The Business of Authority (youtube feed)

When it makes sense to write a proposal and when to take a pass. The role of the sales interview in writing your proposal. How to capture the essence of the outcomes you’ll deliver in non-jargon (and avoid weasel words). Enticing your clients to actually read your proposal and learning to anchor high with the value you’re delivering. Adopting the posture of an expert and carrying it through in you...

This week on TBOA, Rochelle and I talk about the importance of knowing how to get your clients to shout “Heck, yeah!” Talking Points What your website is for Who your website is for What you want to happen in the first second a visitor lands on your page The importance of knowing the language of your ideal buyer What to do if niching down on an ideal buyer feels too risky Quotable Quotes “If your...

We're planning a special episode for #150 and you can have a chance to participate! Just record your question and send it to either of us and if it's chosen, we will play your question and answer it on the show.  Evaluating the continuum from leading (like say thought leadership) to exploring in your space. How to know when to explore vs. when to lead. When “busy” feels productive, but is instead...

The value of starting small, including carefully curating the initial members you invite to your community. Growing your tribe organically by tapping into existing members and setting a consistent tone. How building an engaged community can build your authority quickly. How to position yourself (and your ideas) inside a community to increase your chances of being successful. How to think about the...

When nurturing what you already have is more important than trying to reach a specific metric.  How setting extreme goals can work provided they operate as motivation vs. a source of disappointment. The difference between progress metrics and success metrics—and how to use them to understand the trends in your business. Using social media metrics in meaningful ways. The relationship between busine...

Why the extremes get stronger during massive change and why you don’t want to be in the middle. The real value of your brand and the experiences you deliver (vs. what you might think they are). How price aligns with value and the bargaining power of the market leader. Deciding which experiences and outcomes you want to promote. The value of being the head or the tail—and why as an authority the he...

This week, Jonathan and I tackled a listener question: What’s the best way to set-up a supportive technical ecosystem—website, email, podcast, billing, etc.—for the first time? We addressed this question strategically and then offered some tactical feedback on various platforms and systems to support your authority business: Why email is the centerpiece of your ecosystem (hint: it’s your relations...

The idea for this week’s episode of TBOA came from none other than Mister Rogers (as in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood) who articulated his big idea perfectly to journalist Tom Junod.  How Mr. Rogers’ big idea changed the worldview of a cynical journalist—and how to apply the same framework to yours. A formula to start pinpointing your big idea (with a live example to see how it works in real life)....

Getting clear on the experiences and stories that have defined your life and your work (including an exercise to try on your own). Why you want to suspend judgment around your experiences and instead look for the connecting threads that your clients will value. Turning your experiences into powerful stories that align with your brand. Specific actions that allow you to go deeper with clients and p...

NOTE: Rochelle and I recorded this episode before the terrible news about George Floyd hit. We both support the #blacklivesmatter movement and hope everyone will take action to support much needed change. Here’s a good place to start if you’re not sure how to help: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ How to make selling the invisible—your services—tangible in the mind of your ideal buyer. Why once...

Learning to recognize (and redirect) the shiny ball syndrome. Is this an opportunity or a distraction: how to tell the difference. Getting comfortable experimenting with strategy-based tactics (knowing there’s no guarantee which ones will work). Why tactics used by others are data points, not a personal prescription. How focus—even boundary limits and some structure—can actually multiply your crea...

1:15—Leveraging your expertise into an unconventional (short!) self-published e-book. 11:16—Developing a “set it and forget it” course: how to price it and target your audience. 14:06—Building (and pricing) high engagement virtual workshops. 24:13—On-line seminars (think a workshop/self-paced course hybrid) and the rewards of building a peer group cohort. 30:24—Starting membership communities and...

  2:16—How you can look at the world right now and start thinking about (and even betting on) what’s coming. 11:20—The impact of potential fundamental shifts on how you work. 14:20—Why this can be a time to increase the “altitude” of what you discuss with your clients (and how to do it). 17:12—A strategic way to look at the future and how it meshes with your talents and passions. 24:15—Adopting a...

  2:36—What’s happening right now with social media and how to reflect that back in your interactions. 9:38—How to choose the right platforms for you and your message. 14:09—Why Instagram is so engaging right now (and how to explore whether/how it will work for you). 18:34—Joining the conversation that’s already happening in people’s heads. 23:18—The core question to answer to be successful on soc...

Are you ready to let go? Talking Points The feeling of letting go Re-evaluating your choices amid the pandemic Spring cleaning different aspects of your life Questioning whether you need all of the things you have Emotional and mental letting go Reframing your ideas and routines Cutting little anchors while bigger roots help to ground you Giving yourself an alternative dialogue Doing the things th...

Are you ready to construct your new normal? Talking Points How to prepare yourself for the recovery from this phase Taking your own new normal and your clients’ new normal into account Re-evaluating decisions and expenses Giving yourself permission for things to change Finding new niches and opportunities through being helpful Questioning assumptions Make time to really listen to what people are s...

How are your habits changing? Talking Points How a change in routine can end up having an effect on your habits Habits are about long-term goals Anchor habits Taking an inventory of daily habits Maintaining a sense of control with self-control How personal routines can pay off in your business How bad habits emerge during uncertain times Being more conscious of bad habits Habits that lead to a hea...

What can you do right now to build trust with your clients, buyers and audience? The Trust Equation to measure your trustworthiness How to become more trustworthy Why we and our clients are more emotional right now What to do when you feel the desire to put your head in the sand How to increase your intimacy with your clients Making generous offers (including risky gifts) What’s the “right” way to...

What you need to hear before you cut your fees. Talking Points Why you might be considering cutting your fees right now Why you should avoid making assumptions about your clients’ needs and financial standing Having the conversation with your clients Avoid making decisions out of fear Change is going to happen regardless Getting clear about your value Products with the least personal investment Wh...

What’s your implied promise to your market? Talking Points A listener question from episode 100 (the Seth Godin episode) What your buyer is paying for Less tangible value-adds How brand relates to trust The “one-firm” firm Maintaining consistency Your implied promise Meeting client expectations Quotable Quotes “The premium piece, the over and above part of the fee, is the part that they’re not pay...

How positioning plus pricing equals profits. Talking Points The concept of value pricing Price vs. hourly rate Setting acceptable prices Paul Newman’s Rolex How to differentiate yourself from the competition so that price isn’t the only distinction How big corporations choose between different prices How positioning affects your leverage Ways to set prices How your prices can rise over time Having...

  What to do when your business is unsellable at the moment Staying client focused while so much remains in flux How to apply your skills to the new reality your clients are in now Avoiding a hoarder, everyone-for-themselves mentality Why helping clients and your audience is your best path forward Avoiding sounding “tone deaf” in your communications Stepping up and being a leader for those you ser...