Simply Authentic: Inspired ideas that easily build the “know, like and trust factor”

One of the easiest ways to build the “know, like and trust factor” with your personal brand is marketing your passions. I was just on Facebook this morning to find fabulous examples of
passion branding.

We will show up most authentically when we are involved in what we love. I refer to that as “that which gives us life.” Now, that very well may be the work you do; but for the moment I am focused on you creating even more compelling content via your social media channels and attracting those of like minds and interests beyond your business expertise.

One of many ways I coach how to be a successful marketer is by being an organic storyteller while doing those passions you love.

Here are helpful examples of authentic passion branding:

1. A web designer/creative director created an art club for women locally to meet monthly and exhibit their masterpieces. They inspire each other and their community via their art. Love it! She shares her artwork on her profile page and markets the free exhibits.

2. A Realtor who loves exercise and bringing people together has been a Jazzercise instructor for years. She posts her photos and class info on Facebook. She brings together women for fun, wellness and community. Perfect.

3. A Chiropractor who loves helping under-served families in the Philippines started a non-profit feeding the children of these regions and posting stories and successes of his mission work. Beautiful way to build an authentic brand while creating the know, like and trust factor with his social media communities.

4. My passion for filmmaking (storytelling and writing) led me to joining forces with a past client who is a producer and writer in the entertainment industry. We are organically building a community online and now offline called Los Angeles Filmmakers Network. We created a meet up page (growing by the day - up to 80 members) and a new fan page. Our first meet up is in June (go to conta.cc/June14LAFN for registration details) and a workshop coming in the fall. Our purpose is to educate, inspire and transform lives through the art of filmmaking.

Our passions demonstrate the rich texture of our lives. Why not make them core to our authentic marketing? When my clients ask for “compelling” brand content ideas to post on Facebook, Twitter and in their ezines, I always recommend the easiest topic for them to be inspired by…their passions.  

Three ways to deliver YOU simply authentic online while building those important professional relationships and the “know, like” trust” factor:

1. Get involved with a non-profit. Post photos of events, volunteering, successes with fundraising. Create a private FB group page and invite other compassionate people to engage.

2. Create a fan page or group page around your passion and build a community of like minds. Promote the page in all your marketing. Remember, emotionally compelling content builds a strong human brand that attracts those of similar interests.

3. Create a meet up page (easy) around your passion and watch how it organically grows without you being there! The Meet up site now has excellent marketing tools to help you. I’m totally impressed how meet up has upped their game. For my one hour audio on how to organically grow an audience via meet up, join my social media savvy club at www.ecreativebiz.com

My core marketing belief is Social Media is about collaboration, creativity and increase for all. When you share your passions you are inspiring others to do the same. And that makes for a better world all the way around.

For more personal branding ideas and strategies, go to www.yourcompellingpersonalbrand.com for my step-by-step home study program to take your business to the next level. You’ll learn a whole new set of rules, strategies and systems in order to thrive in our ever-evolving economic climate; those who embrace the change will be poised for success.

Fan Page Strategies To Connect You to Your Audience!!

Everyone wants “likes” for their page. I agree. Definitely the most “top of the mind” strategy when using your Fan page for business marketing.  But that’s only half of the goal and strategy.

Let me clarify. 

Yes, by having plenty of your “niched” audience choose “like” for your Fan page, you have the privilege of building those relationships and marketing your expertise just to them. Perfect. And, they now can view your postings in their personal newsfeeds (Home) so they can absorb your content and interact with you. BTW, your audience of “likes” is people who match your target market and those of like minds. The one key strategy to help you gather those right people is to use the “invite friends” option in your Fan page admin panel under “Build Audience” at the top. Furthermore, be sure you have been mindful in who you have been accepting into your friend community as if you were building a culture expressively just for you and your target market. 

But what do you do to now they are ready and available for relationship building and wanting engagement? Here’s where the distinction happens.

The Strategies:

Even though your page content is 100% business related, there is plenty of room for your 1^st person conversational style postings about you, your thoughts about a certain subject in your expertise, and what is personal to you in regards to your passions, interests, community involvement, volunteering, and more.  Your PERSONAL BRAND plays a major role here. Your business is not the brand; you are. It’s your voice. Your style. Your “vibe.”

This page does double duty for you – it’s a resource for others who are seeking advice in your area of expertise and it’s a platform for you to engage with your fans about that advice or your personal interests.   

