Or maybe you already have?

I have. 

I remember when I started my old business, the digital agency Autopilot Your Business, which I ran from 2010 – 2016.

In the beginning we sometimes copied marketing collateral other companies used. Or said more politely, we “modelled” other people’s stuff. Not blatantly word for word, but the overall look and feel.

My business partner and I would find landing pages and copy some of the design elements and flow of text, then make them our own. We would find marketing videos, transcribe them, rewrite the text inside and record our own based off of the other video.

Did this strategy work for us?  Sort of.  Pieces of it did.

We were missing something though and these campaigns we ran were never a huge success. Why? We missed a couple of the most important things you need to focus on in marketing.

The 2 things that are missing when copying someone’s marketing:

• The Offer
  An offer is how you are packaging your products or services and selling them.  It is more than just the product itself. It includes any bonuses, your unique method of delivery and customer service.  When you get your offer right it is easier to sell what you have.I remember with one of our campaigns we just chucked in a few bonuses because someone else included them on their landing page.  I did not give these much thought to see if they even made sense to the overall product we were selling and added value. Not good right?You can never really copy someone’s offer because what you sell is going to be different from them, just by the nature that YOU are different. Start a campaign by building out your offer. Then your marketing collateral will be different than someone else selling a similar item because the way you are selling it will be different.
• Customer Journey
  This is the path someone can take in your company from lead to customer and onwards. You craft offers to support someone at each step they are with you.  When copying someone else you tend to only see one part of their customer journey, or are using something that works for their target market and not yours.I remember a product we created when we were trying to sell mostly to new business owners. Everything we did was too advanced – from the language in the emails to how we described what we were selling.  Yep, it bombed!  Why? Because we were using ideas we found online instead of focussing on what resonated with the audience we were trying to help.

I see too many people with great products and ideas remain a “best kept secret” because they get stuck in the cycle of modelling others instead of looking at what makes them unique.

Here’s what you can copy:

• The overall flow of a marketing campaign
  Of course it is a good idea to look at other companies and see what they are doing to get ideas.  Click on their ads.  Sign up for their products.  See how the process works.  Then write down what you like and don’t like.  Think of the areas you can use that make sense to your offer and your target market.
• Certain elements
  Get inspiration from elements in someone’s landing page, things they said in a video, or ads you see that are different and inspire you.  I like to keep swipe files in a folder on my computer where I write notes about the elements I like in that particular item.

Get inspiration from others, but craft your own marketing based on the path you want someone to take with you and the offers you create.  We are at a time right now online when your customers are looking for something new, something that speaks to them and meets them where they are, instead of pushing them through a cookie cutter funnel.

Need help crafting your offers or customer journey?
Make sure to sign up for my email tips in the form below or contact me. 

For most of us we don’t feel like a well-lit passion path just presents itself to us.

Let me pose a question to those of you feeling a little uninspired…If you have not found your passion should you still start or grow a business?

After all don’t they say “do it with passion or not at all?”

Here is why I think you SHOULD get moving, even if you are not 100% sure if that is what you want to do. In my years of running huge seminars I have seen many people never start their business because they are not sure if it is what they really want to do.

What is the best way to fix this problem?

Do what you are good at, provide value and get paid for it. 

You will uncover your passion as you take the journey of being an entrepreneur.

Here’s an example of how I am finding more passion in my business…

I run a website development company and social media marketing training. Whilst I like building websites with my small and mighty team and doing coaching sessions with clients, I would not saw it is my life’s purpose.

Instead I use my business as leverage to help me find more of what I love doing. I look for things that get me out of my comfort zone. I look for things I am interested in beyond the day to day of running my business.

Like what? Let me give you an idea in case these can help you too.

• Starting a new podcast (you can listen to my old one here)
  I like teaching. And I like the idea of getting better at telling stories.  So for me podcasting is something I am interested in and excites me.  Will it build my business?  Hopefully. Yet that is not my main outcome for doing it.
• Meet with my mastermind group
  I meet with 3 other business owners every month. I do this because it helps me dream bigger than I can by myself.  Through it I get ideas and things to action that excite me.
• Speaking
  I do this so I am forced to stay sharp on my craft, and I like teaching. Sometimes it brings me business, but more often I feel energised when doing it.

It is through these exercises that I am crafting my next business idea – something that I feel is my life’s purpose.  However I would have never found it if I did not ACT on getting my business going and did not SEEK new things to help me feel excited.

So brave ones – if you still are unclear on your purpose just get moving on something you are good at.

