We talk all the time about branding but it’s so misunderstood. Your brand is so much more than a logo or font choice, and our guest Lori Barron is going to break down what you need to know about your small biz’s brand on today’s episode. Show notes with key points, takeaways, and links for this episode available at www.maggiepatterson.com/episode125.
Items Discussed in this Episode:

Lori explains what exactly branding is, one of the most misunderstood aspects in business
When branding is done right, it’s what ultimately drives business to you, the colors are not what matters!
There’s no reason to crowdsource your branding ideas: they may not be your ideal audience and they don’t know your message or have any contextual information
Lori gives advice on being really smart when asking for feedback, it can lower other people’s confidence in your business and turn off if done incorrectly
Hone your skills and do what you do incredibly well and your ‘brand’ will evolve over time
Lori explains why you shouldn’t even do anything visual until you are really clear on your brand, who you are, and what you offer. The process will be much smoother once these pieces are clear
Why is our brand so important to us as a small business?
Being on a constant binge of looking at other people’s businesses may not be helpful: there’s ultimately no one that offers what you do and who you are
Lori shares the biggest branding mistakes most small businesses make and how we can make sure it doesn’t happen to us

Top 3 Takeaways from this Episode:

Do you fully understand your brand image beyond colors/fonts/pretty stuff? Give some thought to how it all fits together including your message, stand and visual brand. Awareness of how this all works in harmony is the key to creating a real customer experience.
Are you guilty of crowdsourcing? Consider the message you’re sending and the validity of the feedback you’re getting.
Watch for branding mistakes that can mess you up like not having a clear idea of what you’re offering- and remember, your brand will evolve over time!

Links for this Episode:
Hello MediaLink to Free Marketing Moxie Facebook Group

MM125: Lori Barron - Brand Coaching for your Small Biz

Marketing Moxie is all about getting down and dirty on all things marketing for entrepreneurs.  Maggie Patterson takes a practical, no holds barred approach to helping you take action.

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PR is something I regularly get asked about, and it’s because
it’s a mystery to most of us as business owners. In this episode,
Jen Berson, founder of Jeneration PR helps demystify some PR basics
for entrepreneurs. Listen in to hear her pro pitching tips and
tricks. Show notes with key points, takeaways, and links for this
episode available at www.maggiepatterson.com/episode131.
Items Discussed in this Episode:

If we’re new to PR, Jen recommends where we should get
started
Jen shares the biggest mistake entrepreneurs tend to make when
doing their own PR
When writing a pitch, you have to read the outlet that you’re
pitching for, don’t just mass pitch
Make sure you follow up on your pitches, it can get lost in the
shuffle of email
Jen shares her advice on how to try and make a human connection
with the person on the other side of your email when you pitch
Success is adding value, treating each relationship like
something you want to add value to will really help them bloom and
may come back to you when the time is right
Jen shares some of the untapped media opportunities that are
out there for entrepreneurs
People are paying a lot of attention to videos right now, Jen
shares some ways you can use this to share your message to a larger
audience and how to do it right
We talk about pitching and the best way to make sure our
pitches are not immediately moved to the trash folder
You may have a great pitch for one outlet that would be totally
wrong for another; make sure you’re reading their articles to align
your message with theirs
Should we send a press release? Jen gives us her position
Crafting targeted pitches or having someone do it for you is
the way to truly get your message and your brand out there

Top 3 Takeaways for this Episode:

Jen shares how to start smaller and then build that into bigger
opportunities, including local media if you’d like bigger TV
appearances.
Do your homework before you pitch. Get to know what they’ve
written about, the topics they cover and more. Then, connect with
them via social media before you pitch.
Keep your pitches short to keep them out of the trash folder,
and get comfy with following up. No answer doesn’t mean no!

