The 4 am Report: Recent Episodes
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Never have time for current marketing news? Find marketing books still talking about old examples like Blockbuster and Netflix? This weekly podcast is a 20-minute round-up of the marketing news headlines of the week.
Host Susan Diaz, podcasting founder, humour junkie, observer of human behaviour patterns, and mom, is joined each week by a different co-host with a marketing bent of mind to dish on the latest. Carefully curated, fresh-pressed examples of the most entertaining marketing hits and misses, and what we can learn from them.
Now you won’t have to panic when you drop into a Zoom call and find the agency folk talking about some cool story. Because you’ll know!
‘AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs’ gets a role-reversal this week: host Susan is in the hot-seat, guesting on Bárbara Daroca’s Hello, Success! Podcast and the convo was too good not to syndicate here. If you’re building a business on your own terms (and wondering how AI fits into that life-by-design plan), save this one for your next walk.
Why listen:
Susan’s origin story - from lifetime marketer, to chocolate-maker, to AI-agency founder
The 4am Report pivot, and why podcasting early (and tiny) massively paid off (even inspiring Barbara to launch her own podcast.
How generative AI really changes the writing game (hint: commodity content is toast; strategy wins)
Grocery-list automation, Instacart GPTs, and other un-sexy life hacks that buy back brain-space
Defining success as 60 % white space - and how to protect it while scaling
Timestamps:
03:12 - From newborn + nine-to-five to solopreneur experiments (including artisan chocolate)
09:40 - Launching the 4am Report - catching podcasting’s “second wave”
15:30 - ChatGPT’s light-bulb moment: “This is the next calculator.”
19:50 - Will AI replace writers? Only if you let it.
23:45 - Master-prompts: ask the AI to ask you better questions
27:20 - Success = space: designing work and life with 60 % white space
Links and resources:
Bárbara Daroca’s podcast Hello, Success! - follow here → https://open.spotify.com/show/71SThCwTzHSFC1F9N5jBKZ
Susan’s AI agency: https://www.peacefulaimarketing.com
Marketing Power Circle - the implementation mastermind for founder-led teams → https://cpdigitalinc.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/1157552
If this episode helped you rethink what success could look like, share it with a fellow founder.
Drop a rating inside your podcast app. Your five-seconds of love keeps these conversations flowing.
Stay curious, stay human, and keep 60% of your calendar blissfully blank.
In this episode of ‘AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs’, Susan Diaz chats with Jesse Clarke - founder of JN Clarke Consulting and a strategic advisor to nonprofits and social impact entrepreneurs. With deep roots in both federal government and charitable sectors, Jesse brings a pragmatic, values-first lens to the role AI is beginning to play in nonprofit strategy.
What to expect:
How AI is quietly transforming grant writing and government funding workflows
The ethical red flags nonprofits must consider as they adopt Gen AI
Why 30-35% of orgs are already using AI (and more unofficially)
How Jesse uses AI in her work - and her personal life
The hidden opportunity for small teams to leap ahead before regulation catches up
This conversation is packed with real-world use cases, policy-level insight, and warm, witty reminders that critical thinking and values must still lead the way.
🔗 Links & Mentions
Follow Jesse Clarke on LinkedIn for her upcoming “AI for Grant Writing” course and strategic tools for working with government.
👋 Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn or Instagram. Stay connected with Susan and other human-first, AI-smart marketers: Join the Marketing Power Circle for monthly deep dives, custom workflows, and peer-led AI innovation.
📌 Don’t forget Podcasts live forever - bookmark this one for your next team strategy day.
💥 If this episode resonated, share it with a friend - and don’t forget to leave a 5-star rating. It helps more founders find the support they need in an AI-powered world.
In this episode of ‘AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs’, Susan Diaz chats with Jesse Clarke - founder of JN Clarke Consulting and a strategic advisor to nonprofits and social impact entrepreneurs. With deep roots in both federal government and charitable sectors, Jesse brings a pragmatic, values-first lens to the role AI is beginning to play in nonprofit strategy.
What to expect:
How AI is quietly transforming grant writing and government funding workflows
The ethical red flags nonprofits must consider as they adopt Gen AI
Why 30-35% of orgs are already using AI (and more unofficially)
How Jesse uses AI in her work - and her personal life
The hidden opportunity for small teams to leap ahead before regulation catches up
This conversation is packed with real-world use cases, policy-level insight, and warm, witty reminders that critical thinking and values must still lead the way.
🔗 Links & Mentions
Follow Jesse Clarke on LinkedIn for her upcoming “AI for Grant Writing” course and strategic tools for working with government.
👋 Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn or Instagram. Stay connected with Susan and other human-first, AI-smart marketers: Join the Marketing Power Circle for monthly deep dives, custom workflows, and peer-led AI innovation.
📌 Don’t forget Podcasts live forever - bookmark this one for your next team strategy day.
💥 If this episode resonated, share it with a friend - and don’t forget to leave a 5-star rating. It helps more founders find the support they need in an AI-powered world.
In this heartfelt and thought-provoking conversation, host Susan Diaz sits down with Liat Horovitz - results coach, founder of Revival Retreats, and host of The Results Club Podcast - to explore what it really means to grow a business (and a life) in the age of AI without losing your humanity.
With a background in big tech and marketing, Liat walked away from corporate life to pursue a more connected, values-led path. In this episode, she shares what it takes to make a bold leap - and how we can embrace AI without sacrificing the human essence that makes us impactful leaders.
💡 In This Episode, we Cover
Why Connection Is the Real Currency: AI can do a lot, but it can’t replace human connection. Liat shares how connection remains the heartbeat of business success.
Bridging Corporate and Entrepreneurial Mindsets: Liat explains how her background in both worlds helps her coach entrepreneurs through high-stakes decisions.
Facing AI Fears with Curiosity: From data privacy to job security, we unpack the real concerns people have with AI - and why asking better questions is the antidote to fear.
The Power of Thoughtful Adoption: We talk about how Liat uses ChatGPT, how her team is automating the right things, and why AI can be your secret time-saver when approached with intention.
Revival 5.0 and the Future of Human-Centered Business: Liat reflects on what it takes to build sustainable communities and experiences - and why the future of growth is relational, not transactional.
Key Quotes
“AI will never replace connection. It can support you, enhance your process, but it will never replace the feeling of being seen and heard.”
“Every bit of success I’ve had has come from relationships. There’s no hack for that.”
“You don’t want to make business decisions from a place of scarcity. That’s where so many people get stuck.”
🎧 Listen Now and hit that 5-star rating button as you play.
👋 Connect with Liat:
- Website: liathorovitz.com
- Podcast: The Results Club
- Instagram @liathorovitz
- Liat Horovitz on LinkedIn
👋 Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn or Instagram.
💥 If this episode resonated, share it with a friend - and don’t forget to leave a 5-star rating. It helps more founders find the support they need in an AI-powered world.
Want to deepen your own strategy and stay ahead in the AI landscape?
👉 Join the Marketing Power Circle for monthly deep dives, custom workflows, and peer-led AI innovation.
In this foundational solo episode, host Susan Diaz breaks down the three core concepts every founder-led team needs to understand to build a meaningful relationship with AI. Whether you’re just dipping your toes into AI or looking to sharpen your implementation strategy, this is your no-fluff starting point.
What you’ll Learn
📌 Why founder-led teams are uniquely positioned to thrive with AI - if they embrace literacy and implementation now.
📌 Why mindset is just as important as toolset.
📌 How to avoid the trap of chasing shiny new tools and instead build a strategy that aligns with your business.
Core Concepts Covered
🧩 Machine Learning – How AI spots patterns and evolves (and how you're already using it without realizing).
🧩 Generative AI – The game-changer: from content to music, what it means to generate vs. predict.
🧩 Prompt Engineering – The real skill for entrepreneurs: how to speak to AI in a way that makes it useful and strategic.
🛠 Plus
→ How to stop thinking of AI as just a tech tool and start treating it like a strategic team member.
→ A reminder that AI is non-optional - it’s your job as a founder to set the tone for how your team uses it.
🎯 Top Quote: "Think less tools and more strategy. Name and solve your fears. Your mindset is the single biggest unlock to using AI as your growth engine." – Susan Diaz
🎧 Listen to the episode now and start building your own AI literacy foundation.
👉 Subscribe and leave a 5⭐️ review
🔗 Resources and Freebies
📘 Download the free guide: Reclaim 3 Hours a Day – The Busy Founder’s AI Toolkit
11 practical AI tools to streamline marketing, sales & operations. No tech background required.
➡️ Get it here peacefulaimarketing.com/busy-founders-ai-toolkit
🎓 Join MPC Susan Diaz’s AI Mastermind
Want to go from AI curious to AI confident? Join our Marketing Power Circle mastermind. Learn alongside a council of peers, build custom workflows, and unlock compound time savings.
Learn More About Marketing Power Circle
🔔 Stay Connected
Follow Susan on LinkedIn and Instagram for more behind-the-scenes breakdowns, real-time AI experiments, and resources built for founder-led brands.
In this insightful episode of ‘AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs’, host Susan Diaz sits down with Steph Sedgwick, founder of Clarity Web Design, to explore how good web design is evolving in the age of AI, accessibility, and changing SEO dynamics.
About Steph Sedgwick: Steph specializes in creating websites that genuinely perform - going far beyond aesthetic appeal to ensure they’re accessible, user-friendly, and strategically optimized. She highlights how designing for accessibility is not just inclusive but also excellent business strategy, significantly boosting organic traffic.
Key Discussion Points:
Good Web Design in 2025: Why visual aesthetics alone won’t cut it. Good design means functionality, accessibility, and essentialism - focusing intentionally on content that delivers clear, measurable value.
Accessibility as a Business Advantage: Steph shares startling statistics - 97% of websites aren't accessibility-friendly. She details how making your website accessible leads to dramatically improved user experience and organic search results (average 450% increase!)
Why Pretty Paperweights Don't Work: Websites need to serve practical purposes, not just look appealing. Learn why functionality and accessibility should be your priority.
AI and Web Design: Steph demystifies the hype around AI-generated websites. AI can enhance your workflow but can't replace human strategic insights or understanding of customer needs - yet.
SEO and AI: Practical advice on using AI to evaluate your web copy for readability and skimmability, ensuring your content appeals to both humans and search engines.
Steph’s Pro Tips for Entrepreneurs:
- Avoid "ego-driven" website designs. Your website should appeal to your target audience, not just reflect your personal preferences.
- Conduct regular checks on basic website functionality (responsive design, working links).
- Use AI wisely - especially for tasks like editing and improving clarity, rather than expecting fully autonomous website creation.
Time Stamps for Key Highlights in this Episode:
- 01:27 - The importance of moving from "pretty paperweights" to functional web design
- 02:32 - How accessibility boosts organic traffic by 450%
- 06:29 - Defining “good design” in 2025
- 11:21 - Why responsive design remains critical
- 27:10 - AI-generated websites: myth vs. reality
- 35:26 - Practical SEO tips using AI
- 39:14 - How Steph personally leverages AI for productivity
Connect with Steph Sedgwick on LinkedIn.
Website: claritywebdesign.ca
Instagram: @claritywebdesign
Upcoming Roundtable Event: Steph host regular insightful roundtables. Her next one is "From Invisible to Unmissable: SEO and Accessibility Intersection", diving deeper into how to effectively blend SEO and accessibility for maximum business impact.
🎧 Listen now to elevate your website’s functionality and accessibility in an AI-driven world!
Subscribe and Review: If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the podcast - it helps us continue to bring AI literacy your way!
Follow Susan Diaz on LinkedIn: Susan Diaz
Free Resource for Busy Founders: Reclaim 3 Hours a Day with The Busy Founder’s AI Toolkit 11 Practical AI Tools to Streamline your Marketing, Sales, and day-to-day Operations - No Tech Background Required. 👉 Grab your free toolkit now
In this episode, Susan Diaz sits down with Renee Lindo, personal and brand stylist, to chat about why personal style is crucial for entrepreneurs building strong brands in the age of AI. Renee shares how style acts as a powerful communication tool, setting the stage before you even say a word.
Key Takeaways:
Your Style as Personal Branding
Renee emphasizes how your style is your "packaging" and directly influences first impressions, branding consistency, and professional opportunities.
Capsule Wardrobe 101 for Entrepreneurs
Practical tips to create a personalized capsule wardrobe, saving entrepreneurs valuable time and mental energy.
The Intersection of Style, Energy, and Confidence
Insights on how dressing intentionally can shift your mindset, elevate confidence, and open doors to new opportunities.
Common Style Challenges for Entrepreneurs
Renee discusses overcoming blocks like feeling camera-ready and creating content with ease simply by being intentional about getting dressed each day.
Can AI Enhance your Style?
Tips on leveraging AI as a starting point for outfit ideas, online shopping recommendations, and even color choices, while still emphasizing the importance of personal touch.
Practical Advice:
- Conduct a style audit: Align your wardrobe with your brand by clarifying your personal style and using tools like Pinterest for inspiration.
- Invest intentionality: Plan outfits ahead to boost content creation ease and reduce decision fatigue.
Episode Timestamps:
02:45 Why your personal style matters more than ever in the age of AI
07:12 How your wardrobe directly impacts your confidence and opportunities
12:30 Creating a capsule wardrobe to simplify entrepreneurial life
17:05 Overcoming style blocks and feeling camera-ready effortlessly
21:50 Leveraging AI to elevate your personal style without losing your authenticity
28:15 Conducting a practical style audit to align your wardrobe with your brand
Guest Spotlight:
Renee Lindo specializes in empowering entrepreneurs through style and confidence. Connect with her on LinkedIn and explore her insights on personal branding and styling.
Connect with Renee on LinkedIn: Renee Lindo
Tune in and discover how to amplify your entrepreneurial success through intentional personal branding and styling.
In today’s episode, I sit down with Paige Percival, a health and life coach, to talk about self-care, balance, and how AI may be able to help us step away from screens instead of keeping us tethered to them.
📌 We discuss
✅ How being “always on” impacts your health (and what to do about it) ✅ Why self-care isn’t just bubble baths and spa days - it’s about setting boundaries ✅ How AI can help you unplug by handling reminders, structuring tasks, and freeing up mental space ✅ The role of movement, sleep, and exercise ‘snacks’ in staying energized ✅ How small mindset shifts can help you break cycles of stress and burnout
Paige shares real, practical tips to help busy entrepreneurs reclaim their energy, stop the doom-scrolling cycle, and use AI to support well-being, not drain it.
Listen now!
✨ Key Takeaways
💡 AI can be a Self-Care Tool
AI can remind you to take breaks, move, eat, and even breathe.
AI scheduling helps build better habits, but balance is key—listen to your body first.
💡 Micro-Movements Matter
"Exercise snacks" (quick movements throughout the day) can be just as effective as one long workout.
Use AI to set movement reminders or gamify fitness habits.
💡 Mindset Shifts for More Energy
Are your subconscious beliefs holding you back? Paige shares a powerful way to recognize and reframe them.
Awareness + small shifts = more clarity, more peace, and more energy.
📢 Join the Conversation
💬 What’s one way you’ve used AI to support your well-being? Share with us on social! Connect with me, Susan Diaz on LinkedIn.
Connect with Paige Percival on LinkedIn.
🚀 Want to leverage AI for more ease and efficiency?
The Marketing Power Circle (MPC) AI Mastermind is where we help entrepreneurs implement AI workflows that buy back their time while keeping their voice, creativity, and well-being intact.
Learn more here : https://cpdigitalinc.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/1157552
In this episode of AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs, host Susan Diaz heads into the world of storytelling and content creation with Dori Adams, founder of shutterb. Dori is revolutionizing the way businesses capture content by making high-quality storytelling accessible to everyone through a unique gig platform that functions like the "Uber of content creators"
🎙️ Episode Highlights
The Vision Behind shutterb, designed to solve the problem of businesses needing constant, high-quality content.
How AI Enhances Storytelling: Dori uses ChatGPT to streamline content creation, including crafting LinkedIn posts, email marketing, and even scripting her educational courses for shutterb labs. We talk about the importance of training custom GPTs for different business functions (e.g., social media, business development, HR) to optimize workflows.
The Power of Delegation with AI: By training GPTs as “employees”, you can delegate repetitive tasks and focus on high-level strategy.
Breaking Down Storytelling Myths: AI doesn’t replace storytelling; it enhances it. Dori emphasizes the importance of maintaining your unique voice and narrative.
Why AI Literacy Matters: Both Susan and Dori emphasize the importance of AI literacy for entrepreneurs. Staying ahead of the curve means embracing AI not just for productivity but as a co-pilot in business strategy.
Key Takeaways
💡 Storytelling + AI = Authentic Marketing: AI helps with the heavy lifting, but your voice and narrative remain the most powerful tools.
💡 Delegate to AI: Treat your GPTs like team members - train them, give feedback, and optimize your processes.
💡 Start with Strategy: Whether creating content or building a business, having a strategic foundation enhances every AI-powered workflow.
💡 AI Literacy is non-Negotiable: As Susan says, "Promote your AI to a thought partner, not just a task executor" The future belongs to those who leverage AI strategically.
🔗 Connect with Dori Adams on LinkedIn 🔗 Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn
🎧 Listen to the Episode now
🚀 Ready to Leverage AI for Your Business?
Join the Marketing Power Circle (MPC), the only mastermind designed to help entrepreneurs implement AI strategically and buy back their time.
👉 Click here to learn more https://cpdigitalinc.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/1157552
💬 Join the Conversation:
What’s your biggest takeaway from this episode? Drop a comment on social or DM Susan Diaz to chat about all things AI, storytelling, and entrepreneurship!
Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with fellow entrepreneurs!
💡 AI is changing the way we work, learn, and grow - are you keeping up?
In this episode of AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs, I sit down with Leigh Mitchell, growth manager, educator, and changemaker, to unpack how AI is reshaping both education and business. Leigh shares insights from her work with York University, University of Guelph-Humber, and the startup ecosystem, offering a real-world perspective on AI adoption in learning and marketing.
What you’ll Learn in This Episode:
🔹 The Future of Work – Why every company is now a tech company and how professionals can upskill to stay ahead 🔹 AI in Education – How educators are leveraging AI to enhance learning without replacing critical thinking 🔹 Marketing and AI – Why prompt engineering is a must-have skill for modern entrepreneurs 🔹 DEI and AI Bias – The role AI plays in shaping inclusivity and the risks we need to be aware of 🔹 AI for Business Owners – How Leigh uses AI inside The ChangeMaker Collective to streamline content, automate research, and improve strategic decision-making
💡 Key Takeaway: AI isn’t replacing humans - it’s amplifying those who learn to use it strategically. Whether you're a student, entrepreneur, or corporate leader, mastering AI is becoming as essential as digital literacy.
🎧 Listen now to gain the edge in this AI-driven world!
Resources and Next Steps:
💡 Join the Marketing Power Circle (MPC) – The only mastermind designed for small business owners looking to implement AI at speed and scale 🚀
📩 Subscribe to my AI Newsletter for exclusive insights on how to stay ahead with AI.
💬 Let’s discuss! What’s one way you’ve used AI in your business or learning journey? Comment on our socials ⬇️
Follow us on Instagram
Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn
🎙 Welcome Back to AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs After a winter break, we’re kicking off 2025 with a groundbreaking episode on a prompt engineering technique I call "The Master Prompt". This involves a mindset shift that could redefine how you plan, execute, and achieve in your business and life.
🔑 Episode Highlights
What is the Master Prompt?
It's a powerful AI technique where you ask AI to ask you questions - uncovering blind spots, breaking down complex goals, and driving clarity in ways you never imagined.
Example: "Ask me questions to help me plan a successful product launch."
Why This Matters
- AI becomes your strategic partner, not just a task manager.
- It helps simplify big projects into manageable steps.
- It builds your AI literacy and turns AI into a trusted advisor.
Real-World Applications
- Personal Goals: "Ask me questions to define my 2025 priorities."
- Business Strategy: "Help me plan a product launch."
- Content Creation: "Write an engaging blog post on AI."
- Leadership Development: "Improve team collaboration."
Step-by-Step Guide to Using the Master Prompt:
- Identify a specific goal or problem.
- Use the format: "Ask me questions to help me [insert goal]."
- Iterate with AI to refine the questions and uncover actionable insights.
- Apply the insights to your work or life for transformative results.
🛠 Pro Tips for Success
- Be specific with your goals.
- Don’t stop at the first draft - refine the questions.
- Save your best prompts for future use.
📢 Key Takeaway
The Master Prompt isn’t just a tool; it’s a game-changing way to interact with AI. It encourages reflection, drives clarity, and makes overwhelming tasks manageable.
💡 Join the Conversation
Try the Master Prompt for yourself! Use it for personal or business goals and see how it changes your workflow. Let me know your results on LinkedIn or Instagram.
🎯 Ready to Go Deeper?
If this episode blew your mind and you’re ready to implement AI at quantum speeds, join us inside the Marketing Power Circle (MPC). It’s a mastermind for entrepreneurs who want to integrate AI into their businesses, gain back time, and build a thriving, future-forward business.
🔗 Links and Resources:
Learn more about the Marketing Power Circle: https://cpdigitalinc.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/1157552
Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode!
Have you ever thought about designing your dream life but felt overwhelmed by where to start? In this episode of ‘AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs’, we explore how ChatGPT can help you map out a vision for your ideal life - one thoughtful question at a time.
Host Susan Diaz walks you through:
✨ The impressive reasoning capabilities of ChatGPT o1 and how you can have it function as a pocket strategic life coach. ✨ Step-by-step examples of using AI to clarify values, define goals, and take actionable steps. ✨ Why narrowing down prompts and asking smarter questions unlocks deeper insights. ✨ How this AI tool goes beyond surface-level advice to uncover insights you might not have considered on your own.
Susan also shares personal stories about discovering new hobbies, aligning values with daily actions, and creating a roadmap for meaningful change.
Whether it’s enhancing personal growth, planning career moves, or tackling business challenges, this tutorial gives you an inside look at how AI can empower self-reflection and planning in ways we couldn’t imagine before.
🎙️ Listen to the full episode now!
And as you hit please, please drop us a 5-star rating. It helps more entrepreneurs like you discover AI literacy gems!
Take AI Planning to the Next Level
This episode offers a peek behind the curtain at the kind of transformative work we do inside the Marketing Power Circle AI implementation mastermind (MPC). While listening to the podcast and trying these strategies yourself is a fantastic start, the real amplification happens when you’re part of a council of peers. Within MPC, you gain exponential benefits from diverse perspectives and varied use cases that multiply your learning and implementation. You’ll do more than apply AI - you’ll momentum and unlock breakthroughs as a community. If you’ve ever wanted to see what’s truly possible when you collaborate with other forward-thinking entrepreneurs, this is your invitation.
Ready to explore how AI can revolutionize your business and personal growth?
Join the Marketing Power Circle AI implementation mastermind (MPC) and connect with like-minded entrepreneurs using AI to work smarter, not harder.
Whether you're new to AI or looking to deepen your expertise, MPC is your space to learn, implement, and grow - in a community of peers.
👉 Join MPC Today!
Share your Dream Life Plan!
What would your ideal life look like?
Have you used AI to map it out?
We’d love to hear your thoughts and stories - drop us a comment or tag us on social!
In this episode of AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs, I sit down with brilliant business consultant Maiko Sakai to talk about the difference between growth and scale for founder-led businesses 🌱📈 This conversation gets real with how you can scale without feeling overwhelmed by complexities and milestone tech - like AI. Maiko shares some incredible insights into simplifying processes, avoiding overpromising, and embracing the beautiful messiness of efficiency 💫✨
Here's what we get into:
🌿 Understanding the crucial difference between growth and scale.
🐢 Why slowing down can actually help you speed up and focus on what truly works.
🔄 How simplifying your business can make a massive impact - but it takes strategic commitment.
🎯 Using quizzes to engage clients and generate leads effectively.
🤖 Leveraging AI tools to scale your business efficiently without losing that personal, human touch.
👉 Tune in now to discover how to strategically scale your business while simplifying your processes.
👉 To check out the resources mentioned in the episode, including Maiko’s 10-Step Blueprint for creating irresistible quizzes, reach out to Maiko Sakai or Susan Diaz on LinkedIn
👉 Ready to take your business to the next level? Join the Marketing Power Circle and implement AI tools at quantum speed to transform your small business!
In this episode of AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs, I sit down with brilliant business consultant Maiko Sakai to talk about the difference between growth and scale for founder-led businesses 🌱📈 This conversation gets real with how you can scale without feeling overwhelmed by complexities and milestone tech - like AI. Maiko shares some incredible insights into simplifying processes, avoiding overpromising, and embracing the beautiful messiness of efficiency 💫✨
Here's what we get into:
🌿 Understanding the crucial difference between growth and scale.
🐢 Why slowing down can actually help you speed up and focus on what truly works.
🔄 How simplifying your business can make a massive impact - but it takes strategic commitment.
🎯 Using quizzes to engage clients and generate leads effectively.
🤖 Leveraging AI tools to scale your business efficiently without losing that personal, human touch.
👉 Tune in now to discover how to strategically scale your business while simplifying your processes.
👉 To check out the resources mentioned in the episode, including Maiko’s 10-Step Blueprint for creating irresistible quizzes, reach out to Maiko Sakai or Susan Diaz on LinkedIn
👉 Ready to take your business to the next level? Join the Marketing Power Circle and implement AI tools at quantum speed to transform your small business!
In this episode of ‘AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs’, host Susan Diaz breaks down the dynamic between AI and creativity - specifically, how to collaborate with AI without compromising your own authentic voice.
Too often, we hear that AI-generated content can sound generic, robotic, or even "too ChatGPT-ish". Susan unpacks the core reasons why this happens and shares strategic steps you can take to ensure your AI-assisted content truly sounds like you.
Key Takeaways:
- AI as a Strategic Partner: Treat AI as your second brain. Instead of assigning it junior-level tasks, elevate your thinking and have AI help you brainstorm at the strategic level. Use it to ask the right questions that guide your creativity.
- Iterative Collaboration: AI works best when you work iteratively. Instead of expecting perfect results from the first draft, treat it like any other team member - provide feedback, refine, and iterate.
- Define your Brand Voice Clearly: If AI isn’t getting your voice, it's likely because you haven't defined your voice clearly enough. Develop a “brand book” that encompasses your tone, mood, and creative intentions. Use AI to help create this, ensuring that future outputs are aligned with your vision.
Why this Matters:
Understanding how to make AI work for you while maintaining your unique style is crucial for entrepreneurs and creators. Whether you're a founder, a marketer, or just AI-curious, this episode provides a practical framework for using AI as a tool for creativity - without letting it overshadow your human touch.
Resources Mentioned:
- ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini as tools to explore for strategic collaboration.
- The idea of using AI as your “second brain” for creative expansion.
Enjoyed the episode? Please leave a 5-star rating and review - it helps others discover AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs.
Subscribe to stay updated on future episodes and share it with your entrepreneurial friends who are exploring AI!
Further AI Learning
- Gen AI Myths Busted: Debunking 3 Damaging AI Misconceptions: Want to understand what generative AI really can and can’t do? This article clears up some damaging myths to help you leverage AI effectively.
- 100x Mindset: How AI Empowers Small Businesses to Think Bigger: Discover how AI can help you think bigger and expand faster - moving from scarcity to a mindset of abundance. This piece is essential reading if you're ready to level up your small business with AI.
Join Us:
Ready to implement AI at quantum speed? Join the Marketing Power Circle to get the support, frameworks, and community needed to take your AI game to the next level.
In this thought-provoking episode of AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs, host Susan Diaz welcomes Jesse Adams, CEO and founder of Ember Experience, to explore the dual nature of AI and its implications for the future of work. The discussion points to a compelling parallel in history with Oppenheimer and the development of nuclear technology, bringing both hope and fear to the front.
Key Topics Covered:
- The Paradox of AI: Susan and Jesse talk about how AI represents both tremendous opportunities and risks, much like the invention of nuclear technology.
- Human vs. AI Decision-Making: Insights into the differences between human-controlled tools and AI's autonomous capabilities.While humans decided how to deploy atomic bombs, AI’s potential involves it making decisions on its own - a powerful shift that requires careful stewardship.
- Cultural and Ethical Implications: There is a critical need for creating a value-driven approach to how AI evolves, ensuring that it serves humanity in a positive way, rather than just driving profit and power.
- Psychological Safety and AI: Jesse and Susan talk about the impact of AI on workplace psychological safety. As AI tools drive efficiency, there’s an inherent tension between maximizing productivity and fostering a safe and supportive work culture. Jesse discusses how organizations can balance these pressures by focusing on intention and values.
- Hope for the Future: Despite the risks, we remain hopeful about AI's potential to be a force for good. Leaders must actively engage in the development of AI tools with ethical considerations at the forefront - fostering creativity, community, and the well-being of individuals.
Highlights:
- AI's power is akin to that of nuclear technology—capable of immense good or bad.
- Decision-making shifts: AI can independently generate ideas and make impactful choices.
- Organizations must re-center on core values to guide AI implementation.
- The dual forces of hope and fear surrounding AI are shaping our approach to technology in the workplace.
Guest Bio: Jesse Adams is the CEO and founder of Ember Experience, an organization focused on improving culture within workplaces through leadership development and creating environments of psychological safety. Jesse's unique background spans from working with Olympic athletes to corporate wellness, and now leading teams to think deeply about how to navigate the complex, nuanced relationship between technology and humanity.
Connect with host Susan Diaz on LinkedIn Connect with guest Jesse Adams on LinkedIn
As you hit play on this episode please leave us a 5 start review!
In this episode of AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs, I am excited to introduce you to Tara MacIntosh, our new Director of Membership Growth for the Marketing Power Circle. Tara joins me and we go deep into the work we do and the impacts we achieve inside the Marketing Power Circle (MPC), our AI implementation mastermind designed for founders of small teams.
Tara and I discuss:
Tara’s Journey into AI
Tara shares her experience of discovering AI and highlights how being part of the MPC has accelerated her understanding of AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity, empowering her to use AI for deeper research, and writing.
The Power of Community in MPC
Tara speaks about the value of connecting with fellow entrepreneurs in the group who are at different stages of their AI journey. The sense of community, regular meetings, and accountability homework provide an environment for learning, experimenting, and implementing AI tools in real-time. She highlights the unique “early adoption” advantage of MPC members, with hands-on support from other AI-driven business owners.
Why You Should Embrace Early Adoption
AI isn’t just for large enterprises. As small businesses, we have the agility and the power to implement AI faster than most. Tara and I discuss why it’s essential to start now and build your AI literacy - gaining the competitive edge that’s available to you today.
Five Reasons to Join the MPC
- Early adoption of AI will set you ahead of your competition.
- The community of like-minded entrepreneurs allows for collective learning.
- Developing an organized system for AI literacy and strategy implementation.
- AI will enhance your productivity and cost-efficiency without replacing your team.
- The MPC is fun! We enjoy genuine conversations and laughs while learning.
Key Tools we Discussed
ChatGPT and Perplexity are at the core of our AI discussions. We also teach about tools like Canva and automation platforms, breaking down how they help small teams integrate AI into daily operations. Our discussions focus on actionable steps, not just theory - ensuring you can implement these tools with your team.
Join the Marketing Power Circle
If you are a founder or lead a small team and are curious about AI implementation, the Marketing Power Circle could be the place for you. We meet twice a month to collaborate, share ideas, and implement AI strategies in real-time. Want to learn more? Reach out to Tara or me for a prospectus.
Resources Mentioned:
- ChatGPT
- Perplexity
- Canva
Subscribe to our podcast today and stay updated with more episodes on AI literacy for entrepreneurs!
Connect with us: Connect with host, Susan Diaz, on LinkedIn. Connect with Tara MacIntosh on LinkedIn.
Website: peacefulaimarketing.com
🎙 Welcome to AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs! In this inaugural guest episode under our new name, host Susan Diaz sits down with Dan Sanchez, a seasoned marketer, podcast host of AI-driven Marketer, and AI enthusiast. Together, they explore how to leverage AI to streamline podcast production and maximize content reach.
In This Episode, you'll Learn:
🚀 Dan's Journey into AI for Podcasting: Dan shares his early experiences experimenting with generative AI tools like ChatGPT to solve practical problems in podcast production, from generating creative names to designing custom workflows.
🔄 Building an AI-Enhanced Podcast Workflow: Learn about My Showrunner.com a custom GPT tool co-developed by Dan and Susan to automate parts of podcast pre-production. This tool minimizes the manual effort involved in preparing for a guest interview on your podcast or video show.
📊 Overcoming Common AI Challenges in Podcasting: Dan discusses the importance of clear, documented processes when delegating tasks to AI, and how AI should be treated like a competent team member rather than a magical solution.
📈 The Future of AI in Marketing Teams: Dan and Susan talk about the evolving role of AI in marketing and content creation, predicting a future where AI tools will handle more tactical work, freeing up time for strategic and creative efforts.
🛠️ Practical Applications and Tools: From using Zencaster for production to leveraging AI for generating show notes, social media posts, and newsletters, this episode provides actionable tips for podcasters looking to incorporate AI into their workflows.
Why This Episode Matters:
With AI adoption increasing rapidly, knowing how to apply these technologies in content creation can set your podcast apart. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to scale their podcasting efforts or enhance their marketing strategy with AI.
Don't Miss This:
📝 Resource Highlight: Dan shares his AI-powered email course on marketing, a unique, hyper-personalized learning experience. If you're eager to level up your AI game, check it out at aidrivenmarketer.com/course
🔗 Connect with Susan Diaz and Dan Sanchez: Follow Susan and Dan for more AI insights and strategies on how to automate and optimize your podcast workflow!
Welcome to the very first episode of “AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs”! 🎉
In this inaugural episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on a big, bold decision: rebranding our beloved 5-year-old podcast, "The 4am Report", into its new identity, "AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs."
After years of exploring what keeps founders and marketers up at night, the past year made it clear that our mission was evolving - pivoting sharply into the world of AI. And so, a rebrand was in order.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
🔍 Why Rebrand a 5-Year-Old Podcast?
Find out the emotional and strategic reasons behind saying goodbye to “The 4am Report” and how we knew it was time for a name that reflects our current mission.
🤖 The Power of AI in Rebranding
Discover how I used AI tools like ChatGPT and custom GPTs to brainstorm new names, analyze past themes, and gather community feedback to guide the rebrand process.
📝 The 3 Key Criteria for the New Name
I break down the three things I knew the new name needed:
- AI in the Name: To align with our mission and reflect the core of what we’re doing.
- Findable but Distinct: A unique name that is easy to find but avoids trademark headaches.
- Built to Last: A name that stands the test of time, not just a passing trend.
📊 Engaging the Community Learn how we included our audience in the rebranding process, from polls on LinkedIn and Instagram to direct feedback, and why this transparency was crucial to finding a name that resonates.
🔎 Navigating Trademark Availability and Market Research:
Hear how AI tools like Perplexity simplified the search for name availability and helped us make a plan to avoid potential trademark issues, ensuring our new identity was both unique and legally sound.
Why This Episode Matters: Rebranding is more than just a name change - it’s a strategic pivot. Whether you’re considering a rebrand or looking to leverage AI for smarter business decisions around your business infrastructure intellectual property, this episode offers a practical framework for making a significant brand transition with confidence.
🎉 Join us as we embark on this new chapter, doubling down on our mission to make AI accessible, actionable, and valuable for entrepreneurs everywhere. Stay tuned for more episodes packed with insights, interviews, and AI strategies designed specifically for your business growth.
Subscribe to “AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs” and share your thoughts on this episode. What does AI mean for your business? How do you see it shaping your future?
Connect with me, Susan Diaz, on LinkedIn for real-time AI insights and updates.
Welcome back to the 4am Report AI Literacy Podcast! As we transition our podcast name to better reflect our focus on AI literacy for entrepreneurs, I’m diving deep into debunking some of the most damaging AI myths that present often in the entrepreneurial community.
What I Cover in This Episode:
🚫 Myth 1: Using AI is Cheating
I explore why this belief is a misconception and how AI, like any tool, is designed to augment human capabilities and foster innovation, not replace our ethical minds or creativity.
🛠️ Myth 2: AI Implementation is Complicated
Real Talk: Ditch the myth that AI requires extensive tech knowledge. You’re firmly in the era of no-code solutions enabled by AI.
I share a story from my own experience on how AI (and a friend in my network) helped me save my business website from malware without expensive and time-consuming traditional fixes.
🤖 Myth 3: AI Results are Unreliable and Sound Robotic
I address concerns about AI-generated content’s quality, explaining the importance of quality inputs (garbage in; garbage out, folks) and the role of prompt engineering in achieving better outputs.
Looking Ahead:
This marks the last episode under the name "The 4AM Report".
Stay tuned for our new name and a refreshed focus, continuing our mission to enhance AI literacy among entrepreneurs. Expect a lineup of incredible guests and impactful discussions in upcoming episodes!
Engage with Us:
Have thoughts on these AI myths or questions about AI implementation drop us a comment on our social media platforms. Your insights make our community stronger!
Connect with me - Susan Diaz on LinkedIn: Entrepreneur, podcast host, and passionate advocate for using AI to enhance small business revenue and productivity.
Special Announcement Reminder:
Be the first to experience our podcast under its new name in the next episode, where we'll continue to unravel the complexities of AI with expert insights and practical advice. Hit Subscribe!
Thank you for your continued support over the last five years.
Welcome to Episode 220 of The 4am Report, a practical guide for entrepreneurs at the beginning of their AI journey. In this episode, I’ll give you the foundational steps necessary for assessing and integrating AI into your business operations. I’ll demystify the process and highlight actionable strategies that will have you moving in days and weeks, not months and years!
What you'll Learn:
⚡ Understanding AI and Its Potential Impacts on Small Businesses: We'll start with a basic introduction to AI, including its common forms such as machine learning and natural language processing, and discuss how it can enhance business operations, reduce costs, and improve decision-making.
🔎 Identifying AI Opportunities within Existing Business Processes: Learn how to conduct an audit of your current business processes to pinpoint where AI can be integrated, focusing on high-impact areas like customer service, sales, and marketing.
🔁 Simple AI Tools that Can Automate Routine Tasks: Discover user-friendly AI tools that can streamline operations, featuring general examples like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and specific tools for email management and CRM.
🧮 Statistics Highlight
According to McKinsey, 65% of organizations are now using generative AI, with a significant jump in adoption across various business functions.
Deloitte notes that organizations are transitioning from pilot programs to large-scale deployments, though the anticipated efficiency gains are still emerging.
🇨🇦 Canadian SMBs and AI
78% are looking to adopt AI, with 65% encouraging their employees to use AI tools.
The challenge remains in upskilling talent to utilize AI tools effectively.
🧠 ❤️ Why This Episode Matters
With AI adoption on the rise, understanding how to leverage this technology can set your business apart. This episode aims to build AI literacy and help entrepreneurs implement AI deeply and effectively, beyond superficial use.
🎒 Case Studies and Resources
For real-life examples of small businesses successfully implementing AI tools, revisit EP 218 - Beyond Blogging: 6 Use Cases for ChatGPT that Are Not Content Creation.
Also pop back to explore my detailed tool recommendations and integration strategies from EP 213 - 9 AI-Enabled Tools That Save You 2 Hours a Day.
📢🤫 Special Announcement coming up
Stay tuned for a significant rebranding in EP 222 after 5 years as ‘The 4am Report’. More details coming soon! Hit that subscribe button to stay in the know.
🎉 Celebrating One Year: The AI Advantage Program
Welcome back, listeners! Today’s episode is special as we mark one year of our DIY AI literacy course - The AI Advantage. Join me, your host, Susan Diaz, as I extract three pivotal lessons from pioneering AI literacy for small businesses.
Key Lessons from the Year:
🚀 Lesson 1: Early Adoption Transforms
Embracing generative AI early can significantly enhance business capabilities. And I share personal reflections on how overcoming my own initial skepticism to realize AI's potential for marketing transformation.
🤝 Lesson 2: Community and Collaboration
The power of a supportive learning community in fostering growth and innovation cannot be overstated.
🔄 Lesson 3: Commit to Continuous Learning
I talk about the importance of adapting and evolving with AI advancements.
A heartfelt thank you to our community for a year of engagement and feedback inside the program. Exciting plans ahead to expand and deepen the program's impact.
🎉 Get the AI Advantage DIY AI Literacy Course
Ready to revolutionize your business with AI? Click here to join The AI Advantage Program.
🌟 Keep listening for more insights from upcoming guests who are using AI in groundbreaking ways, and join us next time for more AI literacy discussions on The 4am Report!
Connect with me - Susan Diaz on LinkedIn: Entrepreneur, podcast host, and passionate advocate for using AI to enhance small business marketing and sustainability.
🌟 Welcome to The 4am Report, with me, Susan Diaz, your host and an AI optimist. Let’s talk about innovative ways small businesses can use artificial intelligence RIGHT NOW, beyond the basics. Today, I'm going to debunk a common myth about AI; and share six unique ways to use AI in your content marketing that go beyond writing blog articles.
On the episode I cover:
✍️ Expanding AI Use Beyond Blog Writing: Many perceive AI as a tool just for generating text-based content, but it’s so much more! I’ll introduce you to advanced, practical applications that can transform your business operations.
6️⃣ Six Innovative AI Use Cases for Small Businesses: From breaking down video content to enhancing your sales processes, these tried-and-tested strategies from our Marketing Power Circle (member-only AI implementation mastermind) will open your eyes to new possibilities.
In-Depth Topics:
📹 Video Content Utilization: How to transform existing video material into multiple content pieces for varied marketing channels.
💵 Enhanced Sales Processes: Utilize AI like ChatGPT and Claude to streamline your sales drafts and follow-ups, making your outreach efforts more efficient and personalized.
🎙️ Simplifying Guest Interviews with Myshowrunner.com: A free tool that eases the podcast interview process by streamlining guest research and question formulation.
♻️ Revitalizing Existing Content: Use AI to update old articles or reports with new insights, SEO enhancements, and user-friendly formats.
🔎 Efficient Summarization for Client Research: Employ AI tools to quickly summarize extensive research materials, saving valuable time and effort.
💻 Optimizing Workshop Summaries: How AI can help you efficiently repurpose past workshop and training content for new audiences or formats.
⭕ Special Invitation: If you’re interested in learning how to implement these AI strategies effectively in your business, consider joining our Marketing Power Circle. Drop me an email or LinkedIn DM and I'll send you more details about our AI implementation mastermind, designed specifically for small businesses looking to scale and innovate.
AI is not a futuristic concept but a practical tool that can dramatically enhance the way small businesses operate today. By adopting a broader view of AI’s capabilities and integrating these technologies into various aspects of your business, you can unlock significant growth and efficiency.
🌟 Keep listening for more insights from upcoming guests who are using AI in groundbreaking ways, and join us next time for more AI literacy discussions on The 4am Report!
Connect with me - Susan Diaz on LinkedIn: Entrepreneur, podcast host, and passionate advocate for using AI to enhance small business marketing and sustainability.
Welcome to The 4am Report, where talk AI literacy for founder-led brands with me, your host, Susan Diaz. Today I will be exploring what it means to think exponentially in the age of artificial intelligence and how this mindset can drastically shift your business landscape.
On this podcast, we no longer do intros and outro on audio, so here’s a short note on who I am. I am Susan Diaz, lifetime marketer with over 20 years of experience spanning startups to government sectors. I am the founder of a content marketing firm, and I am focused on how artificial intelligence can turbocharge small business operations.
In this episode you should expect to hear about:
🚀 Thinking Exponentially: How adopting a 100x mindset, with the support of AI, can lead to significant growth and innovation in your business.
💡 The True Power of AI: Exploring how artificial intelligence can be a game changer, not just a productivity tool but a strategic partner in your business.
In-depth Topics Covered:
I love a good metaphor to help me learn and remember. And I hugely value the experts who give me that. And I try to do the same as I speak to, and train, various audiences.
Inside this episode I give you an interesting analogy on how technology evolves and becomes mainstream, relating it to how refrigeration technology, initially developed for preserving life-saving drugs, evolved to widespread uses - including ‘skincare fridge’.
You’ll also learn the three key mindsets for leveraging AI to grow exponentially:
🤖 Strategic Partner, Not Just a Task Manager: Viewing AI as a co-thinker and brainstorming tool, not just as an automator of mundane tasks.
🔍 Workflow Visualization: Importance of understanding current processes clearly before integrating AI, bringing clarity to how AI can fit into and optimize these processes.
🌱 Focused Implementation: The significance of starting with one tool or process, mastering it, and then scaling to avoid overwhelming change and to grow sustainably.
Thinking about implementing AI in your small business?
For hands-on help, consider joining our Marketing Power Circle ⭕ an AI implementation mastermind group that meets twice a month. Together, we focus on automating one business workflow every 90 days, turning your quantum possibilities into actions that will move you far ahead of the curve. Join Here
Connect with me, Susan Diaz on LinkedIn to gain AI literacy insights in real time.
As you hit play, please leave us a 5 star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It goes far in helping us bring AI implementation strategies to more small businesses.
Welcome Back to The 4am Report 🌟
In this episode, I meet you at the intersection of AI and financial coaching with my awesome guest, Marni Saifert. A certified financial planner and financial coach, Marni brings over 30 years of expertise to our discussion, highlighting how she used AI to enhance her life and financial coaching services.
🤖 Meet Marni Saifert
Marni identifies as someone who blends the mechanics of money management with the emotional aspects of financial decision-making. Her approach focuses not just on financial literacy but on understanding clients' money stories - the underlying beliefs and behaviors that shape their financial decisions.
🔍 AI in Financial Coaching
We discuss how AI has become a game-changer in Marni’s practice, helping her streamline processes and enhance client interactions. AI tools have leveled up the way she operates, making her services more efficient and effective.
💡 Balancing Business Growth and Personal Time
We talk about the challenges of growing a brand while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Marni shares insights into how AI helps manage her workload, allowing her more time to focus on strategic tasks and personal growth.
🎧 The Impact of AI on Financial Literacy
Learn how Marni uses AI to improve the financial literacy of her clients by providing them with customized educational materials and interactive experiences. This not only helps in better understanding complex financial concepts but also in making more informed decisions.
💬 Listen to this episode for practical advice on embracing milestone technology to stay relevant in the ever-evolving small business landscape.
Remember, embracing AI is not a replacement for human expertise but rather a powerful tool to augment it.
🔗 Connect with Marni Saifert - Follow her on Instagram @moneymentormarni https://www.instagram.com/moneymentormarni/ for more insights on your money stories and to explore her upcoming group programs.
Connect with me, your host, Susan Diaz on LinkedIn to gain AI literacy insights in real time.
As you hit play, please leave us a 5 star rating. It goes far in helping us bring AI implementation strategies to more small businesses.
Like what you're learning about AI and community building? Join our Marketing Power Circle where we dive right to the heart of implementing AI in your small business marketing. Join Here
🎧 Welcome to The 4am Report, with me, your host Susan Diaz. As we continue to explore AI's role in content creation, my guest today is Gillian Kuriyan, Director of Mommy Connections Midtown Toronto - a thriving hub dedicated to supporting parents of young children. Gillian shares her journey from skepticism to practical use of AI in her business.
And perhaps most fun, if you listen to the end you’ll find a fun segment where Gillian walks us through her 3-step framework for winning newsletters that people read. And we compare that to a generic newsletter written by AI. Stay tuned to find out how the face-off goes!
Gillian and I talk about:
🔍 Gillian's Love for Newsletters (which I deeply share!)
Despite the growing popularity of AI tools for content automation, Gillian champions the personal touch in her newsletters, using them as a creative outlet to connect deeply with her community. She tells us how.
🤖 AI as a Supportive Tool
For many folks, AI has moved from being a daunting concept to a supportive tool. Gillian tells us her story on how she began using AI for automating standard messages about event dates and then moved to deeper uses.
📝 Evaluating AI Impact
We talk about how AI can be integrated into traditional content creation without compromising the authenticity that is crucial for community building.
👥 Community Building Insights
Gillian provides valuable insights into managing a vibrant community, emphasizing the importance of personal connections and maintaining quality interactions, even as technology like AI becomes more prevalent in operational tasks.
🛠️ Practical Tips from Gillian
Discover Gillian’s 3-step framework for winning newsletters that blend personal anecdotes with calls to action, ensuring content remains compelling and visually appealing.
📊 Gillian vs AI Demonstration
Listen in on a live demonstration where Gillian and an AI-generated newsletter go head-to-head, showcasing the differences and potential of AI in content creation; particularly where it comes to being able to meaningfully scale the creative writer’s mind
🔗 Connect and Learn More
Follow Gillian Kuriyan on Instagram @mommyconnections_mto for more insights on community engagement.
Connect with me, your host, Susan Diaz on LinkedIn to gain AI literacy insights in real time.
Whether you're AI-skeptical or AI-curious, this episode offers a nuanced perspective on integrating technology with a human touch.
And as you hit play, please leave us a 5 star rating. It goes far in helping us bring AI implementation strategies to more small businesses.
Like what you're learning about AI and community building? Join our Marketing Power Circle where we dive deeper into implementing AI in your small business marketing. Join Here
Welcome back to The 4am Report, the podcast that explores AI (artificial intelligence) literacy issues keeping small business owners up at night. In this episode, we’re thrilled to have Tom Winter, the founder of SEO Wind, dive deep into the evolving world of AI and content creation. Host Susan Diaz sits down with Tom to chat about how AI is reshaping content strategies and the myths surrounding its use.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
🔍 AI’s Impact on Content Quality:
We discuss the latest Google content updates and how AI tools can help create helpful, data-packed content that engages readers and complies with search engine standards.
🛠️ Myths vs. Reality:
Many fear that AI content will be flagged by Google as spam or that it will dilute personal voice. Tom debunks these myths, explaining that AI is just a tool that, when used correctly, enhances content quality without compromising authenticity.
🧠 The Power of AI-driven Tools:
From improving search engine performance to streamlining content creation processes, AI tools like ChatGPT are changing the game for content developers and marketers.
🤖 The Cyborg Approach:
Tom advocates for a hybrid model where human creativity and AI capabilities are combined for optimal results. He shares insights on how blending AI with human input can lead to more effective and efficient content strategies.
✍️ Practical Tips for Integrating AI:
For those new to AI, we talk about ways to start with tasks you may dislike, as AI can significantly reduce the time and effort required, enhancing overall productivity.
📈 Tom's Experiment:
Learn about a challenge that Tom took on: publishing 100 articles in 30 days using AI tools, which resulted in an 80% increase in organic traffic.
🎧 Hit play to listen now. And as you do, please take a moment to give us a 5-star rating.
It helps us keep working on delivering episodes with powerful AI insights and tips for small business owners
📢 Join the Marketing Power Circle 📢
For those looking to dive deeper into using AI to revolutionize their businesses, don't miss the opportunity to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs in the Marketing Power Circle. Here, we explore AI's transformative potential together, sharing insights and strategies for leveraging AI in small businesses.
Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn to gain AI literacy insights in real time.
Connect with Tom Winter on LinkedIn for insights and access to the SEO Wind tool. Dive into AI with a practical approach and see how it can amplify your marketing efforts.
Welcome to The 4am Report, where we dissect AI's dilemmas and opportunities keeping small businesses awake. 🎤 Join Host Susan Diaz today as she brings you the masterclass you need to energize your productivity with 9 essential AI tools.
Join Susan for a dive into the future of efficiency 🚀✨
Sure, we all know mainstream AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity, but did you know about Superhuman, which can help you save an hour a day on your inbox management? Or Canva, which can simplify presentations and image editing? And let’s not forget Zapier, the much-needed integrator that can help you stack AI tools for exponential project and cost efficiencies.
In This Episode you’ll find these ‘other’ AI force multipliers for your small business productivity:
Superhuman - Email Management Reimagined 🦸♀️ Use: Inbox management with AI-powered responses Cost: US$30/month Why: Saves time and keeps your inbox under control
Zencastr - Podcasting, Elevated 🎙️ Use: Recording and publishing podcasts and video clips Cost: US$30-90/month Benefits: High-quality separate tracks, easy publishing, and instant transcripts
Canva - Your Graphic Design Genie 🎨 Use: AI-enhanced graphic design Cost: Free - C$19/month Highlights: Magic presentations, auto design adjustments, and batch creations
Descript - Video Editing Simplified 🎥 (Mentioned as Opus Pro, potentially a transcription error) Use: Easy video editing and content creation Cost: While there is a free, it covers 1 hour and you’ll probably get what you need with the US$12/month plan Why It's a Game-Changer: Automatic clip generation and editing for viral content
Zapier - Connect Your Tools Effortlessly ⚙️ Use: Integrating various tools to streamline workflows Cost: While plans start at C$27/month, as a long term Zapier user from the pre-mainstream-AI-era, I can tell you that most meaningful workflows will need $49/month at a minimum. Zapier has also more recently acquired a worthwhile adversary! It’s called Make. No gatekeeping here. We haven’t tried it but we hear great reports. Why Necessary: Creates efficient, automated workflows across applications
Connect with Us:
🌟 Subscribe to The 4am Report
📚 Explore AI Literacy: Discover our AI Literacy course and mastermind sessions for small businesses.
Get The AI Advantage
Join Marketing Power Circle
📅 Want details of Upcoming Events where you can join Susan for real time AI insights? Subscribe to our newsletter here.
🎁 Freebies & Resources: Dive into our treasure trove of AI literacy materials. Grab Yours
🔗 Stay Connected: Follow Susan on LinkedIn for the latest updates and join our vibrant community of AI optimists.
📢 Call to Action: Ready to harness the power of AI in your business? Book a discovery call with Susan to explore how these tools can revolutionize your workflow. Book Now
🌟 Welcome to "The 4am Report" 🌟
In this special episode, we're getting right to the heart of AI's impact on small businesses, with a special focus on the critical conversation around user demographics and the digital divide. I am your host, Susan Diaz, and I’m joined by Talica Davies, Principal of Talica Davies Sales Consulting. A sales mind extraordinaire and advocate for democratizing AI, Talica is Program Affiliate for Marketing Power Circle. We explore how AI is currently being harnessed and who is being left behind.
📊 Who's Using AI? Inequality Exposed 📊
A significant portion of society has interacted with AI technologies like ChatGPT, yet there's a noticeable gap in usage among different demographics.
Gen X and small businesses led by traditionally marginalized founders, particularly BIPOC women, show lower engagement with AI. This highlights a digital divide but also an unparalleled opportunity for change.
🌱 The Opportunity to Democratize AI 🌱
This gap presents a unique chance for agile small businesses to leverage AI, potentially leveling the playing field.
By embracing AI, marginalized founders can harness this disruptive technology to amplify their growth, innovate, and compete more effectively in today's digital marketplace.
🔍 Navigating the AI Landscape for Small Businesses 🔍
We discuss practical steps for small businesses to embrace AI, enhance AI literacy, and explore AI's potential to democratize technology access.
Join us as we unravel how small businesses can navigate the AI landscape, harnessing its power for innovation and efficiency.
📢 Join the Marketing Power Circle 📢
For those looking to dive deeper into using AI to revolutionize their businesses, don't miss the opportunity to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs in the Marketing Power Circle. Here, we explore AI's transformative potential together, sharing insights and strategies for leveraging AI in small businesses.
Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn to gain AI literacy insights in real time.
Find Talica Davies on LinkedIn for actionable sales advice. Thank me later! Learn more about how you can work with Talica here.
Want free AI literacy resources? Grab our guide with a collection of ChatGPT prompts to improve your life and everyday productivity!
🎧 Please give us a 5-star rating.
It helps us keep working on delivering episodes with powerful AI insights and tips for small business owners!
Welcome to Episode 211 of "The 4am Report", with host Susan Diaz. Today, we tackle the elephant in the room for small businesses: AI implementation challenges. Despite the agility and innovation small teams can offer, many are still on the sidelines, puzzled by AI integration. Susan dives deep into the three core hurdles small businesses face in embracing AI, and how to leap over them:
⏰ Leadership Time Constraints: Discover strategies for busy leaders to carve out time for AI learning and planning, understanding its pivotal role in steering business transformation.
🏎️ Navigating the Fast-Changing AI Landscape: With AI evolving daily, grasp how to stay ahead without being overwhelmed, finding reliable partners and resources in this journey.
⚙️ Streamlining Systems for AI: Learn why your current systems and workflows are crucial to AI success and how to optimize them for impactful automation.
Susan shares insights on moving from merely consuming AI content to actual implementation, emphasizing AI's role as a significant change agent, similar to historical milestones like the advent of the internet. This episode is a must-listen for any small business leader looking to harness the power of AI to scale their operations efficiently.
Looking for personalized guidance on AI integration?
Book a discovery to start your journey toward AI mastery and ensure your small business isn't left behind in the tech revolution.
🔗 Resources for Deeper Learning:
Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn to gain AI literacy insights in real time.
Grab our free guide with a collection of ChatGPT prompts to improve your life and everyday productivity!
🏆 Please give us a 5-star rating.
It helps us keep working on delivering episodes with powerful AI insights and tips for small business owners!
Welcome to The 4am Report, with me your host, Susan Diaz! In this episode, I talk to Matt Paige, Vice President of Marketing at HatchWorks, AI Trainer, and Host of the Built Right Podcast, on the transformative potential of custom Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPTs) for small businesses.
📝 In This Episode we cover:
🥊 The concept of AI agents, also referred to as custom GPTs, which can work autonomously and asynchronously, potentially revolutionizing tasks within organizations and life in general.
💵 How to monetize custom GPTs using platforms like Gumroad. And why ‘the GPT store’, which is not yet monetized may be worth your time.
💻 The evolving role of jobs in the face of AI, with tasks shifting towards more strategic activities rather than repetitive ones.
🏆 The democratization effect of AI on small businesses, allowing them to compete with larger corporations by levelling the playing field.
