Click my face to be magically transported to iTunes.

Pat Flynn got his start after getting laid off his first gig out of college. Not exactly the splash he was hoping to make!

[Skip ahead to the show!]

One of the things that surprised me most about Pat Flynn was hearing how he got his start. He didn’t set out to start one of the top online business blogs on the planet. It was largely an accident.

I use that word lightly. If you spend more than five minutes with Pat or listen to his podcast, Smart Passive Income, you know very quickly he’s categorically intentional. No doubt it’s his intentionality that’s carried him up the business podcast chart on iTunes, contributed to the massive success of his blog, and allowed him to create a lifestyle he controls (rather than the other way around).

In this episode, I ask Pat what his daily routine looks like, what he’s most excited about next, and Pat gives an unexpected answer when I ask him what surprises him most about his success.

If you want to build a better online business, or just want to be a snappier online communicator, this episode of #THINKDIGITAL is a keeper!

Listen to the Show

You can listen to the episode in full below. Please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review #THINKDIGITAL as well.

Resources Section

Here are links to the resources we cover in this episode:

• The THINKDIGITAL Masters Course: Apply here (deadline is 6/19/13 at 11:59 PM CST!)
• An old picture of me in the 88.7 KWDM studios: This started it all!
• Pat’s podcast: Smart Passive Income
• Pat’s blog: Smart Passive Income
• Pat on Twitter: @PatFlynn
• Pat’s first online product: Green Exam Academy
• Wormhole: PatisLive.com
• Not a wormhole, just a hole: Clickable Maps
• Pat’s bestselling book: Let Go!
• Share the love. Do it.
• Affordable virtual assistance with Zirtual: Get your invite here

Closing Thoughts

Like many of the guests on #THINKDIGITAL, Pat’s a guy I just plain like. He’s relatable, straightforward, and approachable. Perhaps that’s why he’s had so much success!

Past the “nice guy” exterior lies a shrewd business man. You can see it in each and every post on his blog and hear it on every episode of his podcast. He’s a best-selling author, top-ranked podcaster, and can bring home the bacon like few can. Maybe nice guys finish first after all?

Let’s thank Pat for his generosity, ingenuity, and bravery for pursuing a life that matters!

Hey @PatFlynn! Thanks for droppin' some knowledge on #THINKDIGITAL!
Click To Tweet

Spread the Love!

If you learned something in this week’s episode, would you take a moment and subscribe to the show? You’ll have all future episodes beamed directly (through magic) to your preferred listening device. If you’ve already listened and like what you hear, tell a friend or two on Twitter or Facebook.

Content is the new currency, and I’m about to double-down.

In the new opt-in economy, everyone must think like a publisher. It doesn’t matter what industry you serve or what sector you work in, organizations who develop rich, informative, helpful online digital content will succeed. Those who don’t, won’t.

You can’t win if you don’t play.

Michael Stelzner of Social Media Examiner calls content the “fuel” for your online presence. He’s right, too.

Gary Vaynerchuk hired a full-time person to follow him around all day and—yep, you guessed it—create content for his brand.

Click ads aren’t working like they used to, causing online publishers are moving towards a native advertising model. The gist of the new model? Real, valuable content provided by advertisers (or at least sponsored by them). Here’s a great example from BuzzFeed:

What is Content Marketing Anyway?

Content marketing is simply telling the story of who you are as a brand or individual online. It answers the question, “what can you do for me?” It positions you as a thought leader or expert in your field by providing insane amounts of valuable.

Doesn’t this take a lot of time? you might ask. Yes, yes it does. But gone are the days when you could blast people with messaging and get a response. If you’re not helping people, expect to be turned off. Not to oversimplify things, but it’s just that easy.

Conversely, you may think your industry is immune, but it’s not. “Well we do things differently in the ________ industry,” you might say.

Yeah, you might, but your competitors are thinking through this stuff and figuring out ways to eat your lunch! Sticking your head in the sand won’t make the reality of the situation go away.

Want Some Content Marketing Examples?

But don’t fret! If you don’t want to live like an ostrich, there’s good news for you. Look at these examples:

Here’s a roofing company killing it with content marketing:

Here’s Freshbooks, a cloud accounting service:

Here’s a church ebook:

We’re going meta with the last example. Here’s an ebook showing nonprofits how to do content marketing:

INCEPTION!

All of these examples happen to be ebooks, but content marketing can be so much more. If you’re scratching your head thinking of different ways to tell your story online, take a look at this list. It’s by no means comprehensive, but it should get the ol’ creative juices going.

