FIR Podcast Network

As is the trend for August (OK, it’s my trend because 2020 sucks), I am doing a cross-promotion of the Agency Leadership podcast, which I co-host with Chip Griffin, every Tuesday.

I am lazing about in our inflatable pool and playing “onion” with my small child (a pool game she made up).

And you? You get to enjoy bickering between two people who act like they’ve been married for a gazillion years—and you might actually learn a thing or two, as well.

In this episode, we talk about how to create non-traditional revenue streams.

Many of you know I’m a bit fanatical about this topic.

I believe every one of us, business owner or not, should not rely on one revenue stream.

For some, that means you have ways to make money outside of your paycheck and for others, that means you sell something other than agency services.

You’ll get lots of ideas in this episode. Enjoy!

How to Create Non-Traditional Revenue Streams

Chip and Gini discuss non-traditional revenue streams for PR and marketing agencies.

First, the pair address tax law changes related to meals and entertainment expenses—something that affects many agency owners.

Next, Chip and Gini look at how agencies can go beyond retainer and project revenue to find opportunities in education, training, products, and software.

They also explore the pros and cons of partnering with startup companies in exchange for equity.

#438: Jodi Daniels and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Complying with the overwhelming global privacy laws using a privacy-friendly strategy. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Jodi Daniels (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodihoffmandaniels), the Founder and CEO of Red Clover Advisors. She is also a keynote speaker and fractional chief privacy officer.

Jodi helps overwhelmed small and medium-sized businesses comply with global privacy laws. She brings with her the experience and knowledge she garnered to create a systematized approach, helping them figure out what they need to do in order to understand and comply with these laws. The privacy-friendly strategy she provides also helps companies build trust with their customers, upscaling their business.

If you’re running a small to medium-size business and you need more advice about privacy laws, consider reaching out to Jodi Daniels by visiting her website athttps://redcloveradvisors.com orhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jodihoffmandaniels.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Small and medium-sized businesses that are overwhelmed and confused with how to comply with #PrivacyLaws should reach out to Jodi Daniels. #PrivacyFriendlyStrategyhttps://redcloveradvisors.com @redcloveradvsrs

* Are you aware of the global #PrivacyLaws? Do you comply with them? I help companies comply with global privacy laws, including the newer laws such as #CCPA and #GDPR. #PrivacyFriendlyStrategyhttps://redcloveradvisors.com @redcloveradvsrs

* Do you know how to properly comply with the #PrivacyLaws? I can help break it down for you so you will know what you actually have to do, including figuring out what your privacy notice needs to say and how to honor customer requests. #PrivacyFriendlyStrategyhttps://redcloveradvisors.com @redcloveradvsrs

* Do you need help in complying with the #PrivacyLaw such as #CCPA or #GDPR? I come in and actually helpcompanies comply with the law and make complying with privacy an on-going activity. Privacy compliance is not one and done. #PrivacyFriendlyStrategy https://redcloveradvisors.com @redcloveradvsrs

* Being a privacy-certified professional and having the capability to create a privacy program gives me the credibility to help companies understand and comply with the #PrivacyLaws. #PrivacyFriendlyStrategy https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodihoffmandaniels @redcloveradvsrs

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, visit: https://thoughtleaderlife.com/.

 

#439: Patricia Jesperson and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Create a culture of inclusivity to build a positive, productive and profitable workforce.  This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Patricia Jesperson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciajesperson/), collaborator, connector, consultant, speaker, author, and Chief Curiosity Officer at EmployeeEXP, which works with organizations to achieve a point where every dollar invested directly on Employee Experience is equal to employee’s perceived value of the investment – where it directly and positively affects an organization’s ability to attract, retain, and engage talent.

Patricia specializes in working with employees to create better employee experience outcomes. She is passionate in looking through Diversity &...

Building your personal brand on social media might seem like an impossible task.

What do you post? How do you get it to resonate? What do you offer? Should you use video or a different type of content.

In this episode of AMP Up Your Digital Marketing, Glenn Gaudet speaks with Daniel Murray, Senior Manager of Marketing Operations at ServiceTitan, a software platform for trades. They discuss how Daniel built up his personal brand on LinkedIn in less than 8 months to the point where his simple, short, text-based posts consistently garners him hundreds of comments in just a few hours.

What you’ll learn:

* The keys to building a personal brand on LinkedIn.

* Why LinkedIn is different from other social media platforms. 

* What TikTok and LinkedIn have in common. 

Daniel garnered over 11,000 followers in less than 8 months and breaks it down in a way that’s simple to understand.

He explains that it’s about consistency and quality, but consistency is the most important piece. To make it easy on himself, he sticks with what he’s good at and tends to stay away from posting ebooks, videos of himself, or other tricks of the trade you typically see influencers go with. This may be a different practice for others, and may even come off as against the grain, but it’s worked for him to build his personal brand.

How to Present Your Personal Brand

Each person will present themselves in a different way.

You might want to use video, share your blog posts, appear on podcasts and share your snippets, and more. Daniel strictly uses text. He writes out each post and rarely shares a blog post, ebook, video, or any other piece of content.

Why? Because it’s what he’s most comfortable with.

“You do what you’re good at,” Daniel said. “For example, Dave Gerhardt and Garry V. are very good at video, so they kill it when they get on video. For me, I’m better at writing text, so I stick with what I’m good at on the platform.”

Many marketers think that they need to chase the latest trends and do things they see other people doing that they may not be comfortable with. You’re not going to be comfortable in your first moments on camera. You’ve seen people posting videos of themselves on social media, but you’ll need a few attempts on it before you’re comfortable with it.

You could get really good at video or podcasting eventually, but what are you comfortable with now? You’ve seen a lot of people find success on rapidly growing apps like TikTok, but is that app right for you?

“A lot of marketers chase that shiny new object instead of sticking with what they know works,” Daniel said. “They give up on stuff that’s been working for them for years because they go after the shiny new object everyone else is talking about. ‘Ok, I need to invest in TikTok for B2B’ or something like that, and the audience is not there. You need to do what resonates with your audience.”

Growing Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn

As someone who grew his own LinkedIn personal branding in a short amount of time, he has some tips for other marketers.

He credits one small change he made in LinkedIn settings to growing his LinkedIn presence “exponentially.”

That change is removing the “connect” option in your profile and only allowing people to follow you.

If you go into your LinkedIn Settings under the Privacy section and click on “Who can follow you,” you’ll see an option to enable follow as the primary action people can take when they view your profile.

By turning that option on,

#434: Jennifer Hough and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Know and get on to what is calling you by finding clarity and letting go of the blocks. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Jennifer Hough (https://www.linkedin.com/in/JenniferlHough), President and facilitator at The Wide Awakening. She is also an author and speaker.

Jennifer conducts coaching for individuals and businesses. She has helped hundreds of thousands of people find clarity for them to figure out what’s calling them and how to get on to that using leading-edge technology. In the process, she has also helped them address those blocks, making that calling more attainable for them.

If you figured out that there’s an awakening for you and you’re just kinda stuck, blocked, afraid, or concerned, you should consider reaching out to Jennifer Hough on her websites at https://thewideawakening.com or https://www.linkedin.com/in/JenniferlHough.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Individuals who feel like there’s more to life, like an urgent call, but feel that they don’t know how to get there should reach out to Jennnifer Hough. #Clarity https://thewideawakening.com

* Do you feel that there’s something calling you but don’t know what it is? We’ve developed proprietary systems that take people through processes and allow them to get #Clarity on what it is that’s calling them. https://thewideawakening.com

* Do you know how to get on to your calling? I can help you get on to what is calling you by helping you see the systems that need to be implemented in order for you to get there. #Clarity https://thewideawakening.com

* What we do is we make it so clear what skillsets are needed in order for that calling to be attainable while making the blocks in your path uninteresting anymore. #Clarity https://thewideawakening.com

* Are there so many things that are blocking you from that calling? Our technology allows you to let go of hundreds of blocks in hours rather than one at a time. #Clarity https://thewideawakening.com

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, visit: https://thoughtleaderlife.com/.

 

#435: Bryan Mattimore and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Generating breakthrough ideas through ideation, creation, and innovation to get successful marketable propositions and increase your sales. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Bryan Mattimore (https://www.linkedin.com/in/Bryan-Mattimore-2aa04b1), Co-Founder and Chief Idea Guy at Growth Engine Company. He is also an author and keynote speaker.

Bryan conducts ideations sessions and facilitation for companies and their teams. He helps them generate breakthrough ideas for them to get marketable propositions and strategies that have a high chance of success in the marketplace. His methodologies are proven to be effective in dealing with the challenges, problems, pain points, and even the opportunities that companies face. He is dedicated to partnering with companies to provide a continuous stream of innovative products, services, and ideas for top-line growth and profitability.

If you need help on basically, ideation, creation, and innovation of who you are and what you do, you should consider reaching out to Bryan Mattimore by visiting his website at

#430: Jeff Barnes and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Yield high returns and invest for success through entrepreneurial leadership. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Jeff Barnes (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffpbarnes/), an investor and business advisor. As the CEO of Angels Investors Network, he helps entrepreneurs raise the capital they need to scale their businesses and lends a hand to investors who needs support to generate massive returns.

Jeff is passionate about progress and getting businesses started or funded. With his vast understanding of technology and innovation, he has the ability to pull together a team that will grow and move forward. Since 1997, he has been instrumental in leading entrepreneurs and investors to success through Angel Investing, where they have proven processes and methods that are effective in finding better deals and winning opportunities.

If you are considering investing or have invested and are figuring out the best way to position yourself for success, reach out to Jeff Barnes by visiting his website at https://angelinvestorsnetwork.com/ or going to his profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffpbarnes/.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Entrepreneurs struggling to understand why people don’t invest in them and they can’t realize their dreams, despite having a great idea, service, or product, should reach out to Jeff Barnes. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffpbarnes/

* We bring on incredible companies and entrepreneurs with great ideas that will impact the world on a global scale. They’ll be serving millions and millions of people. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffpbarnes/

* What we do is put companies and entrepreneurs through a process and a program where we teach them how to take an idea, whatever’s in their thoughts, and turn it into an investable business that will generate wealth. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffpbarnes/

* We have everything from online virtual training and education systems to virtual coaching, live events, publications, and services for entrepreneurs who have taken off. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffpbarnes/

* I started my career in the US Navy. I’ve written a couple of books on the subject of using military principles to grow and build businesses, as well as self-directed investing and financial planning. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffpbarnes/

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, visit: https://thoughtleaderlife.com/.

 

#431: Roger Dooley and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Achieve great marketing success for your business by creating a friction-free culture with loyal customers and engaged employees. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Roger Dooley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dooley/), an author, keynote speaker, podcast host, Forbes contributor, and Friction Hunter.

Roger Dooley has a history and track record of success in building high-traffic web properties and customer-oriented businesses. He wrote “Friction,” “Brainfluence,” “The Persuasion Slide,” Brainy Marketing, and Neuromarketing, the leading blog on the intersection of neuroscience, behavior, and marketing. He is passionate about helping businesses yield marketing success while spending less,

Ah, the dog days of summer. Here in Chicago, we had one of the hottest months on record and, while most of the country is still baking in August, we’re back to our normal glorious temperatures of low- to mid-70s. That’s 20 or so degrees for those of you in celsius speak.

This also means the frozen tundra is closing in on us so I am going to spend the month enjoying every last bit of this weather. Well, that and figure out what the heck we’re going to do about school this fall because I do know one thing for certain: I retired from teaching on June 6. I am not about to go back in and teach second grade for an entire year. I barely made it the three months I was a first grade teacher.

While I enjoy the last of summer with my small child and figure out this school thing, you are going to get to enjoy some cross-promotion of my podcast with Chip Griffin, the Agency Leadership podcast.

No Time Better Than the Present for New Business

There’s no need to sugarcoat it: these are challenging times. But agencies can, and should, continue to engage in business development.

It requires a delicate balance. We address how to thread the needle appropriately to make sure you are meeting the needs of prospects without unnecessarily alienating those who may be less receptive to your message right now.

In this first episode, we talk about how to generate new business during a global crisis, a down economy, or when your business needs an extra boost.

Enjoy!

#426: Nicky Billou and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Sell your expertise to stand out, grow your business, and get unlimited flow of clients. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Nicky Billou (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickybillou/), president and CEO of eCircle Academy, accountability coach at Finish Line Thinking, and host of the “Thought Leader Revolution” podcast. Prominent names who have been guests in the podcast include Seth Godin, Barbara Corcoran, Jack Canfield, George Ross, Jen Wilderstrom, Larry Winget, Marie Forleo, and John Maxwell, among many others.

Nicky is passionate about energizing people to be their best selves, as he works with entrepreneurs and professional salespeople, including top real estate agents, financial advisors, and insurance brokers from top organizations who want to be held accountable for producing top results. He specializes in consulting, speaking, writing, masterminding, accountability structures, coaching, fitness, nutrition, motivation, and mindset training. He helps coaches and consultants grow their business.

If you’re stuck or someone you know (author, coach, consultant) is stuck at an income plateau, reach out to Nicky Billou by visiting his website, https://ecircleacademy.com/, and going to https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickybillou/.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Coaches and authors who are stuck on an income plateau should reach out to Nicky Billou. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickybillou/

* Are you good at what you do but find yourself unable to break out from the #SeaOfSameness? I can help you snap out of it and become a sought-after expert in your field. https://ecircleacademy.com/ @NickyBillou

* Many coaches and authors look and sound just like everybody else. My role is to help you be a heart-driven thought leader so you can stand out and be unique. #SeaOfSamenessNoMore https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickybillou/

* I can guide you in clarifying your expertise and narrowing your target market, which can lead to increased revenue and a consistent track record. #SeaOfSamenessNoMore https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickybillou/

* I can coach you on how to stop selling time and start selling your value to avoid burnout, while attracting more people to do business with you. #SeaOfSamenessNoMore https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickybillou/

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, visit https://thoughtleaderlife.com/.

 

#427: Iman Aghay and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Generate sales and increase skyrocketing revenue by building million-dollar niche online courses. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Iman Aghay (https://www.linkedin.com/in/imanaghay/), president of Success Road Academy, the largest information marketing academy in Canada with over 10,000 attendees for the past couple of years.

Iman is passionate about helping entrepreneurs who want to make great connections in the business. Admired for his creativity, work ethics, and ambition, he has established a huge networking group and marketing seminars, where he brings his expertise in the field to his clients to effectively market...

You may think of TikTok users as very young and outside of the target audience of B2B marketers, but you may want to advertise on TikTok.

In this episode of AMP Up Your Digital Marketing, Glenn Gaudet speaks with Erica Weiss, Brand and Campaign Marketing Manager at SparkPost, an email intelligence software company. They discuss TikTok, how it’s used, who uses it, what the concerns are, and whether or not you should advertise on TikTok.

What you’ll learn:

* What are the TikTok privacy concerns? 

* What is TikTok, and how does its algorithm work? 

* What does it look like to advertise on TikTok, how does its targeting work, and should you do it? 

TikTok has exploded over the last two years, growing to over 800 million active users worldwide, according to Oberlo. Users spend an average of 52 minutes per day on the app. Roughly 90 percent of TikTok’s user base launches the app daily, watching over 1 million videos each day.

So, should you use TikTok? Should your marketing team advertise on TikTok? And what are all the concerns with TikTok you’ve heard about in the news lately? Erica breaks all this down for us in her conversation with Glenn.

What is TikTok?

TikTok grew in popularity over the last year and a half, so you may not be completely familiar with it yet.

Having said that, it is important to be aware of apps like this that are growing in popularity, even if you don’t think it’s right for you.

TikTok is very similar to Vine. It features short-form videos with very powerful video editing capabilities built right into the platform.

TikTok videos are typically anywhere from 15 seconds to a minute long, but people tend to binge videos on the app.

“It started out as a lip-syncing app, so because of that, TikTok licensed a lot of music,” Erica said. “Unlike YouTube, where [videos] get taken down because there was a song in it that you weren’t allowed to use, TikTok videos have staying power because their videos are legal and use legal sound. There’s also short-form comedy, and people telling funny stories.”

TikTok Privacy Concerns

Content on TikTok is primarily fun videos of people dancing, people acting out funny skits, and people telling funny stories, but there is a darker side to the app.

You may have seen in the news speculation and accusations of TikTok mishandling user data.

“The concern is there is something baked into the software that sends information back to the Chinese government,” Glenn said.

While this is an accusation that’s been made of the company and is concerning for users, many American companies have privacy concerns of their own, Erica said.

It’s no secret that some of the biggest companies and most popular platforms on earth are based in the United States and are not the most careful with user data. They’ll even tell you right in their privacy policies that they’ll sell and trade your information to other companies. This means that even if you don’t use services from a specific vendor, it could get your information from a service provider you do use.

As users of these platforms, it’s very difficult to protect your data. But TikTok seems to get more attention for privacy issues than other vendors.

“It’s interesting that this is coming to the forefront as it isn’t an American company,” Erica said.

#422: Karin Hurt and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Getting breakthrough results through practical leadership development. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Karin Hurt  (https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-hurt/), the founder of Let’s Grow Leaders. She is an award-winning author and an Inc. Top 100 Leadership Speaker.

Karin has over two decades of experience in customer service, sales, and human resources. Her keynotes inspire leaders with proven and practical leadership techniques developed over her rich career as an executive, speaker, and strategic advisor. Through inspiring and practical leadership development programs, Karin helps leaders achieve breakthrough results without losing their soul.

If you are a manager who wants to get breakthrough results without being a jerk and losing your soul, reach out to Karin Hurt by visiting her website, https://letsgrowleaders.com/, and going to https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-hurt/.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Managers who want to get breakthrough results without being a jerk should reach out to Karin Hurt. #LeadershipDevelopment https://letsgrowleaders.com/ @LetsGrowLeaders

* Managers who had bad mentoring because they followed what their boss did are not alone. A good rule of thumb is to be the leader you want your boss to be. That’s the best training you can have. #LeadershipDevelopment https://letsgrowleaders.com/ @LetsGrowLeaders

* Every employee wants to be heard but may be holding back. They need a safe environment where their manager allows them to speak up and contribute to the team. An engaged team gets results faster. #LeadershipDevelopment https://letsgrowleaders.com/ @LetsGrowLeaders

* Managers need to engage their teams without driving their people to burnout. We can map out a practical action plan to create an environment that makes your team want to succeed. #LeadershipDevelopment https://letsgrowleaders.com/ @LetsGrowLeaders

* My background is in #LeadershipDevelopment and organizational comms. I once led a 10K-person contact center org in a period of rapid growth. This gives me the credibility to help managers get breakthrough results. https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-hurt/

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, visit: https://thoughtleaderlife.com/.

 

#423: Rohit Talwar and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Shape a better future for your business in innovative ways through research-based insights and foresight. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Rohit Talwar (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit-talwar-futurist-keynote-speaker/), a global futurist, award-winning keynote speaker, author, and CEO of Fast Future. He is an expert in helping clients understand and shape the emerging future.

Rohit Talwar is passionate about creating a very human future by putting people at the center of the agenda. As a professional speaker and consultant, he has guided many companies on keytrends and development ideas that could shape their future in sectors ranging from construction and engineering tohospitality and finance. He is the co-author of seven books on the emerging future and how to navigate it. His latest book “Aftershocks and Opportunities – Scenarios for a Post-Pandemic Future” – published on June 1st brings t...

#418: Adam Gordon and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Reach your clients’ hearts through authentic storytelling. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Adam Gordon (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamgordon/), the Storyteller in Chief at Industrial Poetry. He is also a writer, strategist, and marketer.

Adam specializes in cybersecurity, cannabis, and technology. His approach is applied design thinking: Create the context and own the narrative. He helps clients develop effective narratives to sustainably grow their companies faster, providing enormous value over the life of the company.

If your company does not communicate in a way that reaches your clients’ hearts, reach out to Adam Gordon by visiting his website, https://industrialpoetry.ink/, and going to https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamgordon/.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Companies that don’t communicate in a way that reaches their clients’ hearts should reach out to Adam Gordon. #Storytelling https://industrialpoetry.ink/ @AdamGordon

* Most companies have a great story but many don’t tell it very well. I help you tell your company’s authentic story so it will be noticed and leave a mark on your clients’ hearts. #Storytelling https://industrialpoetry.ink/ @AdamGordon

* When you tell your story straight from the heart, what happens is that you authentically evoke your market’s emotions. This elicits curiosity, which then makes your clients interested in what you have to say. #Storytelling https://industrialpoetry.ink/ @AdamGordon

* It’s proven over time that touching people’s hearts through #Storytelling is a great way to generate business and goodwill. It helps companies grow bigger, faster, across the entire lifecycle of the company. https://industrialpoetry.ink/ @AdamGordon

* Your company has a story that is waiting to be unveiled. I will help uncover your company’s story so it gets imprinted on your clients’ hearts and they will remain with you for the longterm. #Storytelling https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamgordon/

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, visit: https://thoughtleaderlife.com/.

 

#419: Jake Carlson and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Find a better way to grow your business without trading time for dollars. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Jake Carlson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/JakeACarlson), an attorney, natural storyteller, inspiring presenter, and host of “Modern Leadership” podcast.

Jake has been working with small business owners and entrepreneurs for many years, helping them find a better way to grow their business while enhancing their leadership style. He also helps them overcome their pain points as entrepreneurs without spending too much of their time at work in order to achieve their business goals.

If you’re trading time for dollars and need help from somebody to find a better way, reach out to Jake Carlson by visiting his websites at https://JakeACarlson.com/credibility or https://www.linkedin.com/in/JakeACarlson.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Small business owners who need a better way to st...