🤸♂️ The emergence of open-source AI models (Mistral, Llama and more) and their significance in the future of technology for small businesses.
🛒 A look at practical examples of how AI can improve daily life, such as generating meal plans catering to specific dietary requirements.
📕 A use case from Matt on how he used a data science approach to create a custom GPT that performed clustering analysis on an Airbnb dataset, resulting in a marketing strategy that was developed in minutes rather than weeks.
All this, and much more, in this value-packed episode of The 4am Report, focussed on creating AI literacy in the marketing domain, for small businesses.
Hit that play button!
🔗 Resources for Deeper Learning:
Connect with Susan Diaz and Matt Paige on LinkedIn to gain AI literacy insights in real time.
Interested in learning more about custom GPTs and how they can elevate your business?
Visit myshowrunner.com to discover our custom GPT that is designed to help podcast guests with pre-production. It cuts guest research time from 90 mins to 5 mins! Embrace AI to amplify your business's reach and efficiency.
Grab our free guide with a collection of ChatGPT prompts to improve your life and everyday productivity!
🎧 As you hit play, please drop us a 5-star rating. It allows us to continue to create more episodes with AI insights and tips tailored for the entrepreneurial mind.
🎙️ Welcome to a special edition of The 4am Report, where we continue to bring awesome AI literacy content covering Generative AI for Small Businesses. Please welcome your host, Susan Diaz!
Today, we're diving into the transformative world of thinking about Generative AI in a strategic context rather than a task-based approach. We’ll do this with the insights of Karl Yeh.
👥 Meet our Expert Guest:
Karl Yeh is a Demand generation leader, video content creator, AI strategist and operator, and the Co-founder 0260.AI. Karl brings a wealth of knowledge, sharing how AI tools offer a competitive edge and streamline operations.
For small businesses, AI is not just a buzzword; it's a co-pilot that navigates you through the complexities of modern entrepreneurship.
📝 In This Episode we cover:
AI as Your Co-Pilot: Discover AI's role in enhancing decision-making and efficiency.
Real AI Impact: Karl provides real-world examples where AI has been a game-changer.
Myth-Busting AI: We tackle the myths, giving you the real scoop on AI's capabilities to help you cut through the noise.
Overcoming AI Hurdles: Practical advice for small businesses looking to adopt AI.
AI’s Future: Peek into the future of AI in small businesses over the next five years.
Ethics and Security: We give you practical guidance on the ethical use of AI and how to secure your business while also leveraging the AI landscape.
🚀 Take Action Now:
Eager to integrate AI into your small business? This episode is your first step towards leveraging AI's full potential!
🔗 Resources for Deeper Learning:
Connect with Susan Diaz and Karl Yeh on LinkedIn to gain AI literacy insights in real time.
Discover how Karl’s AI implementation firm, 0260.AI can help you accelerate your AI plans.
Grab our free guide with a collection of ChatGPT prompts to improve your life and everyday productivity!
🎧 Don't get left behind in the AI revolution. Subscribe to The 4am Report for more such insights and tips tailored for the entrepreneurial spirit.
Drop us a 5-star rating. It allows us to keep coming back with more powerful AI literacy episodes to help small businesses soar!
In this insanely valuable AI Literacy Panel episode of 'The 4am Report', host Susan Diaz joins Melissa Penton, Stan Chang, and Sandra Janjicek - feminists and tech optimists who are giving us their PERSONAL TIME to create a crucial minimum viable level of AI literacy for small businesses!
Together, we uncover the key role of AI in our daily lives and the profound impact that our current responses will have on future generations. Tune in as we explore how AI literacy not only shapes our interaction with technology but also prepares us for a future where AI just runs in the background.
🌐 The Essence of AI Literacy in Today's Digital Age: Exploring how AI is integrated into our daily lives and the importance of understanding its impact.
🤖 Balancing Technological Advancements with Privacy and Ethical Considerations: A discussion on navigating the complexities of privacy and ethics in the AI landscape.
📚 How AI Is Reshaping Education and Career Paths: Insights into how AI literacy is becoming crucial for future generations in their educational and professional journeys.
🔍 The Role of AI in Augmenting Human Skills: Examining the relationship between AI advancements and the retention of essential human skills.
Tune in!
🌟 Enjoyed the episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts! Please leave us a 5🌟 rating and explore more episodes. Your insights help us grow and bring more meaningful content to you.
🔗 Connect and continue the conversation on LinkedIn:
Melissa Penton's LinkedIn
Stan Chang's LinkedIn
Sandra Janjicek's LinkedIn
Susan Diaz's LinkedIn
🔥 'MyShowrunner' (are you a podcast host or friend of a podcast host? This tool is NOT OPTIONAL)
'MyShowrunner' is a custom GPT tool specifically designed for AI-literate podcast hosts. It epitomizes the essence of what we discussed in our episode – harnessing the power of AI for greater efficiency and innovation. Imagine cutting down your podcast editing and production time from 90 minutes to a mere 5 minutes. That's the kind of efficiency 'MyShowrunner' offers. It's not just a tool; it's your digital assistant that understands the nuances of podcast production and helps you create more impactful content in less time.
Subscribe and Share 🎙️
Don't miss out on our future episodes - subscribe to 'The 4am Report' and share this episode with your network. Let's deepen our understanding of AI together and stay ahead in the ever-evolving tech landscape.
🎙️ Welcome to another episode of The 4am Report! Today, we're diving deep into the world of AI and web design with our special guest, Fifa Tran. Fifa is not just a web design expert; she's a visionary in blending AI with creative strategies to boost online presence. Get ready to learn how AI can give your brand the edge it needs in the digital world.
🤖 Key Discussion Highlights:
🌐 Fifa's Journey into AI-Driven Web Design: Discover how Fifa embraced AI tools to transform the web design landscape for brands, and how you can too.
💡 Balancing Creativity and AI: Learn about the synergy between human creativity and AI capabilities in crafting unique online experiences.
🛠️ AI Tools you Can't Miss: Fifa and Susan share their top AI tools that are game-changers in web design and content creation.
🚀 Boosting Brand Presence with AI: Insights on how AI can elevate your brand's online visibility and engagement.
📣 Like what you’re hearing?
🌟 Follow the visionary Fifa Tran on Instagram for a daily dose of inspiration and tips @FifaTran. Dive deeper into her work at FEI Modern.
💬 Engage with us! 📱Stay connected with our host Susan Diaz on LinkedIn for more insights on AI in marketing.
🛠️ AI Tools mentioned by Fifa and Susan
ChatGPT - OpenAI’s heavyhitter generative AI tool
Elementor - for Wordpress web design projects
Superhuman - email plugin (for G-Suite) that is heavy on the AI.
📚 Further Learning:
Explore additional resources and episodes on AI's role in marketing and brand development on previous episodes of The 4am Report podcast.
Stay ahead of the curve - subscribe to ✉️ The UNboring AI Shift
Don't forget to tune in on Thursdays at 4am for future insightful conversations on AI in marketing! If you loved this episode, show your support with a 5-star review 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Welcome to The 4am Report podcast, where the restless thoughts of marketers and entrepreneurs come to rest! I’m Susan Diaz, your host. And in this insightful episode, I'm thrilled to be joined by the remarkable Kate Wade, executive coach, resume writer, and a fervent advocate for helping entrepreneurs navigate their careers and the careers of those they hire.
🌟 Here's a glimpse into our enlightening conversation:
🔄 The key role AI (artificial intelligence) will play in creating career pivots, the way we hire, and the way we position ourselves.
🚀 Kate's ambitious goal to use AI-assisted career support to help 10,000 women break through the glass ceiling.
✍️ How AI can streamline grant writing, nonprofit work, and even shape feminist narratives in the workplace.
🤖 A glimpse behind the scenes into building a Feminist GPT - Kate tells about her pioneering work int the development of a feminist GPT model! Learn how tweaking AI language can foster more inclusive and gender-aware communication.
📈 The nuances of resume writing in the age of AI, how to spot machine-generated text (AND and how not to sound robotic!!!)
🎯 The importance of centereing quantitative metrics in resumes and the power of AI to help with compelling, results-oriented narraitves
📢 Don't miss the rest of our deep dive - including some of the best AI tools for job seekers!
Kate brings invaluable insights that will help you win whether you’re looking for your next career leap, or hiring for your business.
🤝 Connect with Kate Wade on LinkedIn and join her mission to empower women in their careers.
If you're inspired by our chat, show some love with a 5-star review for The 4am Report.
Please share this episode with a fellow entrepreneur who is an AI optimist!
📱 Stay connected with me, your host Susan Diaz on LinkedIn and don't forget to subscribe to ✉️ The UNboring AI Shift for your weekly dose of marketing and AI wisdom.
Want to harness the power of AI for your blog content creation right away?
This bite-sized 25-minute masterclass will unlock the secrets of using ChatGPT to create compelling blog posts that promote your thought leadership 📝🔥
Remember, with AI in your arsenal, the only thing you'll lose sleep over is how to spend all that extra time you've gained. Tune in to "The 4am Report" and transform those restless nights into days of endless possibilities.
Welcome to The 4am Report, a podcast where we delve into the things keeping marketers and entrepreneurs up at night. In this thought-provoking episode, I chat with success coach Julie Greenham, Founder of The Quiet Powerhouse.
With her extensive background as a success coach, speaker, and Service Director for a major Canadian airline, Julie brings over 20 years of leadership experience. Join us as we explore how introverts can harness AI tools to transform their marketing strategies and achieve their highest aspirations.
Here is some of what we cover:
🌟 The impact of AI can have on founder-led brands, particularly introverts.
🛤️ From French tutor to success coach, what Julie's journey can teach you about forging a unique path; especially if you are an introverted woman entrepreneur navigating marketing and sales.
🤖 How AI tools like ChatGPT are revolutionizing marketing for introverts by mitigating challenges like overthinking and perfectionism.
✨ Using AI to improve your creativity and efficiency in the process of creation (for example engaging social media content, planning events, and developing effective pages on your website that sell).
🕊️ The importance of whitespace in marketing for introverts; and how AI can help create the time and headspace to think.
📧 Exploring the use of AI in efficiently managing emails while keeping your personalized and authentic brand voice.
🧩 How AI can simplify creating systems, SOPs, and templates for repetitive but essential business tasks.
🗣️ Interesting insights into the versatile applications of AI in both personal and professional communication, including sensitive topics like communicating with your ex!
🎧 Listen to the episode for all that and a LOT more!
🌟 Connect with Julie! Check out JulieGreenham.com and engage with her on Instagram @iamjuliegreenham for more empowering content.
Thank you for tuning in to The 4am Report. Please leave us a 5-star review and share this episode with fellow entrepreneurs.
🌐 Connect with me, your host Susan Diaz on LinkedI
Want top quality marketing x AI content like this delivered right to your inbox?
Subscribe to our weekly ✉️ The UNboring AI Shift and stay in the know.
Want to craft killer thought leadership blog posts without burning the midnight oil? This bite-sized 25-minute masterclass will unlock the secrets of using ChatGPT to create compelling blog posts that channel your voice and expertise 📝🔥
Welcome to The 4am Report, where we peek into the marketing woe that keep entrepreneurs awake at night. In this episode, host Susan Diaz, chats with two remarkable guests, Jennie Wright and Deirdre Tshien, diving deep into the synergy between AI (artificial intelligence) and long-form content, especially focusing on podcasts and online summits.
🤖 How embracing AI can significantly reduce the overwhelm by automating content creation.
🌟 Why it's crucial to maintain authenticity and focus on providing value to build community and consistency in marketing in the age of AI.
💡 While AI tools offer tremendous benefits, why it's essential to keep our humanity in marketing and business growth.
🎯 The importance of starting by identifying business bottlenecks and then selecting the AI tools that align with your goals.
🔧 Should you use generalist tools like ChatGPT and Claude or specialist tools like Capsho for podcasting and summits?
🎧 Listen to the episode for all that and a LOT more!
Upcoming events:
Don't miss out on Capshovians Live, happening in January 2024, a two-day event in Florida, USA, focused on strategy, lead generation, and community building for expert entrepreneurs.
Connect with our guests:
Jennie Wright on LinkedIn, or visit JennieWright.com for insights on list building, lead generation, and impactful launches.
Deirdre Tshien on LinkedIn for more info about Capsho and Capshovians Live
Thank you for tuning in to The 4am Report. If our discussions strike a chord, please leave us a 5-star review and share this episode with fellow entrepreneurs. Until next time, may your marketing be as smart as your AI.
💡
Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn
Want top quality marketing x AI content like this delivered right to your inbox?
Subscribe to our weekly ✉️ The UNboring AI Shift and stay in the know.
Want to craft killer thought leadership blog posts without burning the midnight oil? This bite-sized 25-minute masterclass will unlock the secrets of using ChatGPT to create compelling blog posts that channel your voice and expertise 📝🔥
In this episode, host Susan Diaz chats with Simon Chou, host of tech happy hours, CMO at BCjobs, 2x podcast founder with over 1M listens 🎙️
And perhaps most key: Simon believes you can't spell business without ‘fun’!
Key takeaways you’ll gain in this deep and fun episode:
💡 How Simon grew an intimate community focussed on introverted founders to a meaningful network that tech leaders make time for on a regular basis.
🤝 The state of AI adoption among founders and marketing leaders from coast-to-coast in Canada (Simon and Susan pull back the curtains on their first hand intel as podcasters and community builders in the marketing x tech space)
🎙️ How AI is helping CMOs and founders stay in their zone of genius by creating upwards of 50% improvement in marketing execution. (They go deep on how to use AI for podcasting via tools like Descript and ChatGPT. Do. Not! Miss. Out!!!)
🎧 The importance of playing the long game with podcasting. Spoiler alert: it takes 50-60 episodes to build a loyal audience that feeds into your pipeline
🏢 What really matters when it comes to branding in an age of “me too” and “robotic” content, whether it is created by humans or machines!
🔥And perhaps most important, learn what hot sauce has to do with brands. (Bonus points if you can guess who prefers habanero and who prefers Carolina Reaper. Drop Simon and Susan a note on LinkedIn.
Tune into this fun and free-flowing episode, which will leave you with valuable insights on the role of AI in community building, podcasting, personal branding, and of course - hot sauce!
New visitor to The 4am Report? Thank you for being here. Please leave us a 5-star review. It helps us continue to bring excellent AI for small business content to more people.
💡
Find Simon Chou on LinkedIn
Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn
Want top quality marketing x AI content like this delivered right to your inbox?
Subscribe to our weekly ✉️ The UNboring AI Shift and stay in the know.
Want to craft killer thought leadership blog posts without burning the midnight oil? This bite-sized 25-minute masterclass will unlock the secrets of using ChatGPT to create compelling blog posts that channel your voice and expertise 📝🔥
Welcome back to The 4am Report! In this episode, host Susan Diaz chats with marketing consultant Tereza Litsa about practical ways for small businesses to start integrating AI into their workflows.
Here are some of the key takeaways on the other end of this episode!
🔑 There is a gap between AI hype and real adoption - only 29% of SMBs are leveraging AI tools currently. Overcoming the perception of complexity is key.
🤝 AI should augment human skills, not replace them. Think "human + machine" rather than "human vs. machine."
🏃♀️ Start small with basic AI tools focused on specific use cases, like using ChatGPT for ideation. Let benefits motivate gradual expansion.
📈 Review your workflows first to identify friction points before determining where AI can help. Visual mapping can be useful.
🔍 Look to everyday tools like Canva that are building in AI capacities in stealthy ways. Explore familiar platforms for new automations.
❌ Don't try to overhaul everything at once. Narrow your focus to find the right AI balance for your team's existing processes.
👥 Joining communities accelerates learning. Peers provide frameworks and moral support for the AI adoption journey.
Listen as Susan and Tereza break down complex theory into simple execution.
New visitor to The 4am Report? Thank you for being here. Please do us a solid and leave us a 5-star review. It helps us bring excellent AI for small business content to more people.
💡
Find Tereza Litsa on LinkedIn
Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn
Want top quality AI content like this delivered right to your inbox?
Subscribe to our weekly ✉️ The UNboring AI Shift and stay in the know.
Want to craft killer thought leadership blog posts without burning the midnight oil? This bite-sized 25-minute masterclass will unlock the secrets of using ChatGPT to create compelling blog posts that channel your voice and expertise 📝🔥
🎙️ AI is transforming many elements of marketing work. Rather than resist, what if small businesses embrace it as an evolution?
Welcome back to The 4am Report, where host Susan Diaz is venturing into a realm that often keeps founders and marketers awake at night – the daunting task of scaling operations without exhausting resources.
Susan talks about:
💡 Delegating repetitive tasks to AI frees you up for meaningful strategic work in your "zone of genius" 🤝 Connecting with peers to get frameworks and support for integrating AI in your marketing 👩💻 The 3 steps to get started with executing AI in your 🌱 Educate yourself on marketing applications of AI 🏃♀️ Start small by automating just 1 repetitive task 👥 Join a community to accelerate real-world implementation
🎧 Tune in to this compelling episode to hear why pioneering small businesses who adopt AI will operate years ahead of competitors
🙌 Get key takeaways on leveraging AI as a competitive edge while maintaining your unique human creativity
⭐️ If you appreciate these AI insights, please leave a 5-star rating so more founders can find our show!
🚀 Ready to unlock the power of AI?
Join the Marketing Power Circle program to scale your marketing with AI: https://cp.digital/marketing-power-circle/
🌟 For the milestone 200th episode of The 4am Report, we're doing something extraordinary. Imagine if you could peek into the playbooks of some of the industry's leading minds on generative AI. Well, on this episode, you can!
🛠️ We've assembled six revenue leaders to each share one killer tip on leveraging AI in your marketing strategy:
1️⃣ Learn how top social media agency founder and University of Toronto digital marketing instructor, Andrew Jenkins, spins content gold from assets like podcast interview transcripts using gen AI.
2️⃣ Get the inside scoop from financial advisor and founder, Wendy Brookhouse, on gathering industry intel for targeted marketing and showcasing of thought leadership.
3️⃣ Understand from pioneer event-led growth leader, Dionne Vaz, why strategy must precede tool selection with AI.
4️⃣ Discover from top strategic marketer, Suzanne Huber, the visual content revolution that can be enabled by AI.
5️⃣ Get sales insights from GTM leader, Dr. Jim Kanichirayil, on building a thought leadership framework to generate demand with AI.
6️⃣ Find out from Kira Tchernikovsky, founder and SaaS marketer extraordinaire, how to capture and process customer data at scale with AI.
🔥 This turbo-charged vault of wisdom WILL equips you with tactics to transform your marketing game using AI.
📝 So grab your notepad and dive into an eye-opening, life-giving episode!
If you’re returning to The 4am Report, thank you! It’s folks like you that have kept us going for 200 episodes, with pride and purpose. Please do me a solid and me a drop a 5-star rating. The internet only recognizes feedback; and this would be super helpful to keep going. Thank you, again!
In this solo tactical episode, host Susan Diaz tackles a ubiquitous pain point for founders and marketers - email overload!
Susan shares an email management framework for leveraging generative AI (artificial intelligence) tools like ChatGPT to streamline your overflowing inbox. Listen in for 3 actionable strategies.
Key takeaways in this episode:
✅ How to use AI for routine email responses to save time on mundane requests
📝 Customizing prompts to handle specific, challenging emails while maintaining privacy
💭 The art of generating empathetic, emotionally intelligent replies to prospects' concerns
📈 How AI can provide structure to develop email systems for your unique workflow
Don't let your inbox slow you down. Implement these AI email management techniques to communicate faster and smarter. Listen in to this short and power-packed episode.
Follow Susan Diaz on Linkedin for daily tips and strategies on using AI to create exponential marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susandiaz/
The UNboring AI Shift - Marketing x AI newsletter for SMEs - written by Susan Diaz, this deliciously current weekly note delivers news from the world of AI and explores strategies that will help you get the most out of your marketing using artificial intelligence and marketing automation
Thank you for tuning in to The 4am Report 🎙️✨
If you’re a return visitor, please leave us a 5 star review 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Welcome back to The 4am Report, with me, Susan Diaz. In this episode, I chat with Pasha Irshad, co-founder of Shape & Scale, about how generative AI (artificial intelligence) is impacting small businesses, particularly time-strapped founders, co-founders, and revenue leads.
We discuss the hype around AI versus the practical applications, using AI as a force multiplier, and automating repetitive tasks.
Pasha shares real examples of how he's using AI tools, like ChatGPT, MidJourney, Perplexity, Bard, Claude and others, in his own work and life to save time. We also talk about the implications of generative AI and whether using it is "cheating."
Key Takeaways:
🎯 It's important to look past the hype and focus on how AI can benefit your specific business. Start by identifying repetitive tasks that drive you crazy.
✋ AI should be used as a force multiplier, not something you solely rely on. It excels at turbocharging and amplifying human capabilities.
📚 Create a system to catalog AI use cases and tools tailored to your needs. This "second brain" allows you to easily reference them later.
✋ Using generative AI isn't cheating, it's embracing technology to work smarter. Be transparent about your use of it.
🚨 Founders and revenue leads should dedicate time to understanding AI at a high level and how it applies to their industry. But don't jump into AI just because it's trendy.
📈 AI holds great promise for removing friction from processes and making founders' lives easier. Use it to reclaim time for priorities like health, family, and rest.
📝 AI resources and tools mentioned in this episode 📝
Follow Pasha Irshad - he’s worth your time:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pashairshad/
Shape & Scale - Pasha's company, focussed on automation for SMEs. From storytelling to your tech stack, they help orchestrate growth for B2B SaaS companies https://shapeandscale.co
Follow Susan Diaz on Linkedin for daily tips and strategies on using AI to create exponential marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susandiaz/
The UNboring AI Shift - Marketing x AI newsletter for SMEs - written by Susan Diaz, this deliciously current weekly note delivers news from the world of AI and explores strategies that will help you get the most out of your marketing using artificial intelligence and marketing automation
📌 Generative AI tools referenced 👇(it’s worth noting that all of these have a free version, many robust enough for ongoing use)
ChatGPT - ubiquitous at this point, and defo the folks who brought us to mass adoption of AI in one weekend! Chat.openai.com
Jasper - a copywriting AI assistant that’s been around for a while and has massively improved in a post ChatGPT world! Jasper.ai
Claude - claude.ai - generative AI language model. Like ChatGPT but better is the way they tell it. Are they? Stay tuned for our break down on the mainstream NLPs in a future episode.
Building a second brain: https://www.buildingasecondbrain.com/
Notion - Knowledge management system - Wiki x Docs x Prokects - it’s like the concert headliner act of AI tools to many 💁♀️ https://www.notion.so/
Perplexity.ai - AI-powered search engine. Think ChatGPT and Google’s love child 😁
Can artificial intelligence (AI) save small business owners 10s of hours a week just on marketing tasks? Yes! 😲
And that might just be the tip of the iceberg.
Welcome back to The 4am Report podcast. In this episode, join host Susan Diaz as she dissects how AI can help save small business owners and marketers significant time not just on marketing tasks like content creation, BUT ALSO on simplifying and streamlining your life whether through meal planning, cleaning lists, or essential automation for everyday life 🤖
Some key takeaways you’ll gain from this episode:
🔸 Why we need to start thinking about AI tools like ChatGPT for lateral gains 💡
🔸 How to generate a detailed cleaning checklist, customized to your home's layout and family members. This will save you 5+ hours of planning and cleaning time each week 🧽
🔸 For meal planning and grocery shopping, AI can quickly generate multi-day meal plans based on your family's dietary preferences and pantry items items you need to use (Hello! Have you seen the current grocery prices? There’s no room for waste!!) 🍴
🔸 How to use ChatGPT to auto-populate your Instacart grocery cart, saving hours per week on planning and filling lists 🛒
Don't let AI keep you up at night - learn to take advantage of it to routinely save time. Tune in to learn more! 💤
Don't miss out on the latest updates and thought leadership in the AI space; subscribe to The UNboring AI Shift newsletter now 📩 cp.digital/ai-shift
Thank you for tuning in to The 4am Report 🎙️✨
If you’re a return visitor, please leave us a 5 star review 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
In this episode of The 4am Report podcast, join host Susan Diaz as she welcomes Caroline Dunn, electrical engineer turned marketer, early adopter of artificial intelligence, and Vice President of Marketing at Wahsega. They delve into the fast-evolving world of artificial intelligence (AI) and its immense impact on marketing and communication strategies.
🎧 Listen in as they dish on:
🚀 Caroline's YouTube celebrity story: Caroline shares her journey in the marketing realm, including her YouTube experience and how it led her to embrace the potential of AI in the industry.
🌟 AI: the equitable power tool in your hands: Discover why AI is not exclusive to large corporations or tech giants. AI is accessible to all businesses, regardless of their budget, providing equitable opportunities for growth and expansion.
📈 Using generative AI for SEO discoverability and social media mastery: Explore the significance of tools like ChatGPT in blog writing, SEO, and content creation.
🎯 Finding your Ideal Customer Profile: Uncover key considerations for identifying your ideal customer profiles (ICP).
💬 The two-way street of training AI and AI training you + the profound impact it can have on freeing up valuable time for marketers.
Join Susan Diaz and Caroline Dunn for this engaging and insightful episode as they unravel the potential of AI in the marketing landscape.
Don't miss out on the latest updates and thought leadership in the AI space; subscribe to The UNboring AI Shift newsletter now! 📩 cp.digital/ai-shift
Thank you for tuning in to The 4am Report 🎙️✨
If you’re a return visitor, please leave us a 5 star review 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Welcome back to The 4am Report!
🎙️ On this podcast, since 2018 we've asked Founders and marketing leaders “what keeps you up at night?” And the answers range from funny, to relatable, to downright dystopian! In the current world, the number one answer to that question is: artificial intelligence.
Starting with this episode, The 4am Report is taking a thrilling turn as we dive into the world of AI and its impact on supercharging your marketing 🚀
From exploring AI-powered tools to the endless possibilities of automation and personalization, your host, Susan Diaz, content marketer, community builder, and category creator, the founder and CEO of one of the world’s first AI agencies, will bring you lessons and conversations that will help you stop seeing AI as "one more scary thing to learn", and instead to deploy it as a power tool! 🌟
Get ready for insightful discussions, practical tips, and thought-provoking interviews with industry experts, all centered around leveraging AI for better marketing for founder-led brands 🤖💥
In today's episode, Susan gives you the 15 minute generative AI business case for marketers, diving into:
🤖 What generative AI is and why ChatGPT from OpenAI is a global phenomenon
🤖 Why using AI is not “cheating”. And why small business must incorporate it to create ease and productivity
🤖 Learning to view generative AI as Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for the human mind
🎧 Listen to this episode now for that and a LOT more 🎧
🚀 If you're serious about incorporating AI into your business to relieve bandwidth without breaking your budget, you may need to give yourself “the AI advantage”
Deets 👉https://cp.digital/the-ai-advantage/
Thank you for tuning in to The 4am Report 🎙️✨If you’re a return visitor, please leave us a 5 star review 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Welcome back to The 4am Report! 🔥 Unveiling the truth: 3 marketing lies founder-led brands need to unlearn 🔥
In today's episode, we're debunking three common lies that founder-led brands need to unlearn in their marketing. If you're looking to grow and succeed in the competitive marketing landscape we have in a recession, you’ll want to listen to this episode.
Host Susan Diaz dives deep into:
👶 Lie #1: You can outsource or delegate marketing to someone junior (spoiler alert: the secret solution lies in systems. But how? Susan tells you in the episode.)
🤥 Lie #2: You can do it alone (let’s tackle the misconception that founders can handle all strategic aspects of marketing on their own, without a squad)
⛔️ Lie #3: You can be present in all available channels (stop at once because you’re overwhelming yourself and diluting your efforts to reach your ideal clients). Susan guides you through the vital few channels that align with your target audience and business goals.
🎧 Tune in now and uncover the truth behind these marketing lies! 🎧
🚀 If you're serious about relieving bandwidth by focusing on revenue in your marketing, we invite you to join us in the Marketing Power Circle mastermind.
Deets 👉https://cp.digital/marketing-power-circle/
Looking for UNboring ways to up-level your content marketing? Check out Susan Diaz's book, "UNboring: Take your content marketing from blah to brilliant." Available on Amazon and all major book retailers.
Thank you for tuning in to The 4am Report 🎙️✨
Welcome back to The 4am Report! Today I’ve curated and edited two in depth episodes on the topic of podcast hosting to create the ultimate podcast hosting guide. This is required listening for anyone who plans to run or guest on a podcast.
Listen to this masterclass episode learn:
💪Why hosting a podcast is not only a hard job but is also a crucial market facing role that requires the right skillset and training to keep the audience engaged and represent the organization well.
✅ The core qualities that make a great podcast host. I cover four key areas to keep in mind when selecting a host for your podcast or video show.
📌 The importance of supporting and training your podcast host to ensure they have everything they need to keep the show running smoothly. Again, here I cover four main areas of training to focus on with your podcast host: (spoiler alert😁) key messaging, the 'why' of podcasting, ownership of business goals, and on-demand brainstorming.
If you're thinking of starting a podcast or already have one up and running, this episode will provide valuable insights into the essential qualities of a great podcast host and the training needed - even if the host is you! Tune in 🎧
Want step-by-step instructions and resources to help you launch, or leverage a profitable podcast? We can help. More details here: https://cp.digital/podcastmasterclass/ (📌Psst… as a listener to the podcast, here’s an incentive to forge a powerful voice! Use the code COOKIELYON to get 20% off the price of CA$ 249.)
If you are a return visitor to The 4am Report podcast, please drop me a 5-star rating. Thank you! I appreciate you.
Looking for UNboring ways to up-level your content marketing?
Susan Diaz is the author of “UNboring: Take your content marketing from blah to brilliant” The book is available on Amazon and all other book retailers.
Welcome to The 4am Report! You’ve joined me as I round out the second part of a 2-part mini series where I teach B2B service founders, and content marketers, in detail, about the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of content audits in a recession.
In this episode, I’ll focus specifically on “the how”; how to make it easy on yourself if you are doing a large-scale audit without the use of a cumbersome and snooze-inducing spreadsheet. (if you haven’t heard the first part, it might be valuable to go back and listen to episode 191. That said, if you are an experienced content creator, jump right into this episode and go back to 191 if you need.)
In under 15 minutes, on this episode, you’ll learn:
📌 About specific tactics to apply to a content marketing audit - specifically how to set up for a larger scale content audit if you have over a hundred pieces of content in the past 18 months.
📌 About why you will need an organizational process to structure and categorize content pieces, as well a visual system that can be used for multiple stakeholders to gain visibility and commit to actions that can be tracked.
📌 The basics of the “Kanban” system of project management, and how to apply the basics of this philosophy of LEAN production for a JIT (just-in-time) inventory control system to a deeply creative and fast-paced field such as publishing and content marketing.
📌 How to pick and put into practice a project management tool - whether Trello, Airtable, or a different one that you use internally, to create a highly visual and fluid interface for organizing large amounts of content and remote team members to ensure that nothing slips through the cracks.
For the full details 🎧 listen to the episode 🎧
Looking to save marketing dollars in a recession? Start with a structured content audit before you invest any more in your marketing. We can help. More details here 👉 https://cp.digital/save-marketing-dollars/
If you are a return visitor to The 4am Report podcast, please drop us a 5-star rating. Thank you! We appreciate you.
Looking for UNboring ways to up-level your content marketing?
Susan Diaz is the author of “UNboring: Take your content marketing from blah to brilliant” The book is available on Amazon and all other book retailers.
Hello and welcome back to The 4am Report! Today I'm kicking off a 2-parter where we will talk, in detail, about content audits.
The why, the how, AND the hacks to make it easy on yourself if you are doing a large-scale audit that covers over 100 pieces of content.
In the first part, we’ll dive into 3 specific reasons why you need to prioritize a content audit in a recession. Here’s a sneak peek 👇
📌 Content marketing audits are am excellent way to map your digital footprint; either for compliance reasons or because you have great evergreen material that needs reinvigoration
📌 Content marketing audits are a tool to quantify and get deeper insights from your content marketing, beyond just a topline of engagement metrics
📌 Content marketing audits are invaluable when it comes to understanding user behaviour. They can help smooth out user experience (UX) for your ideal client, across multiple platforms, particularly your homebase ie: your website
For the full details 🎧 listen to the episode 🎧
Looking to save marketing dollars in a recession? Start with a structured content audit before you invest any more in your marketing. We can help. More details here 👉 https://cp.digital/save-marketing-dollars/
If you are a return visitor to The 4am Report podcast, please drop us a 5-star rating. Thank you! We appreciate you.
Looking for UNboring ways to up-level your content marketing?
Susan Diaz is the author of “UNboring: Take your content marketing from blah to brilliant” The book is available on Amazon and all other book retailers.
💫The 4am Report 💫 is back with another drop. In this episode, your host Susan Diaz, is breaking down something that keeps a lot of small business founders up at night. Revenue through the recession.
Susan covers
💡 The need for service-based small businesses to be bold and lean into their agility and ability to pivot
💡 What is a “revenue marketing advisory board” and why you need one as a service-based small business founder making
Welcome back to 💫The 4am Report 💫 where your host Susan Diaz, sits down Dr. Jim Kanichirayil, self-described “professional megaphone”, focussed on highlighting innovation in DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging) and HR tech.
In this episode Susan and Dr Jim dive deep into something that keeps a LOT of people up at night, particularly in a recession. It’s potentially one of the top most hated things in the business world - sales! 👇
💡 Why do we hate sales, and how do we stop? 💡 How do we move away from being mired down in prevailing sales wisdom?💡 Why founder-led organizations should leverage their innate sales and marketing integration💡 Where do we begin look for innovative REVENUE solutions in a recession?💡 How do we move away from a numbers game and into a quality game when it comes to revenue?
Grab a bevvie 🍻☕️🍹And enjoy this masterclass in revenue!!!
If you are a return visitor to The 4am Report podcast, please drop us a 5-star rating. Thank you! We appreciate you.
Looking for UNboring ways to up-level your content marketing?
Susan Diaz is the author of “UNboring: Take your content marketing from blah to brilliant” The book is available on Amazon and all other book retailers.
Welcome back to 💫The 4 AM Report 💫
In this episode the one piece of tech that's on the mind of a majority of the people in the online business world. GPT, or generative AI. The most commonly known one is ChatGPT, a product that was introduced in November 2022. The very first weekend that they launched this free product, they had over a million people sign up.
While AI is not replacing any human jobs anytime soon, it’s definitely worth adding to your toolkit to supercharge your communication efforts; especially if you’re a writer of any type.
On the episode I dive into:
💡What generative AI (artificial intelligence) is and why ChatGPT is a phenomenon.
💡Why it's AI needs to be viewed as a super-tool and not a person (or a threat).
💡How ChatGPT (and other AI platforms) can be used as a tool to uber-simplify the grunt work that is involved in the process of creating any kind of marketing material (especially writing)
💡Why, and how can you use ChatGPT for lateral thinking (with some examples of things I now regularly use it for)
💡How to deal with naysayers and voices in your head who are not “early adopters”
Grab a 🍻☕️🍹beverage 🍻☕️🍹Kick back. And enjoy this epic episode we have for you!!!
Looking for more UNboring ways to up-level your content? Susan Diaz is the author of “UNboring: Take your content marketing from blah to brilliant” The book is available on Amazon and all other book retailers.
If you are a return visitor to The 4am Report podcast, please drop us a 5-star rating. Thank you! We appreciate you.
Welcome back to The 4am Report podcast. In this episode we are talking about the importance of repurposing content, especially as you head into a recession.
The idea of repurposing has a number of benefits, including saving time, effort, and headspace, saving dollars. Somewhere along the way, people have started to think that creating new content is the only way to market and we strongly oppose that perspective. 🙅🏻♀️
Dig right into it 👇
✅ How to repurpose a defunct webinar or masterclass into a podcast or video series
✅ How to cross-populate material from your shows to boost your website publishing goals (and break down some serious content silos)
✅ How to start thinking about your blog beyond the written format
✅ What pitfalls to watch out for and protections to consider when you cross populate content across different platforms
Listen in 🎧
If you’d like more information on the in-depth, half-day workshop to audit your content, so you can maximize repurposing, you’ll find it here 👉https://cp.digital/save-marketing-dollars/
If you are a return visitor to The 4am Report podcast, please drop us a 5-star rating. Thank you! We appreciate you.
Welcome back to The 4am Report! Today host, Susan Diaz, dives deep into the specifics involved in fully leveraging your podcast to boost your pipeline in 2023.
Susan covers:
📝 Why podcasting is one of the most powerful tools that you can utilize in your pipeline process to increase your sales
📝 The importance of putting in place planning cycles so your podcast serves your business goals
📝 The difference between podcasting for audience building and podcasting for business building
📝 Five specific types of business goals that podcast could be serving
📝 The seven factors we employ in the planning of the The 4am Report podcast (for you to steal and use!!)
📝 Why podcasting is the “Trojan horse” of pipeline conversations
For the full details on that and a lot more, 🎧 listen to the episode 🎧
If a podcast is on your mind, and you plan to do it yourself, we have resources.
In our podcast program focussed on building business (over audience) we cover:
- The podcast business case
- Building a podcast brand
- Setting up and integrating with the right podcast technology
- Deploying the robust marketing plan that will take you through the crucial first quarter to help you rank in the top 25 podcasts in your industry in six months.
You’ll find the program here 👉https://cp.digital/podcastmasterclass/
If you are a return visitor to The 4am Report podcast, please drop us a 5-star rating. Thank you! We appreciate you.
Welcome back to The 4am Report! Today host, Susan Diaz, is in conversation with Colleen O'Connell-Campbell, Wealth Advisor to entrepreneurs looking for a cash-rich exit. They’re walking you through how to approach marketing during a recession.
Susan and Colleen focus on:
📝 The impact of a recession on Marketing Strategy and why you need to focus on profitability and cash flow
📝 The benefits of proactively making smart cuts to your budget during a recession
📝 The importance of niching down, to narrow your Target Market and focus deeply
📝 The benefits of a Content Audit and having a clear Content Inventory
📝 3 Ways to repurpose your content for greater engagement
For the full details on that and a lot more, 🎧 listen to the episode 🎧
If you’d like more information on the in-depth, half-day workshop to audit your content, you’ll find it here 👉https://cp.digital/save-marketing-dollars/
If you are a return visitor to The 4am Report podcast, please drop us a 5-star rating. Thank you! We appreciate you.
Today on The 4am Report, please say hello to Anuja Kale-Agarwal, National Communications Director at PwC Canada. Anuja is a global communications professional, with extensive experience in advertising, insurance, and financial services across Asia, the US, and Canada. She brings deep experience in both internal and external communications, including strategic leadership communication, employee engagement, PR and media management, digital and social media, M&A/change, and crisis management.
💫💫 Just the person we all want to be hearing from as we navigate marketing and communication in a recession! 💫💫
Anjuja and host Susan Diaz dive into:
📌 Why disengagement on multiple levels is a real communication problem; particularly in a hybrid working model (and how we can work on fixing it).
📌 The importance of communicating with purpose; why it is vital to building trust and credibility.
📌 Why good leadership doesn't go out of style (good leaders communicate more than just the good news, they share the bad news with empathy and confidence).
📌 Ways in which communicators can cut clutter, and get past some of the noise in the world, by being a little bit more authentic.
📌 The value of refocusing on agility as small business; and never losing sight of the opportunity, optimism, and hope that exists even in times of crisis.
For the full details on that and a lot more, 🎧 listen to the episode 🎧
If you’d like to read the PwC report on ‘Growth through a recession’, you’ll find it here: https://www.pwc.com/us/growththroughrecession
You can connect with Anuja on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anujakaleagarwal/
If you are a return visitor to The 4am Report podcast, please drop us a 5-star rating. Thank you! We appreciate you.
If you’re a brand that needs to economize in a recession, instead of double down, you want to start to thinking about the places where the maximum impact can be had. Both in efficiency and in dollars. Start by auditing the content that you have. Once you're committed to auditing, you need to follow through with a one-step-at-a-time attitude to use the gold you find in your content marketing attic.
So how can you take your marketing material, your sales efforts, and your business development, and roll it all into one, in an agile SMB? In a recession, don't be afraid to do less and just make the best of what you already have.
Listen in 🎧
Today we're going to focus on the relevance of content audits, especially in a recessionary market. There's so much content that we create, as businesses, especially small businesses who might not have endless resources to get things done over and over that it's really worth thinking about what you have and fully utilizing it. And as the recession rolls around, and people start are asking for budgets to be cut, it's really worth thinking about what you own, and how best you can use it, and really employing that zero waste way.
We're revisiting a conversation Will Lamont and I had with Amber Khan, founder of Amplifyology, a repurposing content marketing agency in London; Romina Buchle, marketing manager of a B2B lead nurturing firm in Zurich called Aioma; and Kira Tchernikovsky, an international marketing consultant based in Toronto.
Listen in 🎧
Welcome back to the 4am Report. In today’s episode I want us to focus on the idea of value! Particularly as small businesses, in a time when there’s scary headlines all around us of recession, doom, and gloom we need to look deep inwards and find our value.
To speak to us about defining true value, my guest today is Charlene Norman, Founder of Bullet Proof Your Business Now. Charlene is an advisor to business owners and founders focussed on growing and scaling. She has a deep affinity for women! This year, Charlene will be launching her second podcast, which is called “Exploring Compassionate Capitalism”. I cannot wait 👏 The world needs a lot more women podcasters. And having 2 podcasts!!!
Hold my Chai while I applaud 👏👏👏🙌
I invited Charlene to share this DEEPLY MEDITATIVE exercise that will take you 20 minutes. It’s an exercise that I believe every woman and non-binary individual should find some time for - whether you’re a business owner or talent at a company. And all male allies are welcome!!
💫 Charlene set ups the idea of “value” and how it is defined (Spoiler alert: Money does not enter into your value and your self esteem, but it is often the way in which value is defined 🙅♀️)
💫 Charlene then walks us through a 15-minute micro-workshop in which you will list actual monetary values against factors. The result will surprise you!
So grab a piece of paper, and if you don't like writing, then call up a page on your computer, on which you can type. This exercise will show you just how freaking valuable you really are. Especially for those times when you’re questioning it. And trust me, when a recession rolls around, and fear mongers rear their ugly heads, you’ll be glad you did.
You can thank us later 💪
Listen up! Chop chop!! Your value won’t define itself 🙀
If you like what you’re hearing here in The 4am Report podcast, Can you do us a solid and drop me a 5-star review. As tiny but mighty podcasters, we can use all the help we get. Thank you!✌️
Hosting a podcast is not easy.
Showing up and doing this on the regular over and over again, making sure that you bring the right vibe to represent your organization to multiple stakeholders is a hard job. And it's probably not always appreciated as much as it should be.
As an organization, you need to make sure that a podcast host receives the assets, the training and the input that they need to keep doing their job. Even at the earliest stages, it's an excellent idea to equip your host with the things that they need. And then make sure that they're properly trained to do the job and continue to do it with a great deal of follow through and accountability to your business goals.
There are four main areas to cover in order to make sure that your host is well trained, and fully in the know about what the strategy is.
1) Key messaging
2) The ‘why’ of podcasting
3) Ownership of the business goals
4) On-demand brainstorming
🎧 Listen in 🎧
Every show needs a host! Whether it's a show on TV, or a radio show or other podcasts that you follow, you'll find that the one thing that tends to draw people in and keep them engaged in the piece of content is the quality of that host.
The host has the role of moderator, the role of curiosity and question driver, and the general job of holding the show together.
So picking a good host for your podcast is quite key.
I encourage people to think about four key areas to pick the perfect host for your podcast show.
🎧 Listen in 🎧
This is the third in a series about how to take your current properties - webinars, masterclasses, bootcamps etc - that may have decreased in their audience, and repurpose them into a podcast.
We first dealt with the resistances that we often hear about repurposing content in general and specifically for this kind of content.
Then we showed you how to take a 60 minute webinar or masterclass and break it down into a minimum of 10-12 pieces of content.
The third part of the equation is how to find the bandwidth to take that content and intelligently repurpose it into pieces of content that can continue to be consumed. Sort of like leveraging the evergreen nature of the material that you've already created.
🎧 Listen in! 🎧
Today I want to talk about how to take the average 60 minute webinar or masterclass, or customer education piece or member facing content and repurpose it into podcasts.
I typically like to say that in the case of any piece of content that is an hour long, you should easily easily expect to have create 10 pieces of content from it. And specifically, from a podcast perspective, you can easily get three episodes of a podcast out of 160 minute piece of webinar content.
So let me walk you through what that looks like. 🎧Listen in 🎧
After 175 episodes, we took our first ever summer break, and now we're back kicking things off with a bang and starting off a three-episode series on how to repurpose your webinar or masterclass that is now defunct or not functioning as well as it should, or maybe it's a little bit outdated.
Today I specifically want to focus on the 3 resistances that people feel when you tell them to repurpose a piece of content, especially if it's a large infrastructure piece of content, like a webinar or a masterclass.
1) Should this kind of quality content still be free and ungated?
2) "This feels wrong” - if you put it out for free are you somehow dishonouring the people who did you the courtesy of giving you something in return for that content?
3) Is Google going to penalize you? Are people not going to hate you if you put the same thing everywhere??
Listen in 🎧
Today I want to focus on the seven factors of my podcast planning process. And you are welcome to, as Neil Patel says, steal my process.
In an ideal world, if you have less than 100 episodes, I suggest you go through this process once a quarter. As time goes on, this gets easier and easier and you can cut it down to a couple of times a year.
Here are the seven factors to consider:
⭐️ Bandwidth
⭐️ Themes
⭐️ Market
⭐️ Your ideal client profile
⭐️ Editorial calendar
⭐️ Team Briefing
⭐️ Shadowing
Listen in! 🎧
I want to talk to you about how to decide when it's time to take a break on your podcast.
Often, people struggle with podcasting for a pretty key reason: bandwidth. When you're committing to your podcast, you’re committing to a long term endeavour.
In an ideal circumstance you're going to be doing this not just for months, but for years,. And that kind of consistency is what's going to get you to the top of the game.
So we consider bandwidth…
And we consider the the general state of the world right now…
And the fact that most people are tired…
And we’re approaching halfway through the year…
And accommodating a lot of consistent timelines is not easy…
So say you’re a podcaster with 25+ episodes. You’ve gotten used to the idea of journalistic deadlines and are great at publishing consistently and punctually (whether or not anyone’s listening). How do you decide when to take a break?
I want to give you a framework that involves three ways to decide.
Listen in 🎧
Today I'm going through how it is that you must specifically cater your podcast for your business goals, and I've covered off the five types of business goals that this could be serving.
1) Selling a product
2) Selling high ticket services, or enterprise level deals
3) Partnerships, collaborations and recruitment
4) Funding
5) Fundraising
We also talk about calendaring with intention
Listen in! 🎧
If you've been following along with this series (and we sure hope you have been), this is the final in a series or four emails on the subject of using your podcasts to up your publishing on your website.
So far we've talked about the following:
1) Making it count in the writing medium, because that's what the search engine Gods recognize
2) Using different formats, and making sure that they're published on your website with writing support
3) Cross populate. If you're putting out strong pieces in emails and on social, think about how you can bring that together and publish on your website as well
Today I want to talk about the pitfalls of this method of publishing.
Listen in 🎧
So you want to be publishing way more on your website, and you want to use your podcast to accomplish that.
We've already covered how to uplevel podcast material to powerful writing, and we’re not just talking show notes.
We also tackled how to use different formats for publishing goals. Because a blog is not just written - a blog can mean any format, really.
So, finally, I want to talk about cross populating. Pretty much every brand, whether it’s a small business or larger business, has got a sh!t ton of material going out in different formats.
Think about what you’re sending out on email. Think about what you’re sending out on social.
Listen in 🎧
Do you find yourself in a situation where you're only publishing 1-2X a month, based solely on content that you're creating from scratch, like 500 word blog posts?
Well, if you have a podcast - or if there’s one on your horizon - you should really think about how the publishing possibilities stemming from a podcast can massively uplevel your website SEO.
Last week we talked about how everything in podcasting needs to be translated in some way to writing.
You use material that originates out of your podcast in multiple pieces of writing, not just one.
Now let’s focus on formats.
Listen in 🎧
Let's talk about how to up your publishing on your website, using a podcast, shall we?
Here's what I often see:
You have a podcast that you're regularly publishing. You're also creating material out of your podcast, likely for heavy social use. Good job 👏
Meanwhile, you're also offering blogs on your website that are often created from scratch.
So what happens? Your blog publishing goals are not necessarily met, because it's hard to create blogs from scratch 🤷♀️
If you are creating some level of show-notes or writing out of your podcast, you want to consider how to amplify your creation efforts and make them count towards the SEO goals of your website.
Because here's what I can tell you with absolute certainty:
One of the best ways in which to optimize your SEO as a small to medium business is to publish quality content more frequently on your website.
Listen in 🎧
Has your webinar/bootcamp/masterclass stopped working as effectively as it once did?
Why? What has changed?
These days people are stretched on a number of levels.
Nobody has the bandwidth to come to five or six hours of you telling them why you are the solution and thinly-veiled self-congratulatory sequences.
People ALSO don't have the headspace to process a whole lot of information.
And they certainly don't have the budgets to come to the things that you're trying to qualify, which is likely a five or six-figure service package 🤷♀️
If that's not going to work, what can you do instead?
Listen in 🎧
Who remembers fireside chats?
Who remembers large scale events where it was all overwhelming and people were in all kinds of rooms?
But then you found this one space where people were having a fireside chat about a topic of interest when you went there, and it felt like some sort of respite from the rest of the chaos.
With the loss of large scale events, to some degree we've lost the fireside chat. And I, for one, definitely think that is still capturable.
Bring back the fireside chat,.
Bring back the fireside chat in a podcasting medium.
Spring has sprung 🌷
And it brings with it a deeper dive into what you can do with a podcast, especially if you plan to stick around for 25 episodes or more, or already have over 25 episodes under your belt.
Now you may wonder why I'm putting both of those into the same category.
The reason is that there really are under 3 million podcasts in the world.
And of all these, only 7% of all podcasters have more than 7 episodes.
If you have more than 25 episodes, or you have a firm plan to do so, you should be thinking about panels, cohorts, masterminds, or whatever version of the small group/community that you want to think about.
Panels are an extremely good idea for a couple of reasons.
Listen in 🎧
Congratulations 🎉
You've stuck around for the third in a three-part arc about the types of episodes that you can employ for podcasting.
Listen up especially carefully if podcasting is on your mandate for 2022 and you're trying to put together a plan!
We've talked about teaching podcasts, and show-and-tell podcast episodes.
And today we're discussing a method of podcasting that will probably only come in once you have been podcasting for a few months, and are able to take stock of your comfort with the medium.
The third type of podcast episode that challenges the hero's journey is what I like to call the 'fast-and-efficient' type.
Listen in 🎙
This is the second in a three episode arc about the types of episodes that you can employ within podcasting. And these types of episodes will give the hero's journey a little bit of run for its money.
If we’re being honest, the hero's journey has been consistently executed by almost every podcaster BUT not everyone is an expert at drawing out that story, and it can get a little boring for listeners. So with that in mind, today, we're going to dive a little bit deeper into the second bucket of podcast episode types, which I will broadly categorize as a show and tell type of episode.
And what should you be doing within a show and tell episode?
These fall into three types: Case Study episodes, Behind the Scenes, and Panel.
Listen in for more!
Is wonderful Hero's Journey storytelling possible? Heck, yes. Does the average business podcaster know how to masterfully storytell by asking the right questions of a guest? I would argue not.
So in its place, what are the types of things that you can do? What is it other than the one-on-one interview style that you can think about to fill your podcasting calendar.
There are three possibilities broadly, and during the course of this arc we're going to break it down into three different types of episodes:
- Teaching episodes
- Show and Tell episodes
- Fast turnaround episodes, either because you want to speak about news or because you're creating efficiency and bandwidth within your team.
Today let's talk about the first of the podcast episode types that are an alternative to the Hero's Journey, and I am going to broadly categorize it as Teaching.
Listen in 🎙
Does looking into your podcast stats and seeing little numbers make you sad and stressed out?
Should you even care about the number of downloads and listens you get?
Short answer, no.
To really get an idea of the effect your podcast is really having, we thought of a little model we like to call the domino effect.
Think of it like a line-up of dominoes - you knock over one piece, and then from there comes a series of connected things that happen that can include:
1) Current clients hearing your podcast and wanting to work with you on a different scope or level.
2) Dark social - people who aren’t active on your social front, who don’t comment at all or seem to have even seen what you’ve done, but have really been following you all along and who now want to work with you
3) Recommendations and affiliates
So measure your podcasting RIO, based on actual dollars in the bank and equity created as opposed to downloads and listens.
Podcasting is changing at warp speed.
That said, there are some myths that you can safely dispel.
Podcasting is NOT over indexed.
We are far from the oversaturation issues that you might read about in the headlines!
When you compare podcasts to blogs and videos, you're at least 10, if not 100 times lower in terms of market saturation.
YouTube has 50 million videos.
There's really only 2 million podcasts.
Are there universal truths you can apply to dispel universal myths?
Listen to this episode for the details 🎧
Joe Rogan, Spotify's million dollar baby
There's just so much to say about the ongoing saga of what Spotify should be and is or isn't doing with Joe Rogan and his podcast The Misinformation Station The Joe Rogan Experience. Despite a few "Sorry, but..."s and the removal of 75-80 episodes containing inappropriate language, Joe is still on the air and Spotify has definitely taken sides. The silver lining is that this experience has forced Spotify to clarify their rules of conduct and promise to do a better job of policing the content on their site.
This gives us a lot to think about in the freedom of speech discussion. Who's deciding where the line is? Where even is the line? We've followed the full rise of Spotify and respect that quick growth but it might come back to bite them.
The beginning of the end of facebook?
You may not have noticed thanks to the huge distraction that is facebook's rebrand to Meta, but for the first time ever, Facebook use is going down. Way down. Not the visionary they once were, they have been having stock declines as large as 25%. Briefly it seemed like they would win us over with the paradise that is the Metaverse, but survey says if facebook is the face of Metaverse the people are not interested thankyouverymuch. We're secretly waiting with popcorn for the inevitable crumble.
Pedalling away from Peloton
The pandemic may be nearing something that looks like a maybe-sorta-end-ish type thing, and evidently our love affair with Peloton is tied to the Covid case count. Due to a lack of demand for their equipment, Peloton is cutting many jobs, replacing their CEO, and potentially getting sold. One more story of crazy quick growth and the question of whether it's sustainable in the long run. We do think it's a great idea for them to partner with a big visionary company to maintain their momentum and take them to the next level.
5 letters to rule them all
Forget Peloton. Forget sourdough. And forget Tiger King, even though that mullet may be permanently imprinted on your brain. The new pandemic craze is Wordle, a only-one-a-day game where you have 6 chances to guess a 5 letter word. The little yellow and green squares are popping up on social feeds, along with articles arguing the best starting words (among the current nominees are the vowel filled ADIEU, as well as CRANE, and SAMEY). We love the simplicity. It's a straight URL. Free. No app. No fee. No ads. No weird signup through Facebook. So basic and so beautiful 👏👏
Olympic TikTok
Olympic TikTok is back and better than ever. The athletes involved are at the perfect age to share exactly what their audience wants to see - the behind the scenes action like where they're training, what they're eating, where they're staying. It's so much fun to get a look at what's going on in a less formal way than we're used to. Even the "official" stations like NBC have TikToks and are leaning into the memes and humour that you wouldn't normally see in their buttoned up broadcasts.
Listen in for these stories, plus news about Whoopi Goldberg on the View and some Metaverse musings.
Last week we talked about how to take an episode and break it up into multiple smaller pieces - micro podcasts. So how do you spin that around and take a bunch of podcasts and consolidate them into larger pieces that convert?
- Combining four or five episodes into a monthly email
- Publishing a quarterly e-book or BOOK-book 📕
These tips and tricks have worked for us (our podcast is the gift that keeps on giving!), and they WILL work for you!
Grab a drink, kick back, relax and enjoy!
From 1 podcast episode, you should expect to mine no less than 10 pieces of content for distribution. This will multiply the reach of the average content calendar manifold. What are the 10 pieces? 1 x blog post 3 x social posts (written - snippets of the blog post ) 3 x social posts (visual cards - quote and visualization of key points) 1 x video promo (atleast) 1 x email (NOT a 'please listen to my podcast' email - a proper tip or teaching email) And that's just the start. For deeper learning, listen to this week's episode.
This week Susan is joined by Andrew Jenkins, founder and CEO of Volterra and host of the Low Production High Value Show.
What's hot this week?
Is Joe Rogan a public health menace?
A recent open letter from scientists, public health professionals, and professors urged Spotify to take a stand against misinformation on Joe Rogan's hugely popular podcast. Joe's controversial guests, anti-vax rhetoric, and conspiracy theories could be considered a risk to public health as his audience is so huge. Spotify is naturally hesitant to muzzle their star, as they exclusively stream the podcast and it has made them (and continues to make) huge dollars.
TikTok for B2B?
TikTok is the ultimate modern rabbit hole for entertaining, thought-provoking, and engaging material (with a fair bit of crap thrown in for good measure). With 689 million users, it's also THE hot spot for the under-35 crowd, but is it the next big space for B2B? Like anything else in marketing, the key is to research thoroughly, know your audience, and dip your toe in the water before taking the big plunge. Claim an account in your name, take a good look around, and engage with people before getting your TikTok video vibe on.