Your organization is probably a content-creating factory, you just might not know it. Take some time to look at all the ways you’re creating the materials listed above and get to work repurposing. Or give someone at your org the reigns to create new materials to share with your community. In short: think content.

Droppin’ bombs on your collective moms.

One of my former students tweeted me recently and asked, “when are you going to be teaching again?”

As an adjunct professor, you get used to the idea you never quite know when you’ll get “the call.” One day you might be going about your normal, everyday, walking-around life. The next day, you’re in front of a full classroom of eager students ready to learn. (Go Bulldogs!)

You just never know. I love teaching at the collegiate level as much as I’ve enjoyed just about anything, but it’s a waiting game.

Here’s the thing: I’m not very good at waiting. That’s why I’ve decided to launch a project I’ve had on the back burner for years. The main focus is to help you build your digital platform.

It’s taken many different forms over the years of dreaming. It’s had even more names. But today, I’m proud to introduce the THINKDIGITAL Masters Course.

What is the THINKDIGITAL Masters Course?

One of the most frequently-asked questions I get is, “How do I build a social media platform for myself/my brand?”

Here’s the thing: There’s no secret pathway to success, but there is a secret. (How’s that for a paradox?)

Do you know what the secret is? Having a plan. And then working that plan. Over and over until something pops. It’s that easy =)

Many people don’t get as far as they want because they’re winging it. There’s no plan and, because of that, failure abounds. Trust me, I know because I’ve been there. Shooting from the hip doesn’t work with the social web. Intentionality is everything!

The THINKDIGITAL Masters Course is an rock-solid system designed to build your digital platform.

After you go through this course, you’ll be able to:

1. Increase the size of your email list with smart copy and irresistible calls-to-action
2. Grow your online tribe the right way with proven THINKDIGITAL methods
3. Increase your speaking gigs and/or leads
4. Grow your influence in your niche and get meetings with just about anyone you want

While I can’t guarantee your degree of results, I can guarantee you’ll see movement. (And sometimes getting the flywheel moving is the hardest part!) And I’m even offering a 30-day money back guarantee. If you go through the course and aren’t satisfied, I’ll refund your registration fee.

Working the THINKDIGITAL Masters Course plan has allowed me to:

Gain professional freedom. I’ve left my full-time job to focus on doing the work I love:

Sign a book contract. The relationships I formed online led to a book deal:

Increase my online exposure. Land guest posts on some of the largest social media blogs on the planet (social proof: here, here, and here):

Speak at national conferences. I’ve lead workshops and taught breakouts all over the country while meeting heavy-hitters and forming true, lasting friendships:

Build relationships. Met and interviewed some of my heroes in the social media space:

Increase profitability. I’ve increased sales, leads, and online awareness for the organizations I’ve worked for

All this from the middle of a cornfield in Des Moines, IA.

This is actually my backyard. Who knew corn could be so beautiful!

The point? The plan works. Bottom line.

What will the THINKDIGITAL Masters Course cover?

The first TMC class will span four weeks, starting July 1. Think of it as your digital summer school. You’ll “graduate” on July 26, followed by a celebratory interview for a segment on #THINKDIGITAL, my top-ranked social media marketing podcast. (All students will have a personalized interview segment on the show dedicated to showcasing his or her Big Idea.)

The subject material of TMC will focus on four main areas:

• THINK DIGITAL. We’ll dig into discovering your mission—your Big Idea—and develop a plan for translating it online.
• THINK SOCIAL. Growing awareness of your brand, product, or offering through your social presence.
• THINK EMAIL. Cultivating a solid email list full of community members who’ll go to the wall for you (and buy your stuff).
• THINK CONTENT. Creating crave-able content to fuel your online presence.

The content will be delivered in four separate modules, with each module containing a weekly email, a multimedia teaching lesson (or two), digital resources, an action assignment, and “show and tell”—a chance for you to share what you’ve learned with the rest of the class!

More specifically, you’ll receive:

DIGITAL

• Four weeks of the most practical, no-nonsense, real world-tested strategies and tactics for building a social media brand
• Audience discovery process to find the right people for your online tribe
• Audience analysis kit—easily find out the pain points of your tribe (and create products to ease the pain!)

SOCIAL

• The GTK Twitter list ninja method for meeting just about anyone you want to via Twitter
• Fool-proof method to increase your Klout score (mine’s at 71 because of it!)
• Access to private Facebook group with other class members

EMAIL

• Email templates to get meetings with the people you want
• A fool-proof strategy for growing your email list the right way
• “Anatomy of a perfect email” action tool

CONTENT

• Blueprints for creating online copy that sells
• My method for finding an endless supply of content to share with your community—and make them love you for it!
• “Anatomy of a perfect blog post” action tool

BONUSES!