Here is a quick checklist of recommended content that builds engagement and the “know, like, and trust” factor. See, ultimately we want our fans to already know enough about us (the personal brand) before they walk into our office or call us for an appointment. 

1. Your blog posts that are syndicated using Networkedblogs app on FB (use search box to find it).  Those blog posts are stories (articles) about you, your client successes, challenges, solutions, as well as promos for an upcoming product release, program, event or special.

2. Photos and videos of you with clients. Photos and videos of client before and after stories. Photos and videos of you volunteering with a narration of the event.

3. Products and promos with links to your sign up or sales page. (Remember to use bitly or tinyurl).

4. Articles or any content you repurpose from your ezine (newsletter), your website, or excerpts from other blog posts you liked. Remember repurposing is the key to streamlining your time and leveraging your content and expertise.

5. Surveys – use the questions app in your status update box for an upcoming product, feedback, opinion on a new program or offer – use your fan page as a research tool.

6. Post a press release using your blog or a NOTE.  (For the NOTE see your page admin panel - Manage then Edit then Apps)

Now let’s look at some fun, creative ideas to build even more engagement and inspire “likes”

Idea # 1. It is stated in recent Facebook studies that almost 40% of FB users seek fan pages that offer specials, discounts, and giveaways. Promotions serve a few purposes: 1. Build likes. 2. Helps create the “peer-to-peer” marketing effect where fans share your content with their friends. Given that, here is a “like” contest to consider:

Step 1: Set up your default “welcome” page as a custom page. Ask your web designer or use Constant Contact’s Social Campaign product (easy) – click here to start an account http://tinyurl.com/constant-contact4u

Step 2: Require the person to “Like” your page before entering the contest. If they are an existing fan, they can enter the contest and you request they “share” the info with others.

Step 3: After they like the page- they are taken to an “after” like page (custom made by the above suggestions) where they click on an image that serves as an entry form. Ideas for “Enter to Win” Tickets to a local theater, Dinner for 2, Win an iPod/iPad or Visa gift card.

Important: Be sure to follow FB guidelines for contests. I recommend using http://www.wildfireapp.com/ site to help you. 

Idea # 2. Inspire Check-ins! If you have a bricks-n-mortar street location for your business, check-in incentives are great fun! As clients, patients, friends, family members arrive, inspire them to “check-in” on their mobile phones by placing a detailed sign in your entry room requesting the check-in and offer a gift once they check-in. (more in a moment)

Check-in app for Facebook is a mobile app only. Checking-in allows people to post your location on their personal Facebook page. It’s the easiest way to initiate conversation on your page and publicize your business to people’s friend community. 

Facebook “deals” is an incentive free program attached to Facebook Places. Look up how to add your place to the application by going to http://www.facebook.com/help/ and search for “Places.” Also search for “Claim” your business so you can manage your place’s address, contact information, business hours, profile picture, admins and other settings. For a handout on how to add a check-in deal to your business – email me Support@ecreativebiz.com

How does a Check-in contribute to more likes? Publicity. The more check-ins that show up from your business on walls, the more exposure you receive. This converts to likes to your page. 

There's plenty more, but let's leave that for a private call, ok? Have you been thinking of Re-branding? Re-invention? New perspective on your Social Media Strategies?  Email me for my 30 min evaluation - one-on-one. You, me and the phone :)  And free. Let's talk. Support@ecreativebiz.com

Or jump over to the Home Study page to consider a simple start on upgrading your personal brand strategy...http://yourcompellingpersonalbrand.com/

 

To your branding success!

Marla

www.eCreativebiz.com

My truth revealed, raw and uncensored. Ready?

How can I expect you, my loyal community, and my clients to be courageous, brave, leap into the unknown, and take a stand for your life if I don’t? I know I can never expect you to do anything I am not willing to do myself.

So, I thought I would draw back the curtains and share with you a very vulnerable, raw, breakthrough experience I had over the weekend that is meant to inspire you, move you, and support you to take a stand in your own life and business.

 

I’ve never been one to stay stuck or ignore inner messages. I always act on my inner barometer when life is out of whack or out of balance. However, lately I have been less than attentive to those inner callings.

Until this weekend.

So call this my “Jerry McGuire” moment or my “Marla" moment, but I’ve been going through a lot of changes outer and inner lately; so much that my world felt like it was whirling out of control in some areas.

On Saturday I posted a very vulnerable request for support in the Facebook private community page for my Elevate coaching program I’m participating in with Ali Brown and James Roche. I intuitively knew at this point that Spirit was calling me to up level and move into a more bold, passionate, daring, REAL version of myself.  (Very scary!)

I was terribly uncomfortable with how my life felt…."seemed” to be spinning out of control in a few areas. (That was a good thing, I learned). 

Then I got the perfect reply from a fellow Elevate member Kendra Thornbury who I first met at a retreat in Sedona early 2011. Her raw truth and consoling words became my guiding light to move me into a breakthrough! I publicly thanked her today in our coaching       community for her REAL, very loving, NO BULLS**T approach to life that brought me to my knees...           
(photo credit: Lindsay A. Miller)

Here are the highlights of my HUGE breakthrough moments from Kendra’s incredible wisdom:

1. My real prosperity is directly connected with the degree I’m willing to BE true to myself (BIG for me. I heard this b4 many times but I guess was ready now).

2. The way to release any money drama and on again off again scarcity struggle into a financial abundant flow is by stepping up and allowing my REAL voice to heard, take a stand for my truth, and don’t put up with any more BULLS**T from myself!

3. No more living on the surface being “nice.” I was dimming my light to fit in personally and professionally. (Relate?)

4. No more giving up who I am in order to make good money. (Phew! What a relief)

5. No more doubting if I can really live my dreams! (BIG shift still working on)

6. No more giving energy to the feelings of shame and inadequacy I used to buy into as real.

7. Taking a stand for no more accepting any type of “struggle” that became a way of life.

8. As Kendra so beautifully puts it… calling BS on myself about getting real around my relationship with people, money, and my talents and stop feeling bad about myself via old repeating patterns that kept me playing life small. (And some think I was living big! Not me. I know I have way more to offer and I've been holding back).

9. Allow my REAL voice to be heard and help others move into living life with a deeper passion. (Hint: This is YOUR personal branding process with me; not just techy jargon and strategies. It’s about YOUR transformation 1st)

10. I now truly understand how to live a “heart-centered” life that does not tolerate surface talk or living small.

11. No more compromising and putting up, settling with what just doesn’t feel good!

12. Declaring BS on myself and take a more meaningful responsibility for my results.

13. Requiring radical honesty in all my communications; not what society may call appropriate and pleasing. Say what I mean and mean what I say.

14. No more dismissing my true wealth, which resides in me as “what makes me feel alive while contributing to others”; and no longer giving energy to an image of what I think I am supposed to be and act.

15. Be original, fresh, dynamic, bold, honest, and daring in my communication and marketing (this blog post is a first step!).

16. And MOST of all…know my value. FEEL my value and never go back to doubting what I have to offer the world is not enough!

So by taking a public stand for the 1^st time about this girl behind the computer, I’m risking big time and it feels so exhilarating and liberating!

It’s real that the TRUTH will set you free. Free to build a bold, profitable business, and passionate personal life. I have not felt this alive in years. I want this for you, too, if any of this resonates with you.  (Photo credit above: Kendra Thornbury)

I know not all of you will resonate and may need to re-read, but those who have been touched in any way and are ready to move into a stronger, more authentic version of yourself where your family, friends, communities, and clients GET the real you, then I INSIST you to connect with me.

If you are willing to be MORE daring, MORE courageous, MORE bold, MORE YOU, and no more B.S. – then I am here for you --- Choose my 30 min “I want a more REAL juicy life!” private Discovery call. I want to feel your voice over the phone- the real you. I don’t want to offer an online report or audio. I want you and me together on the phone making it happen.
Email me Marla@ecreativebiz.com

Thank you Kendra Thornbury for your love and honesty and my ELEVATE community of amazing women entrepreneurs seeking their truth and a quality life!

And so it is!!

Love & BOLD truth,

 

 

 

Finding Your Way Home

There lived a woman named Sono, whose devotion and purity of heart were respected far and wide. One day a fellow Buddhist, having made a long trip to see her, asked, 'What can I do to put my heart at rest?" Sono said, "Every morning and every night, and whenever anything happens to you, keep on saying 'Thank you for everything. I have no complaints whatsoever.'"

The man did as was instructed for a whole year, but his heart was still not at peace. He returned to Sono crestfallen, I've said your prayer over and over, and yet nothing in my life has changed; I'm still the same selfish person as before. What should I do now?"

Sono immediately said, "Thank you for everything. I have no complaints whatsoever." On hearing those words, the man was able to open his spiritual eye, and he returned home with a great joy.

Gratitude is the most powerful meditation of a lifetime. As you focus on gratitude, you will quickly find your way home to Spirit. It is not the things that happen to us that make or break us; it is the way we THINK about them. It is possible to find something to be grateful for in every situation. The happiest people are those who practice thankfulness. 

Appreciation is more of a gift to the giver than the receiver. Those who constantly appreciate others prime the flow of love through their own hearts. Even if the recipient does not receive the gift, the giver is blessed by giving it. In real estate, when property appreciates, its value increases. When we give appreciation, the value of life increases.

Find how to drive value into your business with a compelling personal brand using a Social Media system.  Email support@ecreativebiz.com and ask for my 45 min Discovery call. It's on me. :)

(Above excerpt so profound and so moving. I credit author/speaker Alan Cohen and Stephen Mitchell (author) adapts a marvelous Zen parable from Zenkei Shibayama's, A Flower Does Not Talk)

Meetup Marketing Secrets Live Q&A Call

This month in the Social Media Savvy Culture Club membership group, we're talking about Meetup Marketing Secrets.

Do you find it difficult to find and connect with the right prospects?

Do you even know where to find them?

Wouldn't it be nice to have a large group of prospects gathered easily in one place, allowing you to network easily with them?

Well I have a great tool for you and that's what we're going to talk about on our Social Media Culture Club May call - "Meetup Marketing Secrets: Making Sense of the Savvy Tools to Build Your Brand and Contacts!"

So what's all the buzz about Meetup? I totally did not get the power behind it until this year. It's one of the BEST ways to organically grow your audience by far. Think about it. You create a group around a topic or interest ---and people from all over come to the site looking for your topic to join in on. It's an immediate list and target market builder! I built 2 new groups of targeted people inside of 3 mos. I'll show you my 2 groups when we go live on Meetup!

You can get access to this call by joining the Social Media Savvy Culture Club now!

http://www.ecreativebiz.com/Membershipprogram.html

Let's face it, many of us aren't sure exactly how to reach our audience or even how to grow a group of people interested in what we're doing. In this call, we'll talk about how to effectively use a little-know tool to actively network and build up that audience, so that you can fill your pipeline with really great prospects that you would love to work with.

It's not as hard as you think!

The call will be live today (May 9th), so join me ... I'd love to help you increase your revenues with relationship marketing and a personal brand.

http://www.ecreativebiz.com/Membershipprogram.html

Here are the details about the program:

* Exclusive access to our private membership NING forum for content, audios, videos, bonus articles, etc.  (Value: $1,000s)

 

* (1) LIVE Monthly Q&A coaching call with Marla (and surprise guest experts) where you'll get your questions answered, learn marketing & branding tips, strategies for running your business, mindset advice, inspiration, how-to's, step-by-step behind the scenes tools and more. (Value: $300)

 

* (1) LIVE bi-monthly (6x a year) money and mindset training call to raise your standards in your beliefs and take more control of how to manifest your desires. 

(Value: $300)

 

* A monthly LIVE 15 min laser private phone coaching opportunity in an "open-call" time for your most pressing branding, social media, business building, delegation, or mindset questions. (Value: $200)

* Mp3 recordings of all calls available for download in the private forum.

(Value: $99)

 

* A private Facebook group page for every day connections, posting questions and reading all my tips, strategies, and current news about our Social Reward economy.

*Periodic BONUS marketing templates, handouts, articles, audios and videos you can download. (Value: $150)

Join us now. Get all the details and register for access to today's call:

http://www.ecreativebiz.com/Membershipprogram.html

I look forward to seeing you there!

The Social Sandbox Radio Show

Join the Social Media Revolution!

There’s no better time than right now to endeavor into the world of
Social Media. You can close your eyes and try not to look, but
there’s no escaping the reality that Social Media is here to stay,
and business success in 2012, will require that you engage in
the Internet’s top social forums.

So join me next Tuesday, May 8th, at 8:45 am PST. I'll be
sharing "Small Business Marketing Strategies for a Compelling 
Personal Brand That Makes You Client Attractive"

I'll cover topics like:

• The one mindset issue that prevents a business owner from having a clear, compelling personal brand that converts marketing efforts to revenues
• The three common misperceptions about Facebook that stops the business owner from using this powerful marketing channel correctly
• Some of the Benefits to Having a Clear, Compelling Personal Brand Positioning You as Client Attractive
• And exactly what makes me "an innovative woman"

So join me live next week. Just go to http://www.thesocialsandbox.net/ 
and click on the player arrow to listen to the show.