Links for this Episode:
Jeneration Entrepreneurs Group on Facebook
Jeneration
PR
Link to Inside Scoop Podcast on iTunes
Link to Free Scoop Insiders Facebook Group

MM131: Jen Berson: Generating PR for Your Business

If there’s a single thing I’ve learned, it’s that the Marketing
Moxie listeners care about growing their business - and doing it in
a way that’s not sleazy or has them selling out. Today I’m doing a
solo show where I level with you about how you’re unlikely to make
ALL the money while working an hour/day or frolicking on the beach.
Show notes with key points and links for this episode available at
www.maggiepatterson.com/episode130.
Items Discussed in this Episode:

When it comes to earning a services based business, your
revenue is one of your burning issues: you need it to grow the way
you want to grow and serve your clients the way you want
There’s a lack of truth telling and a lot of claims out there
about how people are earning the money they are in their
business
I want to level with you: because we are all selling, we lose
touch with being of service and with having a soul
I break down my 3 favorite mistakes, lies and myths with
running a services-based business
You need a proven process and reputation to start earning
passive income: I explain the why and how
The fastest path to cash will always be working with clients;
you have to do the work
Results matter, people need to know you can deliver. Anyone who
tells you that you can earn money in your sleep or from the beach
are not giving you the truth
You can build a successful online business without an email
list, I explain the why and how
The days of ‘follow these 5 steps to cash’ or ‘here’s how to
get to 6 figures’ are over; it is irrelevant and nonsense (maybe
it’s not over, but I’m o-v-e-r it)
If you are running a services-based business for the money, go
get a 9 to 5; the best way to get the results and get paid is by
playing to your strengths and by doing the work

Links for this Episode:
Heart & Hustle FREE Challenge (Starts
4/25)
Inside Scoop Episode 2
Link to Inside Scoop Podcast on iTunes
Link to Free Scoop Insiders Facebook Group

MM130: The Straight Truth on Your Services Business

Do Facebook ads feel like a financial sinkhole? Do you want to throw your laptop out the window because you’re frustrated as all get out? This episode’s guest Kamila Gornia is going to help us get smart and strategic with our ads so you can use them in a way that’s productive and profitable. Show notes with key points, takeaways, and links for this episode available at www.maggiepatterson.com/episode129.
Items Discussed in this Episode:

Kamila shares the number one mistake we tend to make with Facebook ads
When running an ad, you have to make sure it’s in line with your overall goal for your company
There’s a lot of things to have in place before actually running an ad, Kamila breaks it down for us
Kamila shares some of the reasons your ad may not be converting; it’s not just about having the ad
You can have a really high click-through rate, but it’s not actually converting. The goal is to gain clients, not to just have a high click-through rate
If you work with everything together: landing page, ads, your offer, your timing, etc. then you can get to the bottom of what’s working and what’s not
Kamila gives her power tip for getting the most out of our FB ad money
Find something that’s converting really well and use that until it stops working: Kamila explains why this is important
Kamila shares how and when to scale your ad campaign
Holding a webinar and then a launch is no longer enough, you have to have a concrete sequence to get the results you want and ads can help
Kamila explains how and why to not take it personally when things don’t go well with your ads
Kamila shares what the good times to run ads are depending on your business
Kamila shares what we should think about and what we should know before we outsource our FB ad management

[clickToTweet tweet="FB ads making you nuts? Listen to this - @kamilagornia @magspatterson break it all down -" quote="FB ads making you nuts? Listen to this - @kamilagornia @magspatterson break it all down -"]
Top 3 Takeaways from this Episode:

Ads aren’t just about the ads. Get organized with an offer your audience wants and a landing page that converts. It’s easy to think FB ads are a ATM, when they only work if you’ve got everything else handled.
Get ready to experiment. This is not a cookie cutter thing, every campaign, every offer, every business will perform differently. Be okay with failing and tweaking as you go.
Before you decide you’re going to hand off FB ads, get super clear on what’s involved, why you should or shouldn’t do it. Also, remember, costs don’t include your ad budget!

