The Conscious Marketer

Conscious marketers believe in providing value in all aspects of their work. Overdelivering is a part of the conscious marketer ethos. On this episode Richard and Kylie are joined by Brian Kurtz, the author of Overdeliver: Build a Business for a Lifetime Playing the Long Game in Direct Response Marketing to talk about what overdelivering means, and how to do it.

As a business-to-consumer marketer Brian has been responsible for 2 billion dollars worth of product sales. He considers himself a serial direct marketer with a foundation in the “eternal truths” of direct response marketing.

Hear how “paying for the stamp” helped Brian understand the power of storytelling. As he explains, in direct mail you can’t do double mailings and follow-up campaigns. Therefore, you have to make sure the story is powerful and compelling to make the sale and be profitable.

“An eternal marketing truth: believe your numbers. Hear how he breaks down why statistics and testing matters. To see if your story is connecting with your audience, implement testing so you can accurately understand how it’s impacting your market.

Richard and Brian break down mission driven marketing. Marketing is relative to who you are, your brand and how you want to show up. When he knows he can help transform someone’s life, Brian explains how compelled he is to reach more people. Why settle for helping hundreds if you can reach millions? Find out how “saving lives” is a good place to start!

Don’t like marketing? See this part of your work in a new perspective. Hint: how can you share the mission and vision to the marketing team who can put your story and your words into marketing that aligns with you?

Overdelivering means having a mindset that you will give 100% with no expectation of a return. Brian’s approach to reciprocation is not what most online marketers describe, it’s better. You’ll appreciate the wisdom and generosity of this approach from his lifetime of giving value.

Check out the resources and Brian’s book with all the amazing bonuses and find out how overdelivering can work for you.

Resources:

Breakthrough Advertising

Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success

Brian’s book: Overdeliver

Richard and Kylie are talking launches and who better?

Listen to find out how to get ideas out to the world without spending a lot of money and time with the seed-launch formula.

Carpe diem, Latin for “seize the day” comes from one of Richard’s favorite movies Dead Poets Society. In an early scene the profession (Robin Williams) takes his class of boys to see the notable men who preceded them. He points to them and explains that they are dead and gone, no longer worrying about asking a girl out etc.

All of us only have today. You have your gifts to share, and you know what your mission is. That’s a great place to start. It’s never going to be the perfect time with the perfect logo and the best technology etc. Plan your launch and go for it.

This method is also a great way to reduce risk. There is less financial risk, less time risk and less reputational risk. It’s also one of the best ways to find out if your offer works.

Put the offer into the market, sell it and then deliver live trainings. You don’t even need to have the entire program completed! Put your outline together and be prepared for week one and launch.

Kylie shares how she filled a copywriting course with an email, a Facebook post and a pdf with a link to pay. That’s all. Her success formula:

• She had a group of people she’d connected with by sharing over time
• A recognized a need – copywriting training and support
• An offer that provided what her audience wanted, Kylie’s feedback on their writing

How can you use this same formula?

Your clients want the result. They aren’t looking for a fancy name (or as Kylie’s friend Travis says – fancy schmancy) and slick design. They want help, results, and transformation. You don’t need to dazzle with design to do that.

Another bonus: every time you launch you learn something. Things change, new opportunities come up and others go away. Be clear what the offer is, what the transformation is and get it out there.

You can keep it simple by understanding what your people are going through. Demonstrate empathy with your content and offer. It’s also okay to reframe your offer in multiple ways. Kylie shares a relevant story around how they did that for a client when the pandemic began.

 Always be offering. Richard touches on how your audience will want to hire you or buy from you on their timeline. When you launch and share offers even those who don’t buy (today) still notice you and your work. They begin to see you as an expert and a leader. That’s key to building the trust that Kylie mentions as a key component to her success without a huge list or large social media following.

Why Richard and Kylie recommend the seed-launch formula:

• We don’t know how much time we have or how the market may change. Take that as permission to launch right away.
  
