Fearless Business Podcast

If you are in this mindset of  'I don't want to have to sell anything,' you're kind of saying 'I don't want to make any money.'

~Nikki Rausch

Uncomfortable with the idea of coming across as "sales-y?"

Why? When did the concept of selling take on such a negative connotation?

The fact is, if you want people to buy, you're in the business of selling. And when your product or service solves a customer's problem or fulfills a need, that's definitely a positive thing. You're not being pushy; you're helping to make lives easier or better.

This week on the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast, Nikki Rausch joins us to discuss embracing the fact of selling and how to sell successfully and authentically. Founder and CEO of Sales Maven, an organization dedicated to authentic selling, Nikki Rausch has 24+ years of experience in sales and a unique ability to transform the misunderstood process of “selling." She works with entrepreneurs, business owners, and organizations, offering group, one-on-one, and self guided coaching on the relationship side of selling. Nikki's books Buying Signals: How to Spot the Green Light & Increase Your Sales and Six-Word Lessons on Influencing with Grace are excellent resources for those unable to attend her live speaking engagements, coaching groups, or workshops.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

* the language and process of sales

* Nikki's tips for more effective sales, particularly when it comes to sponsored content

* structuring posts that invite your audience to take action

* one thing you should do to better convey the intent behind your pitch

* a surefire way to get a potential customer on the phone

* how to better recognize buying signals (verbal or nonverbal cues that indicate interest)

* the #1 missed buying signal

Still feeling icky about sales? Let's talk it out in Businessese HQ, our private Facebook group for online entrepreneurs and business owners.

Resources:

Nikki's website, Sales Maven

Nikki's books: Buying Signals: How to spot the green light and increase sales and Six-Word Lessons on Influencing with Grace

Free ebook download: Closing The Sale

The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann

If you are in this mindset of  'I don't want to have to sell anything,' you're kind of saying 'I don't want to make any money.'

~Nikki Rausch

Uncomfortable with the idea of coming across as "sales-y?"

Why? When did the concept of selling take on such a negative connotation?

The fact is, if you want people to buy, you're in the business of selling. And when your product or service solves a customer's problem or fulfills a need, that's definitely a positive thing. You're not being pushy; you're helping to make lives easier or better.

This week on the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast, Nikki Rausch joins us to discuss embracing the fact of selling and how to sell successfully and authentically. Founder and CEO of Sales Maven, an organization dedicated to authentic selling, Nikki Rausch has 24+ years of experience in sales and a unique ability to transform the misunderstood process of “selling." She works with entrepreneurs, business owners, and organizations, offering group, one-on-one, and self guided coaching on the relationship side of selling. Nikki's books Buying Signals: How to Spot the Green Light & Increase Your Sales and Six-Word Lessons on Influencing with Grace are excellent resources for those unable to attend her live speaking engagements, coaching groups, or workshops.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

* the language and process of sales

* Nikki's tips for more effective sales, particularly when it comes to sponsored content

* structuring posts that invite your audience to take action

* one thing you should do to better convey the intent behind your pitch

* a surefire way to get a potential customer on the phone

* how to better recognize buying signals (verbal or nonverbal cues that indicate interest)

* the #1 missed buying signal

Still feeling icky about sales? Let's talk it out in Businessese HQ, our private Facebook group for online entrepreneurs and business owners.

Resources:

Nikki's website, Sales Maven

Nikki's books: Buying Signals: How to spot the green light and increase sales and Six-Word Lessons on Influencing with Grace

Free ebook download: Closing The Sale

The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann

As the realm of influencer marketing expands and deepens, content creators and brands alike are no longer quite as satisfied with one-off reviews of small ticket items; they are looking to expand and deepen their relationships and campaigns as well. Deeper connections and integrated, longer-term campaigns mean increased value for brands, influencers and readers in terms of exposure, authenticity and education, which generally translates into better compensation.

Winning all around!

So how can influencers cultivate better relationships with brands, particularly the brands they most align with?

