Power Your Platform

Today's episode marks Remembrance Day. 

Like many of you, I have family members who have served in the military, and so I thought I’d share this story today as a reminder of the sacrifices that were made – and continue to be made -- for our rights and freedoms. 

My mom actually sent me this story and I noticed it was marked “True Story” at the top which frankly these days, you can never be sure of. But I did some digging and in fact, it is a true story. So I thought I’d share it with you here today. 

It involves a high school teacher named Martha Cothren who wanted to teach her students an important lesson on the first day of the school year. 

So on the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, Martha removed all of the desks out of her classroom. 

When the first period students entered the room they discovered that there were no desks. 

'Ms. Cothren, where're our desks?' the students asked. 

She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.' 

They thought about it and finally someone said, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.' 

'No,' she said. 

'Maybe it's our behavior.' 

She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.' 

And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, the third period. Still no desks in the classroom. 

By early afternoon TV news crews had started gathering at the school to report on the teacher who had taken all the desks out of her classroom. 

The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the deskless classroom, Martha said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what they have done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.' 

At this point, Martha went over to the door of her classroom and opened it. Twenty-seven (27) War Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Veterans began placing the school desks in rows, and then they walked over and stood along the wall. 

By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place, the students began to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned. 

Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.' 

Thanks, Martha – what a great reminder.  And thank you to all the current members of the military and veterans who have fought for our rights and freedoms.  

We remember.

Welcome to an eye-opening interview with a young woman who found her way into the Guinness Book of World Records when she was only 5 months old.   

My guest on the podcast today is Sarah Marshall, a 24-year-old miracle. She was born prematurely on Valentine’s Day 1997. When she was born, Sarah’s doctors discovered she had a rare genetic condition which led to her spending the first five months of her life at SickKids Hospital in Toronto.  

The side effects of her condition led Sarah to undergo a stomach, pancreas, liver and bowel transplant, making her the first pediatric multi-organ transplant recipient in Canada, and the youngest in the world. 

Today, Sarah is an organ donor advocate and an amazing young woman.  Hers is a story of hope, and I know it will move you today to take a second look at your own story.   

In this episode, Sarah and I talk about the power of a story to bring people together and how we can put our own story down on paper and what it takes to share them with others.   

Here are my Top 10 Takeaways from today’s interview:   

1. We need to live every day as if it’s a gift – because it is.   

2. Our story grows with us as we get older.   

3. We’re connected to each other through our stories.   

4. We all need community; if you can’t find one, start one.   

5. When writing your story down, start with the basics.   

6. Know the reason why you’re sharing your story so you know how to end it.   

7. Always include a call-to-action in your messaging when you’re trying to effect change.   

8. Consider your audience and shape your message as needed to fit each unique group.   

9. Use your own emotional intelligence when it comes to reading a room and finetuning your message.   

10. And finally, Be brave enough to talk about hard things with those you love.   

EPISODE LINKS:  

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

PowerHER Platform web site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/

Subscribe to our Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

Be a Donor - https://beadonor.ca/   

Trillium Gift of Life Network - https://www.giftoflife.on.ca/en/   UHN - https://www.uhn.ca/

Today, I share a conversation with a talented young woman who has taken her gifts and passions and is helping to amplify the voices of speakers and storytellers everywhere in her own unique way.  

Laura Hanek is an illustrator and graphic recorder who launched her own business called Swoop Media in 2018.  Using graphic recording, design and illustration, Laura helps her clients work through problem-solving and structuring information in a way that's easier for everyone to understand.  

Laura is a military spouse who was looking for a business she could take on the road with her. A self-described “nerdy rebel”, she loves curling, green tea and knows a shocking amount about poultry for someone with an applied arts degree. She splits her time between keeping her kittens from destroying her office and bringing her chickens on Zoom calls with her at everyone’s request. 