Metaverse Musings
It was recently announced that Microsoft will be buying the gaming publisher Activision (of Call of Duty fame), leading Susan and Andrew to muse about how the virtual world is not just sneaking up on us, but is already becoming part of our lives. Naturally, the bridge to the metaverse is in gaming, as we know many a person that spends more time out of reality than in it. Something that is very appealing to people is that anonymity that the metaverse allows, and while that's good for some things, having a trusted commercial relationship is not one them.
Watch the full episode here for a new 5 question segment with co-hosts on podcasting. Only on the LIVE video format, not the podcast!
What makes someone actually get brave enough to rant about something?
And if the something you're ranting about is the workplace approach to diversity, does it get even more loaded as a subject?
Nita Tandon, Founder of Dalcini Stainless, award-winning sustainable housewares, is here for the inaugural issue of 'Founders Rant'. What keeps her up at night is the one dimensional approach to diversity.
Does the media equate 'diversity' with color? Are employers, in an attempt to “do good”, hoping to just hire BIPOC, pat themselves on the back and say they are a “diverse and inclusive” employer? What made Nita say, "Okay, this is a rant, and I want to tell you about it." When you encounter racism or racist microgressions, you know it clearly. When you are denied something, because of your colour, or because of your gender, you know that it's because of those things! So when someone tells you, 'No, you're just seeing it wrong', it's frustrating. (psst: At the risk of calling it out brutally, if you tell me that I'm, if I'm not feeling what I'm feeling, that's what you call gaslighting. ) Here's a fun look into the mind of a social impact founder
To kick off a fresh year's dishing sessions on marketing news, Susan is joined by mindset mentor and performance coach Megan O'Neill. What's hot this week? 👇
New Day's Lyric
One of our favourite rising stars, poet Amanda Gorman, made 2021 her own in a whirlwind of events from the US presidential inauguration, to the Met Gala, to the Superbowl, all while snagging a groundbreaking contract with Estée Lauder and penning 3 number 1 bestselling books. Now to ring in the new year, in partnership with Instagram, Amanda has released her latest poem, 'New Day's Lyric' in beautiful video form. The poem speaks of hope, love, and connection.
Pizza Hut Canada decides to make the decision to get decisive about roasting Premier Ford
After yet another lockdown announcement that left us with many many SMH moments, many people took to social media to air their grievances with Ontario Premier Doug Ford. As we love to see happening these days, we caught on to a little bit of Twitter newsjacking brought to us by none other than Pizza Hut, who cheekily took a popular term from the speech that one clever and entertaining step further.
2021 takes our Golden Girl
As if 2021 didn't already take our sanity, on the last day of the year the legend Betty White passed away at the age of 99. She has touched every generation from her start in show biz. If there was anyone that should have lived forever, based solely on the fact that she was so universally loved, it was Betty. Knowing how wonderful she was, she probably just didn't want to sully the new year with such sad news 😢 We'll miss you, Betty!
The science of climate humour
The movie Don't Look Up has been popular thanks to its cast of big stars, but it's also raised some questions about its satirical coverage of climate change and politics. Since the topic of climate change is so serious, is it really appropriate to joke about it? In short, yes! We are all about the EQ (Entertainment Quotient) around here, and agree with Canadian comic Leonard Chan who believes that the closer the humour is to crisis or upheaval, the better the humour has to be. Write well, use your common sense, and have some fun!
We've reached the end of 2021, yo.
The last few days of the year.
It's been a mixed bag for many people. That said, the one big thing that emerged this year is a deep need for self-care.
A deep need to renew, rejuvenate, take care of yourself, take care of your mind, your body, and your spirit.
In this episode, we have tips from three awesome specialists in the health and wellness space, who will speak to different aspects of taking care of the mind, body, and spirit. Pick a practice, and focus on building it in 2022. Good luck!
The art of mindful doodling to relieve stress
Melissa Lloyd, founder and chief doodler at DoodleBreaks points out, we are all born with creativity. And yet, many if not most of us lose that natural urge to doodle.
Allow your mind to float, and your anxiety settle. 🧠 🧠 🧠
The art of slow motion multitasking
Zannat Reza is a registered dietician and ambassador in the healthy aging space. She spends her waking hours helping organizations strategize and create memorable food & health content that inspires, educates, and empowers people to live their best lives. She delves into Slow Motion Multitasking.
🧠 🧠 🧠
The art of good sleep
Lydia Di Francesco is the CEO and Wellness Consultant at Fit + Healthy 365. As a workplace wellness consultant, she helps companies understand the connection between well-being and mental health, and employee productivity and retention. 👏👏👏
She advises:
💫 Setting boundaries.
💫 Building what she calls “stress resilience.”
💫 Exercise and healthy eating to equal better sleep.
This week, we round up the short episode-arc in which we’re spotlighting trends that really dug deep roots into 2021, and will certainly be around to play with in 2022 and beyond.
Our source of input (delicious at that!) is our weekly live roundup of marketing news, which I co-host with various industry leaders on what's happening in the marketing world, and what we can learn from it. That live round-up is what becomes the podcast, here, for your fine folx!
Through doing that every week on Thursdays, we uncovered some stuff that came up over and over again.
And among those are NFTs. An NFT, for the uninitiated, is a non-fungible token, which is a kind of digital asset to which a cryptocurrency value is assigned.
It's an asset that you definitively own in the digital space.
And, broadly, there are a couple of things to know in the space, regardless of your familiarity with the subject.
Know that there's an origin story that comes with an NFT.
This means that if you have an NFT, it belongs to you. You can clearly trace who the thing belongs to via blockchain. And therefore it has huge implications for intellectual property and for creators.
If NFTs are not something that you want to directly think about right away, don’t forget to educate yourself for when you need it.
Whether or not you are getting into the world of NFTs right this second, do educate yourself because there's room to get involved in discussions. There's room to get into collaborations. There’s room to see how this all works for your industry, and still be among the early adopters, even if your brand isn’t cracking open an NFT right away.
Happy new year 2022! We can’t wait to see what the year brings.
🎧Tune in to hear more!🎧
If you’re a repeat visitor to our podcast, please drop us a 5 star review. Thank you!
We continue this mini episode-arc, focusing on some of the key themes that ruled this year on the marketing front, and will reign in 2022.
We draw your attention to 2 phenomena that are noteworthy, to inspire you as you head into a whole new year of marketing ahead of you.
The first is #freebritney - keep reading!
The Free Britney movement was created by Britney Spears’ fans.
What started as a hashtag eventually freed Britney from the conservatorship of her father this year! The story is compelling.
The phenomenon that will rule amongst the masses in 2022 is TikTok. Some trends that dominated in 2021 were feta pasta and true crime.
How does this break down to B2B?
We tell you how to incorporate TikTok even if you ‘don’t dance’. As well as how to really clue into music and think like a creator (or just hire one 😁)
🎧Tune in. Listen up!🎧
If you’re a repeat visitor to our podcast, please drop us a 5 star review. Thank you!
We continue this week with our episode arc around what we can learn from winning examples of marketing in 2021 as we head into 2022.
The categories and channels of marketing have changed.
Where's your innovation going to come from?
Today, we wanted to dive deeper into the subject of newsjacking. One of the things that has proved successful for brands over and over again during the pandemic is newsjacking.
Marketing is no longer a one-way, broadcast-only model. What really gets noticed is agility - being able to get involved in conversations, and do it fast. It’s certainly the only thing that stands out on social media!
In 2021 brands excelled at newsjacking.
It's easy to assume that the brands in question are always like the big enterprises and the B2C brands - like the fast food chains certainly do it.
That said, those are not the only brands that have newsjacked effectively; that have made it their purpose to get out there and get social.
There was Bernie Sanders and the mittens from the US presidential inauguration. Every brand used that meme eventually!
Senator Sanders' own team got involved and used the traction to raise funds for charity.
That said, special mention to one of the Canadian geniused in this category!
Ottawa Public Health!
They created the character ‘Bruce’ And it went viral. Even Ryan Reynolds got involved! They are small municipal level government account, and they've done some amazing work in newsjacking.
What can you learn from those examples?
Take a listen!
This week Susan is joined by Colleen O'Connell-Campbell, Wealth Advisor at RBC Dominion Securities, and host of 'I'm a millionaire. So, now what?' 🎙
Budweiser NFT sells out If you've been wondering 'wassuuuuup' with Budweiser lately, you'll be excited to hear that they've moved into the metaverse, releasing a brand new collection of limited edition digital art known as the 'Heritage Collection'. 1,900 "Core Heritage Cans" at $499 each and 36 "Gold Heritage Cans" at $999 each sold out within an hour. Hiring in the metaverse No longer just for gamers, the metaverse is now beginning to be used by companies like Hyundai and Siemens to help hire people in an immersive environment. Thanks to Facebook changing its name to Meta, people are now really paying attention to the metaverse and accepting that this new world is going to become mainstream. Governor General's awards for some of our fave stars Proudly Canadian actors Catherine O’Hara and Ryan Reynolds were recently awarded Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards. Thanks to the miracle of YouTube we were able to share in their reactions as they were honoured via serenade, Ryan by singer Steven Page, and Catherine by her Schitt's Creek costar Noah Reid. Their genuine reactions are so adorable we promise you'll get something in your eye if you give them a watch. Twitter Transforms Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, resigned earlier this week and will be replaced by former CTO Parag Agrawal. Some changes were immediate. A huge can of worms was opened with the announcement of new privacy policies relating to the sharing of unowned images and we're really having hard time believing this will be sustainable for Twitter. Shopify tops the pack for sales The post Black Friday/Cyber Monday stats are in and it looks like shopping is down all across the board - except on Shopify. Colleen's take is that people are really trying to find that balance between supporting small businesses while also having it be convenient. As consumers, where we spend our money is the way we express how we want to shop, so we’re seeing consumers empowered to support local and smaller business. For these stories and more, including what's happening in the business world after Black Friday, listen to the whole episode.
In this episode arc, we're going to focus on some specific trends and learnings that you can take with you going into 2022 in your marketing.
This is a significant inflexion point in the evolution of the way we communicate, market, and sell.
Things have changed a lot during the pandemic with a whole new virtual world open.
The things we thought to be the vehicles or tools of marketing distribution have changed.
What's getting attention?
What is really cutting the scroll?
We break down 2 key things to focus on.
- The categories of distribution of content marketing
- New examples to be inspired by that you won’t find traditional marketing books because things are moving so fast.
Take a listen.
We are joined by 6 guest judges.
Andrea Henry, founder of Henry business law.We have Darien Kovacs, founder of jelly marketing.We have Megan O'Neill, performance coach.We've got Martin Waxman, instructor at University of Toronto and PR expert.Mohit Rajhans, media commentator and founder of thinkstartAnd Rohini Mukherji, Vice President at narrative PR
If you’re a return listener, please leave us a 5-star review? Thanks 💫
Today we’re extolling the virtues of a co-host format! Susan Diaz and Will Lamont have been the resident co-hosts of The 4am Report for 2.5 years and nearly 150 episodes! Typical episodes were either both of them with a guest, or the two of them presenting marketing advice in a teaching format.
And we think 150 is a good time to switch things up a little bit. So after Episode 150, we'll be moving to a news-based format, leaning all the way into our Thirst for what's new and happening in the marketing and entertainment space, and what we can learn from that.
But first!
Here are 7 lessons from co-hosting 150 podcast episodes.
- There's an energy that comes from wing(wo)man.
- Having a co-host bring different strengths to the table
- Co-hosting is, makes you lot braver as a publisher
- Co-hosts bring a wider network
- Having a co-host brings a lot more accountability
- Having a co-host truly makes podcasting fun.
- Co-hosting with a collective goal on efficient content creation results in masses of content and engagement
Listen to the full episode. And if you’re a repeat visitor, drop us a 5 star review, pretty please! And thank you.
Attention thirsty readers everywhere! Do you have a story that's got you absolutely parched? A news item, a marketing hit or miss, something from the world of entertainment and pop culture? This week Susan is joined by Jackie Porter, award-winning financial planner who has been in the financial industry for the past 23 years serving thousands of families, established businesses, and professionals in the Greater Toronto Area. We're now taking story submissions. Hit reply and let us know your take on a story that caught your attention this week. We may even ask you to join us on our weekly Linkedin Live chat show, #ThirstyThursday. Team Ted Lasso markets their way to the top In the last few weeks there have been a lot of awards given out and Ted Lasso’s marketing has repeatedly been getting kudos. They really do go the distance. Their twitter account is legit “Ted Lasso” who comments. Even on April fools the governor of Kansas issued a proclamation that recognizes Ted Lasso. So why is this working well? The feel-good subject of the show really lends itself to this type of marketing and they’ve done really well for a subject that translates and are getting a lot of attention and recognition for it. Are NFTs here to stay? As marketers we’ve been playing with NFTs on a gimmick level right now, but after thirsting over them week after week, we’re realizing that there’s really nothing that has disrupted the market quite like them. They may be a little difficult to understand, but there’s definitely a niche market for them. It also puts a really interesting spotlight on the value of intellectual property. Acting Good
A new comedy show is coming out from Anishinaabe comedian Paul Rabliauskas. “Acting Good” will come out in 10 parts and will star Paul himself. The show is loosely based on Paul’s actual experiences and follows a failed attempt at living in a big city. If there was ever a time to come together with humour and realize we’re not that different and need to treat each other fairly, this is it. Uber Pricing Fail Uber recently announced some changes to their pricing plan for their ride share option. They’ve taken a simple concept that evidently was not sustainable and complicated it to the point of our utter boredom. Honestly let’s just keep things simple! Simplicity means you can scale which is never a bad thing. We realize that they’re just trying to keep people happy but you can’t please everyone! Taylor's songs Belong with her After a bout of Bad Blood and losing the rights to most of her early music which was bought out by an ex-manager with a shady reputation, Taylor Swift saw Red and will not be just Shaking it Off. She has re-recorded the albums Fear and Red* with the subtitle (Taylor’s Version) and is reclaiming what is rightfully hers. In a big win, several large radio stations including iHeart Radio have vowed only to play Taylor’s version from now on. For these stories and more, including Cambridge Dictionary's word of the year, listen to the whole episode.***
Let’s talk about crisis communications. Pre-pandemic, it was the bastion of very large enterprise, with trained teams of PR leaders to man the desk. Post-pandemic, crisis communication is much more mainstream. We all navigate a time of tricky socio-political nuance that is the 2020s.
How do you respond to social justice authentically as a business?
If you decide to speak, how do you not say the wrong thing?
Is it even possible to always be prepared to step in with the perfect statement in response to something?
The questions are heavy!
Even if you have a thorough crisis communication plan you can still be inadvertently tone deaf if something comes into play that’s well outside of your lived experience and frame of reference.
Modern marketing teams need to be prepared to make sound decisions in the moment.
In this episode we break down Two key concepts that will help 👇
- Master the idea of “Stop, drop and roll”
When something that requires sensitivity hits the news cycles, whether it's a major issue that affects the world at large (ie: pandemic), or something that affects your company (ie: announcements of layoffs), you want to think like you’re catching fire. To contain it, you stop, drop and roll.
- Master a graceful apology
Despite your best efforts, and despite multiple plans, you're going to get some things wrong, And when you get things wrong, the best course is a good apology. Discover what a good apology looks like.
Tune in to listen to the full episode!
Attention thirsty readers everywhere! Do you have a story that's got you absolutely parched? A news item, a marketing hit or miss, something from the world of entertainment and pop culture? This week Susan is joined by Angelique Binet, social media marketing consultant specialized in paid traffic and client acquisition for 6-figure women entrepreneurs and founder of Social Media Love. We're now taking story submissions. Hit reply and let us know your take on a story that caught your attention this week. We may even ask you to join us on our weekly Linkedin Live chat show, #ThirstyThursday. Marcus Rashford's MBE Manchester United star Marcus Rashford has made the Thirst List before, unfortunately because of some horrible racism he suffered after the World Cup loss. We're happy to report some great news, however, as he has just been awarded the MBE for his work with underprivileged children during the pandemic. This honour was awarded by Prince William and Rashford has since created a taskforce working with supermarkets and food banks to make sure kids across the UK are fed. Knitted Tribute For Remembrance Day, London’s anonymous Knitting Banxy (not to be confused with London’s anonymous graffiti artist Banksy) created a life sized knitted soldier and surreptitiously dropped it off at the War Memorial Clock Tower in honour of the day. As Angelique says beautifully, “bringing softness to something that is not soft”. Sexiest Man Alive - we're still doing this? Paul Rudd was recently announced as People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2021. Now we do think he most certainly is an attractive man, and are fascinated by his apparent lack of aging. However, as Susan says, aren’t we past the times of judging someone’s merit based on their appearance? We’ve made so much movement towards knowing that there’s more to people than just how they look, so let’s move on to better things, People. No, nobody is planting trees because you posted a picture of your pet (and why that went viral) If you were on Instagram in the past few days, you may have seen a post telling you to share a picture of your pet using their new feature Add Yours stickers. In return, for every pic the poster, Plant a Tree, would plant a tree. This would be a fairly normal post looking for engagement for a small business, but the unexpected virality of this post to the tune 4 million stickers before the post was quickly taken down has left the company in a bit of a quandary, since it can’t actually follow through with its promise. Scrambling ensued, making for a good lesson in social media and accountability. Newsjacking in the comments Sometimes it doesn’t take an expensive advertising campaign to get noticed. All it really takes is as little as a witty and entertaining comment on someone else’s post. The smartest companies are using young, TikTok-loving and savvy social media teams to use their brand voice to hijack posts via clever comments. Remember, one powerful comment on someone else’s post can be worth more than countless pieces of your own content. For these stories and more, including TikTok’s dropped ball on the Astroworld Tragedy and Reese’s Puffs partnership with Kaws, listen to the whole episode below.**
Brands have been using stories to attract their audience and retain customers for centuries. At the same time, it’s never been harder to be seen and heard as brands compete for attention in today’s busy online channels (TMI much?). So, how should brands go about increasing their content publishing so that their audience finds and engages with their content?
In this Publishing Masterclass, your hosts Susan Diaz and Will Lamont hone in on the ways you can become your own publishing guru in 2022, without extending your bandwidth too much or creating extra stress ☺.
🎧Tune in to up your publishing in 2022!🎧
Attention thirsty readers everywhere! Do you have a story that's got you absolutely parched? A news item, a marketing hit or miss, something from the world of entertainment and pop culture? We're now taking story submissions. Hit reply and let us know your take on a story that caught your attention this week. We may even ask you to join us on our weekly Linkedin Live chat show, #ThirstyThursday. Happy Diwali to those celebrating! This week Susan is joined by Shelagh Cummins, founder and CEO of The Road to Seven. Apple x BBC podcast subscription service This week Apple is in the news for its subscription podcast service. They are partnering with BBC studios to bring exclusive content to North America - a channel that will give listeners access to shows that were previously only available in the UK. Generally the big companies are wary of putting a price on something that’s so readily available and free so we’re interested to see how this plays out. It comes down to knowing the purpose of your podcast - if your podcast is made for lead generation, you don’t want to create a barrier to the listener. Or maybe the actual podcast subscription is the goal itself, so really think about where your podcast fits into your funnel. It could be a low cost way of delivering a very intimate experience to your audience. Remember the flywheel - always take it up to the next level! Oprah is one of our favourite things This time of year is Oprah territory - the Favourite Things list for 2021 . This year has not let us down with a delicious list of awesome things, categorized by the type of gift and, for the first time, presented by Amazon. So while this isn’t really helping the small business owner, good on Amazon for stepping in and creating that partnership. Sometimes you have to knock on the doors of the big guys - take a chance and see where you get! Putting lipstick on a pig? We wouldn’t want to spare Shelagh some Facebook talk! The big announcement last week was the rebranding of Facebook to the new name Meta, and the new all-in approach to the Metaverse. They have also decided to shut down facial recognition program, which many of us didn’t even know about. Something that we feel should have been switched up is the leadership. Out with Zuck! Mark Zuckerberg has broken our trust over and over and should no longer be the face of the company. Facebook has forgotten that they are in business because of people and they have been putting dollars ahead of the people that support their platform. Microsoft jumps on the Metaverse bandwagon Microsoft making moves in the metaverse direction - Microsoft Teams is now including avatars. Shelagh wonders if this trend is based on new technology or simply laziness. Her thought is that anyone masking a part of themselves - be it a different background covering up a messy office or leaving your camera off because you’re not appropriately dressed for the meeting - is just hiding. This undermines the purpose of the meeting if it is to create connection with another human being. If you’re choosing to connect “face to face”, why not give them the true you? Disney Diversity Disney’s new holiday ad is out and continues the story of Lola's granddaughter Nicole from last year’s ad as a grownup. It’s a very realistic and relatable story in our society, and discusses the integration of a stepdad into his new family, which happens to be biracial. This stepdad has to find his place within old and new traditions. We love that Disney has made some decisions to be front facing with the diversity in the ad but we want to make sure they’re also looking behind the scenes, following up, and making sure that there is also diversity on their leadership team and backing up their message. Black Wall Street Market The new Black Wall Street Market in Stonecrest, Georgia has opened up in an homage to the righting of wrongs that occurred when the original market in Tulsa, Oklahoma was destroyed by white mobs 100 years ago. People travelled miles and miles to show support and celebrate the moment. Wares ranged from books to clothes to arts to food with over 10,000 people showing up for the incredibly successful grand opening. **** For these stories and more including Netflix Mobile games and Pinterest TV, listen to the full episode.
Are you one of the many marketers and business owners who actively hate sales? If you’re awkward or embarrassed about making a sale or closing a deal, or you regularly get ghosted as soon as you talk about pricing, you need this masterclass in sales planning. It’ll help you align your 2022 sales plan with your marketing strategy so you can fulfill your brand’s vision and get ahead of the unexpected. With Catherine Watkin bringing her expertise in heart-centred sales and Niraj Kapur sharing his sales coaching strategies, this episode overfloweth with sales wisdom.
🎧Tune in to master sales in 2022!🎧
Attention thirsty readers everywhere! Do you have a story that's got you absolutely parched? A news item, a marketing hit or miss, something from the world of entertainment and pop culture? This week Susan is joined by Wealth Coach Wendy Brookhouse of Blackstar Wealth. We're now taking story submissions. Hit reply and let us know your take on a story that caught your attention this week. We may even ask you to join us on our weekly Linkedin Live chat show, #ThirstyThursday.
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Podcasts 2 Ways
1) Toronto Raptor Fred VanVleet now has a podcast, and he's not just giving us dunking tips. "Bet on Yourself", which is his own life mantra, is geared towards BIPOC entrepreneurs and gives realistic tips on how anyone can succeed in life.
2) We love spinning content into as many pieces as we can, so we were thrilled to hear that Stephen Colbert and the Late Show are taking a page out of the Thirsty Thursday playbook and repurposing their shows into podcast episodes. Not everyone prefers the visual medium, so it's important to make your content available to anyone who might want to consume it!
Real life Canadian 'Succession'
No matter how awkward your holiday dinner might get, it likely won't beat the Rogers family get together this year. The telecom giant is dealing with serious family infighting in the company, causing their stocks to drop and soap opera-like stories to be splashed across the news. We've learned two things for sure from this story: the lawyers are the real winners in this, and we all need to watch out for errant butt-dials.
Spanx founder catching attention for all the right reasons
Sara Blakely, CEO of Spanx is having a pretty sweet week with the sale of a majority share of her company to a private equity firm. Never one to keep the wealth all to herself, she rewarded each of her employees with 2 first class tickets anywhere in the world as well as $10,000. We've been following Sara's moves for a while and think she's super inspirational and sets an amazing example of vision and perseverance for women everywhere.
Cabinet Upgrade
Justin Trudeau did a little shuffle after the elections with a new cabinet containing many women. While he's been called performative and shallow and accused of tokenism, we think it looks great on he government, especially since with the new very qualified minister of defence, being not only a women, but a child of immigrants, Anita Anand. What we DON'T love is the now-erased headline announcing that previous minister of defense Harjit Sajjan was "being replaced by a woman".
Roblox X Chipotle
Chipotle is hosting a 3 day "Halloween-themed 'Boorito' experience" via the game Roblox, where people can virtually trick or treat in the online restaurant and earn coupons towards actual in-restaurant food. It's only natural that companies like Chipotle are experimenting with new forms of marketing in the metaverse, with their audience getting less tuned in to typical marketing and more into gamification.
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For these stories, and more including Elizabeth Holmes, Adobe's 'Convert to NFT' option, and the Calgary transport department’s use of humour in signs, listen to the whole episode!
If you are thinking of doing something for the year end, and haven’t quite nailed it, now’s the time.
Whether it’s a report, or a workshop the best way to get it in the bag is to start with a recording to plan it.
Come behind the scenes with co-host Susan Diaz and Will Lamont as they plan c+p digitals year-end Marketing Thirst Awards
In this power-packed 30 minute episode they walk you through
- How to choose an event category that is fun, relevant to your brand, and takes the opportunity to repurpose various content properties you have already created.
- The value of repurposing, especially when your bandwidth is stretched.
- How a panel of contributors will not just add energy and bring credibility to your event, but also bring you their audiences.
- The categories
- How to make your process transparent
- The logistics to make it easier
- We break down the methodology of an award show (if that’s your jam)
- How to pick some fun theming and an entertainment quotient to your event to prevent it from becoming a Zoom-box-snoozefest
- And finally the marketing plan we will be focussing on for 5 weeks ahead of the event
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Please and thank you!
The year’s end is nigh and most of us are thinking: Whaaaat just happened? As 2022 looms before us like an Apocalypse horseman (Pestilence? Just kidding, we’re not that dire), us marketers, CEOs and business owners need to think about strategic goal setting. This episode is all about helping you plan so you can get where you want your company or team to be in the next three years (instead of worrying about how you’ll get there).
Here’s some of what we discuss:
- Audit your content – and your team
- Keep your curiosity aflame
- Draft your vivid vision
- Take a closer look at the numbers
🎧Tune in for more planning cheats!🎧
Attention thirsty readers everywhere! Do you have a story that's got you absolutely parched? A news item, a marketing hit or miss, something from the world of entertainment and pop culture? This week Susan is joined by Workplace Wellness Consultant, Speaker, Published Writer, and Personal Trainer Lydia DiFrancesco, MBA. We're now taking story submissions. Hit reply and let us know your take on a story that caught your attention this week. We may even ask you to join us on our weekly Linkedin Live chat show, #ThirstyThursday.
Podcast listeners talk back
The trend abroad, particularly in Chinese podcast apps, is that podcast platforms are getting more interactive, with ways to pull audience online and get them to talk back to you. This involves integrating reactions like hand gestures and nodding into platforms so we can actually see reactions. This concept is much newer here in North America, with only Spotify using Anchor to post polls that get their listeners a little more engaged.
Why isn’t this already a mainstream thing? As marketers, we really want to hear that feedback since the worst thing you could do as is talk about things that nobody cares about. So is it possible, or does it make sense to have interactions like this?
It seems like it might be a popular idea, but we’re wondering whether it would actually fly in practice. Our take? Start with polls and commenting (which happens to be the one of the highest forms of engagements in content of all types) and see how things go from there.
Lego Nixes Gender Bias
In a huge move, Lego has announced that they are doing away with gender bias in all their designs and marketing of their products. No more marketing specifically to boys or girls or both. This move has come after research with parents and some of the facts that came out are surprising; turns out only 24% of girl parents would think about Lego as an option for a girls toy.
The Lego website is already gender neutral, with their products organized by themes.
This obviously isn’t the answer to all the world’s gender problems, but taking away some of that forced conditioning that people have is a great first step.
"Come on in, we're all vaxxed!"
Some Canadian businesses, especially restaurants, are beginning to use their staff’s Covid-19 vaccination status as a marketing tool and it’s making a big wave. And why not? As marketers we know that you always want to position yourself with your strengths at the forefront. Of course, these businesses respectfully asked the staff if it was ok to share their status.
So many people are asking why they have to be vaccinated in order to go into a store or restaurant, but can then be served by someone who isn’t. It’s awesome that these businesses can set their customers’ minds at ease and make them feel comfortable in a settings that is still feeling kinda new again to us all!
Netflix x Walmart (less Squid Game)
Netflix has finally gotten its own merchandising plan underway with a collaboration with Walmart. The hub is going to be on the Walmart site and will feature such products as Stranger Things and Cocomelon. It only makes sense that they’re going to jump on merchandising bandwagon as they see things like the white Vans from Squid Game flying off the shelves. (And yes, Squid Game t-shirts are coming soon!)
They’re not quite Disney yet, but they’re on their way to hopping on that playing field!
A-meow-zing Halloween marketing
It wouldn’t be October without talking about the Halloween marketing that’s beginning to show up in our feeds. Jumping out at us is a commercial by the cat treat brand Temptations, who is offering up a “human” flavoured treat for the season. As non-cat-people, Susan and Lydia were a bit perplexed, but in a true case of “Know your audience”, our resident c+p crazy cat lady Lindsay can confirm that this product is totally hilarious and will absolutely be part of her next Walmart haul.
If you want a slightly less disturbing treat for your feline friends, Temptations is also selling a more appetizing “Creepy Catnip” flavour.
For these stories, and more including ownership of intellectual property re: Substack’s URL repossessions, and a pandemic-approved Halloween costume that dispenses wine, listen to the whole episode!
Let’s talk about the death of the broadcast-only model; you need two-way communication to build relationships. This abridged episode (the CliffsNotes version) of 🎙The 4am Report🎙 is for busy marketers who need to free up ⏰ to plan and strategize. We share how the Anchor Theory of Content Marketing can help you foster two-way communication and contribute to your sales pipeline. First you need to:
- Expand your network and keep in touch with the people you want to work with
- Navigate the (fine) line between sh*t tonnes of content, spammy content and content people want
- Know thy customer, so you can share content they’ll appreciate.
🎧Tune in for more great tips and tricks🎧
Attention thirsty readers everywhere! Do you have a story that's got you absolutely parched? A news item, a marketing hit or miss, something from the world of entertainment and pop culture? We're now taking story submissions. Hit reply and let us know your take on a story that caught your attention this week. We may even ask you to join us on our weekly Linkedin Live chat show, #ThirstyThursday.
Podcast Wars - Spotify Overtakes Apple
Spotify is set to take over as leader of podcasting. We’re so excited - it’s not brand new news but now it’s official. We’re also not surprised - we’ve talked a lot lately about companies like Spotify and iHeartRadio who are taking strides towards getting bigger and better, while Apple has really just sat back and stayed the same. No time to get complacent Apple, the podcast wars are here to stay. We really do love podcasting and podcasting drama. Good thing it’s what we do for a living.
Is this the tipping point?
Facebook’s reputation has been on the rocks for the last few years, and this week has seen more than its share of drama. Whisteblowers, the great outage of 2021, government hearings, the secrecy, the conspiracy theories. But really, Facebook has so much control over all of our lives. And while we all agree that there’s a problem, we can’t come to a consensus on the solution. And what about all the smaller businesses that use Facebook and Instagram as part of their infrastructure? (Shout out to Eleanor Beaton at 4:37 and a previous chat we've had about businesses who rely on and FB and oversimplistic solutions like "move it all' won't cut it)
Squid Game
The new number 1 show on Netflix in 90 countries is the phenomenon know as Squid Game. While we haven’t watched yet (and maybe we’re a little scared to??) we’ve definitely read a ton about reactions people are having and the big stories coming out of this show.
First, we chat about how Netflix accidentally used a woman's real phone number in the show and she was inundated with calls. (They have since edited it out and we approve. When you mess up, over-correct!)
Finally, we talk the value of translation - many Korean viewers respectfully say that the captions in English don't even begin to cut it (Shout out to Vatché Iskedjian at 12:33 - The value of proper translations; not just making them an afterthought or artificially generated.)
Merchtainment - Beyond a fashion show
Staying in the Squid Game space…
Vans is reporting a 7800% spike in sales of the white slip-on shoes featured in Squid Game. This new trend even has spin-offs, like people making videos about how to clean their white shoes. Once you hit that right chord, creators will pick up your stuff and really run with it.
We also talk about how modern companies aren’t brands, they’re entire universes of experience. But is merchtainment just a trendy buzzword? Maybe not - even Kim and Kanye are taking it to the level - they don’t just have Balenciaga clothing - they have an entire Balenciaga saga that somehow includes The Simpsons, remarriages and face coverings.
Britney - 1, Dad - 0
Big win for Britney Spears and for the #FreeBritney crowd as judge has now ruled that she is no longer under the conservatorship of her father. She has put out a statement thanking her lawyer and her fans for basically saving her life, and the next step is freeing her totally from a conservatorship. She’s already making waves, flashing a big engagement ring from her longtime boyfriend Sam Asghari.
The power of a hashtag! Seems like a frivolous thing but we’re glad it’s made a difference to Britney!
For these stories and more on Lewis Hamilton's move for teachers, YouTube's Twitch-like makeover, Dave Chappelle taking comedy too far, and Netflix's secrets on how to grab you with an image, listen to the full episode!
We hope you know we practice what we preach (by now!). We’re repurposing some highlights from the show around how you can get explosive with your content – freeing you up for that all-important planning stuff as we roll into the fourth quarter and 2022 starts breathing down our necks🐲.
Yes, this episode is about spinning your anchor content into as many pieces of content as you can👏 by reframing it for the four formats:
❶ Written format
❷ Audio format
❸ Video format
❹ And, the graphic or image format
And how this frees up your time to focus on the strategy and planning!
Let’s avoid the 3 B’s holding us back (aka Budget, Bandwidth, and Burnout) and embrace the three R’s instead (reduce, reuse and recycle).
🎧Tune in for more great tips and tricks🎧. Here’s to getting ahead of 2022! 🥂
Attention thirsty readers everywhere! Do you have a story that's got you absolutely parched? A news item, a marketing hit or miss, something from the world of entertainment and pop culture? We're now taking story submissions. Hit reply and let us know your take on a story that caught your attention this week. We may even ask you to join us on our weekly Linkedin Live chat show, #ThirstyThursday. Podcast Wars - The Rise of the Rewatch
The cult hit TV show, Friday Night Lights, is the focus of a new 'rewatch' podcast, hosted by two of its stars Derek Phillips and Stacey Oristano, where they'll be sharing the juicy scoop, dishing out the gossip and revealing previously unknown behind-the-scenes moments. This format of podcast - where stars of a show literally rewatch each episode then press record and chat - isn't new. In fact versions of it are popping up everywhere. So why are they so popular? Well, we get to hear about the fun and scandalous stuff we didn’t know (and didn't know we needed to know), and it feeds the fans' love and nostalgia for the show. So what's the point for the creators? Streaming, people. It's all about getting the fans to go rewatch too...and make more money. We’re here for it - you know we are obsessed with the repurpose! The Leafs try to turn over a new...you know. (Does writing a lot about sports make us sportier? We think so. It's called osmosis, people.)
This year, opening day for the Toronto Maple Leafs was newly coined Marketing Day in an attempt to change the narrative after yet another disappointing post-season (which last spring, when the Leafs exited after the first round of playoffs there was more than usual social media trolling / burning of jerseys). Now the Leafs are always going to be able to fill seats - this is Canada, after all - but as stated in this article, "The team is not worried about selling jerseys or tickets; it is selling a message; the key points are hope, optimism and belief.” Hopefully there will be a lot of believers out there - but there should be plenty of Beliebers, anyway, as Justin and his new clothing line, Drew, are collaborating with the team to create some truly Canadian designs. Don't get the vaccine Marketing win of the week: on Sunday outside a stadium in Charlotte, NC where the Carolina Panthers were playing, a truck drove around with a stark message: “Don’t get vaccinated!” At first glance this looked like a typical anti-vaxxer ploy, until you looked closer and realized the sponsor of this message was “Wilmore Funeral Home”. Turns out there’s no such place. And of if you went to the advertised website, you found a single page with the text “Get vaccinated now. If not, see you soon” linking to a vaccine appointment registry and FAQ page.
It turns out this stunt was pulled off by a local marketing agency and any actual effect this will have on getting anti-vaxxers to change their minds is questionable. But like us, they are sick of the false narratives and want to make a statement (and maybe have some fun trolling the anti-v crowd!) Missing White Woman Syndrome The internet and the media has been in a frenzy the last couple of weeks about the story of Gabby Petito’s disappearance and murder...a fever known as "Missing White Woman Syndrome". The term was coined by PBS news anchor Gwen Ifill in the early 2000s about the obsession and attention given to white women who go missing or are murdered, while there are thousands of POC and indigenous women also missing. In fact, did you know that murder is the 3rd leading cause of death of indigenous women in the US? Meanwhile we all know the tragic stories and names of murdered white women like Laci Peterson and Natalee Holloway thanks to the huge amount of media surrounding the cases. Not to diminish what has happened to Gabby and other white women, but it’s very unfair that so many other women have been murdered and we haven’t batted an eye. We’re so glad to see this vital conversation happening. Annie Murphy's private parts go pubic. I mean public. After famously playing ditzy Alexis Rose in Schitt’s Creek, then delving into something a little darker in Kevin Can Fck Himself, Annie Murphy is taking us on a journey to a much deeper place. Partnering with Phexxi, a brand new hormone-free birth control gel, Annie stars in an hilarious, innuendo-filled commercial that happens to be set, well…inside her vagina. This happens to be a luxurious place where ain’t nobody got time for traditional, hormonal, mood-swing-inducing birth control. We’re not surprised to find out this genius ad was thought up by an all-female creative team, checking all the boxes for female empowerment. For these stories and more on Facebook's sketchy moves, the unfair demonization of the lovely Rosemary Barton, and Joan Rivers, who lives rent-free in our heads, listen to the full episode!
Are you falling out of love with your podcast because you’re not seeing results or not using it to the full? Or maybe you’re just bored of the same old, same old. In the words of Bobby McFerrin: 🎵Don’t worry, be happy🎵, because we’ve got four plays to get your podcasting mojo back:
- Get your podcast seen and heard by integrating it on your website
- Utilize good writing (and spin that podcast into as many pieces as you can)
- Change up your format (how about a panel?)
- Use the material from your pipeline
🎧Tune in for more great tips and get that podcast mojo going 🎧
Podcast Wars - The Next Great Podcast
iHeart Radio has launched a contest to find the best idea for a new podcast. Anyone can pitch their idea, and 10 semi-finalists will receive funding for a 10 minute pilot episode that will be voted on by people worldwide. The winner will get to work with the company to develop their show. Think your idea will be music to their ears? Better jump on it quick - the submission deadline is today at noon!
Madonna's A$$
Madonna set tongues wagging and memes flying at the VMAs when she tossed off a trench coat and walked away, revealing most of her perky-af-holy-crap-how-is-she-63-behind to all the world. Speculation abounded about whether she had gotten implants, and also whether a woman of her age should be wearing something so skimpy.
But who needs all that Material, Girl? If you've got it (and you know every single one of you has it), flaunt it if you want to. Be like Madge. Don't let anyone tell you how you can or can't Express Yourself.
Met Memes
Arguably the best celebrity fashion event of the year, the Met Gala did not disappoint us with its theme of "American Independence". From Alexandria Ocasio Cortez's "Tax the rich" dress (designed by a Torontonian) to Kim K's black 100% full coverage "t-shirt", we loved seeing not only the looks, but also the hilarious memes they spawned. And can we just talk about the men this year, who have seriously upped their game with some wild and expressive outfits.
Royally Influential
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were recently named in Time Magazine as two of the 100 most influential people in the world. Despite tons of controversy from their wedding, leaving the royal family, and settling in the US, they've finally found their place and are using their celebrity to work for organizations and causes that are working to change the world for the better. We're happy to see them being recognized for all the good they do after so much drama.
Nuts to you, Nicki
Nicki Minaj made just about every medical professional nuts over the weekend when she tweeted about her reluctance to get a Covid vaccine after her Trinidadian cousin's friend apparently became impotent and developed swollen testicles (NOT a recognized side effect) after receiving one. Nicki was widely criticized for spreading disinformation, even by the head of Trinidad and Tobago's minister of health, who made it clear that time had been wasted confirming that the story was, in fact, complete and utter balls.
Bill 8 Ain't Great According to Salesforce
Salesforce did not shy aware from the political arena this week when, after the passing of anti-abortion law Bill 8, they sent out a message to thousands of Texan employees offering to help them relocate if they're concerned about their access to reproductive care. Other companies like Uber have also offered to pay legal fees for any drivers sued for driving someone to an abortion clinic. Good on them for taking a stand and stepping into the ring.
Peg the Patriarchy AKA an Intellectual Property Drama
A little bit of controversy at the Met Gala when Cara Delevingne showed up in a Dior bodysuit with "Peg the Patriarchy" written across the front. Basically it's ‘Stick it to the man.', but go ahead and google if you're not familiar with the NSFW term.
Someone who DOES know this term very well - i.e- Luna Matatas, the woman who coined the term - was shocked that her trademarked saying was splashed across the internet without her consent. Um can you say appropriation by the priviledged themselves? What's going to happen now that Dior is getting called out? You'll have to stay tuned...
We kid ye not. There really is an international “Talk like a Pirate Day” on the 19th of September, so we decided to honour this as we introduce our latest episode of 🎙The 4am Report🎙. Being the kind, caring and salty duo we are (self-titled of course), this episode shares the five things ye need for a successful podcast launch. Take a glimpse at what we discuss:
- Why ye need a solid content calendar with your content mapped out
- What makes your podcast stand out (yes, that hook we keep harping on about and a few other treasures that may or may not be pirate-related🦜)
- The tech suite ye choose and why it matters
- Good writing ✏ (underestimate it at ye peril)
- Great relationships and how to foster them🤲
🎧Tune in for more sound and sage podcasting advice🎧
She. Was. 21.
If you’re of a certain age, even if you’re not American, you most likely remember THE presidential scandal of the 90s and have heard of Monica Lewinski. Considered the home wrecker of the century, the then-21 year old’s name was dragged through the mud after being groomed by a much older, powerful man, in a way that would be totally unacceptable these days. Fast forward to now, the 48 year old has not only used her platform to advocate for anti-bullying measures, she’s producing her very own American Crime Story episode on the subject of the presidential impeachment. We love seeing the strength she has to rise above after years and years of abuse from the media. Extreme Contract Makeover When it comes to being the spokesperson of a brand, the contracts end of things isn't always easy, breezy, or even beautiful. At least not until poet and activist Amanda Gorman came to the bargaining table and gave the whole deal a makeover. Now known as the "Global Changemaker" of 75-year-old and woman-founded Estée Lauder, Amanda says "I'm never just lending my body or my face. They are getting my spirit, my breath, my brain." Over the 3 year contract, Estée Lauder companies have pledged to donate $3 million to support writing and equality initiatives. Yassss! Superbowl ad spots are going...going...almost gone
If you’ve got a cool $6.5 million just hanging around, you’d better move quickly to grab your advertising spot during the Super Bowl. Despite a lackadaisical response to the game in February, including a huge advertiser backing out in favour of supporting vaccination initiatives, this year spots are at a premium and going fast. While we’re not super crazy into the world of athletics (Go Sports!), we’re obviously not going to miss out on the epic commercials that just happen to come along with those big guys pushing each around over a ball. The birth of an album Lil Nas X has been delighting us with his fearless marketing ever since he tossed in some red contacts, put blood into shoes, and killed the devil in one of the most controversial videos of the year. Now, in the leadup to the "birth" of his debut album, he's taking the pregnancy theme to the next level. On top of posting many photos of his very realistic baby bump and counting down to his September 17th due date, he has now released a "baby registry" - a list of 15 charitable organizations (each matched to one of the 15 tracks on the album) people can donate to, including the Transinclusive Group and The Bail Project. That is one classy baby daddy. Even Obama got involved. Listen to the podcast if you want the deets. It’s the most wonderful time of the year Also possibly the most stressful time of this year, with parents wondering about how back to school is going to look once again with a potential 4th wave of covid on the horizon. Megan O’Neill (who subbed for resident host Will Lamont, who’s on a much needed break) is closely watching the Twitter bets on if and when schools will shut down again, sending her kids back to virtual learning, while Susan’s family has opted for virtual schooling. They can both agree that this is a huge topic on everybody’s minds right now.
Hey, content creator. This episode of 🎙The 4am Report🎙 we’re telling you to:
🛑 Stop creating new content! 🛑
Yes, we know those words feel like a knife going into the creator’s heart. It’s controversial, it’s hard-hitting, but ultimately, we just share a different, fun way to be creative. Learn all about the mixed-media artist metaphor and how it applies to you. And how repurposing is a bit like creating different invitations to the same party🥳.
So how do you repurpose?
- Reclaim something with a successful lifespan and give it some more play
- Reimagine how you present or promote that content
Nobody’s telling you not to create. Just create in a different way.
🎧Tune in for more!🎧
Did somebody say podcast cohort?
We were excited to hear the news that ABC announced that they’re doing a special podcast series called Behind The Table, based on The View. They will have past View cohosts talking about their time on The View, with behind the scenes stories and the hosts spilling the tea on the many controversies over the years. Obviously ABC is doing this because we have recently been thirsting for our View-like podcast panel services, where we bring together experts who share a similar audience to speak panel style, like a fireside chat. September 14th - check it out if you want to catch Meredith Vieira, Lisa Ling, and all your other faves!
Riot if not McPizza McDonalds Canada recently posted a teaser saying they were bringing back a fan favourite, immediately leading the nostalgic internet to assume they were reviving the popular McPizza from the 80s. Turns out this was not the case, and what ensued was a hilarious thread of disappointed people, great (slightly panicked) marketing from McD’s, and a lot of newsjacking from other companies. Oh yeah, and it’s actually spicy McNuggets coming back.
On another spicy note? Mountain Dew and Flaming Hot Cheetos have teamed up to make a spicy monstrosity of a beverage. As Will says, Mountain Dew? More like Mountain Don’t. Pearl Milling Company
Pearl Milling Company, previously known as Aunt Jemima, has released their first ad since their huge rebranding from a long-time look that really smacked of racism. This ad features several black families enjoying the food they’ve made. No word on how sales have been, but we’re watching closely to see how this works out for them. Zoom Doom DYK that since remote working has been the norm, 1 in 4 bosses have had to fire someone for some kind of inappropriate Zoom behaviour, and most have had to dole out some discipline over poor Zoom etiquette? While things have been a bit more relaxed in general considering the circumstances (who really wears “hard pants” on these calls, amiright?), some people have slipped a little too far and execs and clients aren’t digging it. Not only that, evidently the higher ups don’t totally trust that work is getting done effectively enough at home either. Take it from some remote working experts - stay professional, stay on task, and just wear something - anything, please - on your bottom half. Empowering or demeaning? If you’ve been around for a while, you’ve definitely heard the term ”girl boss”. Love it or hate it, it’s been the war cry of women everywhere who have worked to be seen as equal to men in the same situations. Head over to this interesting article in Nymag's 'The Cut' column and let us know your take.
Adaptive Fashion for the win In the leadup to New York Fashion Week, we’re seeing a great trend of designers showcasing their inclusive designs. It’s not just about race and religion either. These designers are also creating “adaptive fashion” - clothes that are accessible to those with physical disabilities.
So, you’ve got a podcast brand and you want to develop the visual side of it? On this episode of 🎙The 4am Report🎙 we share how you can grab your audience through your podcast promo visuals:
- Think beyond cover art – get tactical
- Use visual storytelling – and change it up often
- Keep your video on
🎧Tune in for more!🎧
With birthday boy Will off celebrating, Susan is joined this week by Global Marketing Director of Shared Services & Outsourcing Network (SSON), Dionne Vaz for this week’s #ThirstList
AirBnB and Afghanistan
The news cycle has been heavy the last little while and we’ve seen individuals and brands reacting to the situation in Afghanistan. One of the companies that is really stepping up is AirBnB, who are planning on paying for 20000 Afghan refugees to be housed in host homes. This is fantastic, but not surprising, as this is super on brand for AirBnB. From Hurricane Sandy to the Pulse Nightclub shooting, they have been great in times of crisis. One thing that bothered Susan just a little was that the story was rushed out with no real meat to it. So how are they going to go about doing this? What are the next steps? When you release things that are purpose-driven, make sure you include all the details in one spot so people get the dirt without all the digging.
Want to help out in Afghanistan but not sure where to start? Check out this link for a list of curated and verified GoFundMe campaigns. Podcast Wars - Spotify's on our radar again
At Spotify, after some beta testing, they have opened up Podcasts Subscriptions service to all US creators. Some of the highlight points:
1) No more FOMO - you want in, you got it!
2) Lots of detail on the pricing - we appreciate that they noted that creators like more flexibility in prices. 3) The ability to use RSS feeds
Apple already jumped on the podcast subscription bandwagon a while back, but Spotify, an Apple critic in the antitrust fight, is so far keeping their prices more affordable. #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt
While we’re still swimming around in the realm of Creator Economy, we had some news this week about how TikTok is expanding its ecommerce efforts in a partnership with Shopify and are allowing creators the ability to affiliate with brands. Users will be able to shop right from their favourite TikTokker’s account. We heart a good UX. Instagram has used this feature well, so why not? OnlyFans tries to pull out, but there's a happy ending This week OnlyFans, under pressure from banks and financial services companies, announced that they were banning sexually explicit content from the site. This decision was quickly reversed after a huge uproar from both fans and creators, many of whom are relying on their content as a main source of income. Talk about failure to identify both their target audience and target creators, but good on them for supporting their peeps in the end. Curry is not a spice! Padma Lakshmi, Indian author, actor, model, and tv presenter, took on The Washington Post and one uber-annoying opinionated writer who ranted about how much he disliked Indian food. Ok that’s totally fine, right? Not when you do it in a lazy, racist, and frankly non-factual way, claiming it’s the only ethnic food completely based on one spice - curry. Um, what? Ugh. Padma fairly kindly Instagram-shamed him whilst also cleverly plugging her new book, “The Encyclopedia of Spices & Herbs” Hello, newsjacking! We love it, Padma! Sort of Thirsting in T.O. From right here in the hood, a story of a new tv series called Sort Of, created by and starring Bilal Baig, who is the first queer south asian Muslim playing the lead of a primetime show. How freaking amazing that we get to live in this wonderful diverse city and now it is going to be showcased all over mainstream TV!
Want to get people hooked on your podcast? The Holy Trinity of Hooking tells you how (in our trademark style, because if your mind went there, you’re our people). On this episode of 🎙The 4am Report🎙 we dive into the 3 ways you can make sure your podcast is memorable:
- Up your visual
- Rethink your intro
- Ditch the fluff
🎧Tune in for more!🎧
With Susan Diaz off on a much deserved summer road trip, Rohini Mukherji, Susan's cohost of the ABCDEI podcast and senior PR leader, joined Will for this week’s #ThirstList
Shang-Chi is not an "experiment"
Disney can’t seem to catch a break lately between their legal battles and a foot-in-mouth problem. Allegedly, on a Q3 earnings call, the CEO of Disney called the release of Shang-Chi, a film starring an Asian-Canadian actor, “a big experiment”. This caused some backlash from the cast, who rightly feel that this is a big moment for the Asian community. Maybe the comment didn’t come out quite right, but it goes to show that it's important to be intentional with our language. Actions matter, but words do too.
Disney's Spin and Turning Red
Despite our focus on the negative things lately, we're totally not anti-Disney, and think they have some really cool stuff in the works. The Disney Original Channel just premiered 'Spin', a movie about an Indian-American family with a daughter torn between her family and wanting to be a DJ. And a little closer to home, a Pixar movie called 'Turning Red' set right here in Toronto and filled with characters of different races and religions is coming out, marking the debut of their first director that is a woman of colour. Represent!
Making Lululemonade out of lemons Last week we spoke about the recent UN climate report and how fast fashion is having a devastating impact on the environment. After a yoga-pants filled pandemic, Lululemon has announced a big plan for making their products more sustainable, starting with their investment in a plant based nylon company, Genomatica. H&M's latest collab H&M is known for its collabs with high end fashion designers, and recently they've paired up with Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherji. Known for his intricate and traditional embroidery, Sabyasachi often works to empower artisans, which is causing some people to wonder why he would sell out to a huge, ethically questionable company like H&M. We think it's a toss-up - we obviously would love more awareness of Indian fashion and have it become more mainstream, but we want to see this done in a way that is authentic, preserves the culture, and is fair to everyone involved. Say no to fake political news! The Canada federal election is coming quickly, and Facebook has an initiative to ensure that the information that goes out to the public from the political parties is true and correct. Users can also now adjust settings to decide whether they want more political news or less in their newsfeed. In true Facebook style though, the process in which this will work is a closely guarded secret. Despite that, it's cool to be able to choose how much we want to hear about the election and have the news be a little more regulated to whatever we want.
Many people think it's boring, but it's not. The much maligned content audit is a fantastic tool to amplify your content. On this episode of 🎙The 4am Report🎙, we have a panel of three content auditing experts from the world of international marketing👏. We talk about the pet peeves that keep us up at night and the four content audit things you’re not thinking about – and should be:
- Focusing on your Ideal Client Profile (ICP)
- Establishing patterns by running ads
- Using public domain content
- Trawling your own company for content
🎧 Tune in for more! 🎧
About Romina Buchle
Romina is a passionate friction fighter for marketing, sales and customer success. She knows online marketing and the implementation of digital strategies, processes and tools and likes to get into the engine room from time to time. As Marketing Manager at Aioma she strives to enable fellow B2B marketers in Europe to do Rockstar Marketing - even with very limited resources.
About Amber Khan
Amber Khan is the founder of Amplifyology where they help marketing leads & author entrepreneurs defy obscurity & ignite their brands using the science of building brand momentum that we call, Amplifyology. She's also authored an international bestseller called Guilt Free Motherhood for entrepreneurial mums suffering from "mum-guilt". She believesthat, without content marketing, your business is doomed. And without content repurposing, your content marketing is doomed. About Kira Tchernikovsky
Kira is an international marketing consultant with over 14 years of experience with startup companies and corporates. In 2020 Kira started her own gig - Customerization - to offer businesses fit-for-purpose solutions in the business technology space. Customerization enables small and medium businesses in Canada and beyond to sell and service digitally by implementing Zoho business automation technology and repeatable marketing programs that boost revenue.
With Susan Diaz off on a much deserved summer road trip , Angela Penton, Founder of Open Field PI, joined Will for this week’s #ThirstyThursday
Greta Vogues fully on brand
Just in case you didn’t already realize the world is on fire, the latest UN climate report is stating that, unequivocally, humans are changing the climate everywhere on the planet. There’s really no going back, but we CAN slow things down.
Recently Greta Thunberg, climate warrior extraordinaire, was on the cover of Vogue Scandinavia and took the opportunity to speak directly against the fast fashion industry as she accuses it of greenwashing.
What is greenwashing? Well in this case, it's when a company comes out with a line of environmentally friendly clothing (calling it recycled or eco or sustainable) to distract us from the environmental devestation they are actually causing. A recent report by the Changing Markets Foundation found that 59% of fast fashion brands making environmentally friendly claims, were in fact, false.
According to Greta, you cannot mass produce fashion and promote yourself as sustainable.
This has us rethinking some our own choices. We're all going to have to change our behaviour if we want to slow the warming down.
Salesforce and Chill
Salesforce acquired Slack last year, and now they are announcing that in September they’re going to launch a streaming service for business professionals - basically Netflix for the Linkedin crowd. They plan to produce their own shows, but are also taking user-submitted content as well. Is this the next generation of Ted Talks? The new trusted business gospel? We’re watching closely!
Let’s Go To The Movies!
Are you ready to hit the movie theatres again? To encourage us all to return, Cineplex Canada is launching a membership program. For $9.99 a month, you get one free movie, discounts on their super addictive popcorn and the opportunity to purchase cheaper tickets for any friends who want to join you. Is this enough to lure us back now that the dents in the couch are JUST RIGHT for our butts after 18 months of Netflix and Disney+ in our own home theatres?
Delta Force
Delta airlines won some hearts for sending a gift package to a little girl named Delta, whose mother tweeted she was so bummed because, well, you know...the variant.
Just like Delta Airlines, Corona Beer likely wasn't too happy when the Corona Virus was first name. But interestingly enough, their sales did not suffer at all. In fact, they went up!
Ah, the resiliency of kids and brands.
(BTW - we're wondering how Delta Burke has been handling the past few months)
A&W Antics
A&W Canada got a bit too gimmicky for both of us with their “Beyond Bait Experiment” to help launch their new plant based nuggets. In the promo video the veggie nugget is fed to a venus flytrap to prove that plant based bites can in fact satisfy a meat eater.
About Angela
Angela is the owner of Open Field PI and helps fast growing trades and manufacturers build capacity with effective processes so they can serve more happy customers with less day to day hassles and stress. Continuous Improvement and creative and resourceful problem solving are the things that really drive her forward. In her spare time, she loves to swim, scuba dive and hike the beautiful trails of Nova Scotia.
Podcasting is a great way to up your digital publishing, establish you as a thought leader and take your networking to the next level, especially if you’re still stuck at our kitchen table or on your laptop. Wendy Brookhouse is on the show to tell us about her experience with podcasting and how it’s helped her reach more people.
We talk about:
- Providing value that resonates
- How to avoid some of the biggest pitfalls of podcasting (like not maximizing your podcast and extracting those “nuggets of gold”)... and how to get the biggest benefits
- Choosing your panel and the joys of collaboration and batch recording
- The 🕸Charlotte’s Web effect🕸
🎧Tune in for more!🎧
About Wendy:
Wendy Brookhouse is a behavioural finance focused advisor who helps smart, ambitious people unleash their money power. Wendy believes that we all have money power. It is buried under life’s pleasures, unconscious spending and the desire to have the lives that everyone else’s social media says they have. She invented the One Number Solution, a trademark system that unleashes money power with strategies around spending, debt, saving and safety net.
