Amplify

In the previous episode we talk about eight OBJECTIVE items you need for every grant proposal. Here, we outline eight SUBJECTIVE items, each related to your specific request. You could also think of them like this: 💙 The 8 objective items are related to your organization and its health / solvency / legitimacy 💙 The 8 subjective items are related to your specific project   Here are the eight...

Every grant you write will require these EIGHT things… (So, make a filing system, keep them handy… and, if you don’t have them, acquire them, bc you absolutely MUST have them.) #1 = 501c3 verification #2 = Form 990 (at least the most recent year, two is better) #3 = Financials— for the previous 2 years, or as much as you have if you’re less than 2 years old #4 = Annual budget (1 page summary) #5 =...

I don’t know if any nonprofit leader that got in it because they wanted to spend their time raising money. They ALL got into it for the mission-- for the impact they want to make. But... The mission requires money. And you can only take the mission as far as the money will propel it. 🚀 One of the best ways to build your financial base… … is grants. You need to learn how to write them— and win the...

Money is an exchange of one item of value for another. In business, it’s an exchange of the potential you deliver. The more clear the value proposition is, the greater the profits will likely be. 👆 That’s the “core concept” for point #3 on the Infinite ROI pathway. Here’s why it matters… Most of us aren’t clear about what we do. Sure, we know the PRODUCT or SERVICE we sell, but we don’t readily a...

Let’s start here: everyone doesn’t need to know your “greatest hits” highlight reel… yet (in fact, they might not ever). Yet that’s the stuff we all share— on social media, on our webpages, on our “about us” page… Ugh. Here’s what people REALLY want to know… 💙 That you know how they feel about the situation they’re facing 💙 That you know what that struggle is like… 💙 That you have a solution th...

The first core concept of the new Infinite ROI framework is this… 👇 An organization’s purpose & profit engine should be aligned— especially if you’re the leader. If that’s true— and I think that it is— it means that your personal profit engine and “who you are” might very well be aligned— especially if you’re called. In our culture, we readily believe that pastors and preachers can serve God’...

If your business isn’t making money— or, at least, on the path to do so— it’s not going to have “gas in the tank” to sustain it for the long haul. Quite simply, whatever you do, you need funding to maintain the mission. 💰   Profit in multiple directions Yet it’s too simplistic to just evaluate “profit” from a purely financial point-of-view. Business is MORE than just the money— even if it re...

Don’t let anyone disqualify, dump, or destroy what God has already called and set aside for His purposes— and for the help of others. Many times, we feel that our pain points and problem areas are the very reasons we shouldn’t share our message with the world. But, after we’ve walked through a season of healing and found wholeness, those past pitfalls often become the precise areas God wants to us...

Your message solves a problem and/or leads people closer towards their potential. Most of the time, it does both. But it needs a “bit more” than just pointing them in the correct direction of that intended destination. In a real sense, you need to map the journey AND take them there. You need a map to give your audience. Your framework is that map.   In this episode we talk about what to do i...

A live event— or a series of live events— can become a great facet of your ecosystem… Events are incredible ways to connect with new people, as well as create community and grow at even deeper levels. But every live, in-person event needs at least three things to succeed. #1 = Education You must teach your audience something of value. Again, as we often say, your message solves a problem people ha...

The third step in writing your book is to Amplify it, that is, to share your message with the masses. Broadcast the thoughts of your heart and let them echo forth to others. Whether your project takes the form of a book, a website, a podcast, a workshop, a video course, or a combination you create, we share the message with others.  After all, that's why you created it-- to make sure others k...

The second step in writing a book is to— after you’ve aggregated the parts that will comprise the whole— assemble it. And reassemble it. And work it and rework it over and over, more and more…   The most inspired ideas take a bit of time. The grow a life of their own. And that life comes to fruition as we talk through the concepts.  In the same way you assemble and re-assemble Legos, we...

In this episode we take an unplanned pause in the “How to Write a Book” series and keep talking about the book-writing process… But, we pause and discuss why you need to heal as you write… … as well as what happens in the process as you do.   Think about it. Some of the most profound messages emerge from past pain-points. But, we don’t want to “leak” our wounds and ooze our hurts over our aud...

