Success Champion Magazine - May 2021 by Donnie Boivin

May 2021 • Issue 10 • Growing Personal Brand

SUCCESS CHAMPIONS

“Quote” featured article:

Epic SitDown with Kevin Snow and Donnie Boivin

- Author

Success Champions

Contents 4

Time to Get Back to Work

Dobbie Boivin stirs the pot a bit.

6 Building Your Brand With YouTube Kevin Hunter shares tips for turning YouTube into a branding strategy.

8 Your Voice, Your Brand, The Badassery of Sharing Brave Words

30 What Every Business Needs to Know About SEO

Mark Asbell unlocks the mystery of SEO

34 Using Stages to Grow Your Business

Lorianne Vaughan Speaks explains how speaking on stage can grow your business..

36 Growing your Email List from Speaking Gigs

Laura Di Franco extols the virtues of sharing your badass authenticity and asserting yourself/

Kevin Snow shows how you can use speaking engagements to build your email list and audience.

12 Podcasting as a Business Development Tool

38 Brand Story and Awareness on Pinterest

Donnie Boivin dives deep into leveraging podcasts into a sales and business development strategy.

Resident Pinterest guru Sarah Ankney explores the branding features of Pinterest

18 Feature: Epic Sitdown with Kevin Snow and Donnie Boivin Hear how Donnie and Kevin brought their skills together to become a powerhouse team.

26 Geeking Out! For Fun and Profit Donald Dodson shares how geeking out on your favorite thing publicly can attract better audiences..

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Success Champions

Time to get back to work!

ts time to get back to work. We have all had to make adjustments and figure things out while running our businesses. Now its time to get back to normal and get business rocking like it used to be and beyond. A lot of us put on the Covid 20 and some even more. I joined a combat kickboxing class to whooped my ass back in shape. It felt pretty rad to be doing something more than hanging out on the farm. Over the years I struggle with how much of my personality should show up in “corporate America”. I tried to look and act the part because this country guy who cussed too much was cut out to be the corporate guy. I really thought that being me would be a turn-off to business, business owners, and people in general. What I have found is the more I show up as the fuck you compassionate guy I win. So I wear ballcaps, T-shirts, and cuss. I talk about the farm, the goats, and a lot of rum. I love to cook, hate to clean, and love Harry

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Potter. And guess what. Other champions do too. I have built my brand as the guy that will push you further than you think you can go. I’ll push you higher than you think you can climb. And I will do it all from the studio on my farm. Your personal brand is about showing up as you so your tribe, your people who geek out on the same shit as you do and will show up and climb with you. This issue is filled with tactics and strategies to take your personal brand and build a business around it.

Success Champions You were on the internet today. Do you remember the reason why? Let me guess. It was likely you were looking for one or more of the following:

Building Your Brand with YouTube

• Information • Education • Entertainment

By Kevin Hunter

s a long-time YouTube Creator with over 322,000 Subscribers and an audience that has grown beyond 42 Million people, it’s fair to say I’ve become a bit of an expert on creating and maintaining a presence as an online influencer. Today, I hope to shorten your journey to success by giving you a few things to think about, and some extra tools to help you build a solid online presence.

“Does high quality video matter? Yes, but not nearly so much as quality of content.”

For some of you, you’re reading this after the fact. You already tried YouTube. When the day came that you decided YouTube should be a part of your branding strategy, a little research gave you a few ideas: Create a channel, choose a target audience, research competition, learn from others, optimize your videos, create an upload schedule, optimize your channel, try some YouTube advertising.

They used their marketing expertise from other forms of media, all those places that gave them the stage to “Sell themselves.” They failed to consider why they frequent the internet themselves. Without realizing it, they created content that even they wouldn’t watch if they weren’t into themselves and their products so much. You must focus on creating great informational, educational, and entertaining videos. If you can do all three in one video, you really have something! If you can do an “Evergreen Subject,” even better (information that is true for years to come). Every channel must include some Evergreen Subject videos, or are likely to die off.

If you have great content, I’d start now, well before you have the most amazing video production studio.

Despite the soundness these ideas seemed to contain, your efforts brought nothing but failure. Why? Didn’t you have great success with other forms of media using these ideas? What happened? This disappointing outcome is reported by a lot of people after applying their previous expertise to the world of YouTube. Let’s change that for you.

You did not go to the internet hoping to be “sold” something. Yet, many YouTube creators produce one video after another that is full of “salesy” and time sensitive updates that have “We’re the best, so call us” tones and attitudes that fall well short of what people were looking for. Why didn’t these creators give others what they hoped to find on the internet themselves?

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Does high quality video matter? Yes, but not nearly so much as quality of content. I’ve created very low level quality videos that have generated millions of views, just because the content was right on the money. If you have great content, I’d start now, well before you have the most amazing video production studio. The guy who spends all his time getting ready to be ready by building a fancy studio… but has lousy or sales sounding content... will be eating your dust when you have a

Growing Your Personal Brand message people are thirsting to hear. Great content from an inspiring creator will blow up right from a laptop webcam and a handheld recorder. Or even a video done with animated picture stills. Content is King; and it matters so much more than a high quality video. I’m totally serious. Let’s recap. Inform. Educate. Entertain. And never violate the rule about sounding like a salesman. Now, from this foundation, let’s add secret sauce. With every video I produce, I present three learning styles. Without question, it has helped many of my videos go viral organically. That’s pure gold to growing an audience fast, and there’s no better way to do it. My videos have: • Stimulating Visuals for Visual learners • A great voice presentation for Auditory Learners • Text Overlays for people who like to Read. You won’t find me creating a video today that doesn’t take into consideration the three learning types I just mentioned. Never skip that. Many of my viewers say “I wish you had been my instructor... in college… or high school… or my coach. I learn so much from you!” I like hearing that, but it’s not just me. It’s partly due to the fact that my videos always include the three learning styles I mentioned. Viewers get more out of it because their brain connected three different ways with my message, and they “get it.”

count! Be factual, smack the nail right on the head, and your audience will notice… and then come back! Length of message matters, too. My sweet-spot is 8 to 13 minute videos. Several people told me I was going too long, or too short. Some thought 90 seconds, others thought 2 hours. None of that was true. 8 - 13 minutes has been perfect. Online audiences want enough meat on the bone, yet they don’t want to be chewing on it all day either. As a former radio broadcaster there was a time when I was on-air for three hours every morning. Never again. Today, I won’t even do a 30-minute show. There will be other creators in the lane you enter. Don’t worry about it. There’s a lot of mediocrity out there. Don’t be mediocre. Do your thing, do it well, follow the basic principles I shared here today, and be patient. With a little time, you’ll carve your niche. Just start. Today, Tomorrow, or the next day… but START! Kevin Hunter, “The Homework Guy,” is the public face of the famous THG TEAM, and is a well known Auto Expert, giving free advice to millions of car buyers since 2009. Kevin Hunter is the author of “Is that the best you can do?” on Amazon Kindle, a book that is actually for business people, and has published a variety of how-to content and consumer advice videos that are viewed by millions of people from 220 countries and territories. For more information about our THG TEAM, please visit http://www.thehomeworkguy.com

“Length of message matters, too. My sweetspot is 8 to 13 minute videos.”

Let’s add more secret sauce. I don’t just “create content.” As good as I am at what I do today, I don’t turn on a camera and wing it. I research ideas, I pay attention to stories that are generating lots of traffic, I track my peers, I search top hashtags for a subject I’m considering, and then I make sure I’m hitting the nail on the head with my story. In today’s messed up media world, it’s fair to say that it’s easy to find content that is filled with opinions, emotions, and wacky views that others don’t really care about. Don’t be that kind of content creator. Make your video

Unleash Your Inner Badass

Success Champions you stand for that are the most impactful and effective. These kinds of powerful, well-written stories you use in your posts, blogs, books, and sales pages, move people into action. And that’s the goal, to help them feel something strong enough that they can’t resist making the next move.

Your Voice. Your Brand. The Badassery of Sharing Brave Words By Laura Di Franco

“What do you want them to feel becomes a mini-mission statement for all your content.”

verything you do is branding you. I wish I knew that in the beginning. I would have paid more attention and been pickier about everything I created.

But now I know. And when you know better, you do better. I’m doing much better nowadays. Especially with my written content; but really all of my content. It’s because I know every juicy morsel I produce and share is representing me (yeah, all of it) that I’m inspired to be my badass self. And you should too! But that took finding myself first. It took some brave healing.