Connect:
Black Star
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackStarWealth/
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/black-star-wealth-partners
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackStarHFX
Wendy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wendybrookhouse?lang=en
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/wendy-brookhouse-4210701
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendy.brookhouse.370
Bitch finally had her money, I guess
About FourFive Seconds ago we found out that one of our favourite singers, Rihanna, is now Unapologetically a billionaire, and not just from her impressive song catalogue. She put a ton of Work into her two inclusive Fenty lines for face and clothing, which have given her a financial Umbrella to stand under. Now as long as she stays away from those Rude Boys and keeps her face Towards the Sun, she won’t have to Work too hard to keep herself in Diamonds.
(See how we did that there? That's some deep Rihanna knowledge on display!)
Black Widow Bites Disney
Scarlet Johansson is suing Disney over the terms of her contract surrounding the Black Widow movie, in which her contract is structured for her to get a share of the box office. Obviously since the pandemic is putting a damper on the movie theatre experience, Disney decided to sell the movie for $30 to Disney Plus subscribers. Is this ok?
If only we knew a lawyer who specializes in contracts…like our friend and business lawyer, ANDREA HENRY. She joined us on our #ThirstyThursday chat show to speak about Disney's condescending, public response to Scarlett's suit and how contracts are vital to building your empire.
Is ScarJo being greedy since she already made 20 million off this movie? Um, no - enforcing your contractual rights is not greedy. Andrea sets us straight on why this is not cool on Disney’s part, and why other celebs might be jumping on the bandwagon to fight for their contractual rights.
Get a Real Contract so you don't end up Desperate
We jump back to Andrea for more important insight on The Real Housewives of New York and a dust up over the lack of a contract.
Countess Luann was preparing a Christmas single, and all the housewives were to be featured in a merry explosion of fake togetherness for charity. When the topic of a contract was brought up, Luann was offended and felt accused of being untrustworthy. Here’s the thing - lots of friends work together and it can be uncomfortable for them to bring up the subject of a contract for this very reason. But when it comes down to it, contracts are ESPECIALLY important to keep both the business and the friendship intact. Ask the hard questions and just do it!
(Also, did you ever think we'd be learning business lessons from the ladies of New York?!?)
A 15-minute meeting where you actually stand up? Mara Svenne is back on the show to tell us about the benefits of daily Stand Ups for collaboration, productivity, and efficiency. Learn why:
🧍 Stand Ups are short, sweet, and focused
🧍♀️️ A facilitator helps keep things moving (along with the presence of key decision makers)
🧍️ Parking an idea can be strategic
🧍♀️️️ Stand Ups help team members get clear on their priorities (and so much more!)
Plus, you’ll get some of her top time management tips used in Agile, like Scrum and Combat.
🎧Tune in for more!🎧
About Mara
Mara Svenne is the founder of mPath Facilitation and works as a group process facilitator, scrum master and agile coach, primarily in the financial services industry. Mara is an IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator, a past board member of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF), and a 2017 Gold winner of the Facilitation Impact Awards. Mara has facilitated project team start-ups and retrospectives, management strategy sessions, and vision /mission sessions for non-profit boards and start-ups. An active and Distinguished Toastmaster, Mara believes in the power of conversation to help individuals find their voice and create a shared path to success. To more information, please contact: mara@mpathfacil.com
Spotify charges ahead
Spotify continues to dominate over all other podcasting platforms, announcing they have 165 million paid subscribers (compared to Apple’s estimated 55 million) and that their ad revenue was up 627% in Q2. Impressive.
This comes on the heels of Spotify continuing to invest heavily in both content and technology: the recent acquisitions of podcast juggernauts, Call Her Daddy (hosted by Alex Cooper) and Armchair Expert (hosted by Dax Sheppard), and a software company called Podz, which allows for automated clips to be pulled from episodes. The podcast wars are heating up, folks. And we promise to keep you informed.
We ❤️ Simone. A lot.
Perhaps the most famous athlete at this summer’s Olympic Games, Simone Biles, shockingly withdrew from competing in the women’s gymnastics team event on Tuesday, citing concerns over her mental health.
Gone are the days athletes had to push through the pain, risking serious injury, and mental health repercussions. These athletes are advocating for themselves and putting their own wellbeing first. We saw this with Naomi Osaka at the French Open. And now Simone is saying her mental health is more important than an Olympic medal.
We applaud you Simone. You really are a true role model.
...And then Michael Andrew is a whole other story
(FYI - we don’t ❤️ him)
One of the top US male swimmers, Michael Andrew, announced prior to the Games that he was not vaccinated and had no plans to get vaccinated. His rationale? He didn’t want to risk any effect the vaccine might have on his body and performance.
Talk about the utmost display of selfishness and disrespect this decision has towards his teammates (if anyone tests positive they’re done at the games), not to mention towards the people of Japan (who are experiencing record level of Covid cases).
One former Olympic US gold medal swimmer called him out in her now viral twitter rant, while others have defended his right to do what he wants.
This led us to thinking when brands chose to sponsor a big name athlete, you really need to consider things beyond just their athletic prowess. Their social media activity. Their social activism and the causes they support. And are they an anti-vaxxer?!? Is aligning with someone as great a swimmer as Andrew, knowing his stance on vaccines, worth it?
And the gold medal goes to...Tik Tok!
With athletes having to isolate, and broadcasters not having the same access to them as they did during past games, Tik Tok has become the great connector at this year’s Olympic Games.
(Is it any surpirse that a bunch of locked up Gen Z'ers of coure turned to Tik Tok?)
Athletes have been using the platform to share 'behind the scenes' moments, such as testing out the cardboard ‘no sex’ beds, their pre-competition preparation rituals, and even the food they’re eating the cafetarias.
Seriously, if you haven’t looked up the hashtag #olympictiktok, do it! It’s just as, if not more, entertaining than the events themselves!
Sorry NBC, but Tik Tok is our unofficial Olympic broadcaster now.
The revenge of the unitard
It seems that some female athletes are sick and tired of being told what to wear when they compete. Especially when what they’re supposed to wear is skimpy, barely-there clothing.
We saw this last week when the Norweigan women’s beach handball team opted to wear biker shorts instead of the mandated bikini bottoms, and then received a fine for not complying.
(Shout out to rockstar Pink for offering to pay their fines)
And this week, the German women’s gymnastics team chose to wear a unitard instead of the high cut, swim-suit style outfit you normally see at competition, as a statement against the oversexualization of women in their sport.
And while we’re on the subject of more inclusive athletic apparel for women, Adidas launched a Burkini line of swimwear in the middle east. And to kick-off the new line, and in a true grandiose Dubai way, they made a billboard that's a real pool with Burkini-clad swimmers enjoying the water.
Are you bored by the traditional tired-to-death podcast formats that everyone uses, (probably) even you? Learn how to mix it with 12 imaginative podcast formats to help you engage and entertain your audiences:
- Strategic and tactical teaching
- Episode arcs, podcast cohorts and show & tell
- Sharing tactical processes, establishing yourself as a thought leader and/or newsjack with pride
- Repurposing your podcast content (like nobody’s business)👏👏👏
🎧Tune in for more!🎧
The Brewing Podcasting Wars Amazon recently purchased one of the top listened-to podcasts, Smartless, -- hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett -- for 80 million bucks! Their plan?
To release new episodes on Amazon one week before releasing them to other podcasting platforms. This followed Spotify’s recent acquisition of the super popular ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast and their plans to exclusively host it on their platform.
With podcasting advertising revenue breaking the 1 billion mark for the first time, and no signs of this audio medium slowing down, we’ve decided to start a new regular segment on The Thirst List that we’re dramatically calling ‘The Podcast Wars’. Is that a rocket in your pocket? Or are you just happy to see me?
We couldn’t NOT talk about this. Billionaire Jeff Bezos blasted to space in a rocket, whose shape had the interwebs giggling with glee. And while we are here for all the phallic memes (oh, and the Dr. Evil comparisons too), we’re especially enjoying the debate about the huge dollars being spent by the trio of space cowboys (Bezos, Musk and Branson) while we have so many ongoing issues on planet earth.
To counter this narrative of what some say is irresponsible spending, immediately following his space trip, Bezos announced two 100 million donations to Van Jones and Chef José Andrés to help them basically change the world.
One thing we want to point out -- sometimes it takes visionary, ego manically driven billionaires to push change forward. The advancements they are making now will undoubtedly inspire a whole new generation of space exploration.
As Henry Ford famously said, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” Olympic Woes I’m not sure if you’ve heard,...but the Tokyo Olympic Games start TODAY, and boy, has this lead up been a messy one.
Just this week, the director for the opening ceremony was fired for past remarks about the holocaust, the majority of Japanese people don’t want the games happening, some athletes have already tested positive for Covid, leaving major advertisers and sponsors scrambling to put option B plans in place.
Toyota, one of the major advertisers, has pulled all their broadcast advertising for the Japanese audience (they're still going ahead as planned for other markets) in an attempt to not seem insensitive.
Brands are likely weighing the price being associated with a potential sh!t show vs losing out on money already spent on ads. FOMO NOMO? Clubhouse, the audio-only social platform that we all scrambled to check out this past winter, just announced that its ‘invite only’ policy is no more.
Without that FOMO vibe, will Clubhouse lose its appeal? Actually, wait...hasn’t it already kinda lost some of its early appeal? We’d love to know your thoughts! Do you use Clubhouse still? Do you still see it as an effective platform for reaching new audiences? Hit reply to this newsletter and let us know.
This episode of 🎙The 4 AM Report!🎙 Will and I share how to use podcast cohorts to get a host (pun intended) of great benefits, including:
🎙 Accountability – when you have to get it done
🎙 Less bandwidth – another way to get more done for less effort
🎙 Amplified networks – benefit from a wider audience and more sharing
🎙 Up the Entertainment Quotient – and keep everyone engaged
🎙 Get better together – the power of collaboration
🎧Tune in for more!🎧
🚨🚨We interrupt regular programming to bring you this week’s news at the intersection of entertainment and marketing.🚨🚨
Welcome to the Thirst List. A Friday edition of the hits, the misses, the causes, and the people that left us Thirsty.
Dundas is done If you know Toronto, you know Dundas St. But soon you'll know it as something else, thanks to a city council vote that will change the name from one associated with Henry Dundas, who was involved with the slave trade. As Coun. Michael Thompson said before the vote, "History will remember not so much what it cost us to change the name — it will remember whether or not we actually take the right action. Our reputation is on the line." Manchester shows their love After a disgusting show of racism in the wake of the Euro loss, Brits are now stepping up to show Black footballer Marcus Rashford how much they really do love and appreciate him. The site of a graffitied Rashford mural is now covered up in signs, flowers, and tokens expressing, love, acceptance and appreciation for this young star. Retail foot traffic They say shopping is like therapy, and after a tough round of lockdowns that mentally knocked us down, but not out, Canadians are taking "treat yo' self" to a whole new level. With restrictions easing, the retail market is getting set for a big boom, with clothing stores already seeing a 44% increase in traffic compared to the same time in 2019. Survey says... Gen Z hates email. They might be checking their texts and TikTok notifications pretty quickly, but don't email them or you may be kept waiting. It's going to be interesting to see how workplace communication evolves when these guys take charge! Imagination, life is your creation Barbie is no longer a blonde bimbo girl in a fantasy world. The latest celeb to find out that life in plastic is fantastic is none other than tennis star Naomi Osaka. After the drama of the French Open, we're loving that this doll is going to put a spotlight on giving girls the right to stand up and say, what they believe in and being able to live the way they choose. Come on Barbie, let's go party! Streaming cuts the cable Emmy nominations are out and for the first time ever, streaming has overtaken cable for popularity. All the major streaming channels have original productions in the running. For a lot of us, our streaming services were a lifeline. (As an aside: who else has a serious dent in their couch from all the binge watching we've done this past year?)
Welcome to the 💫4 AM Report💫 where we’re sharing the highlights from our Crisis Communications series to help you face some of the biggest crises of our time. So, if you don’t know what you should be saying, or how to respond, here’s our best tactical advice:
🚦Stop: Hit pause on your marketing lest something tone-deaf or tasteless goes out
🚦Drop: Drop all your current marketing plans and re-assess all your content.
🚦Roll: Once you’ve got a grip on what’s happening and how you can contribute respectively, roll with it supportively (hint: get advice)
🚦Apologize: If you get things wrong, apologize (and we share what a good apology looks like).
Tune in for more!
🚨🚨We interrupt regular programming to bring you this week’s news at the intersection of entertainment and marketing.🚨🚨
Welcome to the Thirst List. A Friday edition of the hits, the misses, the causes, and the people that left us Thirsty.
Canada's new Governor General
After Julie Payette resigned in disgrace, we were so over the concept of Canada requiring a Governor General. But when Prime Minister Trudeau announced this week that the new GG would be Mary Simon, an Inuk leader and activist, we changed our tune. A Governor General's role, while technically the representative of the Queen, is mainly symbolic. And what could be a better symbol of this country making steps toward reconciliation than appointing an Indigenous woman to the role of head of state.
The Euro and The Olympics
With the Delta variant on the rise and Covid cases spiking again in some areas, many people are questioning if giant sporting events like the Euro Cup and the Olympics are the wisest idea. Japan, this week, declared a state of emergency in Tokyo, just as the summer games are set to commence on July 23. It’s now looking like locals won’t even be allowed to spectate.
#WeAreReadyToronto
Toronto mayor John Tory, in partnership with the Toronto Regional Board of Trade, announced a campaign to help downtown businesses reopen. Some people are ready to go back and some aren’t, but it's looking like most are set to embrace a hybrid type return.
To help, the campaign has released tailored playbooks “to help businesses bounce back and transition back to work confidently and safely when we get the green light."
Space (Billionaire) Jam
The race to the stars is on between several of the world's most well-known billionaires, and they're super excited to make their mark in a whole new space (yuk yuk). Sure, they can do whatever they want with their money, but we can't help but wonder, is this all in the name of the greater good, or just some good old fashion rich man p!ssing content?
With parts of our country literally on fire and a global climate crisis, maybe these Space Cowboys could do something better with their time, effort, and $$. Check your egos upon reentry, mkay?
As social injustice rocks our society, Shelagh Cummins joins us to discuss how to stand up for what you believe, even as you run your business and focus on sales
A business coach, strategist, and founder of The Road to Seven Shelagh's goal is to help women entrepreneurs use their voice and their platform as they grow a freedom-based, profitable, and fulfilling business.
She shares:
- The positive side of Covid-19 (say what?)
- The importance of breathing into what is in alignment for you
- How to get to your messaging with one simple question
- That it’s not all about you – so, make a stand, but don’t make it personal
We talk about tough topics in tough times, but it’s not all grim. Like Shelagh says, we create our own sunshine🌞
Enjoy! About Shelagh
Shelagh Cummins is a business coach, growth strategist, and founder of The Road to Seven. The Road to Seven provides coaching, education, and access to capital so that women around the world can build profitable and fulfilling businesses.
Driven by an unwavering belief in the power of women and their impact on society and the economy, The Road provides the tools, the support, and the community needed to achieve your wildest dreams.
Shelagh inspires others to park the excuses and become #womenofaction. She is not afraid to kick out the crutches, make over mindsets, and flatten fears – always with a healthy dose of humour, candour and wit. Through practical strategies, personal stories and real-life insights, Shelagh helps women see the possibilities of their ideas, the power of their leadership, and the potential of their vision – all in a human and relatable way.
Website
In moments of reckoning surrounding a deep social injustice like that which Indigenous people in Canada have endured at the hands of settler colonialism, it’s hard to think about what to say, or how to make any sort of impact from a marketing and communication perspective.
For small businesses, specifically those between 1 and 5 million, navigating crisis communication - the guilt, the burnout, the uncertainty on how to go about doing business while this is the backdrop - can be a LOT.
How do you balance life in a global pandemic with ongoing self awareness and discovery?
How might small businesses be empathetic, self-educating allies, while respectfully doing our job as business owners, which often requires actively marketing and selling what we do?
If you, like us, believe that your teams, your partners, your collaborators, and your customers are your greatest assets, you really want to be thinking about what is challenging them on the daily and either:
- Fix their problems in your communication with them or
- Find a way to add to their days with levity and kindness
Towards that end, here are The Three Bs Holding Back MANY small businesses: Budget, Bandwidth, and Burnout, and some thoughts on navigating them
The burnout part in particular is something we think is appropriate reading for a time in history when people are maxed and overworked in the extreme.
Are you a reader? Here is a blog post on the subject.
This episode of 🎙The 4 AM Report! 🎙 we want to share how we got 100% attendance at our virtual event/cooking club featuring Chef Andrea Buckett, and how you can too. From creating an experience to keeping it short (no hard-sell ffs) to infusing entertainment in everything, we share:
🍓 Why you shouldn’t over-police
🍓 How to add to the entertainment factor with your bloopers and missteps
🍓 The Holy Grail of connections – how loosening up has helped Andrea Buckett resonate with others more than ever
🍓 That emailers can be used to communicate and entertain!
🎧Get comfy and tune in for more!🎧
🚨🚨We interrupt regular programming to bring you this week’s news at the intersection of entertainment and marketing.🚨🚨
Welcome to the Thirst List. A Friday edition of the hits, the misses, the causes, and the people that left us Thirsty.
Ronaldo prefers 'Agua'
Sometimes there's a lot of power in one little word. When Cristiano Ronaldo pushed aside bottles of Coke at a European Championship press conference and pointedly replacing them with water and a single word - "agua" - it drop-kicked the share price a whopping 1.6% aka 4 billion bucks. Considering the soccer star has 300 million followers on Instagram we're not surprised he feels he has the ability to speak out against the tournament's sponsor.
A shining display of leadership
This week, in what could have been a tragic scene when soccer player Christian Eriksen collapsed on the field, Denmark captain Simon Kjaer gave him CPR until medics arrived, had his teammates secure some privacy, and then consoled Eriksen's wife. People are are pointing to this as an example of true, next level leadership when a crisis strikes.
All of her apologizes to all of you
Legend-ary model, wife, mom, and Twitter Luna-tic lady, Chrissy Tiegen, was recently called out for some extremely nasty tweets from many moons ago, and rightfully left social meda for a mo', but recently returned in force with a Miles-long and self-centered apology letter. Enough with the self-indulgent apologies. We say it over and over: I'm sorry. FULL STOP. Resist the urge to overly explain your story.
BrewDog goes skunky
According to several 2-4's of former employees, Scotland's BrewDog has brewed up a "culture of fear" on its way to the head of the pint glass. Instead of apologizing and promising change, the company proceeded to make things worse by forcing current employees to sign statements claiming their jobs were actually kegs of fun.
These type of tactics may have worked in the past, but after living through a pandemic, and seeing other people hold those in power accountable, companies can't get away with this anymore. The voiceless are finally finding their voice.
Skin is in
According to the New York Times, not only are we going to be freeing our faces from masks post-pandemic, we are going to be freeing our beautiful pandemic bellies from the shackles of fabric with the summer 2021 hot trend: crop tops. And not the boxy, baggier ones you might have seen the past few years
A New York Times article explained that the 2021 crop top is smaller and tighter. They attribute this to the younger gen haveing missed out on musical festivals and other fun party events this past year and a half.
Cut us off if you think it's a bad idea, but we're defo considering baring our b-buttons in a planned upcoming photoshoot.
Prepare to be wowed by this episode of 🎙The 4 AM Report! 🎙 where we talk to Colleen O’Connell-Campbell about the top four benefits of outsourcing to a fractional marketing team – and how this affected her podcast flywheel:
☸Management becomes easy-peasy lemon squeezy (because you have consolidated marketing support with a team of people to help keep you on track)
☸ You can uplevel your marketing with some helpful, strategic pushes in the right direction
☸ There’s no way that you won’t hold yourself/be accountable because everything is structured and focused
☸ Systems become efficient and organized, which means less headaches and more clarity
Grab a drink 🍷 and tune in for life lessons and wisdom gained!
About Colleen
Colleen O'Connell-Campbell, lead of O'Connell-Campbell Wealth Management at RBC Dominion Securities, specializes in building and strategizing financial plans that optimize how entrepreneurs, self-made millionaires, & wealthy families spend save, and share their wealth. She publishes a weekly blog and speaks regularly as an expert in areas relating to wealth management and entrepreneurship.
Website
🚨🚨We interrupt regular programming to bring you this week’s news at the intersection of entertainment and marketing.🚨🚨
Welcome to the Thirst List. A Friday edition of the hits, the misses, the causes, and the people that left us Thirsty.
Finding words when it's hard
Our editor in chief, Susan Diaz, wrote a Linkedin post earlier this week, reflecting on the horrific murders in London, ON, and how it took her a few days to 'find her words'. The post resonated with a lot of people. And it's a struggle we've seen brands both big and small have to navigate this past year. Susan's message --- Say something. Find your words. Even when it's hard.
#KeepYourPride
Happy Pride Month! This month we are loving the #KeepYourPride campaign, by a group called Corporate Accountablity Action, that’s calling out the two-faced, big brands that stick a rainbow flag on their logo while also donating to anti LGBTQ+ politicians. Companies like AT&T, NBC Universal, and Anheuser-Busch have been targeted, and we think it’s super important for these people to be kept accountable. Especially with the anti-trans and anti-gay legislation happening in several US red states.
Lindsay Lohan's Guide to NFTs
Who would have thought that we’d be taking advice from Lindsay Lohan on NFTs? She recently sold her latest single as an NFT for $85,000 (yes, Lohan still puts out music), and shared a step-by-step guide on how she creates and sells NFTs in the latest issue of Interview Magazine.
According to Lohan, the NFT vibe is more than just the purchasing of a digital piece of art. She says, "Access to a stronger creator-and-buyer relationship is key."
So fetch, Lindsay. So fetch!
Balenciaga crocs
Cardi B likes those Balenciagas, the ones that look like socks, but we're into THESE Balenciagas, the ones that come from Crocs! Or maybe not. Because why would you take a comfortable, practical shoe, put a 6 inch heel on it and sell it for a cool $1400?
Can Kanye save the Gap?
Once upon a time Yeezy said "Let’s go back, back to the Gap”, and now here he is, with his new, remarkably inexpensive (for him) "round jacket" from the Gap. Made of recycled nylon, this is the first release from a long-anticipated line of clothes. Will this make him famous for something other than being Kim K's off-the-wall ex-husband? We doubt it, but good effort, Ye.
It’s 🎙The 4 AM Report! 🎙 and we’re back with Part 2 on How to Up your Publishing. And no, the answer isn’t hiring an SEO guy.
You need to incrementally increase the content you publish. And you can do this with 30% less effort. Here’s how:
🌟 Make use of the mountain of underutilized content that’s sitting on the cloud somewhere
🌟 Enjoy the win-win content grab of ‘market research’ interviews
🌟 Publish at least 15 pieces of content from one 60- or 90-minute recording of an online event
Kick back, relax and lean into some publishing magic 👏
It’s time for another episode of 🎙The 4 AM Report! 🎙 and we let you peek into our brains to discover How to Up your Publishing.
You’ll learn how to become your own publishing guru by:
🌟 Making use of the multi-format
🌟 Mining your social
🌟 Owning the art of cross-linking
🌟 Raising that frequency and consistency
🌟 Spinning off your content using the Anchor Theory
Kick back, relax and enjoy some publishing magic right here, right now👏.
On 🎙 The 4 AM Report 🎙 we’re chatting to Laura Beauparlant about how to use explosive branding to stop the mindless scroll. She’s the founder and creative director of the agency Lab Creative and developed two innovative programs, Brand Camp and Brand Accelerator. Her mission is to help ambitious solo entrepreneurs and micro business owners create a brand that connects (❤ to ❤) with their audience.
Listen to the episode to find out:
💥 Why brands are becoming publishers
💥 How branding is like baking
💥 Why you need to connect with your brand, before your customers can
💥 Why a strong foundation is so important
💥 The need for a great visual identity, consistency, and clarity in the digital space
💥 Why being vulnerable and showing who you are is part of being kickass
Enjoy! About Laura
As the founder and chief ‘brand alchemist’ at Lab Creative, Laura leverages her unique process to help entrepreneurs understand – and embrace – their magic and create explosive brands that stand out from the crowd, attract the right clients and reach new levels of impact, influence and success.
As a speaker, Laura has been recognized for the chemistry she creates with her audience as she informs, inspires and candidly shares insights into her own story of overcoming adversity and finding clarity – in both life and business.
She has an engaging presence and easy, conversational style that captures her audience every time.
Website
Follow Laura: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Blog
Welcome back to the 💫4 AM Report💫 and we’ve been trumpeting🎺 our 100-episode milestone so hard, we almost forgot to share some of the pearls 🦪 of wisdom we’ve amassed since that fateful moment when we decided to start our own podcast. In this episode, you’ll learn:
🦪 To let go of perfection
🦪 Why consistency is key
🦪 How the Anchor Theory makes all the work easier
🦪 The domino effect
🦪 Why you should have fun with your podcast
🦪 Not to underestimate the power of a name
Tune in for more!
Welcome back to the 💫4 AM Report💫 and we’re still celebrating 100 episodes.
This time, singing 🎵Simply the Best🎵. You know we love Tina Turner. But there’s also the excellent Noah Reed version featured on Schitt’s Creek. So, without more ado, what could be more fitting than a discussion between Will and I about our top 5
favourite episodes? We chat about:
What’s in a name – the story behind The 4AM Report and pilot
How a clever tweet grabbed us, our audience and the world (kudos to us for being the first to snap this guest up!)
The weird intersections of our book club and our podcast guests, from Allen Gannet and the Creative Curve to Tiffany Dufu and Drop the Ball
Our foray into non-marketing topics and a focus on diversity and inclusion
Marketing during times of crisis with Martin Waxman
Tune in for more!
Welcome to the 💫4 AM Report💫 and our centennial episode, the 100th edition of the show!
To celebrate, we’re talking about all things creative with Allen Gannett. He’s the author of the Creative Curve, a tech entrepreneur and angel investor, and a brilliant speaker on creativity. He believes creativity is accessible to everyone, but most of us just don't have the right tools.
He shares his insights on:
💡 The line between inspiration and imitation,💡 Timing, craft and distribution of your creative ideas – and how getting this right leads to success
💡 How we’re all creatives (Go figure! And here we thought we were special 😉)
💡 Balancing creativity and productivity
💡 Neuroscience and the “AHA!” moment
Tune in for this epic, centennial episode!
About Allan
Allen Gannett was the founder and CEO of TrackMaven, a marketing analytics platform whose clients included Microsoft, Marriott, Saks Fifth Avenue, Home Depot, Aetna, and GE. In 2018 it merged with Skyword, the leading content marketing platform. His book The Creative Curve, came out in 2018 from Penguin Random House. The book has been featured on CNBC, Forbes, numerous top podcasts, and has been translated into nine other languages. Most importantly, he was once a very pitiful runner-up on Wheel of Fortune.
Hello everybody and welcome back for our 99th episode of 🎙 The 4 AM Report! 🎙 where we’ll be chatting to our guest:🎺performer, voice and speech specialist, Joy Juckes, about the power of your voice.
Joy is the founder of ‘The World of Voice’ and her mission is to help you connect with others through your voice. Now that we’re all on Zoom, giving webinars, making presentations, having team meetings, if we don’t know how we sound, we’re not in charge of how we’re connecting. This indisputable fact means that now is the perfect time to learn how to transform your voice into your most powerful asset.
Some of Joy’s top tips and tricks on how to use your voice to be heard, and understood, include:
How to:
🔉 Warm up the sound of your voice
🔉 Be more engaging (and project less!)
🔉 Use breathing and core support for greater connection
🔉 Change how the listener feels when hearing your voice through targeted resonance
🔉 Master rhythm and pacing to make sure you’re being understood
🔉 Find your f*ck muscle
Listen and learn!
About Joy
A professional performer since childhood, Joy has worked on stage, in front of the camera, in the voice studio, and as a recording artist.
She brings her voice coaching expertise online to empower more students to take charge of their own learning, no matter what their learning style.
JoyJuckes.com
The World of Voice
Hi everybody and welcome back to the 🎙The 4 AM Report!🎙 and what’s keeping our guest, Ankita Rao, up at night are burning questions about authenticity. Brands have been so quick to say they stand for something (for example, diversity, equity and inclusion) but are they just jumping on the bandwagon?
How can we know they’re being genuine and whether anything they do will be permanent? How do we keep the momentum going 🚀? Ankita is a social impact practitioner who is here to help us figure out how to create lasting change.
And it’s pretty simple: Put your money where your mouth is. Hold your brand accountable.
On this riveting episode you’ll find out:
- Why you need to ask ‘why’
- Whether DEI will benefit your organization in the long run
- How to eliminate the gap between intention and execution
- Why you need to tell stories, including the hardships you’ve faced 😲
Listen up!
About Ankita
Ankita is a Portfolio Manager with LEAP Pecaut Centre for Social Impact, responsible for selecting high-impact social organizations with passionate leaders for the LEAP portfolio, and working with them to provide strategic and operational capacity building support, and coaching, to scale their impact to more beneficiaries.
Prior to LEAP, Ankita led the access to finance strategy for USD25m cashew value chain development program in Benin, West Africa with Technoserve (international NGO). Prior to Technoserve, Ankita worked for 6 years as a Management Consultant with EY Canada.
Ankita is a CFA charterholder, and graduated with a Joint Honour in Economics and Finance, with a Minor in French, from McGill University.
Welcome to the next edition of 🎙 The 4 AM Report! 🎙 where our special guest is an expert sales coach and the author of Amazon bestseller📖: ‘Everybody Works in Sales.’
Niraj Kapur shares how to not suck at sales, drawing from his personal journey to success. He wanted to become the first Indian Bon Jovi and when he failed as a musician, took the first job he could find in sales. Now he’s a successful sales coach who helps others succeed through sales.
Discover that:
- Sales is about relationships
- You need to be clear on your goals
- It’s crucial to ask the right questions 🙋♀️
- Rushing to get to the price isn’t your best strategy
- When to keep quiet 🤫
- When and how to follow up for the most impact.
- And much, much more.
Niraj knows how to weave a story. You’ll meet his 90’s Rockstar persona, find out about walks with his nephew and a dog and feel like you can almost taste his mom’s Indian food. From using LinkedIn voice notes effectively to knowing how your audience’s life and schedule has changed, he has so much wisdom to share.
Enjoy!
About Niraj
After 23 years in London running sales teams from The Guardian newspaper Group to FTSE 100 businesses, Niraj wanted to raise the standards of sales, so he wrote Everybody Works in Sales which was in the Amazon Top 100 on 21 occasions.
He then set up his own sales coaching and training company to keep businesses accountable to help them achieve results. He’s delivered sales training to 300 small businesses including corporates like: Barclays. Natwest, Sainsbury’s and Google.
To learn more, connect with Niraj https://www.linkedin.com/in/nkapur or www.everybodyworksinsales.com
Click here to purchase the Amazon bestseller Everybody Works In Sales
Click here to purchase the Amazon bestseller The Easy Guide to Sales for Business Owners
Today on 🎙The 4 AM Report!🎙, we’re talking LinkedIn and how to set it on fire🔥, whether you are part of a leadership team, a founder or an entrepreneur.
Our guest is Dionne Vaz, Marketing Director of IQPC – a large global events management firm – and former ad executive who supports her marketing smarts with data-driven results. She believes that LinkedIn should be a crucial part of any company’s marketing channels. So, she set out to prove it. She started posting once a day, following conversations, and responding to comments. Once she got results, the rest of the team were on board.
Find out how Dionne set 🔥LinkedIn🔥 on fire! Discover:
🔥 some of the tools she uses
🔥 what posts did well (so you can replicate her strategy!)
🔥 how to connect with other professionals on the platform
Enjoy!
About Dionne
Dionne believes in data-driven marketing, the power of the brand, and the magic of storytelling. Over the course of her career she have earned a reputation for her out-of-the-box thinking, creative problem solving skills (Winner of a Steve Jobs Award), building high performing teams and the ability to consistently deliver exceptional results.
It’s time for another episode of the 🎙 4 AM Report! 🎙 and this time we bring you our Podcast Masterclass (drum roll) an amalgamation of our very best tips and tricks for creating a podcast that converts. You’ll learn about:
- The anchor theory and how to spin that into as many pieces of content you can 👏
- Building content hubs of themed content
- Fine tuning your podcast to help you stand out in a sea of online content
- Combining four or five episodes into a monthly email
- Publishing a quarterly e-book or BOOK-book 📕
- How to do less creating – and more collating – which gives you more time to grow your biz!
- Better ways to track podcasting ROI (our ‘domino effect’) instead of only focusing on downloads or subscribers
These tips and tricks have worked for us (our podcast is the gift that keeps on giving!), and they WILL work for you!
Grab a drink, kick back, relax and enjoy!
Welcome back to the 💫4 AM Report💫 and this week, we’ve crossed the border and gone international. Our guest is the UK’s leading expert on heart-centred sales, Catherine Watkin, on how to sell from the heart ♥.
She wants to change the paradigm from 'making a sale' to making a connection. She believes the most important part of the conversation you have with a customer is the value you offer.
Rather than thinking about how this could really help your bank balance, think about how you're going to serve the person you're trying to help.
Catherine works with people (like you) who are trying to make a difference to others through their work, or who do business because they're passionate about what they do! She wants you to learn:
❌ to avoid salesy language ❌ to stop being pushy (how to to have a conversation that clearly articulates the difference you can make ❌ to steer clear of the lame truisms that everyone hates Enjoy! About Catherine
Catherine is a highly sensitive person and highly successful businesswoman who teaches her community how to get more of their clients saying “Yes!” without being pushy. She believes we can create great businesses without compromising our integrity and do it in a way that feels authentic, comfortable, and always aligned with our values.
Learn more at https://catherinewatkin.com/
Hello friends, it’s the 💫4 AM Report💫 and it’s early. Some crazy folk get up at this time, but for most of us, what’s keeping us up is that endless inner chatter, the carousel of thoughts that go through the theater of our mind when we so, so desperately want to sleep.
Big change coach and consultant Debbie Dimoff has some tips on silencing that mind saboteur. Or at the very least, hitting pause so you can get drowsy (and hopefully enter the (zzzzzzzzz zone).
And the secret is... cue suspense… ta-da! – finding your superpower and using it wisely. In other words, being resourceful. You have to be your own best friend and partner and not expect anybody else to take care of you (we saw how that worked out for Cher). Turn 🎵I got you babe🎵 into:
🎵I got me babe🎵.
She talks about the magic mental trifecta:
- Know your values
- Build your core mental muscles
- Find relationships that support you (🜜 forges 🜜)
Listen up, this one is a doozy.
About Debbie
Debbie is Managing Partner of Growing Legends, a transformation consultancy focused on helping leaders, teams, and companies accelerate their impact and business success.
She is a leadership consultant, coach, facilitator, and speaker. Debbie combines business expertise from a long track record as a corporate executive, management consultant, and start-up experimenter, to help her clients initiate big change.
Deb’s clients are inspired and equipped to take on the biggest adventures in business and life whether they are taking on a new business, a new role, or a new initiative. As a long-time champion of “what’s next” in technology, she helps to define how customers, employees, leaders, and businesses can benefit from it. With a lively sense of humour and creative mindset towards wicked hard business problems, her focus is on helping clients create the resourceful mindset to work, play and live better.
It’s time for another edition of the 💫4 AM Report💫 and what’s keeping us up at night are thoughts around how to empower women and girls.
This week we talk to Tiffany Dufu, author of “Drop the Ball”, and founder of The Cru. She’s the kind of awe-inspiring person who has dedicated her life to helping women realize their goals, and she helped this motley two drop-kick the ball right out of the park (ball begone! ⚽🤾♂️).
Tiffany has some incredible advice to share and we’re still gob-smacked at how effectively and eloquently she breaks everything down to make it so, so simple to start doing.
From why reciprocity isn’t confined to one person, to why you need to learn to ask for help, and how your village (aka cru) will hold you accountable, Tiffany says it like it is.
After all, she already knows what it’s going to say on her own tombstone💀☠.
About Tiffany
Tiffany Dufu is founder and CEO of The Cru. Their algorithm matches circles of women who collaborate to meet their personal and professional goals. She’s also the author of the bestselling book Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less. Named to Entrepreneur's 100 Powerful Women and Fast Company’s League of Extraordinary Women, Tiffany has raised nearly $20 million toward the cause of women and girls.
Welcome to another edition of the 💫4 AM Report💫 and what’s keeping us up at night is that hot fart under the covers (aka Dutch Oven). This week we talk to Mairlyn Smith, the Queen of Fiber (and fart jokes) and only professional home economist in Canada who can tell us what to do about that smelly surprise under your blanket.
Author of best-selling cookbook Peace, Love and Fiber and alumnus of the Second City Comedy Troupe, Mairlyn brings improv into everything she does, and she thinks you should too. She'll break down why:
✅ Censoring yourself blocks creativity ✅ Being real and relatable means not trying to be funny (although you know you’ve succeeded if your audience gets your fart-jokes (or whatever makes you, you)) ✅ Getting fricken full with fiber supports your gut and boosts your immune system (and prevents those beautiful internal poo sculptures)
If it sounds irreverent, it is. But there’s a bucketload of wisdom to be found in this episode. Have a laugh, have a listen!
About Mairlyn:
Mairlyn Smith is the only P.H.Ec. (professional home economist) in Canada who’s also an alumnus of the Second City Comedy Troupe, making her the self-proclaimed funniest P.H.Ec. in the entire world. A popular media personality, MC and keynote speaker Mairlyn is also a Regular Guest Expert on the award winning national daytime television show Cityline as well as a regular on Toronto’s Breakfast TV. Mairlyn’s forte is her ability to mix learning with laughter.
She’s the author of eight award winning cookbooks – Her latest cookbook Peace, Love and Fibre: Over 100 Fibre-Rich Recipes for the Whole Family (appetite by Random House) made the best seller lists at The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, Amazon.ca and Chapters Indigo and was short listed for a Taste Canada Cookbook Award.
Check out her website www.mairlynsmith.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @MairlynSmith or her Facebook Fan page @mairlyn.smith (that’s mairlyn dot smith)
Hello friends! It’s time for another edition of the 🎧 4 AM Report.🎧
Hope you’ve enjoyed February because it’s 👉 THIS 👈 close to be over!! 🎉💥💫🥶
After a long, dark winter of Covid lockdowns, we wanted this week to be all about wellness – your own, and your employees’. 💪🧘♀️🧠💪
And that is Lydia Di Francesco’s speciality! 🏆
As a workplace wellness consultant, she helps companies understand the connection between well-being and mental health, and employee productivity and retention. 👏👏👏
We talk:
💫 Setting boundaries.
💫 What she calls “stress resilience.”
💫 And how exercise and healthy eating equals better sleep.
As the old adage goes, if you don’t put your oxygen mask on FIRST – you won’t be much good at helping anyone else. 🛩 🤗 🛩
Enjoy!
About Lydia
Lydia Di Francesco is the CEO and Wellness Consultant at Fit + Healthy 365. Lydia has worked in the wellness industry for over 8 years. She works with organizations to support their employees' well-being and mental health, resulting in greater employee productivity and retention.
Website: www.fithealthy365.com More info on the virtual employee wellness workshops: http://www.fithealthy365.com/wellness-webinars/
Hey folks, it’s time for another episode of the 💫4 AM Report. 💫
This week, we talk Kolbe, and break down 🕵🏽♀️🕵️♂️Modus Operandi from the Kolbe system 🕵🏽♀️🕵️♂️ – with a special focus on teams!
Our two expert guests - Laural Carr, founder and CEO of Toronto-based marketing firm Impagination and a Kolbe certified consultant, and Meredith Malloch, VP of Marketing and Communications at Investment Planning Council (and a huge Kolbe fan!) will:
✅ Break down what the system is…
✅ Plus how it helps identify your intrinsic action modes…
✅ And talk out how to use it to hire and structure high functioning teams!
The Kolbe test is super cool – and everyone in your organisation should take it.
🙏 🙏 🙏 PREACH! 🙏 🙏 🙏
If it sounds a bit 🔮‘woo-woo hippy-dippy’ 🔮to you – trust us, it’s not.
Have a listen!
In a special episode of The 4 am Report we speak to Kevin Parent of Ottawa Public Health. The man behind the ‘Bruce’ tweet that went viral after the SuperBowl. Kevin is as fun as you'd expect him to be. We talk about what spurs wit. The space needed to respond quickly on social. Kevin gives us the scoop including how they pivoted to embrace the engagement they were getting. While the mistaken tweet was planned, making it an experiment on how quickly misinformation spread came after. If there’s one episode you listen to this week, this is it. *About Kevin Parent Kevin is a Program and Project Management Officer with Ottawa Public Health (OPH). He has worked on OPH’s social media accounts since 2018. He graduated from Carleton University with a major in Communications and a minor in Sociology, and he is perpetually tired due to having 3 kids (including a newborn).
Welcome to another episode of the 4 AM Report, folks! 💫💥💫
Ready for Valentine’s Day? 💐💘🍷(🦠Covid-19 style, of course. 🦠)
Well, we’re bringing the love today – 💪and showing you better ways to track REAL podcasting ROI 💪– instead of focusing only on downloads or subscribers! 🛑🛑🛑
Introducing: The 🁡 🁡 🁡 “Domino Effect.” 🁡 🁡 🁡
Think:
🔥 How podcast guests help expand your networks.
🔥 Building brand equity, episode after episode.
🔥 The power of amplification across the interwebs.
🔥 Plus, how “...and she told two friends” can lead to new clients. 💰💰💰
All of the above?
Much more important 📏📏📏measuring sticks 📏📏📏to use to quantify your content!
Grab a 🍻☕️🍹beverage 🍻☕️🍹Kick back. And enjoy!
Hello friends! In case you hadn’t noticed, 🎙podcasts 🎙are our sweet spot! 🍭🧁🍭
Hence why it’s been all podcast related content lately on 💫💫the 4 AM Report.💫💫
This week, we do it again! So meta, right? 🧠😂🧠
Want to get 👁ALL the eyeballs 👁on YOUR podcast? Well then, 🔥buckle up. 🔥
✅ Are there thousands upon thousands of podcasts out there? Yes.
✅ Is it a cluttery mess on the interwebs these days, especially after 🦠 Covid-19 🦠 and the pivot to online? (Ew. We said pivot.) Yes.
✅ Are you going to let that intimidate you? Damn straight you’re not! 💪🙌💪
We’ve got your back.
In today’s episode we share tips and tricks to help you finetune your 🗣podcast 🗣and help it stand out in a 🌊🌊🌊sea 🌊🌊🌊 of online content.
Grab a beverage, kick back, and enjoy! 🍷☕️🍻
Hello friends! It’s time for another edition of 🗣the 4 AM Report! 🗣
Today, we 💡💡💡flip the switch💡💡💡on last week’s episode (have to keep you people on your toes!). 💥😂💥
Instead of chopping your podcast into a bazillion bite-sized pieces, you’re going to use it to create 🦖🦕🦖multiple mega-pieces of work 🦖🦕🦖!
Think:
🔥 Building content hubs on your website full of themed content.
🔥 Combining four or five episodes into one knowledge-heavy monthly email.
🔥 Publishing a quarterly e-book.
🔥 Or even – hint hint – publishing a yearly 📕 BOOK-book! 📕 (👀watch this space! 👀)
The key is to do less creating – and more collating – which equals more time to 💫💫💫grow your biz! 💫💫💫
Have a listen!
It’s that time again – time for another episode of the 🎙🗣🎙 4 AM Report! 🎙🗣🎙
Hard to believe we’re almost a year into this 🦠 pandemic 🦠 and lockdowns are still happening. But here we are.
Whether you have adapted, or you’re one of the many who took their businesses online for the first time – either way – you still have to 💫MARKET! 💫
Today, we continue 🥁🥁🥁 banging the drum 🥁🥁🥁 about our anchor theory. For us? It’s our podcast.
Whatever it is for you, be prepared to learn how to spin 👏 that 👏 thing 👏 into as many 👏 pieces 👏 of content 👏 as you 👏 CAN!!
⭐️ Social posts? ✔️
⭐️ Show notes? ✔️
⭐️ Blog post? ✔️
⭐️ Video content? ✔️
⭐️ Graphics or other images? ✔️
Get ready to flood your funnels and keep those conversions happening!
Hey friends – it’s time for another episode of the 4 AM Report!
The digital space has never been such a 🚒 firehose of information 🚒as it is today.
And one space is 🔥🔥🔥hot and getting hotter 🔥🔥🔥– LinkedIn! But how do you get noticed there if you’re not a traditional, “boardroom table business?” 👨💼📑👩🏽💼
You bring your Instagram game, baby. 🤳📸🤳
You do it tactfully, you tweak your content slightly, but yes, bringing your ‘Gram game to LinkedIn is a strategy that works!
💥 We have a quick chat with Adam McDermot and Griffin Nykor, personal fitness coaches who did exactly that!
💥 And we map out tips and tactics to share your brand’s slightly more offbeat content – without being a bull in a china shop while doing it!
We’ve watched the traditionally stuffy business networking site starting to relax a bit. 💃🕺💃🕺Loosening that tie, as it were, as more people flood in. 💃🕺💃🕺
So, don’t be afraid to join us! Have a listen.
Welcome to 2021 - 🎙the 4 AM Report-style! 🎙
🔥💫💥We are back, and raring to go.🔥💫💥
Today, meet an entrepreneurial couple who b*tch-slapped 🦠Covid-19🦠into a (soon to be) cookie empire. 💪🍪👊👨🍳
Chelsea Hearty and “hobby-baker” Ian Moores began baking cookies in their kitchen, as treats for friends.
Before you could say “get in mah BELLEH!” Courage Cookies was born. 👏👶👏
Their 2020 story is a familiar one – inadvertently starting a business due to shutdowns and job loss (whispers pivot)! 😂
The picture of purpose over profit, they’ve been baking their BUTTS off, and have donated +$34,000 to help their local community!
They’re super cool and fun, and you’ll love their story - which includes some “Toronto tea,” if you catch our drift. 🗣☕️😏😯🗣☕️
Enjoy!
Visit Courage Cookies.ca
OMG YOU GUYS!! We got through 2020! 💥🎉👏💥🎉👏 What a year. We’re looking at YOU Covid-19. 🦠🚨🦠
It’s finally 🥂💫🍾 New Year’s Eve 🥂💫🍾 – hellooooo 2021!! 🥰 Celebrate safely, yo.
Before we went on our holiday break, we each decided to pick our favourite 4 AM Report episode of 2020!
So today … 🥁🥁🥁 drum roll please 🥁🥁🥁… Susan’s pick, Kevin Steinberger!!
We’ve been lucky during this lockdown, as we work from home on the regular. 🌟🌟🌟
But for many, returning to work will bring no amount of trepidation and anxiety! How should your reopening work? How much space-per-employee should you dedicate? How do you keep everyone safe?
We went straight to an expert – whose job it is to know the ins and outs of space utilization, leasing new technology, new sanitization measures, automation within design, etc., for answers!
He’s synthesized a safe return to the workplace to three main things: Safety, trust and productivity.
Enjoy, and HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🥳🥳🥳
Happy Christmas Eve to those who celebrate! 🎄🎅🎁🦌
For the next two weeks on the 4 AM Report, we each decided to pick our favourite episode of 2020!
Today… 🥁🥁🥁 drum roll please 🥁🥁🥁… Will’s pick - Eleanor Beaton!!!
An award-winning journalist, speaker, executive coach and host of the Fierce Feminine Leadership podcast, she’s committed to unleashing the power of women's voices through business coaching and leadership development. 👑🙌👑
We talk all things juicy, including:
📣 The conversation around systemic racism and the global BLM protests, and the koff influencers who are definitely NOT getting it right!
📣 The importance of knowing your values and communicating same online without getting dragged.
📣 And how entrepreneurs MUST build their authentic voice before they bulldoze their way through social media.
Have a listen. You will LOVE it.
On today’s episode of the 4 AM Report… We. Are. OUTTA HERE!!! 🎉👋💫👋🎉
Seriously folks. After the year we’ve all just had…? 💀☠️💀
There’s no shame in admitting to the biggest B of them all: BURNOUT 🔥🚨🔥
Covid-19 cratered many businesses, caused insane amounts of chaos and border-line PTSD, and dissolved important rituals many of us koff used in order to stay sane (in “normal times!” 😂).
Early in December, we made a pact – get it done 🔨🔨🔨 so we can shut it down. 🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️
We planned – and executed – a 🦸🏽♀️superhero-level 🦸♂️assault on deliverables, so that we could all have a proper break. 💃🕺
We’ve promised to avoid emails. And enjoy the staycay. 🤝🙌🤝
And we’re going to eat and drink ALL THE THINGS 🍷🍿🍾🧁🥃 - judge not lest ye be judged, and all that jazz. 🎷🤣🎷Have a listen for more holiday break goodness!
And whichever holiday you celebrate – be kind to yourself this year. Try and steal some downtime. Enjoy the special people in your bubble. 🌟🤩🌟
Thanks for a great year – we couldn’t have survived it without you. 😘🥰😘
🎶🎶 Food, food, glorious food! 🎶🎶
Welcome to another edition of the 🎙 4AM Report 🎙 and do we have a delicious guest with us today!
Have you been struggling to whip up healthy meals, night after night (after EFFING NIGHT!)? 😤😭😬
Lacking inspiration? Intimidated by your kitchen? Then listen up!
Claire Tansey is a literal 🌶🍲🍆 food guru 🥦🍅🥩!!
Her cookbooks take the hassle out of haute cuisine, empowering people to cook at home, and lead happier, healthier lives. 🍽🍷🍽
We talk book publishing during a pandemic, meal prep as meditation, and how to turn cooking from a pain in the a** to pure pleasure! 🥰
Enjoy, and get ready to start chef’ing! 👩🍳👨🍳
About Claire
Claire Tansey is a chef, teacher, and former Food Director at Chatelaine. She now focuses on inspiring home cooks with easy, fun, and delicious recipes and clever tips and tricks at Claire Tansey's Kitchen, on Cityline, the Toronto Star, and CBC Radio.
Buy her book here
OMG you guys - it’s December! 💫🎄🎅🎁🕎❄️💫
The last month (praise be 🙏) of what has been a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Year.
But, on a positive note: We did it! 🦸🏽♀️🦸♂️👏👏 We slogged through and are still kicking. And we feel like celebrating! 💃🍾🕺
Not ourselves though (for a change 🤣🤷♀️🤣).
No, this week’s episode of the 🎙4 AM Report 🎙is dedicated to the Unsung Heroes of Marketing.
🔥 The reporters.
🔥 Referrers.
🔥 And the ralliers!
You make us better content creators. You help us feel seen. And you’re always bringing the support. 🥰❣️😍
Marketers, stop for a minute – and show some love to the peeps who lift you up.
Have a listen to hear how.
It’s time for another episode of the 4 AM Report! What’s been keeping you up lately? 😴
The looming holidays? 🎁🕎🎄
Covid-19 cases rising? 🦠🛑🦠
Year-end approaching? 🗓🗓🗓
😱😬😱 2021? 😱😬😱
✅ Check ✅ check ✅ check. AND ✅ CHECK!
Let’s face it, this year, we’re all just muddling through, learning and adapting as we go. Us humans are pretty good at that. 🙏
💫🎉🙌 Team-building getaways and boozy lunches 🍷🍾🥃 might be over (for now 😭), but that just means taking a slightly different approach to your strategic planning. 🤯🔥⭐️
We mapped out seven key steps we’re taking, Covid-style, as we look toward 2021 and beyond.
They might not ALL work for you – so mix-and-match - and let’s all get prepped to kill it in 2021! 👏💥👏
Hello friends, it’s time for the third and final mini 4 AM Report in our series on the 3 Bs that are holding you back.
Today’s just might resonate with you the most: 🔥🔥🔥 BURNOUT!!! 🔥🔥🔥
If you’re NOT suffering from some form of burnout at the moment, well bully for you, Mr. Robot! 🤣🤖😂🤖
But we certainly are, and so are most of the peeps we chat with on the regular. 😭
🦠🦠🦠 Covid-19. Home schooling. Work-from-home. Money stress. Loss of rituals and routines. Keeping a business afloat. Did we mention Covid-19?? 🦠🦠🦠
This year has been a 💥DECADE💥 and yet, we all must keep going.
One big thing that helps in times of stress and uncertainty? Humour. Little moments of joy.
In this episode, we talk about injecting levity and laughter into your marketing.
You don’t have to be the 🤡🤡🤡 Court Jester 🤡🤡🤡 but don’t be afraid to have – and share - some fun!
Enjoy!
Ok, it’s time for “mini number two” of our 4 AM Report mini-series! ⭐️💫⭐️
We’re looking at each of the three Bs that might be holding you back when it comes to your content marketing, and today – its BANDWIDTH. 😭😭😭
Are you feeling a little stretched these days, when it comes to mental bandwidth? We are, that’s for sure.
🦠🦠🦠 Covid-19 🦠🦠🦠 has left us all stretched a bit thin (👈👈👈 understatement!) – servicing clients (YAY!), planning for 2021, finding the time to 📯 toot our horns 📯with our own content output.
It’s CRAY!!
BUT not impossible. The key is to start thinking differently about your content. 🤯🤯🤯
Still writing 500 words and hitting publish? 🛑 Stop that schizz! 🛑
In this episode, we dissect old-school blog posts, and explore the myriad ways you can hack content that goes beyond the written word! 📽🤳📹 🎤
Enjoy!
Hey friends, buckle up because it’s time for a special week of the 🎙4 AM Report! 🎙
Yup, you get three times the fun this week – mini-episodes that will run for three days 💫💥🎉💫
And while they may be mini – they’re still chock full of mighty Anchor Theory goodness to take your content marketing to the next level! 💪💪💪
Today, we look at the first of what we like to call “the three Bs” – issues holding people back from greatness – the dreaded BUDGET!!! 🙄💸💰😭
How does the Anchor Theory of content creation relate to budgets?
B*tch please. 🤣🤣🤣 We’ve spent the whole of November telling you how to create more with LESS!
Seriously though. All kidding aside. These are tough times. 🦠 🦠 🦠
That’s why we’re sharing our special sauce of how batch production equals efficient dollar usage!
As the great Moira Rose from Schitt’s Creek puts it: When one of us shines. ALL of us shine! 🌹
Enjoy!
Anchors aweigh!!! 🛳⚓️🛳⚓️
Ok. Admittedly, that’s a little lame. 😂😂😂 But we can’t help it if we’re excited to continue our series on the Anchor Theory!
Today, on the 4 AM Report, you’re going to learn how to 🌊🌊🌊 flood 🌊🌊🌊 your sales pipeline with anchor content! 🍾🥂🍾
We share:
💫 Why it’s time to ditch traditional sales funnels, and instead embrace the flywheel method.
💫 Steps to widen your network - and stay in touch with - the type of people you WANT to work with.
💫 How to pour that tsunami of anchor content into your sales pipeline without getting spammy!
💫 And how to use email effectively by knowing your audience, and only sharing anchor content they’ll appreciate.
Oh. And an added bonus? Google LOVES that 👆👆👆shizz. Like, a lot.
Enjoy!!
Wake up world, it’s time for the 4 AM Report! 💫🎉💫
Hard to believe we’re looking ahead to 2021 already, because GURL, this has been one long, MOFO year!!! 🤯🦠🍷🇺🇸🤯
But here we are. Still tickin’. ⏰ Today is all about the anchor theory of content marketing – and making your planning easy as 🥧🥧🥧!
How to take your anchor content and: Spin 👏 that 👏 thing 👏 into 👏 as many 👏 things 👏 as you 👏 CAN!! 👏
Think of the four formats:
❶ Written format
❷ Audio format
❸ Video format
❹ And, the graphic or image format
And use them all to expand upon your anchor piece.
Before you know it, you’ll be 🏊♀️ 🏊♀️ 🏊♀️ swimming 🏊♀️ 🏊♀️ 🏊♀️ in a river of content, creating SEO magic, and driving people back to your website!
#You’reAnExpert! 🤣 Have a listen for tips and tricks. And here’s to 2021! 🥂🍾🥂
Hello friends, it’s time for another episode of the 4 AM Report. 🎙🎉🎙
Did you know that being “people centric” as a business owner – when you INVEST in caring about your teams and helping your employees grow – results in 3x the revenue and sales versus those who view people as a commodity? 💵💰💵
Hilda Gan knows.
She’s President and Chief People Officer of People Bright Consulting, an HR management consulting firm that delivers customized HR solutions.
And she’s our guest this week!
We talk about:
💫 Building strong work cultures, and creating strong, healthy foundations with your people.
💫 How to face uncomfortable discussions head on.
💫 The power of the pivot (👈👈👈 UGH, there’s that word again! 🤣) when faced with unexpected change. 🦠😷🦠
💫 And knowing your company’s VALUES, and matching (‘ish) those values when hiring.
There’s lots to chew on in this episode, have a listen!!
About Hilda
The President and Chief People Officer of People Bright Consulting, her company, provides strategic Human Resources support to businesses, including recruitment, employee engagement, manager and team training and HR policies and procedures to organizations that recognize that People are their great asset. During COVID-19, she created a weekly webinar series, COVID-19 Tough Decisions for Business Owners, to help businesses navigate the complexities of managing the business and the impact on the employees.
A serial entrepreneur, she has built four companies – in Healthcare, HR, Management Consulting, and Engineering. The latter, she co-founded with her husband. iTRANS Consulting was an award-winning, national Engineering consulting Firm that was recognized as a Best Workplaces in Canada – top ten twice and a finalist in Canada’s Best Managed Companies. She was recognized by the BWNYR for her work in promoting HR literacy to the Businesses. She is the creator of the Connect with REVUP Program to help organizations build stronger teams, managers and work cultures through training, mentoring and coaching
Wake up, world - it’s time for the latest edition of the 4 AM Report! 🎙💥🎉🎙 This week, we talk about having a sense of humour. Or not. 😂🥴😂
Did you catch the latest brand kerfuffle over the weekend? Kraft (specifically KD Mac and Cheese) ruffled some feathers when, on National Noodle Day, they promoted a KD giveaway!