Links for this Episode:
Kamila’s Site
Kamila’s FB Ads Course
Link to Free Scoop Insiders Facebook Group

MM129: Kamila Gornia: Grow Your Email List with Facebook Ads

Have you ever looked at your Facebook page and thought, “what’s the point?”. You’re definitely not alone. In this episode Hibiscus Moon shares how she’s built an active and very engaged following on Facebook with some practical tips you won’t want to miss. Show notes with key points, takeaways, and links from this episode available at www.maggiepatterson.com/episode128.
Items Discussed in this Episode:

Hibiscus explains how she’s built such a great following on FB when it’s become so hard to do so
Treating FB like a conversation by giving personal answers to questions and comments is key
Using FB to sell all the time can turn people off, Hibiscus explains how to avoid this and why
Getting people to treat your page like a community is important, it will get people interacting with each other and show they’re with like-minded people
Hibiscus explains how to make the people on your page feel safe and not abandoned so they keep coming back
FB badges are new and can get you more users, Hibiscus shares how to earn them
How can you use your page to stay connected in a way that’s real and honest and not fake or has too much selling?
Hibiscus shares how often she posts and the basic content of her posts as a guideline
Using scheduled posts mixed in with real time posts is a good policy, Hibiscus shares how this has worked for her
Sharing others’ posts is helpful too, it can gain your page more traction
People want to see real, authentic, behind the scenes posts about what’s really going on
Hibiscus shares her favorite thing about Facebook and why we should invest the time in our FB page
Don’t find your favorite platform and then your audience, find your audience where they are hanging out and put the time in there

Top 3 Takeaways from this Episode:

Are you making your Facebook page conversational or are you just publishing and pushing your message? Look at how you can make it more engaging and create a real conversation so people come back for more.
Hibiscus posts multiple times per day with different types of content. So if you’re publishing twice a week and then wondering why you’re not hitting the mark, that may be the reason why.
One thing that knocked my socks off about Hibiscus’ team is that they try to reply and engage with their tribe so they feel like it’s a safe place and they’re heard. What can you do to create this type of connection on your page?

Links for this Episode:
Hibiscus’ Site
Free Gift from Hibiscus
Hibiscus on Facebook
Link to Free Scoop Insiders Facebook Group

MM128: Hibiscus Moon: Building a Vibrant Tribe on Facebook

Fasten your seatbelts friends. If you’ve been craving a dose of straight talk about what’s really happening in the online business world, coach Vasavi Kumar is serving it up today. And warning, she tells it like it is, and with no shortage of colorful language. (NSFW if you’ve got a 9 to 5, and this one is not friendly for those who cringe at an f-bomb, because they will be dropped!) Show notes with key points, takeaways, and links for this episode available at www.maggiepatterson.com/episode127.
Items Discussed in this Episode:

Vasavi shares the number one BS thing we are doing as female business owners and why we need to cut it out right now
As women, we are taught not to hustle or work too hard, but we should pride ourselves on being a beast in our business
We live in a society where we want what we want right now, but we don’t want to do the work it takes to get there
There is really no such thing as an overnight success, Vasavi shares how her business has been a 24/7 project for years and that’s why she got where she is
Vasavi shares where she has said ‘no’ to potential clients and why taking someone that’s not a good fit for you on is detrimental to your business
We are constantly looking to buy courses and coaches but not implement half of what we’re learning
Vasavi shares her parents’ immigration story and how it has impacted her way of doing business and hustling
How can we be smart and not fall into the false marketing tactics and be authentic in our business? Vasavi gives us her advice
Vasavi shares the craziest thing she sees happening online with female business owners and what we can do to stop it
Stop trying to be the mini version of someone else, be yourself
Most people are running a services based business, that doesn’t have to be a dirty secret, offering 1:1 services is what most of us are doing and that’s ok
If the only goal you have is a money goal, you may end up going back to the drawing board. Money should be an external motivator. Vasavi explains

Top 3 Takeaways from this Episode:

Sometimes you just gotta hustle and grace isn’t going to happen. That’s totally okay, don’t apologize for committing to making it happen.
The time honored advice of be yourself is always a good place to start. Show up and do you. Don’t be a cheap imitation.
If it’s all about the money, you’re going to run out of steam. You need to have other goals beyond making bank or you’ll lose your soul (and maybe your sanity) in the process.

Links for this Episode:
Vasavi’s site
Rent Vasavi’s Brain
Link to Free Scoop Insiders Facebook Group

MM125: Lori Barron - Brand Coaching for your Small Biz

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