  
• Never give up. Use the data from your launch to revise, reframe and try again.
  
  
• You get better as you go. There really is nothing more helpful than experience.
  
  
• Serve more people. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, so make your impact and launch even if things don’t feel perfect.

Be clear what the offer is, what the transformation is and get it out there. Richard Taubinger

Audience trust is your greatest asset. Kylie Slavik

Stories sell. Want to know why it’s so powerful? Today Richard and Kylie talk to copywriting genius Adil Amarsi. From 2008 to 2020, his copy helped his clients make over $700 million (that’s $700,000,000.00) in confirmed sales.

He’s worked in a variety of niches and brands. His approach is story-based, and he specializes in understanding (and telling) the client’s core story.

Here’s a short version of his process:

1. Why did you start doing what you are doing?
   
   
2. What is a place in life that you’ve left behind that you can’t go back to?
   
   
3. That is the place to start your story. (See the free resource link below to get the full formula)

Adil explains a great example of working with a client who didn’t think she had a story anyone would want to hear. This is something Richard and Kylie experience all the time with the healers and heart-centered entrepreneurs they work with.

Hear how he helped her identify her story (it’s powerful) and how she discovered the direct connection it has to the work she’s doing today.

What is your origin story?

Where do you come from? Think about your favorite movie or TV show. It’s something you’ve enjoyed even if you didn’t call it that. What is so much a part of you that it’s always been there? That’s a great place to start!

Would your clients be able to tell your origin story?

There are 7 basic plots. Using these formulas can help you tell your story. Sharing your journey is the story. Adil shares how you can develop over 1000 stories based on one life experience!

Richard shares a client story and asks Adil how to tell parts of her story that are painful so the energy remains positive. Adil breaks down how you can take a story of trauma and tell it in a positive, inspirational way.

This is an example of how we can take our message and share it with empathy and integrity as part of our marketing.

Next, they discuss the resources you can get to help you improve your copywriting and storytelling skills. Be sure to listen for the full list. You will also hear the strategies for people with a budget of $100. $1500 and $10,000.

Be prepared to take notes because you’ll hear the exact steps to take to create your own core story. (This is incredibly helpful!)

Kick Ass Secrets of a Marketing Rebel

The Copywriters Room

Story Marketing Method

The Power of Conscious Marketing

Winning the Story Wars

The last 5 minutes are must-listen (and you’ll want to bookmark this!) so you can hear it any day you need a quick infusion of happiness!

Get Adil’s Free Storyselling Matrix

Richard and Kylie discuss perfectionism. The pursuit of perfectionism can stop people before they start. The desire to be perfect, on the face of things, feels like a positive. Doing good work is important.

Doing it well is too, which is why many people stop themselves by feeling that things are never good enough. Richard and team see this often, so today they break down the perfectionism cure.

80% of highly creative people are perfectionists (or have perfectionist tendencies) which is more than double the population in general which is 30%.

Kylie shares from her personal experience that helped her understand the power of “good enough”. She wrote her first Facebook ad in a few minutes and put it up to see what would happen.

It was a huge success, yielding over 2.5 million in sales by the end of the campaign. She explains “what I started to realize is that I could guess, and I could win.”

Every time you launch, you learn what works, and you get the chance to improve from there.  As you progress, your launches get better, your results improve.  Richard explains that if you can’t get version one launched because it’s not perfect then you’ll never get feedback and experience to launch an improved version two.

Solution: hear how the seed launch concept can help you avoid your perfectionist tendencies. This is a great way to take faster action. Start serving, focus on the work and pay attention to what your audience responds to.

Perfectionism convenient truths:

1. Focus on the headlines. It’s what most people read so make sure they are great. (The statistic on this is eye-opening!)
   
   
2. The energy in the copy or the video matters. Focus on how you can serve and create results.
   
   
3. Conviction matters! When you know you can get your clients the results they need, it will trump (almost) everything else.

Action matters.

Kylie and Richard explain how a small beta type program can help you get started.