“Um, okay.” I’m used to following orders when it comes to my psychic business coach. This day was no different, except I was full of not-good-enough thoughts. They won’t accept this. Why would they want this article from little old me?

“Martha, I got this,” I said out loud to myself. “We’re about to have a viral blog in a big magazine. We got this!” When that self-sabotaging BS shows up in my head to ruin the day, I pull out my ninja moves on it and have a conversation with the voice. I’ve learned that my purpose-driven fears can be a compass. So “not-good-enough” becomes code for, “Girl, you better jump on this right now and don’t look back.” I became a ninjalevel action taker on my fear.

“It’s the personal, raw, real, authentic, badass stories that help your clients love you and what you stand for that are the most impactful and effective.”

Got good content? Got good content that helps people not only know and love who you are but helps them recognize you among the sea of competitors? Got content that makes them feel something?

I want to talk about your brave words, especially the stories you use to build your know, love, and trust. It’s the personal, raw, real, authentic, badass stories that help your clients love you and what

“I want you to submit an article called 10 Reasons Everyone Should Write to Mind Body Green this week.”

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ask myself questions like: • • • •

I did write and submit that blog. I received more email newsletter sign-ups afterward than at any other time of my career up until that point. My email list moved from 100s to 1000s, and I realized I better think twice about many of the things I was creating. I started to

Who do you want to be? What do you stand for? What do you want to be known for? How do you want people to talk about you?

Growing Your Personal Brand And my all-time favorite and best question for all your content from now until you die: • What do you want them to feel? Yes, I love that Maya Angelou quote, but I’m going to take some credit for discovering on my own that through brave, connected, authentic words and stories, and the feelings you’re conjuring up when you create them, you gift others with the same feelings. So, you better know two things: how you want them to feel and how you feel when you create. What do you want them to feel becomes a minimission statement for all your content. I know you want them to click and buy. But they don’t click and buy unless you’ve tapped into a feeling they have, a feeling that moves them toward you and your world. They need to have thoughts like, wow,

I need to get to know her! Or, OMG, I think she’s the answer! Or, this is exactly what I need! And those thoughts must be accompanied by strong feelings.

When you help people feel some kinda way, you’re branding yourself as the person who makes people feel that way. I don’t know about you, but I pick feelings I want to feel, like excited, hopeful, inspired, turned-on, energized, intelligent, confident, and brave. I want to feel those things, and I know my peeps want to feel those things. I get that we could be talking about pain and those kinds of feelings right now too. But that’s not what I want to be known for. I understand FOMO and the emotions of pain point marketing. Still, when I decided to build Brave Healer Productions on a foundation of good vibes, I decided to create content that helps my clients realize their deepest desires and create their big, juicy vision with energy that feels good. I chose to trail-blaze content that helps people feel excited and inspired.

“When you help people feel some kinda way, you’re branding yourself as the person who makes people feel that way.”

My biggest tip for creating the content that brands you is to check in with how you feel when you create and remember your goal before you produce. Here’s my checklist when I sit down to write: • Figure out how you want them to feel. • Conjure up the feeling in yourself first.

Unleash Your Inner Badass

Success Champions • Write and speak your stories from that authentic, emotional place. Your voice. Your brand. Who do you want to be today? Laura Di Franco, MPT won’t let you settle for a mediocre life. Your health, wealth and happiness is one Brave Healing book, poem, workshop, strategy session or moment away. With almost three decades of expertise in holistic physical therapy, six published books and a third-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, Laura’s energy and method are contagious and unlike anything you’ve experienced. Check out her newest book, Brave Healing, a Guide for Your Journey, her podcast, her badass programs and free Facebook group for healers. http://YourHighVibeBiz.com or www.BraveHealer.com

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Success Champions

Podcasting As A Business Development Tool

I found podcasting, which taught me how to build my business using processes and procedures, which gave me my business development model. Getting on podcasts is simple if you know what you’re doing- and I do. I’ll walk you step-bystep through every tip and trick I use, and you’ll be amazed by how simple it really is. Don’t let me fool you, though, it takes a lot of discipline and work. There are things you’ll need to do consistently to make this work for you. Ready? I’m not going to mess around. Good, let’s get to work.

LET ME DROP A COUPLE OF STATS ON YOU

By Donnie Boivin

I could grow a business by being a guest on podcasts! That opened a whole new market for me because I LOVE to talk. I’m a podcaster, I’m a speaker, and I’m a sales guy.

of 30 days. It was nuts. If I found out you had a show, I was after it. I was going to do whatever it took to get on it. I was all in.

wasn’t doing well financially. My wife and I were on the verge of losing our farm and everything that came with it. Why? Because I had gotten a wild hair and decided to start a company from scratch, leaving behind an awesome career. I was in a spot where I was deciding if I was going to go back and get a job or if I was going to end up losing it all. I mean, really, that’s where I was. I had one last speaking engagement that was going to be the deciding factor for my business. It was really going to be that last “hurrah” before I had to give it all up. I left it all on the stage that day and gave it all I had. Little did I know, that engagement was going to change my life for the better. After I walked off the stage I was approached to be a guest on a podcast. When that episode aired, one of the listeners reached out and ended up becoming a client of mine. Who knew that being a guest on a podcast would open doors for new clients and speaking engagements? What I realized from all this was that I could grow a business by being a guest on other people’s podcasts! That opened a whole new market for me because I LOVE to talk. I’m a podcaster, I’m a speaker, and I’m a sales guy. There were a ton of shows that needed guests, and I went on a rampage. I went on 67 shows over the course

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: In 2018, there were 200,000 podcasts launched. In the same year, there were 4 million books written. Now, think about libraries- how many libraries exist around the world? Add in Amazon, bookstores, and self-publishers. Between those, how many books do you think have been published worldwide? Billions? Maybe. Possibly even trillions. Including those 200,000 podcasts launched in 2018, there are only a little more than 2,000,000 podcasts total. It’s still such a new

Growing Your Personal Brand market, and yet so heavily consumed! Listeners come back day after day to listen to their favorite podcasts or their favorite episodes in their favorite podcasts, and they are devouring this information. By appearing on podcasts as a guest expert for an interview, or as a guest co-host or panelist for an episode, you have the opportunity to market yourself and your business to that audience. Through podcasts, you can easily and readily tell your story. I’ve had guys on my show that started leather companies in their basement, making leather satchels, and now run empires of leather companies. “Podcasts are the easiest low-hanging fruit you can get for your business.”

THIS IS THE AGE OF CONTENT AND PODCASTS ARE A GREAT SOURCE OF CONTENT FOR YOUR BUSINESS. This is especially true if you have a global audience, which almost everyone does now. You can use these podcasts to build an amazing library of evergreen content that is put out there for everyone in such an awesome way. There’s this phenomenon I’ve noticed in people who appear on podcasts or speaking on stage. When you’re in this speaking role, you automatically get this air of expertise about you. I mean, really, if you have a heartbeat and can talk about something for 20 minutes, people tend to see you as an expert even if you’re not truly there yet. I mean, look at the number of bad speakers out there that just have bad ideas and bad content, or no content at all. Maybe they even straight up stole their content and didn’t even try to repackage it. The truth is, anything you’re saying has probably been said by someone else at some point in time, but you can take that, recreate it, repackage it, and make it something that’s truly your own. When you’re on the mic with somebody you have a chance to provide a ton of value to your listeners, which in turn allows you to pick up new business and followers. Content is important in your show. There are bad podcast hosts out there. In fact, one of the things that really pushed me to start my own show was being on a show that was just really, really bad. I

thought, “If this guy can do it, I sure as hell can too.” If you find a good host, return the favor, double it, and be a GREAT guest. Even if you’re an introvert, even if you aren’t able to articulate your message as well as you may like, you can be a great podcast guest. I get a lot of guests on my show, and I help even the most introverted guests to really get into it by helping them relax, by pulling the story out of them naturally. A good host can do that for just about anyone. Once you get more comfortable, getting booked on podcasts is almost as good as being on stage in front of a bunch of people. And, since you can do more podcasts than speaking gigs, it’s probably going to end up being better for you.

“You can use these podcasts to build an amazing library of evergreen content that is put out there for everyone in such an awesome way.”

