Steal My Strategy: Recent Episodes
Snappy Kraken
Financial services marketing needs a jolt!
We need a way to solve for unique problems and connect deeper with people…and that happens when you mix different perspectives together.
The best ideas come from outside the industry. Join Robert Sofia, CEO of Snappy Kraken, as he chats with some brilliant minds so you can copy their strategies into your financial practice.
Branding is powerful.
It influences behavior, builds credibility, gives you or your business a unique identity that aligns with your audience's values, and ultimately grows a community of loyal, raving fans.
In this bonus episode of the Steal My Strategy Podcast, we've uncovered a discussion host Robert Sofia had with Brittney Castro during a recorded webinar.
Brittney is a Certified Financial Planner, speaker, host, and brand ambassador.
She's worked alongside top brands like Chase, Mint, ETrade, CNBC, Gemini, AirBnB, Zoom, and more.
Together they peel back the curtain on the importance of branding, Brittney’s secrets for maintaining a unique identity, and where financial advisors can start to cement their brand into the minds of their audience.
We explore:
- The 2 things you can do RIGHT NOW to build a powerful brand
- Why consistency matters most to building a ubiquitous brand
- How to “never drop the ball” with your marketing
- The surprisingly simple ways to increase the production value of your videos
- Why “niching yourself” makes you stand out from everyone else
- The “not-so-serious” approach to social media marketing that drives more engagement
Links to Check Out:
- Brittney’s Website
- Connect with Brittney on Instagram
- Connect with Brittney on Twitter
- Robert’s book: Blend Out: From Ordinary to Irresistible: How Advisors Can Market Like the Greatest Brands in the World
This episode was brought to you by:
Snappykraken.com, helping advisors create meaningful connections that drive business.
We bring you another special episode of Steal My Strategy, where we're republishing an episode of the Conquer Risk Podcast with permission.
A weekly show created and hosted by our friends over at Potomac Fund Management.
The Conquer Risk Podcast is a suite of distinct shows that take an intelligent and irreverent approach to conquer financial advisors' many challenges.
In this episode, Potomac Fund's Chief Marketing Officer, Christopher Norton, interviews Patrice Kelly, Chief Creative Officer of Snappy Kraken.
They break down creativity, how to develop it and look outside the industry for inspiration.
The insights they shared aligned with the theme of our show and it would be a crime not to share.
They explore:
- How "non-creatives" can flex their creative muscles. You'd be surprised how easy it can be.
- Why "turning off your brain" can help you be more creative.
- Learn the process of brainstorming that can help you find your core message.
- How to relieve yourself from the pressure of being creative.
- The surefire way to unlock a pool of endless inspiration.
- And so much more!
Links to Check Out:
- Learn more about Potomac Fund Management
- YouTube Channel
- Connect on Twitter
- Connect on LinkedIn
Today’s debate: “culture.”
Is it a meaningless buzzword or a value-driven, transformational environment for employees?
Our guest Colin Cerniglia helps discern what separates a culture of excellence from misaligned, robotic organizations.
Colin is the Talent Acquisition Manager at Snappy Kraken.
With his passion and expertise in the sports industry, Colin is a leader in adapting strategies and coaching techniques that can be used in business.
He shares powerful stories from the Yankees that illustrate the crucial elements of excellence that can lead to trust and transformation.
We Explore:
- The same techniques the Yankees use teach us about powerful leadership and building strong teams.
- Why staying proactive in the hiring process, even during slow-downs, is beneficial for your business.
- How to set proper expectations when starting or maintaining a podcast.
- The secret behind some of Snappy Kraken’s own recruiting processes.
- Learn the hardest thing that plagues almost all businesses and how to overcome it.
- And the one strategy Colin wants you to steal that instantly aligns you with your employees.
Links to Check Out:
- Colin’s Website
- Colin’s Book: Culture of Excellence: What We Can Learn from the Yankees About Leadership.
- Colin’s YouTube Channel
This episode was brought to you by: snappykraken.com helping advisors create meaningful connections that drive business.
As technological innovation continues to propel us into the future, it’s getting harder to stay human.
Especially when it comes to connecting with your clients and prospects.
Luckily, there’s hope thanks to the help of technology strategist and certified futurist, Crystal Washington.
Crystal works with organizations that want to leverage technology to increase profits and productivity. Working with companies including Google, Microsoft, GE, and others in the USA, Africa, and Europe.
In the episode, we chat about blending digital and real-world tactics to increase the value of your brand, simplifying the complex web of social media, and where the future of social media is headed
We Explore:
- Why “spying” on your clients and prospects can actually better your business.