What could be better? Fall is here. Yummy mac and cheese goodness. Did we mention FREE??? 🤯💰🤯
The hiccup? Their tagline: Send NOODS. Get it?? Send noods. Noodles. Word play and all that!
Pretty funny right? Erm, no. 😬😬😬
Moms – the KD brand-buying moms - were furious at the wink wink, nudge nudge of “send noods.” This huge brand missed the mark when it came to who their audience is.
Want to try edgy humour? Start commenting on current events or hop on the latest trend? You HAVE TO know 👏 your 👏 audience 👏 – people are stressed, and tolerance is LOW!
Have a listen!
Hello friends, and welcome to the second wave of Covid-19!! 🦠🦠🦠 Ok, we kid, we kid, welcome to another edition of the 4 AM Report.
Wait. We DON’T kid! We ARE inching into the dreaded “second wave” and BOY are we not ready for this! 🤬
Rolling shutdowns are already occurring, and we’re thinking it’s going to be a long, cold winter. 🥶😷🥶
Our guest this week, Gini Dietrich, has been juggling a full household on lockdown while being the powerhouse behind umpteen numbers of properties nestled under the Spin Sucks brand.
She’s an author, featured speaker, and owner of a 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸Chicago based 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 PR/Marketing/Comms agency - plus super hilarious, ridiculously smart, and an all-around great person.
We talk:
🦠 Life during this looming second wave of Covid-19.
🤯 The emotional shift that comes with “Oh no. Not AGAIN!”
😴 Its impact on sleep…glorious, delicious sleep…why hast thou forsaken us??
💣 The “six-month wall” of burnout people hit when faced with uncertainty and upheaval.
🎉 Plus, when you do grab that elusive sleep, the incredible power of dreams!
Give yourself a mental health break and have a listen!
About Gini
Gini Dietrich is the founder, CEO, and author of Spin Sucks, host of the Spin Sucks podcast, and author of Spin Sucks (the book). She is the creator of the PESO Model and has crafted a certification for it in partnership with Syracuse University. She has run and grown an agency for the past 15 years. She is co-author of Marketing in the Round, co-host of Inside PR, and co-host of The Agency Leadership podcast.
Hey friends, it’s time for another episode of the 4 AM Report – where we explore what’s keeping marketers and business owners up at night! 🤯
We’re quickly ⏰ tick-tock’ing ⏰ our way into cold and flu season 🤒🤧🤒 and watching 🦠Covid-19🦠 cases increase across Canada.
HUGE ugh! But facts.
So, we thought it was a great time to do a bit of a mid-pandemic checkup for marketers with marketer extraordinaire Martin Waxman!
Our guest today, Martin Waxman, was here back in March, when the whole Covid thing had just launched us all into crazy-town! 🥴😬🥴
Basically, he’s the perfect person to chat with about what’s happened – and what’s next!
🔥 Why brand-consumer relationships are more important than ever before.
🔥 What to consider when mapping out goals for 2021 (er, or not!)
🔥 And how marketing has changed due to the pandemic, political unrest, and racial reckoning.
We’re super excited to have him back, so have a listen.
About Martin
Martin Waxman, MCM, APR, is a digital communications strategist, leads social media workshops, and conducts AI research. He’s a LinkedIn Learning author, president of a consultancy, and senior advisor to Spin Sucks, He’s also a past president of CPRS Toronto, a past-chair of PRSA Counselors Academy, and a member of the #AIinPR panel. Martin teaches social media at McMaster University, UToronto SCS, and Seneca College and regularly speaks at conferences and events across North America. He has a Master of Communications Management from McMaster-Syracuse Universities.
Oh. Hello October.
What has even happened to time??? 😆📆⏰😆
We’re on episode 66 of the 4 AM Report – and it feels like only yesterday we were celebrating our 50th! 🌟🎉🌟
Last week, we talked Kolbe – and this week, yes, we will wax profound about it AGAIN!! So much love. 💘💕💘
Our guest, Meredith Malloch, VP of Marketing and Communications at Investment Planning Council, swears by Kolbe, personally and professionally.
We talk:
🔥 The benefits of Kolbe when it comes to hiring.
🔥 How a mix of different people (rather than same) creates better teams.
🔥 And why conflict declines when managers can zero in on team members’ zones of genius.
It sounds a bit 🔮‘woo-woo hippy-dippy’ 🔮but it’s really not.
You’ll enjoy this one. Have a listen.
About Meredith
Since joining Investment Planning Counsel in 2000, Meredith Malloch has held progressive positions leading to her current position as Vice-President, Marketing. In this role, Meredith is responsible for enhancing the company’s reputation with stakeholders across the country and managing its brand. Day-to-day, she and her team of marketing, communications and event planning specialists focus on the design and delivery of innovative programs to help Advisors promote their brand in their communities and grow their businesses.
Hey, Super Friends! 🦸🏽♀️🦸♂️
It’s time for another 🎃🎃🎃definitely NOT pumpkin spiced 🎃🎃🎃episode of the 4 AM Report!
What is UP with all things pumpkin spiced? What’s next, pumpkin spiced wine? <<< Oh h*ll no!! 😂🍷🍷😂 (Steady on team…back to business. 🤣)
This week, we talk KOLBE. Have you taken a Kolbe test yet? It’s super cool - everyone on our team has done one.
Our guest this week, Laural Carr, founder and CEO of Toronto-based marketing firm Impagination, is also a Kolbe certified consultant.
Kolbe helps you:
🌟 Define the way you take action and your approach to productivity.
🌟 Understand your unique attributes as strengths.
🌟 And learn to leverage them to naturally ‘do more’ in every aspect of your daily life.
It sounds a bit 🔮‘woo-woo hippy-dippy’ 🔮but it’s really not.
What is IS, however, is a way to really home in on your and your staff’s zones of genius - AND then build crazy-complimentary teams! 🔥💥🔥
Have a listen.
About Laural
“When I was younger, I heard from teachers, family and friends that I should do things a specific way. Disappointingly, I started more things than I finished, experimented with shortcuts and always asked “Why”. Luckily, I found my path, achieved success solving problems that generated new business and accolades for my clients. The game-changer came decades ago when introduced to Kolbe. My Kolbe A Index revealed my natural talents, transformed my business and relationships and gave me the confidence to operate in my natural style. I want to help business owners and teams reduce stress, simplify business operations and confidently stand-out in the market. It starts with Kolbe.”
~ Laural Carr, Kolbe Certified Consultant, Founder of Impagination Inc.
Connect with Laural:
www.impaginationinc.com
Follow Laural Carr on Linkedin and Twitter
Follow Impagination on Linkedin and Instagram
Get awesome content and a free consultation at Impagination’s Kolbe Services web page – Activate Your Kolbe Advantage
Hey friends! Sleeping better in this lovely cooler weather? 🍁🍂🍁 We hope so, because we’re back with another episode of the 4 AM Report. 🌟💫🌟
Today, let’s chat about what’s keeping US up at night – this staggering statistic from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce:
Sixty percent of Canada’s restaurants could close by November due to the economic effects of 🦠🦠 Covid-19 🦠🦠!!
This 🍽😭🍽 culinary devastation 🍽😭🍽 is top of mind for this week’s guest, Stephanie Dickison.
Founder of Toronto Restaurants, she’s a food writer, journalist and an advocate for the Canadian restaurant industry.
We talk:
🍱 Supporting your local eateries.
🥙 The icky side of delivery apps.
🥩 Restaurant wage inequality and the “to tip or not to tip” dilemma of takeout.
🍔 And more!
Folks, we simply CAN’T lose upwards of 60% of our fabulous restaurants! Because once they’re gone, they won’t be back.
Have a listen. And support local!!
About Stephanie
An industry expert covering the Toronto restaurant scene for +15 years, the Founder of Toronto Restaurants is passionate about food and restaurants. In addition to daily articles and features, profiling top chefs and interviewing celebs, her Open/Closed column is a must-read every Thursday morning for the newest openings, and latest news + events. Previous positions include restaurant critic forMetro Newspaper and Dine.TO. There's additional info here and here.
Wake up world - it’s time for another edition of the 4 AM Report!! 🎙😴🎙😴
Danny Brown has worn many hats in his marketing career – consultant, executive, author, featured speaker, blogger, podcaster – seriously, the list is as long as your arm! 👏🤯🏆👏
His mantra? Deliver the best interactions for customers and audience at every touchpoint by:
💫 Being good people.
💫 Telling better stories.
💫 Being better businesses.
💫 And living better lives.
As he says, “After all, business comes and goes, but we only get one shot at being good people in life and in business.”
PREACH!!! ✊✊✊
We talk all of the above, plus podcasting, brand responsibility, craft beer 🍺🍺🍺and so much more.
The old 🍸🚬🥃👔 MadMen days of marketing are over, friends.
Have a listen.
About Danny
Danny Brown is a podcaster, author, marketer, and content creator. He's the author of 4 books, including The Little Book of Inspiration, and Influence Marketing, cited by Nielsen Bookscan as one of the Top 100 Business Books in America (co-authored with Sam Fiorella). When not hosting the show Podcaster Stories, that takes you behind the scenes to meet the voices of the shows we listen to, he can be found enjoying a quiet life in Muskoka, Ontario with his wife, two kids, and three dogs.
Connect:
Podcaster Stories
Newsletter
It’s time for another edition of the 4AM Report, and today we talk about the real harm caused by extreme social isolation.
We know that some of you - juggling work, family, kids, 24/7 these past 6 months – might gnaw your right arm off for a little “social isolation.” 😆🤣😆
But long-term social isolation – especially in an aging population – can have deleterious results.
✅ Cognitive decline and dementia.
✅ Depression.
✅ Increased risk of mortality.
And with a quarter of Canadian seniors living alone – that’s not great news. 😢😢😢
When this week’s guest began to worry about her own mom’s dwindling network – she founded a tech company to help!
Today, Charlene Nadalin is President and CEO of Amintro Inc., an online social platform that promotes social inclusion. AND it’s exclusively for adults 50+.
We are SO HERE for this! 🎉💫👏❤️ (whispers We’re next, y’all!)
It’s a fantastic interview, and with 75% of older adults actively online, it’s a kick in the pants for marketers and the like, who often forget about an entire segment of the population.
Enjoy!!
About Charlene
Charlene Nadalin is an award-winning entrepreneur; business development expert; and marketing and sales strategist. As the President and CEO of Amintro Inc., Charlene founded a social impact enterprise focused on reducing social isolation and loneliness. Built on the foundation that friendship and knowledge can empower older adults to live better, healthier lives, Amintro is a free, easy-to-use web application that connects adults ages 50plus interested in making new friends and sharing experiences in person; and provides marketers with a dynamic and digital platform where they can engage directly with this growing consumer market.
Is it hot where you are? 🔥🥵🍳 How’s your sleep? 😴💤😴
We’re struggling - but not complaining - because SUMMER! And summer/lack of sleep be damned – here at c+p digital the show never stops!
It’s time for the 4 AM Report – where we find out what’s keeping marketers up at night.
Today’s guest is one of our own, writer/editor Lindsay Bell.
🎙 Have you started a podcast lately?
🎙 Have you been thinking about starting a podcast?
🎙 Do you know anything about podcasts?
If you answered yes, yes, no (😂😂😂) to the above questions, you’ll want to tune in.
💥Discover the power of well written show notes!
💥Learn how to spin off REAMS of content from a single episode!💥
💥And soak up our very own writing tips, tricks, and tactics to help you get found on the God that is Google. 💥
Praise be.
Enjoy!!
About Lindsay
• Shared a smoke with Robbie Robertson. • Ditched 28 years in TO for life in her East Coast homeland.
• Wife/Mom/Music Fanatic
• READS ALL THE BOOKS A seasoned writer, editor, and content marketing consultant, Lindsay is a former television producer (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) with over 20 years of production experience who brought her knack for creating audience responsive content to the digital space in 2010. She focuses on digital content and editorial strategy, helping organizations improve upon and expand their digital footprint, as well as driving increased lead generation through storytelling. Her writing resume includes some of the top thought leaders and publications in the digital space, in both Canada and the United States.
Hello friends! 🥰 It’s time for another edition of the 4 AM Report! And today, we want to talk LOCAL!
With 🦠Covid-19🦠 still lurking (such a jerk!) and slow re-openings carefully occurring – there’s been a definite push everywhere to “think local.”
🛍 Shop local.
🍽 Dine local.
🏖 Vacay local.
And that’s a great opportunity for small to medium sized businesses to support each other and align together (where possible) to get through this next pandemic hump. 😬
Kerri Beaulieu is marketing manager at ClimateCare Canada, a cooperative of heating and cooling businesses.
Yes. A cooperative.
Back in 1992, they decided to work together, rather than be competitors. And they’re uniquely positioned to spread the message of “buy local.”
Listen and learn.
And be a local hero! 🦸🏽♀️🦸♂️🦸🏽♀️🦸♂️
About Kerri
Kerri Beaulieu is the Marketing Manager for ClimateCare Cooperative where she assists 28 heating and cooling businesses across Ontario to elevate their brand in their local communities. She brings her 15 years of marketing, market positioning and brand development experience in the investment industry, to help raise awareness of ClimateCare and its members, as customer driven HVAC companies that support their communities.
ClimateCare Canada is 100% member owned, and the largest cooperative of independent, locally-owned heating and cooling professionals in Canada.
Wake up world, it’s time for another edition of the 4 AM Report! ⏰🎙⏰🎙
This week, we’re going full-on meta, and doing a podcast about doing a podcast.
In fact, we’ll be doing a series of these, on how a podcast can easily become YOUR flagship marketing property, the 🎁gift that keeps on giving! 🎁
Spin 👏that 👏thing 👏into 👏as many 👏pieces 👏of content 👏as you 👏CAN!! 👏👏👏
⭐️ Social posts? ✔️
⭐️ Show notes? ✔️
⭐️ Blog post? ✔️
⭐️ Video content? ✔️
Keyword-rich written pieces help drive organic SEO. Which helps drive people to your website. Which helps drive people to get to know you. Which helps drive people to hire you! (well, in a perfect world! 😂)
And voila! Your original anchor property has provided real ROI.
We’re dishing out our special podcast sauce here, folks.
Have a listen!
Hello, fellow sleepless digital marketers! 😴 😴 😴
It’s time for another episode of the 4 AM Report, the podcast where we dig into the nitty-gritty of what’s keeping us all up at night!
This week, we spoke to Jackie Porter, an award-winning financial planner and author.
And since it feels lately like uncomfortable conversations are (finally!!! 👏✊✊👏) happening all around us, this episode includes uncomfortable – but needed – conversations with Jackie.
Naturally we talked money, specifically the hair shirt of shame many people wear when it comes to personal finances and wealth – whether you have lots or none at all - but we also dove into:
💥 Racism and social justice uprisings.
💥 Being a woman of colour with a voice in today’s world.
💥 And, the incredible strength that surges when people come together in community.
As Jackie said, “…all these different individuals who make up the world - gay, straight, people of different ethnicities - if we can have real conversations with one another, that's how we'll move forward as a nation. That's how we'll all be free.”
It’s a very powerful episode. Have a listen.
About Jackie
Jackie Porter is an award-winning financial planner who has been in the financial industry for the past 22 years serving thousands of families, established businesses, and professionals in the Greater Toronto Area. Her practice focuses on cash flow management and tax planning strategies.
Jackie is one of Canada’s most recognized financial planners. Her advice and financial strategies have been featured in top financial publications such as, Forum, Wealth Professional, Investment Executive and The Globe & Mail. Many have benefited from her sound and actionable financial advice offered at business conferences, radio interviews, podcasts and television programs such as CBC, Sun News and BNN. Jackie has also been awarded winner of the Mackenzie Investments Award for ‘Female Trailblazer of the Year’ category in the 2019 Wealth Professionals awards.
A random selection of social media posts (What? You expected science? 😂😂😂) show that a lot of you aren’t sleeping well these days.
Perfect timing for another episode of the 4 AM Report, exploring what’s keeping business leaders and marketers up at night! 😴
This week, we chat with Melissa Lloyd, founder and chief doodler at Doodle Lovely.
Doodles? 🎨🖌🖋✍️
H*LL YEAH! You know how much we love our white boards! And there is real science behind the power of doodling.
Whether you call it visual notetaking, sketchnoting, or graphic recording, it’s all about putting pen to something, and letting those creative juices flow!
As Melissa points out, we are all born with creativity. And yet, many if not most of us lose that natural urge to scribble.
Start today. Tear yourself away from your screens for five minutes. In fact, doodle while listening to this podcast episode!
Allow your mind to float, and your anxiety settle. 🧠 🧠 🧠
About Melissa
MELISSA LLOYD is an international Doodler, designer, teacher, author and inspirationalist. Her passion for creativity can be found globally on products, environments and in the hearts of those with whom she has connected.
Melissa combines her twenty plus years of experience in professional design and communication with her passion and connection to humanity, psychology, art therapy and mindfulness; infusing a deep understanding of self.
Melissa splits her time between mothering, creating, teaching and living in her little Cottage By The Sea. To discover more of Melissa’s work visit: doodlelovely.com
🦠 Covid-19 or no Covid-19 🦠 - marketers gotta market! And voila! 🎩 🎩 🎩
It’s time for another edition of the 4 AM Report, and today, we talk returning to the workplace!
We’ve been lucky during this lockdown, as we work from home on the regular. 🌟🌟🌟
But for many, returning to work will bring no amount of trepidation and anxiety! How should your reopening work? How much space-per-employee should you dedicate? How do you keep everyone safe?
We went straight to an expert for answers!
Today we have with us Kevin Steinberger, Program Director and Producer, Future Offices Conference Series at IQPC.
His job is to know the ins and outs of space utilization, leasing new technology, new sanitization measures, automation within design, etc. You name it, he knows it!
Through his research with global heads of real estate, workplace HR, and Fortune 500 brands he’s synthesized a safe return to the workplace to three main things: Safety, trust and productivity.
Have a listen!
About Kevin
Kevin Steinberger is responsible for developing global market research for corporate real estate, facilities and workplace teams across all industries of the Fortune 500. This research is used for advising tenants on next steps for their workplace strategy and real estate footprint, and additionally is used to develop the speaking content for the annual Future Offices conferences at IQPC. As the producer for these shows, Kevin brings together the highest level of research and content circling around people, place and technology to ultimately help enterprises develop their next generation workplaces.
You can also listen to the entire episode, as well as all our previous episodes, over on Apple Podcasts. We'd love it if you could subscribe give us a review!
If you're losing sleep over a particular marketing/business related problem during this Covid-19 economic uncertainty, or if you have a guest idea on the topic, let us know. Drop us a line at c+p digital.
And as always, sweet dreams…well, hopefully!
It’s time for another episode of the 4 AM Report, and folks - we’re halfway through 2020! Woohoo!! 🦠🎉🦠🎉 #ByeFelicia
This week, we chat with Dale McDermott, COO of Canada's LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce, about the impact of the LGBTQ+ community on travel and tourism.
For example, taking Pride 🏳️🌈 🏳️🌈 🏳️🌈 and the Pride Parade/Weekend virtual due to Covid-19, while super fun and well attended, left a massive economic hole in its wake.
How massive? Check these numbers from Pride/Pride Weekend, 2019:
🌈 1.7 million+ Pride Toronto attendees
🌈 $100,000+ donated to charity
🌈 A whopping $374 million to Ontario’s GDP
🌈 $149 million in tax revenue
🌈 And events directly supported 3,392 jobs
Dale talks about the LGBTQ+ traveler, and why it behooves those in the travel industry to give their marketing a shake, become more inclusive, and tap into what is, year-round, a $12 billion-dollar travel market. 💰💰💰
It’s the power of love, friends! 💞 💘 💞
Enjoy!
About Dale
Dale McDermott is Chief Operating Officer of CGLCC, Canada's LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce. Established in 2003, CGLCC is a trusted partner linking LGBT+ businesses in Canada to the wider business community.
Dale has held many leadership positions within not-for-profit organizations. Dale is a member of the Board of Directors of Canadian Club Toronto, Canada’s preeminent public affairs podium. He is a member of the Banff Forum, a network of young Canadian leaders from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors committed to reinvigorating debate in Canada about key public policy issues with the goal of building a better Canada.
Contact
dale@cglcc.ca
Wake up, world!! 🌎 🌎 🌎 ⏰ ⏰ ⏰
And welcome to a special Friday edition of the 4 AM Report! 🎙🎙🎙
Why Friday? Because we have a guest for you today who is SO special, we couldn’t wait until Thursday to share her with you!
This week, we're chatting with Eleanor Beaton (yes, we stan) and if you don’t know her – YOU SHOULD!
An award-winning journalist, speaker, executive coach and host of the Fierce Feminine Leadership podcast, she’s committed to unleashing the power of women's voices through business coaching and leadership development.
We talk all things juicy, including:
📣 The conversation around systemic racism and the global BLM protests, and the koff influencers who are definitely NOT getting it right!
📣 The importance of knowing your values and communicating same online without getting dragged.
📣 And how entrepreneurs MUST build their authentic voice before they bulldoze their way through social media.
Have a listen. You will LOVE it.
About Eleanor Beaton
Eleanor Beaton is an internationally-recognized expert in women’s leadership, and an advisor to growth-oriented women entrepreneurs. She has served as chair of the Visiting Women’s Executive Exchange Program at the Yale School of Management and sits on the board of directors of two Canadian venture capital organizations. She’s been recognized by the Corporate Excellence Awards as Canada’s Leadership Coach of the Year, and was named by entrepreneurial guru for women Ali Brown as “one of the foremost women’s leadership experts in North America.” Eleanor is the host and executive producer of a top-ranked podcast for women entrepreneurs, Fierce Feminine Leadership. A former journalist reporting for the CBC, Globe and Mail and Canadian Business, Eleanor was a finalist for a National Business Book of the Year, Canada’s top business book honour, and has won national prizes for her journalistic work covering key issues related to women in leadership. Eleanor has spoken internationally at events whose rosters include notables such as the former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She lives in Eastern Canada with her husband and two sons.
Website
Cheers to all you woke folk (literally and figuratively!) who are doing the hard work of fighting for equality and social justice for all! 🎉✊🌈
It’s time for the 4am report! June is Pride Month here in Canada - a celebration of LGBTQ-plus people, 🏳️🌈rainbows 🏳️🌈abound, (usually) parades and parties are had (thanks, Covid) 😭, and it’s generally a month of festivity and equality.
Except when it isn’t.
Which is why we wanted to talk to this week’s guest, Colin Druhan
The Executive Director at Pride at Work Canada, his mission is to hold people accountable when it comes to true inclusion for queer and trans people in the workplace.
The not-for-profit supports employers and their diversity and inclusion strategies, including:
🌈 Sexual orientation
🌈 Gender identity
🌈 And gender expression
This is extremely important work, because as Colin says, “You don’t change the system overnight.”
Have a listen. Because you WILL learn something.
About Colin
Colin joined Pride at Work Canada/Fierté au travail Canada as Executive Director in 2014. Since then, he has prioritized the extension of the organization’s reach outside of Canada's largest cities into a wide range of communities across the country.
Originally from Cole Harbour, NS, he has lived in Toronto for fifteen years, during which time he has consistently engaged with queer, trans and 2S communities through working and volunteering with organizations like The 519, the Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film & Video Festival and the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation. Connect with Colin on LinkedIn or email him at colin.druhan@prideatwork.ca.
Read Colin's writing for IN Magazine.
Wake up friends, because it’s time for another episode of the 4 AM Report! 🎙⏰🎙
While we are POOPED 💤💤💤from our recent “50th episode” 🎉🌟🎉celebrations, the show must go on!
Today’s guest is Neil Stephen, a brand communicator and CEO of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia’s This is Marketing.
What keeps Neil up at night 😬?
The economic viability of Atlantic Canada! 🌊 🐳 🌊(our resident fellow Maritimer/writer Lindsay Bell agrees!).
His goal as an entrepreneur? To create 1000 jobs in his part of Canada, by helping businesses succeed, then grow their employees exponentially.
We talk:
💥 Financial sustainability.
💥 Elevating your brand in times of crisis.
💥 Going toe-to-toe against corporate monoliths like Walmart and Amazon.
💥 And NASCAR! 🏎 🏁 🏎
What does NASCAR have to do with marketing? You’ll have to tune in to find out!
About Neil Stephen
Neil Stephen is a brand communicator and CEO of This is Marketing. Since 2015 Neil and his team have helped small business brands understand and speak with their unique voice on the path to growth. A graduate of StFX University, Neil brings 15 years of brand centric strategy to companies looking to grow and compete with bigger brands - keeping jobs and investment in Atlantic Canada.
- 🎉🎉🎉 Cue the ticker tape parade!! Cue the day drinking!! 🍾🥂🍷
Today, 🎙The 4AM Report 🎙hits EPISODE 50!
Ok. Last week we wanted to talk crisis comms, not birthdays (obvs!) and we published two extra episodes – but we labelled them “Episode 49.5 and episode 49 and three-quarters”! 😂
We make the rules. We break the rules. 🤘
💫 💫 💫 And we were NOT going to miss out on our celebratory 5-0! 💫 💫 💫
Ok, back to biz: Why should YOU create a podcast?
Because our podcast is literally 🎁 the content gift 🎁 that keeps on giving – pure gold that’s sliced and diced in myriad ways to flood our funnels and keep those conversions happening!
Sound appealing? Listen and learn.
🌟 Why the broadcast-only model is dead, and what that means.
🌟 How to use that content gold to help you connect with people online and drive real ROI.
🌟 Tips and tricks to have up your sleeve to help take your digital networking from 0 to 100!
🌟 Plus, when it’s appropriate to put the brakes on and adjust your messaging (see above re: crisis comms).
🌟 And why it’s KEY to let your personality be its own marketing sparkle-bomb! Like we do! (No 💩 eh? 😂)
Are we feeling pretty good about ourselves? Damn straight! 🙌 🙌 🙌
And that’s a mighty good feeling to have.
EXTRA EXTRA 🗞️🗞️🗞️
This episode started from a place of having seen one influencer voice after another, get it WRONG. And then come up with self indulgent apologies 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ which was not really serving their audiences.
Everyone from mayors and politicians, to influencers, business voices and large brands have walked on shaky ground this past week.
They're either being really quiet, conspicuously quiet and this time, or they're taking a mis-step and then trying to be defensive.
Nobody gives a shit! 💩💩💩
If you said it, deal with the consequences. And if you didn’t, deal with those consequences too….
So, that prompted a discussion that raised a question:
Is there a CRISIS 101 FRAMEWORK?
We broke it down into a few areas.
- Obviously stop, take that pause, reflect and consider.
- Re messaging! And we break that down for you a little bit in this episode; we talk about this a lot on our podcast. And it's funny that in the last three months, we've discussed re messaging more times than we care to remember! Crisis times!!!!
- Then we'll talk about the value of a team, you've obviously got yourself surrounded by some type of team if you have a voice in this moment. So really, where to use them, how to use them and what to think about.
- And then next, we'll go to backup plans. Shits going to go wrong. When it does, how do you default? I mean, a lot can be inferred about brands, from how they deal with things when it's not going to plan.
- And then finally, this is highly cliched, but the idea of values and the reason why Nike keeps coming up repeatedly in the news is because they really, really, really subscribe to a set of values.
We are in the middle of a crisis WITHIN a crisis. The words that you put out on your channels is your voice. You’re sharing what you or your brand feels and says. This can't be an impromptu, situation of ‘just dash something off’. You've got to really think and look to your team for advice. Sweat, the messaging you're putting out.
So yeah, don't wing it.
Listen to the full episode for details.
If our podcast masterclass is of interest, read on and the sign up is here: https://cp.digital/podcastmasterclass/
Not every medium is for everyone. We do try to cover a broad range at c+p digital. And if you're listening to us now, you know that we have this podcast.One of the things we're doing is helping others curious about exploring podcasting and communicating and getting their voice out via that method of communication.
We are planning a podcast three day kind of boot camp/masterclass. It is next week June 11 -13 (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday). It's free. And it's an hour each day. It's not a lot of time and we promise it'll be enjoyable, but it'll focus on branding and messaging, and the technical side of how to do it as well. It's for those of you who either already have a podcast and you're struggling with the messaging around it in this moment, or you've been thinking for a while about what the next infrastructure piece is.
But even beyond the podcast, have a think about what medium suits you.
We often hear things like, ‘I don't like to go on video and I feel like I should be going on video.’
Don't let the FOMO get to you.
If you're not a video person, ignore it.
If you're not a podcast person, ignore it.
Find your medium.
Everybody has one.
If that means just posting an image with a commentary on an image then more power to you just do it with your voice!
Today is a special short but important episode of the 4 AM Report.
Those of us of a certain age remember the Rodney King trial verdict and the resultant L.A riots.
Twenty-eight years later, and frankly, little has changed. America is righteously burning. Due to pain, rage, fear, and frustration.
Protests are happening globally. And for marketers, it’s time to stop, drop, and roll, and put the brakes on your campaigns.
🛑 STOP: Press pause on your marketing, lest something tone deaf or tasteless goes out.
🛑 DROP: Drop all your current marketing plans and re-assess all your content. Scheduled social posts, email campaigns, etc.
🛑 ROLL: Once you’ve got a grip on what’s happening and how you can contribute respectively and supportively roll with it.
Now’s the time to be extra sensitive. People are crying out for justice. Don’t be the brand that shoves the metaphorical middle-finger in their faces.
Welcome to another edition of the 4 AM Report – and today, we chat about what’s keeping US up at night?
🎉🎉🎉 EXCITEMENT 🎉🎉🎉
We’re fast approaching a milestone – we’re soon turning ONE! Thursday after Thursday – and we haven’t missed a beat!
Watch this space for celebrations and frivolity (we’re actually pretty good at frivolity 🍷🕺💃🍷)!
Because we’re a year old soon, we thought it was the perfect time to share some info on how to get high ROI out of your content.
Today you’ll hear about:
🌟 Engagement
🌟 Amplification
🌟 Consistency
🌟 The Humblebrag
🌟 And of course, the almighty dollar
Because while this has been fun, we’re not doing it just “for” fun. 😉
Listen in for all the buzz!
How are your sleeps going now that Covid-19 is entering a new phase of cautious rule-loosening? 🦠😴😱🦠
Hopefully slightly better – because it’s time for another edition of the 4 AM Report! 🍷🥃🍷
This week Will and Susan chat about investing in an often-overlooked part of small biz infrastructure – human resources!
What better time, really, when the work-world is upside down!
Guest Helen Patterson helps businesses grow by creating people strategies, and heart-centered, high-performance cultures.
You’ll learn:
🌟 The importance of having HR policies in place BEFORE the scramble starts.
🌟 Why the hiring process isn’t the best use of time for a busy entrepreneur.
🌟 And why compassionate and humane leaders who treat staff with respect will sail through any crisis.
Let’s face it, it’s your people who are helping your company thrive.
And right now, during these crazy times of economic uncertainty – to thrive is to survive.
About Helen
As the Founder of Life Works Well, Helen Patterson brings 20 years of passion and experience to creating high performance heart-centred cultures that deliver proven results and increased revenues. She is known for leading National firsts and has increased market share and brand awareness by up to 400%. She’s also helped these companies with millions of dollars in cost-savings through innovative people strategy and risk mitigation.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lifeworkswell/
Twitter: @HMPatterson19
Instagram: @HMPatterson19 and @lifeworkswell.ca
Website: lifeworkswell.ca
Upending a Successful Business to Follow Your Passion? That’s NUTS! Or IS it?
It’s time for another edition of the 4 AM Report ⏰ ⏰ ⏰ – our micro podcast bringing you valuable conversations with smart people on the marketing dilemmas keeping them up at night. 😱 😱 😱
Today’s guest is Sandra D’Souza, Founder and Managing Director of Sandstone Solutions Group.
As an experienced business professional with over 20 years’ experience in senior finance and recruitment roles, Sandra shifted the focus of her very successful business – going from a comfortable money-making space, into new uncharted waters! 🌊 🌊 🌊
Very BRAVE! 👏 👏 👏
That said, it’s not surprising that what keeps her up at night is breaking into a new audience segment and making those solid connections we all strive for in order to grow. 🌱🌱🌱
We talk about upending your tried and true business networks, what it’s like to feel like a “newbie” while dipping your toes into a new sector, and what it’s like to start again from scratch (sort of).
Settle in, press play, and be prepared to hear about one marketer’s deep dark nightmares! 😬
About Sandra D'Souza
Sandra D’Souza is the Founder and Managing Director of Sandstone Solutions Group and The Make Good Project. Sandstone Solutions Group is a boutique search firm dedicated to providing executive search and interim management solutions to companies across all sectors. We help progressive, growth-oriented companies recruit the team they need to get to the next level. Through The Make Good Project, we help forward thinking Non-Profits and Social Enterprises streamline their staffing and operations to help them be as profitable and efficient as possible so they can continue to do good things in the world.
Website
Sick and Tired of Non-Stop Bad News? Get Ready to Be Covid Inspired!!
Hello friends and welcome to a special edition of the 4 AM Report! 😴
Ugh. The news-cycle these days is brutal. And as if 2020 couldn’t get any worse – we now have Murder Hornets!! Murder. Hornets. Ugh.
So, rather than wonder what’s keeping you up at night – we’ve decided to shift focus and bring you ALL THE GOOD NEWS!
Today, we explore some really exciting and innovative things companies are doing to stay in business and 🦠🦠🦠 survive Covid-19! 🦠🦠🦠
We focused on four categories:
👩🔬 The all-in, boots to the ground, search for a vaccine!
💅 Health and lifestyle/beauty (Hello! Remember haircuts?)
🎾 Sports
💻 And technology
We could all use a few more smiles these days. And some reassurance that all is not lost.
Enjoy!
We’re All Collectively Grieving
There’ve been many many articles about the strangeness we’re all going though right now – and most agree that the emotional discomfort you're feeling right now is grief – grieving a loss of life and liberty on many levels for many people, whether it's jobs or you know, something much less, like damaging to your financial bottom line, whatever it is. Everyone's feeling that loss and that pain in this moment and understanding that, is part of emotionally intelligent self-responsibility, isn't it?
We’re absolutely NOT saying that each and every one of us who runs a business has to jump in and be doing something awesome. For many of us, it’s just too much pressure on top of everything else. But if there was inspiration out there, it's only going to come to you if you seek it. So, we really wanted to dedicate this post (and the podcast) to the entrepreneurial spirit and doing whatever it is you have to do to – that takes you to the next step and keeps you from jumping off those cliffs!
And by leading today, you'll be a leader tomorrow when this all ends. Because it will end. Eventually.
The Search for a Vaccine
“The first example is, as I said, this company called Serum Institute. They're in India, and this particular company is an independently owned company that manufactures like a significant amount of the global sort of serums and vaccines. Notably, they were involved with the Oxford University malaria vaccines as well as Ebola vaccines. So, this company approached Oxford University because they had previously worked with them, and asked for rights to be able to help them (in their vaccine search). They've taken a bet on the first fact that it's going to work, and they've made improvements or changes or whatever it is to their machinery. And in addition to that, and this blows my mind, they're preparing to produce about 60 million units of this vaccine at their own cost. They'll obviously sell it if it's viable. But they've promised to keep it at affordable prices. This is like to me, not only like extreme visionary behavior, spotting those opportunities, cutting through red tape, India's not an easy country in which to have things like this happen, right? Doing all of that, but also like putting your money where your mouth is, like, it's straight up, like sticking your neck out and being like, you know, what, if someone loses their head, it's me.”
Honey, Your Roots are Showing
“Even like places where you go and get your hair done, hair salons, are doing virtual consults and helping people cut their hair digitally. Two of my friends go to a higher end hair salon to have their roots and hair touched up. And they were doing delivery where you could get the actual same product your hair stylist uses with instructions. And you know, it was good stuff because you had to use it up in 24 hours or went bad. But it was the exact same stuff you used in the salon. I mean, obviously, you don't have the wonderful professional doing it for you. It's probably still not gonna be as good, but still allowing you to use those same products and get this almost the same, the same type of results. So yeah, it's just pretty amazing what people are doing to still make sure they have some cash flow coming in the door.”
Wimbledon Rolled the Dice – And WON!
“Apparently in 2003, after the SARS outbreak had come and gone – they thought they should consider pandemic insurance. And I guess they went with it. And then kudos to whoever that company is who, who a pitched them and suggested it and came up with that strategic plan and got it approved. It's phenomenal. Think about that now, like 17 years later, that is the best decision of the Wimbledon, you know, events life because they were just paid out $141 million on pandemic insurance. And this is what like, I mean, we obviously don't know the industry deeply, but what we're reading is that this is likely to probably change the way in which insurance is delivered forever. This is one of those like milestone moments.”
Thank You, Technology
“But a couple of examples of people who are shining in this moment. I think it's the delivery apps of different types, whether it's the food delivery apps or The, you know, the grocery delivery apps, we've had people panic buying groceries, obviously for a while now. And we've used apps, I guess I personally have been using instacart to have my stuff delivered for a couple of years. And in this moment, we've had a few things go wrong, you know, but I knew they've been doing their job, and it's been going well, so we reached out and customer service came back every single time saying, ‘Here's your money back. So sorry, we screwed that up.’ And that's kind of what you remember, like, you know, when the customer service actually delivers the promise that you made while you sold?”
Now get yourself over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe to us – you won't regret it!
Plus, if you're losing sleep over a particular marketing/business related problem during this Covid-19 economic uncertainty, or if you have a guest idea on the topic, let us know. Drop us a line at C+P Digital.
And as always, sweet dreams…well, hopefully!
Remember the great Aretha Franklin’s hit 🎶Who’s Zoomin’ Who? 🎶
Well, lately it appears we’re ALL Zoomin’ someone, often multiple times a day.
During this 🦠 pandemic lock-down 🦠 Zoom has become the video conferencing provider of choice.
That’s why, on this week’s episode of the 4 AM Report, we’re bringing you top talk with a video expert!
Janine Harris is the executive producer at Keyring Media Inc., specializing in video for business.
She shares:
📹 Tips and tricks for looking fine 💅 on camera.
📹 How to jazz 🎷up 🎷 your surroundings so people are focussed on YOU!
📹 And how to use video, in general, in your marketing efforts.
All that, PLUS a special surprise (hint: it involves ukuleles)!
Let’s get started, shall we!
Video Killed the Radio Star
Video might have killed the radio star, but it ALSO provided many (if not most) of us the ability to continue working during these crazy, Covid times. It’s also added a valuable extra layer to marketing efforts, if done right.
According to a recent Hubspot survey, “…92% of marketers who use video say that it's an important part of their marketing strategy — the highest percentage of any year since 2015.”
BUT - if you’re adding simple DIY video to your campaigns this year – it better look good. The average consumer will spend more than 80 percent more time on your site if it has video – but will surely bounce if it’s crap.
Let’s take a look at some of what video expert (and executive producer) Janine Harris had to say about video – both in office – AND in your marketing efforts.
A Checklist to Help You Up Your Zoom Conferencing Game
“Lighting is one of them. The first thing that we always look at in video production is how well can we see you. So many people's offices, home offices are set up with their back against a window. And you just see this halo of dark face and you can't see them at all. I think setting up a situation where you've got some decent lighting, and it can be as simple as just turn your desk around, face your window. And the difference is unbelievable, you get this beautiful glow a light on your face, and it's perfect. You really don't have to stress too much more beyond that.”
“The second one, probably for me is the positioning of the camera where you know, a lot of people are on laptops, and that camera is pointing up to us, or you see the face where they're right at the bottom of the screen and there's all this headroom above them. So, you want to put your best foot forward. I'm not saying you have to dress up or do anything like that, but you should have should be easy for people to watch you and they shouldn't feel awkward, you know?”
“Third. Backdrop. There's so much you can do. When I moved from my office into my home office, I took over what was essentially a storage space. I set up my background with camera equipment and my ukuleles, because I love playing ukuleles and most clients who knew me know that we play ukuleles around the office from time to time. And I collect keys, so they went up on the wall and just things that reflect me! Also, my favorite - a strike of color on the wall, it could be an art print or it could be some fabric. The worst thing to me is the white wall. I think a little bit of perspective, a little bit of personality behind you is a good thing. I have some fun with it.”
DIY Video Marketing
“There's nothing wrong with DIY videos. I'm seeing so many people doing great stuff with zoom, and just with their webcam or their phone. But for some people, they do need to take it up a notch to get above the noise. So, I've got a few clients who are producing content on their phone. And what we've done is created an animated opening and closing just to help make a cohesive brand for them. They're shooting their videos, and we package them with this opening and closing, it's super affordable, but it ups their game.”
On the Power of Video to Help Build – or Maintain - Relationships
“People are leaning towards video to create connections. They don't even have any FaceTime in person, with people and their employees, especially the larger organizations of companies that have offices across Canada. They have no FaceTime. There's a reason Why the Prime Minister is on video every day giving us updates. They're not just putting an article out in the newspaper, right people, people appreciate that human connection. And so, we are so lucky if you think about it, if this had happened 10 years ago, we wouldn't have had the technology to have this FaceTime with all these people. And I don't mean FaceTime the product, but I literally mean, being able to get on Zoom or Skype or whatever you're using.”
About Janine
Janine Harris is a Producer, Director and Editor with a passion for telling stories. With over 20 years experience developing and producing for commercial, television series and documentaries, she brings broadcast skill and technique along with web strategies to telling the stories of business.
From marketing videos to training videos, Janine works with small and mid- size organizations through to large Companies to help them communicate, educate and engage their stakeholders with video.
Now get yourself over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe to us – you won't regret it!
Plus, if you're losing sleep over a particular marketing/business related problem during this Covid-19 economic uncertainty, or if you have a guest idea on the topic, let us know. Drop us a line at c+p digital.
And as always, sweet dreams…well, hopefully!
Time’s kind of making its own rules up these days, eh? ⏰ 🥴 🦠 🗓
Well, you can count on knowing it’s Thursday – because we’re back with The 4 AM Report, your weekly dose of late-night insomnia! 😴 😴 😴
And we’re excited to introduce you to Scott MacMillan, President and Executive Publisher at Grammar Factory Publishing.
Be honest. We’ve all thought at one time or another “I should write a book!”…right?
Or, maybe you’re looking at the screen cock-eyed right now wondering why a business owner/entrepreneur should put the work in and get a book out?
Here’s why – of those who wrote a book:
📕 86% of them grew their business.
📗 72% got speaking engagements.
📘 And 34% saw their overall earnings double!
Being published gave them authority and helped them stand out from competitors.
So, if you’re curious about self-publishing, put your feet up and have a listen.
For those of you who prefer the “skim” technique, scroll down for some snippets from Scott!
The ROI of Writing a Business Book
“(Of those who wrote books) some were just for the exposure. And the majority of them, you know, two thirds got media exposure of some kind, whether it be online, radio, TV, newspapers, or what have you. So, if we if we step back and think about these outcomes, what a book did for these entrepreneurs anyway, was give them a differentiator that their competitors didn't have and couldn't quickly replicate. Gave them authority signals that allowed them to raise their rates and be more selective around choosing which clients to work with. You know, it opened doors with media and event organizers and strategic partners who could help them achieve their business goals. And you know, what isn't captured in the survey - what I know anecdotally - is that the book asset provides these benefits in a scalable way. So, you write it once, and then you leverage it in your business. And while you have to work it alongside with your business, it keeps doing his job 24 seven, right, anytime, anywhere, whether you can be there or not.”
Me? Write a Book?? Come On!!
“The reality is, you know, any of us who are in business, we've got something to offer our clients, right. If we didn't, we wouldn't have a business. And the key to writing an effective book, a book that supports your business and grows your business, is converting that proprietary knowledge, proprietary approach expertise, converting that into an IP asset that gets into book form. And you know, what's really great about that is that it reflects the way you do your business. And, you know, you're no way an imposter because you're being authentic to the way that you work every day. And I think that's where a lot of people get hung up. But that's really the solution - if your book captures that, that uniqueness and those novel ideas, then you really have something that is of value to people. And generally speaking, the ideal reader of your book is the same as the ideal client for your business. And that's where the two really come together and really work together.”
Short. Sharp. Shocked.
“I would say that writing styles for books have become more informal, a little bit more ‘user friendly’. The caveat to that is the expectation when somebody's reading a book is a bit higher than what they feel when they're reading an article online. So, you know, grammatically, it still has to follow the general rules, right? But, you know, not those same strict rules that we would all have learned in school. If it has the intended effect to help you relate with the reader. It's really about understanding who your reader is, how they talk, and writing in a way that is going to impact them and move them. I think the other thing that is happening is the length of books is getting a bit shorter. You know, a nonfiction book 10 years ago might have been, you know, 400 pages, let's say. Most of the books that we publish now are somewhere between two to three hundred pages. Some are as short as 100 pages and, you know, I think that's probably a direct reflection of attention spans. And the fact that for these types of books in particular, people aren't reading them to be entertained right there. They're reading them for an outcome and the quicker you can deliver that outcome, the more value you're delivering.”
If you’re thinking of writing and publishing a book to help elevate yourself in the business space, Scott might just be the guy to make that happen for you!
About Scott
Scott MacMillan is President & Executive Publisher at Grammar Factory Publishing, a Toronto-based professional service publisher that has helped more than 200 entrepreneurs write and publish books that build authority and grow businesses.
Hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s episode - now hop on over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe to us – you won't regret it!
Plus, if you're losing sleep over a particular marketing/business related problem during this Covid-19 economic uncertainty, or if you have a guest idea on the topic, let us know.
Drop us a line at C+P Digital.
And as always, sweet dreams…well, hopefully!
Well aren’t you all lucky ducks! 🦆 🦆 🦆 This week, with the current calamity that is Covid-19, we’re bringing you two episodes of The 4 AM Report!
There's a lot of noise about what we should be doing. So we’re keeping our episodes short and sweet 🍭 🍭 🍭 - delivering lots of marketing and comms advice that you can use today!
Today? We talk strategy. When all this broke, we put the brakes on:
🦠 Immediately stopped everything we were doing for every client.
🦠 We paused the calendars and ALL automation.
🦠 And looked at our strategic process - rinsing through every step with this new COVID lens.
That strategy? We call it the five degrees of simplification – AKA “The Toddler Method” – and there’s a special “Toddler” workbook available you can download for free.
And when we say free, we mean free, like - free free - like not even your email required! 😂
This is something we’ve been talking about a lot with this pandemic – that businesses – where they can – should be un-gating any content that would help other business owners and entrepreneurs get through this chaos. So yes – we’re snorting our own blow.
Have a listen – and get ready to re-jig your strategy (if you haven’t already!).
Or, continue reading for a few quick tips!
The Toddler Method
“The Toddler Method (Five Degrees of Simplification) kind of has its origins in my little girl who is nine years old right now. But when she was a toddler, she helped me simplify most things by asking the question “Why?” a lot. A LOT. That's why they call it the terrible twos - they keep asking why it’s annoying! LOL And most parents, like make jokes about it or try to stem that. I think it comes from a deep need they have to understand “What is the simplest version of this message?” So, we decided to go with that. And we ask ourselves “why” a lot when we're trying to do anything, and we really think that has value in the moment, about defining that compelling reason why you need to continue to communicate amidst the noise WHILE making sure that your audience understands it.”
“The workbook is an 11-step strategic process. It takes you from start to finish and is a really, really good exercise to go through when you have the time. We're just going to pull out five parts of that to talk about just for the sake of timing, and we don't want to overwhelm you. The very first thing that we recommend - before you get into strategy even- is to a content audit. Everybody knows what a content audit is. Go through your library of content, things you've created, things you've produced, podcasts you've done, go through everything, and put anything that you feel is relevant and helpful to your audience right now in a little figurative box. And maybe those things need a little tweaking, maybe they're old, maybe you need to have a copywriter. Maybe write something up to make sure it's clear why this is relevant to the audience now during this time, but you know, you don't need to go and reinvent stuff, probably most of you have a lot of great, great content already produced, you just need a way of repurposing it a bit for these times.”
“You've been marketing to this 40 year old mother of three: you know what she does for work, you know what she does after work. You know what she likes to do with her friends, you know what her kids’ activities are, you know, you’ve planned that whole thing out. You still want to market to that 40 year old mother of three. But her life is turned upside down right now!! She's trying to do work at home. She's trying to keep the kids busy. She's trying to think of educational activities for them to do she's probably going a little bit insane. Are you going to be messaging to your audience the same way? I don't think so. We definitely aren't. So, you know, have some empathy here and think right now about your audience -because what they want might have changed a little bit right now.”
There’s much more in the podcast, including how to think about competitors, and why it’s so important to have your messaging ON POINT during these difficult times. We hope you enjoy!
Now get yourself over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe to us – you won't regret it!
Plus, if you're losing sleep over a particular marketing/business related problem during this Covid-19 economic uncertainty, or if you have a guest idea on the topic, let us know. Drop us a line at C+P Digital.
And as always, sweet dreams…well, hopefully!
WAKE UP EVERYONE!! Oh, who are we kidding – no one’s sleeping that much these days, amiright??
Covid-19 has caused us to shift gears slightly – especially here on The 4 AM Report. This week we continue the trend – to help you cut through the clutter of information on what you should be doing with your marketing during this time of crisis.
Here’s one tiny tip you can put into play immediately - especially if you are pushing out content to “help” businesses get through these crazy-turbulent times.
DITCH THE DREADED OPT-IN BUTTON
We get it. It’s lead generation. List building. BUT if you’re promoting and sharing your wealth of information – no matter your industry – as a “good deed” – then requiring an email address to access it?
Guess what? That’s not a good deed. In fact, it’s more than a little tone deaf.
And if for some reason you can’t un-gate something (which I guess happens) – at the very least DO NOT bombard people with follow-up emails.
I get it. We’re all adjusting to this thing that’s turned the business world upside down. And that’s why it’s never been more important to get it right.
Listen in for more on opting OUT of opt-ins in times of crisis. No email required.
Or, scroll down and keep reading for some snippets from the podcast.
To Opt-In, Or Not To Opt-In – That is the Question
“Great, I got the free guide. In a normal world, I'd be hit with another email from that person's funnel a few days later, saying, ‘Hey, did you really enjoy the guide? Well, if you enjoyed that, then you should try this and this…’ you know, it's that funnel to make the sale. So, it goes to the automation doesn't it? It's like not everyone like two or three weeks into this pandemic has modified their automated funnel. If you sign up to get these free things, you're instantly going to get hit with what might be potentially off color, automated sequences, pushing for the sale. And here's the thing if you want to keep your gated opt-in going, then give it some context, maybe the landing page it lives on, you need to acknowledge why this opt-in is relevant and why you think this audience should have it now, AND why you're not able to remove the email wall to get it and just have it as a free download. Or adjust the follow-up email - write some little copy to go like ‘Listen, this was a no strings attached thing. I’m not going to be harassing you for the sale!’ So, there's ways to still have the opt in especially if you can't turn it off. Tweak the materials around it, tweak the email landing page, tweak the email that delivers the opt-in, there's lots of stuff you can be doing to be a little less tone deaf around all this.”
“Right! The easy changes are the text changes. You can even put a banner just across the top of the landing page - we did one of ours - just a little block at the top explaining why we thought this was relevant now and why we were ungating this. The landing page and all the information stays the same because that's the good information that explains what the download is about. But I just put like a little update bar at the top of one of our pages and I think that suffices. Also you might want to be reassuring people if they do still have to give their email that, perhaps by giving their email, they're just going on to a list where you send out only things that are helpful for your business right now, you know, via that email, it could be like, ‘if you sign up for this, we're going to be sending you one resource a week to help you keep your business on track or something, feel free to opt out.’”
How to Track the Love Without an Opt-In Button
“We've been trying for a while to figure out what can be a compelling case for how to track things if you don't have people's email. How do you know who's consuming ads? You know? And that's the hard part. Do we have a compelling answer? Well, possibly not. But there's some things you can be looking at like, how long was someone on a page? If you did send an email out about it? Did they go to that page? So, you know, there's going to be ways for you to track and see if it is still something that people are interested in.”
“Okay, look at clicks, for example, like, often we find that if you send out a thing, people will read the thing. They may not click through on your call to action. If people are clicking on a free call to action, then that's a good thing. Like Will said, time on page clicks, as well. Where does the traffic coming from? If all of your traffic is coming in from Facebook, you don't actually know who those people are because you don't have their emails. But that's an opportunity to step up your outreach on Facebook. So yeah, essentially, as far as we're concerned, experiment with the option in this moment, if there's information out there that you can provide, which you're already providing it for free one thing that we would say is explore the word free, like, make something completely free and see how that works for you. If the traffic spikes on the back end, you know, we're not playing!!”
Now get yourself over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe to us – you won't regret it!
Plus, if you're losing sleep over a particular marketing/business related problem during this Covid-19 economic uncertainty, or if you have a guest idea on the topic, let us know. Drop us a line at C+P Digital.
And as always, sweet dreams…well, hopefully!
Welcome to part two of our cracking double header week – it’s The 4 AM Report!
With Covid-19 gallivanting around the world causing no amount of uncertainty and economic chaos, we’re shifting gears here and being proactive with our content!
This week we’ve brought you two brilliant financial minds to share their thoughts for business owner and entrepreneurs on staying fiscally solvent throughout this crazy crisis! If you missed part one, you can check it out here.
Today’s guest is Colleen O'Connell-Campbell, lead of O'Connell-Campbell Wealth Management at RBC Dominion securities. We’re talking about:
🌟 The importance of communicating with your financial advisor directly in times like these.
🌟 How to step away from things you can’t control, and focus on what you CAN.
🌟 Why it’s never been more important to be able to adapt and pivot quickly.
🌟 And how to ensure decisions aren’t driven by fear or panic (or BOTH!).
So grab a beverage and have a listen. Then let us know what you think!
And if you’re more of a ‘skimmer,’ scroll down for some snippets from the podcast.
Consider the Source
“Most people recognize right now that there's not a lot they can do if they've got a long-term portfolio, but they're scared. And there is uncertainty. And, you know, it's the health scare and you know, like the ripple effect of the day to day changes and health and it's just everything. It's very, very, very overwhelming. And you know, I'm not immune to it myself. I mean, I am just like my clients. I'm just like everyone else, even though I'm also giving financial advice. So, the approach that I've taken is, I've said to myself, what do I need? What do I want to hear? And essentially what I need to know are the real facts, and getting them from, you know, reliable and sound sources. Like, go right to your major financial institution, don't go to your friend down the street, go right to your financial advisor and talk to them. Find out how this changes your plan, or does it change your plan? I got on top of it right away that first week we had quite a bit of turmoil in the stock market. My outreach has been about you know, relating on a very personal level, and then let's, let's keep calm and make informed decisions if we do make changes.”
Draw Deep from Your Genius Pool
“You know, we all started somewhere, putting one sock on at a time and then likely bootstrapping our business. It's resilience, and it's looking back to some of the things that we needed to do when we were in startup mode. We are creative, and we find solutions to things. Right now, we're like stuck in the mud, it feels like quicksand. But I truly, truly believe that we're ingenious. And we are going to, we are going to get through it. In the meantime, we need to keep our, you know, our mental state healthy. And that's, you know, also maybe stepping away from the things you can't control and looking at the things that you can control. If you sit and watch the media all day long, I mean, you're watching what you have no control over. Right? You're just you're watching it happen to you. And as business owners, let's face it, day in and day out we're making decisions. And those decisions are things that you can control. Let's look at our businesses and let's look at the things that we can control.”
Keep Your Eye on the Money Prize
“I think you know, one thing - as a business owner and even as an individual is to take a deep breath and look at the numbers. And, you know, I would say that if you look at your numbers, and you're really, really worried and even if you're not really, really worried, like, if you think you're good, it's also absolutely a great time to be reaching out to all your suppliers, your financial institutions, whatever and having a conversation. Like, don't put your head in the sand and worry that because you don't have control over worry. Look at your numbers, inform yourself and inform the people around you. Because everybody's in this together right now, right? Look at where your liquidity is. Because things are unknown. So, where can you access cash to keep things moving along, whether it's your payroll, or, you know, other obligations that you have. Or, should you be using that liquidity to double down on strategies that are really needed right now serve your audience - really needed right now and are actually going to help you grow your business. And, you know, for some people that might leave a bit of a sour taste, but if you've got something of value that is going to help somebody else right now, then, you know, step up to the plate and be a leader and put it out there to help everyone else move forward.”
We hope you enjoyed our special two-parter offering “financial business advice during a pandemic” ( Ok, just WRITING those words was so surreal!) – for more from Colleen check out the entire podcast!
And get yourself over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe to us – you won't regret it!
Plus, if you're losing sleep over a particular marketing/business related problem during this Covid-19 economic uncertainty, or if you have a guest idea on the topic, let us know. Drop us a line at C+P Digital.
And as always, sweet dreams…well, hopefully!
About Colleen
Colleen O'Connell-Campbell, lead of O'Connell-Campbell Wealth Management at RBC Dominion Securities, specializes in building and strategizing financial plans that optimize how entrepreneurs, self-made millionaires, & wealthy families spend save, and share their wealth. She publishes a weekly blog and speaks regularly as an expert in areas relating to wealth management and entrepreneurship.
Website
Welcome to another edition of The 4AM Report – our weekly look at what’s keeping us marketers and fellow business peeps awake at night.
I don’t know many getting great sleeps these days – what with the Covid-19 virus, social distancing, and (lord helps us) some of us having kids at home 24/7!