For this week's episode of the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast, we're pleased as punch to sit down and chat with Katie Proctor and Elle Queen of Wellevation HQ about building meaningful, mutually beneficial brand relationships. Wellevation HQ is a niche consulting group that supports influencers and brands in the wellness industry. Along with other services, they act as agents for influencers— allowing busy creators who prefer to dedicate their time to crafting their content to pitch proactively and build mutually beneficial partnerships with their dream brands.

You want to create not just a transaction, but a true relationship.

-Elle Queen

Tune in to hear Katie and Elle talk about:

* their work as agents for health & wellness influencers, and who they generally represent

* tips for crafting better pitches - how to stand out in a brand's inbox

* the social channels brands prefer

* current trends in influencer marketing

* recommended practices for influencers looking to build up their business

* how to report back on campaign results to establish ROI for brands

We'd love to hear your tips and pain points when it comes to building relationships with brands—click on over to Businessese HQ and join the conversation!

Resources:

How to Land Better-Paying, Longer-Lasting ​​​​​​​Brand Partnerships (free webinar)

The Influencer MBA

Katie & Elle's website, Wellevation HQ

Application for representation (applications are reviewed quarterly)

Wellevation HQ on Instagram @wellevationhq and the WHQ Insiders Facebook group

The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Jack Canfield

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight

If you liked this episode, you should check out:

Master the Media Kit with Melissa Culbertson

The Power of Pitching: An Interview with Jenny Melrose

4 Tools Every Blogger N...

As the realm of influencer marketing expands and deepens, content creators and brands alike are no longer quite as satisfied with one-off reviews of small ticket items; they are looking to expand and deepen their relationships and campaigns as well. Deeper connections and integrated, longer-term campaigns mean increased value for brands, influencers and readers in terms of exposure, authenticity and education, which generally translates into better compensation.

Winning all around!

So how can influencers cultivate better relationships with brands, particularly the brands they most align with?

For this week's episode of the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast, we're pleased as punch to sit down and chat with Katie Proctor and Elle Queen of Wellevation HQ about building meaningful, mutually beneficial brand relationships. Wellevation HQ is a niche consulting group that supports influencers and brands in the wellness industry. Along with other services, they act as agents for influencers— allowing busy creators who prefer to dedicate their time to crafting their content to pitch proactively and build mutually beneficial partnerships with their dream brands.

You want to create not just a transaction, but a true relationship.

-Elle Queen

Tune in to hear Katie and Elle talk about:

* their work as agents for health & wellness influencers, and who they generally represent

* tips for crafting better pitches - how to stand out in a brand's inbox

* the social channels brands prefer

* current trends in influencer marketing

* recommended practices for influencers looking to build up their business

* how to report back on campaign results to establish ROI for brands

We'd love to hear your tips and pain points when it comes to building relationships with brands—click on over to Businessese HQ and join the conversation!

Resources:

How to Land Better-Paying, Longer-Lasting ​​​​​​​Brand Partnerships (free webinar)

The Influencer MBA

Katie & Elle's website, Wellevation HQ

Application for representation (applications are reviewed quarterly)

Wellevation HQ on Instagram @wellevationhq and the WHQ Insiders Facebook group

The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Jack Canfield

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight

If you liked this episode, you should check out:

Master the Media Kit with Melissa Culbertson

The Power of Pitching: An Interview with Jenny Melrose

4 Tools Every Blogger Needs to Market Their Business

Are we talking contracts again?

Yes. Yes we are.

You know why?

Because contracts are IMPORTANT. They protect you, and they protect your client. They lay out expectations in black and white so there's no confusion later.

But, like everything else in the world of influencer marketing, the contracts used for sponsored content are evolving to reflect the changes happening in this space. Thanks to clarifications and consequences relating to FTC disclosures, as well as GDPR regulations, general concerns about data and privacy, and other factors, there's a lot of attention being paid to authenticity, transparency and legality.

As it should be.

Based on the changes we've seen in our clients' sponsored content contracts through Hashtag Legal, and the questions we've heard asked by influencers, we decided it was time to touch on this topic again.

Listen in on this episode of the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast to learn about:

* exclusivity: what may be asked for and what that entails

* intellectual property rights: who retains what, and why

* deletion: whether you can take down a sponsored post once your campaign ends

* disclosures: of sponsored content and client relationships

* how GDPR fits in, and another recent addition we're seeing

* plus why you might want to reconsider those comment pods and Facebook support groups.