- The key to mastering technology without feeling overwhelmed.
- Understanding how trends impact businesses across industries and how advisers can adapt in the long term.
- The key to showing up stronger and more often on Google and YouTube.
- Practical tips for using technology to build and maintain strong client connections without sacrificing the personal touch.
- How to use technology to influence your client pool to skyrocket referrals.
- And the one strategy Crystal wants you to steal to catapult your client relationships to raving fan status.
Links to Check Out:
- Crystal’s Website
- Connect on Twitter
- Connect on YouTube
- Crystal’s Book: One Tech Action: A Quick-and-Easy Guide to Getting Started Using Productivity Apps and Websites for Busy Professionals
- Crystal’s Second Book: The Social Media WHY: A Busy Professional's Practical Guide to Using Social Media Including LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Google+ A
This episode was brought to you by: snappykraken.com helping advisers create meaningful connections that drive business.
No, we can’t literally read minds, but what we can do is read people to understand their emotions, desires, and needs.
It boils down to one thing, empathy.
You are making yourself vulnerable, putting yourself in their shoes, and asking the right questions.
That empathy leads to deeper connection advisers crave because your audience feels like you understand them.
As if you’re reading their mind.
Your clients and prospects are desperately looking for someone who understands them.
A good communication strategy depends heavily on how well you can connect with them.
Here are 5 Strategies to Understand and Connect with your Target Audience Better.
Guest List FULL Episodes:
- Adam Bensman
- Brandon Voss
- Steve Sims
- Ekaterina Walter
- Robert Sofia
This episode was brought to you by:
snappykraken.com helping advisers create meaningful connections that drive business.
“Imagine the audience in their skivvies.”
This silly adage is an attempt to make your audience less intimidating, but it’s not your audience that’s intimidating. It’s your presentation.
People’s attention is about as elusive as Bigfoot himself.
And even if you do manage to snag their attention, it’s even more critical that your message sticks.
When you’re able to communicate your message properly, it empowers your audience.
We get it; public speaking doesn’t come naturally to everyone.
Don’t worry.
Whether you’re a newbie at presentations or a seasoned pro, these three strategies we stole will empower you to conquer any presentation.
Guest List:
- Carl Richards - Taken from Episode 6
- Andrew Davis - Taken from Episode 4
- Carol Lempert - Taken from Episode 5
Links to Check Out:
- Connect with Carl Richards
- Connect with Andrew Davis
- Connect with Carol Lempert
This episode was brought to you by:
snappykraken.com helping advisers create meaningful connections that drive business.
Stories are meant to be shared.
And we all have one.
Whether you’re telling a story or want to be a part of one, that desire drives the need for new experiences.
With greater experiences comes a more extraordinary story.
Steve Sims is the visionary founder of the world’s first luxury concierge service.
He makes the impossible possible and has been quoted as “The Real-Life Wizard of Oz” by Forbes & Entrepreneur Magazine.
In the episode, we chat about creating impactful client experiences on a budget, shifting your focus from you to them, and why true connection is the best way to build and maintain relationships.
We Explore:
- What taking a submarine to the Titanic and dining out at your favorite restaurant have in common. The answer may surprise you.
- Why money actually “shuts doors” to new opportunities.
- How to get your audience bought into the story to keep them coming back for more.
- The selfless way to create the same emotional impact whether you have a million dollars or 1,500.
- Why our own mindsets limit us to achieving true connection and what you can do to change it.
- The one strategy Steve wants you to steal lays the foundation for strong client-advisor relationships.
Links to Check Out:
- Steve’s Website
- Steve’s YouTube
- Bluefishing: The Art of Making Things Happen By Steve Sims
- Steve’s Podcast, The Art of Making Things Happen
- An Entrepreneur’s Advantage with Steve Sims
This episode was brought to you by: snappykraken.com helping advisers create meaningful connections that drive business.
Irresistible brands empower people.
Not just their customers but their employees.
When you genuinely provide support and value to enrich the lives of your audience, that’s when you become irresistible.
Ekaterina Walter is a business and marketing innovator, international speaker, and author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Think Like Zuck and coauthor of The Power of Visual Storytelling.
She’s a marketer at heart and a massive advocate for authentic, meaningful connections, whether it’s with your ideal audience or business relationships.
In this episode, we chat about how storytelling isn’t just for marketers anymore, aligning brand advocacy authentically, and why a true connection is the best way to navigate the digital space.
We Explore:
- What it means to be an “intrepreneur” and how it pushes the limits for innovation.