• BONUS! An interview segment on the #THINKDIGITAL podcast, consistently ranked in the Top 25 Marketing & Management podcasts on iTunes
• BONUS! Priority email access to my inbox
• BONUS! Advance copy of my social media ebook, “THINKSOCIAL: 12 Steps to Social Media Success”
• +TONS of other bonuses worth over $300!

[Skip ahead and sign-up now →]

How will the THINKDIGITAL Masters Course be structured?

The first class will be limited to a very small group of students. The range will be just 10–15 folks, depending on what the initial response is like. Because of the intimate nature of this first round, the group will not be any larger.Please keep this in mind when you’re deciding.

Once the class is full, it’s full. There will be no exceptions. The material we’ll cover will never be offered at the same price again. Please be mindful of this as you’re deciding.

A few more things you need to know about this first round:

1. First, you’ll get the first class treatment. I’ve been captivated by the notion of generosity as a business principle: generous in time, resources, and talents. I’m figuring out ways to spoil you. Just plotting and scheming. I can’t wait.
2. Second, I’ll be turning this material into an online course set to launch Fall 2013. The first round of students will have access to the material before anyone else.
3. Lastly, as I’ve mentioned, the price for this material will never be this low again. The tools, tactics, and knowledge you’ll gain in this class give you my personal blueprint for success. It’s taken me years to craft and hone this invaluable system and you’ll learn it for a bargain basement price.

What’s the cost for the THINKDIGITAL Masters Course?

If you choose to apply for one of the spots, here’s a reminder of what you’ll be receiving:

Click for larger image

You’ll get the following bonuses as well—worth well over $300:

• An interview segment on the #THINKDIGITAL podcast, consistently ranked in the Top 25 Marketing & Management podcasts on iTunes
• Priority email access to my inbox
• Advance copy of my social media ebook, “THINKSOCIAL: 12 Steps to Social Media Success”
• +TONS of other surprises along the way!

I’ve come to respect the universal truth of “you get what you pay for.” I believe “free” is a widely misunderstood concept. It’s been proven time and again—people value experiences where something is required of them; when they have skin in the game. Consider the price above to be a very small amount of skin

How do I sign-up for the THINKDIGITAL Masters Course?

Please share just a few basic details below. Once we’ve received your submission, you’ll be notified if we’re able to extend an invite for the first class. (But don’t worry. As long as you’re not a creeper, troll, or Nicolas Cage, you’ve got as good a shot as the next person.)

Remember, the class size is limited. (This isn’t to create false scarcity—I simply want to focus on giving this first round of folks the most amazing experience possible. My brain starts to scatter if the group gets too big!)

Whew! Is there anything else we need to know?

I’ve never launched something this personal before, but the timing is so very right. I believe in this material so much I’m willing to stake my reputation on it. It’s worked for me (and then some), and I’m convinced it can work for you—no matter where you’re at in your journey.

Want a bigger email list?
Want more speaking gigs?
Want more traffic to your blog?
Want more followers, fans, and friends?

The THINKDIGITAL Masters Course can help. And then some.

But at a deeper level, the THINKDIGITAL Masters Course is designed to help you connect deeply with your Big Idea and systematically create a strategy to translate your message online.

Please let us know if you have any questions. We’re here to help! In the meantime…

Go get ‘em!

P.S. – Did I mention the first class of TMC students will get lifetime access to the THINKDIGITAL materials once the online course launches? Once you’re in, you’re in for life. Plus, I’ll forever hold a special place in my heart for this first round of folks. In many ways, you’ll be helping me fulfill one of my dreams! Just like the Lannisters, I always pay my debts! Sign-up here →

Malcolm Michiles, one of the best DJs I’ve ever seen!

I used to be a DJ in college. Not like a radio DJ, but an actual, in-the-club, spinning and scratchin’ records DJ.

It was the best job I ever had. That is, until a sorority girl puked on my shoes (twice) and I got punched in the face by a “bro” frat guy and his meathead friends. Did I mention this all happened in the same night?

[Listen to this post!]

(Oh, and the fact I’m pretty sure the head bouncer was literally selling drugs out the back door. Details.)

There’s a lot about the gig I don’t remember. But I do recall absolutely loving the music.

Finding new and exciting ways for beats to match up with one another, melding together to create something totally other; something I created with two decks and a handful of burned CDs. It was truly magical.

