Building your Business is a lot like Working Out and Fitness

 

These days I'm reflecting on how much creating anything, be it a business, writing and promoting a book or learning to generate more visibility for your brand is like working out. Once the idea and the overall vision presents itself, it's exciting and that momentum has us off and running. But then something happens...the energy and momentum begin to ebb and flow. Somewhere along the way, you're going to run into obstacles. When working out, whether it's running, lifting weights, or doing a boot camp or Crossfit workout, there comes a point where you wonder why on Earth you decided to do this. And that is a very critical time. It's when things get real. It's called choice point.

Are you going to quit? Are you going to allow your body to rest because your mind says it's too hard, when it most likely doesn't need to rest yet? Are you going to distract yourself by posting on Facebook rather than getting that next chapter done? If you're promoting your book, do you start complaining that your publicist isn't getting enough coverage for you? Following our dreams isn't easy. It take persistence, hard work, and a willingness to fail. That's right. I said fail. In fact, when working out, success is taking your muscles to total failure. Failure = success. The ultimate paradox.

My trainer, Casey Mitzel and me

So my curiosity was piqued when my friend Ana Melikian shared with me about a new book called Go for No! Yes is the destination, No is how you get there, by Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz. In it, the authors claim that you will have more success if you set failure goals rather than success goals. Sounds counter intuitive , doesn't it? Failure goals? Are you kidding me? But hang in there....The book centers around a salesman who learns to focus on getting lots of nos, rather than a few yeses. You see, what some refer to as failure is really feedback, and that allows us to make the necessary adjustments to go forward again. "OK, that didn't work, what now? I'll try this."

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Being OK with failure and seeing it as feedback is critical for your success. It allows you to try new things and try them quickly. If you know that for every 20 nos, you'll get a yes, then get through the nos. Make the calls. Send the emails. Set up the meetings. Go for it and remember to have some fun along the way. Just like an adventure run (The picture above is after a run in the Cascade Mountain range.), in the middle of it you might want to stop, but that's exactly when you keep on going! You can do it!

 

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How to Stand Up and Stand Out: Building your Business through Media

 Here's what I've been pondering lately...

Never before in the history of the world has it been so easy to stand up. The trick is, when it comes to your business, how are you going to stand out? Anyone can build a platform and create a business these days, providing he or she has a good idea and a market to tap into. But with all of these new competitors (or niche mates, as I like to call them), the question becomes, “How are you different? What is unique about you? How do you stand out?”

Knowing the answer to these questions is key.

Once you are clear on who you are and how you’re different, you can begin to successfully market yourself and generate visibility. Now it becomes essential that you understand media and how to tap into its power. 

For a long time, the terms “old media” and “new media” were used to describe the different types of media. “Old Media” referred to traditional media offline. New Media was used to describe media online. However, we have outgrown these distinctions now. They have become passé as I think you’d be very hard pressed to find a magazine that didn’t have an online component, or a television station that didn’t have a website showing clips from their news or daily talk shows.

The important distinction to understand now, which will guide you toward greater success, is to realize we’re now dealing with “Other Media” and “You Media”. “Other Media” is anytime someone else interviews you for a story or segment. It could be a journalist, writer, blogger, television producer or radio host.  “You Media” is all the media content generation that you do. It’s your video, audio podcasts, webinars, teleseminars, articles you write, blog posts you do. And here is the key: Before you even think of going after “Other Media” you need to have your “You Media” or platform in place. Once you pitch other media, they are going to come looking for you, and if they have trouble finding you, they will think you are dead. They will then move onto someone else. 

Here are a few of the important items to have in place for your platform:

·         Website or blog, with a page specifically for media

·         Active social media accounts, but only where you market is found (There is much you can ignore.)

·         Video. Many people are overwhelmed with all there is to read, but many, particularly visual types, will click on a video to watch and listen

·         Audio podcasts which talk about your business and the problems you solve. Auditory people love this option.

·         Email lists to market to

·         Opt in page to capture visitors  on your website or blog so that you can continue to market to them.

Beyond your platform, get media training (which is something I am very happy to say I provide). You don’t want to be the person who blows his or her brand in six seconds by posting a bad video on Facebook. If you’re going to use the multiple media platforms at our fingertips, use them well.

If you have questions on visibility, publicity, marketing, and media training, come to my complimentary Q&A calls every second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Click the link to opt in and I’ll send you all the juicy details. www.joannemccall.net. 

Looking forward to hearing about your business, project, book or event.

Warmly,

Joanne