- How brand storytelling has evolved and its impact on every aspect of the customer experience.
- The authentic approach to “taking a stand” that empowers your brand.
- What it means to take your brand from “fixed” to “fluid” and what you can do to keep it that way.
- The 2 story types that connect with people in a more meaningful, emotional way.
- How the “tell don’t sell” approach connects deeper with not only your audience but your employees.
- And the one strategy Ekaterina wants you to steal right now, to establish a stronger, emotional connection with your audience.
Links to Check Out
- Ekaterina’s YouTube Channel
- Connect on Twitter
- Forbes Articles
- Think Like Zuck: The Five Business Secrets of Facebook's Improbably Brilliant CEO Mark Zuckerberg By Ekaterina Walter
- The Laws of Brand Storytelling: Win—and Keep—Your Customers’ Hearts and Minds By Ekaterina Walter & Jessica Gioglio
- The Power of Visual Storytelling: How to Use Visuals, Videos, and Social Media to Market Your Brand By Ekaterina Walter & Jessica Gioglio
Don’t miss your chance to see Ekaterina speak live at the Jolt! Conference May 4-6th, 2022.
This episode was brought to you by: snappykraken.com helping advisers create meaningful connections that drive business.
Difficult conversations are inevitable.
People often avoid them because of the stress or anxiety it brings.
Here’s the thing, avoiding them doesn’t make them go away.
Instead of sweeping them under the rug, learn to master any conversation with powerful negotiation techniques.
Brandon Voss is the President of The Black Swan Group, a strategic business advisory firm that focuses on business negotiation.
Their negotiation strategies stem from the same tactics used by the FBI in hostage and kidnapping situations.
In this episode, we chat about how to master these negotiation techniques to lead difficult conversations with confidence for more productive and practical solutions.
We Explore:
- Techniques used by the Special Ops, CIA, and FBI teams that deal with kidnappers and hostages and how you can apply them in your business.
- What do the “anxiety triggers” say about a conversation, and what you can do to avoid them.
- Why staying curious in difficult conversations leads to productive outcomes.
- The 3 letter word that instantly kills a conversation and what to replace it with differentiates you from everyone else.
- How to address and diffuse negative accusations against you in a level-headed way.
- What powerful conversation method that “unlocks the flood gates” of truth talk.
- How to navigate negative difficult conversations with clients and prospects with confidence and tactical empathy.
- Why the tone of your voice influences emotions, and what you can do to stay positive and collaborative.
- And the one strategy Brandon wants you to steal right now that actively engages people in any conversation.
For Brandon’s FREE weekly newsletter simply TEXT “Black Swan Method” to 33777
Links to Check Out:
- Brandon’s Website The Black Swan Group
- Never Split the Difference Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It By Chris Voss
- Brandon’s YouTube Channel
This episode was brought to you by
Snappy Kraken: helping financial advisers create meaningful connections that drive business.
In this very special episode of Steal My Strategy, we're republishing with permission an episode of the Standard Deviations Podcast.
A weekly show hosted by Dr. Daniel Crosby, a psychologist and New York Times bestselling author who looks at money, mind, and meaning through a psychological lens.
In this episode, he interviews Robert Sofia, CEO of Snappy Kraken and host of Steal My Strategy.
They discuss marketing concepts and how they hold up through a psychological lens.
It was too good not to share.
We explore:
- How to get attention in a way that doesn't fall flat or come across as precious, corny, or insincere. Ultimately building familiarity without becoming too repetitive.
- The one big promise financial professionals can tell their clients they will deliver on.
- How to craft irresistible offers that your clients and prospects can't refuse.
- The crucial steps advisers can take to both be trustworthy and reach their target market.
- Why you can't rely on trust to scale your business.
- And so much more!
Dr. Daniel Crosby Links to Check Out:
- Standard Deviations Podcast
- Dr. Daniel’s Books
- YouTube Channel
- Connect on Twitter
- Connect on LinkedIn
This episode was brought to you by:
Snappy Kraken: helping financial advisers create meaningful connections that drive business.
The true job of a marketer can be summed up in one word…
Listening.
Listening allows you to fully understand your audience better than anyone else, which then allows you to create compelling new offers and experiences that impact the growth of your business.
Adam Bensman is one of the country’s top copywriters & marketing consultants with a desire to communicate complex messages and offers in a simple way that connects with people.
His passion for communication and expertise in the roofing industry makes him a sought-after marketing coach across industries to help bridge the gap between a business’s true value and its ideal audience to win more clients.