Here are my Top 10 Takeaways from today’s interview:  

1. Always believe in yourself and your dreams.  

2. Be willing to try new things and stay open to new opportunities.  

3. Be a sponge and learn all you can when you discover something you love to do.  

4. Combine your passions together when creating your own life path.  

5. Look for new ways to excite and engage your audience. 

6. What we love to do as children tells us a lot about who we are.  

7. The human brain responds differently to visual communication.  

8. Infographics help us understand complex subject matter.  

9. Surround yourself with other women who inspire you.  

10. Flexibility and variety are two upsides of being your own boss.  

EPISODE LINKS: 

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

PowerHER Platform web site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/

Subscribe to our Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

Swoop Media - https://www.swoopmedia.ca/

Today I’m going to share with you my very own recipe for a Story Smore. And by the end of this episode I hope you’ll pick up some sweet tips for creating a delicious connection with your audience that keeps them hungry and coming back for smore.  Are you ready for today’s episode? Sweet! Let’s get cooking!  

Not many people know this, but the recipe for smores cookie sandwiches has actually been around since the 1920s. And here’s a fun fact: the first smores recipe actually appeared in a girl scout’s guide called Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts. But back then the treat was actually known as Graham Cracker Sandwiches.  

In case you’ve never heard of a smore, by the way, let me explain the preparation and cooking process. I promise it will only take 60 seconds.  

First, you take two graham crackers and in between you slide a layer of chocolate – my favourite is Aero or Hershey, but it doesn’t really matter. 

Next, you want to toast a marshmallow over an open campfire if possible or if not, you can do the cooking in a microwave. 

Once your marshmallow is toasted, you want to smush together the graham cracker, chocolate and marshmallow combo – by the way, I’m pretty sure “smushing” is the technical term in case you’d like to look it up.  

And then – ahhhh, the sweet taste of that glorious mess of goodness. There’s nothing quite like it!  

But let’s break down this recipe further for today’s Story Smore Cooking Lesson.  

Now, the purpose of a Story Smore is to make your content so delicious and so worthwhile that your audience keeps coming back again and again. So how do we do that?  First, let’s consider the three ingredients of a traditional smore: graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate. That’s it, just three components. So you’ve gotta love the simplicity.  

Today, we’re going to use each of the three smore ingredients to represent a different technique for creating a message that melts in your audience’s mouth and keeps you top-of-mind.  

Here they are: 

Graham Cracker #1: Start with a message hook that draws your audience in to your story.  

Melted Chocolate: Sweeten the deal by offering your audience a value statement addressing their key pain point(s).  

Toasted Marshmallow: Create a sticky message they can remember and that they can take with them.  

Graham Cracker #2: Finish off with a clear call-to-action that answers the question “What next?”  

Remember, when it comes to your brand message, keep it simple, sweet and sticky. Happy story snacking!

EPISODE LINKS:

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

PowerHER Platform web site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/

Subscribe to our Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

Can you believe Halloween is almost here again? It amazes me how fast the  time flies!  So that’s why I wanted to pop on here to let you know an amazing offer that’s going up in smoke at midnight on October 31st. Scary, right?  

But don’t worry – I’m about to give you some fang-tastic news... so hang around and I’ll be right back. 

 Many of you already know that I’m hosting a 3-Part Power Your Platform Masterclass series for women starting on November 19, 2021.  

It’s actually three separate online training sessions that we’ll be doing as a small group on Friday mornings on Nov. 19th, Nov. 26th and Dec. 3rd. Those are three Fridays in a row.  

So inside each of these training sessions, we’ll be going deep on owning your story, finding your focus and nabbing your niche.  

Because I really do believe those are the three key ingredients to building a brand that makes an impact.  

And we’ve talked a lot about branding on this podcast so far – but the truth is that when you’re in a Masterclass like this one, where you’re able to ask questions and get answers along with helpful feedback from other women just like you, then it’s helps move your idea along so much quicker and it allow you to overcome the challenges you’ve been struggling with on your own.  

So besides providing the 3 online Masterclass sessions, I’m also including two private coaching sessions to make sure you’re getting the most out of your learning experience.  

Even through each of Masterclass sessions last for 2 hours, they’re highly interactive and engaging, and include everything from co-working to brainstorming as well as hands-on teaching and group discussion.  

So here’s a special BOONUS – that’s bonus with a Halloween twist: If you sign up by midnight on October 31st for the 3-part Masterclass series which includes your two private coaching sessions, you’ll also receive a free workbook that captures all the high points of the training as well as all the exercises and activities laid out for you graphically.  The scary part is that you only have until midnight on October 31st to get this special bonus power pack.  