When you’re coming up with your content, it’s always so much easier to work backward than forwards. First, think of the end goal you have for this show. I get it, the end goal, really, is always to make a sale, right? But when you’re thinking of podcasts and social media, your first goal should be to

Unleash Your Inner Badass

Success Champions increase your engagement. There is a constant influx of shows that can change your life and your business. The sooner you take the leap to get into podcasting, the sooner you can reach thousands of potential new relationships and clients.

I’M AN EXTROVERTED PERSON, AND SO ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO GUEST ON PODCASTS.

“But when you’re thinking of podcasts and social media, your first goal should be to increase your engagement.”

Extroverts typically have a natural ability to just get up in front of people and talk, and they thrive on it. I had a client recently who came to me wanting to get on more podcasts but couldn’t get past her introverted nature. And honestly, this is a question I get pretty frequently with clients. So, if you really want to get out there more and be heard on podcasts but can’t get past your introverted nature, I’m going to remind you of something we all learned in grade school: Practice makes perfect. Grab a friend who you feel comfortable with and do some mock interviews. Have your friend grill you about your business, your story, where you came from, whatever. But don’t overdo it. A lot of introverts I know tend to spend a lot of time in their head and can make things way more intense than they need to be. And, once again, this is another huge reason I tell people to start small with their podcast search. If you screw up on their 5th or 6th episode, who’s really going to know?

I went there expecting what you’d usually expect with something like this: a bit of knowledge with a huge sales pitch at the end so he could sell his social media packages. Even knowing that I went so I could gain some knowledge I didn’t have at the time. When he started speaking, I knew right out the gate that this workshop was different. He started off not bragging about his accolades, but by truly teaching us, walking us through everything he did, step-by-step. I mean he really broke down each social media platform, your profiles, how often to post, and even what content to post. I took so many notes that day. I bet I filled half a notebook, and the whole time I kept waiting for the pitch. Surely there was no way this guy was going to give away all this knowledge that took him years to learn! At the end of his presentation, he said this: “You can do all of this yourselves, you really don’t need me, my team or my company. So, go home and implement everything you have learned and if you have questions, reach out and someone from our team will respond.” Then he posted his cell phone number and his personal email.

By your 50th episode as a guest, you’re going to be a natural .... They’re about what you can offer to their audience, what their audience will learn or gain by listening to you.

By your 50th episode as a guest, you’re going to be a natural and be able to roll with whatever they throw at you. They’re about what you can offer to their audience, what their audience will learn or gain by listening to you. Showcase your expertise even if you end up giving a bunch of it away. Because once their audience sees how much work you put into it, you’re going to be their new go-to person. “Remember, those interviews are not about you.”

TEN YEARS AGO I WENT TO THIS PRESENTATION WHERE THIS GUY WAS TEACHING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BUSINESS.

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I was blown away. This guy just gave us the secret sauce for his business. I remember grinning to myself, thinking, “This guy is going to go broke.” After the presentation, I asked him why he gave us all this information for free. His response was simple. “All this information is already out there on the internet. With a good Google or YouTube search, you could find all of this stuff. I’ve just packaged it up for you in a quickly consumable method.” Then he told me, “I’ll talk to you in a week when you reach out to my team.” I looked at him, confused. He said, “I’ll give you the second

Growing Your Personal Brand reason when you call later this week.” I smiled and thought this guy was nuts. I mean, who does that? He gave me the secret recipe for social media success, so I’m going to take it and do it myself. At least, that’s what I thought. I went back to my office and started doing everything this guy said. I upgraded my profiles, built out content calendars, and came up with graphics and articles. By the time I was finished with all of that, I had spent 8 hours working on social media and not on growing my business. I kept telling myself that this would grow my business, so I pushed on. I did the same thing the next day, ending up with 2 days spent on social media and not on growing my business. I had so much to do and didn’t have that kind of time. That’s when I saw the presenter’s business card sitting next to my notes... and guess what I did next? Of course, I called him and talked to him about how much time this was taking, asking if he had any shortcuts. I could hear his genuine smile on the other end of the phone. He asked me, “What if we could do all that for you while you focus on growing your business your way?” Lightbulbs exploded in my head. He knew how much work it was; he knew the odds were in his favor, and he knew I would reach out. He even knew that if I didn’t reach out, he’d gained some karma points by helping someone with their business. This process forever changed my presentations for my business. This guy came on stage and gave us everything, and he got business from it. So, when you’re on podcasts as a guest, TEACH the audience, don’t preach to them. Talk people through strategies they can implement in their business, life, or hobbies. Give them tips and tricks, inspire them, and give them everything. Remember, there are no secrets; everything is out there already. So just give it all away and watch what happens.

DO’s & DONT’S DO 1. Set a number of reach-outs you’ll do on a daily basis

2. Understand how many reach-outs you need to land a podcast guest gig 3. Start out by targeting shows with fewer than 10 episodes 4. Know what their show is about 5. Pitch what their audience will get out of the show 6. Relax! It’s just a conversation 7. Be smart about it.

DON’T 1. Go over-the-top with emojis, accolades, and awards 2. Pitch your own show (without permission) 3. Send them an infomercial in lieu of a conversation 4. Send an obviously cut-and-pasted message 5. Leave out details 6. BS your numbers- your followers, clients, connections, etc. 7. Be self-serving

THERE’S ONE BIG THING YOU SHOULD DO TO START WORKING YOUR WAY UP THE PODCAST FOOD CHAIN. Take baby steps. So many guests start out going to the big shows, the shows in the Top 200 category on iTunes. And that’s great! You’re a badass and you could probably do that, no problem. The problem here is that when you’re just starting out, you don’t really have a brand yet, so it’s really hard to compete with tens of thousands of other guests trying to get onto those same shows. You need to start small and build your brand.

“when you’re just starting out, you don’t really have a brand yet, so it’s really hard to compete with tens of thousands of other guests trying to get onto those same shows. You need to start small and build your brand.”

When I first started out in this, the first thing I realized was that if I wanted to get onto the bigger shows, I needed to get more exposure. First, I went out to podcast directories like iTunes, Cast Box, Spotify, Soundcloud, and others. There are a ton of directories- all you need to do is hit up our old friend Google to find them. Each of these platforms has a search feature. Go there

Unleash Your Inner Badass

Success Champions and search for a very specific topic that fits your specific niche- something you feel 1000% comfortable talking about. For me, those topics were business, entrepreneurship, motivation, inspiration, storytelling, sales, marketing, really anything that fit my niche and avatar (the exact description of my perfect client). The goal is to get onto shows that your target avatar listens to. Let’s say I typed in the word “business” to search for podcasts. I’d probably come up with a couple thousand results. And that’s awesome! There are so many levels of podcasts which can help you determine which fit best with your avatar - your target audience. Once you’ve found your list, start building a database and rank these shows using a few simple criteria.

“Start sending those messages! Taking that initiative can be a game changer for you. And it’s really not that difficult to get on a lot of shows in a very short amount of time. “

This ranking system isn’t necessarily based on the quality of the show, but on how successful you think you can be getting onto it. Rank each episode based on: 1. The number of episodes 2. The number of reviews 3. The number of followers on social media Let’s say I was looking for a small show with fewer than 10 episodes, and probably don’t have any reviews on iTunes yet. Because of this, they probably don’t have much of a following on their social channels, and those are going to be the ones you hit up first to get your feet wet in podcasting. From running my own podcast and being a guest on a ton of shows, I know that many podcasters start their shows on a whim from a random idea, thinking that they have a lot to say and need a platform on which to say it. At some point, around episode 10, they’re going to get to this tight spot where they’re struggling to come up with new content and are on the verge of starting to bring in guests. These shows are the low hanging fruit.

CREATE YOUR DATABASE, CREATE YOUR TARGETS BY RANKING THE SHOWS IN CERTAIN CATEGORIES. Start out with the following categories:

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• Small - 10 or fewer episodes with no reviews. • Medium - 20 to 25 episodes with fewer than 10 reviews. • Large - 50+ episodes with a ton of traction and more than 10 reviews. • Extra Large - 100+ episodes ranked at the top of the podcast lists. I promise that if you take a day to really get into your niches and categorize your shows, you can come up with at least 100 targets. Start sending those messages! Taking that initiative can be a game changer for you. And it’s really not that difficult to get on a lot of shows in a very short amount of time. Then, it’s all about the numbers. “There’s no need to get fancy with your database. A simple Excel spreadsheet will do.”