You can only learn in the actual implementation and the doing. Kylie explains that planning and strategy have their place, but you won’t know what works until you implement. Hear how Conscious Marketer focuses on improvements mid-launch as they learn what’s working.

If you’re finding yourself getting stuck, commit to a launch date and share it with your team and your email list. Create momentum by holding yourself accountable to the people you want to serve.

Avoid comparing yourself to others. Instead, put your attention on how you serve others. You’ll get better, and you’ll be making an impact at the same time.  

Resource:    

Good to Great by Jim Collins

Today Richard and Kylie are talking with Tiffany Scott. Tiffany is a powerful, get-things-done person who also cares about others, so it’s no surprise that she’s talking about community.

Tiffany is a branding expert who has helped businesses across the globe for over 15 years in the lifestyle, personal development, fashion, and sporting arena. From her home country Australia, she’s worked with internationally known brands such as Speedo.

Now residing in Austin, Texas, Tiffany is the founder of YouMeShe Collective and helps purpose driven entrepreneurs and business owners who want to live a life with impact to create In-Demand brands.

What are the building blocks of a brand?

It starts with inner work. Tiffany shares her “mind mirror” method. No surprise to the Conscious Marketer group, it starts with values.

• What do you value about the work that you do?
• How do your values inform your vision, mission, services, and the people you connect with?
• Start with an inner inquiry. Be willing to get granular about why you do what you do.

From there you can build your framework. This process allows you to have more experiential control. Think of the framework as your foundation, the never-changing parts of what you stand for.

“Stop marketing and focus on building communities instead.”

Tiffany explains that building community came from personal experience. When she lived in LA, the typical networking experience didn’t work for her.

She started a group to discuss branding and of course, her story was a key part of what attracted people. It was clear that something great was happening.

The people beginning to gather together felt valued and seen. They were bringing their friends. They were showing up for the community, the connections, the growing friendships.

One of Tiffany’s personal stories relates to “how do I help people find themselves?” This is personal because she’d been in a marriage that looked perfect from the outside. People didn’t understand why she left.

She chose herself, and while it was the right thing for her to do, it’s still something she considers the hardest thing she’s done in her life.

How do you share your story?

You must be willing as a conscious marketer to share your truth. You also have to be honest, and willing to lean into the people who get you because there will always be people who don’t.

Like the Conscious Marketer team, Tiffany is looking to change the marketing game. If you are trying to get something out there, her advice: be authentic. Tiffany shares an example that helps her stay authentic. (This is so helpful.)

• What would make you feel like you’re sharing your voice in this moment?
• How can you practice that in a real way?
• Start with the little things that can lead to bigger impact.

You’ll hear how she’s made this part of her daily focus. When we are sharing our truth, it gives others the permission to do the same.

Connect with Tiffany:

You Me She Collective

Movement Makers

A Black Girl A White Girl Instagram

Garrett Adkins joins the podcast today to talk about how creatives can increase impact and income. He’s the founder of Impact Agency, based in his home state of West Virginia.

He shares that a primary goal is to uncover what makes brands special self-development and ecommerce. “We are dedicated to helping businesses spread their unique stories and opportunities to the billions who are plugged in online.” The agency focuses on businesses in the environmentalism, self-development and ecommerce segments.

Community has always been important to Garrett. He shares a strategy that anyone can implement today to grow a community of others who can help you reach more people. Be open to co-creating and unique partnerships to expand your reach.

What is a hook (sometimes called hook points) and how do you create them?

In today’s marketing world, it’s critical that you get the attention of your audience. Often, you only have a few seconds to engage with your target audience.

Here are a few ways to create a hook:

• Focus on something specific (use a statistic, or bold fact)
• Meet them where they are to make an emotional impact
• Make it personal
• Frame it in a positive way (make the audience feel like they can win)

Garrett shares several examples of hooks and stories that have worked well.

One of the is the True Earth Laundry Eco-Strips

“Eliminate one billion plastic jugs (you read that right!), saving 700 million from going to landfills.”