So be sure to sign up now at this link.  

And of course, I’m happy to answer any questions you might have about what will be in the Masterclass and how it can help transform your idea or take your existing business to the next level.  Why not treat yourself this Halloween and be sure to signup by midnight on October 31st to get your free Masterclass power pack.  

And hey, why not tell a friend? The Power Your Platform Masterclass for women will be a small group coaching program, but we still have room for more.  So no more witchful thinking, Story Sister. It’s time for action. Visit powerherplatform.com/masterclass today and I look forward to connecting with you soon.  Happy Halloween!

Well, it’s sweata weatha! Do you know what sweata weatha is? If not, stick around because today we’re talking about layering up for the cooler days ahead – and how our storytelling needs to layer up too in order to warm up our audience!  

Because let’s be honest: if there’s one thing Canadians know about, it’s how to layer up for the weather. But for me, the idea of layering doesn’t stop with fall fashion.  I actually find there’s a ton of valuable in applying the concept of layering to storytelling and brand building. And I’ve even got a fun acronym that I use. Quite appropriately, it’s HEAT. And it’s all about moving your brand audience from cold contact to warm lead and finally to hot prospect for your paid product or service.  

Let’s take a look at each stage of the HEAT Process: 

H- Hook Your Audience. The idea of hooking an audience today is less about spectacle and more about specialization. Today, the most effective way to hook your audience is to know your audience and what makes them tick. Knowing your audience helps you decide which language to use, which images create impact and which pain points they want solved.  

E - Earn Their Trust. Because it’s not enough to hook your audience – you need to have something of value to offer them when they show up – whether that’s in your social media feed or on your purpose-driven platform of choice or in your paid course, Mastermind or one-on-one coaching session. When you show your audience you’ve taken the time to thoughtfully prepare the ideal solution that addresses their unique pain point, it demonstrates you’re someone who can be trusted – why? Because you’ve taken the time to get to know them. You recognize the challenge they’re facing. And you’re holding onto a valuable solution that can help them save time, money, effort or all three. P.S. Be sure to show up consistently for your audience, since consistency helps to build trust.  

A – Address Their Objections. This is a big one when it comes to warming up your audience. A lot of people miss this step and head straight into making their offer once they’ve hooked their audience and earned their trust. But the fact is that most people have a lot of doubts and objections that need to be addressed before they’re going to take the final step and spend their hard-earned money on your offer. So this step includes first anticipating what doubts or fears are lingering in your audience’s mind and addressing them openly. If you truly understand your audience because you’ve walked a mile in their shoes, then you likely already know what their objections are. Because at some point, they were likely YOUR objections.  

T – Tell Them How You Can Help. Believe it or not, a lot of business owners do the first three steps, but never make the ask in the end. And of course, it’s impossible convert your audience into paying customers if you never actually make your offer. So it’s important to remember that once you Hook your Audience and Earn their Trust and Address Their Objections that you Tell them how your solution can help them overcome their unique pain point. The key here is to be clear about what you offer and how they can learn more from you. You want to have a link ready that they can click to contact you, and ideally an easy way to transfer funds once they know the cost of your goods or service.  

As you move through these four phases, you’ll create a multi-layered brand story that guides your audience along a customer journey that transforms them from stranger to loyal fan.  

And if that doesn’t make you feel warm and fuzzy, I don’t know what will!

EPISODE LINKS:

Web site 

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

In today’s episode, I’m pulling up a chair to the dining room table with two ambitious and talented sisters who have built a national brand that’s fueled by family and tradition.   

Paula and Victoria Watts are co-founders of Pasta Tavola a food company based in the Bay of Quinte region.  

Since starting their business in 2010, Paula and Victoria have evolved from selling fresh pastas and sauces at local farmers’ markets and then in their own retail store, to establishing a 3,500 sq foot manufacturing facility and taking their brand national in 2020.   

In this interview, we discuss the story that’s the foundation for the Pasta Tavola brand, along with what it takes to launch and grow a business that flourishes, even in the midst of a global pandemic.  

