Authority Alchemy with Brian Horn and Jack Mize

In years past, a blog might set you apart from your competitors, while today it’s a requirement for basic operation.

That’s right. In this day and age, you have to do more to get noticed.

This is especially true in ultra competitive markets like small business marketing.

Thankfully, we have some good news.

We know a way you can stand above your competitors. This secret is podcasting.

Podcasting is still a relatively easy way to get your name out there. To be discovered amid the sea of others within your niche market.

But, how do you start a podcast?

Well, it’s easier than you think.

Read below for some easy-to-follow steps on how to start a podcast:

This is probably the easiest step. After all, you can likely come up with several good ideas for podcasts right off the top of your head.

However, before you settle on the topic you want to cover, do a quick search of iTunes.

This will show you if the topic you chose has been covered too death.

You want a fresh topic.

Not one that has been gone over time after time.

It’s okay if there are a few podcasts already out there about the topic you want to cover. Just make sure there aren’t tons.

What will the format for your show look like?

Will you host a show and interview an “expert” on a topic?

Will you be the expert who provides content?

Will you have one or two hosts?

How long will each of your episodes be?

How frequently will you post new episodes?

Do you want a weekly podcast, daily or something entirely different?

Will you show be audio podcast or video format?

To answer all these questions, consider your target audience.

What will they enjoy the most?

Are they busy professionals who prefer short episodes?

Would they actually be able to listen to a 40 minute podcast?

Some audiences love long podcasts.

Others can’t handle more than five minutes of content at a time. It’s up to you to read your own audience accurately.

The following is a list of some items you will need to create a high-quality podcast:

Podcasts need a place on a server where media files will be stored.

The podcast host we use is Libsyn. This costs approximately $15 a month, but will ensure you have lots of storage space for all your media file needs.

You also use SoundCloud.com for free to start.   If we were starting over, we'd probably go with this option.

Take time to explore the different possibilities for your podcast title. You can use your name. “The John Smith Show” is a good example of this.

You can also use a play on words. For example, a podcast on fishing could be titled “The Reel Deal.”

Use keywords in your title if possible to make your show easier to find in searches. The idea is to communicate within your title what listeners can expect to hear on your podcast.

Listing your podcast on iTunes is the best way to improve your reach. But, to list on iTunes, you have to create a professional looking image that will appear next to your podcast. In other words, you need cool cover art.

Design software is how you accomplish this. Buzzsprout offers some tips on how to create sweet images.

If this isn’t your thing though and you would like some help with design, check out 99designs or Upwork and let them do it for you.

To get iTunes specific cover designs, check out Fiverr.com.

Each podcast should have an introduction that shares the name of the show. It should also identify your target audience.

In essence, let people know why they should listen.

You can create this yourself. Or, you can have the message recorded by a voice-over artist.

We used Music Radio Creative for this show.

You also need to come up with the call-to-action, conclusion, sign off or “outro.”

This should tell listeners how to contact you. It should let them know where they can go to get additional content or information related to the episode. Use your audio software to save the intro and outro. Then, you can drop the file into each episode into your template. This will simply the editing process.

To list everything you need to do to plan your launch would be impossible for this one step. We recommend reading a book called“Podcast Launch” by John Lee Dumas.

This will tell you everything you need to do to get your podcast off on the right foot. Of course, if you are just going to launch on iTunes and you didn’t have a “big launch” in mind, you don’t have to do all the recommended research.

However, attempt to get your podcast into iTunes’ “new and noteworthy” category.

This is the iTunes category featuring podcasts less than eight weeks old. When you launch correctly, you can have your podcast featured here.

This of course will help broaden your podcast’s reach immensely.

You need to acquire some five-star reviews once your show is live. These high reviews will encourage others to download your podcast.

It isn’t always easy to get people to review your show though.

The best way to get headed in the right direction is to ask some family and friends to review your podcast.

This will at least help get your ranking up there and get you started. High rankings will of course encourage more people to download your podcast.

The more you put into marketing your podcast, the more successful it will be. You will have to promote it in order to succeed. That much is certain. So, promote and market your podcast to encourage even more interest.

The process of starting a podcast might seem overwhelming. Especially after reading all the points listed above.

The good news is that once you have a podcast started, it actually requires less time and energy to maintain than even a blog.

So, what are you waiting for? Why not start a podcast to launch yourself above your competition? Now’s the time.

The post How to Start a Podcast That Will Attract More Clients…The Easy Way appeared first on Authority Alchemy | Authority Marketing Tactics.

We'll get into the solopreneur marketing plan later in this post, but first I want to share something.

Recently, I realized I’m unemployable.

Not employable in the conventional sense, anyway.

The good news is that being unemployable doesn’t mean you have to be unemployed.

Jack and I sat down with Michael O'Neal from The Solopreneur Hour to talk about this exact topic.

Michael used his 20 years of music and broadcast experience to build his podcasts into one of the most downloaded ones in the world.

Listen to Jack pull out some fascinating stories about how he grew that show, and also how he created a repeatable solopreneur marketing plan for other unemployable people.

Not sure if you are unemployable?

Here are five signs that you, too, may be unemployable:

1. You’re smarter than your boss, even though you don’t have an MBA

True entrepreneurs get bored quickly in school. The list of college dropouts includes Tumblr’s Karp and other names you might know: Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison, Michael Dell and Bill Gates, to name just a handful out of hundreds of household names that did not have the patience for school.

Big companies use advanced degrees as a way to filter out candidates for hiring and advancement; so if you don’t have an MBA, you’ll forever be smarter than the guy or gal you’re working for.

2. You get distracted easily

JetBlue’s founder David Neeleman is one of the more public examples of the well-documented link between ADD/ADHD and entrepreneurship. Some say his ADD/ADHD contributed to the board removing Neeleman as JetBlue’s CEO in 2007. Many studies have made the connection between ADD/ADHD and entrepreneurship. There is even a LinkedIn group called “The ADD/ADHD Entrepreneur” for these entrepreneurs to connect online.

Signs you have ADD/ADHD include being distracted easily, starting several projects without finishing them, and being a hands-on learner. Sound familiar? If so, don’t expect to last as a company man or woman.

3. You think visually

Have you downloaded the Penultimate app for your iPad because you like to draw ideas?

Do you find yourself jumping to the white board in a meeting room to try to describe a situation visually?

An inclination towards visual thinking is an indicator of ADD/ADHD and another sign you should avoid getting a job where you have to lobby for your ideas in writing.

4. You have trouble listening to others

Some of my favorite entrepreneurs love talking about themselves. They like describing in detail their latest innovation, which is great if you’re in the mood to be regaled.

The problem is this: If you try to enter into the discussion, their eyes start to drift, and it’s clear they are just waiting for a lull in the conversation so they can start talking again.

It’s so natural, you probably don’t even know you’re doing it, so ask a buddy you trust or a spouse who will give it to you straight.

If you tend to be distracted when other people are talking, avoid going to work for someone who not only will want to talk, but who also will expect–even insist–that you listen.

5. You start lots of projects that go unfinished

Be honest: Do you find yourself starting something only to lose steam when you come up with your next great idea?

That’s fine if you run your own company where you can delegate the execution to others, but it also makes you difficult to manage.

Bosses like innovation to a point, but companies need employees who have the patience to see their ideas through.

Every entrepreneur has been faced with the question: Should I get a job?

Some new grads decide to put their entrepreneurial dreams on hold to get some training on someone else’s dime before they start a business.

Other owners get an offer to buy their company, contingent on them working for the acquirer for a few years. In still other cases, the entrepreneur’s company fails, leaving him with the decision to start something new or get a job to make ends meet.

Which leaves you, the entrepreneur, with one more question: Are you employable? If not, you–like Karp, O'Neal, Jack and even me –should probably stick with owning a company, not working for one.

Go ahead a listen to this episode.   Michael is a fascinating guy.

The Solopreneur Hour Podcast

Sololab

The post Solopreneur Marketing Plan for the Unemployable appeared first on Authority Alchemy | Authority Marketing Tactics.

If you had a near photographic memory of every marketing strategy you've ever tested, used or even heard of…how strong of a marketer do you think you'd be?

We have that guy on the show today.

His name is Brad Costanzo, and he is the host of the Bacon Wrapped Business show (because everything wrapped in bacon is better, right?).

After selling his information publishing business in 2012, Brad Costanzo has built a successful consulting practice, Costanzo Marketing Group, helping established business owners, authors and experts grow their business and expand their profits.

Brad says:

I believe that good marketing solves most business problems by injecting that business with cash. And good marketing centers on proven campaigns, sound scientific advertising, unique positioning and strategic relationships that provide maximum leverage.

He has a unique super power to collect and recall profitable strategies that apply across industries and to connect and build the right relationships for his clients.

We go deep into some examples and stories from the trenches, and even talk about the lessons and experiences he's had working with some of the top entrepreneurs in the game.

Click “Play” above and meet the marketing savant, Brad Costanzo.

The post How Brad Costanzo Will Wrap Your Business In Bacon appeared first on Authority Alchemy | Authority Marketing Tactics.

In today's podcast episode, we go over 6 specific authority hacks to increase website engagement.

Press ‘Play” below to start listening now!

You’ve probably already created an easy to navigate and informative website with awesome content.

Now, you want to ensure your readers become engaged.

In other words, you want to get those conversion numbers and shares up.

Thankfully, there are a few ways to go about this.

Primarily, it involves acknowledging that your readers are in fact human.

There are people on the other side of the screen.

They aren’t data points.

When you understand this completely, you can begin using psychological tricks to increase website engagement. Read below to learn more:

You likely remember your childhood school counselors preaching to you the dangers of peer pressure.

Admittedly, when it comes to drugs and alcohol, peer pressure is for sure a negative thing. However, you can use it positively when you show people your site or brand is popular.

Simply this, by showing proof that your site is popular through either a visit or share counter, you can incite the herd mentality, the idea that we tend to go along with the general masses.

This in turn will lead your readers to share your site with their friends as well. Big brands use this method frequently.

For example, McDonalds has“over 99 billion served” written on their signage. This tells you, hey McDonalds is popular with a lot of people, and therefore, it must be good.

We also promote using what is known as “Trust Triggers”.

When people visit a website, they often look for a trust trigger. Something that makes them say to themselves “Okay, this site is the real deal… I won’t flee.”

Logos are one of those trust triggers.

Why?

People like knowing that other companies trust you and your website. It’s social proof at work.

So, feature logos on your blog.

We already mentioned the share counter, but it’s so important, it’s worth going over again. Add a share icon and a counter to your site.

This will show how many times a particular article was shared on various platforms.

It also allows readers to share it themselves. Ensure this share icon is prominent.

Advanced Micro Devices increased their shares by 3,6000% simply by making their share icon easy to find. The best share plugins for WordPress are:

Share This

Your audience is human, and is a being with emotions. As such, they connect with other humans on an emotional level.

Therefore, on your site, you want to create an emotional element to engage readers.

One of the Pillars of Authority Marketing is being the “Educator and Advocate for the success of your prospects and customers”.  The “advocate” is where you show you care, and can connect emotionally to your audience.

Authors of the New York Times bestseller “Made to Stick”Dan and Chip Heath explain that research shows people are more likely to donate money to a cause when they hear an individual’s personal story.

In other words, reading data showcasing the problem doesn’t do the trick. Only hearing a personal account tugs at the heart strings.

In the same way, you want to appeal to your readers through emotions, instead of data.

Yes, sometimes data is helpful.

In fact, graphs and tables can be a great way to showcase your product. Just make sure you are also sharing relatable content through personal stories as well.

A good example of this would be to explain the personal story behind the creation of your business. This is especially helpful if you have a rag to riches type of story.

In general, people love to read how someone has pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and made something out of nothing.

The idea is to showcase your passion through your site, and grab your reader’s emotionally. This in turn will lead to an increase website engagement. After all, research has shown people will share content that sparks positive emotion more than other types of content.

You need to engage your audience if you want to increase website engagement and be trusted as an authority.

It seems simple, something you would do already. But, it needs to be said just in case.

How do you do this?

Well, the easiest way is to create a sense of connectedness.

Everyone craves acceptance.

Therefore, reach out to your audience. Accept them.

Don't be afraid to engage them in the comment section.

Tell them you value their opinions.

Perhaps create a free club they can join (like Marketing Insiders).

Design a poll to involve your audience.

Take their suggestions on occasion.

Build relationships.

How you do it isn’t as important as that you do it. Make your readers feel valued through personal engagement, and they will in turn interact more with you.

Whether or not we should, we tend to give authority status to celebrities.

These are people who fascinate us and whose lives we would like to emulate. For that reason, using a celebrity to endorse your brand is wise.

This one act will improve the perception of your brand.

It makes your brand instantly recognizable and trustworthy.

A great example of this at work is Tennis star Maria Sharapova’s endorsement of Tiffany & Co.

She uses her social media account to promote various products, which of course has been a lucrative relationship for Tiffany & Co.

Robert Cialdini, author of the bestselling book “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” explains why celebrity endorsements work.

He says people look towards those they consider an authority when they aren’t sure how to act in a situation or what to think about a product.

In other words, we tend to believe an authority or celebrity when they tell us a brand is good.

Therefore, if you can get an authority within your field to endorse your brand, this will help your brand instantly become more respected.

This in turn will likely increase your brand’s reach.

But…even if you can't get an endorsement, you can quote them, or just reference their books and blogs.

Most professional speakers have “Media Kits” with their pictures that you can download from their site.  These pictures are great for adding that authority figure into your content.  Just make sure you follow proper procedures for using them.

Fear of missing out simply means someone is fearful they are missing out on something interesting, fun or exciting.

This positions you as the authority with the “map to a better life”.

You can use this natural fear to engage readers by showing them what they are missing out on by not using your product or service.

Be careful with this tip though. You can go too far.

Don’t offer examples of anything you can’t deliver, of course.

Also, don’t create articles with click bait titles that are untruthful or excessively exaggerated.

For example, “You Will Die if You Don't Use This Product” exemplifies a typical click bait title.

Unless that is in fact true, don't use this as a title.

You don’t want to make people actually fearful or mad at you for manipulating them.

Instead, you simply want to show them the positive things your brand provides and how it can enrich their lives. This makes them want to not miss out on your product one more second.

Don’t we all love a perfectly written cliffhanger?

Sure we do.

We’re human and are naturally curious beings.

We want to know what is going to happen. We also want to know all the dirty little secrets that might be out there.

That’s what makes us come back for more.

In the same way, you can use this human tendency to promote return readers and increased engagement.

Write a piece of content that communicates one secret of your industry readers won’t know.

Then, promise more next week.

Make sure you follow through if you do promise some inside info.

Also, make sure that your “secrets” or inside info is factual and isn’t something that is well known. It makes people mad to expect a secret only to get information they already knew.

They feel lied to, and you most certainly don’t want to do that.

As you can see from the list above, there are several ways to increase website engagement.

Perhaps not all the tips will work for you or are applicable.

However, if you use even a few, you are sure to increase the activity on your site and see a positive spike in engagement from your customers/audience.

The post Authority Hacks To Increase Website Engagement appeared first on Authority Alchemy | Authority Marketing Tactics.

In today's show, we go over how you can create your first authority content marketing campaign.

Authority Content Marketing is a series of content pieces that are specifically designed to increase your authority positioning.

This is type of campaign is a hybrid of our style of our authority marketing, and content marketing which has been exploding in popularity.

Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.

So, in this podcast episode and post, we show how you can use content marketing to position yourself as an authority in your market.

And as with anything you hope to achieve in life, creating a plan to meet your goals most often results in the best possible outcome.

For example, when creating this first authority content marketing campaign, there are 6 steps to follow in order to give yourself the greatest chance of success.

You need to decide what you are trying to achieve with your marketing campaign, and no, saying you want more business isn’t enough.

Be more specific. To give you an idea of what we mean, read the following data:

According the Ascend2’s 2015 Content Marketing Trends Summary Report, the following were the objectives behind most content strategies:

…and in today's show, and this post, we talk about another reason:  positioning yourself as an authority and influencer in your market.

At the Traffic & Conversion Summit, noted marketer Frank Kern stated:

Positioning, most importantly positioning yourself as an authority, is the single most important thing you can do increase your perceived value to the market place.

Increasing your perceived value leads to many benefits which impact every part of the sales cycle.

For instance, once you develop authority, you no longer have to chase sales leads and prospects. People find him because of his positioning and once they do, they will stop looking.

People that are seen as authorities also have a higher value position, and are therefore expected to have higher rates.

Another benefit is “trust.” You trust opinions and advice are trusted by clients.

No longer will you devise a plan that will help one of your clients, only to have them question every step, and in the end, only do certain parts.

So, now that we know the objective of this authority content marketing campaign, let's move on to Step 2.

For some businesses, webinar attendees or repeat customers impact their financial bottom line more than other elements.

Others find different conversions more important.

It’s up to you to define what your personal objective is in order to hit your target.

What conversions do you need?

Otherwise, you will be tossing stuff at the wall, hoping something sticks.

So, determine what the key conversions are, or what gives you the best return on your investment, and then build content which promotes that end.

For this authority content marketing campaign, the conversion we want is the ability to get our content in front of them again.

So, we'll track two types of conversions, people that opt-in to our email list and people that we've tagged with our Facebook pixel.

Pixels allow us to follow up with people who have visited our website in general, specific pages on the site, a sales pages, etc.

The key is that pixels allow you to make TARGETED offers to individuals based off of pages they’ve visited.

For example, we run ads to promote blog posts on getting leads from Facebook. Then, we retarget the people who read the article with a specific lead magnet for…Free Custom Facebook Covers.

It’s much more powerful than making them a broad offer… it allows us to solve a SPECIFIC problem for them.

Who is your ideal audience? Whom do you want to read your content?

Defining your audience is crucially important when it comes to creating an authority content marketing campaign.

After all, how could ever hope to reach them if you don’t know who you’re aiming for?

To help you visualize this person, create a persona for your ideal client.

List out their demographic and psychographic traits. Brain dump as much information as you can think of from the research you’ve done so far.

Give this person a name, and grab a photo online. You can grab an actual human avatar from uifaces.com or build one yourself using any number of online avatar builders, such as Mad Men Yourself and Face Your Manga.

Design a dossier.  It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it helps to have a 1-page printout that you can reference when brainstorming with your avatar.

Write a story as your ideal customer avatar. Imagine that you are them, journaling about discovering and using your service. What did they do before using it? What are they thinking while they are using? What are they really trying to accomplish with it? What do they do after your done? When will they come back again?

A real estate broker; for example, might create a persona of a married couple, aged mid to late thirties with children. Those personas then become what you build your content around.

Once you have defined your audience and established your personas, start creating content that will benefit them.

You want to become the educator & advocate for their success.

Make sure your content is always useful and informative to ensure likes, shares and interest.

One of the hardest things to do, when publishing on a regular basis, is to come up with new ideas.

Keep a notebook, or your phone, with you everywhere you go. I specifically use the Todoist app.

In addition, keep in mind that it’s best to create content that you can use over and over.

For example, an article that can be turned into a PowerPoint, podcast episode or free report is more valuable than one that can only be used once.

Keep this and your audience in mind when creating any new content.

Once you have created your content, get it out there.

Some tried and true methods to get some exposure and things like guest blogging, posting on social media, blog commenting and linking out to other blogs in your niche.

But here are some lesser know ways to get more exposure for your Authority Content Marketing Campaign:

Ask an Influencer for a Killer Quote

Before publishing your new piece of content, reach out to an influencer or influencers in your industry. Tell them the topic of your content and ask if they would be willing to provide a point of view.

You can reach influencers at scale with BuzzSumo.

Mention Your Expert Sources When Sharing

Once your content is published, share it on social media and mention the people you’ve referenced. These can be part of the snippets you use from the previous section.

The people you mention will see that you’ve mentioned them and some will re-share.

Direct Message Influencers on LinkedIn So They Read, Share, and Link to the Content

Getting into an influencer’s inbox is very powerful, but not always possible.

With LinkedIn, you can get in an influencer’s inbox even if you don’t have their email address. However, you need to have a connection with them on LinkedIn first.

So, with your connections, work your way up the chain. Connect with the connections of influencers. It’s easier to become a connection with an influencer if you’re a 2nd degree connection.

Contact People Who Have Linked to Similar Content

Find people who have linked to similar content, and contact them introducing your new (and better) content.

Identify content similar to yours. Copy the URL from these items and paste them into Ahrefs or Open Site Explorer.

You’ll get a list of pages that have linked to these items. These will be your targets.

Add a Link to Your New Content from Your Most Popular Archived Content

Go to your analytics program of choice and look for the most popular pages on your website.

Don’t look at the all-time most popular pages because those can be skewed to older content.

You want to highlight the content that is being heavily trafficked right now. So, look over the last six months or even the last month.

Submit to Content Communities

There are a number of sites that allow you to submit your content so their established audience has the opportunity to see it.

The competition is strong on these sites, but if your content is exceptional (which you should always shoot for), you’ll likely attract some attention and get some good traffic.

Sites to submit content to include:

• Blog Engage

Also, be sure your content will reach your target audience. To do this, utilize the platform they frequent the most.

For example, if your audience is big on social media and likes videos, create video content and post it on YouTube and Facebook.

If they like perusing blogs, create blog posts complete with valuable, interesting information.

Once you have launched your authority content marketing campaign and are seeing returns on your investment, evaluate the effectiveness of your strategy.

Do this by answering questions like:

When you answer these questions, and look at the numbers you achieved in terms of conversion rates, it will become clear that you either have hit the nail on the head in regard to your marketing strategy or reveal the fact that your authority content marketing campaign needs work.

Don’t worry, though, if you determine you do need to tweak some things. This isn’t the end of the world. Consider your overall strategy a living document that can be revised as many times as necessary to achieve the results you want.

Creating an effective authority content marketing campaign doesn’t have to be difficult.

In fact, if you follow the steps listed above, you will greatly increase your chances of creating a successful marketing campaign that achieves all you had hoped for and more.

The post 6 Steps To Get New Clients With Authority Content Marketing appeared first on Authority Alchemy | Authority Marketing Tactics.

Take the red pill, and you can keep reading this post.

Or take the blue pill, leave this site, and stay in wonderland forever.

Well…that's a little dramatic, I guess.

But one of my top 5 movies, and I'm a big dork. Plus it's my site.  

But seriously, digital marketing is an important tool to use no matter what kind of business you have.

However, digital marketing is something overlooked by many local businesses.

Founder of RetailMinded, Nicole Leinbach-Reyhle wrote in an article for Forbes:

Many businesses, particularly those that don’t actually sell anything online, often complain that there’s not enough time in the day to “do it all” and as a result, online marketing gets shoved to the side. Unfortunately, this isn’t how customers make decisions. The reality is consumers – likely even you – turn to the internet to discover what to do, where to go, who to buy things from and more.  (@RetailMinded)

Now that you understand why digital marketing is so important to your local business, read below to learn ways to easily incorporate it into your marketing strategy:

You would think it would go without saying that your site should be professional and helpful.

However, there are so many sites out there that don’t have basic things, such as the business’s hours or location. This is just silly.

You want customers to find you, and your website is one of your biggest tools to make this happen.

We are loving Thrive Themes.   Super easy to use, and very professional right out of box.

If you like this site, you can grab the template we used here.

Make sure you provide an easy-to-navigate site that prominently features your business hours, locations and what you sell.

Also, make sure you keep those numbers and addresses up-to-date. There is nothing more aggravating than someone driving across town to find your business has moved.

Your site should also provide multiple ways to contact you.

A phone number, your social media account and an email address are just a few examples.

Finally, don’t forget the all important call-to-action.

Customers visiting your site should leave knowing why they would want to do business with you. They should also know how to take the steps necessary to get in touch with you or to come by your business.

If your website isn't responsive or mobile-friendly yet you are probably losing opportunities to your competitors.

As of July 2015, over 51% of Internet traffic in the United States now comes via mobile devices (mostly smart phones). That means many customers and prospects are likely having a poor experience with your brand, as non-mobile friendly websites are very difficult to browse from a phone.

Melanie Franke, in an article for GoDigital explains:

Small business owners may not be feeling an immediate sting from this, but the potential losses will only grow as more and more consumers demand effortless and easy-to-use experiences, no matter what devices they’re using and what channels they’re shopping in.

To top it off, nearly half of consumers say they won’t return to a mobile site if it doesn't load properly on their device. That gives your mobile-savvy competitors the chance to scoop up your potential customers. (@Melanie_Lewis)

Making matters even worse, Google started penalizing non-mobile friendly websites back in April of last year, so if your not mobile-friendly yet, your website's ranking on search results pages has probably dropped –  meaning your businesses visibility and lead generation has also dropped.