See you there!

The Cigar Box Theory: The power of visualizing your dreams and goals into reality.

5 secrets to making it happen for you

1. Create your cigar box

Find photos, magazine cut-outs of words and visuals that represent your goal. Be sure they evoke a strong FEELING AS IF it’s already complete. Then create a one topic cigar box vision board (or poster board) and place it on your nightstand or table near your bed.  Consider including a picture of yourself in your vision. If you do, choose one that was taken in a happy moment. You will also want to post your affirmations, inspirational words, quotations, and thoughts here. Choose words and images that inspire you and make you feel good. 

Keep it neat, and be selective about what you place in your vision. It's a good idea to avoid creating a cluttered or chaotic book--you don't want to attract chaos into your life. Use only the words and images that best represent your purpose, your ideal future, and words that inspire positive emotions in you. There is beauty in simplicity and clarity.

If you are working on visualizing and creating changes in many areas of your life, then you may want to use more than one vision board. You might use one for your personal goals and another for career and financial goals. You might even want to keep your career vision board at the office or on your desk as a means of inspiration and affirmation. 

2.  Suspend Disbelief
Each night BEFORE you fall asleep and each morning BEFORE you step out of bed, look at your cigar box (or vision board) and FEEL the result AS IF it’s done. Think and feel only that for 60 seconds. It has been said by suspending disbelief so that you actually emanate a feeling of EXPECTATION of it already on its way or completion for a min of 16 seconds of pure thought – will help you manifest the reality.

FYI… the time you spend visualizing in the evening just before bed is especially powerful. The thoughts and images that are present in your mind during the last forty-five minutes before going to sleep are the ones that will replay themselves repeatedly in your subconscious mind through­out the night, and the thoughts and images that you begin each day with will help you to create a vibrational match for the future you desire.

As some time goes by, and your dreams begin to manifest, look at those images that represent your achievements, and feel gratitude for how well the Law of Attraction is working in your life. Acknowledge that it is working.

3. Take action!

Take action on behalf of your goal throughout the day in any way it will set yourself up to win. Find the right people to surround yourself with. Market your business consistently, go to networking meetings, call a prospective client instead of email, take your kids on an outing, surprise your spouse or partner with something unexpected, give to your place or spiritual nourishment. Anything that relates to your goal – take consistent action that positions you to be “in the right place at the right time” and the Universe will do its part to partner with you. See, the Universe thrives on clarity. This leads to…

4. Be energetically responsible

When your energy vibration about that goal is clear and you feel AS if it’s complete, the Universe will deliver. What will manifest is an opportunity by way of a call, an email, a chance meeting, an unexpected referral, etc. Be energetically responsible with your vision/goal every day. Catch yourself in the middle of doubt, worry, concern, and shift it to “I am prosperity in all areas of my life” – do not allow the negative ego thoughts to SEDUCE YOU. They will. 

We are in control of one thing and one thing only – our thoughts, which create the feelings, which create how we experience our world. We MUST be diligent and ruthless with our thoughts. Guard your thoughts and you will create the energy vibration ripe for manifesting. Universal Law states when we have a consistent abundant mental equivalent of our desires, feel it before it shows up, and act upon the opportunities that support our vision, we manifest often. Activate this law (Source) by opening the door of Consciousness to express abundance!

Start paying attention to the many times during the day that you have emotional responses (to other people, experiences, or your own thoughts) that are not in alignment with having or producing your desires. Pay special attention to when you feel disappointment, resentment, frustration or anger about your experiences and circumstances. 

It's your feelings (which are created by your thoughts, opinions, and beliefs) that are creating your current circumstances. You must make a shift by changing your thoughts to ones that make you feel better (i.e., raise your vibration). We must become a vibrational match for the things and experiences that we want to attract into our life. 

It is especially important to focus your thoughts and behaviors on things that cause you to feel joy.

5. Have an Attitude of Gratitude

It is critical to take time each and every day to focus on what you are grateful for. Focus on all of the things in your life (most of which you take for granted) that you are grateful for--your health, your children, your business, job, sunny weather, electricity, running water, a nice stereo system, your flower garden, your pets, your friends). 

No matter what your situation, there are always things to be grateful for. The more you focus on what you are grateful for, the more things and experiences you will attract to be grateful for.

Gratitude,

Marla