She interviewed me for her “Living Legends Interview Series” and I wanted to share the video here too.  We had some problems with the lighting so I hope you enjoy unplanned “old Hollywood” effects.

Here’s what we discuss:

• How to build your brand and a large following
• How to create your own opt-in strategy (5 min 50 sec)
• Using automated lead followup and what content to share in your funnel (9 mins 50sec)
• What your email marketing stats should be (11 mins)
• Why you should not buy a list (15 mins 28 sec)
• What types of social media you should be using (22 mins 18 sec)
• Your voice, your brand, your message (29 mins 57 sec)

I would love to know what you think.  Pop me a quick note in the comments below.

Check out these 5 Tools you can use to Create Images for Social Media:

PicMonkey

What is it?
A website you can use to create collages, design or import your own images to apply filters or layer on effects or text.  It also offers an easy cropping & resizing tool, plus preset canvas sizes that can be used to design a Facebook cover image or the perfect sizes for your Facebook and Instagram updates.

Check out the website here.

Here is a sample image I created using PicMonkey to promote a online training I am a part of…

InstaQuote 

What is it?
An app you can use to create beautiful quotes easily from your smartphone.  Either use a background they provide or import your own image in from your image library.  This comes with an amazing selection of font choices too and an easy 1 click export to Instagram or Twitter.

On iTunes
For Android

Here is a sample image I created using InstaQuote…

Beautiful Mess

What is it?
Another fun app for your smartphone where you can start with your own photo or design one from scratch. Include doodles, frames or text. You can create collages as well.  I think it has a bit more of a feminine style.

On iTunes
For Android

Here is a sample image I created using Beautiful Mess of my beautiful cat Merlin.

PicPlayPost

What is it?
Fab app for videos or photo collages with a wide variety of preset frames and layouts.  Although my sample below is only of images in my backyard the real fun begins when you start putting in videos in some of the windows and adding music on top.

On iTunes
For Android

Here is a sample image I created using PicPlayPost…

Adding Watermarks

What is it?
It is a good idea to add a watermark to brand your photo to your business so when people share it you get credit and potential traffic. I recommend these 2 apps.

eZy Watermark on iTunes
Add Watermark for Android

Here is a sample image I created using PicMonkey first then eZy Watermark.

What are your favourite tips for using these tools?

Most of us dislike them, yet they still work.  So we must be engaging with them right? How is this?

If done well, they will draw your attention in at the right time once you have given a user enough time to connect with your website. Just in case they did not sign up for something elsewhere on your site, you can give them one last chance to sign up as they leave.

After all, most visitors won’t return to your site once they see it once. That is why collecting their details upon that first visit is key. Then you can communicate with them again via your email marketing.

So what makes a pop up ‘not so scary’ in the eyes of your site’s visitor?

Do pop ups work? Here’s what you need to know:

• Set your pop up to appear as someone leaves your site
  Give someone a chance to browse your site before you dive bomb them with a pop up.  They need to see your website as trustworthy first before they take that next step with you.  Check out these tips on making your site credible.
• Set it to not appear again for at least 7 days
  You can tell your pop up to not appear again to the same visitor until after a certain amount of time.  This is important because if they end up coming back again shortly after their first visit, you don’t want to piss them off by trying to get their details each time.
• Tell them in your headline how your free item will help them
  This is not the time to be creative. Respect their time by clearly spelling out what someone will get if they end up filling in the form in your pop up.  Is it a report, video or ebook you are giving away?  Let them know and share the benefits they will get.

Here are 3 pop up plugins I recommend:

Dreamgrow Scroll Triggered Box
Visit the site
Cost: Free
More Info: An easy to install and set up WordPress plugin. An option for nice placement in the bottom of your site to not be too “in your face” to your visitors. There aren’t too many options for design unless you know CSS or someone who does.

Pop Up Domination
Visit the site
Cost: $77
More Info: Good selection of designs and many templates to choose from.  Allows you to set the lightbox to appear based on cookies or people leaving your site.  This was one of the first pop up options I ever used and still use. Split testing is available so you can find out which box you set up converts the most, and then only continue using that one. Includes built in analytics for measuring.

Pippity
Visit the site
Cost: Starts at $49
More Info: Beautiful templates and choice of when the pop up appears.  It also includes split testing and analytics.

Still not sure what a pop up even is or how it can benefit you?  I recommend checking out the sites above to get an idea.

