Fearless Business Podcast

This episode is sponsored by Make Your Case, our all-in-one tool to help you create case studies for your influencer business.

It's the moment you've been waiting for! This episode is the final installment in our series, 4 Marketing Tools Every Influencer Needs.

We've gone over the power of pitching, detailed mastering the media kit, broken down closing strong with campaign reporting, and now, at long last, we're going to make the case for case studies.

What is a case study?

We think case studies are one of the most underutilized tools bloggers have, and we want to change that.

We know that influencers work hard on their sponsored posts and campaigns. Case studies are a way to highlight the work that goes on behind the scenes: how those campaigns were initially conceived, what the sponsor's goals were, how the work was executed, and how the results of that work specifically performed to meet the sponsor's goals. They act as portfolio and proof in one visually pleasing, snackable package.

In short, case studies give potential future partners a quick walk-through of what you can do for them, showcasing your performance so you can close more business.

In this episode of the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast, we're talking everything case study:

* what case studies are, and why you need them

* the legalities of featuring a brand partner in your case study

* how a case study should look

* what every case study should include

* when a case study should be used

We also discuss Make Your Case, our newest offering in the Businessese store, which includes everything you need to create your case studies: a spreadsheet template to help you analyze your results, swipe copy, case study samples for inspiration and two instructional videos.

Listen in and let us know what your case study questions and challenges are over in our private Facebook group, Businessese HQ.

This episode is sponsored by Make Your Case, our all-in-one tool to help you create case studies for your influencer business. It's the moment you've been waiting for! This episode is the final installment in our series, 4 Marketing Tools Every Influencer Needs. We've gone over the power of pitching, detailed mastering the media kit, broken […]

We interrupt your regular podcasting topic schedule...

We know, you were waiting with bated breath and barely-concealed glee for the last segment in our series on 4 Marketing Tools Every Influencer Needs, and we're so very sad to disappoint you.

However, since our podcasts drop on Thursday mornings and this particular Thursday is Thanksgiving, we decided to interrupt our planned podcasting schedule and release a quick, fun episode first. (Good things come to those who wait, we promise! Get excited about case studies!)

Now that we're 10 episodes in, we're starting to get the hang of this podcasting thing! So for our special holiday Episode 11, our producer interviews us about how the podcast is going so far: our general insights on getting a podcast up and running, what's been intimidating or hard to nail down, and where we hope to take the Business Influencer Marketing Podcast in the future.

We hope you find it equal parts interesting and informative (and perhaps an inspiration to take the plunge yourself).

As an added bonus— and because we're so thankful for you for coming along for the ride— we've included a very special discount code in this week's podcast. Listen carefully for your chance to save 40% on an unlimited number of forms, contracts or courses from the Businessese store!

Have questions about podcasting? Hit us at our virtual watercooler, Businessese HQ on Facebook.

We interrupt your regular podcasting topic schedule… We know, you were waiting with bated breath and barely-concealed glee for the last segment in our series on 4 Marketing Tools Every Influencer Needs, and we're so very sad to disappoint you. However, since our podcasts drop on Thursday mornings and this particular Thursday is Thanksgiving, we […]

This post is sponsored by Closing Strong, our mini-course that gives you

everything you need to create individualized reports that will wow your clients.

You did it! You landed that blog campaign and negotiated your price. You took the time to understand the clients' goals, translated that information to create targeted killer content, kicked up buzz with your social media shares. You're feeling pretty good about a job well done (and you should).

But if you really want to make an impression and leave the door wide open for future collaborations, your work here isn't done yet. Go ahead and get excited, because this is your time to shine.

We've done a lot of campaigns with networks and influencers, and we can say with confidence that reporting is a critical part of every one of them. Every campaign has a goal, and reporting demonstrates how and to what extent those goals were met.

More on campaign reporting:

How to Create Campaign Reports that Wow Your Clients

4 Tools Every Blogger Needs to Market Their Business

Whether you are working directly with a brand or through a network, campaign reporting is your chance to showcase and quantify your results, as well as highlight your level of professionalism. A report requires only a small time investment, but leaves a lasting impression— not to mention, having those reports on hand will help lend weight to your next pitch!

So now, the question is: what exactly should go into that all-important campaign report?

This is week three of our four part series, 4 Marketing Tools Every Influencer Needs, and we're doing a deep dive into campaign reporting for influencers:

* the many benefits of sending a report

* the elements of a comprehensive campaign report

* when to send your report

* how to leverage your reports to make more money.

Need more help? Check out our mini-course, Closing Strong. We supply templates, instructional video, and a sample report for inspiration. All you have to do is add the content and the analytics.

Our last installment in this series is on its way! Get ready to talk case studies.

Until then, let us know your campaign reporting questions in our private Facebook group, Businessese HQ.