If your organization doesn't already have a mobile responsive web design, you better get one quickly.

Another thing to remember is the importance of landing pages. This is the first impression your visitors will have when clicking on your site.

You want to make sure that it is the best page of all with regard to local needs or wants.

Again…Thrive is awesome.  This video shows their landing page builder that makes cranking out landing pages easy and fast.

I cranked each of those out in about 10-15 minutes.

With an easy builder like this, you remove the fear of landing pages taking a lot of your time, or having to work with an outsourcer.

Since it's easy, you just create one for almost everything.  And get many more email addresses on your list

Social media is a huge tool you should use as a local business owner.

Keep in mind; however, it does no good to have a Facebook account if you don’t actually post on it regularly. Not every ten minutes, though. You don’t want to annoy your followers.

Make sure you regularly post helpful content or links to your site where you have interesting content ready for your customers, or audience, to enjoy.

According to a great article in Social Media Examiner by Kristi Hines:

The most important way to use your Facebook page for business is to engage with your audience. Your audience is composed of a variety of people–fans of your content, fans of your business, potential customers, current customers and former customers. With this in mind, create posts and content that engage these groups of people.

The traditional rule for audience engagement is 80/20. Eighty percent of your content should be for your audience, and 20% should be for your business (sales, marketing, self-promotion, etc.).

This means that the majority of your posts should be aimed at getting your audience to engage with your page. You can do this by encouraging audience participation and sharing content relevant to your niche or industry.

You want it to be helpful to them. For example, if you are a real estate agent, posts with tips on how to easily increase the value of their homes.

We put together the best social media post ideas to make you facinating to your prospects in a free download here. 

Provide ways your business can help with your audiences’ problems.

Also, don’t avoid multimedia posts.

Videos can be a great way to communicate your message, and showcase clear solutions to a common problem.

While video may seem like an expensive trend that is out of the grasp of many small businesses, it can be an inexpensive and effective marketing tool for even the smallest business.

Today, if you have a smartphone, you can make a great marketing video. A one-minute video highlighting the things that make your company unique could become your best customer acquisition tool.

We also recommend repurposing your content. Or

You can download our Content Repurposing Mindmap here, then listen to this episode of the podcast that walks you through the entire process step-by-step.

If you are on Facebook or just trying to get your site viewed through the use of paid tools, you want to make sure you are focusing on the right people.

You don’t just want reads and visits, you want conversions.

One of the best ways to get high conversion from Facebook paid ads is to target the right crowd.

Justin Brooke, is one the smartest dudes on this topic, and shares some great insights in this article. Including this:

One of the major benefits of using custom audiences is another feature called ‘Lookalike Audiences.’

And here’s how you can use it to your advantage.

When you upload names into Facebook it looks at who those users are, and uses an algorithm to look at what their Facebook profiles look like.

Their algorithm takes into consideration all the things those people are interested in and then Facebook says, “Oh, here’s all the other people that look like your audience.”

So you can basically take your ‘Buyers’ list and then tell Facebook, “Go find me all the other people that are like these people.”

And then you can advertise to a group that is more likely to be just like your buyers and buy your product. 

See…told you he was smart.  

There is also a way you can do some really slick targeting on Twitter that we covered in this post.

There are a few ways you can get Google and similar platforms to work for you. One is by using their algorithms to your advantage.

Google actually allows businesses to target locally. Just be sure to incorporate locally optimized keywords into the content on your website.

If you own a local ice cream parlor in the town of Ringgold, Georgia, it does you no good to advertise to people states away in Alabama.

However, by using locally specific keywords, you can make sure those who are within driving distance will find you.

An example of good keywords for this would include something like “ice cream treats in Ringgold,” or “ice cream parlor in Ringgold.” These both use local keyword phrases that would be known by locals but not by anyone states away.

In an article about local SEO trends, Jeff Bullas points out why “voice search” is something to pay attention to also:

With the rise of mobile devices we have seen a greater demand for voice search. Studies shows that 56% of on the go searches have local intent.

When using voice for search, people usually use natural language as opposed to keywords.

For example you might say OK Google … “Where can I find a good locksmith in Richmond?” – but if you’re on the desktop version you might have typed in “locksmith Richmond”.

Voice search is changing the way people search. You should make sure your business has a content strategy to target long tail keywords and informational queries with things like How-To articles, explainer videos and so on.

As you seek to incorporate digital marketing into your localized marketing strategy, you want to make sure you keep up with its effectiveness.

After all, there is no sense it doing the same thing over and over if it isn’t working.

Therefore, be diligent about checking your results. If there haven’t been any local hits on a specific keyword phrase, you need to change it.

The main thing is to keep up with the effectiveness of your marketing strategy and make changes when needed.

Marketing isn’t a one shot deal. It is fluid and requires constant changes and adjustment.

By creating new content, you give Google’s algorithm new, relevant content about you that will rank highly in search.

The type of content you create will depend on your profession and the time you can devote, but some ideas include a personal site, social media bios, press releases, videos, guest articles and blog posts.

One of my favorites is to syndicate a quarterly news release on a premium network.

Sites like Google and Yelp allow you to post information about your business online.

Be sure to claim your listing so you can control the information they are giving out.

Another aspect of this and your presence on social media is the fact that you will begin getting reviews.

They won’t always be good either. In fact, your business will almost certainly draw some negative reviews.

You need to respond to any and all bad reviews in a timely manner.

This means you have to continually monitor your online presence and reviews.

Apologize and acknowledge the person’s bad experience when you respond to a poor review.

This shows you are a professional and hold yourself to only the highest standards. Never get into a petty bickering match with a customer, though. It does no good and only undermines your professional image.

Take what you can from the negative reviews.

For example, a bad review might highlight an area you haven’t realized was a problem. This gives you the opportunity to correct said problem and as a result improve your business.

It’s also a good idea to encourage positive feedback or reviews from pleased customers. Do this by making it clear how guests can leave their positive feedback.

As a marketing consultant, you likely focus on social media, SEO and email campaigns. But do ever think about how to get local media coverage for clients, too?

While these are traditional marketing methods are great to develop your client’s brand, and get them in front of their target audience, you shouldn’t dismiss the effectiveness of local news.

Using social media, its easier than ever to get featured in local media.  You can quickly reach reporters, producers and journalists right from their Facebook pages or Twitter accounts.