Hence, we’ve shifted our focus a bit these past few weeks – and want to talk about the things affecting small businesses and entrepreneurs right now.
BONUS!!! This week is also a 4AM Report double header – two exceptional guests will share tips on how to stay financially sound during this crazy time!
Today, our guest is Wendy Brookhouse, founder of Black Star Wealth and quite simply a brilliant business mind!
We talk:
- How businesses can tweak financials to ride out this storm
- Steps to reduce the amount of money you need each month to run your company
- And things to think about as we look to the future – because this too shall pass!
Press pause on the stress and worry and have a listen !
Or if you prefer, read on for some tidbits from the full podcast.
Time for A Quick Self-Audit
“Step one, take a look at your current expenses. Take a look at your subscriptions. This is an area in particular where I find we can all get a little out of control because we sign up for the free 30 days. And next thing you know, it's been on our credit card for months, and we totally don't even know why we used it, or maybe it made total sense to subscribe six months ago, but now your business has pivoted so you don't need it anymore. It's really important to go through line by line all of our expenses and see what’s still needed.”
Tighten the Personal Belt
“We could also be looking at how we can cut our expenses on the personal side - if you can reduce those expenses, you can reduce the amount you actually have to take into the company to support your life - which may allow both of them to proceed for a longer period of time. The first place to start is your housing costs. So, if you have a mortgage, look into the mortgage deferral program, and see if you're eligible, what that would mean for your personal bottom line. If you are a renter, you may want to talk to your landlord because the landlord may be able to take advantage of that program and provide some relief to you.”
If You Don’t Ask You Won’t Get! Check Out Available Government Help
“Are you eligible for the $2,000 subsidy that is now available through the government? You should check that out? That could help your expenses immensely. And now the government is also announcing additional wage subsidies - you should be investigating those - it started out at 10%. And now it's up as high as 75%. Again, these programs are changing on a regular basis. And you just want to keep your finger on the pulse of those, because every little bit will count! Then you might want to look at different financing options. You may want to start with your bank and see if there's any levels that you can qualify for, because there may or may not be relaxed credit adjudication. Then you can look at the Business Development Bank of Canada, which is all about being the business bank for entrepreneurs. They have programs that you may want to investigate as well. Credit Unions actually have loans that are guaranteed by the government already, so maybe that would make some sense.”
This Too Shall Pass – Relationships Matter More than Money (like, for a short time! 😆)
“What we've been working with our clients on, it's kind of like, you know, reading the room, what was right today might not be right tomorrow, what's right yesterday might not be right today - turn off automation. This is when really, really, really, smart marketing is gonna really matter. And while you're not able to necessarily sell to your customer right now, you've got to keep that relationship going. You've got to be offering them up things that you have a compelling reason to actually offer them right now. No strings attached help. And think about the long-term relationship with that customer, right? It's gonna be tough, but you want when this is all over, for them to still remember you and you know, you want to have been there with them along the way. So, we're really tweaking and changing things up as we go. And I think that's a really important message for businesses.”
We hope you enjoyed – for more financial advice check out the entire podcast! And get yourself over to Apple Podcasts for more 4 AM Report insights and subscribe to us – you won't regret it!
AND don’t forget to check back in tomorrow for another special guest!
Plus, if you're losing sleep over a particular marketing/business related problem during this Covid-19 economic uncertainty, let us know. Drop us a line at C+P Digital. Sweet dreams….well, hopefully!
About Wendy
Wendy Brookhouse is a behavioural finance focused advisor who helps smart, ambitious people unleash their money power. Wendy believes that we all have money power. It is buried under life’s pleasures, unconscious spending and the desire to have the lives that everyone else’s social media says they have. She invented the One Number Solution, a trademark system that unleashes money power with strategies around spending, debt, saving and safety net.
Connect:
Black Star
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackStarWealth/
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/black-star-wealth-partners
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackStarHFX
Wendy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wendybrookhouse?lang=en
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/wendy-brookhouse-4210701
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendy.brookhouse.370
It’s another edition of the 4 AM Report, but instead of asking fellow marketers what keeps them up at night – we want to ask this:
Have you been having some hard chats with yourselves during this bizarrely uncertain (and frankly scary!) time?
🔥🔥🔥 If you haven’t – the time to start that is NOW. 🔥🔥🔥
Let's face it, we all have to market, large or little. It's harder than ever to stand out in a cluttered space of one size fits all and copycat marketing moves.
But while Covid-19 is stealthily spreading around the globe, our marketing worlds have to change:
🦠 Understand that things can - and will - change on a dime.
🦠 Accept that you’ll need to have systems in place to allow you to pivot
🦠 READ THE ROOM!!
🦠 Tone deaf is not the voice you want to be sharing these days
🦠 And yes, it’s time to stop automating your social postings
Our guest this week is Martin Waxman – and he basically does it all! He specializes in Digital and Social Media Strategy, is a LinkedIn Learning Author, a Social Media Professor, conducts research into AI, and leads custom-tailored social media and communications workshops and training for organizations.
Trust us. He knows how to deal with marketing in the time of Covid-19! We’re super excited to have him on to share his expertise with everyone, so have a listen.
Or, if you want a few quick tips, read on – it’s like taking a masterclass without leaving the house. Wait. That’s kind of perfect, isn’t it? #socialdistancing
Relationships Are Everything: Don’t Add to the Noise
“Relationships are long term, ultimately, and it's important for us to remember that, that it's all the different steps we take over time that affects our reputation, how people outside of our organization or our employees are perceiving us. So, if we're committed to doing the right thing if we're committed to helping if we're committed to going above and beyond as much as we can – because there's still that balance between making sure we do what we need to do to keep our organizations running, to keep our employees informed, and hopefully working. All of that is important. And I think it ties into the notion of communicating and really being open in your communications, and possibly increasing your communications but only when you have something to say….really ask, ‘Is this message absolutely necessary in these times, or will it just add to the noise?’ Just make sure that you're not adding to the noise pollution out there, that whatever bit of communications you put out is helpful and is essential in these times.”
Check Tone and Overall Content
“For like maybe the last 10 days or so most people are starting to pick up on the tone or ‘read the room’ thing a little bit. And, you know, there's been a lot of improvement. However, I think some people are actually falling down on the automation, while maybe most social and you know, ads have been checked for tone, one of the things I'm finding is email is quite bad – there’s this perception that they need to be going out to people at this time all the time. And they're continuing to go out and a whole bunch of people I know on social are also the picking on these things and pointing out the tone deafness of it….You know, I am on an email list for a retail clothing outlet that I like, and I shop at all the time. And every day, I'm still getting an email from them 60% off, you know, it's like, ‘Okay, right now, I'm not looking to buy clothes, I don't really need clothes.’ That's not an essential.”
Don’t Be Afraid to Use Humour – But Keep it Simple!
“What humour does is it serves as a little bit of a distraction. And it's a way just to help us forget the situation for a moment. You know, think about something else, get a laugh, maybe relax a bit. I mean, humour is a great tension release. Yesterday, I saw on Twitter, I thought this was this a great thing, that was shared and of course, went viral – Neil Diamond - you know, his song Sweet Caroline is pretty famous. What he did is he recorded a short video from his home so you could see him in front of his fireplace talking, singing Sweet Caroline just him and his guitar. And he changed the words to be appropriate. So instead of ‘hands touching hands’, he said, ‘hands, washing hands’, and that was just so great. And it, you know, it gives you a break. And that's what you need. Now, that said, if your brand is a very, very serious brand and have never dabbled in humor ever, ever, ever, now is maybe not the time to start because people won't be expecting it from you. They won't know how to take it, especially if it's something that's a little sarcastic or satirical, so you have to be careful with that. And I would say if you are thinking of using humor, that's great, but look to your overall brand - brand values, brand character.”
We hope you enjoyed this episode - there’s loads more goodness on the podcast itself. So, get yourself over to Apple Podcasts for more 4 AM Report insights and subscribe to us – because we know you wanna!
If you're losing sleep over a marketing related problem, let us know. Drop us a line at C+P Digital. And sweet dreams….well, hopefully!
About Martin
Martin Waxman, MCM, APR, is a digital communications strategist, leads social media workshops, and conducts AI research. He’s a LinkedIn Learning author, president of a consultancy, and senior advisor to Spin Sucks, He’s also a past president of CPRS Toronto, a past-chair of PRSA Counselors Academy, and a member of the #AIinPR panel. Martin teaches social media at McMaster University, UToronto SCS, and Seneca College and regularly speaks at conferences and events across North America. He has a Master of Communications Management from McMaster-Syracuse Universities.
What a difference a week makes. Everything seems slightly surreal, but I can tell you it most certainly is real life, as I watch my child bicycle in circles on the driveway in the middle of a school-day.
For the next few months at least, with the spread of the Covid-19 virus, we are all facing uncertain times.
So, we waffled a bit about releasing this episode of the 4 AM Report. Clearly, asking people right now what keeps them up at night is a loaded question.
But then we all talked - as a team - brought our collective years of experience together, and ultimately decided this: Yes, things are upside down right now. Yes, people are more anxious than ever.
But many of us – and YOU - in the digital space are still trying to serve clients and help peers who might need crisis communications advice.
And we felt with ALL sincerity that this week’s episode of the 4 AM Report – which focuses on writing, writing, writing – might actually be of some help to people right now.
Plus, if nothing else, one of our guests sings a Glen Campbell song. What the heck does Glen Campbell have to do with writing for the digital space? You’ll have to tune in to find out.
Take a break. Have a listen and a laugh, because we do get a little silly. And I think we all need to allow ourselves some laughter at the moment.
And if you prefer a sampling of what writing tips and tricks we share, read on.
Sd
Writing for the User Experience (UX)
“A few years ago, I set myself a little goal - I wanted to write websites which had under two under 2000 words in it in total, meaning other than the blog posts and content sections, which gets, you know, regularly updated with larger pieces. A website should actually have very little content is my general thinking. I think time has passed where you're told, sort of long drawn out explanations of how your product or service, or whatever it was, worked and how it benefited the universe - that kind of thing - nobody wants that now anymore. So, to my mind, there's a huge element of visual that's come into writing to make it user friendly. How would this fit into a box? Is this more than eight words? Would it get cut off in the email, subject headlines, those kinds of things.”
BREAK ALL THE RULES
“I was trained to write for media like a PR background. So, I followed the CP style book, you had to write out the numbers one to nine in word form, and then you'd start at the digit 10 and go up like, there's all these rules, right? You'd have to write this way, or you would get zero on projects. But I know now that I write digitally, it seems like all the rules have kind of gone out the window. It's kind of you can invent your own, you can do things your own way.”
“I would say like when you're writing, you need to have fun with it, as well. So, as you're writing, start thinking about how you can break a sentence up how you can keep it simple and as clear as possible and just break the rules throughout - the grammar Nazi rules that you used to follow. You know, you can’t start a sentence with AND, and you can't start a sentence with BUT, you can't do this. You can do that. You can actually do anything! As long as it's interesting and engaging, and it actually means something, at the end of the day, you know, you're writing to a person, how would you talk to them?
“I think of it as just like punching almost. Short. Sharp. Shocked. Run on sentences just drive me crazy. You know, you can be very impactful with your writing by just getting like, you know, four or five really powerful words, and then cut that sentence off. I mean, as long as it works, you don't, don't try and force it. But I think there's something very powerful about short, impactful writing.”
Writing What You DON’T Know!
“What I usually do is I try and approach it as if I'm writing a story. So, I'll go out and read as many stories on that subject that I can manage in the time frame that I allocate myself, researching other people's content to see what's going on in that space. I'll go read it, make some notes, some key highlights, and then I'll start expanding on those points. And what I find really helps me as well is to just write like, sometimes you get stuck when you're trying to think of ‘What am I going to say and how am I going to make it sound good?’ like first I just write whatever is off the top of my head, I just write as much as I possibly can. And then I go back later, and I fix it or add some research or some stats to support that view.”
“I may be bored to tears – but not intimidated. Hemingway said, write drunk, edit sober. (laughter) Also, read!! Like, read everything, like Melissa was saying, read, read, read, just read for your own personal benefit. I read everything. I read science stuff, I read fictional history, I read real history. And then all of a sudden you're writing an article about some horrible, you know ‘how the oil goes through the car's engine or something’ And, and then all of a sudden you go, ‘oh my god, I remember reading this crazy story about how dinosaurs yada yada..” and you can bring that into this article, which otherwise would be dry as chips. And you've somehow turned it a little bit more interesting, and you’re kind of having a little fun with it without taking away from the seriousness and the and the impact of what you're trying to do.”
“By the way, can I call you out and say angry is actually factual?”
LOL Wait. Who’s angry? And why?
What books are we all reading? And who sang Glen Campbell? There’s much more available – so listen to the entire episode!
About Lindsay
• Shared a smoke with Robbie Robertson. • Ditched 28 years in TO for life in her East Coast homeland.
• Wife/Mom/Music Fanatic
• READS ALL THE BOOKS
A seasoned writer, editor, and content marketing consultant, Lindsay is a former television producer (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) with over 20 years of production experience who brought her knack for creating audience responsive content to the digital space in 2010.
She focuses on digital content and editorial strategy, helping organizations improve upon and expand their digital footprint, as well as driving increased lead generation through storytelling.
Her writing resume includes some of the top thought leaders and publications in the digital space, in both Canada and the United States. About Melissa After working in the fields of advertising and journalism for the past 12 years, Melissa brings a holistic writing ability that fits digital content like a glove. She can write about anything – from industrial pipes and pumps, to academics, to robots. Research, patterning, and clear articulation are her key skills, one that makes the conversion rates on her writing some of the highest in the industry. An intrepid traveller, Melissa’s idea of the perfect life is writing while she travels. She is passionate about sustainability and eco-travel and is a permaculture facilitator for Food & Trees for Africa, running food gardening and tree planting workshops for disadvantaged schools and communities.
Oh, Daylight Saving Time. You Catch-22 little SHIT. 😂
Dangling “Oh, you want more LIGHT during the daytime, do you…but here’s the catch – you LOSE an hour of sleep, suckers!!!” in front of our winter-ravaged minds and bodies!
DO YOU THINK THAT’S FAIR, DST?? 🌞 🌞 🌞 Cue evil laugh 🌞 🌞 🌞
Ugh. Oh well. Seems a perfect time for another episode of the 4 (3?) AM Report, our weekly podcast that digs deep into what’s keeping marketers and entrepreneurs awake at night!
This week, we have an incredible guest AND a caveat:
- Guest? Canadian lawyer and trademark agent for Mason PC, Cynthia Mason is in the house!
- Caveat? She’s one of our clients, BUT she’s so brilliant we couldn’t keep her all to ourselves!
Cynthia has created Markably.ca, an online trademark registration tool that is a game changer for entrepreneurs and businesses.
What keeps Cynthia up at night? USER EXPERIENCE! And how vital it is to offer people the most simplified, intuitive system possible.
So, have a listen, because she maps out for us a great use-case on trusting yourself, and capitalizing on your knowledge 🧠 🧠 🧠 – the deep understanding you have of the people you’re trying to reach, then using those insights for everything from user behaviour to journey mapping until 💥BOOM💥 you have an online UX that converts!
And for those of you who want a sampling of what you’re going to learn today, read on!! (another example of great UX,👇👇👇 right here! 😆)
What Keeps YOU Up at Night?
“So, what keeps me up at night…I mean, I'm a trademark lawyer. And one of the new elements of Canadian trademark law is when you register a trademark, you have to classify your goods and services. Now, the classification system is this internationally accepted system where they have divided basically all the products services in the world into 45 different classes, right. And when you register a trademark, your application needs to be indexed according to the classes that your products and services fall into. And your government fees that you pay for that registration will depend on the number of classes that are covered. So it's a huge deal now to classify goods and services to get it right to get the fees, right. Because if you don't, I mean, your application will still be filed, but you're going to receive an objection, your application is going to be delayed, it's going to take you longer in order to get to the registration point…the way I've divided it is, I've given you categories of common goods and services, and you select the categories that apply to your business. And then within those categories, you select more specific products and services and where necessary, you provide additional detail. But depending on what you select, that triggers the number of the class and the class fee, and that's built into your trademark application right from the get go!”
Merge Your Brain Power with Your Software!
“I guess the difference between when you someone like you who's like an actual professional in the field, constructs the software as opposed to just a general developer being like, here's a bunch of forms. I guess the point I'm making is we're trying to bring together both the user friendliness of the whole thing which is what you're talking about in the classification, you're taking people through those steps of thinking so that they can choose the relevant categories. But then there's also the fact that it's you. A lawyer and a trademark agent. And, you know, you obviously know the subject matter…So, it's like sitting down with a lawyer and having them ask all those questions that you would be asked…you know, the way you've approached the user experience here is you've provided them with that kind of ‘handhold’ throughout the whole process.”
What in the HECK does UX Even Mean?
“What does the term user experience mean? And quite simply, it's like, people behave a certain way, right? And they go online, they try to find information. They search in certain ways. That's user behavior, then you sort of like, based on studying, you make some assumptions about what they're going to do. That's called journey mapping. And user experience is when you're like, ‘Cynthia, I will probably read this and click it. Let me make a pretty button here for Cynthia to click here.’ And then if she clicks that button, where she's going to go is going to be a page, which actually explains why she's on that page. And that's the part I find that a lot of people sort of fall down on, and you've done a really good job of, like, you know, giving that sort of consideration. We like to give people some things to think about in terms of what constitutes, you know, good user experience. And one of the things that we were talking about was the idea of housekeeping.”
Housekeeping: Not Just for Houses Anymore!
“The housekeeping idea!! Making sure that everything's in order, everything works. You know, how many times have you gone to something clicked a button and you can't find the page or information is out of date, and you just dismiss it right away. Even if you go to someone's blog, and the last thing they posted was a year ago, you kind of dismiss that almost right away as well. So that's what we call the housekeeping. That's the first thing that people can do to even up their UX game a little bit. It's just, make sure everything's the way it's supposed to be up to date and working. Take chatbots. One of my pet peeves. And I know the idea behind it is to provide a better user experience to keep me on that page. So, let's say I was filling out a form online, and I was confused. There's a little chat bot button. Everyone loves chat bots now. But it's not an email, it's supposed to chat with me. And you get a message saying thank you for submitting that question. We will get back to you in 48 hours and I'm like, ‘Oh, I'll just close it down. Otherwise, I'd email the help the info, email. In that case, screw the chat bot!’ Maybe You don't need to have a chat bot or especially I would say don't have a chat bot unless you can have the chat bot work like a chat bot.”
Dude. You’re Making Me Think Too Hard
“I mean, you know, I think with any user experience, you want to put something out there that makes life easy for the person on the other end. And I mean, I know I personally I like reading things, articles, blogs that are very conversational and, you know, funny and sarcastic and get the point across in easily, not in complicated, you know, run on sentences that I have to read six times in order to get the point - like it goes back to “Don't make me think. Maybe make me laugh a little bit. Don't make me think.”
HA! There you have it. The next time you’re trying to determine whether YOUR digital user experience is where it should be – just ask yourself: Are people required to think too much here? Because if they ARE, chances are they’re gonna bounce!
About Cynthia
Cynthia Mason is a Canadian lawyer and trademark agent who helps innovative businesses protect their names and logos. Over the last 15+ years, she has helped businesses of all sizes and stages protect their trademarks, and she’s passionate about teaching business owners how to protect all the hard work they’ve invested into growing their brands.
Connect with Cynthia
Mason PC
Markably
Facebook and Instagram: @MasonProfessionalCorporation, @markably
Still can’t sleep?
We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems – your issue might be featured in our next episode!
Any of these problems speak to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations – don’t miss it!
If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!
New episode of The 4 am Report is ready for your listening pleasure! This week we are joined by professional Facilitator, Mara Svenne of mPath Facilitation.
Disclaimer -- We broke our micro rule again and went over the 20 minute mark.
BUT…
We swear it’s worth the listen, because this week we talk about the ongoing nightmare that keeps everyone up at night...getting sh!t done!
Mara explains her role as a professional Facilitator by using 3 different analogies for each stage of a project.
☑️ She’s the architect who creates the blueprint for the project.
☑️ She’s then the pilot who takes people where they need to go.
☑️ And finally she’s the guide, helping people tap into their potential while calming their fears and self doubt.
We also discuss an agile style of working called Kanban.
Another disclaimer - at c+p digital we love Kanban. We love it so much, that Will literally wrote a blog post called Will Loves Kanban .
If you are looking for a better, more efficient way of doing things for you and your team, you need to listen to this episode.
Mara shares some great tips on ways to get into the agile groove.
(If you need a bit more convincing to listen, all we're going to say is that one of Mara’s tips helps cut your email overwhelm by 50%.)
About Mara:
Mara Svenne is the founder of mPath Facilitation and works as a group process facilitator, scrum master and agile coach, primarily in the financial services industry. Mara is an IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator, a past board member of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF), and a 2017 Gold winner of the Facilitation Impact Awards. Mara has facilitated project team start-ups and retrospectives, management strategy sessions, and vision /mission sessions for non-profit boards and start-ups. An active and Distinguished Toastmaster, Mara believes in the power of conversation to help individuals find their voice and create a shared path to success. To more information, please contact: mara@mpathfacil.com
Still can’t sleep?
We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems – your issue might be featured in our next episode!
Any of these problems speak to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations – don’t miss it!
If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!
WAKE UP!! It’s time for the 4 AM Report – your weekly “before the dawn” look at what keeps you awake at night when it comes to your marketing efforts. And today we have dragged a special guest out of bed to join us.
Zannat Reza is founder and chief storyteller at Thrive360, and she spends her waking hours helping organizations strategize and create memorable food & health content that inspires, educates and empowers people to live their best lives!
We’re chatting about:
- How much sleep is OPTIMUM SLEEP!
- What the heck is Slow Motion Multitasking?
- The power of good food choices.
- Why brain-blockage occurs and how you can un-dam your mind.
- And how marketers are missing out on a HUGE demographic!
And guess what happens when you pick up healthier habits around eating, stress and exercise…? YOU SLEEP BETTER!!
And so it all comes full circle.
Pour yourself a coffee (or tea, or whatever strikes your fancy in the early AM – we don’t judge!), put your feet up and relax, then click here to listen to the entire inspiring podcast!
Or, read on for a sampling of what this week’s 4 AM Report is bringing to the breakfast table!
Sleep = Productivity
“Sleep is super important when it comes to our productivity. We know that we need to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep every night. BUT sleeping too much is just as bad as sleeping too little. So, if you're thinking great, I got 12 hours of sleep. That's almost like saying, I'm only sleeping four hours! There’s actually a sweet spot - seven to eight hours. And we know that if you're getting too much or too little, it actually affects your decision-making ability.”
Stay on Schedule!
“We want to take some time to develop what they call good sleep hygiene, and breathing and introducing some mindfulness can actually help you fall asleep. What they recommend is trying to fall asleep around the same time every night, doesn't matter if it's a weekend or weeknight. Routine helps. Now listen, obviously, life is life. Right? If you've got a special party or whatever, on the weekend, I think we can bend those rules, right. But I think generally speaking, we want to get to bed at a good time. And we know that by being mindful, being aware of what's going out, going on around what we're doing. Reading actually helps lower stress hormones.”
Slow the Heck Down, Why Doncha?
“Try Slow Motion Multitasking, because we know that, like, multitasking at a crazy rate that does no good that's not productive at all. But slow-motion multitasking is doing one task. If you hit a blockage, stop - move on to something else, and obviously not in a frenzied sort of way. But by doing it in a slow way. It actually helps boost your creativity.”
Keep Moving
“I was at a meeting and I suggested ‘Why don't we do a walking meeting?’ And then there's, there's this huge silence!! Okay, this is not really popular, but it just took one other person to say, yeah, you know what, maybe we can try that for our next one. And so, you know, I talked about cardio in terms of moving, and you do some sort of like strength training, whether it's weight or even yoga where you're using your body weight, that actually helps lower sort of age- related muscle loss. Okay, so we're, you know, once you hit 40, the age of 40, your muscles start breaking down at a faster rate than your body actually builds muscle on a daily basis. So, you know, keep up the cardio, just move your body. That's kind of the bottom line.”
Ok Boomer My Ass! We’re All Getting Older
“So, people are getting older and a much faster rate. If you look at Statistics Canada, we know that by the year 2030 one in four Canadians will be above the age of 65. From a marketing perspective, I guess we've looked at this a few times, and keep coming back to the same thing, which is the lack of inclusivity in the way in which we communicate, and whether it's, you know, a lifestyle thing, an age thing and race thing, whatever it is, it's just not really seeing that there's another way to tell the same story. How, how can we change the storytelling around this? Well, I think, you know, for marketers, it's being mindful of the kinds of images and words that are being used right, like this whole Okay, Boomer thing that drives me nuts like what does that really mean? Right? It’s old and out of touch. People say that to me. No.”
The Decade of Healthy Aging!
“The 2020s is the decade of healthy aging. And so really, my call to action is listen, as the world's population is getting older – there are opportunities no matter what you do, whether you're a marketer, whether in health, whether you're in another industry, financial industry, there's lots of opportunities to be part of that solution. There are all these challenges, but we can all play a part in fixing it!”
We hope we’ve delivered a little food for thought with this episode – if so, get yourself over to Apple Podcasts for more 4 AM Report insights and subscribe to us – because we know you wanna!
About Zannat
For the past 20 years, Zannat Reza has helped organizations with their health storytelling. She brings science-based credibility and creative energy to the table. As a healthy aging advocate, she is the deputy ambassador of the Toronto chapter of Aging 2.0, an organization that accelerates innovation to address the biggest challenges in aging. Zannat is also a veteran media expert and appears regularly on CBC News Network. Thrive360
Twitter:
@ZannatReza\_ *******
Still can’t sleep?
We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems – your issue might be featured in our next episode!
Any of these problems speak to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations – don’t miss it!
If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!
It’s that time again, folks, when the stars are still out 🌟🌟🌟 and your bed is SO WARM – The 4 AM Report is back!
In this episode we're talking about what’s keeping Amy Vodarek up at night. Founder of Insight Edge, she’s a coach, consultant, author and educator, who works with women leaders, their teams and organizations with care, passion, and interest in action.
“Once you begin the practices to enhance self-awareness, you begin to see new possibilities everywhere and, no longer feel boxed in or trapped. Life becomes more generative and expansive as opportunities for creative action become visible.”
In other words: Embrace who you are. Unleash your brilliance.
You’ll want to listen to Amy if:
🎯 You have BIG VISION but second guess yourself and your worthiness
🎯 You flit from career to career – in shorter and shorter intervals – and aren’t sure what’s up with that?
🎯 You still have that demon 😈 inside your head telling you you’re not good enough, or you really can’t achieve this or that.
It’s truly nuts just how much negativity we all have swirling around our brains. No matter how successful we are! The goal is to figure out how to stop that negativity – and begin to accept yourself for who you are – or where you want to be!
Here’s a few tidbits of our discussion, so read away! Or, if you want to, jump right in NOW – click here to listen to the entire sleepy chat!
Searching For MORE
“My background is nursing. And I was, you know, a critical care pediatric nurse for 11 years and then moved into some sort of advanced practice nursing roles, which I thought was what my course was - I thought I was on the trajectory I was supposed to be on. And the fact that I constantly was jumping onto committees and groups and activities to try something new within those jobs, was somewhat frustrating to me because I couldn't just BE, I couldn't just do my work; show up to work and do the great work I was doing - I always had this curiosity, this sense of unrest.”
That GODDAMN DEMON! 👹👹👹
“Women still have that demon in their head of, you know, knowing your place. Don't be too ambitious or, you were really good and set on your path doing this. Why are you now rocking the boat and doing this? I can see how even the most, you know, self-examined person would still struggle with this - it's so ingrained in us. I think some of it too is this discomfort with what we think others are thinking. Right? Are they thinking that we think we're all this or all that and that, you know, we can't stay on the path that they're on with us because we think we've got something better than them? Rather than just “No, I just feel like, this isn't my path to stay on.” And I think it can really trip us up. I'll speak for myself. It has really tripped me up and being visible in the marketplace.”
Strive For Growth By Ear-Plugging the Demon!
“Ok, so I have a roster full of clients. But if they aren't the clients that I'm designed to serve and desire to serve, I'll do great work, but it may not feel like I'm successful. So, let's segue a little into the onto the marketing side of things. Yeah. So, for 2021, I ask myself: What's your goal here? What do you What are you trying to accomplish? What do you want to do differently? What are you doing to reach that client or that audience you want to reach? Do you have a plan for, you know, continuing to grow as a thought leader in your industry? It becomes this. This almost paradox of ‘I want to deliver more service. So, people need to know I exist.’ But yet, the internal messaging is, ‘Well, now you're being showy, showing off, and it's all about you, and you've lost your mission and purpose.’ But really, that's not it. It's just self-talk. That is really some of the game that we can get caught up in.”
Just Get Out There – But be FUNNY About It!! 😂😂😂
“Learn to manage all these invisible barriers and stories, then humor becomes a lot more accessible. Because then it's like, I'm going to just say what I think I'm going to, you know, I've done some pretty funny things and workshops by accident and just allowed myself to, you know, enjoy the funny moment. But to use that as what I'm hearing as part of, you know, you get known a little bit for your quirky humor or the absolutely stupid things you do, just like keynote talk, you know? I say embrace it. I mean, it's so hard to stand out. Everyone's out promoting themselves and it's just, it's hard to stand out and, and to make people stop the scroll and pay attention to you. So, you know, something authentically is you and you can add that into your overall, you know, strategy for online digital communications. And that's something definitely to consider.”
NOW, head on over to Apple Podcasts for more from this podcast, and to subscribe to us – because we know you wanna!
About Amy
Amy is the Founder of Insight Edge Learning and Leadership Company. A catalyst for women entrepreneurs and leaders who are innovators and change-makers. Helping women break free from invisible barriers to powerfully step up, influence and change the world. CEO of Insight Edge Learning and Leadership, coach, strategic advisor, speaker, educator, co-author Good Enough. Embrace who you are. Unleash your brilliance.
www.insightedge.ca
Hello again, sleepless warriors (omigod SO TIRED)! It’s time for another episode of the Four AM Report! As if being sleep deprived over one issue wasn’t enough – this week we have a guest who is sleep-deprived TWICE OVER!
Welcome Kim Chernecki sleepy Kim rubs sand out of her eyes 👀👀👀, CEO and founder of Freedom Street, Canada's leading expert on helping freelance executives, consultants and small business owners land lucrative corporate contracts.
Today, we’re talking about two issues that drive MOST people running a business to drink (oh wait…maybe that’s just me? 😂🍷😂) – list building, and then landing that elusive corporate contract!
Here’s a sampling of what we talked about – but if you want the full-monty NOW – click here to listen to the entire sleepy chat!
Running a Business is a GRIND, Ya’ll!
List building. Ugh. How many contacts do you have? Who’s graced you with their email so you can market monthly to them directly? How can you BUILD that list? And how important are those numbers?
“Firstly, I lose sleep over that classic marketing issue, which is trying to build my list, I have to tell you, since I've been in business, it’s really been a grind, you know, and it almost feels like the struggle - and I've got a pretty good list - but trying to really take it to that next level. I've just found it being a grind. So that's the first thing that I lose sleep over.”
So, Where Should You Focus Your Resources?
Do you spend valuable time (and hellooooo, time is money💰💰💰, amiright?) constantly trying to lure in new leads? Or do you focus on the loyal peeps you’ve already got in your little marketing handbasket??
“I was looking at some stats, and I found this little interesting tidbit - it costs five times more to attract a new customer than it does to get business from somebody already on your list. So, let's approach this from a bit of a different perspective. Yes, we all want to grow our list. But the end goal is more business. And I'm sure Susan agrees with me here. The first rule is let's work the clients we already have. Let's work that list that we already have. Let's work on retaining clients. repeat business building a long, loyal, lasting relationship.”
Small But Mighty Can Result in Big Wins!
It all comes down to how you koff service the people on your list!
“For a few years, we made six figures with 44 people. That's, that's all we had on our list. We didn't try to grow it in any way. We just made sure that those 44 people were being it! There are two levels to it, I guess. One is the service level, as the industry would probably call it, which is you do what you say you would, you deliver things which far outweigh you know, what would be like median average, like you're really outstanding, like 10% more than what anyone expects. So that's obviously the first part and the second is you keep in touch and you offer help and you offer those contacts and you hook them up with people with no questions asked. So that's how the 44 people resulted in that level of business.”
Then I wanted to also talk about something that causes my clients to lose sleep. And that's getting in the door, actually getting those meetings and getting in the door with corporate clients.”
But WAIT! I Want My Leads List to GROW!
Yes, yes, we have advice for you on that too!
“[Let’s say] they downloaded this or they booked the call or whatever those, you know, we like to call them micro conversions, nobody's going to come in and buy 10s of thousand dollars-worth of packages based on a Facebook ad - you gotta like, show them something, bring them in and say read this next piece, then show them a larger piece of infrastructure, maybe it's a podcast, maybe it's a download, you know, something like that. And then you keep getting them further and further into the universe until they're willing to give you that email for that pitch. So it's about it's a little bit of respect, I guess for the for the process and the fact that it's all the little breadcrumbs that you're posting along the way. And that's where the content comes in is like, you know, the master class and the webinar. You're saying show up, you will learn the following three things.”
“I think where a really great parallel can be drawn here is the whole trusted advisor approach. So, you know, it's really about being that go to resource, adding value, being that trusted advisor to those corporate decision makers, until they have a need, like you might meet them and they won't have they won't need your services yet, but it's like you start developing that relationship with them until it's time that they can buy so I really do see some overlap there some connection.”
NOW, head on over to Apple Podcasts for more from this podcast, and to subscribe to us – because we know you wanna!
Still can’t sleep?
We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems – your issue might be featured in our next episode!
Any of these problems speak to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations – don’t miss it!
If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!
Today we are kicking off season four of the 4 am Report 🥰
Today we're talking to Suzanne Tyson, who is someone who's been involved in various capacities with higher education and student funding for more than half or 30 year career, holding roles in several educational publishing companies, the loyalty industry and a scholarship matching company.
We are especially excited to talk to Suzanne on two levels.
- One, she's raised the kind of meaty marketing problem that makes us get excited.
- And secondly, having a business as cool as hers. She's walked through the journey as a women owned business, raising funds, finding out what the pitfalls are.
Suzanne raises her biggest Marketing Challenge which she calls ‘probably the best challenge that any startup can have’ Her business HigherEdPoints.com has solid proof of concept. They have raving fans. And they have people who have been customers for a number of years. However, their biggest challenge is awareness.
“Marketing makes the world go round. And I wish I had a $10 million budget like a lot of consumer brands out there. Because then my life would be very easy. Everybody in Canada would know that they can use loyalty points to pay for their tuition and to repay their government student loans.”
But life is rarely that simple.
So what do we chat about with Suzanne?
Higheredpoints.com is a very simple concept. Most Canadians are loyalty program participants. And so HigherEdPoints is an option in the rewards catalogs. They are in the Aeroplan reward catalog for example. And instead of redeeming your loyalty points for a trip or for merchandise you would redeem for the HigherEdPoints reward, or education credits.
They come in $250 increments. The parent or the student takes that redemption and HigherEdPoints deposits that directly into the student’s account, at the school or in the loan account. So the short version of how HigherEdPoints points works, is instead of redeeming your loyalty points for trips or toasters, redeem them for an education credit and HigherEdPoints will deposit those funds directly into a student account at a school or a loan account at the government student loan institution.
“the challenge for HigherEdPoints is the beneficiary is the student because they're the ones that have to pay the tuition or the recent grads, they have to repay their loans. So we can create awareness with those students, but they don't actually have the assets. So they have to go then and tell their parents. So our marketing challenge is to make students aware that this exists as an option and encourage them to tell people in their lives that they have loyalty points, but our primary target really would be the people with the points. So we have Anthony is on our website. He's one of our blog featured members. And he actually worked at TD as a as a teller and didn't know about HigherEdPoints, his aunt and uncle run a small business, they wanted to help him find his education. So they looked in the TD rewards catalog found higher ed points, they switch their corporate credit card for their business spend to a TD rewards card and ended up putting enough spend on that card to pay off $17,000 of his OSAP loans. So in that case, it was the aunt and uncle who found out and said, “Hey, Anthony, we can help you pay for your school.” And they're the ones that found it. So it's a fun and sometimes frustrating Marketing Challenge, because we need to find the people who collect the points to help people with tuition or student debt.”
“the number one way that our members tell us they're finding out about the program is through our participating institutions. So if you go to the U of T website on how to pay your fees or to Queens to Western, George Brown, etc, you'll find us in their fee payment web pages. And so probably 40% of our members in total, over the last number of years have found out about HigherEdPoints from their school or our participating institution. We're actually also listed on the federal government's, how to repay your student loans website. But the challenge with that marketing channel is people go once, and then they figure out how they pay their tuition or repay their loans and never return to that site. So there are 1.3 million graduates repaying their government student loans right now. And if they set up automatic debit from their account, they're not going to go back to that ‘how do I repay my student loans?’ page. So that's one challenge. We're using some social media marketing now. And over time when our members register, they're telling us how they found out about the program. They're also telling us what relationship they have with the recipient when they transfer funds to an institution. And most of those people are not the student, but somebody related to that students. So we know that if we're going to spend money on advertising, we actually have to reach the parents, the aunts, the uncles, the grandparents.”
“Is there value in talking and making the students aware of this while they're still on campus and this kind of program could be spread word of mouth, very organically by the students themselves. I can imagine if in my final year on campus, I had I had heard about this program, and I tell all my friends and we'd all know about it so then when I did graduate, and it would be it would be top of mind is there value in I guess from your, in your opinion of of targeting and reaching out to students while they still are at university? College?”
“100%. And we actually have our very first Co Op student, and she is at Queens. And she's been reaching out to the various administrative departments on campus and also to the student groups on campus. And one of her areas of focus is going to be students in third and fourth year who are about to graduate. And we also have a blog post on “Eight tips on saving money on your OSAP loans” at the site. She just went and updated that herself based on her personal experience, and is using that to create awareness with the students that are about to come out. So yes, for sure. The challenge this Marketing Challenge and the challenge that a lot of brands have with reaching students on campuses is each environment is its own little city, essentially. So there are 80,000 students going to U of T. There are, you know, 80,000 or so, including mature students at Western all the big schools, but it's one by one by one. So the challenge is having somebody embedded on the ground, like we have Paige now, at Queens, navigating all the systems. And so if we could get the business school and the engineering faculty and the teaching faculty and the nursing faculty to send information directly out to their students, that would be great. But that's a lot of time on task.”
Some solutions discussed
Often for us, the most fun part of the exercise is, how do you take that and amplify it to a digital level? Right? So if you've got one person in one campus, who's doing some of the conversations on the ground, how can you pick that and make it a digital way to reach those students and to us, you know, one potential answer is geo targeting on a social level, like if you've got, I don't know whether it's Facebook or whatever it is that the social media of the moment channel is it's certainly worth exploring geotargeting because many channels people don't realize, allow that. And which means that as soon as you enter your UofT campus of whatever the geographical postal codes are of that area, people start to see your ad. So they've got some interest in it or they've previously been, this is the retargeting part of it, if they've previously been to the government website, or they've previously been to the institution that has a partnership with this and suddenly exploring how that can work in your benefit. Right, and you're amplifying it instantly. I'm not saying that the success factors are going to be or the success rates are going to be massive, but it is it is definitely taking the one on one and amplifying that.”
“I'd love to chat with you as well on one more thing that I know that we've had many fun chats about in the past, Suzanne, it's a pet peeve for me, for sure. And I'm sure with an interesting and impactful end product like you’ve come up with it, you've had interest along the way financially…. but pretty much anytime I talk to five women, four of them are whining about the same problem, which is how to find the money, how to find the funding, and how to grow these big ideas to the next level? So talk to us a little bit about your journey as a disruptive entrepreneur.”
“So I started HigherEdPoints after as, as you read in my bio after I've been in business for 20 years, and it was having worked in in college publishing and the loyalty industry and the student funding industry was able to come up with the concept. The advantage of that was I had people in each industry to make sure it was a win for everybody. But I also am what I call a “Silverpreneur”. So I was 40+ when I started it, and so I had access to all sorts of debt funding. So when I launched HigherEdPoints, I had just come out of a business where we had private equity investors and my business partner and I spent more time managing that relationship with the private equity investors than we spent managing the business. And so I made a conscious decision not to do any capital raising and to bootstrap the business and I do know for sure seven years later, that if I'd had an outside investor, they would not have been patient enough to wait to get to the stage that we're at right now. So I made that conscious choice just because I'd already been down that road. But I do know from having been in different cohorts down at MaRS and doing, you know, investor pitches and all sorts of other pitches, that you really need a full time person in your business to go and do that stuff. And quite frankly, entrepreneurs don't have time to to put together the pitch decks and to put together all of the other information and HigherEdPoints is also part of SheEO and Vicki Saunders will say only 4% of private equity capital goes toward female led ventures. So my choice has been I'm not even going to bother. I'm going to focus on the benefits of the business and to date $2 million is what we've offset in tuition and student loans, which totally means proof of concept. And if I have to keep going and acquiring customers manually, that's a much better use of my time than going out and chasing investors.”
“Let's define bootstrapping, because I know people have asked me… okay, bootstrapping, what does that mean? Do I never take a salary again? Or do I go out and sell more? So let's talk people through bootstrapping a little bit more.”
“Well, my bootstrapping situation is probably a lot different than people at other stages of their life. And hindsight is 20:20. When I was in my mark MaRS cohort, there was a fellow who had outside investment and when all of the other businesses in our cohort said no no, we're self funding this thing, he basically said, “you know, don't be stupid. Don't use your own money to fund a risky venture use somebody else's money.” And Okay, fair enough. Sorry. I was so stupid, sir. However, his business is now the only one still not in business. And so the investors he had, were not patient enough to wait for him to find the right niche, and they shut the business down. So, you know, and bootstrapping, for me, it there's a heck of a lot of debt on the business for sure. And it's not something that I would wish on any entrepreneur, but I think you have to make a choice and a decision through your own business’ evolution and how much you're willing to invest. A lot of people work part time job, and then focus on their business. And I think there's this thinking in private equity and venture capital circles. You have to be the next unicorn for anybody to pay attention to you. There's no funding out there for lifestyle businesses, because everybody wants to invest in a “10 banger”, but if you Google “well-funded startups that failed” you can find on Fast Company an article on 100 startups that had 100 million dollars of investment that tanked. Wouldn't be great to take just one of those hundred million dollar investments and give a million dollars to 100 startups and see what they could do with it? I think my ROI if I had a million bucks in marketing spend, would give them back a much better return than the ones that went belly up.
About Suzanne
Suzanne Tyson has been involved in various capacities with higher education and student funding for more than half of her 30-year career, holding roles in several educational publishing companies, the loyalty industry and a scholarship matching company. In 2013, Suzanne combined all of her previous career experience to conceive, develop and launch HigherEdPoints.com, the only company in the world to enable the conversion of anyone’s loyalty points into funds for higher education. Her efforts with HigherEdPoints have directly assisted students and parents’ funding over $2,000,000 in tuition payments and student loan repayments.
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INTRO:
00:03
It's 4:00 AM. You can't sleep either. What's keeping you up? It's the 4:00 AM report, a collaborative approach to sometimes finding solutions to the things that keep marketers up at night. Where your hosts, Susan and Will.
WILL:
00:21
Welcome back to the last episode of season three of the 4:00 AM report and to close out this season we thought we should talk about the medium of the moment or rather the medium that's ruled our social channels for the past several years. Video now, in recent years, video has gotten a lot more DIY. You know, we can all make videos on our phones. Those platforms like Instagram stories, you know, tik-tok, they rule right now everybody's doing it. And the homemade DIY look, it's very of the moment, you know, it's what people see. But there's a big place for the professionally made video still and that's what we're going to talk today about with our guest Genevieve Blais. After earning a fine art degree from OCAD university, Genevieve made the transition to digital marketing bringing in artistic edge to all ventures. She's worked with a variety of clients and agencies across verticals producing digital content with a deep understanding of effective advertising and key insight into placement. She cofounded her production company atomic video in 2019 she specializes in social content commercials, music videos and narrative films, and we've worked with her before too, haven't we, Susan?
SUSAN:
01:28
Yep, we have suddenly worked with her team, with Genevieve and a team over the years on video and it's been a fun experience. We'll chat through some of that in a little while, but first tell us what keeps you up at night.
GENEVIEVE:
01:39
Hi Susan and Will thanks for having me on today. The thing that keeps me up at night is definitely the age old dilemma of expectation vs reality. Managing client expectations in the current moment can be very difficult because you have the ubiquity of streaming services, you have the rise of DIY video production, and so it can be really difficult when a client has an expectation that doesn't necessarily meet their budget.
SUSAN:
02:05
A lot of people tend to overlook the pieces that go into making professional video and really making it work. And it's easy to assume that just because someone is a pro and coming into the picture that all of the things are possible, right. So there needs to be some education around, this is something that we keep talking about. Often people expect everything but they don't have the budget. So the budget becomes one of the things that we know is certainly a concern in the space. And while we approach it by going in and asking what the options are, sometimes people just have strange requests, I'm sure. So talk to us about what some common misconceptions are that you come across in terms of expectations vs. Reality.
GENEVIEVE:
02:44
It's a really important thing to educate clients and people who are looking for video production in what is realistic and what isn't. Just because you have a green screen doesn't mean that you're going to get Steven Spielberg quality CGI. One of the big problems is making things look natural actually requires a lot of money from set dressing to wardrobe to hair and makeup. These are all things that clients sometimes overlook when they're planning. For instance, maybe you want a natural makeup look, you're still gonna have to hire a makeup artist in order to execute that. It's a very specialized fields and equipment costs are incredibly high within video production. So for instance, I know iPhone 11 just released that commercial, the snowball fight that was shot in T entirely on an iPhone, but if you watch the behind the scenes, there's a team of over 20 people. There's choreography, there's drones, there's snow machines and lighting, and so just to get that look, you really require a Hollywood crew. It doesn't matter the equipment that you're using.
WILL:
03:42
I think that's a great point. It really is. Those things that go into the planning, the behind the scenes and the professionals who know how to tell a story via video as well. Right? All of that. We think, Oh well I've got an iPhone 11 I'm going to do that. But the point you make I think is a good one.
SUSAN:
03:56
And as well, you know, it's on the brands as well where they're trying to make it seem "I woke up like this", right? Yeah, sure. It's shot on an iPhone 11 like you said. But you know, think of all of the pieces that went behind it. And I think this is an important conversation for people to be having. If you look at an ad...that ad, if it's on the airwaves, paying big media bucks, then for sure it's not a DIY.
GENEVIEVE:
04:19
Absolutely. And I think that we are discussing these issues with things like face-tune and influencers, but in terms of the video production, it's not commonly held knowledge that so much is required in order to execute something that looks natural.
WILL:
04:35
Yeah. And so tell us, when you start working with a client specifically, maybe a new client, someone who's new to professionally produced video, talk about that intake or we talked about there needs to be an education process involved. Talk to us a little bit about your process when you start working with a client?
GENEVIEVE:
04:49
I think it always starts with setting up expectations because you can't deliver a product without creating boundaries, without being transparent about the process and what is required in the process. So I typically start by opting for references with what they want to see. If they don't have them then I find some that are realistic and within a general budget I usually present three budgets, a cheap and cheerful version, a mid range version and then the high end and then whatever the client is comfortable with, we go forward with that.
SUSAN:
05:20
I know that we've worked in the past together, Gen and we put together videos like a whole couple of series of videos and one of the things that did for us is it really took our visibility to the next level. That particular series of content hacks videos that we worked on together. It was probably our first foray into like micro content and understanding that people wanted smaller things and everyone wanted for me to be like, Oh, just try this out and see if it works. For us. Do you want to pay someone for it? I'm like, yeah I do actually because I hate being on video. I am self conscious, I am, you know, uncomfortable about what to look at and things like that. And that is the kind of that someone brings to the table who's a professional. So I wanted to call that out and you know the value of using high production is something that we've seen for sure. So talk to us a bit more about what people should expect in terms of you know like an output. Once you've got that next level video, what can people expect from it?
GENEVIEVE:
06:16
I definitely think that it stands out when you have something that is more produced within the clutter of the social media landscape. There has been a trend of all of those automated video editing programs that create kind of texts in a moving photo. But because of the increase of people using those, definitely a produced video stands out, in contrast to that. It also levels up what you're creating. It gives some importance to your video when it does look slick and commercially produced, I think.
WILL:
06:49
You know what, that's a really great point you made about kind of cutting through the clutter. Years ago it was the DIY video that stood out and now because everybody's doing it. This makes sense what you're saying that a professionally produced video does kind of stand out in the scroll of the handheld homemade whatever and also those video platforms that you mentioned that kind of an image with some text and moving. It's almost like I think everyone's kind of gotten over that as well now and you know you see it and you don't click and watch it anymore.
GENEVIEVE:
07:14
Yeah absolutely. And I think with video it is such an all encompassing medium. You have the audio element, you have the visual element, you maybe have a tech element and supers and it's a lot more engaging than a static photo and copy.
WILL:
07:31
So something that I was excited to talk to you about Gen. Cause I always like hearing from the professionals in their field on, you know, 2020 we've gone through a lot of that new year trend predicting. So I wanted to hear from you, what's like hot right now with video production? What are you being asked to do or what are you seeing? Any predictions, that sort of thing.
GENEVIEVE:
07:50
I definitely think a big trend is the cinematic look, so making things very dramatic, very color graded, produced, and I think that that is occurring because of the ubiquity of Netflix and streaming services and also the sophistication of technology has certainly raised the bar on video production. Another big trend is comedy, so a lot of the big commercials that we're seeing nowadays take a very comedic approach. I think that because of the social climate right now, definitely people are looking for a bit of humor and that's what's really resonating with audiences and making something that's very sharable and definitely authenticity is still key on social media and it relates to video as well. So I know we're talking about budgets and production and pre-planning every element, but I think that definitely coming from an authentic position and being more natural in the presentation is also something that's really popular on social media right now.
SUSAN:
08:47
Those are some great points. Now, let's look at the flip side. I've suddenly been in conversations where people have talked about how they've hate being hostage by that slideshow video or that text on top of a picture kind of a thing. So what's on its way out? What is like seriously tired, no longer effective and we can just go out on a limb and said, stop doing these things guys.
GENEVIEVE:
09:08
Well I definitely think the slide-show video has run its course and that is definitely on its way out. I would say that another video style is explainer videos. They've seen their day. Unless your company is a very niche B2B area where you need to get into detail about the product. I don't see that those are being very effective these days.
WILL:
09:30
And when you say explainer videos, is that meaning, you know, here's the product, the product's benefits, are this, that sort of thing is what you're referring to, right?
GENEVIEVE:
09:38
Yes, definitely. I think that it's more about lifestyle and creating a need for the product and showing the product in situ as opposed to explaining the benefit of it.
WILL:
09:48
That makes so much sense. Now, something else I wanted to talk to you about is we're on our phones in our scroll, a video will come up. Usually the sound is off, so talk to us about the importance of captions right now on top of videos, especially when it's related to mobile
GENEVIEVE:
10:01
Placement is something that needs to be considered before you go into your video and before you start conceptualizing your video. Is it going to go on TV? Is it going to be for social media? Because nowadays most social videos are not listening to with sound and so it's absolutely integral that you also have your message clear within the copy on the video.
SUSAN:
10:21
Yeah, I remember we did a fair bit of that. Right? We would put supers together to make sure it was seen and then we were like, where do we put the super so that a close caption situation doesn't go over the super. People don't think about the amount of detail that needs to go into having a seemingly flawless final product, do they?
GENEVIEVE:
10:39
No. And I think a lot of times people will say, Oh, I'm going to make a video. And they don't put it in the proper preparation for that. Everything needs to be considered, especially placement.
WILL:
10:50
And you know, say it say I was like, okay Gen, I want to work with you and we're going to do a video. Here's the concept after production. How much planning I guess goes in beforehand when it comes to the specific channels. So is that something, I guess at the beginning that you're talking about, like where is this video going to live and do you film differently based on the channel that it's going to live on? Is that happening?
GENEVIEVE:
11:11
Yes, absolutely. I think sometimes we'll do two edits the same video because it's going to go on Instagram and it's going to go on LinkedIn. So channel placement needs to be established right at the forefront and the video needs to be created with that in mind. And then post production can accommodate in terms of ratios. So if you want to shoot for Instagram stories, that's a totally different ratio than LinkedIn. And so you're going to need to keep that in mind prior to shooting prior to the production.
SUSAN:
11:40
Yeah, you make such a good point. This is why sometimes in briefs when we ask something ridiculous like horizontal or vertical and people look at you oddly or like this is the reason a production brief exists. Right? So that we can catch all of the details, the number of times where we've had to redo something, you know, because it needs to feature in the vertical format. Even if it's just a slide show video, it's work.
GENEVIEVE:
12:02
Yeah, it's definitely time consuming. And so I think that that's why things need to be established before even going to production because otherwise you're going to end up with horizontal video with big bars on it for Instagram stories. And that's definitely not the ideal aesthetic for that format.
SUSAN:
12:19
For those small businesses who are perhaps intimidated by the idea of video or not sure if they can afford it, and you know, are probably thinking, this is out of my league. What might you be able to say to them to be like, no, it doesn't necessarily have to be.
GENEVIEVE:
12:35
I think keeping it simple sometimes is the easiest way to manage budget vs. expectation. The more involved the project is, obviously the rates go up for that, but I think that you can accomplish video on pretty much any budget.
WILL:
12:51
Okay. Some great advice there from our guest on the very last episode. Thank you very much, Genevieve. This has been a great discussion all about professionally produced video. Also, thank you for being the last guest of season 3. It was very nice to chat with you again.
GENEVIEVE:
13:04
Yeah. Thank you for having me. It was great.
SUSAN:
13:06
Thank you. Bye.
About Genevieve
After earning a fine art degree from OCAD university, Genevieve made the transition to digital marketing bringing in artistic edge to all ventures. She’s worked with a variety of clients and agencies across verticals producing digital content with a deep understanding of effective advertising and key insight into placement. She cofounded her production company Atomic Video in 2019 she specializes in social content commercials, music videos and narrative films. Web: http://artfullysocial.ca http://instagram.com/atomicvideo https://www.instagram.com/artfullysocial/ ***
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It’s the 4AM Report!
We’re done saying Happy New Year, yes? NO MORE RESOLUTIONS! But wait. HA! Appropriately enough for the 4AM Report, Will has a resolution - trying to get better sleep in 2020!
Here’s how….
- Weighted Blanket
- Diffuser
- Sleeping mask
- Tempur-Pedic Pillow
Is it working? Well, Will’s anxiety hasn’t vanished yet (as he says, “BABY STEPS!!”), but it is a perfect segue to today’s episode of the 4AM Report – New Year’s Trend Reports for marketers.
Oh man. It’s SO overwhelming – alllll the things you should be using, software to buy, gear you should have as marketers – but a lot of it is geared toward enterprise-level companies with huge budgets! Budgets - and bandwidth - that the scrappier small businesses might not have!
I mean, as a small business, we all want better marketing, but let’s be real!
Boot-Strap Your Way to Better Marketing
So, ever cognizant of people’s 💸 💸 💸 AND ⏰ ⏰ ⏰, let’s look at five digital marketing trends for 2020, that are easily within reach for the small business owner!
Customer experience/User experience: This is what’s going to keep people coming back to you! Step 1, housekeeping. Make sure everything in your bag of marketing tricks is functioning properly -links, forms, technology, ensure you have clear CTAs on all your content – and make them small and bite-sized – it takes ten steps to guide a customer to actually buy – don’t put ANY roadblocks in their way!
Personalization is also important! Your web people can help you with this – using tagging, categorizing, etc. Or think about chatbots and personal retargeting. The big boys like Amazon, etc., are great at personalization – and it doesn’t have to cost and arm and a leg to integrate personalization into your marketing.
Make mobile EASY. We’re all always on our phones, searching and buying, make sure your mobile sites are optimized for purchasing!
Strong creative is key. Your ideas matter, whether images, branding, content, etc. Also, make sure your online experience is really well designed!
Stories and Micro Content: Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook stories, TikTok, there are myriad micro platforms out there you can explore! Trust us, it’s helped us increase our reach from the tens to the thousands (listen to the full podcast to find out how!)
Microcontent leads to the micro-conversion idea! Putting your content into smaller pieces increases the chance potential customers will invest in the steps needed to get to a conversion. People are busy – micro content means less pressure on yourself to create and less pressure on them to commit!
It also allows you to create more content/more regularly. And it reaches a younger audience, allows for a more casual and less-censored view of your brand, and WTH it can even help create a feeling of FOMO around your brand – especially when the stories or content is only online for a short time.
Audio and Voice Search: Voice search today makes up 20 percent of all searches – and it’s projected to go even higher - reaching 50 percent soon! Think voice activated assistants, speakers, etc. So, what does voice search have to do with your marketing? A LOT. Make sure your content is optimized for voice search by using longer, more conversational queries (also known as longtail keywords in SEO speak) – have your web guys help you with this.
Also, create conversational content! Answer questions and think about what Joe Public would be googling/speaking to the speaker.
Channel Disruption!!: We all know it’s harder to stand out these days – so let’s shake things up in 2020! Think about how you can UP your visibility online and stand out from the madding crowd! Consider each platform – examine what content is considered the norm – and then turn it on its head! Don’t be afraid to have fun and start small! Visuals RULE, so use them!!
