Alex McCann on LinkedIn: My first strategy project made me realise that I knew nothing… I had… | 25 comments (2024)

#Thoughtleadership#authorsare rightfully proud of their books. 📖They’re filled with brilliant, sharpened#insights! 💫So why aren’t clients coming out of the woodwork?The hard truth is that most people don’t need your insights –But the ones that do will have their lives changed for the better!That’s why you need to find your#targetaudience.To unravel the knot of marketing to your target audience,we’ve invited first time authorMichelle Gladieuxto join us.Michelle is the president ofGladieux Consulting.which offers one-on-one coaching and strategic plan facilitation, andshe’s the author of a brand-new book titled:Communicate with Courage: Taking Risks to Overcome the Four Hidden ChallengesMichelle spent four years 🕧🕐🕜🕑 writing her book, but when she went to publish,her editor suggested the book be rewritten to focus on an overarching message.Michelle sat back, tried again, and created something brilliant:A study of the four hidden challenges that prevent people from becomingfearless and peerless communicators.I had some great takeaways from our conversation:🕑 Thought leadership#booksdon’t make a great deal of money. Think of it as a calling-card; a way to get your ideas out there and credentialize your work.🕑 Don’t be afraid of failure when experimenting with marketing. Some ideas might not fly, but others could go further than you might imagine – and you won’t know which until you try.🕑 In order to get the best return on your book, you have to drill down deep and write toward your target audience’s needs.Michelle’s journey is inspirational, and our conversation was filled with great ideas.Thanks, Michelle, for sharing your time with us!You can find the full episode wherever you download your podcasts.#TLL,#speaker,#author,#thoughtleader,#thoughtleadershiphttps://lnkd.in/eNwHn73D

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In April of 2022, I made a decision to stop writing proposal. I know it sounds crazy, but for those of us who run agencies, there's nothing worst than spending hours on a proposal only to get ghosted. I read Blair Enns book a few months prior, encouraging reads to "Win Without Pitching," but I still needed a trigger to force action on my part. After getting ghosted once again, I decided "enough was enough." The following week, I hired Pia Silva after hearing about her No B.S. Agency model on a podcasts. With her help, instead of drafting proposals for clients, I shifted into a paid engagement called "The Brand Probe," allowing me to conduct a deep 1.5 hour interview with a prospect, then take the insights to write a cohesive brand strategy. When I first started, these strategies could take me up to ten hours. Now, I'm able to write them in three to five hours. I enjoy doing it. The Brand Probe process allows me to position myself as a strategic partner with deep understanding of my clients business objectives, instead of just a vendor. Writing them allows me to share deep insight and expertise. My strength as a coach both with Flawless Acceleration and my work with the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Iona University, is definitely branding. I also find that it's something a lot my clients struggle with.

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When you introduce yourself as a business owner, do you give yourself a title? Or do you jump right in to explain how you serve clients?Many coaches tell you to skip the title. No need to identify yourself, they say. Clients don't care what you call yourself. They just want to know how you help.Sounds good, doesn't it?The truth is, the people sharing this advice most likely established their businesses many years ago. They need no introduction.#networking #marketing #storytelling #podcastguest #copywriting

I was recently being interviewed on a podcast, and the interviewer asked me why I wrote my latest book, Lean Marketing.I remember Seth Godin once answering the same question, and he said, “I only write a book when I have no choice.”I feel the exact same way.Writing a (good) book is such an unreasonably difficult, long, and painful process that no one with any sense would do so… unless they had no other choice.Having seen what’s happening in the marketing space over the last few years has forced my hand.Every marketing guru you listen to has the same message — do more.Every marketing agency has the same message — spend more.Every social media manager — post more often to more platforms.It’s exhausting and overwhelming.You scroll social media and the volume has been turned up louder and louder. The claims are bigger and bigger.One prominent marketer recently promoted his membership program. The sign-up bonuses included 118 hours of recorded video content and a funnel how-to guide that was 653 pages long—that’s not including his main content and courses.WTF? That sounds like a frickin’ nightmare, not an incentive.Drinking from a firehouse is a bad way to get hydration.What I want, and what most entrepreneurs want is the few things that will make the biggest difference.When I look at what the most sophisticated marketers in the world are doing, what’s surprising is how long their not-to-do list is and how short their to-do list is.Their marketing is lean.We run a world-class multimillion-dollar coaching, consulting, and training business.Do we do TikTok? Nope.Instagram? NoPodcast? No (but coming soon)YouTube? NoFunnel-blah-di-blahs. NoYet we a drowning with inbound leads. We just hired two new salespeople this week to keep up with the lead flow.That’s why I wrote my new book—to share the refreshing and important message that you can get bigger and better results by actually doing less marketing.More importantly, I wanted to show you how to implement a lean marketing infrastructure in your business.You can pre-order the new book with the link in my bio.If you’d like immediate help getting lean marketing implemented in your business DM me and I'll connect you with an adviser in my team.

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Did you hear the announcement yesterday????.It's for coaches that want to craft compelling stories that create CONNECTIONS, CONVOS, and CLIENTS! .In the FREE M•A•S•T•E•R•C•L•A•S•S… The One Where You Get Clients from Content, we will dive into:.1. Why storytelling is your most powerful tool2. How Storytelling is an Skill for social media, PLUS.. email, speaking on stages, podcasting, and even during your sales calls 3. The secret types of stories you are missing that without these stores you will leave your audience out in the cold and looking for help from someone else.4. How to Find Your Story Ideas and WHEN and WHERE to share them for the biggest bang.5. How to PIVOT from your story to you CALLS to ACTION so your audience takes them up and. you have those reach outs, calls booked, new email subscribers, and event participants.....Plus, I’ve got a little extra somethin’ from me. Registered event attendees also get these 👇BONUSES👇..☕️ One free “SMELLY CAT CALL” with me. (A private 1:1 call with me to evaluate your current content & make a plan for more conversions)💜 My Client Only “HOOKS” Video Training. (Video training and handout to help you slow the scroll and keep readers on your content longer.)👑 My “Optimizing your Profile” Video Training (Video training to optimize your profile so you don’t turn off followers before they get to know you.)....Sound like the one you don’t want to miss? 👉👉👉Then drop the word FRIENDS for the link to register.....P.S.The Smelly Cat Call Bonus expires on Friday at midnight so register before then.