We did a whole show about that recently, and you can listen to it here.

We call this a “1-Problem/1-Solution Book”.

You're probably thinking, “I don't have time to write a blog post…much less a whole book!”

Well, the purpose is NOT to create the Ultimate Guide to XXXXX.   Those are daunting and rarely are completed.

Instead, publish a 30-50 page Kindle book on how your prospects can solve a very specific problem.

Here is the podcast episode we did on that topic.  

Putting the customer first is crucial to business success no matter your field or marketing strategy.

This is just as true in digital marketing.

So, make sure you treat your customers right.

Display your online presence in your business, and encourage repeat business and positive feedback. This along with all the points listed above will ensure you use local digital marketing to its fullest.

The post Digital Marketing Checklist for Local Businesses appeared first on Authority Alchemy | Authority Marketing Tactics.

As a marketing consultant, you likely focus on social media, SEO and email campaigns. But do ever think about how to get local media coverage for clients, too?

While these are traditional marketing methods are great to develop your client's brand, and get them in front of their target audience, you shouldn’t dismiss the effectiveness of local news.

Hasn’t Traditional News Viewership Decreased?

To answer most simply, yes, people have stopped watching the news as often.

However, they are still getting their news from local news sources. They are just going about it differently today.

Traditional local news is becoming less relevant, but the eyeballs are still there if you take social media into account.

For example, many news anchors have their own social media channels with tons of traffic and a large following.

So, although it looks different today than in years past, through the use of search engines, mobile applications and social media, individuals still look to their local news outlets for their news.

James H. Mahon, a reporter for WDEF News 12 in Tennessee, explains this shift in traditional viewership below:

Local news, despite dwindling viewers, has a huge catchment area.

The reach of local news through social media is growing.

With the use of live streaming, Periscope, Twitter and Facebook audience reach is actually bigger than ever before.

Also, local news is still traditionally considered a trustworthy source.

Plus, reporters and anchors can be reached quickly through their Twitter and Facebook accounts, making them more accessible than before.

You probably would love to get local media coverage for clients, but what's the best way? The following 6 tips will help you get moving:

1. Contact Reporters Via Social Media

Reach out to local reporters via their social media accounts. A great place to start is Muckrack's Media Outlet Dirtectory.

They have a massive list of journalists, their beat, social media accounts and more.

Go here, and type in your city in the search box like I did below:

Select the TV station you want to target, and you'll get a set of results like this:

Then, you can look through the list, and get the social media account info for the journalist you want to contact.

This is crucial, because you want to make certain you are contacting the right reporter for your client.

In other words, don’t contact a sports reporter to do a piece on a local hair salon.

With one exception…the morning traffic reporter for KPRC in Houston.

This rule does not apply to Jennifer Renya.

Even though she is the morning traffic reporter, I will reach out to her for all stories first.

In all seriousness though…

Be very careful…following proper etiquette is critical for success.

Find the reporters you’re targeting—The first thing you need to do is add reporters to your network on Facebook. A lot of times, reporters will include a link to their Facebook profile at the end of their stories or somewhere on their bios.

Share their stories—Reporters are always thankful when people share their stories and help drive traffic to them. You can also leave nice comments on their wall whenever they write a story you enjoy.

Pay attention to what they share and post—By analyzing the type of content a reporter shares and posts, you can learn more about his or her interests so you can tailor your own stories to be more attractive to that specific reporter.

Be ready to jump on opportunities— You need to make sure you’re ready to pounce on any relevant opportunities that might arise when a reporter is looking for a source and your client is qualified.

Don’t spam them— You shouldn’t constantly be harassing reporters over Facebook, and you certainly don’t want to send them pitches irrelevant to their niche. You’ll quickly turn into a pest in their eyes.

Facebook is crawling with reporters, editors, bloggers, and other members of the media.

These people often use Facebook as a way to find sources, generate story ideas, connect with the communities involved with stories, share their stories, and so on.

Just be professional…and not a pest.

2.  Don’t Forget About Mailing Lists

According to a famous postman, “the mail never stops”.

But in this case we're talking about your marketing list.

We spoke above about the benefits if you can get local media coverage for clients. Even more so than using a typical mailing list.

However, imagine if you could use both?

If you manage to get a reporter to post a story on YouTube or on the local news channel, ask them to include your story in their emails and/or newsletters.

Sometimes, due to certain policies, this isn’t doable.

But, it never hurts to ask. The worst thing they can say is no.

3. Live Remote Broadcasts

Get the local radio stations involved to build credibility.

According to Colonial Tin Works’ marketing experts, this is very effective; just “tie the broadcast in with a special event, contest or free offer.”

This added exposure will entice local TV stations to cover it.

The DJs can promote your event on air, and what’s more, they can really make it a lot more fun for everybody.

Know the segments – Do some research into the radio programs your target audience listens to and get to know more about it. Most radio stations have breakfast, morning, afternoon, and drive shows, so if your story is news related these segments are a good place to pitch to.

Who to pitch to – You need to find out who the best person is to pitch your story to, to ensure it will be considered. In most cases this will be the program producer rather than the host of the show as they are involved in planning the show’s content.

How to pitch – In most cases it’s better to pitch to a radio producer with a phone call rather than an email. Radio journalists tend to work at a very fast pace and your email may become lost.

4. Make Sure to Use Facebook

News channels and their reporters often have a large Facebook following. These accounts are also verified as part of their contract with their employer.

So, their Facebook pages are reputable and trusted.

So, if you can get them to link to your client’s story, you will benefit from their followers and their reputation.

Also, if an on-air video or YouTube video isn’t possible, reporters can add video directly to Facebook.

This gives you yet another option with regard to getting your client’s name on the local news in some fashion.

5. Have The Right Pitch

Jack's son, Max, is one of the top pitching prospects in the Houston area. This is an old picture…before he could beat Jack up.

You have to understand that reporters get hit up constantly with story ideas.   99% of them are horrible.

They are either uninteresting, or focused only on the benefit of the person pitching the idea.

You can't go in with a “we have a great deal going on this week…come do a story on it.”

The hook of the pitch has to be interesting and have a public interest angle.

This would be too long to include in this post, so I put it all in a PDF titled, “17 Pitch Ideas” that you download for free here.