Remember, negotiation works both ways! Sponsored content contracts can often be an ideal resolution for both parties— but you'll never know unless you ask.

More questions about contracts? Hit us up over in our private Facebook group, Businessese HQ.

You can also refer back to these discussions:

* Essential Elements of Influencer Marketing Contracts

* Five Must-Haves in Your Sponsored Content Contract

* How to Negotiate Exclusivity in Blogger Contracts

* The GDPR and U.S. Based Businesses

* The Tech Side of GDPR Implementation

* Electronic Signature Services for Online Business Contracts

* Get Your PRICE: our course for maximizing your sponsored content income

P.S. Updated sponsored content contracts are in the shop!

Are we talking contracts again?

Yes. Yes we are.

You know why?

Because contracts are IMPORTANT. They protect you, and they protect your client. They lay out expectations in black and white so there's no confusion later.

But, like everything else in the world of influencer marketing, the contracts used for sponsored content are evolving to reflect the changes happening in this space. Thanks to clarifications and consequences relating to FTC disclosures, as well as GDPR regulations, general concerns about data and privacy, and other factors, there's a lot of attention being paid to authenticity, transparency and legality.

As it should be.

Based on the changes we've seen in our clients' sponsored content contracts through Hashtag Legal, and the questions we've heard asked by influencers, we decided it was time to touch on this topic again.

Listen in on this episode of the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast to learn about:

* exclusivity: what may be asked for and what that entails

* intellectual property rights: who retains what, and why

* deletion: whether you can take down a sponsored post once your campaign ends

* disclosures: of sponsored content and client relationships

* how GDPR fits in, and another recent addition we're seeing

* plus why you might want to reconsider those comment pods and Facebook support groups.

Remember, negotiation works both ways! Sponsored content contracts can often be an ideal resolution for both parties— but you'll never know unless you ask.

More questions about contracts? Hit us up over in our private Facebook group, Businessese HQ.

You can also refer back to these discussions:

* Essential Elements of Influencer Marketing Contracts

* Five Must-Haves in Your Sponsored Content Contract

* How to Negotiate Exclusivity in Blogger Contracts

* The GDPR and U.S. Based Businesses

* The Tech Side of GDPR Implementation

* Electronic Signature Services for Online Business Contracts

* Get Your PRICE: our course for maximizing your sponsored content income

P.S. Updated sponsored content contracts are in the shop!

Whether you're an old school blogger that started monetizing your platform after years of posting, or a new influencer that launched your website with making money in mind, content creators often struggle with monetization strategies (if you have a strategy at all).

You may be worried about alienating the audience that took so long to build.

You may have trouble getting your audience to convert into customers.

You may just have no idea where to begin, or squirm at the idea of making money at all from what started as a labor of love.

It's all about finding that balance between monetization and your reader experience,

and you never want to sacrifice one for the other.

Jenny Guy

This week on the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast, we're excited to talk monetization tips for influencers with Jenny Guy. Jenny has interacted with so many bloggers, working in roles on the brand side as well as on the advertiser and influencer network sides— so you could say she knows monetization from all sides. She now works as a marketing associate for Mediavine, a full service ad management agency that empowers content creators to make blogging their full-time job through digital advertising (without having to master the tech side).

Tune in to this episode to hear:

* the most common ways that bloggers can monetize (and one relatively untapped resource)

* how best to project a steady income

* strategies to monetize without alienating your audience

* mistakes bloggers make with sponsored posts and working with brands

* what Jenny considers a maximum ratio of sponsored to unsponsored posts

* how Mediavine allows publishers to optimize ads for reader experience, and what they provide that you won't get from other ad networks.

What are your top monetization tips and pain points? Let's talk making money over in Businessese HQ.

Resources:

Mediavine.com

Jenny on Facebook and LinkedIn

Mediavine on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook (don't forget to check out the Summer of Live!)

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

 

Whether you're an old school blogger that started monetizing your platform after years of posting, or a new influencer that launched your website with making money in mind, content creators often struggle with monetization strategies (if you have a strategy at all).