CONTACT THE SHOW WHEN YOU’VE FOUND YOUR LOW-HANGING FRUIT, YOU NEED TO REACH OUT TO THEM. Go to their website, find their contact page, and send them an email. Here’s an example I’ve used that’s been successful. Feel free to take it and make it your own. “Hey Jillian, I’m really digging your podcast. I listened to episode x, and these were a few of my takeaways: (Insert 2-3 takeaways) I don’t know if you ever bring guests on your shows, but I think your audience would enjoy my story of 20 years living somebody else’s dream in the sales game, and how I was able to break free and start my own company. (Tell a quick overview of your journey).” Nine out of 10 shows that I reached out to would bring me on. When you find a show that’s smaller in nature, just starting out, the odds are that you’re the first person to send them a message. To be honest, they’re going to geek the hell out. I remember the first time I got an email for my show. Somebody sent me a message asking to be a guest. I thought, “Oh, shit. This is real.” It really is exciting as a

Growing Your Personal Brand podcaster when someone reaches out and you realize you’re getting traction. “Even if they’re not actively looking for guests, you’re going to make their day when you ask to be on their show.” Sharing Your Story

FINAL WORDS “You need to completely understand what the host you’re pitching to is trying to accomplish and how you can add value to it.” When you’re ready to start searching for the perfect podcasts to be a guest for, remember to relax, start small, and deliver value. This is not a pitch, it’s not a life or death situation, it’s a conversation. Show up and be authentic and the audience will embrace your story. That’s why it’s such a good idea to start out with smaller shows. They allow you to get comfortable, get your rhythm down, and know how your processes work. Have fun with it! Dive in, learn a ton, and

watch what happens when you start getting a lot of exposure. After the show airs, you need to promote the hell out of it. Send a thank you to your interviewer, leave them a review, and suggest another guest who may be a good fit. When you have links to episodes you’ve guested on, put them everywhere you can. Your website. Your LinkedIn profile. Your Facebook. Hell, even your Pinterest! Post it again 30 days later. Many of the guests on my show that promoted it again 30 days later got double the engagement the second time around. Really, how many times have you heard of something and thought, “Oh, I need to remember to do that”, but get busy and forget about it. Then you hear it again and you finally have that opportunity to get back to it. At the end of the day, remember to have fun.

Unleash Your Inner Badass

“When you’re ready to start searching for the perfect podcasts to be a guest for, remember to relax, start small, and deliver value.”

Success Champions scratching the surface with all we’re doing here. I haven’t used and abused Kevin enough so I’m still unsure what his capabilities are… but I really think we’ll have some new things coming down, like taking the podcast down the road, doing some shows, taking the Badass Business Summit to 3 times a year or quarterly. I think Success Champions Network is what we’re going out for.

Epic Sitdown with Kevin Snow and Donnie Boivin

D “I haven’t used and abused Kevin enough so I’m still unsure what his capabilities are…”

onnie Boivin, CEO, and Founder of Success Champions & Kevin Snow Director of Operations sat down to share their story of how they met and began building the empire of Success Champions. It’s a fun tale of two guys who were just coming up in business who met at a timely moment and realized success could be found by partnering up. Through a lot of bump & bruises, fuck ups, and mishaps they have been able to build an awesome set of companies and impact thousands of lives. Luckily, Chad Jackman Success Champions operations manager was around to bombard, harass and laugh with Donnie & Kevin as he interviewed the two. Chad: What’s next for y’all for leveling up? Donnie: Probably the next thing is taking success champions global. I think we are still just

www.DonnieBoivin.com

Kevin: I think those things will also help Success Champions grow. Those were the two things that popped into my mind. As we’re growing our chapters and our members and into other countries, we will have the ability to bring a bunch of chapters together for local events and mini summits all around the country and in other countries, which other organizations like us don’t do unless they are in a top tear membership and they are helping run the organization. We want that to be our standard practice. Donnie: For sure. I think the goal was not to localize people meeting each other. We want people to meet each other all over the world. A lot of fun years ahead of us! Patience will become key. I want to change a hell of a lot more lives. But at the end of the day, I’m like, we should be 10 times where we’re at now. We still got a lot of growing pains to go through. Chad: So who is Kevin and what is his favorite drink? Donnie: Kevin, in all seriousness, is a small-time country dude that grew up a little more when he hit the National Guard. I think Kevin, when we first met, was in a very similar place as I was, just trying to figure out what he wanted to be when he grew up. To us both, building this all together has helped us learn what we are good at and what we want to do moving forward. At the end of the day, I 100% say that Success Champions wouldn’t be what it is today without him. As for his favorite drink, I would say Rain energy drink. He says he only drinks one a day but I swear he’s cracking one open all the time. Kevin: I do like my Rain drink. Alcohol wise, bourbon. I’ve developed quite the taste for bourbon. And Guinness, I love that dark beer.

Growing Your Personal Brand Find me an Irish bar that has black and tans and I’ll be happy. Donnie: Have you ever had a snake bite? It’s Guinness with a cider on the top. Kevin: I have. Didn’t like it. Donnie: I’ll drink anything that’s free and cold, but beer shouldn’t have the ability to let your spoon stand straight in it. I did drink a real Guinness over in Ireland, and it’s a hell of a lot better than the U.S. version. Chad: So how did you two actually meet? Kevin: Donnie swiped right. Donnie: lol that’s 100% not true Kevin: We did meet online though. Donnie: We did figure it out, was it a veterans group? Kevin: Yeah, it was. One that we are not active in anymore.

started working together because of the emails. I remember the sales call and he was explaining how it worked and I understood the context. He walked me through step by step how it worked and then I think hiring him just for emails gave me a shot to see what he was capable of. He will always go ten times over you’re your expectations and overdeliver. It was often the case that I am rolled around and he was still building stuff for me. Was it Thanksgiving? Kevin: Yup. Donnie: This badass is home with his family doing nothing but working on the business summit.

“Our relationship went from zero to sixty. We were both in that innovation phase. I would work with clients and then jump in my truck and then call Donnie saying, “ok, what do you think of this idea?” and, that was how the first six months of conversations went.”

Donnie: I think you jumped on a post I had put out on one of the groups. We had one conversation and then nothing came from it. Kevin: We met and had virtual coffee and I left because I thought Donnie wasn’t even close to what my market was going to be. Met a fellow veteran and thought it was awesome but didn’t think anything was going to come of it. Then, a couple of months later, we reconnected because you wanted to know more about the email stuff. Donnie: I was getting out more podcasts and stages and getting more exposure and wanting to get into courses. I had a pretty good handle on the outbound stuff but no handle on the inbound. I remember we had talked about doing emails so in my mind you were the email guy. It was the asset I needed. Plus, I thought you were a sucker so I thought you’d come along for the ride. We

Kevin: That’s because we wanted to have a summit in April and we decided we wanted to have a black Friday sale for tickets. So, I’m like, “I guess I know what I’m doing at home.” My family is like, “why don’t you get to have holidays with us anymore?” and I’m like, “well, I work for this ass.” Our relationship went from zero to sixty. We were both in that innovation phase. I would work with clients and then jump in my truck and then call Donnie saying, “ok, what do you think of this idea?” and that was how the first six months of conversations went.

“I think Kevin, when we first met, was in a very similar place as I was, just trying to figure out what he wanted to be when he grew up.”

Donnie: I think you got to use Success Champions as a Guinea pig to learn a bunch of different things and new technologies. I’m always for trying something new. Kevin; it totally solidified me on transitioning from the whole sales process thing to focusing on how automation integrates with it. Donnie: As things progressed, we became mutual sounding boards for new ideas. Kevin learned to speak Donnie and how to present things so I didn’t let my ego get in the way. Some days it’s like

Unleash Your Inner Badass

Success Champions a married couple because I know how to press every single button on this guy. Kevin: We do occasionally finish each other’s sentences. Chad: Well that segues nicely into my next question. So, what is it like to be in this bromance?