Some other fun facts you should know:

• I owned and actually wore a black fishnet shirt while “spinnin’ the 1’s and 2’s”. It looked something like this. Yes, I’m serious. Yes, I regret it. Thankfully I had the good sense to wear something over it. Usually it was this shirt.
• I believed I was weaving a musical narrative using carefully selected cuts from only the best late 90s/early 00s club anthems. Everyone else at the club (mainly the females) believed my sole purpose was play “I’m Real” by JLo and Ja Rule on-demand. If I never hear that song again it’ll be too soon.
• The experience sparked a deep love for electronic dance music, or EDM.

As my list of favorite EDM artists grows to include acts like Krewella, 3LAU, KapSlap, Diplo, BroSafari, or the venerable Kaskade, I’m struck by one consistent theme: They all support each other.

Whether it’s a new release, an official remix, a collaboration, or a joint tour, EDM artists are incredibly generous with others in their community. It’s refreshing, really. In short, they take care of their own.

DJs with bigger platforms invest and share the stage with young up-and-comers. Established artists collaborate on tracks to get crossover love. Successful producers start labels and scan the scene for new talent.

Just like any community, I’m sure there’s bickering, gossip, beefs, and factions. But the more I listen, the more I see a culture of support and unity supported through generosity.

What’s EDM Got to Do With It

You may not be a fan of EDM, but you’re about to benefit from it. Inspired by the support EDM artists give to one another, I want to take a moment and support you?

How?

Whatever “success” I’ve had in building a social media platform, however meager, has been because others have been generous with me.

Cynthia Ware told me to always get paid for my work. It’s been the some of the best advice I’ve ever received.

Gary Vaynerchuck took the time to chat with me for 30 minutes, waiting patiently through my bumbled attempts to record the conversation.

Kristina Halvorson let me into her world of content strategy and gave me gold. You can always tell when someone is going through the motions—Kristina wasn’t. (She’ll be on a future episode of #THINKDIGITAL. Can’t wait!)

Even though his episode is only 30 minutes long, Jeff Goins spent more time with me than any other guest on my podcast. That’s generous.

And on, and on. Generosity is a hallmark I look for in others. It’s a quality I want to most emulate myself.

Generosity is a hallmark I look for in others. It’s a quality I want to most emulate.
Click To Tweet

Let’s Get Generous, Generous!

So here’s what we’re going to do. For 30 days, I’m going to tweet out one link per day from people in the #THINKDIGITAL community (if you’re reading this, that’s you!).

I’m reserving my primetime tweet slot, 2 PM CST, to tweet something you’re passionate about, something you want to promote, or something you want to say to my Twitter platform.

We’re 6,300+ strong, which isn’t verified account status (yet), but it’s enough to get some traction for most of the places I point folks.

Your following could be large or small. Focused or broad. It doesn’t matter. What matters is wanting to share my platform with you, even if it is for a brief moment in time. You can expect:

• More traffic to the link you provide
• More followers
• An increasing sense of joy when you pay it forward to someone else down the line
• Who knows?

At the end of the day, this is an experiment. I’ve never done something like this before, but I want to find out what happens when we try it out.

1. Tell me what you want to say. Describe the link you’ll be providing and (presumably) promoting. But remember, keep it under 140 characters! =)
2. Tell me where to send people. Make you you provide the full link (e.g. “http://peanutbutterjellytime.com). Unfortunately, if you don’t format it correctly I won’t be able to accept it! I hate to be a stickler, but this is important.
3. Tell me your Twitter handle. Not only do I want to promote your stuff, I want to give you some Twitter love as well. It’s a two-fer, hooray!

I’m only accepting 30 entries, so if you want to play, you’ll need to act fast. First 30 to sign-up below get the goods. Do it.

Sorry, Charlie! We've reached the limit. We'll try it again real soon...better luck next time!

I’m Having Fun!

Let’s face it: being generous is much more fun than stinginess. Generosity allows the soul to breathe a bit—it gets you out of your own shoes, if only for a second, and into the footwear of someone else (for a change).

I want this blog, my podcast, and my business to be places where you can come and be refreshed by generosity. Hopefully this is one step in the right direction. Ready?

Go get ‘em!

P.S. – If you want a good place to dive in, take a listen to my 30-minute and 60-minute sets of amazing curated mixes. Don’t say I never gave you nothin’

Listen to this post!

Click my face to be magically transported to iTunes.

Jeff Goins is doing what he loves. Are you? If not, learn how to change that.

[Skip ahead to the show!]

Who doesn’t want to wake up and do what they love everyday? Everyone, regardless of industry, wants to find fulfillment in their craft. Promise.