In this episode, we chat about the importance of emotion to hook your ideal audience, the communication style to craft a compelling offer, and how to sustain predictable business growth.
We explore:
- The 7-Step formula to being authentic, confident, and winning clients.
- Why breaking the #1 rule in marketing will leave you “gambling the fate” of your business.
- How to break through the “ceiling” you may be unconsciously putting on your business.
- Understanding your audience’s wants vs. needs and crafting an emotional offer that speaks to that directly.
- How to use empathy to “agitate the pain” and connect with your audience.
- Defining “search triggers” and the role it plays in getting noticed and building credibility.
- The importance of “I know” vs “I care” styles of communication and finding the perfect balance to get prospects in the door.
- How to avoid the “bait and switch” marketing tactic in a way that delivers more value and gets people coming back for more.
- And the one strategy Adam wants you to steal that builds stronger brands, boosts credibility, and drives interest from your audience.
Links to check out:
- Adam’s YouTube Channel
- Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind - By Jack Trout & Al Ries
- They Ask, You Answer: A Revolutionary Approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today's Digital Consumer - By Marcus Sheridan
This episode was brought to you by:
Snappy Kraken: helping financial advisers create meaningful connections that drive business.
Whether you’re making a lifestyle change, decluttering, or giving client presentations, simplicity changes lives.
It’s complexity that often leaves people unsatisfied.
Carl Richards is a Certified Financial Planner™, creator of the “Sketch Guy” column, appearing weekly in The New York Times since 2010, and author of “The Behavior Gap.”
Carl is widely known for simplifying the complex subject of finance by creating easy-to-understand sketches.
In this episode, we chat about how to navigate emotional situations productively, eliminating distractions that leave audiences empty, and how elegant simplicity can change not only your life but the life of your clients.
We explore:
- What the best training in the financial industry doesn’t prepare you for. The answer may surprise you.
- How to simplify your message with custom illustrations. Good news, you don’t need to have an art degree to do it.
- The one presentation format that you should STOP right now. We’ve all fallen victim to it.
- The 2-word phrase that breaks client trust and the 2-word phrase that solidifies it.
- Why having a “diagnosis before you prescribe” mentality will take your client relationship to the next level.
- How to reignite, and ultimately keep, the spark of innovation alive.
- The exercise you can do right now, that will determine if you’re differentiating yourself from your competition…not just in your community, but nationally.
- And the one strategy Carl wants you to steal that increases happiness personally and professionally.
Links to check out:
- Behaviorgap.com
- thesocietyofadvice.com
- Articles in the NY Times
- Kitces & Carl Ep. 35: Favorite Questions To Ask A Prospective Client To Build Trust
- Behavior Gap Radio
This episode was brought to you by:
Snappy Kraken: helping financial advisers create meaningful connections that drive business.
Steve Jobs, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Bruce Springsteen, and Chris Rock.
What do they all have in common?
Captivating stage presence.
Carol Lempert, an actor & playwright turned business coach, shares the secrets she learned on Broadway and Hollywood for becoming more charismatic, persuasive, and captivating in any situation…a must for any professional or business leader.
Carol’s tools and expertise have led her to speak for big brands like Google, TD Bank, Pfizer, and more.
In this episode, we chat about how to be camera-ready at any time, exercises to present like a star (live or virtual), and how to craft better business stories that connect.
We explore:
- The 4 ways to measure your presence and how to supercharge it.
- Techniques used by Hollywood screenwriters to create an irresistible business story.
- One simple “hack” you can use right now that helps connect deeper with your audience over Zoom.
- Why being “sunshine and roses” all the time can hurt your client’s experience and what you can do to gain their trust.
- How to use your past failures to create a more relatable and emotional connection with your audience.
- The 2-step method that allows you to be 100% present in any situation or conversation.
- And the one strategy Carol wants you to steal that elevates trust and emotional resonance.
- And more!
Links to check out:
- Learn more about Carol at https://carollempert.com
- Carol’s YouTube Channel: Stories that Sell.
- Explore More: Why Everyone Should Take Acting classes
This episode was brought to you by:
Snappy Kraken: helping financial advisers create meaningful connections that drive business.
Be different.
In fact, celebrate it!
Andrew Davis is recognized as one of the industry's "Jaw-Dropping Marketing Speakers".
He’s appeared in the New York Times, Forbes, and worked for NBC’s Today Show as well as The Muppets.
In this episode, we chat about why great marketing is risky marketing, the one true differentiation factor, and how non-creative people can unlock their inner creative side.