“Kevin: I think one of the cool things about our “relationship” is that it’s not just Success Champion stuff. We’ll call each other with “Hey, this is going on with this client”

Donnie: I think anybody who runs a business knows how lonely it can get. If you’re trying to make the decisions all on your own, all the calls on your own. Early on, we did a lot more together than we do now, just with everything we have going on now, but we would just meet over zoom and work, with no agenda, and just get things done. We both come from the office world sitting around other people. I’m less of a people person than I used to be. I still like to interact with people though, so it’s been really cool hanging around Kevin to help me grow up as a business owner and learn more. But it’s also given me the knowledge that somebody’s got my back when we’re going into something new. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve reached out to Kevin and been like, “Hey, what are you doing?” and he’s like, “what am I supposed to be doing?” and I’m like “I’m in the middle of this meeting and we’re talking about technology, here’s the zoom link to jump in” and he’s always jumped. He can’t help it, I’m his favorite client! It’s been cool, he’s been down to meet the family and not a whole lot of people meet the family. For some reason, they even liked his ass. I will say Kevin has thick skin. Kevin: I think one of the cool things about our “relationship” is that it’s not just Success Champion stuff. We’ll call each other with “Hey, this is going on with this client” and we’ve become that sounding board for stuff in general. Donnie: I think I’ve helped Kevin learn empathy. He can be cold-hearted, it’s just how he’s built, and he’s become a sounding board for me in different

www.DonnieBoivin.com

ways. Being an entrepreneur, you can quickly become an island and we’ve found that there’s someone else to rely on and depend on, and shit gets done. Kevin will work until it’s done. I’m pushing that limit these days though. Kevin: One of the best compliments I’ve ever received, I was at the Summit last year and someone came up to me and was like, “I don’t know what you did, but Donnie told me once that he was never going to let anyone come into his company and he wasn’t going to give up any control. He would never find anyone he could trust enough to let them help run his business. I don’t know what you did, but he’s doing that with you. Donnie: Thanks for sharing. Kevin: It was cool to hear. Donnie: It’s easy for me to let the world know what happened. You did what you said you’d do, and then 10 times more than my expectations. And you’ve been able to take my visions and turn them into something. That’s a rare gem! That’s hard to find when working with other people. Most people in this world will just do “good enough”. He puts up with last-minute ideas and shenanigans. It goes back to, without you, there’s absolutely no way where we could be running all these chapters, and not without Chad. There’s just too much to be done for one person. My job is to be out front with people, not to be in meetings. I only ever mess them up anyway. Chad: So, most embarrassing moment ever. Go! Donnie: I don’t even know that I have an embarrassing moment with you. Chad: No, it doesn’t have to be together, just you personally. Donnie: I have no idea! Kevin: I’m sure I have something. Nothing is popping into my head. I know when I was younger, high school age, the whole concept of

Growing Your Personal Brand standing in front of a crowd was just horrifying. And you had to do public speaking, that onesemester course. I can vividly remember doing the speeches and literally shaking. I don’t know if that is embarrassing or not, but that was something way out of my wheelhouse. Little did I know then that I was a huge introvert, but I can remember standing up there and barely being able to get through the speech.

Donnie: Me, for sure.

Donnie: I live my life out loud. I tell all the stories. I have no clue.

Kevin: That was the first time we had interacted for more than 20-30 minutes.

Kevin: Funny thing, neither of us have cooked for each other. Donnie: I think it’s good for people to know, we’ve been working together for three years, and we’ve only met in person once, and that was this past summer. Chad: That’s nuts, I didn’t even know that.

Kevin: I can’t imagine you getting red-faced and embarrassed about something.

Chad: Who is the pickier eater?

Donnie: And that’s my MO, I’ve got thick skin. I did a cancer auction once, and they needed a dude. They had made these candy bras and women stuffed dollars in your bras. They needed one more guy to help out, so I joined, I didn’t care. The only guy who made more money than me was the guy who got naked, walking around in this bra and his speedo.

Kevin: Donnie.

Chad: I’d make the same amount of money, but they’d be begging me to put the clothes back on. Ok, here’s a fun little game. Are you guys familiar with the shoe game? Okay, they play it at weddings a lot. Basically, it’s who’s better at what, and then at the same time, you guys have to say who you think. Let’s see…Who wears the pants in the relationship?

Donnie: Oh, me for sure. Donnie: Kevin will eat some crazy stuff. Kevin: Vegetables are not crazy! Chad: Vegetables are what my food eats. Kevin: Donnie doesn’t do anything that’s cooked in juice, like stews or braises. Donnie: I don’t do cooked tomatoes; I don’t do pasta. I’ll do cooked tomatoes if I cook it and there are no cooked tomatoes in there. Keep it simple. Chad: Who wakes up first? Donnie: Oh me, for sure. Kevin: Donnie, definitely. Chad: Who stays up later?

Donnie: Me.

Kevin: Me, for sure.

Chad: Who is the better driver?

Chad: Who is the better air guitarist?

Donnie: Me.

Donnie: Kevin.

Chad: Alright now. Who is better at talking their way out of a speeding ticket?

Chad: The question was actually “shower singer, but…”

Donnie: Me. Oh me, for sure. I just did that on the way here.

Kevin: Well, hey, we did have a podcast listener who said they could listen to us in the shower in the morning.

Chad: Who is the better cook?

Unleash Your Inner Badass

Donnie: “Most people in this world will just do “good enough”. He puts up with last-minute ideas and shenanigans. It goes back to, without you, there’s absolutely no way where we could be running all these chapters,”

Success Champions Donnie: That’s true. Chad: Who spends more time staring at their phone? Donnie: Me Kevin: Donnie, yup. Chad: who’s more likely to start an argument?

Donnie: “Running a business. I mean, no one ever tells you how hard it’s going to be. I think alongside that, you meet yourself a lot along the way.”

Chad: Who would last longer on a deserted island? Donnie: What resources do we have? I don’t know. He’s been longer in the military so…

Kevin: Me.

Kevin: Donnie would be the skipper, and I would be the professor.

Chad: Whose more likely to end an argument?

Donnie: Nah, you’re more like Gilligan.

Donnie: Me.

Chad: Who is needier when sick?

Chad: who’s more likely to save money? Donnie: Kevin.

Donnie: OH that’s me. When I get sick, my wife wants to leave me. I’m like a 2-year-old.

Kevin: We’re just now getting into where we talk about money stuff.

Chad: Ok, last one: who is more likely to scream at the sight of a spider?

Chad: Who is clumsier?

Kevin: I would say me, I would jump in Donnie’s arms if I saw a snake on the farm.

Donnie: Kevin. Chad: Who is chattier? Donnie: Me. Chad: Who’s funnier? Donnie: Me, for sure. Kevin: There are different types of humor. Donnie: Who’s cold and dry and has no personality? Chad: Who is messier? Donnie: Me Chad: Who is more dramatic? Kevin: Donnie. Donnie: Probably. Chad: Who is more organized? Donnie: Keven, for sure. Chad: whose more adventurous? Donnie: Oh, me for sure. Kevin: I’m all for them, I just don’t normally instigate them. Chad: Who is the better secret keeper?

Donnie: I think that’s a tie. I don’t think we’ve let the cat out of the bag anywhere.

www.DonnieBoivin.com

Donnie: We have orb spiders here that make 8 ft webs. They are like twine, and you can’t find the spider anywhere. Scares the crap out of me. Kevin: Once my parents thought it was a great idea to bring me to the reptile section at the zoo…not a great plan. Chad: Okay, so name something that taught you to see and understand things differently? Donnie: Running a business. I mean, no one ever tells you how hard it’s going to be. I think alongside that, you meet yourself a lot along the way. When you wake up and realize nobody else is left in the lane but yourself, you learn pretty quickly and figure it out. Kevin: For me, I go back to getting commissioned as an officer. The business I had going on at the time was really the first tier. After I went through the commissioning process and did officer stuff, the focus was on the ability to make decisions but

