Grey Matters, with Steve Dotto

Chaos reigns in the social media world, last week, Twitter released the following Permanent suspension of @realDonaldTrump By  Twitter Inc. Friday, 8 January 2021      After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them — specifically how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter — we have permanently suspended the account due to the r...

IMHO affiliate marketing is the perfect side hustle. Affiliate marketing is the perfect place for most of us to begin our great adventure of building our very own online business. Why? Because in a word, it is amazing! This week I share some of the things that make affiliate marketing the perfect fit as we grow our online business.   Podcast Rundown 2:57 - What is Affiliate Marketing There are 3 p...

We are back! Relaunching a podcast is a hard thing to do. It is like getting back to the gym after you have been away for a while. All the same guilt, disappointment in yourself for letting it slide. The anxiety that you have hard work ahead of you, and fear that you may let yourself down again.   So with a great deal of humility, I am sheepishly coming back to the gym, a few pounds heavier, a bit...

The one thing I struggle with to this day in the online marketing world is the sales process. The techniques which we can and do use to sell our products or services.  So much research has gone into "crafting the perfect offer". In some cases, online marketers spend more time on the sales pitch that they do on the product they are selling, and that offends me.  I have thin skin when it comes to on...

Facebook, for all its flaws, has become an almost universal meeting place. For online businesses, there is no better place to try and create awareness, conversations, build relationships and form communities. I just wish Facebook was a better partner!  Bella Vasta knows how to build effective communities in Facebook, uses communities to grow her own community and teacher others (like us) to do as...

The Talk - Grey Matters 46 I did not really want to record this episode, and to be perfectly honest, I have reservations about posting it.  But all of us must take time to search inward if we are ever going to be a part of the change we desire for our world.

Online marketing is constantly shifting, best practices form yesterday are replaced today with newer more innovative strategies, and we constantly walk a tightrope between what we can do and what we should do. Bosco Anthony is one of the most creative marketers I know. He has spearheaded some of the more memorable social campaigns I have been privy to. This week on Grey Matters, Bosco shared his i...

In part 2 of my interview with Scott, we dive into how speakers are preventing themselves, the challenges with Zoom, discuss teachers and top things of sharing our most epic speaking fails. Scott Stratten has been a top-flight keynote speaker for well over a decade, as well as the best selling author, of  UnMarketing . In part one of our two-part interview, we talk about how Scott has adjusted to...

As the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic sunk in so many industries experienced massive change.  Close to the top of the list of those most severely impacted was the conference industry in general, and the rather small cohort of professional and full-time speakers.  Scott Stratten has been a top-flight keynote speaker for well over a decade, as well as the best selling author, of UnMarketing . In p...

 Finding the right balance for our content. Google and youtube give us incredible insight into what topics will be popular, generate views, responses and revenue. But is serving the algorithm the best content strategy for your community?   Grey Matters is made possible through your generous support! Please come a Patron of Grey Matters! Join us in the Grey Zone on Facebook   All our other Links Wo...

Tru.earth  sells a unique eco-friendly product, a laundry strip that reduces plastic waste going into landfills by 100%. A little over a year ago Ryan McKenzie and his team took a bit of a flyer on selling the strips. The result has been a fascinating masterclass in online marketing as Ryan has shepherded the product through online sales, traditional distribution and Amazon sales.  It is not often...

I create a lot of content, and I do mean a lot. Each week we strive to deliver: 2 YouTube Videos 1 Webinar 1 Podcast 1 Livestream (for ourselves) 1 Livestream we host for a client. Plus our community content, such as zoom meetings and coaching sessions for our members. Each and every one of these content pieces need supporting graphics, promo material, social posts etc. Like I said, a lot of conte...

They Ask, You Answer Marcus Sheridan faced a challenge in 2008 as the recession hit his company hard. His response has become the blueprint for thousands of online marketers. They Ask You Answer, the simple mantra to serve your community, provide value, which generates trust.  Trust has become the most valuable currency online.  Links from this episode: They Ask You Answer, by Marcus Sheridan Stre...