We explore:
- The hidden marketing secrets from The Muppets and the Jim Hensen company
- One trick that subconsciously keeps your audience fully engaged in your presentation
- A simple formula for your next creative breakthrough that involves: a hot topic + your favorite TV show (Try it! It will flex your creative muscles and you might land on your next big ideas.)Why “corporate twinning” is the wet blanket of financial advisor marketing (and how to avoid it)
- 3 practical exercises you can use right now to give you a competitive edge
- How to create an experience that’s 100% uniquely yours to create a steady referral stream
- How to move out of “expert-Ville” and plant your roots in “visionary-town”
- And the one strategy Andrew wants you to steal to create the ultimate client experience
Links to check out
- More about Andrew Davis: https://www.akadrewdavis.com/
- Andrew’s Book on how to make virtual events & webinars more profitable, engaging, and successful: The Ultimate Virtual Engagement E-Book
- Behind the Scenes with Andrew Davis - See what equipment he uses and how he gets the most out of video
- Check out Andrew’s YouTube Channel
- Buyer Personas: How to Gain Insight into your Customer's Expectations, Align your Marketing Strategies, and Win More Business by Adele Revella
- Honey, Let's Get a Boat... A Cruising Adventure of America's Great Loop by Ron Stob
This episode was brought to you by:
Snappy Kraken: helping financial advisers create meaningful connections that drive business.
We hear comparisons between financial well-being and physical well-being all the time.
Well, Carolyn McClanahan is proof that these two domains are highly related.
In this episode, we tap the breadth of experience that McClanahan has as a medical doctor AND financial planner.
We explore:
- Her journey with health and finance
- The value of having hard conversations
- Planning for who people are, not who they want to be
- A big mistake advisers make with clients
- A simple question she teaches advisers to ask that makes sharing EASY
- Achieving growth through hiring (and when should you hire)
- Leveling up through coaching
- Creating opportunities with the media
You can find out more about Carolyn at carolynmcclanahan.com
This episode was brought to you by:
Snappy Kraken: helping financial advisers create meaningful connections that drive business.
Recommended Book:
Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott
Think logic alone drives business and purchasing decisions?
Think again.
We’re so much more emotional than we think, and that’s a good thing!
In this episode of Steal My Strategy, we talk to the Executive Creative Director at Adobe, Adam Morgan. We chat about emotion, memory, neurology and we prove the value of creative ideas with science once and for all.
We explore:
- Why the CIA values creativity
- How data and insight are 2 different animals
- Why decision-making is impossible without emotion
- The 2-part formula for creative & profitable ideas
- What we can learn from television networks about low-stakes, creative chances
Links to Check Out:
- More about Adam: adamwmorgan.com
- Adam’s book: Sorry Spock, Emotions Drive Business: Proving the Value of Creative Ideas With Science
This episode was brought to you by:
Snappy Kraken: helping financial advisers create meaningful connections that drive business.
Marianne Eaves is great at what she does.
She also happens to be a FIRST.
Marianne is Kentucky’s First Female Bourbon Master Distiller since Prohibition. She’s a Ted speaker, has appeared on the Steve Harvey Show, and has been recognized in Whiskey Advocate Magazine as “The Next Generation'' for the bourbon industry.
Join us in this conversation as we talk about her journey into the world of fine spirits, cultivating leadership, and changing the dynamic in a predominantly male industry.
And yes! We get some great whiskey recommendations at the end.
We explore:
- Building a culture of diversity
- Internal struggles versus external struggles
- Why leaders need to defend and cultivate their organization’s talent
- Ways you can invest in yourself and your people
- Tips for getting out of your comfort zone
- How you need to highlight the humanity of your business
- Creating connection by showing your vulnerability
- The 4 rules of whiskey
- And much more
You can find out more about Marianne at marianneeaves.com
This episode was brought to you by:
Snappy Kraken: helping financial advisers create meaningful connections that drive business.
Links to Check Out:
- Neat: The Story of Bourbon
- Marianne on the Steve Harvey Show
- Marianne’s Tedx Talk: Making the Impossible and Doing the Unthinkable
A few of Marianne's whiskey recommendations:
- Woodford Reserve
- Russell’s Reserve
- Wilderness Trail
- New Riff
We need a way to solve for unique problems and connect deeper with people…and that happens when you mix different perspectives together.
The best ideas come from outside the industry. Join Robert Sofia, CEO of Snappy Kraken, as he chats with some brilliant minds so you can copy their strategies into your financial practice.
First episode premiering May 15th 2021.