Growing Your Personal Brand see what the second and third effects will be and building what we call in the military, branches, and sequels off of that decision, which wasn’t a skill I had before but I think everything we do with Success Champions Networking the ability to have an idea and then think, “okay what impact will this have?” This sometimes leads me down to analysis paralysis. But I think it’s helped us avoid some disasters at the same time. I think that’s a huge skill I didn’t have before joining the military. Chad: What is your daily routine? Donnie: I’m still up at 4 am in the morning. I don’t work out as much as I used to, just kickboxing. But I’m still up, reading, journaling, taking care of the farm. Sitting by the desk at 7 am, gunning it. I probably do more meetings in a day than most people do in a week. I will regularly have 10 – 30 messenger conversations going on between Facebook and LinkedIn. It drives Kevin bonkers. Then I’m done at 9 pm at the latest. Thursdays I take off at 2 pm and hang out with the wife and do farm stuff and then on weekends I do business in the morning and farm in the afternoon. Kevin: I’m actually in the process of adjusting my routine. Normally I would get up at 7 or 7:30 am and be at my desk at 8:30. I’m trying to push my day earlier to be able to work out in the morning. By night, I’m mentally beat and I’m just going to have a beer instead. My day is usually: Get up, do emails, lately it’s been meetings between chapters and really cool clients now that are referring me all the time. So it’s a lot of meetings as well, between the chapters, Donnie and I working on stuff, champions, meetings with other clients. I take a break around 4:30 pm and get away from the screen. I will eat, make dinner. Then around 6-7 pm, I will watch Mash, that’s a daily routine. Then I’ll hop back on the computer and do the

bulk of my creative stuff, building out automation or emails or creating pages, because I don’t get interrupted by anyone other than Donnie. During the day there are too many interruptions that I can’t actually get stuff done. So I’ll work from 7 am-midnight, then go to bed. Sometimes later. If I’m in the zone, I’ve been known to work till 2 or 3 am. Donnie: There are not many people I meet who will put in the work that we are willing to put in. It takes a lot of hours to pull off the vision we have. It takes work but it is more than hard work, it’s finding the right badasses who geek out at the stuff you suck at. Chad: So, I was gonna ask what’s your favorite memory working with Kevin, but then we all know that all the memories are equally precious to you. Donnie: I don’t know the favorite memory. It’s been a fun ride. You never know what you don’t know. I think anybody who is running a business is thinking through what they need and what they need help with. Working with Kevin…he’s one of those guys that’s working as fast as I am and constantly coming up with new ways to say “Hey look at this, I got this idea”. At the end of the day, it’s been a lot of fun. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows though.

Kevin: “After I went through the commissioning process and did officer stuff, the focus was on the ability to make decisions but see what the second and third effects will be...”

Kevin: Oh no, we fight like brothers. Donnie: Especially when Kevin gets in his onetrack mind and all of a sudden he’s all offended by everything I say. Kevin: Donnie and I have gotten really good and reading each other’s moods and personalities. Sometimes Donnie will be like, “okay, you’re getting really frustrated right now” and I’m like “don’t tell me how I feel!” If someone would have told me 5 years ago I would be starting a

Unleash Your Inner Badass

Success Champions networking organization with an HR head from Texas and we would have a podcast that is in the top 25 on iTunes I would have been like, “yeah, no”. But it’s been a really cool experience. It’s been a natural evolution of what we were doing at the beginning and I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve learned a ton. I would not trade the last 4 years for *almost* anything. Donnie: I would 100% agree. Even in the beginning of January 2020 nobody could’ve convinced me I’d be running networking groups. It’s funny because we actually scrolled through

A Note about our cover photo. If the last year has taught us anything, it is that we have to be adaptable. This is a composite photo from two different shoots. Neither of the subjects were together (they have only met in person once). We wanted the feature article to show them together as a team, so we did what many of us have been doing all year, we used technology to bring people “closer.”

“Even in the beginning of January 2020 nobody could’ve convinced me I’d be running networking groups”

our Messenger chat to March 17, 2020, to find the original “Hey Kevin, I’ve got an idea” which I hit him with at 4:27 in the morning to launch the networking groups. With everything we’ve built together, I think we took all of that and packaged it up, and put it into Success Champions. To wrap this thing up, you better hold on tight because Kevin and I are going to change the world and how the world networks. And I really believe there will be a podcast episode of SCN vs BNI on Business Wars. I think that we will become a global brand that people will come to know, embrace and love. It’s going to be a badass ride.

www.DonnieBoivin.com

Success Champions people and personally, doing some of my geeky activities has been effective in attracting new clients and instilling trust. But how?

Brain Drippings

Geeking out and sharing your love for your favorite hobby can bring a lot of positive benefits. Creating additional connections with an audience, lending some authenticity, and adding some dimension to your online presence, and of course showing your passion and happiness can be very inspiring and contagious. Lastly, you can bring a measure of authority and credibility from your hobby and the perceived virtues that are connected to it. Yeah, I am sure you might be shaking your head, so lets dig deeper.

Geeking out!! (For fun & profit) by Donald R Dodson

“In today’s world of social media, audience building and the importance of know, like, and trust, “geeking out” can be both liberating and a great attractor. “

irstly, what do we mean by “Geeking out”? Does this mean obsessing over comic books, sci-fi or dressing in funny costumes? Maybe? But it can also mean being really into almost any hobby or diversion, you could be into stamp collecting, video games, rock climbing, or honestly even being a super fan of a sports team. It really comes down to something that you are really passionate about and publicly so. So why should we geek out on our favorite thang and publicly, to boot? I mean surely the “hobby” of the business coach who loves Renaissance Faires, or the Rock-Climbing accountant have little bearing or benefit on business. Right? In today’s world of social media, audience building and the importance of know, like, and trust, “geeking out” can be both liberating and a great attractor. People gravitate towards interesting

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Connection Connection is probably one of the easiest to understand in terms of benefits through our hobby or the thing we’re geeking out on. We connect to similar audiences. We connect to folks who like what we like. So, if somebody expresses a desire in doing marathons or collecting stamps and they find people in their audience who do the same thing, well that creates a deeper more profound connection with that segment of their audience. It’s kind of like when you’re in a bar and you start talking to somebody and you find out they like the same sports team or the same band. You develop an instantly better connection with that person, and geeking out about the things you love is no different.

Growing Your Personal Brand

Authenticity Authenticity so this one is also fairly straightforward in that by being who we are and letting our “freak flag fly”, we’re just being genuinely who we are. In this case it isn’t so much of a habit or attribute as much as it is an activity. Authenticity -- being “real” draws people to us because they see us as a more genuine person (weird hobbies and all). Remember, a great deal of what we seek to do when we’re being authentic is that we’re trying to connect to others. To let people see the human side of us. Oftentimes we buy or we purchase or get a service from somebody because we see them differently; the more we get to know them, the more we trust them, maybe even like them. In the arts especially we are often “buying the artist” as much as we are buying the art.

Adds Dimension

it makes them more “real”. Think about it, “The Rock” plays Dungeons and Dragons. Sure, it’s fairly out of character for a Professional wrestler and action star. It’s just something some kids and adults do, that he does, too. It makes him less like an unreachable character and more, well, human. We connect to those human things greatly. Its also why pet pictures are popular… everyone has or knows someone with a pet. Pets are cute. Hey! I have something in common with you! And if a hobby happens to be something that we’re into even better yet. So, authenticity along with the added dimension of other interests really helps support a brand very well.

Passion and happiness Let’s face it, if we’re geeking out about Dungeons and Dragons or the Renaissance Faire or stamp collecting, this is something we’re really passionate about. And when you are passionate about stuff you are often very happy about it and get excited and the audience will pick up on that. I remember as a teacher I was told that it’s OK to really be into your subject. If you are a history teacher and you really love history, and show it, your students will pick up on that and even if they’re not into history so much they’re going to pick up on the fact that you’re excited. When we see someone excited about something, we tend to get excited, too. It’s just human nature. That excitement, that passion can be contagious. We start to take some of that on and share it and

People see that I make these cool costumes and they see a lot of hard work, skill, and creativity.

Related to authenticity is that the things we geek out on add some additional dimension to our character and to our presence online as well as in-person. They realize that you’re not a single faceted kind of person. You’re not just totally focused on Marketing, or all business, but you have another aspect to your life that you enjoy. When you have an interesting hobby -- something that you are really passionate about and you know a lot about -- well it’s really fascinating and it just makes that person more interesting. Again, we like things that are different and interest us. Even if we aren’t personally interested in that hobby

Unleash Your Inner Badass

“the things we geek out on add some additional dimension to our character and to our presence online as well as in-person.”.

Success Champions education or just some of the obvious aspects of our hobby what I call perceived virtues. If we think about a stamp collector, we might have the perception that they might be studious. That they do a lot of research and might be really knowledgeable about stamps, and you can transfer that virtue to whatever it is you do for a business. So, if you’re an accountant then those would obviously be virtues that would be beneficial to your brand. If you are a woodworker, that attention to detail, would be a virtue.

“When we see someone excited about something, we tend to get excited, too. It’s just human nature.”