This post is sponsored by Closing Strong, our mini-course that gives you everything you need to create individualized reports that will wow your clients. You did it! You landed that blog campaign and negotiated your price. You took the time to understand the clients' goals, translated that information to create targeted killer content, kicked up […]

We are affiliates for Media Kit Smash, Melissa's course that walks you through making a professional, informative media kit that gives potential partners exactly what they’re looking for. Go ahead and check it out. We'll wait.

Last week, we chatted with Jenny Melrose about the power of pitching to collaborate with your dream brands as the first installment in a four-part series, 4 Marketing Tools Every Influencer Needs. This week, we're tackling another important marketing tool in any influencer's arsenal: media kits.

Want to know more about those four marketing tools?

4 Tools Every Blogger Needs to Market Their Business

A media kit is a visual complement to your pitch— it serves as a brief introduction so that potential partners can learn about you and your blog. In short, it's your opportunity to highlight just how awesome you are! But much like how many bloggers struggle with writing their own bios, deciding exactly what to include in your media kit and how to best present that information can be a challenge.

That's where Melissa Culbertson comes in.

Any blogger that does any type of sponsored work

really does need a media kit.

-Melissa Culbertson

Melissa is the author of Blog Design for Dummies, and on her site Blog Clarity, she helps bloggers and business owners find their a-ha moments with online courses. She started out with a parenting site that occasionally posted marketing tips for bloggers, but popular demand and the itch to teach led her to expand into a powerhouse brand that has helped countless bloggers refine their blog design, create better content, and bring in more traffic. Melissa now has over 17 years of marketing experience and currently works at Burt’s Bees as the Assistant Manager for Brand Engagement in Digital.

As a blogger herself, Melissa sees the influencer world from the brand side and the influencer side, and we love to tap into that perspective. In this episode of the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast, Jamie picks Melissa's brain about best practices when building and designing a media kit.

Listen in and learn:

* why it's so important for influencers to have a media kit

* the essential components of a media kit (and what bloggers often miss)

* the value of testimonials and how to acquire them

* what brands are looking for in influencers

* advice for new bloggers still building their numbers

* the best ways to present your media kit to a brand

* what to include on a "work with me" page on your site

* how to respond to those pitches in your inbox

and a whole lot more, including what you receive and learn from Media Kit Smash (it's like a media kit course and Canva tutorial all in one, and it comes with templates!).

Give Melissa's tips a try and let us know how you do in our private Facebook group, Businessese HQ.

Resources:

Blog Clarity

Media Kit Smash

Melissa's other courses: Content Brew and

We are affiliates for Media Kit Smash, Melissa's course that walks you through making a professional, informative media kit that gives potential partners exactly what they’re looking for. Go ahead and check it out. We'll wait. Last week, we chatted with Jenny Melrose about the power of pitching to collaborate with your dream brands as the […]

This episode is sponsored by Pitch Perfect Pro, a program that we're so excited about, we became affiliates. Pitch Perfect Pro is the only course you'll ever need to learn how to confidently work with brands.

If you're hoping to make money online, it's essential that you treat your blog and social channels as a business. Among other things, that means formulating a plan, staying consistent, tending to legal matters, and familiarizing yourself with the tools and strategies that will help your business grow.

For the month of November, we are focusing on must-have marketing tools for influencers. This episode of the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast is the first installment in a four-part series, 4 Marketing Tools Every Influencer Needs.

Long-time readers of the Businessese blog will recall that we posted an article on this subject before:

4 Tools Every Blogger Needs to Market Their Business

Those four tools that every influencer needs in their virtual toolbox are:

* pitches

* media kits

* campaign reports

* case studies

When we think of the importance of pitching, Jenny is the person that comes to mind— she has guided many, many bloggers to successfully pitching collaborations with brands, and has a great success story herself. Originally a teacher, Jenny started blogging as a creative outlet. She then transitioned The Melrose Family from a general lifestyle blog into a targeted business that replaced her teaching salary, thanks to a strategic shift in mindset that she shares with us here.

People say to me:

"Audience and pageviews are the same thing."

No, they're not.

-Jenny Melrose

In this episode, Jenny also details:

* the main ways she was able to grow her blog and successfully monetize it

* a better way to work with brands that doesn't involve chasing pageviews

* why her sponsored content is her most popular content

* how to stand out when pitching directly, as opposed to applying to networks

* what she thinks brands find most compelling in a pitch

* the best method to find an initial brand contact

* what a great pitch should contain and how specific it should be

* information about Pitch Perfect Pro and what influencers can learn from it.

Listen up and post any further questions you may have in the Businessese HQ Facebook group!

Resources:

The Melrose Family

JennyMelrose.com

Jenny's Facebook group, Influencer Entrepreneurs

Pitch Perfect Pro

The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results on Amazon

This episode is sponsored by Pitch Perfect Pro, a program that we're so excited about, we became affiliates. Pitch Perfect Pro is the only course you'll ever need to learn how to confidently work with brands. If you're hoping to make money online, it's essential that you treat your blog and social channels as a […]