On this week’s show, I sit down with author and blogger Jeff Goins and talk shop. Jeff reveals how he built his business to a point where he was able to quit his 9-to-5. He also gives some practical advice to those looking to do the same (and it’s not what you think).

Building a business online has never been easier. Jeff gives a level-headed perspective as to how you can get started (and what to expect along the way). He’s been wildly successful in his own efforts, which is why I always trust what he has to say.

If you’ve ever felt like there was something else you wanted to spend your days doing, you owe it to yourself to listen to this week’s episode of #THINKDIGITAL.

Listen to the Show

You can listen to the episode in full below. Please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review #THINKDIGITAL as well.

Resources Section

Here are links to the resources we cover in this episode:

• 26 time management time hacks I wish I’d known at 20
• Tony Schwartz and his amazing time-management goodness
• Mary Meeker’s drop-dead gorgeous data explosion
• Let’s get Noah Kagan on the show! Click this: Noah loves tacos
• Follow Jeff on Twitter
• Check out Jeff’s blog
• Jeff’s online writing course: Tribe Writers
• Jeff’s book Wrecked
• Read the blogging e-book Jeff contributed to that changed the way I saw my blog
• Share the love. Do it.
• Affordable virtual assistance with Zirtual: Get your invite here

Closing Thoughts

Jeff is a fantastic writer, business person, and family man. That’s a guy I can get behind!

The thing I respect most about Jeff is his willingness to sit down and do the work. There’s no magic formula, no deep hidden secret. Just the determination to show up everyday and put in the time to create something that matters.

Genius.

Not only that, but as you heard in the episode, he’s incredibly gracious. Forgetting to hit the “record” button is a major no-no. While I definitely benefitted from our first conversation, I’m so thankful you got to come along on the journey as well.

Will you do me a favor? Go ahead and click the tweet below to thank Jeff for his time on #THINKDIGITAL:

Hey @JeffGoins! Thanks for droppin' some knowledge on #THINKDIGITAL!
Click To Tweet

Spread the Love!

If you learned something in this week’s episode, would you take a moment and subscribe to the show? You’ll have all future episodes beamed directly (through magic) to your preferred listening device. If you’ve already listened and like what you hear, tell a friend or two on Twitter or Facebook.

Making Des Moines proud!

Content marketing can seem like one of the ambiguous terms no one quite knows what to do with. Kind of like “fully vested,” “hipster,” “cash flow,” or “community.”

When it comes to a content marketing plan for your organization (you do have one, right?), it all boils down to answering four very simple questions. They are:

1. What’s your content development plan?
2. What’s your content voice?
3. Who’s going to own the content channel?
4. What organizational goal is this channel tied to?

A Content Development Plan

Question: How are you going to ensure there is a steady stream of content for each channel?

Nothing says “amateur” quite like infrequently updated social content channels. I find that “winging it” doesn’t work well with social media. A content development plan, even a simple one, is the seedbed for serious social media growth.

(These words sting with the bitter pain of . I’m wrestling with having some of my own social media ghost towns. It’s been an area of focus of mine lately, which is why you might want to take a peek at your own social pace.)

A few things you need to be aware of:

• Yes, it takes time to plan content.
• Yes, it sometimes feels like drudgery.
• Yes, you may have to bring on a staff person/contractor to keep up with the content demands.

But if you haven’t been reminded lately, let me be the one to tell you: you have no choice. Truly.

Content is the new currency, folks. We’re all publishers. Every last one of us. It doesn’t matter if you’re a for-profit, nonprofit, charity, church/faith institution, or a bricks and mortar business: you’re a media publisher.

The sooner you accept this truth, the sooner you can start developing a plan.

To get you started, here’s my daily content rhythm:

• Start Pomodoro and title it “START”
• Dig into Pocket and comb through the content I saved the day before
• Scan the #Explore tab on Twitter, looking for stuff that interests me
• Look through my Favorites from the day before
• Use Buffer religiously throughout the whole process, uploading to Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn

Voíla! A drop-dead, simple content strategy for social media in 25 minutes per day (or less).

What’s your plan to prevent content ghost towns? Do not wing it. You’ll end up wanging it, and that’s not good for anyone.

A Voice

Question: How is the content you’re sending to each social network expressing the voice of your Big Idea?

Dan Zarrella once said people follow people, organizations, and brands on Twitter for their unique voice. “Speak as yourself, not about yourself.”

That’s genius advice right there. Be more concerned about how you’re saying something rather than what you’re saying.

Yeah, that’s right. I’d rather you be more concerned about staying true to your organization’s voice than figuring out optimal post times on Facebook. Your voice is what people crave. Posting times will fluctuate and, let’s face, everyone’s guessing anyway.