  The economic impact of C-19 is hitting Boomers in a profound way. Every aspect of financial security is being undermined, as retirement fund shrink, jobs evaporate and many opportunities dry up. Fortunately, we do have one pace to turn, a lifetime of experience is ours, and it ca be called on to propel us into new opportunities and new successes.  This week we discuss the increasing challenge, C...

The single most important key to success in content marketing? The answer is clear, it is consistency. Consistency, especially in publishing frequency. It amazes me how often the same narrative takes place. The creators who stay the course find success. The creators who establish frequency and publish relevant content on time grow their community, and build their authority, it never fails.  But co...

With the world reeling from the effects of COVID-19 it may seem like a very bad time to start or look at building a new online business. In fact, this may be the best time.   Grey Matters is made possible through your generous support! Please come a Patron of Grey Matters! Join us in the Grey Zone on Facebook   All our other Links Worth Visiting!   → Join us for Webinar Wednesday, every week!:  ht...

Like you, I am having trouble seeing anything without the Coronavirus filter. It is having an impact on every aspect of our lives and may well become the defining event of the first half of the century. We need to gourd our own mental health before we can even start devising a strategy to protect our business.   Links form this episode: https://www.verywellmind.com/stay-mentally-strong-during-coro...

I chose a long time ago to work from home, and have, over the years, developed a system that works for me. For so many of you, the need to work from home is not a choice but an edict. As we practice social distancing, we also need to practice new work habits to maintain our sanity, productivity and even our relationships while we work from home, Here are some of my best tips, take them with the sp...

As confusion and fear sweep the world, we are struggling to come to terms with change and uncertainty. Mark Schaeffer got me thinking about my own personal response to the COVID-19 shutdown, with a brilliantly timed blog post  The Corona Virus, A Love Letter That post inspired this Podcast, as Mark shares his thoughts on how we can deal with the very real grief and sense of loss we are all experie...

We are sailing uncharted waters, as the world comes to terms with COVID -19. We can only decide how we are going to react to the changes and challenges it brings. We can control how we respond to our situation, however.    Here is Mark Schaefer's take. https://businessesgrow.com/2020/03/10/coronavirus   Grey Matters is made possible through your generous support! Please come a Patron of Grey Matte...

Why do some video creators have the ability to connect with their audience, to grow a community, sway opinion, teach, sell, even inspire?    What are the common skills, attributes, mechanisms that are unique to video, across all platforms?    Links from this Episode: Join us for Webinar Wednesday! Examples of Video Creators Perspective - Philip DeFranco Vulnerability - Roberto Blake Affirmation -...

Baby Boomers have been trained from the time they were born to fight failure. As children we were punished, sometimes severely for failing, it has been anathema to our generation. Failing is not such a bad thing in many Millenials opinion. "If you aren't failing you aren't trying" They believe we learn from failure and it is a natural part of our journey. Even to the pont of encouraging each other...

  We have all been in business long enough to know that we are good at some things and not good at others. But there seems to be a “badge of honor” amongst entrepreneurs that we do it all ourselves. While that might salve the ego, in practice it is a bad idea!   I know that one of my challenges is shared by many entrepreneurs, a reluctance to delegate tasks that can easily be accomplished by other...

Baby Boomers should feel comfortable with LinkedIn as a Social Network. It fits our needs in ways no other network does. The person I turn to for all things LinkedIn is without question, Viveka Von Rosen . She is the author of LinkedIn Marketing: An Hour a Day     Please join us in the Grey Zone on Facebook  Don’t be a stranger!   Free Evernote QuickStart! I am really proud of this training! It is...

We need to respect all the different social platforms even if we do not choose to use them ourselves. And speaking of social Platforms, please join us in the  Grey Zone on Facebook Don’t be a stranger!   What was your first social network? As I mentioned mine was the BBS world, in fact it was Sunshine BBS, run by a friend on mine in Delta BC, he had 2 lines going in he ran it for years!   Here is...