6. Use Combined Promotions

It’s great to get a journalist to write up a story or have a reporter do an on-location video about your client. But, your work doesn’t stop there.

You must still promote the content.

The best way to do this is to ask the news channel what they plan to do regarding promotion. Then, you can offer more promotions that use the news content along with other types of marketing strategies.

And don't stop promoting it.  Remember…There is no expiration date on PR.

Add to your welcome sequence for new subscribers, and post the link a few times a year on your social media accounts.

Don’t underestimate the ongoing benefits if you can get local media coverage for clients.  Your local news channel is a powerful resources when it comes to marketing. 

Although the family sitting together around the 5:00 news is a somewhat antiquated notion, the local news broadcasting station still provides a way for you to market.

You just have to go about it differently than you did just a few years ago.

The post Get Local Media Coverage For Clients (Or Even For Yourself) appeared first on Authority Alchemy | Authority Marketing Tactics.

At some point in your professional life, you've probably wondered how to become a contributor for Forbes Magazine.

Or maybe Inc, Fast Company, or even Entrepreneur.

It's powerful exposure and authority positioning.  Every time I write for Entrepreneur, I get 100+ new Twitter followers.

It also gives you other places to share your message.   I can rank in Google for almost any 3-5 word term with my account at Huffington Post.

You also get free traffic and valuable backlinks from these very, very powerful authority sites that your competitors can't get.

Unfortunately, contributing to highly respected publications isn’t always easy.

Each publication has their own requirements and preferences with regards to the content they promote. It can seem almost like a maze you have to navigate with no map.

Any entrepreneur that wants to get their work published needs to learn the necessary steps.

Read below to learn how to get featured on 9 different sites (you can also download my whole list of over 100 places here).

The content found on Forbes most often includes lifestyle, personal finance, stock market, technology and business pieces.

Yet, they will allow guest posts within their opinion section on any topic related to culture, arts, politics or public policy.

Once you become a contributor, you too can write about any type of business topics. One trick to get more shares is to give it a celebrity spin.

To Contribute:

Option 1: Check out their “Submitting an Article to Forbes Opinion” page.

Submit your completed article of any length to [email protected]

The content must be original and exclusive to Forbes. They will reject any content already published on other sites or in print.

They typically take around five business days to review articles. If five business days have passed without word from Forbes, you can safely assume they aren’t interested and publish your piece elsewhere. They discourage follow-up emails.

Option 2: If you want to become a regular contributor to Forbes, fill out this Google Form.

This form will ask for links to your Twitter and LinkedIn profiles, a few story ideas and your concept page for Forbes, links to work samples and why you believe you are qualified to write on the subject in question.

This site is mostly geared towards new business owners just starting out or those who are growing an established business. The idea is to create “actionable information and practical inspiration for business owners.”

This article of mine was shared by Brian Tracy and 9700 other people. It still gets retweets and shares every single week.

To Contribute:

Read their “Become an Entrepreneur Contributor” page, and then fill out the form.

This form will ask for basic information along with request links to your Twitter and LinkedIn profiles, ask about story ideas or themes you would like to write about and why you consider yourself an expert in the topic, along with links to work samples.

If videos are more your thing, you can become part of Entrepreneur’s expanding video network. Learn more here.

The online publication Inc.com publishes mostly information pertaining to small business growth. These topics include pieces on small business services, tools and advice.

Jack's first article for Inc spoke directly to one of our target audiences…speakers. We are able to leverage this to bring in more high quality leads.

The online publication Inc.com publishes mostly information pertaining to small business growth. These topics include pieces on small business services, tools and advice.

To contribute to Inc.com, pitch your story idea first (link below). Also, it’s advisable to keep email pitches as pitchy as possible. Make them straightforward and simple.

To Contribute:

Pitch your story idea at [email protected]
Become a regular columnist by submitting your request to [email protected]

While joining the ranks of Huffington Post bloggers isn’t the easiest task, it is doable.

I know from experience…

This article lead to my appearance on the Howard Stern Show which has 6-8 million listeners. Not bad exposure at all.

For many writers, the ultimate guest-posting goal is a mainstream authority publication such as The Huffington Post. It’s not easy to become published on this site, but in my experience it’s certainly worth the effort.

The SEO power on this site is INSANE.   Your article will rank for just about any 3-5 word term within hours of going live.

To Contribute:

Model your post after the style of one of the bloggers in the targeted section. Sent a short pitch, emphasizing the most interesting aspects of your idea

Submit your pitch idea using this Google Form. 

This site is a technology, celebrity and American business website. Most of its contributors are experts in one or more of the topics they cover.

Interesting profile pieces do really well here. If you have a compelling personal story, this may be the place for you.

To Contribute:

Read their “How to Contribute to Business Insider” page.

Send in the final draft of your completed piece to [email protected]. Be sure to include links to other pieces of content you have published, a brief bio and a headline with your content.

Although they can’t ensure publication, their team will review your proposal and get back to you if interested.

If you are interested in business, technology and design, Fast Company might be the perfect fit.

They publish topics like innovation, strategy, career development, creativity and productivity. They love articles that promote conversation and present new ideas to readers.

It is better to think in the style of op-ed instead of marketing pieces when writing pieces for Fast Company.

Fast Company representatives say the following about the type of content they prefer on their site:

“We appreciate lively, polished writing that balances research or news with fun and memorable anecdotes or examples that help illustrate your point of view.”

To Contribute:

Read over the Guidelines for Submission page.

When ready, send completed article to Leadership Editor Rich Bellis at [email protected].

In general, articles are around 1,000 words or less.

Unlike other sites, you can reprint your content once it’s published on Fast Company.

They only ask for you to wait 24 hours after they post the article before you do so. They also prefer you link back to their site when you post your work elsewhere. They will take articles already on other websites on occasion, but they like new content.

The review process typically takes around a week. If they are interested in your article, they will likely communicate with you in a few days. They will not respond to all inquires, and they are open to one follow up email. Yet, if you don’t hear anything from them after this, you can assume that your work wasn’t a good fit for their site.

Fast Company’s print magazine contains content written by their staff or other professional journalists. Your contributed article will run on their online site only.

Now, a word of warning…

Your chances of being accepted at those places is very low if you don't have a portfolio of your work.

I recommend you start with these sites first, because you don't have to be approved.  You can just create an account and start submitting.

This is the easiest one of them all. From your LinkedIn profile, you just click the “Publish a Post” button.