Most people claim to not like pop ups, but those who use them in an unobtrusive way on their websites get amazing results (me included). I have tested this myself and it is true. When I use a pop up I get subscribers more than twice as much as when I don’t.

And yes!  I am a Walking Dead, zombie movie buff (thus the silly image I designed above).

How do you feel about this topic? Have you used pop ups or lightboxes on your site? Did they work for you? Do you detest them? If so why?

Doing business online is in no way like the “Field of Dreams” movie “build it and he will come” scenario.  

As amazing as you or your website may be, once a visitor stops by chances of them coming back are slim…unless you entice them to.

The first thing you want to do is make sure you are giving something top quality away for free and it is easy for people to find.  You will need an opt-in form like MailChimp or AWeber provide.  This is the form people use to enter in their name and email in exchange for getting access to what you are providing. This allows someone who thinks they are interested in what you have to offer to learn more about you in their own time.

Great news is that by giving you their details your site’s visitors are giving you permission to stay in touch with more info!

So now what?  

Here is a template you can use to create your own email marketing series using auto-responder emails:

As you create these your main outcome is to ultimately get your new lead to take that next step with you, whether it is to buy one of your products, sign up for a webinar or hire you for a service.  Keep that end goal in mind when writing these emails. And remember to keep them friendly and conversational.

This template is for 8 emails scheduled to go out over a 30 day period.

Email 1 (sent immediately) – sets the tone
Thank you email that provides a link to the free item OR mention of when they will get more info if they opted in for a newsletter.

Email 2 (sent on Day 2) – to build rapport
Check in and see how they liked your free gift and provide links to where else they can get to know you (like Facebook).

Email 3 (sent on Day 5) – to demonstrate your expertise
An email that provides another free gift and does not sell.  It can be a video, your most popular blog post or some other bonus that shows them more of what you have to offer.

Email 4 (sent on Day 9) – to demonstrate your credibility
In the form of a short story, talk about a case study with a client of yours and what specifically changed after working with you.  Close this email with a suggestion of how they might be able to use this in their life too. Start to “seed” or mention the package they used in your P.S. after your signature and include a link to the sales page where the reader can find out more.

Email 5 (sent on Day 13) – to start building law of reciprocity
This could be another digital free gift and should be quite substantial.  The law of reciprocity states that by giving a gift to someone, they in turn feel like they will need to give back to you.

Email 6 (sent on Day 17) – to build rapport
Tell a personal story about you and how you have overcome something to get to where you are today. Tell them what your mission is and why you have created your products and services from this.  Then of course provide the link to your main offering you mentioned in the previous emails.

Email 7 (sent on Day 21) –  building law of reciprocity
A reminder of everything they have gotten so far and even another free gift (video, webinar, article or MP3).  Ask them at this point to take the next step with you.  Suggest that the bonuses they have received have only been the tip of the iceberg.

Email 8 (sent on Day 23) – call to action
This is your moment!   Wow them!  Ask them if they are ready to take that next step with you and remind them about how many people you have helped already. Tell them why they’d be missing out if they didn’t take advantage of this offer right now!

After this time has passed you should continue to send broadcasts to them as you wish. As I mentioned above email marketing systems like MailChimp are great because they are cheap, allow you to build these opt-in forms and also create a marketing email series.

Remember to make these emails about the reader and respect their time.  Get to the point and show them you know something about them and what they may be going through by relating to them.

And above all please don’t build it and hope they will come.  Give them a reason to keep coming back for more.

Is there something you have done that worked really well to build your email list?  Let me know below!

Once you build your brand and your following protect that with all your might.  

Benji and Joel Madden of pop punk band Good Charlotte are such a good example of what NOT to do. In Australia they have been the front men for Kentucky Fried Chicken on recent TV ads!  And then they moved straight on to endorse mobile phone company Vodafone.

I must say I was shocked. Not only is Benji a vegetarian and supports PETA, but both brothers are moving from endorsement to endorsement.  “Selling out” in this sense is a no no for what their fan base believes in.  Overnight they have gone from “cool” to flogging anything that pays them well whether they believe in it or not, leaving their Australian fans saying “America, take them back!”  Why?  They no longer feel they can look up to their idols.