Ecommerce brands are part of the agency’s focus. Garrett shares the process they use with clients to help them tell their story. This is something you can do too. Test with social media to find what entices people to “stop the scroll” and then implement paid media when you know what’s working.

What’s working now:

• User generated content (think selfie style videos)
• Share the values as part of the story (inform and educate)
• Develop text over video focused on who the brand is (the story behind the story)

Value your story. This is not just feel-good advice. It’s key to helping others connect with you, your brand and your products or services. Hear how Garrett and Richard discuss the way this can show up in campaigns.

How can we reach more people?

Garrett breaks down some of the strategies that they use. Understanding how to leverage connections is one piece. Another is using paid marketing when you have identified a message that’s working.

Don’t underestimate the 1000 true fans! They will help create the wave to help you reach more people.

Virality isn’t always the answer. Getting 5-7 people who believe what you believe can help you create a ripple of engagement.

The story, the business structure and doing good work have to be solid. Millions of followers won’t translate to revenue if the other parts of your business aren’t prepared.

How can we have fun with it?

Wrapping up Richard and Garrett talk about why doing work you love is so important. They also talk about the future of marketing. Kylie reminds us that good messaging is always going to win the day. Making deeper connections will continue to be the standard brands of all types are looking to create.

Connect with Garrett:

Impact Agency Website 

Resources Mentioned:

1000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly

 Hook Point: How to Stand Out in a 3-Second World

Winning the Story Wars: Why Those Who Tell (and Live) the Best Stories Will Rule the Future

Conscious marketers are invested in making an impact. The transformation space is about helping people discover their purpose and passions. Today’s guest is Eiji Morishita, Chief Movement Maker who is great at both.

He shares strategies and best practices to start, grow and lead a movement. He considers it the absolute best marketing strategy for businesses looking to make an impact.

How can you create a movement?

A movement must come from an inspired place. It starts with a vision and needs to be greater than what you can do on your own. Others will want to help when they see how they can fit into the bigger plan.

Tip: Follow the feeling. Fear will show up. Eiji shares that’s when you know you have something to learn. Keep moving forward.

Take action until you get a sign to stop. Inspired action is the beginning. Obstacles will arise. It’s important to continue to move forward. When you take the next step solutions show up with a dose of support from the Universe.

Eiji explains how this has worked for him in a project that went from giving out free hugs to building schools with recycled materials. The incredible impact that followed wasn’t part of the original inspired plan. He shares how it was exactly the path required, in an unpredictable and unexpected way.

Tip: Be fast, be fluid, be flexible. “It’s in the adjustments that gets results.”

Why is a movement such a great strategy?

Morishita defines movement as: an active community that takes action. When a person in the community takes the values and vison as their own.

3 Trends that support a movement.

1. The rise of activism. Get people motivated to take action.
2. Conscious consumerism. People are voting with their dollars.
3. The reputation economy matters. We trust each other more than advertisers.

The three phases of growth:

• Ideation and monetization. Lead ourselves.
  This is where you find out what works. What will people pay for? Can you find investors or begin to build a community?
  
  
• Lead others.

Once you know what works, build teams, and put systems in place.

• Lead leaders.

Receive a return on your investment financially and/or create a ripple of impact.

Movement makers without martyrdom is sustainable. In the past people with a mission often felt that it couldn’t be profitable, or it had to come at the expense of family life. When you use the 3 phases, it’s sustainable because it’s profitable as well as making an impact.

Find your first follower.

It starts with a few people. Empower them to take the idea and spread it with you and beyond you. When you have a shared vision, collaboration allows ideas to spread.

Who am I to start and/or lead a movement?

If you have a vision the best way to start is taking step one. Connect with like-minded people (subscribe to this podcast for continued support) and find an environment where you can thrive.

The best time to begin? Today. If you aren’t ready to start your own, join a movement! Find out how you can help while you learn how to create your own.