DIY Video: Yay cell phones! DIY video saves you money and time. Don’t try and be fancy and perfect with your video, and yes, while it’s important to do live video at times, create a mixture of live and pre-recorded stories. And keep ‘em short when you can (see above re: micro content). But don’t forget to always use good light though, peeps! 😂 😂 😂
Look, it’s only January – don’t burn yourself out – if you still find this overwhelming let us help you! Click here to explore what services we can bring to your marketing table this year!
Still can’t sleep?
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Any of these problems speak to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations – don’t miss it!
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This week hosts Susan and Will chat with guest Andrea Henry, a business lawyer who is passionate about helping women entrepreneurs get to that 7-figure goal.
What do they discuss?
✔️The barriers facing women business owners when it comes to getting funding for growth
✔️The lack of value funders put on intellectual property here in Canada
✔️How women can be better structuring their business to be more attractive to potential funders
Here’s an interesting stat:
Only 2% of women owned businesses reach the 1 million mark in annual revenue; whereas businesses owned by men are 3.5 times more likely to do so.
Andrea wants to change that.
Here’s an excerpt from the transcript:
02:41
Will: We do know that the Canadian government, the federal government launched a program last year, a hundred million dollar program funding for small businesses owned by females. It's called the Woman Entrepreneurship Fund. So to me that sounds fantastic. They realized there's a need for this. They're investing 100 million set up this fund. They have the goal of doubling the number of women owned businesses by 2025 which would add 10% to the national GDP. So this all sounds great, but Andrea, we were talking earlier and you were telling us from your experience with your clients, this program just isn't enough.
03:18
Andrea: Well, I think it's a wonderful idea and I'm thrilled that the government understands that in supporting women owned business, there are certainly just going to help the whole country. You mentioned the 10% of the national GDP. When you empower women and allow them to have access to economic activity, you do better for the whole country. But in speaking to clients who've been trying to access funding, whether it's government funding or other funding, there seems to be a disconnect between the funding that's available and the types of businesses that people want to run. And so I have a client who is over a million dollars a year in revenue, has been for several years, has very good financials, but can't get funded because the assets are all intellectual property, right? Is her brand and is her reputation. And so the funding to me seems to be a lot more, you know, traditional, right? So if you've got assets that they can hold on to, then you're going to find it easier to get funded. Or if you only need a very little bit of funding, right? If you're a micro-business, you need a couple thousand dollars to get started. What I'm concerned about are the ambitious women who want to be industry leaders who want to breach that Mark and go further. There seems to be a gap in the marketplace or that,
04:32
Susan: This is certainly something that keeps me up at night as well, Andrea. It's a perception versus reality problem. Almost like, you know, we talked briefly about how we see those little ADs for like, Oh, women entrepreneurs apply here and then you go in there and it's like $5,000 I'm like, that's one 10th of my monthly burn rate to girlfriend. You know? So there's just that sort of belief that women entrepreneurs are only in the starter stage of the business, which is not at all true. The real gap like you pointed out is in the middle, maybe those two 50 and up type entrepreneurs who are like on that serious growth path. And like you said, investing in the intellectual property, right? Like I've suddenly faced this problem as part of my journey, which is like I've invested in creating those systems and building the people and the and the sort of efficiency models which are intangible. They're worth a whole lot. But when I go in there, the bank is like, all right, little girl come back when you have a property with 1 million bucks, right?
05:30
Andrea: Yeah, that's exactly what it is. And so we're in a new age, right? We are in an age where intellectual property is the thing. It's what you can create, the systems that you can create, the new innovations that you can come up with. But yet the banking and the funding system lags behind that on is more interested it would seem and the tangible assets which as we develop and as our world changes, we're going to be less and less important.
05:58
Will: Now let's Canada versus the US for a minute. Cause I know you were telling us a story about a woman who couldn't get funding here in Canada goes to the States and she's able to set up her business and get funding there. Is there a difference you see in Canadian financial institutions versus the American money that's available? Is it that our system is just more conservative and we don't value that intellectual property as much as they do in the States? What do you think?
06:20
Andrea: I think it's definitely more conservative, which is not always a bad thing is the reason why our economy didn't go off a cliff when you know, it did that in the States. So that's a good thing. So conservative isn't necessarily, you know, bad is it, but it is true that I have had examples of, of many business owners and women led businesses where they could not get the funding in Canada and moved and one lady in particular, they've just raised 7 million in funding in the States.
06:51
Andrea: And this is a business that would have been able to imply countless numbers of people in Canada. She's a Canadian, but she only left to go to the States because she couldn't get the funding because again, their business owns nothing. It is 100% of systems and logistical assets business. And because of that, it was difficult for her to be able to get funded. So my concern is we have so many bright, ambitious entrepreneurs here, we want to keep them here. We want to make sure that they're growing the economy and hiring people in Canada and not losing out to the States because we're not in a position to really value assets in a way that some of the banking institutions here and also comfortable with.
07:30
Susan: Yeah, and as you were saying, you know, it's like a, it's like an entrepreneurial brain drain. And you're, you're having people sort of move over there. And a point you made earlier that stood out for me was that whole implosion of 2008 didn't happen because entrepreneurs got it wrong. It happened because of real estate.
07:50
Andrea: Yes. It was investment bankers in real estate. Yeah.
07:53
Will: So you know, we've set the stage here that it's not that easy for female led entrepreneurs to get funds from financial, traditional financial institutions. The amount of money they need to really grow their business. What, when they come to Andrea or Susan from your experience, what is out there? What, what are the next things people start looking at and are they good options or not?
08:12
Andrea: So what will often happen is if you can't get financing from a bank or credit union or any other type of lending institution, then you'll look for investment, which which makes sense, right? It's in a sense less risky than financing through debt where you're 100% liable and you will usually need to provide a personal guarantee. What I find is a pitfall is that when you're growing rapidly and you know that to get to the next level, I need marketing help or I need, you know, sales coach and whatever else you need to get to the next level. I need to bring on an employee and someone is willing to offer you their services for a stake in the company. So like you don't have to pay me, but I want a 10% stake or 20% stake. So at the time you're desperate and you believe in your company and you know it's going to get to the next level, that seems like you know, manna from heaven really, I don't have to pay you and you're going to give me all the services that I need.
09:05
Andrea: So I fully understand that. The concern with that is you really have to think about what you think your company's going to be worth because if someone is to pay for those services would have been $20,000 and you think your company's going to be worth $1 million and you give up 20% of that, you've just spent $200,000 to get $20,000 worth of services. Right. It is an expensive way to fund your growth. If you have no choice, if you really, there is no way out. Our professors would always say, go to go to friends and family first, but the reality is for a lot of us, especially people who are new to entrepreneurship, who are immigrants to the country, who come from communities where they aren't resources, we can't write. Like I know there are people who go to their fathers and get a $50,000 loan or $100,000 loan to start a business.
09:56
Andrea: That was not my case and I know that's not the case for a lot of people out there. So if you really have no choice, then you want to make sure that you still keep some control of your shares. So maybe you give up some of your company, but you keep control over it through call options or through convertible shares, which allow you then to somehow get your shares back at a later event. It might be more expensive, but it's not as expensive as if you allow your company to grow to this multimillion beauty that you know it can be and you've given up too much too early. The other problem with giving up too much surely is when you then grow. So you use these services and you, you know, and now you're attractive to people with much deeper pockets. You have already given up, you know, 20-30-40-50% of your company, what do you have left to give?
10:44
Andrea: Because anything you give at that point is going to make you a minority shareholder and you'll lose control of your company. So it's just important to really think about all the ways that you possibly could fund and you know, negotiate. I saw something just this morning in life, we often don't get what we deserve. We get what we negotiate. So ask for what you want. You want to be able to buy your shares back three years from now. Ask for it. Right? You might have to pay different terms, you might have to pay a little bit more in the future. But if it's something that was important to you and you think that your companies want to do well, ask for it and work with someone who's willing to work with you.
11:20
Susan: That's such great point to make. Andrea, let's sort of like give our like female owned business listeners some thoughts that you've discussed with us in the past about how you can be structuring your business from a legal perspective to perhaps be more attractive to those funders. And you know, not seem like that person who doesn't know some of these ins and outs of the whole thing as you grow.
11:44
Andrea: So from both, whether you're going to go to for traditional bank financing or you're looking for investors incorporation. So having a corporate structure in the first place is really important. Not just, you know, incorporating online and having your certificate of incorporation, but actually going through the formalities, having a minute book, all of those things are going to be reviewed by your potential lenders, by your potential investors, and a shoddy minute book are a non-system. And that book can completely just scupper a deal to begin with. Keeping really good records from the beginning. Even a clear distinction between business and personal, which is hard when you're starting out. And when you know there's a lot of fluidity between your personal and your business life, but that's important because you need to be able to, so clearly what's the business and what's yours and then that to incorporation incorporated with a structure that gives you some flexibility.
12:36
Andrea: So generally speaking, people think of shares and we think of common shares and comment and voted in shares as a part of the meat of the shares, right? It's the things that allow you to keep control over a business and they entitle you to the underlying assets. But there is a whole world of different types of shares that you can have. You can have shares that don't carry voting rights, you can have shares that are preferred, which means they don't have access to the underlying assets. You can have convertible shares that can turn from one type of security to another. So shares that will then become debt. At some point in time you can have call options on your shares, which means I sell them to you, but I have the right to buy them back at a particular price at a particular date. So making sure that you are working with a business lawyer who really understands corporate structuring and who understands what it is you want your business to do and where you want it to go.
13:27
Andrea: A lot of people think you just get the certificate and that's it, but you are hurting yourself if you, if you want to be a big business and you want to go after significant funding to not have the right corporate structure in place. And then the other thing, and this isn't even really legal, I just pass this on cause I've spoken to so many lenders where this has been a point of frustration. Um, and I wasn't guilty of it myself when I started out. When we start, especially if you don't have tons of resources, you spend all of the money on your business, right? You spend all of your savings and you max out your credit cards, and you max like line of credit. I'm sure most of you are nodding with me and only when we've like nearly run out of money, then we go for financing.
14:07
Andrea: It's just the worst possible time to go. So goal to the lender before you need it. So goal when you still have access to it, when you still have some savings because lenders will look at that, you know, right or wrongly, they will look at the fact that you bought some savings that you'd bought, some access to credit that you've been having, you know, increase in sales, go then, they're much more likely to fund you at that point. The third thing I will say is, it is almost impossible to get funding or invest in debt if you owe CRA, especially if you owe them lots of money. And so, you know, making sure from the very beginning that you are keeping good records, the money that you spend on a bookkeepers is going to be some of the best money that you can spend just so that you are completely on the right side of CRA and that doesn't prevent you from getting funding in the future.
About Andrea Henry:
Andrea is a Cambridge-educated lawyer with more than a decade of experience working with businesses of all sizes and at every stage of the entrepreneurial journey. She's the daughter of an entrepreneur and also married one herself and is pretty much obsessed with all things business.
Website
Here’s part 2 of ‘Level Up Your Podcast’. A brand new episode of The 4 am Report, for your Boxing Day listening pleasure.
So grab a mug of eggnog, and get some very actionable advice on:
- Upping podcast engagement
- The guest relationship
- Establishing ROI
So, if you’re looking to make some improvements on a podcast you’re already doing, OR looking to start one in 2020, you’ll want to listen up.
Here’s an excerpt from the transcript:
00:21
Will: Hello 4-AM'rs. It's Susan and Will here with part two of our two part series on how to level up your podcast as we get ready for 2020 and we're doing all that planning stuff you do in December. We're sharing our podcasting process with all of you. This is part of our month long deep dive into 2020 planning. We're sharing what has worked for us would have been some of our biggest successes this past year and we're hoping to inspire you a little bit for us to come in 2020 so we're not only just producing our podcasts, but we've started producing podcasts for clients as well and that's been really fun and it's now part of our business offering to small businesses. This week we're going to talk about getting the engagement and growing your listener-ship when it comes to your podcast. We'll also talk about guest relations and of course how to measure ROI for your podcast. If you missed last week's episode where we talked to the creation and production side, go back and listen. But this week it's all about engagement, the guest relations and ROI. So if you're already doing a podcast or you want to start doing a podcast, this is all great information. So listen up and level up.
01:26
Susan: So let's get right into this and talk engagement. Here's what we do once we have an episode that's been edited and it's ready to go out for distribution, we're pretty true to our theme and we lean all the way into it and our episode goes out at 4:00 AM on Thursdays. And along the way this has really become one of those like hard deadlines almost journalistic. So in order to be able to release the episodes at that time, meaning in order to put it out on social and distributed, we uploaded a few hours earlier. So it goes onto the actual platform where the episode lives, which in our cases, Libsyn. I think we mentioned that on the last episode. It goes there, it's uploaded there, and from there we put it on our website and then it also obviously reflects in other places like Apple podcasts and Spotify and many others.
02:16
Susan: So that's kind of what we do. And then we take that page from our actual website. We have a podcast page on our website, which I think is important because you want to bring people back to your turf, whenever possible. Of course people listen to episodes elsewhere, but there's no harm posting it on your website. So we do that. We post that on all channels and then we use email to promote some of it as well. Yes, email obviously still works. We definitely believe that. So we use email to launch seasons and sometimes we send out recaps and some analytics to people who are on our lists. Now we don't bombard people with every single episode because many of these people are on our list because they are signed up for other properties and a podcast is not, they signed up to receive it. I mean it's CASTLE rules.
03:01
Susan: You want to make sure that you're staying on the right side of who you are legally allowed to email. And for what when each episode goes out, we do offer people the option to sign up for the list if they do want to receive episodes. And lastly, how do we put the post together to post on social? We don't just post episodes once and done, we use our unplug and play calendar, which is essentially trying to post things in different formats and we'll get to that in a minute and giving each piece of content like full exposure. So that's coming up in a second. But if you do want that calendar for free, you can go and get it in the resources section of our website, cp.digital. So the other thing that we find is also very important in getting people to notice each episode is the actual creative or the artwork that accompanies each episode.
03:49
Susan: So we switch this up for each episode. We have a guest on every episode except for the few episodes where we're talking through some learnings or specific comments. But usually there's a guest and we put the picture of the guests into the actual artwork that goes out. And we also use images that we change up. We have a batch of images that we shoot for each season and we reflect the theme. So right now, for example, we're going slightly deeper into the whole doc thing and talking about how surreal the online space has become in some ways and leaning into a black middle like theming. And so some of that is reflected in our images. We also tend to use a whole lot of humour because humour is a big brand value for us. And some of the images that we put out with the podcast, which essentially stops the scroll, is images of us being funny.
04:43
Will: I totally believe our content and what we talk about on our podcast is great. The images, the artwork, the playfulness of it all, that's what kind of gets the attention. That's what get people to open the email or click through. So don't underestimate the value of artwork reflecting your theme being interesting, disrupting kind of the same old boring stuff people see on LinkedIn. Throwing a few fun pictures and that's really worked for us. Susan had alluded to this earlier when we were talking about the unplug and play calendar and putting content out in different formats. So maybe I'll let you, Susan explain how we use something called the anchor theory to really distribute in a very, almost our own scientific way our content.
05:24
Susan: So we call it the anchor theory, but obviously most content practitioners will tell you that they have some variation on it. It's been called atomization has been called spinning, but essentially it's the idea that you have one core or anchor piece of content, which to keep with the theme here. Let's assume that is an episode of your podcast. So once you've got a podcast episode recorded, you've put a certain amount of research time, effort into the creation of it, and just putting it out once and being done is not nearly enough for that. So this is where you want to have support assets. We talked about the images obviously, but how are you using those images? You want to use them on social, you want to write up a batch of posts that you're putting out with it. Obviously that's one way to do it.
06:06
Susan: You also want to be thinking about the fact that there's a transcript that you can get out of the actual episodes, use the transcript to write up a blog post, maybe a series of blog posts if it's a longer episode. We've had several cases of in depth episodes which have been used as lead magnets for clients and then they use that to subsequently collect emails from those who are interested in going into their list. So there's a whole lot that you can be doing. This is just scratching the surface, but don't dismiss the value of your key pieces of content. Think about it as if you have it in one format, like the audio format, like a podcast, and maybe think about a small video, a snippet of it, some visual assets as well as written assets, or put it into all of the other formats. And you should have a nice round set of assets to promote with.
06:53
Will: And something else to remember. Don't just put the podcast episode out, promoted that week and then forget about it. We love to kind of bring things back. So at the end of each season, at the end of each 10 episode season, we do an email recap and we do social media recaps of some of our favorites and we'll, we'll bring them back. Sometimes we group some of the podcasts together and create little hubs. So when we created a little toolkit on content creation, we pulled three podcast episodes related to content creation and they went into this little toolkit as the podcasting part of this toolkit, which also had a blog and tips and an info graphic and that sort of thing. So think of how you can re-purpose and bring back these wonderful pieces of content that you've created
07:36
Susan: and SEO loves that. When you create these little hubs of content on specific topics, it does tend to help towards helping you rank higher in those areas. So think about grouping it and reusing.
07:48
Will: Okay, so now let's move on to the guests. We do have guests almost every week on our podcast. Last week we talked about the automation we use to invite the guest and bring them in and do the precall. So we talked all the way up to the recording. So after you've recorded with your guest, it's don't just, okay, bye. Thanks. Don't just do that. There's a lot of opportunity here. We send our guests and other automated email following the recording when the podcast goes live, thanking them. We give them a little digital coffee card to go enjoy a coffee on us and we also give them a link to the post and some copy to write so they can share it in their networks. Also this guest could lead to future collaborations, potentially even business collaboration, considered this guest and having them on your podcast at the beginning of a new, a new connection, a new relationship that you want to continue to foster and for sure for us, we've had guests post the podcast on their network and then we've heard from one of their connections that they wanted to get in touch with us to talk about business.
08:45
Will: So it really does pay off and we'll talk more about that in the ROI section. Do you have anything to add on that guest part, Susan?
08:51
Susan: I think often we get more guests out of the guests that come, like they'll introduce us onto someone else who's like, Ooh, I can think of someone else who's in this field who might want to talk about it. And I think the fact that we have that hook with the 4:00 AM report and "what keeps you up at night", it offers a lot of, I guess amusement value to people as well. So we do get a lot of conversations started this way. And that's kind of, that'll lead us into the ROI section of this in a minute. We should also mention that if you've got someone new in your world, make sure to ask them if they would like to go on your list and don't be afraid to sort of ask them if they know anyone else. And if they can suggest other people, you'd be surprised how much of connection you would open up by doing that.
09:30
Will: Now. So we've talked about engagement, we've talked about utilizing that guest relationship. So now this brings us to talking about measuring the ROI on your podcast. And we've actually put a lot of thought into this. There's a case study on our podcast on our website that you can check out at cp.digital.com But Susan's written some really good pieces on podcasts, ROI and not just looking at the numbers, they're important, but there's so much more that she's seen we've gotten from our podcast than merely the ratings and the numbers and the shares and that sort of thing. So Susan, why don't you tell us about it
10:02
Susan: For our podcast, here's the four step framework by which we measure. Obviously the base of it is the, what do you want to call the vanity metrics or who's consuming, who's sharing, who's commenting. Um, and in many cases that tends to be low, especially at the start. Then you might not see a whole lot. People might be listening to you on the actual channels and you can obviously look that up by going to the back end of it. So if you've got something like Libsyn. Libsyn, will give you some basic analytics for the specific channels like iTunes and Spotify. You might have to go down to each channel and get the information that you need. So that's a bit more technical than we have time to cover on this. But essentially you want to have the numbers for how many downloads, listeners, subscribers, reviews, that kind of thing.
10:49
Susan: You want to have a handle on that. So that's the first level of measurement to figure out what your ROI is. Then comes the second level, which we've been talking about quite a lot, which is the value of the relationships. And once again, if you think about the guests, not as like someone to sleazy sales pitch too, but rather a new set of doors that opened for you and you know, obviously ask for those referrals. Sometimes you don't even have to, like I said, people introduce you to people. So really evaluate the value of that relationship. Follow through on those extra conversations and remember that when you've built something like a podcast, which you can invite people, you've always got a solid piece of marketing that you can bring people back to. So even if you're not actually having a conversation with somebody who's a, who's a client avatar of your type, inviting Lambda on your podcast and helping them to promote themselves as often a great way to get those conversations started.
11:38
Susan: So think about it as a variation on the sales call. In some ways, not always, but in some ways the third level of what we measure out of it is quite simply the actual amount of business that we get out of it. Like when people reference the podcast and be like, Ooh, you produce this, we'd like to talk to you about whether it's you know, in the podcasting medium or whether it's in a different medium of content. We've gotten a fair bit of business that's come straight out of the fact that we have this podcast. And lastly, the thing that we measure number four is industry impact. So in our case, one of the examples is because we started this whole story with the 4:00 AM and what keeps you up at night, we tend to have a lot of emotionally intelligent conversations with people and around marketing and the state of it.
12:22
Susan: It's kind of taken us to a place where we have a lot of interesting discussions around the things that we want to impact as well. The fact that we have a micro podcast and it's about 15 minutes and you know, many people have leaned into that and said to us that they think it's a great idea. Firstly because it doesn't clutter up download space by being really long. And secondly, because people really, not necessarily everyone is commuting those long commutes where they have time for the more in depth learning episodes. So that's kind of our fourth step, who's consuming and sharing and that kind of thing. What is the value of the relationships you're building out of it? What is the actual amount of business that is coming thanks to your podcast. And the last is how are you impacting your industry?
Still can’t sleep?
We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems - your issue might be featured in our next episode!
Any of these problems speak to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it!
If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!
We’re well into December, and if you’re like us, you’ve been in 2020 planning mode for a while now. That’s why we’re focusing all of our December episodes on planning.
And this week, we’ve got the first of a two-parter, on something very near and dear to our hearts -- podcasting 🎙
Whether you are already doing a podcast and looking to make some improvements, or if you’re thinking of dipping your toes into the podcast-verse for the first time, take 15 minutes and listen up.
‘Cause over these next two episodes we are sharing our process -- from end to end. All of our learnings from the past 6 months!
In part one, we talk about..
✔️Putting a podcast strategy in place
✔️The importance of discipline and consistency
✔️The importance of auditing your podcast
✔️Our actual production process (a great step-by-step guide)
PS: Stay tuned for part two next week when we talk about upping podcast engagement, guest relations and measuring ROI.
PPS: Want help producing your podcast? We can do that. Book a call here: https://calendly.com/cpdig/marketing-simplification-call
Still can’t sleep?
We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems - your issue might be featured in our next episode!
Any of these problems speak to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it!
If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!
🎉We're celebrating 25 episodes of The 4 am Report this week with our guest Dr. Monisha Ravishankar.
In this episode with talk about the art and science of building an online brand in 2020.
(We also can’t get enough of the many sides of Monisha - you need to listen to fully get why we are so fascinated with this guest and the many hats she’s worn over her career. To say multi-talented is an understatement).
⭐This episode is for you if you’re trying to bring together many different interests.
⭐Or if you’re trying to find that hook to set yourself apart from the the ‘lifestyle entrepreneurs’ out there.
⭐Or if you wonder about social sharing lines when it comes to your professional account.
Here’s an excerpt from the transcript:
Monisha: Okay. I am a light sleeper, so I have to mention that there are very many things that keep me up at night. But in terms of the marketing aspect of late, I have had this particular topic that has been keeping me up at night, which is what exactly is my presence? Who am I on social media?
I've always been a part of social media. I have an account on most of the platforms, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, et cetera. And I've always had one side to me. But of late, I've been thinking hard about, okay, I've always been a multifaceted person, so why not be able to show the world who I really am, share my lifestyle, and it could probably help someone out there, or someone could have a positive day just learning something new about me. But it also kind of gives me the question where should I be sharing all aspects of my life with the world?
There was a time when I was quite active with my creative side with media, and of course my life was out there in the public. But this has almost been a decade, and then I moved from India to Canada and been working on my life as a dentist. And the last few years has been all about working full time as a dentist. I'm also a mom. I have a four-year-old girl, so it's been home, work, and somewhere in between, you could say at 4 AM, I woke up feeling, "This has just gotten so monotonous. How do we break this monotony?"
And that's when I realized I'm not doing what I actually love doing, which is being a multifaceted person, which is actually being in touch with all aspects of things that I love to do. So what is stopping me? Is it because I'm a mom? Is it because I work full time as a dentist? Is it because being a professional, I'm worried about not being taken too seriously if I get back into media or any aspect of the creative side, even being a dancer or a theater actor.
So I want to be able to break that monotony and show people out there that you can actually do different things. The question is how you manage, how you balance your lifestyle, and how you make the time for it, make peace with yourself and be confident about how you're taking that step forward.
Will: Right, right. And you know what? First of all, I do want to say I would definitely follow a social media account of a dentist/actor/ballet dancer/TV personality/news anchor. So right there already, I'm intrigued. I'm very intrigued. You said you've been basically using social media for your dentistry right now. Is the ultimate goal here to actually use your social media as a platform to gain employment in the other fields as well? Or is it more to entertain friends and family and yourself? Just looking at the goal of what you're wanting to do right now?
Monisha: Almost 10 years ago, probably 8 to 10 years ago, when I was very active with media, social media wasn't as active. The world of influencing and stuff like that didn't exist back then. Even if it did, it was in a very small scale. So I got on social media back then mainly to keep in touch with friends, with family, anyone I've lost touch with across the world, and it's been that way all these years. And like I said, I've been busy with being a full-time dentist and a mom and yada yada. So I haven't really gotten into serious aspect of handling my social media account just to take care of putting out my personality out there like I explained previously.
The dentist profile that I was talking to both of you about has been something that I've done recently, just the last year. The original handle that I've always had is more a personal account, but the dentist handle is something that I started a year ago when I actually started thinking about, "Okay, why not put my life out there?"
Now, I don't want it to be a boring account just showing dentistry. I'm pretty sure not many people out there love going to the dentist and it's not like they're going to be very interested just looking at dental work on social media. Of course, I would love to share my work out there. Who doesn't love having a smile makeover? Who doesn't love knowing stuff like how you can do small changes that could impact your oral health without actually having to visit a dentist? You know what I mean? We know how expensive dentistry can be and so if I could give people tips that they could just listen to and that makes a change, well then, I'm happy.
So it started out like that where I wanted to share lifestyle tips, dental tips, but not just concentrate on the dental aspect, to also be able to put my personality out there, my flair for life, and just share the positive side of my mind, you could say.
Susan: I think you're making a lot of really great points in terms of content marketing. One of the things that motivates it best is putting information out there, learning out there, tips and usable material out there for the sole purpose of letting someone have that information. Once they do get that, they get to know who you are. And I think tone and voice has a lot to do with it and we'll touch on that in a minute. But once you've got people reading and using your content, when time comes to make decisions about something that they could potentially purchase or that influence aspect, you get that much more organically and naturally. So that's already great.
The second point is the fact that you have this hook. We talked about it briefly about our podcast and how you were saying that we've done well and, honestly, if we had to take it down to one thing, it's the fact that we had a good story, a good hook, and we were sort of committed in doing it, right?
So yours is similar. You've cut the clutter already. I believe one of the things that your Instagram handle says is “The Real Tooth Fairy”, which I think is super cool. You're already indicating the left and right brain side of yourself and who, like Will said, doesn't want to talk to the dentist who's also the cool TV personality and theater actor, right?
And as well, the very good point that you make about dental isn't covered for most people and it is a genuine expense, and for those that do have it, they don't fully understand how great it is to have it, but so many people don't. And why not, like you said, go to that proactive preventative? It's in the wellness realm, right? Wellness has acquired a bad rap over the years because so many people have abused it, but basically you could totally stay in that space of lifestyle and wellness, except you're not just who's making up this advice, you are someone who is an actual doctor of the profession. So I think there's a lot of story in there in terms of how you can do it.
Will: Yeah, and Susan was mentioning tone and voice, and I think if you are going to make this kind of an elevated social media account, you'd want to do some thinking about that. You want to still be giving professional dental advice, as we were speaking earlier. I know you have an interest in fashion, you have an interest in overall wellness, things like this, which I think could easily be worked into this account in a fun, entertaining way. So it's kind of like your goal is to entertain and inform, a twofold kind of account.
Susan: Yeah, I think basically that's what it is. You want to bring that entertainment to the forefront, and by entertainment, I don't think it needs to be like straight up "haha" funny, unless that's the personality that someone wants to convey. But it's just a little break. We call it the decluttering of your day. You've got a feed full of people either selling you something or giving you bland motivational statements on whatever. When someone puts in something which cuts the... Oh, what do they call it? The “stop the scroll,” right? Why not aim to get that sort of tone and voice?
And as far as the actual operations of it is concerned, Monisha, I know that we talked about how you've had this advice from a couple of other friends in the space as well, it's suddenly what's streamlining and focusing your efforts to one or two places. Potentially for you, that means bringing your Instagram accounts together into one account, however you choose to spin that. You can build out the story around that a little bit.
But that brings the question where is the line, right? Often people are like, "I really would like to share a personal detail about what I wore for Christmas, but does that belong on the page?" Then you're going to have to figure-
Monisha: Absolutely. Absolutely, Susan. Thanks for bringing that up because that is probably one of the main things that keeps me up at night. A friend pointed out to me, kind of opened my eyes, I can say, as to why are you running two social media handles? It's like running two parallel lives. Why would you want to do that? I do understand that you kind of have a few aspects of your private life that you might not want to share with the world, but it doesn't really make sense in terms of time, effort, energy, running two parallel lives.
And that got me thinking. Yeah, what am I really hiding from the world? Is there a need to have two different personalities? Why not just be myself and market myself for the person I am? I'm old enough. I have evolved as a person over the years with experiences and with the people I've met, associated with. So why not just take it all into one account? And that's what I'm working on right now. But like you said, where do you draw that line?
Susan: There's a couple of practical suggestions you can employ in terms of the line, right? I understand the effort that goes into two. So if you assume you'd streamline them into one and kept your main feed in line with whatever it is that the content that you want to put out there, whether you want to represent a few specific aspects, you want art, you want music, you want dentistry, for example. I'm just making this up. And then within your feed you stay with those. You have certain times that you will punch it up with some personal details, but those will be controlled personal details. I might get a lot of flak for saying this, but I think it's important to control your feed.
Where you do have the opportunity to put out some of the personal stuff is on the stories, right? Like Snapchat, the disappearing factor allows a little bit more safety in one sense. And the other thing to think about is to limit. So when you put in stories you can limit some things to close friends. It takes a little while to set up those things, but it certainly takes a lot less time than trying to manage two accounts and trying to-
Monisha: Absolutely. Yeah, it's possible. I've just realized that it is possible, and it doesn't really make sense to be handling two separate accounts just to put my life out there.
Will: Yeah, and a way to start off this, too, is actually almost scheduling a little bit. So say, if you still want to lead with dentistry, let's just say, but you also want to be bringing in the other aspects of your life. So you're going to be the dentist who also is X, Y, and Z, as opposed to the X, Y, and Z who happens to also be a dentist. So, depending on how you want to lead, you could say, "Each week I'm going to be doing two original posts: on tips for white teeth, one in-the-office post." You could actually start by doing that and then it'll get a little more natural and you can kind of let it flow. But it might be easy to start off because you seem like someone who would stick to a schedule. I don't know you very well, Monisha, but I think if you scheduled something, you would do it.
So I think if you sketched out how a week of posts would look. And actually, we have a calendar called The Unplug and Play, and you can print it off. There's already some icons and a legend there. So we can give you a guide on how you can schedule it or you can just go and do your own thing. But it's a neat way to make sure that you're using different formats on different social media. You can get that on our website and download it for free.
About Monisha
Monisha Ravishankar - “The REAL tooth fairy” .. Dentist by profession, Artist by passion. A perfectionist who believes in second chances but not for the same mistake. A true blue lifestyle and wellness enthusiast, a bit of a sugar-coated idealist who believes that she can change the world one smile at a time! :)
Instagram:@fairysprinklesdent
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In this episode of The 4 am Report, hosts Susan and Will do what they do best - conduct a 19 minute laser coaching session for a business that has their empire built on one social media channel.
If that's you, listen up. Common Ground 416 is a fitness space focussed on personal coaching that is the answer to the large gym chains
⭐️ They have a strong instagram presence with an engaged following - but they wonder if the model-rich content is forbidding to the average person.
⭐️ They have a base website that they'd like to leverage.
⭐️ They have an instinct that LinkedIn will help reach their downtowner audience but they question of they'll fit among the charts and graphs.
See what advice and tactics we have for them to quickly fill a few gaps and take things to the next level. Including:
📖 Using DMs for bookings
🔌 E-commerce and calendar plug ins to automate bookings
😂 Entertainment on LinkedIn to 'stop the corporate scroll'
- much more.
20 mins. Worth your time if you want more automation digital ROI in your small business.
Here’s the transcript:
Will: So this week we're talking about a classic situation that growing small businesses face. They have success doing a few marketing activities, they see ROI on those activities, but in order to keep growing, they're thinking about expanding that marketing function, but don't know exactly what they should focus on. It's uncharted territory. You only have so many person-hours in a day and so much budget, so trying to decide what's best for the business and what to focus on can be a challenge.
Susan: And our two guests joining us this week are facing that exact scenario. So we wanted to invite them here to chat about the marketing successes that they've had, look under the hood, talk out a few different things that have been working, and maybe help figure out some parts for the future. So this is something that we really like to do with our small business clients, roll up our sleeves and figure out that solution that works because it's never one size fits all.
Will: So it's my pleasure to introduce these two gentlemen. We have Adam McDermot and Griffin Nykor who work for Common Ground 416, a downtown fitness studio, personal trainers, but also they wear the hats of marketers and help promote Common Ground. Adam and Griffin, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself, about Common Ground, and most importantly, what's keeping you up at night.
Adam: Hi, Susan and Will. Thank you for having us on. I'm Adam, and Griffin, we both are from Common Ground, we are trainers, and we also manage and promote the business. So we're quite a small business. We've been open for about 18 months. We had a really good start, so lots of Instagram marketing, lots of buzz. And now that we've grown to more trainers, we have more of an issue in getting leads for our business, which has never been so much of a problem before. Most of our marketing comes through Instagram. So it consists of stories, which we post throughout the day, most days and some posts through the actually Common Ground Instagram along with our Instagram posts. So that's worked really well, to begin with. Now, like I said, as we're growing, we want to diversify our marketing and figure out a more efficient way to do that.
Susan: So talk to us, does Common Ground have a marketing strategy in place? I know that often small businesses kind of need to hit the ground running, right, and see what works and really lean into the things that are working. So that means sometimes that strategy hasn't been fully thought out, or that audiences need to be more defined, or somewhere that the brand voice and the messaging can use a little bit of help, or whatever. So talk to us about what's happening with your strategy.
Griffin: So we don't actually have a formal marketing plan per se. Like Adam just said, we use a lot of social media, i.e., Instagram, Instagram Stories, Instagram Ads, but we don't have a specific plan being like, we're going to post an ad on this day for this many days to try and hit this many people. But rather when we feel like we're getting a little slow, or we feel like clients are starting to be able to work out on their own, or go away for holidays, or things like that, we try to ramp up our advertising in order to help keep the business growing, keep the business busy, and allowing us to keep training people and keeping people healthy.
Will: Now when we're talking about, I guess, who's seen this, and I followed both of you guys on Instagram, I've worked out with you guys before, so I find it really impressive that you guys are so committed to that, Instagram Stories, posting workouts, that sort of thing, I'm just wondering if you were to say who your primary audience is, a secondary or even a third, currently who you're talking to, who you do want to be talking to as you grow.
Adam: So when the business started, the business owner definitely had more of a direction towards models that he worked with. So we had quite a big buzz and that's where our original marketing strategy actually went to and a lot of our clients came from, was through links that he made through modeling agencies. And we still use that quite a lot. But I feel like we've probably got to a point where we saturated that in a way. And recently, we've had more people say that they were almost put off by that strategy. So we're trying to diversify from using young, attractive females as the formal marketing strategy. We're open to everyone. We want to train everyone. There's no specific demographic we don't want to aim at. Obviously, that's too big for us, so we're trying to specifically aim more of a say, mothers that have time during the middle of the day, or even financial clients that could come in at any time of the day. They're short on time, they want to work out, they have the money to do so. We haven't yet found a way to specifically aim at them efficiently.
Susan: Right. And I guess that's where that sort of targeting exercise or getting to know who that audience is, not so much necessarily from a who's the demographic and are they 35 to 45, and do they make X amount of money? That's one way to do it, obviously. But I mean, since you guys have been having success with Instagram, that it goes a bit deeper than that, right? It's understanding sort of what are the pain points of these people. So for example, as you chat it through right now, that strategy of putting the perfect body out there might actually have been detrimental. Because, what do you call it? Will and I talk about this often, it's like imposter syndrome, right?
I mean if you're not the perfect body, and if you're out there like, oh, I need to get slightly fitter, and if you see someone who's perfectly fit, that maybe isn't doing it for them, which is why I think in most of our work we tend to focus heavily on what we call pain storming, which is that really understanding the pain points of the people. You're not working out right now, you're not putting some time, money, and effort into it. Why are you not? What is stopping you right now? And maybe potentially speaking to those pain points.
Will: Yeah, and something else I was going to bring up, I know, again, you guys rule Instagram, it's awesome. But if it is kind of someone like me or people who are in the downtown core sitting at their desk, you might want to consider a LinkedIn strategy, talking to those people who do have the money to come for that personal one-on-one training or get fit in at lunch or after work. And LinkedIn is the place to find a lot of those people. So that might be something as you evolve to start taking that genius that you do on Instagram and figuring out how to transfer that to the LinkedIn crowd, showing that you do service the people who have those corporate jobs and it's a welcoming place for those people as well.
Griffin: For sure. Yeah. One thing that actually after having a chat a couple of weeks ago, Adam and I - LinkedIn is actually something that I've been trying to start to use more, not only for Common Ground but for my own personal use. I found it very confusing at the beginning, so it was kind of more like understanding the platform, the social media. I don't even know if you can call LinkedIn social media, but a social media platform and how it works.
Because obviously, it's very, I don't want to say suit and tie, but it is very suit and tie, right? Like, you don't see anyone ever posting about any Buzzfeed videos, right? It's more like ads about how the stocks are doing and how the banks are doing. So I'm trying to figure out a way to implement a strategy, actually currently, on how we could kind of get exposure through that and kind of wiggle our way through the, this stock crashed and this today, and stuff like that so that people can see us.
Susan: Yeah, that makes sense. But I guess my point to that would be there's some power to decluttering a little bit. So when you find a whole bunch of those standard blue graph-filled stock market-based posts, I think if you take it back to sort of the basics of content marketing, which is that you want to be informing people about what it is that you're able to do for them. And the second part, which is often overlooked, is that you want to be able to entertain them. So if you are able to provide content, if you're able to sort of riff off the various aspects of your brand's personality, you've got a fun name, you can already start making a few puns about having Common Ground with people.
We're certainly going to do that in the naming of this episode, right, Will? I don't know, I'm just going to make stuff up right now, like you could make jokes around coffee or whatever, but you see the point we're trying to make about disrupting in a certain space or other de-cluttering in a certain space by entertaining a little bit, right? Obviously, there's a space to sell but there's a space to show up and let people see who you are.
Will: And also too, I would say, there's a lot of people who promote themselves, a lot of coaches, like business coaches, life coaches on LinkedIn who promote themselves very well. And it's almost like I would look at your services in that same vein, providing this kind of mind/body/holistic approach that I think people who are that LinkedIn crowd into their 40s would really appreciate it. I know, Adam, I've told you and I've worked at with you before, that I feel like coming to Common Ground working out with you really does kind of do that, not just work out my body but also it's like a good therapy session as well. So I think there's a lot you could do to speak to that LinkedIn crowd without having to conform and fit to what you think that crowd is, like still being yourself and standing out that way.
Susan: Yeah, we certainly talk about that therapy often. It's like some people go see a therapist, some people go see the physical version of that. But yeah, to go to a couple of tactics that could work for you guys, particularly in your case where there's an option to have videos, and you have good content on something like a video medium. LinkedIn video is a really good way to cut clutter, like post directly to LinkedIn. And you know how social media works, they prioritize the things that are on their platform because they want you to stay on their platform. So if you were to, let's say, have a short snippet of a video that you're already using on Instagram, give that a shot, like a low maintenance sort of version of testing the media if you will.
Will: Now, do you have a website? Are there any other things like that that you're working on at the moment?
Adam: So we do currently have a website, but we're looking to relaunch and rebrand the website a little bit for 2020. It's not efficient enough for us at the moment. It has a little bit about the gym. It has a few Instagram gallery pictures on there. It explains a little bit about what we do, but it doesn't really have any use for us outside of that, so we can't track anything. We don't really have a good email list from there. There's no blog on there, per se. There's no way where you can go and buy anything, we don't have e-commerce. And I know that I've had conversations in the past specifically, obviously, with you when you've been in, Will, about how we can then use the website to build a platform to get out what we're doing to our clients regularly. We don't have any sort of email strategy as it were, so that's something we really want to work on for the next year, and just make everything more coherent and easy to understand, I guess.
Susan: I think as far as a website is concerned, you pretty much hit on most of those points right there, which is that for your particular business, I think the first thing you want to do is make sure that people can actually pay and schedule and book in sessions with you guys online, right? Because if you've already got a following, and you're just making it extra convenient for them, and taking out that piece from the manual dealings of things. So even if someone's actually paying you a different way right now, you could point them towards that. So I'd say for someone like you, e-commerce and just even basically setting up a Shopify plugin on your existing website is like a quick win, right? You've already got something like that and then you plug it into a calendar and you've got bookings coming in. So that's one thing to think about.
The other thing as you said, is that all of this stuff that you're doing at social, there'll be multiple people who will tell you don't do things on social, so it on your own. But sometimes you just get better traction on social. So you're building your awareness there and there's nothing wrong with that, but why not sort of admitted it on your website? So it's good that you have a gallery there, but just sort of think about what you're going to be putting on your website, how you can make people give you their email. Because like you said, email lists, people will tell you that they're not the greatest thing and the people don't read email anymore. But if you have interesting email, people would read it. So it's worth exploring what that can do for you and integrating with email and stuff. So two things, just figure out a way in which you can get that payment system sorted so people can book online. And the second is figuring out how you can make email work for you.
Will: Yeah. And the other thing I would add too is like what she's saying, the email, again, if you look at your Instagram as you're anchoring social promotional property, right? If you could take what you're doing already really well on Instagram and turn that into an e-book, a video series that you host on your site, something that people would want to download, like a 10-day challenge. You guys put up such great workouts and stuff like that, so maybe using that as the inspiration to build out something like a downloadable e-book, or a video series, or a fitness checklist that people would want to give your email, opt-in, and then you've got them there in your email list.
Griffin: Yeah, so again, we're talking about 2020 here as we're coming to the end of 2019. We're working on our company's 2020 goals. And one of those is definitely to be able to have some sort of online marketing/cashflow aspect to it. You can only fit so many people into a gym at one time, right? But when you take away requiring the space, we can have hundreds of people working out all at the exact same time, right? If we sell a video package going over, this is a workout, you have these videos explaining what each exercise is.
Griffin: Two things that I find in fitness nowadays that people hate is, learning, so a lot of people like to just have it in front of their face and just get it done. Hence, why lots of people train because we program workouts for them and they can kind of come in blind-eyed and just kind of work out. And two, I don't have a two. We're going to have to reset.
Will: The hating learning was a good one though, Griffin.
Griffin: I lost it. I had it, then I lost it.
Will: We are so not editing that out, by the way.
Griffin: That was fun. Thanks, please keep that!
Will: That's cool though. What I like what you're saying is that's so true. People who don't want to come out to the gym, like you said, it's a small space, you can only have so many at a time, but figuring out maybe someone wants to come in and see you guys once a month. Then you give them a workout to continue doing on their own as part of a program, and then they come back in and check in on you, or you do online counseling, like through what we're doing now, where we can see you on the computer. I think that's a really neat thing to explore.
Susan: It's kind of like taking the selling one-to-one process, and there's many complicated frameworks for this, but it's basically instead of selling to one person at a time, you're trying to sell to multiple people at a time, exactly as you said. And there's obviously advantages there, but there's obviously advantages to that one-on-one contact and that personalized attention. And part of your marketing plan is going to have to focus in one of those areas. And obviously, for the moment, if your face to face ones are your primary product, then you want to make as much of your marketing sort of funnel into that as possible, right? So yeah, I think exploring a couple of other channels and really showing some personality and letting people be entertained, it's the reason the cat video rules, because people just want a break and they want to look at something that amuses them.
But just one more quick thing that I was thinking about. We were talking about Instagram and potentially taking Instagram to the next level, and the fact that you can only book-in one person at a time or a certain number of people at a time. One thing worth exploring is the FOMO factor. Use Instagram DMs, potentially, to send out to people being like, be the first five to book this and potentially maybe you get a better price or whatever. We live in a generation where people are constantly afraid they're missing out, right? So there's an option to leverage that in a good way. You know that the downtowners need their workouts and they need that mental chill and physical chill, so send out a couple of DMs to pull them in with that.
Will: Do you guys want to talk about anything else?
Griffin: Like Adam was explaining earlier, we do post a lot of models on our Instagram, and either me, Adam, Sopearin, or Kati, or even just on our Common Ground page. I don't want to change our demographic because we love training the models. We love the relationship we have with the modeling agencies, but I want to add to it. I want to be able to make Common Ground look like a space that is welcoming towards everybody. You don't have to be the ideal fitness level, like you don't have to come in and look like that immediately. That's not what we want to portray. We want to make it the most welcoming space possible so that if somebody looks on our Instagram, so let's say someone goes and looks at Adam's Instagram and he has stories, he has client A, client B, client C, they can be like, "Oh, Adam trains a bunch of different people, I want to train with Adam." I want us to try and start diversifying what we post on our Instagram, right?
Will: Yeah. And you know what, Griffin, because I've been there to the studio, I know it's not just all beautiful models, right? It is a nice diverse mix that you have there. But I mean in addition to showing people doing the working out, you could also be showing someone walks in and how they're greeted, little behind the scenes stuff to add to it, right, to make it seem like that welcoming space. The reason I don't like going to a gym is I do feel a bit intimidated. There's lots of people, it's crowded. I don't really know what I'm doing. But when I come to see you guys, it's more than just the workouts, right? It's the personalities. It's the comradery.
Susan: It's the experience.
Will: Yeah. It's an experience beyond just the workout. So figuring out a way to communicate that I think too, would help attract other people like me who've just been turned off by the big gyms of the world that we thought were the only option.
Susan: And maybe the journey as well. It's not a one and done. You didn't show up to the gym one time and get all of your fitness goals achieved, right? So a little bit of the journey of what motivates people to keep doing it and what motivates people to come back, and that kind of thing could be storytelling.
Adam: So we actually have a couple of ideas of that. And one thing we were looking to do, and it's me and Griffin specifically, was some sort of Instagram TV, vlog, or YouTube Channel, or something that documents our day. So like you say, people coming in and coming out, how we treat our clients so you can see that we treat all our clients the same, how we engage with each other throughout the day, and just shows that fun atmosphere of the gym. You can then follow it over time so you'll see the progress of the clients in real-time rather than just when we post a picture every now and then. And I think it'll just get all of that hopefully, in one easy kind of way, which we haven't done as of yet and we're kind of scared to start doing.
Will: You guys got to do it. That was like us with this podcast. We didn't want to do it, we didn't want to do it, then we just did it, and we leaned in and really did give it a go, give it our all. And we've seen great results. I mean we go to events, people comment on it. We've got great traction. We've jumped to number 27 in the Canadian marketing charts, which is amazing. So I think all it takes is you guys seem to want to do it, so you just got to make the time. And I think it's a great idea what you're saying, Adam. That sounds like an awesome idea.
Griffin: Yeah, that idea kind of started as a joke in all honesty, but then we kind of realized it could actually be used as a really good marketing tool. We don't want it to become the David Dobriks of YouTube, right? We just wanted to shine light on how welcoming, and easy-going and laid back we all are at Common Ground. Yes, our branding is all black and white and looks big and tough and scary. I love our branding. I'm not bashing it whatsoever. But as soon as you walk in, you realize we're all super happy. No one is ever really screaming at anyone. No one is ever getting mad at anyone, and that it's a place where people can come get a really good workout in, and become fitter, become mentally, emotionally and physically fitter.
Will: Okay guys, thank you very much. That was a good conversation. I'm excited to see what you guys do for 2020 because you've done a great job so far, so it's only up from here guys. Susan, I think that's a wrap on another episode of The 4am Report. Adam and Griffin, thank you very much for taking the time to phone in and chat with us today.
About Adam, Griffin and Common Ground
Adam and Griffin run Common Ground, a boutique fitness studio with minimal distractions. It provides a comfortable workout environment for exclusive personal training, quad training and small intimate group classes. Common Ground is a fully collapsible space that is versatile - everything from small intimate yoga & pilates classes, to health/wellness events & workshops.
For more information visit http://www.commonground416.com/.
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⚡New episode alert ⚡ The 4 am Report is back with another episode 📣
Facebook...🤔 Despite everything you’ve heard, for certain audiences, this is still the place that matters most. In this episode of our wonderfully concise and informative micro podcast, The 4 am Report, we talk to someone who runs her successful business entirely through Facebook Groups.
Learn how Lara Wellman, certified business coach and owner of the coaching practice, The Biz Studio, rules the Facebook algorithms.
Season 3 of the The 4 am Report is diving deep into the marketing things that keep business owners and communications departments wide awake at night. We’re calling the season ‘The Dark Webbing of Marketing.’ Think Black Mirror meets Years and Years meets our middle-of-the-night insomnia.
Here’s an excerpt from the transcript:
Will: Lara, for small business owners looking to make Facebook great again for them, tell us why a group and not just a page. Maybe run down some of the benefits you've experienced from using Facebook groups.
Lara: Facebook in general is a really great tool. I like to use Facebook because most people, not all people, but most people are hanging out there in some capacity. Facebook pages are a great tool. I think most businesses should have one, but a group is the place where I get to connect with people. It's where, as me, a person, I get to know other people. I get to engage with them. I get to build community. I get to feel like I'm having real connection, not just sort of blasting at them. I think that that's the primary difference with a group is the people in the community have just as much of an opportunity to reach out and share, connect, offer value as I do. Whereas the page is always just me pushing forward. I think that's the big difference, and that's why it works so well.
Susan: Yeah, it's that two way conversation. And beyond two way. It's not just two dimensional anymore. It's multidimensional, like you were saying, with people. It's not just you opening a conversation, it's other people coming in and asking questions. It's a crowd sourcing of ideas. I think that community aspect of it is a big part. It's certainly one of the reasons that I participate in groups is obviously the first layer of perhaps being a member of a group from someone's perspective is the fact that there's an insight scoop kind of idea. You do get some special content when you're a part of groups and that's certainly worthwhile.
Then there’s the community aspect of it. But also market research, like often if a group is in some way part of your customer set, it's useful to see what their pain points are, what people are talking about, what is taking their attention, who are they buying from? That kind of thing is good information that you can get out of these. Talk to us a little bit about what you're seeing in terms of how people are using groups.
Lara: Well I think lots of people are using it in different ways, and it's about making sure that you know why you're using it. You have to have a sense for what it is that you're trying to create and where you're trying to take people. For me, my Facebook group is my first place to take them beyond they've heard of me to really getting to know me. Then just like you said, there's like the VIP experience, the extras they get, the way that I get to get information from them is also the market research. They get to help me figure out what videos I'm going to do, what my next training's going to be, what workshops I'm going to do, all of that kind of stuff. But that also makes them feel like they're getting a VIP thing because they're getting to have input in all of this stuff. But at the same time I'm like, “What do you guys actually want to know about?”
Susan: Exactly. I think going back to that two way where you're benefiting in both ways. As well, you know from a user's perspective, I often wonder how do you fit all of this in? I know we wanted to talk about that with you a little bit is that when people are using social media, we get asked a lot. It's like, so how do I do this? How do I fit it all in, and how do I get the conversations and no one's saying anything to the stuff I posted? We're like, what are you saying to other people, is often our question. Are you hopping on there and having conversations? Are you only just popping one comment in and then not acknowledging any of the responses or not really even seeing what other people had to say? That's not a conversation. That's just a drop. So let's talk through that a little bit. How do we engage? I mean obviously we're talking about it from the perspective of a group, but whether group or otherwise, what can engagement bring to the Facebook algorithm?
Lara: There's a few things there. One is a Facebook group is a lot of work, but the question is, is that worth it for you? So just like a podcast for example, it's also a fair amount of work. But if that's the thing that you want to do, if that's the thing that's fun for you to create, then maybe that's the good use of your time. When people ask me about Facebook groups, I'm not like, everybody needs one. Because especially in the beginning - I've had mine for over four years now - In the very beginning, I spent so much time in there. I would do weekly group chats. I would be in there every day multiple times a day. I would answer every single comment and question. I was in there full on. I don't need to be there at the same capacity anymore, but I really did need to nurture the group in a strong way in the beginning so that people felt like it was a place that conversation happened.
I'm not saying that this doesn't ever work, but you'll see groups and they just have the same weekly prompts every day all the time. That's good, but you also need to make sure that people feel like it's a real place where people are actively connecting.
About Lara
Lara is a Certified Business Coach who believes small business owners can make more money, love the work they do, and still have time to enjoy their lives!
Through coaching, group programs, workshops and events, she helps business owners get the clarity they need to take the right action for them and their business.
Connect:
Website
Twitter: @larawellman
Some people love being in front of a camera. But most of us don’t. This episode of The 4 am Report talks about why you should consider making your face part of your marketing plan.
If you’re a small biz owner or an entrepreneur, your face is very much tied to your brand. And often one of your best marketing tools.
In this episode of The 4 am Report, we talk to Heather Davidson-Meyn, owner of Fun Love Photography, about why personalized custom images can make your brand stand out from the competition.
We’re not telling you to ditch the stock photography, charts, graphs and other important design elements you use in your marketing. But we are very certain that you’re missing a great opportunity to showcase some personality and make a more lasting impression people will remember.
We speak from experience:
Exhibit A:
And…
Exhibit B:
Past images used to promote our material.
Long story short: They worked and we got noticed.
Here’s an excerpt from the transcript:
Susan: So Heather, let's talk that out a little bit. A key factor that stops many of us as small businesses from putting our faces on our marketing material is mindset. So, from your experience working with many small business owners, why is this? Why are they so hesitant to put themselves sort of front and center in their marketing?
Heather: Well, there's a couple of places the hesitation comes from. First of all, not knowing. Not knowing the "how" and the "what," exactly. What images do you need to create, and how do you create them? Where do you go? When do you do it? How do you represent yourself?
Secondly, is the whole thing about feeling vulnerable and unsure and not feeling camera ready, whether it be your hair and makeup, your wardrobe, or bigger things like feeling like you need to lose ten pounds.
Susan: Yeah, I can certainly understand all of those factors. My own journey has been at first I was like, "I'm certainly not getting on video." And then we did video, which was highly produced in which it was shot ahead of time, and we were lit perfectly, and that kind of stuff. And then now we've gotten to a place where we're quite comfortable hopping onto a Facebook Live or a LinkedIn Live, and just doing that from a video perspective.
And we applied the same sort of thing obviously to our shops, as well, that we've taken along the way. And I can certainly speak to the fact that getting a hold of your head space and your mindset was a big part of that.
Heather: Yeah, for sure.
Will: I wanted to talk about going beyond just the head shot. Of course. Yes, head shots are great. There's a purpose for them, but let's remember the one thing that makes you and your marketing stand out is that it comes from you. So you are part of that UVP. So Heather, if marketers and small business owners are out there listening, getting kind of inspired by what we're talking about and considering investing in some interesting photography to accompany their marketing. Can you give us some ideas to help get creative juices flowing?
Heather: Yeah, for sure. I start the planning process with every single one of my clients with five main images in mind. Not all will apply to everyone, but they're all important to consider. So first of all, there's you. Who are you? That that could be your basic head shot. What do you look like? Can you be recognized on the street?
The second one is you doing what you do. So this is just a representation of you doing what you do. If you're a maker, if you're making something; if you're a consultant, this is working with people, reading up on the latest books that apply to your field.
Third is you with your products. So again, this is more intuitive for someone who's making products. Maybe you're a seamstress, you're sewing clothes, then you have product, or you're writing books. You're an author, you with your books. And sometimes it's more challenging if you're a consultant helping people with services. It's more difficult to represent, but we can still definitely show you in a way that shows what you produce.
Fourth is you working with clients. Now, as I said, not everything applies to everyone. You may not actually work one-on one-with clients, but it's still important to show that you can relate to people, and it helps people to see you working with people, so that they feel like they can relate to you as well.
And then finally, you being you. So, this is a little bit more personal and not necessarily completely tied to your business, but it helps people relate to you as a person. And that's a lot of what this is all about. Showing your face, showing who you are, and giving something for the people out there on the internet who are seeing your photos on your website. Something for them to relate to. So, if you love taking walks, or you're an outdoors sort of person, or maybe you love drinking coffee, or doing yoga, or whatever it is you do, it's important to put that out there as well.
Now, a lot of people might struggle with envisioning how to turn these ideas into images, but a great photographer will guide you along the process, taking the time to learn about who you are, what you do, what you represent, and who the target client is that you're actually trying to reach, and helping you represent that visually.
Susan: Thank you, Heather. That's such a great framework of what people should be looking to shoot on a small business level, and we like to keep our episodes focused to a specific audience, but sometimes the lessons that we're talking about apply for a spectrum of people.
About Heather:
Heather is an internationally renowned portrait artist who uses the camera to create images that show the beauty of a person, both inside and out. She photographs families (because who doesn’t want to work with children and pets), as well as small business owners looking to elevate their brand presence with custom and personalized images.