Here is how to to develop brand consistency and maintain it over time to keep your customers loyal:

1. Use the words and language your market uses
   Using the same vocabulary as your target market is key to building trust and rapport. Decide what the voice of your brand will be and stick with it over time.  Imagine selling to 25 year old women for 5 years and then waking up tomorrow wanting to sell to the 50 year old+ professional woman because you heard that was where the money was.  You will put both people off very fast and end up losing your market who got you to where you are today.
2. Be yourself or you won’t be trusted
   What do you really stand for?  What makes you YOU?  Promoting yoga when you are a kickboxing fan makes you seem scattered and unsure.  We all like our leaders, business owners, sales people, mentors and even parents confident and sure about who they are and what they believe in.
3. Promote, sell or develop products you believe in
   I am glad the affiliate marketing industry is changing online and people with databases are being more protective of what they promote to them.  If you would not use the product yourself, and if you have not yet used it, then why sell it to your fans?
4. Be honest
   Stay away from false advertising or exaggerated promises when selling your products and services.  Would you rather sell 100 units, have 20 people return them and complain publicly online or sell 50 with no refunds and have all 50 actively raving about you?  Which one is more sustainable over time?
5. Don’t copy others – Get ideas from others
   Getting a pink website designed because you think your market likes pink and your competitor uses pink, then showing up dressed in black will only confuse them.  If you like the layout, then implement certain elements.  Make sure you make it something that really is a representation of your business.
6. Don’t do anything out of character 
   People follow people who take a stand and build their life, actions and products around it.  You can spend years building trust and credibility, but can destroy it in an instant.

I have worked with dozens and dozens of top speakers around the world and am reminded of them as I conclude this article.  Very few of them actually DO what they SAY! I think that is the case with many business owners too.  It can be very easy to say yes to things because they are thrown in front of you, other people are doing them and you are busy.

Before saying yes next time, ask the question “Will I be proud of this decision in 5 years and will my clients, fans and followers be grateful for me introducing it to them after they use it?”

You don’t need to be a J.K. Rowling to create exquisite content that people want to keep coming back to. Now, more than ever, it is important to update your websites and social media accounts on a regular basis.  (Insert me cringing here).

Don’t get me wrong – I love creating content.  As an overly busy business owner myself, enjoying the half custody of my partner’s 10 & 12 year old boys, and still trying to find time for myself (I still haven’t quite cracked this one), I just struggle with creating the time to create the content.

On a recent webinar for the members of the Women Speakers Association, I was invited to teach about what to write on your website, and more specifically your blog, to keep traffic coming your way.  (If you would like to get a copy of my notes enter your details in the box below this post.) 

I created the draft for this post as soon as I finished the call because the main thing they struggled with was what to write about.  Since it was such an issue for them I thought what I taught could help you as well…

Here is what to write on your website:

• Post photos or infographics then comment on them
  Commentary is great because it shows off your personality and expertise. If you continue to share great resources people will continue to visit you as a hub of knowledge in a certain area.
• Embed videos from Youtube (they don’t even have to be your own!) then comment on them
  If the video is on Youtube it is an invitation to embed it on your site.  You can develop an incredible library using your expert peer group’s content then summarizing it in a blog post and explaining why it is valuable. Just remember that anytime you use a video as a post it is important to supplement it with writing so search engines know what your post is about and people can skim the important points you want them to takeaway. You can learn more about why it is so important to speak your mind in my article about how to create a tribe online.
• Choose your top 10 topics of expertise and answer with your 10 most frequently asked questions for each
  In case you are counting that is 100 blog posts or articles for your website! Write a list of your top 10 areas you have helped others get great results in. For example if you are a personal trainer you may discuss how to lose belly fat, then tone arms, then tone abs etc. – the 10 areas you can help people get the most results when using your system. Then write down your top 10 FAQs for each one.  All you need to do is get in front of a video camera and answer each question or write a short blog pos, or both.
• Write a series of posts that interlink
  It is important to write short posts online to keep people engaged, but this also means it is tough to teach something substantial in 1 post.  Writing a series of posts is a great way of getting some added SEO benefits because you are able to link in between your posts by hyperlinking the titles. An example would be how I linked to my other article about building tribes above.  Not only can you keep your readership interested with your bit sized bits of valuable info, but you will keep the search engines happy because you have interlinked things in your site.

Remember to grab a copy of my notes below.  I easily lay out how to use these points above so that people and search engines can find your site.

Do you have a great technique you would like to share about how you get inspired to write?  Drop me a comment below…

You either love him or can’t stand him. As a fan (granted they are mostly tweens and teenage girls, and a few of my male friends – you know who you are!) you anxiously await his next song or piece of merchandise and hang on his every word.  Wouldn’t it be cool if you and your business had the same effect?