Hungry for more? Here are my Top 10 Takeaways from today’s interview:   

1. Be brave and believe you can do hard things.   

2. Compromise is an important part of any successful partnership.   

3. Build a brand that’s flavoured with authenticity.   

4. Identify the core values of your brand, because they will become your foundation.   

5. Be thoughtful and intentional when crafting your brand identity.   

6. Take pride in the customer experience you deliver.    

7. Commit to continuous learning.   

8. Resilience is at the heart of any long-lasting brand.   

9. Surround yourself with people who raise you up.   

10. Always be innovating. Thanks so much for listening in to today!   

To learn more about Pasta Tavola, visit https://pastatavola.ca/ today!  

If you enjoyed today’s episode, be sure to follow, rate and review Power Your Platform on Apple Podcasts – and thanks to every one of you who have been sharing this podcast with your friends and colleagues. We truly appreciate it!   

EPISODE LINKS: 

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807 

PowerHER Platform web site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/ 

Subscribe to our Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe 

Pasta Tavola - https://pastatavola.ca/

Today we’re talking about the ways you can repurpose your platform by squeezing all the goodness out of each segment so you’re able to add delicious flavour to everything that you do.  

So as we get started today, I want you to imagine I’m holding a juicy orange. Because the orange I’m holding right now is the inspiration for today’s episode.  I want you to think of this orange as your purpose-driven platform. 

Now remember, back in Episode 12, we talked about the 3 platforms I would suggest choosing from when you’re building your brand. Because what you’re looking for in a platform is that it’s free, shareable, public, has a long shelf life and permits long-form content.  

So really there are only three platforms that allow us to do all five of those things as creators and business owners. Those platforms are podcasts, blogs and YouTube channels. And if you want to figure out which of the three is the best fit for you, then circle back to Episode 12 and you can find out for yourself.  

Once you’ve decided on which platform will be your focus, that platform becomes the source of all the content you need for your visibility tools which include things like your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat or whichever visibility tool you like to use.  Remember there’s a difference between your main platform where you spend 80% of your work time, and your visibility tools whose job is to point your audience in the direction of your free or paid offer.  

So the cool thing about podcasts, blogs and YouTube channels is that they’re already neatly divided into segments. Just like the orange I’m holding. For podcasts and YouTube channels those segments are called episodes and for blogs those segments care called posts. And of course, the number of segments is completely dependent on the creator.  

What’s really useful about thinking about your platform in segments is that it provides multiple opportunities per episode or post to repurpose the content for your visibility tools. A lot of my clients struggle with getting stuck on where to find great, new content to share across their social media. And this idea of repurposing the segments of your core platform is actually the solution to that problem.  

And here’s why: a single segment of your platform can be broken down multiple ways to provide interesting content for your audience to chew on. And it all leads back to your main platform.  

A few of the ways you can repurpose your main platform content includes: quotes, social graphics, polls, lists, tips, blog posts and guest profiles. And remember, if you’re using Zoom, you can repurpose the audio AND the video content on two separate platforms if you want to.  The beauty of repurposing is that you’re taking the same original content that you produce one time, and you’re using it over and over for maximum reach and effect. 

And the way you do that is by finding the little bits and pieces you can peel away from your main segment and scattering those throughout your social media content to get the most out of your time and streamline your day. And remember, every piece of content shared through my visibility tools pointed back to my podcast. Because that’s where I want people to spend their time and learn more about my free and paid services.  

P.S. Check out our free Power Your Platform Facebook group here!

Hey there, Story Sister!  In today’s episode, I’m going to dig deeper into the idea of story traction which we first began exploring in Episode 8.  

So over the next few minutes, I want to expand on the ideas from that episode by specifically offering you 3 tips for getting better story traction on social media.  

Being on social media these days can be a real roller coaster ride. Just when we feel we’re on an upward climb, platforms like Instagram, Facebook or even TikTok seem to change things up. And before we know it, we’re plummeting downhill once again. It’s almost enough to make you want to give up entirely. And many people do.  