(If you don’t know what your organizational voice sounds like, you need to. I can help with that.)

An Owner

Question: Who is going to take the reigns of each specific social network?

Name them. Like, write down who they are on a sheet of paper and tape it to everyone’s face.

I’m serious. (Not really, but sort of. It’s that important.)

If Nancy’s in charge of the Twitter account, she needs to know that. And so does everyone else.

Why?

If Nancy totally rocks it one month, the rest of the team knows she’s the woah-man! and can congratulate her accordingly.

Conversely, If Johnny’s in charge of the Facebook page and he totally blows it, he needs to be accountable to the rest of the team. And so you can punish him. Like Derrick.

Social networks turn into ghost towns because no one’s in charge. Or everyone’s in charge. Which is really two ways of saying the same thing.

Put someone in charge. Let them work it, own it, and make social media magic.

A Goal

Question: How is each social medium your participating in tie to an organizational goal?

This part is my favorite because it’s the most difficult. Fans, likes, retweets, pins, and views are nice, but using social to kick business booty is better. It’s one thing to grow the size of your online audience. It’s quite another to say “10% our Pinterest traffic converted this month and purchased something.”

That, my friends, is how a plan comes together.

If you’re not taking the time to develop goals for your organization, you’re already behind the eight ball. If you’re not tying your social networks to those goals, you’re really behind the eight ball. (Which is two eight balls, if you’re keeping track. That’s like a sixteen ball. Oy.)

Want to make your boss happy? Set social media goals.
Want to make your online community happy? Set social media goals.
Want to make friends and influence people? Set social media goals.
Want a juicy steak? Grab a filet and throw it on the grill (with some fresh basil and thyme—mmmm!) Then set social media goals.

Conclusion

If you do nothing else: Try to develop answers for each question posed above. Start small. Take your least popular social network and dive in there. Stick with the process, as painful as it may be, and watch what happens. You’ll thank me later. Promise!

This festive piñata will make more sense in a minute.

[Short on time? Skip ahead to see how you can win!]

Do you know what Amazon, Facebook, and Twitter all have in common?

Not technology.
Not billionaire buy-out founders.
Not the location of their company headquarters.

They all run on the same currency: social proof.

The more reviews a book gets, the more shares a post gets, the more retweets a *ahem* tweet gets, the higher up the chain the content goes.

And that’s how the social web works.

Making iTunes happy as a clam.

Want to know a little secret? That’s how the podcast rankings on iTunes work as well. It’s like a game, really:

• A subscription to a podcast garners a certain amount of points.
• Ratings (1-5 stars) get a few more.
• And reviews? Reviews are like the turtle-shell-on-the-castle-stairs trick in Super Mario Bros.: Unlimited points!

The more points you win, the higher your podcast goes in the magical iTunes rankings. The higher your ranking, the more exposure you get. The more exposure, well, there’s always benefits to more exposure. (Unless it’s indecent. That’s always bad.)

Break the piñata! Olé!

That’s where you come in.

I’m throwing an all-out comment party for my social media marketing podcast, #THINKDIGITAL, and YOU are invited. Hooray!

But I’m not just asking you to do this out of the goodness of your heart. That’s lame. (And, frankly, there are better recipients for the goodness in your heart.) There’s a door prizes at this here party and everyone’s got a shot at the loot.

What’s in the piñata? I’m glad you asked. I’ll be giving away a brand new FitBit Flex to one lucky party-goer.

If you’re wondering, the FitBit Flex is an amazing piece of technology that measures your activity level and sleep quality, all from the comfort of your FREAKING WRIST. It’s pretty much like an EKG machine, a Unisom pill, and Al’s handlink device from Quantum Leap all wrapped into one.

Your wrist is judging you.

That’s a $99 piece of technology that could be yours. For free.

How do I win?

Good question. It’s remarkably easy. Follow these steps and you’re in it to win it:

When will the winner be chosen?

I’ll pick a winner at random using Random.org on May 31, 2013. You have a full week to get on board. Don’t miss out!

A few tips:

• If you’ve already left a review and rating, you can still enter. Just enter the review screen name you used into the last line of the survey.
• You don’t have to listen to the whole episode. It might help you leave a better review, but it’s not necessary. Give it the old college try. Then go about your merry way.
• From start to finish, this whole process takes around 4-5 minutes. If you win, that’s like earning $1,118/hour. What a deal!

Go get ‘em….

P.S. – If you win and aren’t feeling the FitBit, you can opt for a $100 Amazon gift card. Oh yeah, these geese are big jerks.

This is not Bill.