When creating your content online here are 4 simple steps you can do to start creating your own tribe.

4 steps to create a tribe:

1. Polarize people
   People are passionate about those who take a stand and those who speak their mind. People follow people who make them feel something! Stirring emotion in someone, whether it is to inspire, teach or question why they are doing something a certain way is powerful.  And it can create enemies or online trolls who just can’t help but write negative things. As my friend Bri Clark (of Belle Consulting) said recently, “I’m famous on LinkedIn! I have a troll!” Consider it a compliment when you rub someone the wrong way because you will have many more who love what you are saying in the way you are saying it. Be the brave one who says what others are only thinking and you will give people a reason to not only follow you, but stand up for you.
2. Be Yourself
   Sure “modelling” what someone else does is fine as long as that means using their structure, plan or ideas and then making them your own.  Let’s face it, most ideas out there now are borrowed or repackaged. Blatant copying though means you are NOT being yourself. Integrity is one of the biggest buzz words out there right now! It is because so many people want to be brave enough to be themselves online, in business and in life but are scared to for fear of what others may think.  If you are creating content and thinking about “what would so and so do” as you write it or film it chances are you are too concerned with trying to be someone else.
3. Be Conversational
    Delivering content online is not about long movies or novel sized posts. Have a chat with your audience as though you are talking to your best mate or a colleague you have known for a while. Great conversations make you laugh, smile or realise something new about  yourself.  They are also an excerise in building rapport and getting to know someone more.  In all good conversations personal details come out about yourself.  Personal info makes people feel closer to you and want to know more.  Did I mention it is the day after Christmas as I write this and I am still stuffed from this amazing Jamie Oliver pie that took me 5 hours to make last night? Jamie, by the way, is another guy who has nailed the concept of building a tribe.  On a more technical note, the second we started sending shorter emails using a more conversational approach our open rates have dramatically increased.
4. Give them a place to hang out with you
   It can be as simple as blog comments, using Facebook on a consistent basis, holding ongoing webinars or reading user comments on your online videos and asking for more that you can share next time.  Or you can provide a membership site or a mastermind group to monetize what you do.  As you build a fan base they will want to interact not only with you, but with each other, so be thinking of a way to make that happen.

In this brilliant podcast “Building a Tribe with Dan Andrews“, Dan said one of his most valuable lessons he learned in university was “Don’t take classes, take professors“. There are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of people already teaching what you teach or providing the same services.  THERE IS NOT ANOTHER YOU! You are the reason people will choose to engage further.

Remember, a business can have a tribe too…think Steve Jobs.

Make everything you do online a moment to share more about who you are.  

The character of Gordon Gekko (as pictured in this post’s main image) had a reputation that spread far beyond the infamous 80’s film Wall Street.  He communicated his values, beliefs an expertise in everything he did.  Love him or hate him you, you knew exactly what he stood for.

What do you stand for? Get personal and prove how you have specific expertise that people should listen to.

However, in this case, when talking about your story it is NOT about you…it is about them – your fans and clients.

Here are 6 questions you can answer to demonstrate your brand authority:

1. What are 3 of your biggest accomplishments?
2. What is 1 moment that you feel completely changed the course of your business or your life and why?
3. Do you have any awards, acknowledgements or media appearances? Talk about what they mean to you and your journey to get them, including any hardships.
4. What is the most important thing you want either you or your business to be remembered for?
5. What are the trends people need to be aware of in your industry?
6. What is at least 1 of your most incredible case studies? Talk about the before and after.

Your answers to these questions should be woven through what you are actually teaching and in a way that shows how it benefits your lead.  They help to deliver your values, show what you are best at and what you are known for (or want to be known for) whilst teaching content and sharing value.

Here is an example of how to tell a story about you while still making it all about the other person…

“Last December was so hard for us.  We had to let go of some of our staff in order to scale back, clean up our systems and grow to the next level.  Have you ever been there?  It paid off though for us.  We had a huge growth spurt after that and even ended up getting a small business award!  All businesses have growing pains.  We hope this short video will help you as you go through yours.  It has 3 quick tips you can use that we wish we would have known back then.”  (Then proceed to teach your content from here).

Suddenly you are not just giving away 3 tips to help small businesses get through growing pains.  You are explaining why people should take your 3 tips seriously!

Enjoy finding ways about how to be creative with this.  When you start using the words “I”, “me” or “we” more than you are teaching content you have probably gotten a little too carried away about you.

I would love to hear what you have done to validate your expertise that has worked well.  Let me know below…