But in my experience, there are a few simple tricks to getting traction when it comes to your social media stories.  So I’d love to offer you three of those tips today.  There are actually 5 tips altogether, so if you want the final two, you need to head over to our Power Your Platform Facebook group after the show and you’ll find all 5 tips shared there.  

For now, let’s dig into the first 3.  

Tip #1 - Get to the Point Quicker. I don’t know about you, but most social media captions these days lose me after the first two sentences. And the reason is simple. I want to know: is this post for me and if so, what’s it about? But unfortunately, most social media stories I come across never quite get to the point. Or the point is made so far down in the post that I never actually get there. I give up way before I find out what it’s all about because I just don’t have the time.  And I know I’m not alone. People want to know if the news story is relevant to them and what the big news is up front. In other words, what’s it in it for me? So we need to hook people right off the top with a great headline or opening question or key phrase. And once we have their attention, we need to pull them into the rest of the post by showing how it’s relevant and meaningful to their life.  

Tip #2 - Tell Them Their Next Step.  Have you ever read a story that left you wanting to take action, but you didn’t know exactly what to do next? In other words, there was no clear call to action. Calls to action are absolutely necessary if you’re going to create engagement and action with your social media activities. Too many companies tell great stories and use fabulous images or even video – but when it comes to providing a call to action, the experience falls flat.  Remember, clarity is Queen when it comes to communicating with your ideal customers and getting them to take action on your posts.  

Tip #3 – Offer More Free Value.  So why is offering free value so important when it comes to our social media stories? Well, people have over a billion Instagram accounts that they could choose to follow. So let me ask you this: why should they follow yours? What value do you offer your followers that they can’t find anywhere else? What are the small wins you’re able to get for your audience before they spend a dime with you? Have your customers ever felt like you served them before you sold to them? By offering people free value, you’re giving them a sampling of what it’s like to work with you. Look for ways to surprise and delight your audience!  

To learn my last two tips for getting traction on social media, head over to our Power Your Platform Facebook group – I hope to see you there!

EPISODE LINKS:

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

PowerHER Platform

Story Fuel Newsletter 

Hey there, Story Sister! Have I got some exciting news for YOU! Starting on Friday, November 19, 2021, I’ll be hosting a 3-part “Power Your Platform” Masterclass that’s designed to move you from idea to implementation. Not only does this Masterclass include 3 small group sessions for women only, but I’m also including two BONUS one-on-one coaching sessions to help you get your idea off the ground. In total, that’s 8 powerful hours invested in yourself and your idea to help you end 2021 with a flourish! Because who doesn’t want to finish of the year strong, am I right? 

The “Power Your Platform” Master Class is designed for women like you who know they want to make an impact, but are struggling to shape their story into a clear message and paid offer. 

That’s where my 3-part Masterclass comes in. For three Friday mornings in a row, I’ll help you connect the dots of your own story, find your focus and nab your niche to help you create pathway that leads from passion to profit. 

The 3-part “Power Your Platform” Masterclass kicks off on Friday, November 19thth at 10 a.m. EST and includes a powerful combination of coaching and community. Over the past 20 years, I’ve worked with hundreds of women leaders, speakers and entrepreneurs to help them find their focus, get clear on their message and lay the groundwork to launch their idea into the universe. And now it’s your turn. This Masterclass is a great fit for you if you feel like you’ve been spinning your wheels, but you can’t seem to get any traction. I know how frustrating it can be to want to add value to the world and spend your days doing what you love. 

But somehow the days turn into weeks and the weeks turn into months and before you know it – here we are, at the end of another year. But think about it: by dedicating just three Friday mornings at the end of 2021, you can position yourself to launch into a brand new year with purpose and possibility. 

The cost of the 3-Part “Power Your Platform” Masterclass and one-on-one coaching sessions is only $297 per person. That’s less than $40 an hour. And in case you hadn’t guessed, YES there is definitely a limited number of spaces available. 

But that’s not all: if you register by Monday, November 1st at midnight, you’ll also receive a free workbook providing you with the full content for all three Masterclass sessions to help you get the most out of your experience. If you’ve been waiting all YEAR to make your move, then this is your moment. 

To learn more or claim your spot now in the Power Your Platform Masterclass, click here!