More than a Few Words

As small business owners, we work so hard to find each client. We nurture them through a sales process and then they sign on the dotted line and we start doing business with them. Often, once we have closed the sale, we turn our marketing attention to the next prospect, and the next and the next.  Back in 2017 I had a conversation with Nick Cavarra,  who argued that was a huge mistake.  Why? Becau...

Recently, I had to clean out all of my closets because we were replacing the flooring. The process was interesting because buried deep in those closets were things I hadn't used or thought about in years. And quite frankly, I hadn't missed. Every now and then I ran across something that made me stop and say, "Wow, that's really cool, I should use that again. And it made  me thin about my marketing...

$38 Billion!  Yes that is billion with a "b".  That is the impact women have on the global economy.  If you want a piece of that market, you need to learn how to connect with female consumers. Robyn Newton joined me for a conversation about selling to women.  Here are the key points from the conversation: Women as Powerful Consumers: Women control over 85% of purchases in the U.S., making them a k...

In this episode from my archive, Merit Kahn explains how you can transform any sales conversation with four simple words :  Shift from Selling to Selection: To be selected as the right solution focus on guiding potential customers through their decision-making process rather than pushing a sale. The Power of "Are You Open To?": These four words help you figure out if the prospect is open to hearin...

There are three questions you need to answer before you launch your next marketing campaign. The questions are simple, but the answers may not be. Who is your customer? Too often, business owners try to go really broad as they define their target. If you want to create an effective marketing campaign, narrow in on a specific niche. You can always target a different audience with your next campaign...

Donna Peterson, CEO of World Innovators and I chatted , about the importance of growing and maintaining a high-quality email list. Here are a few key takeaways: Quality Over Quantity: Donna emphasizes that when it comes to email lists, having a smaller, highly-targeted list is much more effective than a large, unfocused one. A clean and updated list ensures that your messages are reaching the righ...

Would you like to be a guest on a podcast?  If so, you want to pay attention to what Kelly Mosser has to say about pitches. The biggest mistake most potential guest make is the emphasis of the pitch. The message boils down to “I want airtime on your show. Here’s why I deserve it. Here’s why you should give it to me.” This one-sided approach misses the key detail that podcasts are a business collab...

Every woman has that little black dress in her wardrobe. Classic in design it is not too trendy and not too stodgy.  It is incredibly versatile. With the right accessories, jackets, scarves or cool shoes it is perfect for every occasion, year in and year out.  And every smart marketer knows that email is their little black dress. It goes well with all of the other elements in your marketing wardro...

I enjoyed chatting with Jackson Calame about the importance of having a clear vision for your business. Here are some key takeaways: Vision Beyond Profits: Jackson emphasizes that a business vision should go beyond just making profits. He talks about creating a balance between personal well-being and professional success and highlights his mission to bridge the economic gap between North and South...

I’m an extrovert. I love people.  I love being around people and talking to people.  But there are a whole bunch of people, introverts, who really don’t enjoy interacting they way I do.  Here’s the trick,  you’ve got to be able to reach both of those audiences. And if you’re an introvert you have to learn how to participate in the world. This week’s guest Amanda Watts share some great tips on how...

Wouldn’t it be nice if we all just got along. That might seem like a good idea but it really isn’t. You can’t eliminate conflict completely. and you shouldn’t. Well-managed conflict actually cultivates discussions and create opportunities to uncover new and innovative solutions. Accept conflict as a natural part of your relationship with employees and with all of the people in your life. It isn’t...

I had a wonderful conversation with Josh Elledge about strategies for generating inbound leads and moving away from outdated, spammy marketing tactics. Here are the key points from their conversation: Shift from Outbound to Inbound Marketing: Traditional outbound methods like sending unsolicited emails are no longer effective. Consumers, including business decision-makers, are overwhelmed and turn...

​I am an email marketing fan so I was excited to invite  Kendra Corman  to join me for a conversation on how to make email marketing effective. She started by explaining why email is so important.  Sure it is great to build a community on social media, but what will you do if Facebook goes down or cuts off your profile. You are stuck.  But if you have email addresses, you  own those contacts and c...

Every parent knows, It takes a village to raise a child. Each of the adults in the child’s life, relatives, teachers, coaches, brings a different perspective. The same is true for your business. No matter how smart you are or how much you know about your business, there are gaps in your skill-set. Your business village should be filled with smart, talented subject matter experts to help you fill i...

Mickey Kennedy, founder of eReleases joined me for another conversation about building your authority and online visibility.  This time we talked about the importance of using surveys and studies to stand out as a subject matter authority. Why does this strategy work?  First of all the media loves data.  Fresh data from industry-specific surveys can attract media attention. You can use a platform...

What is the fastest least expensive way to get clients? Guest, Gall Doby suggests  there is one strategy that people often ignore, and it’s right in front of them. Looking for new sales? Start with your current clients. Almost every single client ( assuming you are doing a good job) will be willing to do business with you in a different way. Maybe it is an add-on to their project, a few more thing...

Let’s go on a buying journey. Think about the last item that you bought, where you spent more than $100. Maybe it was something for your business or home. Write down the item you bought and work backwards through your buying journey. Describe why you chose that particular product. Did you see an ad? Did someone recommended it? Was there information on social media which made you curious? Write dow...

Janine Liston, a business strategist and pricing expert, joined me for a conversation about the complexities and strategies behind setting the right price for products and services. Here are a few key takeaways: One common myth is that the lowest price always wins. Many business owners believe this, but it’s not true for most products and services. Targeting the right customer who values your prod...

Did you miss this conversation with Connie Jones about limiting beliefs?  Then you want to check it out now. We create these upper limits for ourselves fueled by messages we have received starting early on in childhood about who we are and who we are not.  And who we are supposed to be.  We create patterns of playing roles that are consistent with those messages, but sometimes the messages are wro...

Words have the power to move, motivate, inspire, frighten, and cheer. What you say and how you say it can have a profound impact on another person. And some words, called power words, have more impact than others. These words have a strong meaning which is likely to trigger a psychological or emotional response. They are persuasive, pushing people to take action. Power words fall in to one of thre...

I love chatting with Lindsey Anderson, and it has been awhile since this seasoned online business consultant, bestselling author, and podcast host, dropped by for a chat. It this conversation we talked about her experience as a play in a reality TV game ( The Trust )  and what she learned about using social media effectively as a business owner rather than as an influencer. Lindsey introduced her...

As business owners try to grow their business they assume they have to do it organically.  The problem with the organic approach is you have to be patient. It takes time for the business to mature and grow. But that is not the only way to grow. Your path to success might include merging with another company or through the acquisition of another business.  Deb Curtis, an expert in SBA-Supported Bus...

What do you want people to say about you when you're not in the room. What do you want them to tell people. who are looking for someone who does what you do? All of those comments add up to your personal brand. Now a lot of business owners are under the misconception that somehow they control their brand. But they don't. Your brand is something that exists in the mind of your customers.  All you c...

If you’re a woman business owner or thinking about becoming one, there are unique challenges you’ll face compared to your male counterparts. However, success is achievable, as demonstrated by Sharon Gillenwater, a tech startup founder who sold her company, Boardroom Insiders, for $25 million. Here are a few key points from our conversation. Funding and Networking Obstacles: Women receive only abou...

One of the advantages of having more than 1,000 episodes in my archive, is the wealth of great information buried there.  This week I dug way back, to find a conversation I had with Allison Carter back in 2013,  when she was my regular co-host.  We always had a good time, but I really loved this conversation about finding your brand voice.  Just as you can recognize someone's speaking voice, their...