About a week ago, I heard a gushing sound coming from the unfinished side of our basement.

This can’t be good, were the words that rushed through my head.

Living in the midwest, we have added benefit of turning our basement into a living room.

My home office is downstairs. So is our main living room. In short, it’s where my wife and I can act like grown ups (i.e. no toys!).

So when I heard the unmistakeable sound of water splashing and splooshing next door, I sprang into action.

Turns out it was a loose pipe on our sump pump (click here if you have no idea what that is). I screwed it back on and waited anxiously.

Since I have the handyman skills of a junior high preteen girl, I wanted to make sure the problem was fixed. So I called Bill.

Bill is a tree bark-chewing, tobacco spittin’, Johnny Cash-listenin’, bonafide handyman. He knows when something’s broken and when it’s fixed. If anyone could tell me if my MacGyvered sump pump solution was going to hold, it was Bill.

Bill came over, clomped down my stairs, and stared at my handiwork.

Bill tugged on one of the pipes, took a screwdriver out of his pocket, poked and prodded around, and stepped back.

“Do you think this’ll work?” I asked timidly.

Bill muttered, “Yep.”

That’s all he said. Yep. But it’s all he needed to say.

We exchanged some pleasantries, Bill walked back up the stairs, I bid him farewell, and he left.

Yep. That’s all it took. It put my mind at ease and helped me sleep better at night knowing my basement wouldn’t become a kiddie pool overnight.

It made me incredibly thankful for Bill’s experience, expertise, and knowledge. In short, I was thankful for an expert’s guidance.

Have you ever been in a situation like this one? Where you thought you were doing things right but weren’t really sure? My guess is you have, and you were filled with the same trepidation as I was.

More specifically, I meet people every week who wonder if they’re effectively communicating the message of their church. Church communicators who are intelligent, bright, articulate people, but don’t have the roadmap they’re looking for.

Questions arise like:

• Do we know what our vision is? Are we communicating it to the entire church?
• What’s our plan to keep our social networks filled with relevant content?
• Do we have readily available brand standards?
• How are we telling the story of our church to people in the community?
• What’s our system for determining verbal announcements?

These are all normal. Like, super normal. But many times t

That’s what I want to introduce you to Sayge Resources.

What is Sayge?

Sayge is an intentional marketing and communications training resource for any church leader wanting to engage and move their church and community to action.

The monthly training resources provide a step-by-step process for you and your team to identify the vision that will capture the hearts of the people in your church, identify relevant and practical ways to market your church within your community, develop systems that maximize creativity, and much more.

Sayge provides you all the information you need to learn and apply the 12 Essentials of Church Communications.

Best day ever: Readers of JustinWise.net can get $5 knocked off the monthly price by entering WISE at checkout. (The discount is good for the life of the subscription, too! Hooray!)

Get the expert perspective you need for a price you can afford.

Sayge was intentionally created to give any church the opportunity to benefit from these amazing resources. For $34.95/month (minus your $5 discount!), you’ll get access to training resources designed to help you with the 12 essentials of church communication:

1. Vision Identification
2. Brand Standards
3. Communication Strategy
4. Project Systems
5. Social Media
6. Web Essentials
7. Guest Experience
8. Audience Connection
9. Creative Leadership
10. External Marketing
11. Storytelling Principle
12. Volunteer Mobilization

Make sure you sign-up before May 31! The discount ends at the stroke of midnight =)

Click my face to be magically transported to iTunes.

Gary Vaynerchuck Shares the Secret to Social Media Success

[Skip ahead to the show!]

Gary Vaynerchuck is a New York Times bestselling author, leads a profitable online media marketing agency, and is widely considered to be one of the leading voices in the social media field—and today he’s on #THINKDIGITAL.

Join me as I talk with Gary about the social media trends he absolutely hates, how he balances the work/life tension, the true nature of social media, PLUS he unveils the method ANY business or organization can use to build a thriving online community.

Check out this candiid talk with Gary where we talk about what it means to truly care for others, being dads, and why Gary calls his wife his “partner in crime.” (Oh, and be sure to pre-order Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook here: http://justinwise.net/jabjab)

Listen to the Show

You can listen to the episode in full below. Please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review #THINKDIGITAL as well. (Click here if you can’t see the media player below.)