Photo Credits: Michael Crue, Randall Whiteford, Donald Dodson, Christian Levens it becomes more interesting to us. Because if you think about it, if somebody is really into a hobby, then maybe there is something to it - or at the very least there’s something to that person that maybe we should pay more attention to. And, just being happy is a great thing for your attitude. Let’s face it, if you can share that with the world, you’re probably going to be even happier yet.

Authority and perceived Virtue. Lastly, we can gain a good of good bit of authority if we can show through sharing,

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This is something I use to good effect in leatherwork and when I make costumes. People see that I make these cool costumes and they see a lot of hard work, skill, and creativity. All of which are positive qualities – virtues. They also see me speak on panels and discussion groups, too. it demonstrates the benefits of the hobby and creates a lot of authority when it comes to that specific area. There’s nothing wrong with taking advantage of that interest and letting people understand that connections. Donald Dodson, owner of Dodson Designs, has been involved in artistic pursuits for as long as he can remember. Starting at age 16 as a sign painter assistant, and after high school, he pursued a career in graphic arts, finding his home in graphic design and web design. After an eight-

Growing Your Personal Brand year stint as a teacher, Dodson, a combat veteran, longed to return to his passion for the arts and, at 49, started a full-time leather working business. He crafts handmade, creative custom leather goods and accessories near Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Unleash Your Inner Badass

Success Champions

What Every Business Needs to Know About SEO By Mark Asbell

E “Both science and art, SEO is an everchanging and infinitely interesting field.”

very business owner who has ever spent any amount of time building or thinking about building an online presence has either heard of or been bombarded with information about SEO, or Search Engine Optimization. It’s one of those things a lot of people think they know a lot about, some people actually do know a lot about, and no one knows everything about. Both science and art, SEO is an ever-changing and infinitely interesting field. It would be impossible to explain everything someone should do to “SEO” their business in a single article of Success Champion Magazine, but we can at least hit on some important aspects every business should know.

Why is SEO Important? People use search engines to find information on the internet billions of times a day. These are people who are searching for

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something specific. They might be seeking to learn something, be entertained by something, or buy a product or service. Some of those searchers are even looking for and ready to buy your product or service. Those are the ones you want to find you. The search engines’ primary objective is to provide the most relevant results to the person searching. No one knows every logic the search engines use to determine what the most relevant results are for any specific search. But we do know there are literally hundreds of variables and anyone who ignores too many of them will never be found by those searchers who are ready to do business. Some business owners argue that their business isn’t dependent on being found online. That might be true for now but it has been quickly changing for many years. Word of mouth is quickly becoming just one of many filters that we use to make business decisions. When is the last time you asked for a referral? What is the first thing you did with it? If I bet everyone that their answer is “Googled it”, I’d win enough bets. Every business needs an online

Growing Your Personal Brand presence to provide validation for any other forms of marketing or referrals.

Google First There are many search engines, but Google is by far the most widely used and powerful. So when it comes to SEO, focus on Google first. Almost every business should have a Google My Business (GMB) listing. The only exceptions are businesses that are strictly online, such as blogs or home-based ecommerce-only business models. If your business has a physical location then it definitely needs a GMB listing. But even if it is a home-based business that physically serves specific geographic areas it should also have a GMB listing. A couple of examples might help illustrate. One of our clients is a home-based interior designer. They can serve both their local market as well as the national market via virtual solutions. They have a GMB listing specifically for their local presence. Another one of our clients is a remote-workforce service provider to the construction industry. They are not a local business at all. In fact, their clients are located all over the country. But because the nature of their business is a service that could exist without a website, they have a GMB listing. Another client is simply a blog site that has no GMB listing. It is worth looking into to see if your business qualifies for a GMB listing.

A website with technical issues will be seen by the search engines as a website that can’t be trusted. Remember, the search engines’ primary goal is to provide their users with the most relevant information and experience for their search query. The more technical problems a website has the more likely it is to provide a bad experience or fail to provide relevant information. Your website could have all the right information but if it has technical errors the search engines will move on to the next relevant website. Technical problems come in many forms: • • • • • •

Security issues Errors Speed issues Poor navigation Images that aren’t optimized Poor mobile experience

The list could go on. It is important to keep the website as clear of technical issues as possible.

Gone are the days when websites could be stuffed with keywords Create Good Content in order to manipulate the The last but certainly search engines to rank the not least thing every website higher website should focus

Rid Your Website of Technical Issues After a business has done the basic things to be known as legitimate to the search engines, it is important to also make sure that the search engines see the business as professional. One of the ways to do that is to have a website that is clean, fast, and user-friendly.

on is content. From the home page and about page to the copyright line in the footer, every piece of content matters. Whether it is a description of services, sales copy, or blog post, search engines are reading every single word and attempting to gather context for how that content serves their users.

Other elements of content are also really important such as video and images. Video is becoming imperative for online presence.

Gone are the days when websites could be stuffed with keywords in order to manipulate the search engines to rank the website higher. Content has to be good now - like really good. It has to be written in a way that answers questions really well and it has to be captivating so that people stay on the page. Other elements of content are also really important such as video and images. Video is

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“But even if it is a home-based business that physically serves specific geographic areas it should also have a GMB listing.”

becoming imperative for online presence. Quality is still important for these forms of content, but it is really more about engaging the user than it is about looking perfect. It is also important to remember to make all content mobile-friendly since about half of all web traffic is on mobile devices. It is even higher than that for some businesses. Every website should link content together in a strategic way that communicates to search engines what is most important for people to know about that business or topics related to the products and services of that business. This is where blog content comes into the picture. No - blogging isn’t dead. It just doesn’t work as an online diary anymore.

In Summary SEO is a complex field. We’ve made it our business to help other businesses navigate the ever-changing and challenging worldwide web so that those businesses can do what they love to do and be the best at serving their customers. I hope this basic level of knowledge is helpful. When the time is right, it would be an honor to have the opportunity to see what Tavallo can do for you.

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Mark Asbell is one of the Co-Founders of Tavallo, an SEO digital marketing agency. He and his team have worked with businesses that range from massive blogs that get millions of visitors to small local businesses that get only dozens of visitors, and they understand how to get results in any case. Mark has experience in many roles and environments which helps him learn about clients’ businesses quickly and find their marketing opportunities. His passion in business is working with great people and helping everyone reach their goals.

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The Outsourcing corner

Using Stages To Grow Your Business

“You need to know your shit before hitting the stage as a great delivery will get you more stages as you grow your reputation.”

By Lorianne Vaughan Speaks

o matter what type of business you have, your ability to share your expertise, product or service to the masses is a key to success. Are you a people person? Do you like to be the center of attention? Do you want to grow your business my speaking on stages (whether that be virtual or in-person)?

That’s not to say it will be easy to find the right stages for you to spread your message or “sell” your product or service. You need to get your shit together as Donnie would say. Some things you need to do first: Identify YOUR ideal client – Who is it you want to hear your message and is most likely to buy what you are selling?

There are all types of groups, associations, companies and conferences looking for Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to help educate their audience?

Create your message and signature talk – You need this to be niched to find your tribe and be authentic, knowledgeable and passionate about your service or product, and be able to succinctly be able to articulate that message.

Did you know there are 64,000 speaking opportunities each day?

Create your marketing materials – For speaking this document is called a Speaker Kit or Media

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Growing Your Personal Brand One Pager. This should have your bio, all contact info, your social media information and descriptions and learning objectives for your signature talk(s). Practice and perfect your delivery – You need to know your shit before hitting the stage as a great delivery will get you more stages as you grow your reputation. Nor should you just “wing” it! Once you feel you are ready to speak your message, you now need to find the stages where your ideal client will be in attendance. You now need to do your research. Places to search: • Google • Community bulletin boards • Local libraries • Local service organizations • Social media platforms • Speaker platforms and groups • Podcasts The key is to do your due diligence, so you have your act together and you know where your ideal clients are. Many businesspeople do this like the spaghetti test – just throw a bunch of shit around and see what sticks. Not real authentic – and it will show. Just as you search for the right mentors for you and your business, show the prospective

clients why you would be the best person for them (whether it is your product or service). Audiences are always looking for the next great thing…Do you have that? Can you put your voice to use to grow your business? You will never know until you try! So - Go For It! at? “ Lorianne Speaks is an expert in the area of Speaker/ Author/Podcaster support. She amplifies the visibility of Authors/Speakers/Messengers while they do what they love - SPEAK! Lorianne has helped spearhead multiple best-selling book campaigns - editing, proofing, through to launch and social media marketing to help authors create buzz and momentum throughout the social media platforms and increasing their message WorldWide. Lorianne and her team have made it their mission to empower these messengers to deliver their message by handling the rest of the details! https://www. LVSConsultingServices.com.