The first step (of three we’ll review) is “get it out of your head” and onto paper. Or into your computer. Or a folder. Or somewhere you can see it. It doesn't have to look pretty at this point. In fact, it probably won't.  But once we get it out of your head, we can work on it. We’ll call this step “aggregate,” that is, a conglomeration of various parts… a collection… And, as odd as it sound...

Courses and coaching can work together… In fact, as we say in this episode, they’re “like peanut butter and jelly.” A course is comprised of three components: ⭐️ #1 = Information That is, you share facts and figures and data with your client. ⭐️ #2 = Insight This is where courses begin to distinguish themselves from mere “information sharing,” however. You add your unique voice— your flavor. Oft...

A lot of coaches and course creators aren’t really “coaching,” they’re just spouting out information. Coaching— and courses— are different that mere information-sharing. In this 2-part series, we highlight how courses and coaching are similar, and how they can both work together to exchange your message. Three current trends converge, right here and now, to make this the opportune time for you to...

Building on the concepts we explored in the previous episode— about categorizing your audience as either OUT, ON, or IN your funnel— we take a closer look at what happens inside the funnel. Remember, your funnel is shaped like an upside down cone— or a tornado. The lower ticket items are at the top, and the higher ticket items are at the bottom. Though you may have MULTIPLE layers of offers scatte...

A bunch of people building-out their message online talk about “the funnel.” But what is it, really? In this talk we break it down, highlighting THREE ways to classify people in your audience…. 🎙️   💙 Some people are OUT of your funnel…. These are people who might actually watch, listen, or read your stuff, but you don’t yet have their contact info. As such, you have no way to communicate wi...

Growing your online audience requires time + consistency… and a plan. Without all three, you’re waiting for lightning. However, there is a proven plan you can run. Here it is…   🖥️ 1 = Create a website with an opt-in where you can collect visitor info. Note: we’re definitely NOT against social media. However, we DO suggest you build your house on property you own…   Furthermore, we encou...

Building a content calendar-- and planning weeks and even months in advance-- helps you unify your message across each of your communication streams. Plus, it removes the guesswork of what to say on social media, how to to discuss on your podcasts and videos, what to email your subscribers, and when to do your online launches.   You'll easily identify--  📣 When to launch new products&nb...

Recently, I sat at the mic on the kitchen table with my friend Paul Talley… Paul and his wife, Suzi, joined us for the filming of the complete Amplify course. As we pushed through the material, Paul made a few interesting observations. Here’s one: “We did this backwards!” he exclaimed. “We have a book, but we’ve been doing this high-level coaching. There’s so much more we can EASILY add to our eco...

It’s a bit odd that the “building online” conversation almost always shifts immediately to social media— to space you don’t own. In this talk we outline four reasons you should build where you do own (your website) while ALSO leveraging the power of social media. Here are the four points we hit: 🤷‍♂️ #1 = You don’t know where they’ll be sent next When people leave your site and go to social media...

One of the mind-shifts in Amplify is that you need to view your book NOT as the pinnacle of your creation journey, but as the beginning. In this episode we begin with 5 reasons you should begin with the book… These are listed in reverse order we mention them in Amplify. But, there’s intention to doing in backwards here:… ⭐️ #5 = Low cost with high return. You don’t have to spend a chunk of cash t...

A few years ago, I sat with a pastor-friend. He wasn’t sure how to “amplify” his message. Oddly enough, ministers are some of the best content creators— they share new ideas every week, they’re in the discipline of doing a fantastic job when they do, and they speak passionately as if they’re message truly matters (I believe it does!). However, the pastor hadn’t made the leap to see how he could “r...

Don’t let perfect be the enemy of published. But, don’t let poor-performance be a trap to not strive for professionalism , either. (We’ve seen both extremes.)   One of the best ways to begin… it to just begin. And begin with the tools you have. Many content creators assume they need the best tech, the latest gadgets, and some new-fangled software. Even today, we use a BUNCH of “out of the box...