Resources Section

Here are links to the resources I cover in this episode:

• Noah Kagan’s Big Omaha talk
• Noah loves tacos
• Darrell’s book: UNBLOGGER
  
• Shaun King’s latest venture: Upfront
• Give to the relief efforts in Oklahoma
• You have a choice: be real-time or be past-time (Tweet this!)
• Gary’s books: Crush It and The Thank You Economy
• Gary’s new book: Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook
  
• Gary Vaynerchuck Twitter
• If you’d like me to come and share some insights with your group, here’s my speaking page

Closing Thoughts

Gary is one of those guys I just like. I like who he is. I like what he stands for. I like how he does business. I like that the people I like like him. =)

For me, the most telling part in this whole interview wasn’t the business advice or the stories of success, it was hearing Gary say he’s falling deeper in love with his wife everyday. If you scan his Twitter feed for more than a day or two, it’s clear family is priority for him. In a world increasingly devoted to selfish endeavors, Gary’s “for others-ness” was a breath of fresh air.

If you learned something in this week’s episode, would you take a moment and subscribe to the show? You’ll have all future episodes beamed directly (through magic) to your preferred listening device. If you’ve already listened and like what you hear, tell a friend or two on Twitter or Facebook.

They say you only get one chance to make a first impression. If that’s true, let me introduce you to SOME Company for the first time.

SOME Company—or SOME Co. for short—is a social media marketing agency I founded with Tim Schraeder and Justin Lathrop. We’re a little less than two months old and the train, as they say, is starting to pick up steam.

Why SOME Company?

If you’re wondering, the “SOME” stands for “social media”—social media company. It’s what we are. It’s what we care about. It’s how we can help you. Additionally, we want our clients to say while working with us, “that’s some company!” Going above and beyond their expectations—meeting and smashing goals each and every time.

Who does SOME Company help?

We help organizations discover and tell their story online. Whether you’re just getting started with social media or need a fresh way to engage your audience, we are here to help. Our growing client list includes:

• Michael Hyatt’s Platform Conference
• Assemblies of God Denomination (including one of TIME magazine’s top 100 most influential people in the world)
• All Access Conference
• Thomas Nelson (including authors like Judah Smith & Brad Lomenick)

Here’s what Chad Cannon, Senior Director of Marketing for Nelson Books, had to say about SOME Co.:

Some Company is an ideation and execution machine. Very rarely do you work with people that are just as good at executing as they are at ideating. The team they’ve put together is second to none. If you need social media or marketing communication strategy, this is your company. It’s been revolutionary for me and our publishing team at Thomas Nelson.

How can SOME Company help you?

Ah yes, I’m glad you asked. As I mentioned earlier, the short version is helping organizations tell their story online.

Many organizations simply aren’t seeing the results they want from social media. We believe this is due to a fundamental misunderstanding of what social media is (and the power behind it).

Our job is to help you tame the social beast, saddle it up, and put that bad boy to work for you and purposes. DO MY BIDDING, SOCIAL!

On a more granular level, here’s how we can help you:

CONTENT STRATEGY
Content is king when it comes to your presence on social media. We work with you to develop a holistic content strategy that will help you create compelling content to share on all of your social networks. Get started →

PLATFORM BUILDING
Social media provides a platform for you and your organization to connect with your audience online. We’ll help you expand your platform and help your message reach more people. Get started →

CAMPAIGNS + SHORT-TERM MANAGEMENT
Whether you’re doing a live event or conference, or have a short-term campaign you need to execute, we are here to help you spread the word. Get started →

Who is SOME Company?

Aside from yours truly, I’m joined by the amazing social media strategist, Tim Schraeder, and the connection wizard, Justin Lathrop.

I’ll spare you the gush session, but I couldn’t be more thrilled to lock arms with these gents. World class, yo.

We’d like to think that we’re more than just three church guys on a (social media) mission; more than a ragtag bunch with a history of excellent networking skills, more than just some social media company (ok technically we are SOME Company, but you get the point).

In fact, we believe we’re a powerhouse team whose extensive ministry backgrounds and business expertise makes for the perfect social media service for faith-based organizations and leaders. And we’d love the opportunity to work with you.

You ready for SOMEthing new?

We specialize in working with para-church organizations, leaders, and organizations that have something worth sharing. Let us help you get the word out for your next:

• Book launch
• Album release
• Conference or live event
• Platform launch

We’ve got some amazing projects in the works. I can’t quite share them with you yet, but they’re the stuff dreams are made of.

So what are you waiting for? Why trust your social media presence to anyone else? Give the keys to your social kingdom to a team who’s been there before and knows exactly what to do.

Join us online here:

• SOME Co. Twitter
• SOME Co. Facebook
• SOME Co. Instagram
• SOME Co. LinkedIn

Help us get the word out and tweet this:

SOMETHING new is brewing! Here's the latest from @TimSchraeder @JustinLathrop and @JustinWise:
Click To Tweet