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𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬As a coach or consultant, you shouldn't miss the opportunity to market yourself using the tool that billions of consumers prefer nowadays — 𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔.How true is this?Studies show that posting videos can increase conversion rates, boost engagement, produce more social shares, and build credibility and trust.But don't worry, although they have powerful benefits, they can be easily made!Just don't miss any of these important tips on creating video contents:𝟭. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝘀What's your goal for posting a video?Do you intend to build trust, give value, or build brand awareness?It's extremely important to align your message with the purpose, so define your goal first.Afterward, use that goal as a guide to make your content helpful, specific, and worth watching.𝟮. 𝗘𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆Even if you have a good speech, script, or message...Viewers will still not watch your videos if they have bad quality!So cut out the background noise, get good lighting (using natural light looks great), clear your audio (and put subtitles if you can), consider a good or clean background, and invest in a good camera.𝟯. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁Keep it simple, short, content-focused, and straightforward.This way, it will grab attention, it will be easier to remember, and it will make viewers decide to stick with you without losing interest.Also, don't forget to make the first five seconds count!𝟰. 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴Make mobile-friendly videos; it has been proven to significantly increase the chance of boosting engagement.As consultants, you can also use these tips to repurpose your webinars, masterclass, and workshops into materials that can attract new clients.And because building trust and genuine connections is a must in your industry.You can use videos to facilitate an authentic connection with your target audience. Any tips you can add?#coaching #consulting #scalingyourbusiness #systems #setters

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Have you ever pondered why simplifying communication can be so challenging?Consider advice from Guy Kawasaki. Not only is he the mastermind behind Apple's significant surge, but he's also the current titan at Canva. Here are his three most essential tips:1️⃣ Less is always more. Be concise.2️⃣ Discover your unique 'magic formula.' There isn't a one-size-fits-all solution.3️⃣ Embrace change. After all, it's the only constant.Want more detailed advice? Check out the link here -https://lnkd.in/eT8USH9sYou can also listen to the podcast - https://lnkd.in/eXm5xEgC#GuyKawasaki #Communication #BusinessCommunication #Communicationtips

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Clicks into Royals Reciprocity Principle: Offer free valuable content, such as eBooks or webinars, in exchange for their email. People feel obliged to reciprocate when they receive something for free.Scarcity Tactics: Create a sense of urgency through limited-time offers or limited stock notifications. Limited availability triggers fear of missing out (FOMO) and encourages quick decision-making.Social Proof: Display customer testimonials, reviews, and user-generated content. Positive feedback from others builds trust and credibility, making visitors more likely to convert.Authority Building: Position yourself as an expert in your field. Share your knowledge through blogs, podcasts, or videos to establish authority, making people more likely to trust your products or services.Storytelling: Craft compelling stories about your brand and products. Stories create emotional connections, making your brand more memorable and relatable.Leverage Anchoring: Display a higher-priced product first, making other products seem more affordable in comparison. This anchors their perception of value.

Do you leverage a calendar to build and schedule your content? I don’t... but you definitely should.Don’t be like me.Every day when I create content which is usually these videos, I wake up hoping for inspiration from a colleague, a podcast, from something I read, an influencer or thought leader. That’s a terrible idea. There are some days when I’m swimming in ideas and subjects and other days when the well is bone dry.A better approach would be to sit down and think through the concepts and themes I’d like to review in my content and then carefully map that out by date into the future so there’s no question about what I’m doing and no excuse not to do it. That’s what I should be doing and you should too. I don’t… but that’s because I’m way too lazy, busy, reactionary, insert excuse here.Don’t be like me.Your content should not be reactive to your mood, it should be about your customers and their needs. What questions do they ask you regularly? What concepts are important to them? What is a timely topic that needs to be addressed? What is your thought leadership flag to be planted?Regardless, making smart and interesting content as Sales and Marketing professionals is not optional anymore. People don’t just need to hear your message, they need to hear it consistently and regularly. Winging like I do only leads to broken system and bumpy results. Build your audience, provide them with as much value as you can but do it as often and consistently as you can.Don’t be like me.#entrepreneurs #sales #marketing

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This One Thing Has Changed My Consuming Journey 🚀 If you are searching for something you are passionate about, ask yourself the question, "What if I learn it from the experts in the field online?"Learn from experts in your field by following entrepreneurs and professionals who create content.These individuals share valuable insights, experiences, and perspectives from their work. You can learn about their successes, failures, challenges, and solutions. This information can help you make informed decisions about your career or personal interests.Content creators who are expert in the field can also serve as mentors and role models. They can provide inspiration, motivation, and guidance. This can be especially helpful for people who are just starting out or who are feeling lost or uncertain.The Personal Branding Expert Mr. Sudharsanan Ganapathy is the main reason why I am well aware of content creation + Personal branding. His speeches and podcasts have inspired me to start my journey as a content writer on the LinkedIn platform and also unlocked my writing potential.I remember him saying that sharing our journeys online can inspire many people. Today, I want to reiterate that statement and say that I am one of those people who have been inspired by Sudharsanan's work.

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