Connect
Website
Facebook: @funlovephotography
Instagram: @funlovephotography and @your_brand_photography
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Season 3 premier of our micro podcast The 4 am Report is ready for your listening pleasure. 👍
In this episode we talk to Sarah Zandbergen about the ways (some not so good) financial brands market to women and female owned small businesses.
The consensus? Things need to change and financial brands have to step things up. Hint: your women-focused content doesn’t always need to be pink 🙄
Sarah’s the perfect guest for this discussion as she does marketing for stnce, an organization that inspires women to confidently take ownership of their finances through open and informative conversations. stnce believes everyone benefits when women are self-reliant, self-assured, and well-informed about their financial affairs. We love everything about this. 💜
Keep listening to season 3. Released on social each Thursday at 4am. We’re calling this season “The Dark Webbing of Marketing”. (Thank you to @rohinimukherji for suggesting this season’s title)
Here’s an excerpt from the transcript:
Sarah: So many women that I talked to are expressing their dissatisfaction with the communication that they're receiving surrounding finances. There's a lot of platitudes and sometimes when they accompany a male spouse, the advisor's only addressing the husband. It's 2019 something's got to change. There are so many financial literacy programs out there and at stnce we believe we're not in competition with any of them. In fact, we simply feel like financial confidence is quite often the missing ingredient.
Susan: This is very interesting to me and we've been looking at some numbers to try to quantify this and I don't necessarily have Canadian stats, but here are some US stats, which is kind of representative I guess. Four out of 10 US businesses are female-owned right now, and they generate $3.5 trillion in revenue. But to your point, you still have your husband or your dad who's talked to in all of the financial communication and all the content that's coming out of large financial brands and this is sort of ... there's a big afterthought. It smacks of afterthought, doesn't it? The whole thing with like, here, throw together something that's trying to flag female by virtue of being pink. It's condescending. And sometimes if you put it that way and you put a frame that sort of negative on the whole thing, that doesn't really attract people. But what is the money-making opportunity that this could stand for, I guess is one way to look at it. If you start including, shall we say financial, whether it's literacy or confidence or whatever material that attracts women, what does that look like?
Susan: That's a great question. That's actually a really good point as well. And something that I wanted to touch on is the reason that we called it stnce. And so if you'll see, I don't know if there's going to be a little description down underneath, but stnce is all lower case and it's S-T-N-C-E. So there's no A, and the reason for that is we feel like that confidence, that missing ingredient. So what we say is, the A isn't missing, we're saving the space for you. And one of the other reasons that we called it stnce and not something like The Red High Heel is because we really wanted it to be something that was neutral and approachable. And yes, we're really, really marketed towards women at the moment. But going forward, again, it's 2019 it's almost 2020 let's be accessible for all genders.
So back to the archaic attitude. I wanted to say that this attitude is really ingrained in the financial industry, but I believe that there's change coming down the pipe. And that's why I'm so proud to work at Equitable Bank. We positioned ourselves as Canada's challenger bank. And what that means is that we're challenging the status quo and we're looking for solutions and things that we can do differently to approach Canadian consumers. I mean, what other bank is really reaching out to consumers about financial confidence in the way that we are? I'm super, super proud of that. And so part of my role at stnce is to help facilitate this change. So I've been reaching out to groups of financial professionals and I actually run a session with mortgage brokers and financial advisors centering around how they can better communicate with their female clients.
Sarah: A stat I love, and I actually use this in the presentation, is that it's estimated that by 2026, women will control close to half of all accumulated financial wealth and that is an estimated $900 billion. You combine that with the amount of women who are unhappy with the industry, again, something's got to change, right? We're here to be part of ushering in that change.
Will: Yeah. That is a stat that nobody can ignore. I'm wondering when you're out talking to women, you have your finger on the policy. You said you're talking to financial professionals and how they can better communicate to women. What are some of the insights you're sharing with them? What are you telling them that they need to step up to?
Sarah: That's a great question and while I'm kind of around the topic, I wanted to say, hey, no shade. If you like glitter, if you like pink, if that's the way you learn, good for you. No shade to any of those organizations using that. But most of the women that I speak to want more info. They really want the facts and they want it to be easily accessible. That's something else that we want to achieve with stnce. So if you check out stnce.ca, and that's S-T-N-C-E.ca, and I hope that those listening do check it out, you'll see an abundance of educational and inspirational articles about a variety of financial topics. Investing, saving, budgeting, retirement, all sorts of it. It's all there. We're busy and there isn't always time to juggle to go see an advisor if you have a quick question, right?
Sarah: So we're aiming to have that information at your fingertips, easily accessible, whenever you want. We have an ask the expert section as well. So if you have a specific financial question ... really, we find that there's an embarrassment surrounding asking questions as a woman. And I wish we could change that. We're on our way to changing it. I mean I have it too, but if you want to stay anonymous and ask a question, you click on ask the expert, ask your question, and we'll publish the answer for you. And next month to celebrate financial literacy month, we're going to be releasing our glossary of financial terms on stnce.ca. So easily digestible definitions and examples.
About Sarah
As the Senior Program Specialist for stnce, Sarah is thrilled to participate in and grow a truly grassroots community of like-minded individuals. Her goal through stnce is to inspire Canadian women to confidently take ownership of their finances, through open and informative conversations.
Website
Instagram: @stnce.ca
Twitter: @stnce_
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And….that’s a wrap on season 2 of our micro podcast, The 4 am Report. 🙌
We’re calling this one “The ‘chicken or egg’ of financial decisions for small business”
And this last episode of the season is a perfect way to close out ‘National Small Business Month’ as we explore the single most stressful issue facing small business owners and entrepreneurs -- 💰money💰.
This brings us to the ‘what came first?’ analogy:
As a small biz owner you want to increase your sales.
But you need money to invest in your marketing function to do this.
But you won’t have the money to do that until you increase sales.😖
We dive deep into this topic and confront debt, borrowing and money shame with Financial Literacy and Credit Counsellor, Pamela George.
Here’s an excerpt from the transcript:
Pamela: Most of my clients are business owners, and they're struggling to pay themselves, to pay down debt, investing in their business. Or just their personal financial commitments that they have. And they come to me most of the times and they're lost, they don't know what to do. "I have an extra $1000. What do I do? Do I invest in it? Do I pay down debt? Do I pay myself?" That's the question. What I find after going over their numbers is that more often than not, my advice to them is, "You need to increase sales. You need to increase your sales." And here's the chicken and egg analogy. They're like, "I don't have money to invest in marketing to increase sales. And you are telling me I need to increase sales." So I as a financial counselor, I take that and I do understand the issue with that. I want to say generally speaking, as a financial aid officer and as a financial counselor, I do not subscribe to borrowing money. And I do not subscribe to debt.
However, if you have somebody working with you on a plan to pay back said debt, and to use the debt properly, I'm all for it. I could jump on that bandwagon. So what I tell my clients, not all of them, some of them, if they're able to take on a little bit of debt to invest in their business, not run their business. There's a big difference when you are taking out a line of credit as an example, to pay yourself and to live. As opposed to taking out a line of credit to invest in your business. So those guys who I say, "Listen, you need to increase sales." If they have access to a line of credit, I'll say, "Let's work with that. Let's see what you can afford to pay back. And that we will get backwards. Let's see what your budget allows to pay back every month. And let's see how much we can invest monthly into some kind of marketing strategy."
Susan: That's such a great point that you make in terms of differentiating between expenses and investment in your business. And it's funny how, yeah, you said if sales is the number one piece of advice, you're often giving people marketing as a tool to that sales for sure. And interestingly, marketing has never been cheaper or more accessible to small business entrepreneurs than it has become now, right? With the rise of digital channels, and the availability of even advertising for cheap with things like Facebook and LinkedIn, and stuff. However, it all comes down to sort of having a plan and understanding that there are some key elements. As we were talking to a financial coach a few episodes ago, and we talked about how ROI must be looked at with marketing just like with anything else. And if you're able to deliver that return on investment, which offsets your costs towards your line of credit or way beyond that even. That's kind of what you want to be thinking about.
So either as a small business owner, you need to in the case of marketing, for me it was two things. It's either you need to figure out, can you afford something to pay someone on the outside? And if you can't, can you afford to do it yourself? Right? To sort of quantify that value of your time, right? Of scheduling let's say, if you need 10 hours towards marketing a week, and if that time is going to be 10 hours of your time, then what is coming out of your schedule? Which is potentially not a great thing, right? So I'd love to chat with you a little bit about that. How do small business owners sort of quantify their own time, or just quantify an investment like that?
Pamela: Okay, so it all goes back to - And everybody laughs when I say that- but it goes back to your budget. We need to have a budget for our business expenses. Most clients who come to me don't know what their monthly business expenses are. Of course, marketing is a part of that. So I will do a business budget with my clients. And I'll say, "Okay, let's talk about all the expenses you have now. Let's list that. And let's talk about what you need to increase sales, because you do need to increase sales if you want this to work for you." And we'll come up with a budget. Of course that budget at the very beginning is just a number we're pulling out of a hat right now, because we are looking at balancing the budget. But if this individual, she says she charges $200 an hour. And she says she spends six hours a week on social media, and that type of thing. Then we have to figure out what is that really costing her.
She might say it's costing her nothing, but it's costing her three hours or six hours depending - That's about $1200 right there, right? So we do that. And once we can fit it into the budget, it doesn't mean you can't have debt. But it has to be sensible debt. It has to be good debt. It has to be debt that you are on a plan to pay back within a specified period of time. And I have clients who I say, "Listen, you can afford X amount of dollars per month to have someone do this for you." Or I will say, "You can't afford someone right now, but let's work together. And in two or three months time, we can get you on board where you can hire someone." Now it may not be just marketing, it might be a business school. Which a client needs something. But whatever the expense is, it needs to be in the budget. And if it can't fit in the budget at the moment, we need to work towards it.
About Pamela
Pamela George is a Financial Literacy and Credit Counsellor who gives her clients the support and skills they need to break out of debt, learn to control their financial futures, and give themselves and their children the lives they deserve.
She’s an Accredited Financial Counsellor of Canada® (AFCC) with over ten years’ experience working as a Credit Counsellor and a Financial Aid Officer.
Website
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Google the term ‘translation blunders’, and you’ll dig up tons of times brands messed up their attempts at multilingual comms. Some are funny. Some are just sad. 😔
In this episode of ✨The 4 am Report✨ we discuss how marketing strategies need to be tweaked or sometimes completely changed for consumption by different speaking cultures.
Our guest? Vatché Iskedjian, a translator and a specialist in multilingual communications and founder of VI Communications.
With all the potential for global growth, brands need to ensure they use experts who can consult and help tailor strategy and tactics so it works in different regions.
Here are some excerpts from the discussion:
Susan: ...To me it sort of comes back to a very basic component of developing strategy, right? It's knowing and understanding your audience and who you're talking to, and obviously knowing that they know their culture deeply. And like you said, they can immediately see it when it's not authentic. So be clear about who you're talking to and sort of connect with them at a basic level instead of as an afterthought or a forced fit, right?
We started at the top of the episode, Vatché, and we mentioned funny translation blunders, and that's always something that amuses us. So are there any examples that you're able to share? Our goal with this is not to shame anyone, but just to show audiences how rampant this problem is, right? Any that stand out to you?
Vatché: Yes, of course the one that really comes to mind is the social media campaign blunder by Telus. The English campaign contains such feel good phrases like “take a deep breath, ground yourself, go kill it.” But unfortunately the French was translated by Google Translate and it was really hilarious, and depending on your point of view embarrassing results.
The French translation, for example, invited consumers to literally grind themselves and go kill someone or something. The president of the company had to apologize for the Telus consumers in Quebec and it just made the headlines everywhere. Today you make a blunder like that, it goes all over the world within seconds, as you know.
Another one is always the classic Chevrolet Nova that really sold poorly in Spanish speaking countries because its name literally translates as “doesn't go” in Spanish, “no va.” How do you want people to buy cars if you're telling them that the car will not go, doesn't go, “no va?”
There are so many other examples for the time we have. Just because you're not a big multi-national, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't pay closer attention to create communication in other languages. That's where people such as translators and language experts such as myself are here to help you, so you make the right choices, so that you don't spend money where you don't need to, or you spend it wisely to get the results that you're expecting in that type of market.
Susan: 100 percent. Just bringing that whole conversation proactively in the communication discussion is something that I think the big players do really well, but in today's world you really need to be sort of thinking about language, right?
Which kind of reminds me, we were at Connex last month and we heard Neil Patel speaking. One of the things that he was talking about was how he's used language as part of his growth. Obviously Neil Patel has a whole bunch of digital content, content marketing, SEO, much more of that, and all of that was in English, right?
So he obviously saw a market opportunity and there was need for his content in Spanish, in Chinese, and, you know, a few other languages he was talking about, and they invested in it. They actually did put money behind translating that content on multiple levels, whether it was voiceovers or in some cases captions and things like that.
But I thought that was a really interesting point that he was making about the times we live in. Global growth is possible in today's world. It's a multi-cultural space, and in general opportunities for growth as well exist. Obviously we all have opportunities to become better in the way that we do it, but are we really thinking about things from the perspective of growth?
Are you seeing any of that attitude in your clients, Vatché? Are they proactively exploring language opportunities?
Vatché: We do have some clients who are doing their campaigns in multiple languages. The biggest key is for them to understand that when they say “translate into Spanish,” for example they need to specify the Spanish market. Spanish is not the same if it's spoken in Europe versus Mexico versus Latin America or Southern America.
I think this is one thing that the companies need to clarify. Yes, you're targeting an international audience, an international group of consumers, but again depending on who you're targeting, just make sure that you specify it, you use it properly.
Even French - I mean yes, there is for example - We can use international French for companies and that can be understood throughout the globe, but if you're targeting only Quebec, then you need to be slightly different versus Europe, et cetera. So these are important factors to discuss, and as language experts we would be able to help you achieve them.
Will: Those are some really good points you just made about how Spanish isn't the same everywhere. That's actually an insight that I hadn't even thought about it until you just mentioned that.
If we were to give our listeners any other key takeaways, or even like a basic checklist when you're about to approach communications in a second or different language, can you share any more of things that people should be thinking about?
Vatché: These are really basic things. When people sit down, especially where a creative group comes together, thinks of a campaign or a concept, it's important that if that campaign is going to involve different languages that a language specialist is present. We need to be involved from the start, because once the concept and the creative look of the campaign is decided in English, that doesn't mean that it's going to work in the other languages.
Just for example, a French sequence of words could be totally different than English, so whatever you're putting the emphasis on within your creative design, et cetera, on a specific word, that doesn't mean that in French this is going to be the same sequence. What kind of impact will that have on your campaign?
These are small things, but at the end if translators or language specialists are just simply given the final concept and told “Reproduce this in the other language,” it might not work 100% all the time. So that's where the involvement at the beginning, the key messages... Will that message fly in that other language? Will it have a totally different meaning?
The use of images - Again, I come back to some of the campaigns being too Toronto-centric. I mean Toronto, as we know, is 55% immigrant based - different cultures, different communities, and we can introduce different images and no one will even notice that it doesn't correspond to your local market.
But if you try and use that same image let's say beyond Quebec City, where there's hardly any visible minority or visible groups, will it have the same impact? So I mean these are small things, the images, the culture sensitivities, and the way you manage social media. It shouldn't be an afterthought. It should be as part of what are you trying to achieve, and that's the key important message that needs to be communicated to translators, to people working and trying to create something in a different language.
Once they know the strategy, then they'll make sure that it's properly executed. Otherwise, it's words put together. If you don't show them the visual, if you don't talk to them about what is the goal, then you're going to get words and then complain the translator put in something poorly.
Or the other thing is - The important thing is that translation shouldn't be an afterthought. It shouldn't happen at the last minute before the launch of a campaign, or someone is going to say, "Oops, we forgot about translation. Let's Google Translate it." Then you get the results that Telus got, and do you want that? I assume not.
About Vatché
Vatché Iskedjian has worked as a translator and a specialist in multilingual communications for over 30 years. He’s founder and principal of VI Communications.
Website
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Any of these problems speak to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it!
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This week on our micropodcast, 🌟The 4 am Report🌟, we speak to social media strategist and all around hilarious person, Denise Alison, about something that’s been keeping her up at night: the mountains of sub-par content brands and people are putting out that’s cluttering up our digital landscape.
Do you know the main reason content like this isn’t connecting with audiences?
To put it simply, it lacks personality. It’s not entertaining. It’s bland. 💤
All content should do two things: inform and entertain.
Most people do a good job of informing. But are they making it interesting? And going a little above and beyond to make the content experience enjoyable for the user.
If you want to get some content creation inspiration from an expert, on simple things you can be doing right now to up your content game and make your audience smile, give it a listen.
Here’s an excerpt from the transcript:
Denise: I think that by now most businesses and entrepreneurs, we figured out that we need to create original content and that means educating our audience on whatever it is that we're an expert in, passionate about or whatever it is we're all about. But when you're creating content you really have four things that you're trying do. The first is to educate. The second is to entertain, which you have mentioned and we'll dive into in a second. You also want to engage your audience and excite your audience. So entertainment doesn't mean that you need to be a standup comedian, you don't need to be juggling fireballs, you don't need to be doing cartwheels. It means that you need to capture the attention of your audience and that means that you can't just type or sit there or create your content like the professor on Ferris Bueller that nobody is listening to.
You need to capture their attention in some way. For me, like you mentioned, I do comedy so humor is what naturally comes to me. If that naturally comes to you, that's great. That can be a great way to connect with your audience, capture their attention. If you're not a funny person, then don't do that. You might be a really bubbly and compassionate person or there's lots of people do these cute things when they're like, “Hey love, I'm really not like that. So that wouldn't fit for me.” But it's really finding your voice, putting your personality into it and just being you not trying to be someone else or not trying to be like a really washed down version of yourself where you applied so many filters and edits where you sound like everybody else but like nobody.
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Susan: 100%, it's all about that engagement and it simplifies engagement. I think it's such a big word and everyone keeps talking about it, but at the bottom of it an engagement is a conversation, right? You're looking to get a conversation started. You put something out there into the world, hopefully someone will say something back and then you've got it and if you simplify it that way and just try to do it the way you would actually have a real life conversation when you went into the room with a human being, you usually get it right on social media.
There was this funny video that we saw some while ago which was trying to superimpose the average Facebook interaction, which is just like, Oh, hello, someone comes rings your doorbell and you're like, I vaguely know this person. And then they're like, “I knew you from 27 years ago. We went to middle school together or whatever.” And then you're sort of accepting that and letting that person into your house. And it was, I guess, trying to make a security point, but you know what we're trying to say here is super impose your social media interactions into real life. And you'll handle it way better, right?
Denise: Yeah. Engagement has become one of those buzzwords that's become meaningless. I'm not going to walk into a party and say what I'm looking for today is engagement. And then again just engagement for engagement's sake where I'll say a phrase or a statement and then people are going to look at me and do a thumbs up and also say, yeah, great, great statement. And then that's it. Like you said, the purpose is to start a conversation and so not engagement for engagement's sake.
Engagement is like a word that social media has put on their interaction and really your goal is to start a conversation or to make that person feel closer to you, for you to feel closer to one another or connected. Get the ball rolling on, building that relationship based on some common points and hopefully they become a loyal customer at some point. Or maybe they become a collaborator or, a supplier or something or maybe they're just a supporter. But the goal is to build those relationships.
Will: Something else I wanted to talk about that I think is interesting for me. Someone who, I was trained academically to write and then I was writing PR using the CP Stylebook. It was almost like when I segued more into this digital side of marketing, I had to unlearn the rules that I thought had to apply - unlearn those rules of how to write properly. And I learned from Susan a lot, like when I saw her writing and I was like, this is so grammatically incorrect, but it so works for her voice for how she communicates. And my writing style is totally changed. I write for social media a lot more how I talk and I've found it really helped me find my voice on social and my voice for our company here as well.
Denise: Yeah, I mean you want your copy, so the written text on your social media posts just sound like you might talk. If it sounds like it's from a textbook, or something, you didn't do it right. So I've definitely had that struggle because I come from a world of academia as well. And the challenge for me was when I was doing my masters and writing a thesis and all of these things to my professors and peers or classmates, they tell me that my language was too casual. So okay, so got to put some big words in there.
And then I went to work for government and then they told me, well my language is too academic. Okay, you got to speak in government terms and use a whole bunch of jargon and the short versions of things, but no one else understands. And then when I became an entrepreneur and a marketer, it was like retraining my brain to forget absolutely everything, how to speak like your average person might or someone in high school or, not an academic or government person, but really sound like a real person, sound like me. And then when I'm writing it, to try to translate that as well. The hardest thing in the world for some reason is to be yourself both in video and in written content. So it's a really, really weird catch-22.
Susan: Yeah, I think you're right. It's like on video, it seems to bring out some of that imposter syndrome/vulnerability that so many of us have. I would rather write 1000 words about my deepest darkest feelings than go on video. And which is why on many occasions recently we'd had to push ourselves out of our comfort zone to go and do some slightly more casual LinkedIn lives. Because honestly, when a tool is new and people are interested, that's when you're going to leverage that “engagement”, right? So you got to sort of practice what you preach. But something about videos sort of things get most of us get a little anxious. And I know this is your particular zone of genius. So hit us with your tips. What is it that you're channeling that you'd like for the rest of us to do on video?
Denise: Yeah. No matter who you are, your first dozen videos are going to be a pile of garbage, and that's just how it is. Because you're talking to a robot and you don't know how to talk to a robot because you've never met one. And so really what you need to do is imagine that you're talking to one of your best clients or one of your best friends and not look at the camera, but just imagine you're having a casual conversation where you're informing that person. It helps you be a little bit more of yourself and who you are, and it helps you relax a little bit.
So on video, I mean there's a few other tips. When I first started, I would look incredibly nervous. So it was about forcing a smile on my face so that I'd actually smile because that's how I am in real life. Again, if you never smile in real life, maybe that's bad, but forcing a smile, knowing where to look - I know it is a little thing, but if you can look at the camera in a way that you're making eye contact with a person, that can go a long way - and having a little bit of a plan for what you're going to talk about can be really, really great.
Now you don't need to script out the whole entire thing. In fact, if you do that, you might have the habit of wanting to read it and then that's going to look really bad, but you also don't want to wing it because then you're just going to ramble on. Especially in a live where it seems like most people just click “live” and have no plan and are just rambling the whole time. You do want to have some kind of plan. So imagining a friend, making eye contact and having a bit of a plan - those will get you started on the right path.
About Denise
Denise is a social media strategist, entrepreneur and part time comedian who loves getting entrepreneurs noticed by the right people on social media.
Connect:
Website
@socialdenise
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Any of these problems speak to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it!
If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!
Susan and Will interrupt regularly scheduled programming for a special Canadian federal election episode of The 4am Report.
This week they invite one of their favourite guests, Andrew Jenkins, back to the table to talk about the role of digital media when it comes to the election cycle.
People get their news on social media. We know this. We read headlines and have the attention span of about 150 characters. We keep up on pop culture via memes and gifs. So what does this mean for political parties?
Let’s dig in, shall we?
Andrew kicks things off with a 101 on the rise of rich media and its impact on how we consume messaging.
He talks about how we’re image and video obsessed. And how everyone with a smartphone is a creator of content.
Will explains a simple formula that illustrates how social media is king when it comes to getting your message out. People aren’t watching the evening news. But they are sitting on their couch on their phone scrolling through Tweets and Insta stories.
Of course political parties are stepping up. But social media is beast and it won’t be tamed.
Case in point - Will refers to how Elections Canada royally messed up an influencer campaign that had a price tag of 650K. Basically they didn’t properly vet the influencers they chose to work with.
Andrew talks some of the benefits of social media when it comes to the election. Politicians can’t get away with bending the truth as easily. (Well, at least that’s true here in Canada. We won’t mention another country where misinformation via Twitter seems to be working quite well for someone). Andrew points to how people are literally fact checked by social media in real time as they speak.
Will wonders if politics needs to whole-heartedly embrace memes as a way of communicating with their audience. It seems the only things getting shared these days are memes. Susan states that memes are the 2019 version of the political cartoon. So true!
Andrew warns politicians to be careful with trying to create and control memes involving themselves. According to him, just keep your fingers crossed that you end up on the good side of the meme. Trying to control memes could blow up in your face.
Susan and Andrew bring it back to some takeaways for our listeners. If we are getting our news about politics via social media, how can we do this responsibly? According to Andrew, it’s up to us to make sure we’re fact checking and following a diverse group of authorities.
The episode ends with Andrew highlighting what he feels is a great benefit of social media when it comes to politics. Back in the day, you’d have to write a letter to your local MP’s constituency office. Today, you add the right level of sass to a tweet, and hit post. You have a very direct line of communication to them.
About Andrew
Andrew Jenkins has provided social media strategy and social selling services to numerous mid to large enterprises such as CIBC, Royal Bank of Canada, BMO Nesbitt Burns, National Bank, Sirius XM Canada, the Globe and Mail, World Vision Canada, and the Aga Khan Foundation. He has spent the last twenty years working in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) spanning social media, wireless, and e-business. He holds a BA in Economics from Laurentian University, a BFA in Film Production from York University, and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. He also taught entrepreneurship at OCAD University and currently teaches Digital Strategy at the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies. Andrew speaks internationally about the social and digital landscape. His entrepreneurial efforts have been featured in the Toronto Star and by LinkedIn Canada as one of their success stories.
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We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems - your issue might be featured in our next episode!
Any of these problems speak to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it!
If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!
Just in time for National Small Business Month, here’s a very relevant episode of our micro podcast, The 4 am Report.
We’re tackling the unsexy side of marketing: how small businesses can best measure ROI on their various marketing activities.
Numbers, data, analytics. It’s easy for small business owners to get bogged down in all this. It’s difficult to know where to start.
This is definitely the case for this week’s guest, Tracey Bissett, president and chief financial fitness trainer at Bissett Financial Fitness. In fact, Tracey points out an interesting paradox about herself:
“I know how to help my clients think about return on investment, but how do I do this for my own marketing?”
This led to an interesting discussion. What if you were to approach establishing your marketing ROI as if you were establishing the ROI on financial investments?
Susan, Will and Tracey bring some cool hypotheses to life and discuss what an investor lens might look like when you assess your marketing investment. They also talk about what ROI looks like beyond just vanity metrics and data.
Set your marketing goals
Susan talks about how it's important to set overall goals.
Is it sales? In that case, is there a certain number of dollars that need to come in the door? Then that becomes a measurement factor. If it's a question of increasing lists, then again quantifying the goal from something vague to increase the list by 20%. Get into that discipline of numbers at the goal stage.
Awareness is a big goal for many people. That as well needs to be quantified. Does awareness mean you want more people to come to your page? Does it mean you want more people to be calling you? So quantify what the end result of those things are.
The importance of doing a full content audit (regularly)
Will and Susan talk about why doing content audits is essential to fully understanding how your content is performing.
Cataloguing content and measuring it against the 2 - 3 metrics you’ve already chosen is the only way to see what’s working and what’s not.
If you’re looking for a guide on how to do a small business content audit, get it here.
Can we approach establishing marketing ROI in the same way we’d approach it with financial investments?
This is where Tracey and the hosts have a little fun.
They look at three factors that Tracey says help her establish ROI for her clients:
- What’s the risk profile of the investment
- What fees are involved?
- And are we comparing apples to apples?
Susan and Will talk about how low risk marketing is doing what you’ve been doing. You know your audience consumes it. But it’s not getting you a jump in numbers/engagement.
Enter the higher risk marketing. Everyone wants to be a disrupter and get that 5X results. But it’s not easy to predict what’s going to gel with your audience.
Some areas of marketing that are higher risk but are proving to be rewarding for some brands?
Taking a stand on an issue. Newsjacking. And mindset marketing.
The two tiers of measurement
To keep you from the overwhelm, Will explains there are two simple tiers of measurement.
The first tier is vanity metrics. Obviously that's the likes, the shares, all those things that make you feel good right away.
The second tier is engagement or behaviour related. Things like where on social is the traffic coming to your web from? Or is it coming from emails? And looking at how long people have spent on a page gives you some indication of what they’re reading, watching or listening to.
Are they clicking to go elsewhere on your site, staying within your site? Are they putting something in the cart? All of this helps with tweaks to your UX.
How using The Anchor Theory of content creation can help ease the volatility of your marketing portfolio
(Look, another investing analogy)
Susan explains that if you're investing time and planning a 2500-word lead magnet or a 45-minute podcast, you're putting a significant amount of effort into creating that content.
So you wouldn’t just throw some money in an investment and pull it out after a month. We need to look at our content creation that way.
The c+p digital team call this ‘anchoring’ your content and then spinning it off into bite size pieces, giving it as much exposure as possible. It's not the idea of duplicating content necessarily, it's just creating it in multiple formats.
For a great visual on what The Anchor Theory is all about, check it out here.
How do we measure the success of The 4 am Report
Susan talks through how c+p digital measures the ROI on this podcast. It’s a mix of traditional metrics but then she explains how going beyond the data can give you the true picture of overall worth.
One key thing is the value of the relationships that are being built with podcast guests. This means and expanding network and new business opportunities.
Will and Susan have also seen an actual impact on the industry (i.e. micro is where it seems to be at).
If you want to read a case study on how The 4 am Report has been one of c+p digital’s best marketing investments, check it out here.
Tracey then shares some of that same ROI she’s encountered from her podcast Young Money, including reaching an international audience and being asked to appear on a popular podcast in Australia.
We end with a plug from our guest
To help entrepreneurs who have cash flow concerns, Tracey has created a master class called, Can I Afford It? How to be certain of what you can and can't afford in your business in five minutes or less every time. To check out the details for the master class, go to bissettfinancialfitness.com/afford
About Tracey
Tracey Bissett is the President and Chief Financial Fitness Trainer at Bissett Financial Fitness. She is on a mission to redefine the economic future of the world by addressing financial literacy of young adults and entrepreneurs. She does this through her weekly podcast, Young Money - the advice show for millionaires in the making, teaching and delivery of courses, coaching and consulting.
Connect
https://twitter.com/bissettfinfit
https://www.instagram.com/bissettfinfit/
https://www.facebook.com/bissettfinfit/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/traceybissett/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/10570745/
In a special episode of The 4am Report, we tackle the question: 'What's keeping Canada up at night?'
Answer: The brownface/blackface Justin Trudeau incident.
It's been a week, and some of the dust has settled around the whole topic. There have been a bunch of people that have come out and spoken about various aspects of this incident, and everyone has had the right soundbites to say around it, but Susan talks about how she feels like there's one person who captured it best -- family doctor Ritika Goel.
Susan further explains, “I think it captured the feeling of many invisible minority and people who are brown, which is that she's not surprised. She's not surprised that this particular incident happened or that it was Trudeau. That's kind of thinking that's going through my head.”
(If you haven’t read or heard about her twitter thread on this, check it out here)
Why wasn’t Susan surprised by this?
Because encountering some level of racism is an everyday occurrence in the life of the average minority. It's not like people are jumping out at us on street corners in full brown face, but you often find that people are not really able to connect with you as someone of a visible minority on anything other than the way that you look.
Susan continues to explain most people’s attempt at small talk with her involves asking her for her recommendations on the best Indian restaurants in the city, or where she buys her tikka masala.
75% of Canadians feel Trudeau is a hypocrite.
A just released survey showed that most Canadians believe Trudeau is a hypocrite, whether they believe he is a racist or not. And that’s one of the biggest issues that’s been battering his brand all year it seems.
One hilarious/awkward-to-watch takedown of Trudeau came courtesy of Netflix comedian Hassan Minhaj. He relentless pokes holes in Trudeau’s brand.
Will comments on how it’s not just the Trudeau brand but also the Canadian brand that took a hit (just google the US late night hosts and how they’ve reacted. It’s funny).
Were we foreshadowing?
Will brings up that just a few weeks ago Rohini Mukherji joined the two hosts for an episode of the 4 am Report called, “Beyond the Brochure for Inclusivity”, and how that episode almost foreshadowed this.
The conversation in that episode centred around a discussion on people choosing lifestyles, like where you choose to work and how you choose to work, or being inclusive of people with physical needs, or being inclusive of race, or understanding what someone from a different culture needs to do in order to just travel to meet family. That kind of thing is just facets of the experience of someone else that you don't fully understand. It goes back to that empathy and that putting yourself in someone else's shoes and trying to understand for a minute what it is that they're feeling or going through.
How to know when someone is truly sorry and has learned from their mistakes
The discussion turns to Aziz Ansari, and how he handled being called out for unwanted sexual advances/aggressive behaviour. Ansari did what most high profile people do these days when they get caught in a situation like that - he went away. And he stayed away from the spotlight for a few months, and then came back and then gave what Susan explained was a really good, authentic apology.
Unfortunately for Trudeau, he can’t go away for a bit right now. Does this make it harder for us to believe he really is atoning?
The takeaway
Susan and Will end the discussion by referencing a book called Atomic Habits by an author called James Clear. There's an idea well captured within it. It's the idea of making improvements slowly and the fact that when you add in a 1% change to something on a regular basis, you're going to get exponential results because it's sort of equated to the idea of compound interest.
The story the book tells is about the British cycling team, and how the team was not doing as well as it should. And how they made small modifications to their training on a daily basis (like every day a 1% change). They were back to winning in under one year.
The idea there's really just make small improvement. This is like a responsibility. We need to educate ourselves to fully understand one another, and this is a country that's based on the fact that we welcome people of all kinds and we support all choices and decisions. Then if you don't actually live it, we're going to have to start somewhere and we're going to have to make that 1% improvement on an ongoing basis.
Still can’t sleep?
We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems - your issue might be featured in our next episode!
Any of these problems speak to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it!
If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!
A bit of my business story over here And guess what? We've convinced Strategic Business Coach, Shelagh Cummins to come on and tell parts of it, on our micro podcast, The 4 am Report. From it we hope to provide inspiration to small business owners in an episode we're lovingly calling: Why the shoemaker has the worst shoes Aka why you're probably finding your subject matter expertise hardest to apply if you're applying it for yourself. This episode is extra especially for you if you're a female entrepreneur, on a scaling mission of some magnitude, and are looking to get some great marketing insight into where your growth can come from. (These stories and actionable tips will resonate. We promise.) Think of it as a 20-minute laser coaching session - with a marketing focus. And if you do nothing else to work 'on your business' today instead of 'in your business' , let it be this. About Shelagh Shelagh Cummins is an in-demand business coach, consultant and speaker. She works closely with women entrepreneurs who want to shake their moneymaker, make strategic power moves that help them grow faster, and share their smarts and skills with premium clients who value what they’re worth.
Shelagh’s unique background in experimental education combined with her corporate leadership training inspires her practical, hands-on approach to getting real results for her clients.
Her ultimate mission is to show other women that it’s possible to build a profitable, sustainable business – without drowning in debt, forfeiting family time, or working in their sleep.
Website
Instagram, Twitter: @shelaghcummins
Another 4 am dispatch ready for your unreasonably early listening pleasure.
This week, as we go deeper into the dark, we’re talking to Leigh Clements from SHOT in the Dark Mysteries and we talk about the ever changing ecommerce digital marketing space.
So Leigh has a pretty cool gig! She’s creates murder mysteries. (For reals!)
Not really like those parties your parents threw in the 80s, though. Leigh’s creations are focused on true investigation experiences 🕵️♀️. And people, all over the world, are loving them.
Leigh is what we’re calling a magical unicorn when it comes to marketing. She has run a successful online shop, ranking on page 1 of google, taking on ‘The Overlord of Search’, who makes 3,200 algorithm changes a year, solo. That's pretty. Darn! Impressive!!
But what’s keeping her up at night now, is exactly those 1000s of changes Google has made to SEO. It’s a lot. And they impact smaller players who’ve lived by wit and hard work, just as harshly as they impact the bigger players who think mindless keywording and backlinking is the ticket to all things.
And Leigh wants nothing to do with search results beyond page 1.
So grab a coffee, give us 10 minutes (remember, our podcasts are micro), and go deeper into the dark with us as we discuss how Leigh and others online businesses (which is the holy grail for us, let’s be honest) can own search intelligently again!
Subscribe on iTunes
Oh, and if you have trouble sleeping because you can’t switch off your hard-wired, marketing obsessed brain, drop us a line, and be a guest on an upcoming episode. 🎙👀
About Leigh
Leigh Clements is the Creative Director of Shot In The Dark Mysteries, a murder mystery company focused on true-investigation experiences. Leigh has been marketing SHOT digitally since the days of MySpace, and continues to strive to grow SHOT within the ever-changing e-commerce digital marketing space.
Connect with Leigh
Website
Insta: @shotinthedarkmysteries
FB: @shotinthedarkmysteries
Pinterest: @mysterymaiden
Financial brand marketers. Take note! This episode of The 4 am Report is for you.
Things are changing right now in the traditionally slow-to-change financial industry. Many big brands are undergoing major re-brands as they try to figure out this new 2020 investor.
Wendy Brookhouse is an independent financial advisor, and she’s tired of seeing financial brands missing the opportunity to step up their understanding of the modern investor that’s very different than the investors of yore.
"It’s time to come up with something other than a couple on the beach in a sailboat, or on the golf course, to show financial freedom. I mean, if you can't do that, you really should go get another job!”
And that’s just the beginning!
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Wendy’s take is that it’s about leveraging user experience and using that to deliver the financial industry responsibility to build better habits. Her big tip? Gear your marketing, just like your financial planning, to predictive indicators versus lagging indicators. See who we think is doing it well!!
“Replace your quest for marketing greatness … from making big promises and absolute statements to actual intelligent audience connection, and find out the true embodiment of the client journey...”
It’s a woke world, and we’re just getting started investing in it as marketers, right Wendy?
Wendy further shares a fascinating theory: Convenience beats loyalty.
We’re calling this the disrupter of the future. Why is this relevant to our financial brands?
You need to listen to find out, won’t you?
About Wendy
Wendy Brookhouse is a behavioural finance focused advisor who helps smart, ambitious people unleash their money power. Wendy believes that we all have money power. It is buried under life’s pleasures, unconscious spending and the desire to have the lives that everyone else’s social media says they have. She invented the One Number Solution, a trademark system that unleashes money power with strategies around spending, debt, saving and safety net.
Connect:
Black Star
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackStarWealth/
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/black-star-wealth-partners
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackStarHFX
Wendy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wendybrookhouse?lang=en
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/wendy-brookhouse-4210701
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendy.brookhouse.370
It’s 4 am. And Season 2, Episode 1 is ready for your way-too-early-in-the-morning listening pleasure. 🙌 🙌 🙌
That’s right. This is the premier episode of Season 2 of The 4 am Report - Deeper into the Dark.
The topic for discussion? Going beyond the brochure when it comes to inclusivity with a PR powerhouse, Rohini Mukherji.
“The problem that I certainly see is I think we lump together diversity and inclusion and they're very different. And specifically, I think we would get a high grade for diversity, but I actually would think we are failing when it comes to inclusion. And so, that's what really keeps me up at night.”
Rohini brings up many interesting points about retaining and best utilizing an increasingly emotionally intelligent talent pool.
We talk about what we can all do to be better as we prepare for a new decade. It’s a new way of working, and we need to wake up to it.
This is a conversation everyone needs to be having.
About Rohini
Rohini Mukherji is the VP at Apex PR. About two weeks into her PR agency career, Rohini says she knew that she had been reeled in for the long haul. She’s worked on both the B2C and B2B sides of the business, across sectors including insurance, banking, air transportation, fitness and food & beverage.
Rohini’s instinct to nerd out on the industries in which her clients operate has served her well in building integrated programming that is just as successful as it is fun to execute as a team.
Outside the office, you can usually find Rohini planning her next vacation, giving her colleagues and friends (me included!) dinner recommendations, taking a cooking class, or throwing competitive darts, just for fun.
Connect
Twitter:@RohiniMJ
And that’s a wrap on Season 1 of our scrappy little micro podcast, The 4 am Report.
👏👏👏
Two months ago, we thought, let’s give this podcasting thing a try. We had a good idea (a MICRO podcast) and an interesting angle (capitalizing on our work stress sleeplessness).
So we bought some equipment. Set up a sort-of recording studio. And invited some of our colleagues and industry friends to join us.
Cut to now. 10 episodes later. And we’re leaning in folks. Season 2 is coming soon.
To close out Season 1 we have the “Swiss Army Knife of marketing”, Phil Yetman on talking to us about strategy and end-to-end thinking when it comes to doing inorganic social media ad buys.
“One thing I like to tell my clients is an ad buy on its own is like a band going on stage with just the singer. It'll probably work, but it's not going to sound as good and not going to be as great if the whole band was on stage playing together.”
About Phil
Phil brings a design and technical background to digital project strategy and management, creating a valuable asset to the agency and clients we serve. He has planned and executed successful, award-winning campaigns for product based clients on both a local and national level, and has managed accounts with budgets ranging from four to seven figures.
Phil is the “swiss army knife” of marketing with vast knowledge of both consumer and business marketing and technical skill ranging from graphic design to complex online marketing campaigns. His experience includes digital management of websites, developing digital strategies, branding, social media strategy and full scale marketing campaigns.
Currently, Phil is focused on digital strategic design and integrated social marketing and search marketing.
Connect with Phil
Website
Are you guilty of copyright infringement on your social channels and don’t even know it?
In this episode of The 4 am Report we chat with Cynthia Mason, Lawyer and Trademark Agent. We invited Cynthia on to talk about intellectual property in a digital age, and also give us some much needed advice on where the line is when it comes to copyright infringement on your social channels.
Cynthia starts by giving us a 101 on intellectual property. What you can and can’t trademark. And why it’s so important for businesses to do this:
“Your intellectual property is what sets you apart from everyone else out there. At the heart of it the laws enable you to stop your competitors from competing with you.”
Then we get into an area that in Cynthia’s own words is “a bit messy.”
With social media, brands have become a lot more relaxed and realized the need to play in pop culture speak.
Sometimes, that can result in accidentally stepping over the line.
Will gave the example: “What if I’m a plumber, and I tweet ‘We’re the Superman of sink unclogging’. Did Will step over the line?
Click to listen and see what Cynthia has to say about this. Plus she gives a bunch of tips to ensure you stay in the grey area and don’t cross the line.
About Cynthia
Cynthia Mason is a Canadian lawyer and trademark agent who helps innovative businesses protect their names and logos. Over the last 15+ years, she has helped businesses of all sizes and stages protect their trademarks, and she’s passionate about teaching business owners how to protect all the hard work they’ve invested into growing their brands.
Connect with Cynthia
Website
Facebook and Instagram: @MasonProfessionalCorporation
We’re talking with someone on this week’s episode of The 4 am Report who actually DOES sleep pretty soundly at night.
What’s his secret?
“I try to discipline myself to work in a world of no surprises.”
Meet Kevin Lennon, a master of key messaging and narrative control. His career has run the communications gamut from a start in journalism, to working for major brands, to leading roles at PR agencies. For the past 20 plus years, he’s been principal at Trillium Corporate Communications. His sweet spot is working with top executives at major companies, preparing them for those big media interviews, working on their crisis comms protocol and getting them ready to meet with regulatory bodies.
We discuss the power and persuasiveness of positive, future-oriented messaging and language. Brands need to understand that everything put out there today, from a tweet to an interview with a reporter, is being scrutinized.
“Make sure that every single word, every single image you put out into that marketplace is deliberate with an end goal in mind. And if you don’t know what to say, don’t say anything.”
One key take-away we got from Kevin -- investing in ‘brand safety’ is a must.
About Kevin
Kevin Lennon has more than 30 years of experience in Journalism and Public Relations and is founder and president of Trillium Corporate Communications Inc. He is known for his creativity and clear strategic thinking, his winning strategies for dealing with sensitive issues and as one of Canada's top communications skills trainers. His experience as a journalist, working for Canadian wire services and daily and weekly newspapers is regularly translated into practical advice about how to get positive media coverage — and minimize the impact of bad news situations. Kevin works with clients in the energy, entertainment, telecommunications, amateur and professional sports, resources, retail and financial sectors. He has also worked with national associations, provincial crown corporations, federal and provincial governments. He has worked internationally, managing projects in China, North Africa and throughout Latin America for major Canadian corporations. Kevin holds a Bachelors degree in Journalism from Ryerson Polytechnic University.
TODAY marks the release of episode 7! 🥳Our baby is 7 already. Where does the time go...
Susan and Will talk to Business Mindset Strategist, Megan O’Neil on imposter syndrome and how that’s hampering marketers in their quest for visibility at a brand and personal level.
This one is good. In fact, it’s so good, we broke our promise to keep every episode micro.
How very dare we, you ask? Well, whenever we talk to Marketing Mindset Strategist, Megan O’Neil, she gives us so much good stuff to ponder. This time her mindset advice is so good, we just hit record...and edited NOTHING out. (Don’t fret - It’s still a very digestible listen coming in at under 20 minutes).
Megan chats with us about the complex dynamic of the times. Constant disruption and overwhelm. Fear that holds us back from the creativity that the environment demands. All heavily fuelled by the pseudo-wokeness of the social world.
The solution: reframing failure. Understanding the process. Getting that ‘the people’ take time to catch up to things. And coming back to what you need to, when you need to, with a strong understanding of yourself, to deliver your masterpiece(s). It’s in us ALL. It sounds woo-woo. But the brain is a powerful thing! And we all need to learn to master it.
Megan gives us a masterclass for marketers here.
Listen to this milestone episode of The 4 am Report.
Or catch it on itunes. Hit subscribe! The last thing you need is 4 am FOMO 😱
About Megan:
Megan O’Neill is a Business Mindset Strategist with an international clientele. For over 18 years, she has assisted clients to break-free of limiting core beliefs, fears and patterns. Her work specializes in the area of entrepreneurial mindset—helping clients understand why they're operating the way they are, and then working to clear it at a deep level so they can transform to who they really are!
To learn more about Megan and how the method of coaching can help you, visit: www.meganoneill.ca or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Megancorebeliefs/
Creating posts take a long time - especially when you’re responding to every single interaction one at a time. Quite frankly, you don’t have time for that. With a jam-packed schedule and countless interactions, it feels impossible to get your checklist done or even want to do it in the first place. In this episode, we’re staying up with Andrea Buckett, celebrity chef and influencer, to talk about tips and tricks to grow your social media real estate while growing your business success.
The first step is to start with you
Like with all things, the first step is to start with reflecting upon yourself. What does your job require you to do? What tasks do you do to keep your business running? What needs to be done for your business? Then, start thinking about what you like to do. Do you like to plan or execute? Do you like to edit the photos or take them? Think of a few things you really like doing in your business - then outsource everything else.
Call a friend
Sometimes it’s hard to know what to let go of - especially when you’re so used to being in control of everything in your business. If you’re going to grow, you need to let go of those tasks that you aren’t an expert in. Start by giving away tasks that you don’t enjoy, don’t know much about or find yourself procrastinating on.
If you’re going to outsource, however, don’t forget to consider your budget. What are you trying to achieve and how much can you afford to pay to get it done? Is it more valuable to your business to pay another talent to help me fulfill this? Once you’ve asked yourself these questions, you need to decide whether you need talent or technology to best fit your needs and help you build your business.
Unplug and play
Unplug and play is a calendar tool that schedules 4 videos, 1 audio and 4-5 visual posts a week. This ensures that your content is available through various formats for your audience to consume. For instance, you can record a video and pull the audio from it to make a podcast episode. Then you can create some visuals that depict key learnings. You’re making sure that your audience is getting consistent content by scheduling and filling up your calendar with pre-loaded content.
Write a job description
Before you outsource work to anyone, write a job description of exactly what you want them to do. If someone tells you that your expectations aren’t realistic or that the responsibilities you assigned them don’t make sense for their position, that’s okay! What you do need is a vision for what and who this person is. Don’t underestimate multi-format micro-creators. They have the ability to create various formats for you - whether it’s video, audio or visual pieces. Today, the world operates in a gig-economy.
So where can we find these experts? This is where networking is crucial. Post your job description out there and ask if anyone has any recommendations. You’ll be surprised to see how many people are willing to make referrals.
Followers: value or vanity?
People will tell you that followers are vanity metrics - which is absolutely true. However, Instagram requires you to have a certain amount of followers in order to use their link or “swipe up” features. Keep in mind that for every 100 people that you follow, 30 will follow you back.
This is where you can get extra help from either talent or technology to follow the right people and engage with them at least every half hour, every day. Start by following those you admire - you want to engage with other people’s content that will bring eyeballs from their following to your account. You can also do it the old fashioned way and directly ask them to give you a shoutout! Have your talent use a key message document where you will pinpoint what they’re allowed to say in certain circumstances.
If you go the technological route, you may want to consider chatbots. Although very controversial, this piece of artificial intelligence that assists you by using keywords. Think about who exactly you’d like to follow and define it clearly for the chatbot. Then set a low level - let’s say you’d like at least 20 people to be reached and interacted with today and it will do just that.
About Andrea
In the food industry for over 20 years, Andrea Buckett’s career has run the culinary gamut. Chef, caterer, culinary instructor, recipe developer and media personality. Andrea’s creative approach to food and her ability to connect to her audience is the foundation of her success.
Still can’t sleep?
We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems at team@cp.digital - your issue might be featured in our next episode!
You might also find it useful to review our previous episode about influencers with Vanessa Grant - listen here.
Any of these problems speak to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it!
If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!
Influencer marketing. Some love it, some hate it, but regardless you’re sure to come across it as a marketer. In this episode, we’re staying with up Vanessa Grant, principal of Grant Media and president of Mommyfluencer, to talk about how we can track results with influencers.
Why is influencer marketing popular?
We all know that Instagram has become really popular especially amongst younger demographics. Unfortunately for marketers, they are trying to block ads - potentially affecting how many people actually see your content. So how can a brand connect with their younger audience? They use influencer marketing, a strategy that helps partner brands with thought leaders within specific target audiences.
Many brands hear about influencer marketing but many don’t quite know how it works or how to leverage it. The first thing Vanessa does is educate the brands about expectations and how much it will cost them. Then comes the campaign to contact and choose the right influencer to work with. Vanessa creates draft contracts and creative briefs for both parties. Finally, she tracks the results and reports back to the brand.
What does the influencer do?
Each brand, aside from fulfilling their bottom line, aims to increase exposure and awareness. They can do this by partnering with influencers who create engaging social media content with their followers about the value of the brand. In this process, brands are able to filter which influencers match their brand and which do not. Vanessa urges us to create long-lasting relationships with those that do match the brand to prove to their audience the authenticity of the brand and the influencer promoting it. Your influencer should be a part of the team, not just a one-time promoter.
The influencer should also love the brand they’re partnering with! Their loyal followers will definitely be able to tell if something doesn’t match the other posts or the influencer’s brand overall. Choosing influencers who already use and like the brand’s products will garner more results because followers already know that the influencer truly does believe in the brand and its products. When your influencer is already a fan of the brand, it will be much easier to convert their followers into fans as well.
Metrics influencer? Micro influencer? Nano influencer?
There are three types of influencers: metrics, micro and nano. Metrics influencers are those with over 50,000 followers such as Kim Kardashian. Micro influencers are those with less than 50,000 followers and the nano influencer has 2,000 followers or less. While it may be tempting to aim high for the metric influencer, Vanessa warns us they that typically have lower engagement rates. If you’re looking to increase engagement within your campaign, opt for nano or micro influencers who typically have closer relationships with their audiences.
Nano influencers are also great if they identify themselves as photographers or content creators. The extra production value can go a long way when their audience is presented with a beautiful photo or video instead of a simple picture they quickly took on their phone. You can then, with their permission, repost their content on your feed and website.
Another consideration for your influencers is to look for those who have a Facebook group. The Facebook algorithm now prioritizes content from personal friends and groups over content from brands.
How to better track your ROI
If you’re thinking of creating an Instagram campaign with influencers, be sure to look beyond vanity metrics and focus on the quality of comments or engagement. This is especially important since Instagram has taken away the “likes” count on each post (unless you’re the one who posted it of course).
Another tip is to set up a system to show a better Return On Investment (ROI). You can set up a page or a duplicate of your homepage that your influencer can link in their stories or on their Instagram bio. You can also set up an affiliate system where your influencers can receive a commission to track who is actually helping you generate sales.
About Vanessa
Vanessa Grant is a classically-trained journalist turned content writer, editor and strategist. She also runs a mom-focused boutique influencer marketing agency called Mommyfluencer.
More from Vanessa:
Website
Instagram: @mommyfluencer, @vanessagrantmedia
Still can’t sleep?
We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems at team@cp.digital - your issue might be featured in our next episode!
Any of these problems speak to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it!
If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!
Keeping up with the Kontent
In this episode of The 4 am Report we welcome back Andrew Jenkins, social media mastermind and principal at Volterra Digital.
In this week’s episode we talk about something that keeps a lot of content marketers up at night.
The struggle to keep pushing out content to one’s audience. It can be overwhelming and at times, seem to yield not-so-impressive results.
Andrew wants listeners to know that the traditional way companies have been using blogs is a thing of the past. Gone are the days where you published 10 blogs in a month on 10 different topics.
Welcome to the rise of rich media - content that is reworked into several different bite-sized formats to meet the needs of the various channels of distribution. It may sound like this is a lot of work. But trust us, it’s not.You just need to figure out a system that works for you and your team. No matter what size.
Andrew’s advice: so instead of doing your 10 blogs. Do 4.
Yes, blogs are still the cornerstone when it comes to reaching your target audience. But they can’t do it alone.
From 1 blog, pull out a series of tips that you can release via instagram or twitter cards. Put together a 30 second closed caption graphic video giving an overview to the blog topic (short form video with text overlay rules right now). Pull out a few compelling quotes and combine that with relevant graphics and push those out over the month. What you’re doing is creating a hub of content on one topic. And you’re reaching people via a wider array of channels.
(Will likes to call this the ‘Kris Jenner-ing’ of your content. Think of all the content that’s been spun and reworked from that one show. Get the headline, now?)
This will save you time. And get you better engagement. And better conversion.
Andrew also shares some tools he uses to further up the content creation efficiency.
He often uses trylately.com’s Social Post Autogenerator. It’s a free tool where you enter in the url to your blog post and it basically comes up with various alternative titles, or pulls out a quote to act as a headline. The URL stays the same, but you’ve just used automation to repurpose that post and give it a lifespan of a few months.
When it comes to video, we also discuss some great tools that make creating bite-sized, short form visuals simple. Some of Susan’s favourites are: lumen5, animoto and biteable.
Subscribe on itunes
In this episode of the 4 AM Report, we’re staying up with Andrew Jenkins, principal at Volterra Digital and social media management guru. Tune in as we talk about why and how data is a dream come true for marketers and why ignoring it is such a nightmare.
We ALL use data
Regardless of what industry you’re in, we all use data. Let’s say you’re a miner and you need to drill a hole somewhere. You can’t just pick any spot to drill, you need to evaluate the area for the right spot and appeal to investors to justify why you should drill a hole in this specific spot. No matter what you do, our decisions are data-driven and CANNOT be ignored!
Don’t miss out on potential opportunities (or disasters) for your company - look at your data!
Don’t get lost in translation
Today, collecting data is easier than ever. We all know that when it comes to data, using Google Analytics, and monitoring Facebook impressions and engagement are great ways to collect it. The hard part is presenting and explaining it. What is the “so what?”
Andrew suggests placing a summary in the beginning of your presentation - whether it’s a PowerPoint deck or a report, you need to explain to them why your data matters. Ask yourself, “what is noteworthy about this chart?” and how it can affect their business and stakeholders. This way, your audience gets the information they need upfront and can deep-dive into it at their own pace.
Let’s be honest, no one likes or is interested in getting a huge package with thousands of excel spreadsheets. Get to the point and provide an insight - your audience will appreciate this and will be more likely to listen to your ideas.
The three tiers of metrics
Before you look into your metrics, think about what you’re trying to accomplish with your business in the first place. Ask yourself, “Where do I see my digital marketing efforts playing a role?” You need to first strategize how your social media efforts can support your business objectives and can meet the needs of your audience.
When you identify the needs and how you can meet them, you can start with your baseline. The first tier of metrics is Vanity Metrics. This includes every like and share on Facebook and Instagram, every retweet on Twitter and how many followers you have. Andrew urges you to have a base community and to continually grow it.
The next tier is engagement, where the growth happens. You can track its growth and the performance of your efforts to see whether or not the content you’re sharing is resonating well with your audience by looking at your metrics and reviewing what has been shared.
Finally, the last tier is evaluating what has happened and its relationship to your business objectives. Did your audience sign up for your email list or make a donation? Have you gained more visitors to your website? Once you have this information, you need to translate it into something that your audience can understand. Andrew suggests using charts and maps along with important insights and suggestions for the future.
Regardless of what you do, data is key to your business. Be sure to put extra effort into how you collect your data and how you interpret it for others. Don’t do anymore guesswork - look at the numbers. You’ll be more certain of your decisions and you’ll get a good night’s sleep.
About Andrew
Andrew Jenkins has provided social media strategy and social selling services to numerous mid to large enterprises such as CIBC, Royal Bank of Canada, BMO Nesbitt Burns, National Bank, Sirius XM Canada, the Globe and Mail, World Vision Canada, and the Aga Khan Foundation. He has spent the last twenty years working in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) spanning social media, wireless, and e-business. He holds a BA in Economics from Laurentian University, a BFA in Film Production from York University, and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. He also taught entrepreneurship at OCAD University and currently teaches Digital Strategy at the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies. Andrew speaks internationally about the social and digital landscape. His entrepreneurial efforts have been featured in the Toronto Star and by LinkedIn Canada as one of their success stories.
Still can’t sleep?
We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems at team@cp.digital - your issue might be featured in our next episode!
Any of these problems speak to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it!
If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!