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“Audiences are always looking for the next great thing… Do you have that? “

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How to collect emails at your speaking gig.

technology corner

Growing Your Email List from Speaking Gigs By Kevin Snow

“Speaking appearances are by far the best opportunities for growing your email list.”

f you are doing any kind of speaking appearance; Facebook lives, webinars, podcasts, virtual summits or even live onstage (because, yes, that is a thing again), and you’re NOT collecting email addresses from your audience, you are leaving money on the table. Speaking appearances are by far the best opportunities for growing your email list. You just spent time building a connection with your audience and delivering awesome value to them; and now they are hyped up and craving more from you.

The most direct way to collect contact information from your audience is to have them give you their business cards. But this only works if you are presenting in person…not so good for evergreen appearances like podcast episodes or webinars. This method also doesn’t work so well for the people in your audience that don’t have business cards. Plus, this method requires you to enter all the info into your customer relations ship management (CRM) or email marketing tool yourself. Let’s be honest, the business card thing doesn’t really work in today’s world anymore. There are too many virtual events and who has time to do extra data entry?

“First off, you should ALWAYS offer an incentive that has value for your audience so they want to give you their email.”

This is your chance… you can either take the relationship to the next level or you let them wander off to the next episode/webinar/workshop. If you don’t take advantage of the relationship you built in the last hour, it is most likely that these people who are interested in your knowledge will never have the chance to become your customers. Growing your email list is a key way to grow your business. Don’t let the relationship end when you walk off stage!

First off, you should ALWAYS offer an incentive that has value for your audience so they want to give you their email. This could be in the form of your presentation slides, a free eBook, checklists, guides, or anything else that you will think will be helpful to them. This offer will substantially boost the number of your audience that opt-in and give you their info.

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So, let’s look at options that work for virtual and in-person speaking opportunities. These options take full advantage of sales technology to automate the data entry and follow up steps, saving you time and energy.

Landing Page with an Online Form Most speakers have a “get in touch” slide at the end of their presentation. The slide normally has an email address, LinkedIn and Facebook profile, or some other way the audience can follow up with you after the presentation. Instead of just doing this, up your game by sending people to a specific, easy to remember link that contains an opt-in form that triggers an automated follow up sequence sending them your slide deck along

Growing Your Personal Brand with other content designed specifically for your audience. Using a landing page with an opt-in form allows you to ask for additional information that you wouldn’t get on business cards. You can also add links to additional content or resources on the page for your audience to access. And, as your presentation and target audience change, this page can be updated with new content and resources so it is always up to date for new visitors to the page. This is way better than the business card thing, but is the best? Put yourself in your audience’s shoes. They just watched you rock the stage (right on!) and you filled their heads with a ton of actionable ideas. They are all in and now they want more. They pull out their phone and type in the URL on your final slide. They are looking for other content you have or even better a way to sign up to get info from you sent to them every week. Cool! But the conference wi-fi SUCKS! Now they need to go to the next session. Or they get a phone call from a client. Maybe this evening when things slow down…or maybe in the airport on the way home…or maybe in a few weeks if they remember.

interacting with you while you are still on stage!

Here’s the secret… The email address isn’t really the goal. Getting an email address or SMS number is important but it doesn’t do any good if you don’t do anything with it. No matter how you get the contact info, it should always be followed with additional SMS messages or emails with more content just for them. You can include links to kick ass landing pages (see above) or other content that is relevant to them. These messages should help your relationship with the audience continue to develop. Want to see how the SMS opt-in works? Send Champion to 612.429.4298 and check out what I use when I appear on a podcast or speak on stage. Kevin Snow is the founder of Time On Target, a digital marketing agency that helps businesses effectively use technology to grow their business. Kevin has helped companies all across the United States shorten their sales cycle and increase their closing rates by utilizing sales automation to increase the time sales teams are in front of prospects selling. You can reach Kevin at kevin.snow@ time-on-target.com.

Or never… So, let’s look at my personal favorite.

“SMS opt-in is my favorite is because it is simple, quick, and doesn’t require good wi-fi or for your audience to jump through any hoops. “

SMS SMS opt-in is my favorite is because it is simple, quick, and doesn’t require good wi-fi or for your audience to jump through any hoops. While you are wrapping up on stage, you mention they can get your really cool thing (slide deck, eBook etc) just by texting Champion to a special number. Your audience grabs their phones and send the text, get a reply asking for their email, and once they reply they receive another message thanking them for attending and that their slides are on the way…a matter of seconds and they are set to go. The best part for your audience is that they are

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Sassy Social media

Brand Story and Awareness on Pinterest By Sarah Ankney

M “Pinterest has given you another avenue to tell your brand story in interesting new ways.”

arketing has gotten easier on Pinterest with the introduction of Story Pins and Video Pins. A Story Pins is a bit like a slideshow of information on Pinterest using Pins of multiple images or multiple videos. Video Pins can be anything from an animated Pin or a short video. The possibilities are endless with these pins just like any other platform. Pinterest has given you another avenue to tell your brand story in interesting new ways. Story Pins are a bit different than stories on other social media platforms as it is made up of multiple images and videos. Just like other social media platforms you can customize the stories with fonts and colors. What is different? The fact that stories do not disappear after 24 hours like on other platforms. They can last a lifetime on Pinterest on specific boards. You may be asking what are Story Pins used for? They are used for a collection of curated photos, recipes, step-by-step guides, tips, or lists. Think outside the box with this because the possibilities are

endless. They can be up to 20 videos or images with text. This is a great amount of space to get your information across. If you don’t have access, you can apply here: https://www.pinterest.com/storypin-invite/.

How to create Story Pins on Pinterest: • Login to your business account. • Click the plus sign and click create Story Pin. • You will then want to upload as many images as you want or videos to complete your Pin. • Use the tools to the right side of the screen to design your images. • Click Next. • Select detail’s theme from the details pane. • Click next. • Fill in the information about your Pin such as what Board it goes to or create a new one as well as a title and tagged topics. • Hit Publish. Video Pins are similar in purpose to Story Pins except they keep playing in the Pinterest feed to attract attention to your Pin. Video content has become more and more popular on platforms so why not add it to your marketing on Pinterest. It can increase recognition of your brand story as well as create awareness around your brand. Video Pins can be used for educational content just like that of the Story Pin. Share your recipes, share your how-tos and so much more. Don’t forget to drive traffic from the Video Pins to other areas such as your website or YouTube channel. Keep videos short and captivating just like other platform stories. Use text overlay and make it so there is no need to have audio on while watching the video.

“Marketing on Pinterest has gotten downright interesting with the addition of Story Pins and Video Pins.”

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Growing Your Personal Brand Video Pins. Another way to add Video to your Pinterest is to add your Tik Tok videos to your Pinterest boards. This is an additional marketing hint for you. As I was saying, marketing on Pinterest is more about creating your brand story and awareness than it has ever been. You want to keep up with the important visual updates - after all it is a visual platform.

What are the specs on the videos that can be uploaded to Pinterest? Visit https://help.pinterest. com/en/business/article/video-pins .

Here is how to create Video Pins on Pinterest:

Sarah Ankney of Sassy Pinterest is a Pinterest Account Manager. She wants to empower your business with a bit of magic to help you get visible. Sassy Pinterest creates graphics and descriptions as well as manages your Pinterest account so that you can do all the things you need to do and drive traffic to your business. If you need assistance in your business to get traffic to all your sites, please contact Sarah Ankney to add another powerful marketing tool. Sassy@ sarahankney.com

• Login to your business account. • Click the plus sign and click create pin. • Slide the lever to left or right to select your cover for the video. • Add a title, your pin description, and link. • Hit publish. Please note it takes up to 24 hours for a video to be published since Pinterest reviews to make sure it is not violating any community standards.

“Videos can increase recognition of your brand story as well as create awareness around your brand.”

Marketing on Pinterest has gotten downright interesting with the addition of Story Pins and

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Success Champion Magazine - May 2021

Articles inside

Brand Story and

Feature: Epic Sitdown

Podcasting as a Business

What Every Business

Geeking Out! For Fun and

Time to Get Back to Work

Building Your Brand With

Using Stages to Grow

Your Voice, Your Brand