Connect with Eiji:

Movement Makers Website

Movement Maker Quiz

Today, Richard and Kylie talk to another one of their favorite people, Sibyl Chavis, creator of The Possibility of Today Starter Kit and the Possibility of Today podcast.

You’re going to love her story. In the midst of a business trip, Sibyl saw a sign. It was confirmation of what she knew she needed to do. She was employed at what she had considered her “dream job” but knew it wasn’t where she was truly meant to be. After her trip she discussed making a big change with her husband. Soon after, the both quote their jobs on the same day and began a new chapter.

She shares the scary part of these changes (mortgage, kids, no definite plan) and the approach that helped them both make big changes.

Upspiraling is the strategy Sibyl used to see the path forward. Not knowing actually helped her build the strength to get where she wanted to go. Find out how you can use this same strategy on your own journey.

How did Conscious Marketing help actualize purpose?

Sibyl saw things through a different lens. After 10 years at a marketing firm, she knew that honoring the sacred space in which brands connect with an audience was the only way. It was important to her (and remains so) that there be no distinction between the marketing and the teachings. They are both intended to be helpful, leading to transformation.

All information has the ability to change how people feel. Why not show people the possibilities with inspiration and uplifting information? This is how Sibyl recognized the power of conscious marketing.

How can you spiral up?

• Understand the journey. As long as you are showing up for the moment, you are moving forward.
  
  
• You don’t have to have it all figured out. Remove the pressure of feeling like you have to know everything right now.
  
  
• Don’t allow a set back to bring defeat. Look at opportunities for adjustments, inner work or limiting beliefs.
  
  
• If you truly aren’t making progress (Sibyl calls this the infinite loop) it’s time to make a change. Be honest about what’s really going on.

What steps can people take to attain their “dream job”?

Sibyl explains her definition of “dream job”. It’s about living your purpose. If you don’t feel aligned where you are, take a step forward. Get things into motion. It’s also important to know that your purpose evolves. Change is part of living.

Can you over give? What happens when the tank is empty?

When you live a life of service, there’s so much to be done. It would be easy to work all the time and over-give leading to burnout.

Sibyl shares how she’s experienced that kind of burnout and how she’s learned to manage her energy so there’s always enough in the tank when it’s time to show up.

Connect with Sibyl:

SoundsTrue

Possibility Today

Welcome teachers, healers, authors and everyone in the Conscious Marketer community. What is a conscious marketer? Hosts Richard and Kylie share how they figured that out for themselves and how they do that for their clients. In true conscious marketing style, they are explaining what works and why. Today they break down myth one and how to move past the old belief.  

From day one Richard recognized that healers and teachers wanted to market in a way that aligned with their values. He didn’t see himself as an agency owner until someone else referred to him that way.

Kylie refers to herself as an “accidental marketer” (seeing a trend here) who realized that using story was a powerful way to move people and affect change.  When given a chance to use her formula she applied it to Facebook ads. Hear how she made it work and the results that followed.

Richard outlines one of the marketing myths that keep the most well-intentioned marketer from making an impact. Embracing these myths can act as limiting beliefs and stop you from applying any effective marketing.  

Marketing Myth One:

Marketing is manipulative. Shining a light on this is a big part of helping others change how they approach their own marketing.

A few things to consider:

What if your marketing made people feel better?

How can marketing make people feel safe?

If your marketing inspired people, how would that impact your business?

5 Questions to Understand Conscious Marketing

• How can marketing add value and add transformation even before a sale?
• How can my marketing start to solve the problem my client is experiencing?
• How can marketing help others see the blocks or obstacle that clients may not even realize exist?
• Can you give a framework in your marketing?
• How can marketing show what is truly possible?

How can you use story to create value?

Kylie shares the brain-science behind old-school manipulation-style marketing and why it doesn’t work. Hear how the neurological impact of storytelling makes us want to lean in, learn more and create connections.

Join Richard and Kyle in their Facebook group so you can learn how to use conscious marketing in your business.

The Marketers Path Facebook Group

Website