MicroFamous Conversations

Check out Alina Bonn's experience working as a team member, which set her up to start her own agency serving 7-8 figure consulting firms.

The marketing world hasn’t been able to categorize a service that isn’t just strategy like consulting or just done-for-you like an agency. There isn’t enough in the public consciousness around a service that combines strategy with implementation.  How we market ourselves affects how people perceive the value of this service. How can we sell hybrid consulting-agency offerings to a marketplace that doesn’t quite understand this new category, and who will own this new space? In this episode author, thought leader and Business Growth Specialist, Dan Kuschell talks about positioning ourselves in an emerging marketing service category, and why a lot of marketing advice is outdated in today’s world. 

People who launch podcasts are often so focused on the downloads their shows can generate they miss out on the real opportunity.  This mindset leads us away from our Clear and Compelling Idea, and the people who will actually take the action that hits our goal for the podcast. A narrow focus on downloads also goes against the true purpose of podcasting. We should leverage the medium as a vehicle for converting people’s beliefs over time, not a platform for quick monetization.  Whether we’re looking to get in front of more of our ideal clients, or sell our coaching programs and services, the goal is always going to dictate the metrics that matter. How do we make sure we’re launching podcasts that support our business goals? How are podcasters using different formats and feeds to get more granular with their podcast goals? In this episode, I’m joined by agency owner, podcast producer and podcast host, Jeff Large. We discuss how to break the downloads-focused mindset, and why it’s critical to set the right expectations before launch. 

If you’re an emerging thought leader with the ability to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses, a paycheck or retainer isn’t the only way to monetize a highly valuable skillset. There are multiple ways we can capitalize on our marketing, sales and operations skills so we get the most revenue and highest quality of life out of them. From joint venture deals to rev share agreements and consulting deals, it’s worth looking for those opportunities and maximizing them when they come our way.  How can we structure these types of deals so that the incentives are lined up correctly and set up for long-term success? In this episode, entrepreneur, digital agency owner and podcast host Darrell Evans shares how we can create long-term mutual value in our client engagements. 

The basis of any strong community is a feeling of safety and belonging, and an environment that allows people to be transparent and authentic. As thought leaders we often overlook that this sense of safety comes from the values of the community, and who we leave out of it by intention. When we are crystal clear on our values, we’re able to organically attract people who buy into them, and also naturally repel the people who don’t fit in with those values. It takes courage to own our leadership and the values of the community we want to create, but it’s necessary. Without the foundation of a strong value system, a community and culture can’t sustain itself long-term. How can we lead our communities more effectively by putting our values at the center of everything we do? How can we keep a sense of community afloat without live events? In this episode, I’m joined by CEO of the Real Estate Investment Network Ltd and host of the Everyday Millionaire podcast, Patrick Francey. We talk about what it takes to build a community and a culture that is led by values, and why that’s an important part of thought leadership. 

The psychology of live events facilitated emotional and impulsive buying, but 2020 has made this impossible, forcing businesses and thought leaders to shift the way we sell. Even before the pandemic, businesses that were based on selling at live events were struggling. Because it’s now easier for people to buy products online, the peak emotional state that causes much of the selling at events is gone. In a world where people are buying from their devices, how we sell and what we sell has to be packaged for the internet. This is the time to reinvent what we do, instead of waiting to resume what we did before. How we sell, and even how we measure success in our work and our marketing has to change. What does it take to still be effective without the in-person aspect of events? How has 2020 shifted the meaning of a day’s work? In this episode, CEO of Thought Leadership Leverage, Peter Winick returns to talk about how this year has impacted how we sell our products.

For speakers, thought leaders and associations who give value and connect with people through events, 2020 has put them in a weird spot. Because people haven’t been able to gather in the normal sense, the biggest concern is driving value to people, and creating a sense of community within new parameters. Thought leaders have to rethink several things, particularly how to get in front of people and get their message out without conferences, networking events and on-stage speaking engagements. What opportunities can we leverage in this new world? How can thought leaders maintain their effectiveness when the world of events has shifted? In this episode, CEO of Thought Leadership Leverage, Peter Winick returns. We discuss how 2020 has impacted live events and how the players in this world have responded.

The essence of driving change as coaches is delving into how someone communicates with and leads themselves, because that impacts how they show up in every area of their lives. Our limiting beliefs and behavioral patterns are not situational, they are always present. They stem from our own self-image and self-communication, and amplify or get in the way of our self-leadership. Having the awareness to notice how we talk to ourselves is an important part of transforming our self-perception. Why does coaching fall short when it doesn't consider a person’s inner communication patterns? How can we become more authentic by changing how we speak to and lead ourselves? In this episode, communication expert and high-performance coach Jonathan Miller discusses mindful communication and how his own personal self-discovery led to his coaching practice. 

The podcasting industry is going to see a lot of change, from new formats to the entry of multi-million dollar publishers. Now more than ever, we have to see and treat our podcasts like entire businesses in their own right. Our podcasts need to have specific intentions and goals, and we need to make sure they go in a direction that’s sustainable and gets us what we want. How did our guest Tim Alison grow his successful podcast, Screw the Naysayers? What is the gap between old school business advice and entrepreneurship today, and why is this gap so dangerous? On this episode, I’m joined by entrepreneur, business coach, author and host and executive producer of Screw the Naysayers, Tim Alison. He talks about his passion for helping small business owners, and why he believes the methods he used just 2 years ago to launch his show would bomb today.

As platforms like Facebook continue to drive down the results of organic traffic, LinkedIn has remained more consistent with what it takes to launch a personal brand, go to market and grow our reach. It’s a platform that is well-suited to a strategy centered on valuable content and targeted outreach. Even as we scale our LinkedIn reach, this strategy can remain effective, and help us connect with people who want to pay for what we do. What are the best practices for creating content on LinkedIn and outbound marketing efforts? Why is LinkedIn still so perfect for a purely content-driven strategy, not pay-to-play? What is the POSER Format for creating video content on LinkedIn? In this episode, high performance business mentor and coach Paul Higgings shares why he has doubled down on his LinkedIn marketing and getting 1 million views and 120 new clients in 8 months using his strategy.

When it comes to crafting emotionally resonant and authentic content, nothing is as efficient at delivering an impactful story as children’s books are. Stories, even the ones behind businesses, are supposed to be delightful. If we craft our content with this in mind, along with generosity and simplicity, it changes how it impacts people. Simple and delightful stories are what make certain pieces of content popular and powerful enough to inspire and drive action. Why do simple stories work so well? How do we capture the emotion behind a brand so that the voice connects with people? How do we stay on the pulse of the needs of our audience? In this episode, author, brand coach and consultant, Leah Komaiko talks about how simple storytelling can be when it comes from the right place.

A common misconception and limiting belief many coaches have is that selling a high ticket product requires us to have mass appeal and speak to everyone in the market. But achieving Microfamous status gives the ability to become highly successful while only having to speak to a small slice of the population within our ideal client audience. Saying the same message to the same market and staying consistent are the fundamentals of a Microfamous strategy, and it can give us more freedom and ease in our businesses even as we continue to grow. How do we move away from running a commodity business? Why is the idea of traditional success so limiting?

In an influencer/thought-leadership business, the health of the operation is determined by us having a predictable, sustainable and sellable way to bring the right people into our email list. If our email list is flat, our whole business is flat.A system that allows us to reliably grow our email list is critical, and Facebook advertising is a vehicle for getting opt-ins, sales and building our list.  What are some of the tactics we can put in place quickly that can get us results? Why do we need to have a solid funnel before investing in ads?