Then, you just add your content, an image and choose 3 tags.

A big benefit of posting here is that it can get a decent number of views, even if you're not very active on LinkedIn.

My best articles have been a blend of business and celebrity.  Like this one:

Medium is a different kind of site in that it is a blogging platform open to anyone, without an approval process. It was created to give writers a place to publish their thoughts, tips and life experiences. You can write about finance, golden doodles, cheese graters, installing fences, antique tricycles, or anything else you can imagine.

These are then shared with Medium’s built-in audience. Content posted on Medium is spread based upon the engagement and interest the pieces receive.

To Contribute:

Learn about posting on Medium, then sign up to create a Medium account. Once signed up, click “Write a Story” located at the upper right of site of the homepage.

The site's Help Center is a great source of information on publishing, images, formatting and titles.

Article length can vary and depends on your preference.

You can see what does well on Medium by checking out posts from Medium’s data team. This will show writers the correlation between the lengths of time spent on a post and its performance.

You can repost any content you send Medium.

Therefore, it’s a great tool to use to get your blog or website a new audience. This is because they allow you to link back to your own site and even give you the option of including a call-to-action at the end of your post.

Members in our Authority Agency group get contributor access to several of our own premium news sites and media publications.

If you provide any type of marketing services, you should check it out here.

You can profile your clients or write educational articles.  As long as the quality is there, you can post it.

Well, that's for this post.

Now, if you want to become a contributor for Forbes, Inc or Entrepreneur, you have a game plan.

If you want more, you can grab this list of another 100+ contributor opportunities.

I'd suggest you download this list, and find the ones that are best suited to your specific niche and talents.

The post Become A Contributor for Forbes (And 8 Other Authority Sites) appeared first on Authority Alchemy | Authority Marketing Tactics.

In today's episode we go over a simple authority marketing offer you can make to your existing clients (or even new prospects) today….by just making a “small bet”.

What do Apple CEO Steve Jobs, comedian Chris Rock, prize-winning architect Frank Gehry, and the story developers at Pixar films all have in common?

In his bestselling book, Small Bets, author Peter Sims found that rather than start with a big idea or plan a whole project in advance, they make a methodical series of little bets. This way, you can learn critical information from lots of little failures, and from small but significant wins.

This authority marketing offer is not much of a financial investment on your part, and won’t take much of your time or your client's time.

It's one of the 5 Authority News Jacking formats we use for our own clients.

This one is called, “The Prediction”.  It forecasts a change that is coming very soon to a particular industry, and showcases an expert who is worthy of media asking what is going to be happening soon.

It will give you a good idea if your client base are good candidates for authority marketing offers.

We are even offering a 80% Discount on our PR Exposure Bundle that will give you 3 premium press releases, and the exact template we talk about in this show (plus the other 4 styles too).

Sit back, relax, and imagine how much your clients could benefit from this type of positioning and exposure.

I used a tactic from the Authority News Jacking Training that inked me a deal last night increasing the value of my company by $1 million!!

Had a press release seen by an industry publication on Monday. They did a story on my company on Tuesday.

Private Equity Firm in NY saw the industry article on Wednesday. They reached out to a behind the scenes industry powerhouse they invest in to contact me yesterday morning.

Then they tracked me down and we signed a deal last night for their technology!

The post A Simple Authority Marketing Offer You Can Test appeared first on Authority Alchemy | Authority Marketing Tactics.

We are living through an extraordinary moment in human history.

Technology is advancing faster than ever before.

Just a handful of years ago, you were the cool guy if you had a beeper. Now, its impossible to get by with out a smartphone with a huge data plan.

…heck…even my car has wifi.

And I can't imagine being without it now.

While that may be a little extreme, you can't deny that adapting to technology is crucial. If you aren't using it, your business will be left behind.

These are 7 of the apps we use to run our marketing agency.

If there was a Usain Bolt equivalent of apps, it would be Slack, an enterprise application that grew 667 percent in 2015.

The free messaging app boasts to be for “team communication for the 21st century”, and allows channels to be created for different team conversations, including private ones.

All files and images can be dropped into the app and shared with colleagues, while any files on Google Drive, Dropbox or Box can also be synced to and searched on Slack.

Oh, did we forget to mention that NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory also uses Slack? I mean, if it works for them…

If you're looking for a to-do app that works on all your devices, has great features for monitoring your productivity, and lets you geek out with how you organize your tasks, Todoist is the app for you.

This excellent productivity service has apps and plugins for mobile devices, email, browsers, as well as laptop and desktop computers. It even supports collaboration, so you can share your tasks and projects with others.

There is a free version, but I grabbed the premium for $29. Worth every penny.

This is one of our in house apps.  It makes it easy to create gorgeous 3D renderings of flat images to use as “hero shots”.   We'll make 3D book covers for our clients books, TV's for their media appearances, software boxes for trainings we sell, etc.

You just upload an image, pick the design you want, and press enter.  Super easy to use.

The only way to get access to it, is to join our Authority Agency membership.

SaneBox works with your existing email service, so you don't have to install any new apps or learn a new interface.

It goes into your email on the back end and figures out what's important and what's not, moving everything in the latter group to a folder that you can check on periodically.

It is easily among the top productivity apps I've ever used.

Clarify is a smart, well-designed app that allows users to capture multiple images, add annotations and compile everything into one concise document. Clarify is a positive step between the standard screenshot app and screen recording.

It allows you to capture, edit and share without using multiple apps. Clarify streamlines the process and simplifies workflows.

We use it to crank out step-by-step instructions for our clients and products.

As a password manager, Keeper has the basics covered. It captures login info and passwords for you as you browse the Web, securely stores them in a neatly organized vault that's easy to access, and generates passwords for you on the fly.

I've not used any other, so I can't give too much comparison.  But this one keeps me from having to remember a zillion passwords.

This is another one of our own apps inside Authority Agency.

Its specifically for consultants that do Kindle and book publishing for their clients.  It allows you to drill down to different categories in Amazon and see how difficult it would be to hit a #1 best seller in it.

Well…that's it. Those are 7 of the apps we use almost daily in our marketing agency.   Click the play button above to find out exactly how we use them.

The post The 7 Apps We Rely On To Run Our Marketing Agency appeared first on Authority Alchemy | Authority Marketing Tactics.