartSomething founder Tina Dietz discusses the fundamentals of audio marketing for authors.

Authors are always looking for a way to get their work into the world
Why audio marketing is a very important key for book marketing
Benefits and pitfalls of audio marketing
Technical considerations
Types of audio marketing, including podcasting and audiobooks
How to fall in love with your own voice if you don’t like the way you sound
Considerations for hiring a narrator for your audiobook vs. narrating a book yourself
What you need to know about self-narration for your audiobook
Tips for hiring the right narrator for your audiobook
How to know if you should start a podcast
Tips for how to get on more podcasts

Audio Marketing can create an entire community of your audience, bring people together around your message, and help them connect with you on a deeper level.

Ready to explore audio marketing?