You may be worried about alienating the audience that took so long to build.

You may have trouble getting your audience to convert into customers.

You may just have no idea where to begin, or squirm at the idea of making money at all from what started as a labor of love.

It's all about finding that balance between monetization and your reader experience,

and you never want to sacrifice one for the other.

Jenny Guy

This week on the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast, we're excited to talk monetization tips for influencers with Jenny Guy. Jenny has interacted with so many bloggers, working in roles on the brand side as well as on the advertiser and influencer network sides— so you could say she knows monetization from all sides. She now works as a marketing associate for Mediavine, a full service ad management agency that empowers content creators to make blogging their full-time job through digital advertising (without having to master the tech side).

Tune in to this episode to hear:

* the most common ways that bloggers can monetize (and one relatively untapped resource)

* how best to project a steady income

* strategies to monetize without alienating your audience

* mistakes bloggers make with sponsored posts and working with brands

* what Jenny considers a maximum ratio of sponsored to unsponsored posts

* how Mediavine allows publishers to optimize ads for reader experience, and what they provide that you won't get from other ad networks.

What are your top monetization tips and pain points? Let's talk making money over in Businessese HQ.

Resources:

Mediavine.com

Jenny on Facebook and LinkedIn

Mediavine on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook (don't forget to check out the Summer of Live!)

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

 

Turning your part time side hustle, your passion project, into your full time job: that's the dream of every burgeoning entrepreneur, amirite?

Here at Businessese, one of our passions is supporting emerging entrepreneurs as they transform those dreams into reality. As inspiration for the transition, this week we're sharing an entrepreneurial success story.

Mary Clavieres is the founder of the Hoboken Mom Entrepreneurs Group, an in-real-life networking group that supports local women owned businesses. She made the jump from a full time job in the pharmaceutical industry to running her own product-based business (postpartum mesh underwear— our mom listeners will have a special appreciation for the genius behind this particular product!).

Connecting is Mary's superpower, and in the days ahead she will be launching the Transitions Collective, a platform for women entrepreneurs to find support and accountability, both online and off.

Listen in on this episode of the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast to hear:

* how Mary managed juggling a full time job and a side hustle

* the value of meetups and networking for your business

* how Mary knew when her side hustle was ready for full time, and how she prepared to make that change

* how she keeps her community engaged, online and in person

* the importance of market research: determining your customer's needs and wants

* her tips for turning your side hustle into YOUR full time job

Jump— with a parachute.

Mary Clavieres

Have you made the transition from side hustle to full time business? We'd love to hear your tips and about your experience in our private Facebook group for digital entrepreneurs, Businessese HQ.

Resources:

BriefTransitions.com

Coming soon: TransitionsCollective.com

Contact Mary: [email protected]

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Turning your part time side hustle, your passion project, into your full time job: that's the dream of every burgeoning entrepreneur, amirite?

Here at Businessese, one of our passions is supporting emerging entrepreneurs as they transform those dreams into reality. As inspiration for the transition, this week we're sharing an entrepreneurial success story.

Mary Clavieres is the founder of the Hoboken Mom Entrepreneurs Group, an in-real-life networking group that supports local women owned businesses. She made the jump from a full time job in the pharmaceutical industry to running her own product-based business (postpartum mesh underwear— our mom listeners will have a special appreciation for the genius behind this particular product!).

Connecting is Mary's superpower, and in the days ahead she will be launching the Transitions Collective, a platform for women entrepreneurs to find support and accountability, both online and off.

Listen in on this episode of the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast to hear:

* how Mary managed juggling a full time job and a side hustle

* the value of meetups and networking for your business

* how Mary knew when her side hustle was ready for full time, and how she prepared to make that change

* how she keeps her community engaged, online and in person

* the importance of market research: determining your customer's needs and wants

* her tips for turning your side hustle into YOUR full time job

Jump— with a parachute.

Mary Clavieres

Have you made the transition from side hustle to full time business? We'd love to hear your tips and about your experience in our private Facebook group for digital entrepreneurs, Businessese HQ.

Resources:

BriefTransitions.com

Coming soon: TransitionsCollective.com

Contact Mary: [email protected]

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill