Get Your Message Heard

Justin Schenck is on a mission to teach the world that it isn't about where you come from, it's about the decisions you make today to catapult yourself to who you want to become. Justin has been named a Top 8 Podcaster to watch in 2018 by INC.com and chosen as an 'Icon of Influence' in the new media space.

What started out as a way to connect with top people and inspire others has become a way of life. Now getting played in over 100 countries every single week he is able to make a greater impact than he could ever imagine. He not only speaks to organizations on how to overcome adversity and utilize podcasting to grow your business but he helps others launch and grow their own podcasts with www.beginpodcastingnow.com.

This week I sit down with my friend Trivinia Barber.  Trivinia is the founder of Priority VA - a boutique Virtual Assistant Agency that matches elite level entrepreneurs like Todd Herman and Ray Edwards with highly skilled assistants who "get" the online space and come prepared to deliver massive ROI right out of the gate. We talk about how overworking lead her to creating one of the leading VA companies in the world. We discuss how important routines are and how you can start every day off right by setting your intentions and living in gratitude. 

Opt in to her free offer here: www.priorityva.com/messageheard 

Leaning into your strengths

Trivinia has a "spider sense" to quickly evaluate individuals and know their strengths and weaknesses. She uses this every single day in her business as an entrepreneur and she teaches her VA's how to do the same thing. What is your strength and are you leveraging it?

Be grateful for everything

Gratitude is the greatest tool that entrepreneurs can use to continue to stay on track with their goals. Celebrating the small wins allows you to see the progress you've made and makes it easier to keep reaching for your goals. With gratitude, there is no need to set the bar so high. Be grateful for everything!

What is your morning routine?

Update and enhance your morning routine. If you don't have one, just start. It could be as simple as journaling, reading, or a quick meditation. Waking up with a routine sets the pace for the day. Start this simple practice now.

Dov Baron is a headline speaker for global conferences on leadership, influence, business and embracing purpose driven authentic leadership. He has been speaking internationally for over 30 years. He's the man with a finger on the pulse of the evolving world of NextGen leadership.

Be uniquely you.

You have to be able to approach your life as your authentic self. That is the only way you're able to break through the noise and serve the audience you're meant to serve. What do you bring to the table that nobody else can bring?

Shiny object syndrom.

Especially as entrepreneurs we're presented with hundreds of ideas to grow our business. Dov mentioned Facebook ads as an example. Just because someone else is doing it, or someone else tells you to do it, doesn't mean you should be doing it. 

Longevity = Impact

It may be much easier to tap into a quick hit, or a quick pay out. The problem most people have is they don't think about longevity. How have myself and Dov been able to be around in business for so long? We focused on what it is that we naturally and authentically do better than other people and we deliver that to the audience we're supposed to be delivering that to.

Reach out to [email protected] - write to him and tell him what you got out of this episode and he'll give you a 20 minute free consultation call. 

Through my many years of entrepreneurship and public speaking I've happened upon some of the worlds leaders in their fields. From branding and podcasting to public speaking and business. I've decided that I want to share their knowledge with you in helping you get your message heard.

The first episode in this new format I knew I had to have my good friend Mike Kim on. 

Mike is a marketing consultant, communications strategist, and copywriter. His goal: to help you live your message, love your work, and leave your mark on the world.

He does this by sharing his professional insights on marketing, personal branding, and one of his life's passions: self-development. He's shaped the verbal and visual identity of numerous organizations, helping them get their message, product, or service to market.

Are you not getting the response or feedback you want? Maybe you're talking to the wrong people – but the people who need your message are still out there waiting. Michael discusses three common pitfalls the has experienced, so you can avoid making the same mistakes. He then announces exciting new changes to the podcast in the near future.

Learn from others' mistakes.

So many of us get tripped up by one of three common culprits: overthinking, bright shiny object syndrome, and looking for the Holy Grail. Michael shares his experience so you can learn from his mistakes.

Are you asking the right people?

If you're asking for feedback from the people who are available, rather than seeking out the people who your message is really intended for, you may not get the feedback you need. Start by identifying the ideal person you're really seeking to serve.

Are you getting distracted?

Success is sequential – you can't jump straight to the end of the sequence. If you're looking for a magic answer or chasing a new idea every week, you may be undermining your progress.

Are you chasing too many people?

Many of us want to serve and help others so much that we aren't able to turn away clients who just aren't right for us. But this could be preventing you from doing your best work.

Are you spreading your ideas too thin?

Expertise entrepreneurs love ideas – hearing new ideas, and coming up with them, too. Remember, your job is not simply producing volume – it's honing down and presenting a direction to the people you serve that is crafted and tailored.

Change is coming!

Michael is changing the format of the podcast to focus on interviews. Is there someone you'd like to hear from who is established and inspires you? Let us know!

Free Download

When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client - whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael's 4-step follow-up method to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

We all, in building our expertise enterprise, have a content path – the path we discover as we think through and develop our message. We evolve what we think about a subject as a process over time. Michael walks you through how to use your past content for a better future in your business.

Experience helps us help others.

Michael's moment of gratitude this week goes to Mark Schaefer, whose blog post this week kickstarted reflections on aging and recognizing the value you add by virtue of your experiences.

Use what you have that is important for where you are right now.

Sometimes we hold on to content for too long. Have you ever experienced a breakthrough moment in your understanding, then refused to move beyond the content you generated in that moment? Maybe it's time to move on from stories that are no longer serving your audience.

Do an inventory.

Make a list of every piece of content that you've created. Then go through and create a rating system of how relevant that content is to your message today, and whether it will help you attract your target audience.

Give yourself credit.

Even if you've moved on to change or refine your message, your content path is how you got where you are today. Celebrate how much you've done, and the path you've taken to get where you needed to go. Acknowledge how your message has changed because of the work you've put in.

Commit to doing work on the stuff that matters.

Your job isn't to overload people with information and ideas – it's to deliver a core message in a way that your audience will really absorb. Focus on the material that will help you make the difference that you're here to make. Get really clear on what your strongest, most resonant stories and content are, and clearly communicate that to your audience.

Recommended Action

Make a list. Use the -0+ system, and be willing to say goodbye to the stuff that gets the minus. Figure out the one specific thing you need to use right now.

Free Download

When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael's 4-step follow-up method to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

When you're an expertise entrepreneur, the reality is that you are your brand. The business you're building is based on your vision, wisdom, and expertise. There are several areas where your integrity will get tested as an expertise entrepreneur. Michael discusses the importance of integrity in the face of some common challenges.

Sacrificing your integrity can hurt your performance.

When we commit to things that are out of alignment with our values, this can create something called cognitive dissonance – a conflict between your inner values and your outward actions. This can hurt your ability to do what you do and damage your performance.

Listen to your gut.

If you don't feel something is right for you, that probably means you shouldn't do it. You know when you're out of alignment with your values – when you're doing something that you shouldn't be doing.

You can never not lead.

By virtue of your chosen path in life, you are a leader – people look up to you and see the things that you do. You are your brand, so this makes it all the more important to demonstrate integrity, for your business and for yourself.

Don't do what you don't do, just for the opportunity.

Michael shares a story about a time that he passed up an opportunity because he realized he was not the right person for the job. Having the guts to walk away when something doesn't fit is a sign of integrity, and will help you attract the right clients for you.

Respect intellectual property.

Many of us as enterprise entrepreneurs consume ideas, read others' writing, and listen to podcasts constantly. We try to learn and grow through seeking information. But be careful that you're maintaining the integrity of what you're using, and where it came from. Give credit where credit is due, and make sure that what you're bringing to your clients is really yours to claim.

Don't confuse swiping vs. stealing.

Swiping copy refers to borrowing from the context, feeling, layout, or general idea of others' work. It's okay to learn from what you see and what others are doing. It's not okay to use the words of others.

Recommended Action

Be authentic – make your own content, and be the expertise entrepreneur you were meant to be. Attract the people you were meant to serve, and leave behind the people who don't fit.

Free Download

When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael's 4-step follow-up method to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

Have you ever asked yourself if you should start a podcast? If you have a message you want to share, if you are comfortable talking about your message, and if you believe there are people who want to hear your message, then the answer is yes! There is nothing more valuable than having the opportunity to talk to your audience on a regular basis. Michael shares his 5 key takeaways from 66 episodes worth of podcasting experience.

1. You will learn more about your message by making your podcast.

When you make a weekly commitment to show up and talk about your message, it changes the way you think about what you have to say. It makes it very obvious what doesn't belong, and creates consistency in the body of your work that you communicate to your audience. You'll also get comfortable with articulating your message on a regular basis.

2. Reviews and feedback will help you hone your message.

What words do your listeners use in their feedback? What benefits does your message bring people? Just by listening to your audience, you can learn a lot about what you're bringing to the table and how you're enriching others' lives.

3. Podcasting will help you refine and reconfigure your message.

Chances are there are some redundancies in your message that you could cut out. Putting your message out there every week will help you hone your message. It will also help you develop the new content that will stimulate your audience every week.

4. Talking about your message every week makes it real to you.

You need to own your message, inside of you. You need to be absolutely clear in the core components of your message so that you can assess whether you're connecting and communicating effectively through the stories you tell.

5. Your message becomes part of who you are.

When you own your message, sharing it becomes simple because it's integrated into everything you do. Thinking every week about what you're going to share and how you're going to communicate it will create that structure within you for really integrating your message into your daily life and thoughts.

Recommended Action

If you've been thinking about starting a podcast, and if you're an expertise entrepreneur or have a message to get out there – take the plunge! It can only help you.

Free Download

When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael's 4-step follow-up method at http://michaelhudson.com/followup to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

Reflect upon and improve your public speaking by reflecting on these five key tips. Michael explains and summarizes the important lessons he learned from his recent experience putting together his new keynote speech.

1. Find the audience that is right for your message.

Finding small audiences aligned with your target audience can be helpful as a way to extend your rehearsal process to the real world. In this way, you can create a situation where you don't have a lot at risk, and you can hone your message with feedback from the right kinds of people. Don't hesitate to test out your speech in small venues – intentionally seek these scenarios out!

2. Not everyone will connect with your message – and that's a good thing!

No matter how much some people will connect with your message, some will not. Remember: this means that you are on the right path. You are not here to serve everyone – success requires defining and knowing what you do and who you are there to serve.

3. Learn from others.

What are other people doing that really connect to the audience? Listen to the messages and ideas of others, and try to make connections to your message and the big ideas you've been working with. Notice the differences. It will help you refine your delivery and your message - to that audience, in that situation, in that moment.

4. Get there early.

Arrive early in the morning and block your speech onstage – it's worth the time and effort. There are all sorts of technical details – from lighting, to stage setup, to audience setup – that you can plan for, if you get there early.

5. Get in the performing mindset.

It's more fun and it creates more impact to walk on the stage with the intention to perform. And… it feels AMAZING! Be intentional about being a performer, to practice and rehearse, plan, and schedule. It will bring your speaking to the next level.

Recommended Action

Step up, show up, and speak up – because there are people who are waiting to hear your message.

Free Download

When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael's 4-step follow-up method at http://michaelhudson.com/followup to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

Your journey is something no one has walked but you. What you know may seem obvious to you, but in reality, it's amazingly impactful to others. Michael discusses how to define your core message, how to use this message to refine what you offer, and what you can do to find the right people who are ready to hear your message.

Do you have a velvet rope in place?                                                               

The velvet rope is the divider that lets some people in and keeps other people out. For most people, this model intuitively doesn't make sense to grow a business. But the number one mistake people make that compromises their business is refusing to figure out who they serve. If you try to be all things to all people, you will end up dissatisfied, because you won't have the impact you could for that select group who need what you're offering. Michael discusses the importance of avoiding pouring energy into trying to serve the wrong people.

There is good work, bad work, and great work.

Michael introduces us to Do More Great Work, a book by Michael Bungay Stanier. Michael goes through what is entailed in each kind of work, how to stop doing bad work, and what distinguishes good work from great work.

It all comes down to intake.

When you get a new call or make a new contact, do you approach the interaction by trying to get that person to buy? Or do you honestly assess whether they are a good fit for you and your business? If you make the mistake of focusing too much on selling new clients and don't commit to holding your velvet rope and being selective, you will end up feeling stretched too thin.

Don't hold on to sunk costs.

Have you ever continued pouring energy into something that just doesn't work, because you've already invested so much up to this point? Ask yourself: if I weren't already doing this, would I start? Is this taking me where I'm trying to go? Is what I'm doing attracting the right people for me to serve? It is okay to walk away from something that isn't working – actually, it's necessary.

Define your core message.

Your core message will define where your velvet rope sits. It will attract the right people who belong on this side of the velvet rope with you. Defining your core message allows you to serve the right people because you are clear about what you have to offer. Michael discusses how to regularly narrow, define, and refine your core message to attract the people who are ready for what you have to offer them.

Recommended Action

Define your velvet rope, start using it, and recognize that it is the key between struggling and making your business sustainable and successful. Do the bad work, good work, and great work exercise, and ask yourself: can I convert these bad work clients into great work clients? Think about what you're doing that you need to jettison. And get serious about identifying your core message.

Free Download

When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client - whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael's 4-step follow-up method at http://michaelhudson.com/followup to make sure you never miss an opportunity.