Yacht Problems - A Lesson In Legitimacy, Pain Points, and Making Money

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You may have the world’s smallest violin for those who own yachts. But, you can benefit greatly by listening to them. No, not their “I got rich by hard work” BS. I am talking about their problems.

Yes, this is a big, maybe even yacht-sized, metaphor. So, let’s navigate these waters together.
We are focusing on yacht problems to put two things into perspective:

1. You are justified in the problems you face every day, no matter how big or small. If your blender stops working at home, you have every right to want that fixed as the broken blender on a yacht.

2. Yacht problems present a big opportunity - a way to make money. People with yachts have yacht money, and they will pay to have their problems fixed.

Perspective 1. You Have Yacht Problems Too

Every problem you have, they have but on a bigger scale. If your car doesn’t run, their yacht doesn’t run. If your floors get scratched, their floors get scratched. If you don’t have time to cook, they need to find a chef. 

I am a fully capable human. I have done my own bookkeeping, home repairs, motorcycle maintenance, etc. However, I hire a bookkeeper because I want it done right and I don’t want to stress it. I hire construction contractors because I don’t know all the codes. I hire a mechanic for my car because it is a more complex machine and more detrimental to my life if it isn’t in working condition. My problems may not be the size of a yacht physically, but they are just as big metaphorically. 

So, everyone throws a pity party. We have something we expected, but it isn’t working in our favor. 

This brings us to the big perspective 2: Yacht-pportunity. 

Perspective 2: How To Make Money With Yacht-pportunities

Selfishly, I wanted to test a new outreach method, but I also wanted to prove this isn’t BS. So, I contacted yacht brokers on LinkedIn to ask what their clients have the most problems with. 

Maintenance and a good crew are very similar to your car or house troubles and finding good contractors. 

Insurance and finding slips/docking can easily be a metaphor for car insurance and finding parking. However, what about taking this mentally into having security and having a home? 

Based on research, I did expect to get the answer about managing charters/rentals. Yacht owners aren’t always on the boat. So, it ends up being a big money suck when not in use, so many rent it out. I didn’t get insight into that, but I know it is a big problem. 

People have problems. If you can solve them, you have a service worth monetizing.

See, yacht problems can easily be scaled down to your life scenario and vice-versa. So, what issues do you have that you pay for? What is an adjacent one a yacht owner might face? How can you be paid to solve that problem?

You may get imposter syndrome because rich people seem more qualified. Some rich were born into it. Some are hyperfocused on their service (maybe they are investors), so you are the specialist they need for other aspects. 

If you want to monetize, you need to solve a problem. Simple as that. People only have so much time and effort they are willing to spend, so you can 80/20 this. Their 20% effort of hiring you and following up to ensure you are working solves 80% of their problem.

Time = money. Their hourly is $1,000. Your hourly is $250. The ROI on hiring you for a service stress relief and income-related. Lean into that combination of pain points. Don’t worry about charging a higher price if you know they have more money. They make that money so they can afford to have their problems fixed.

Blue Ocean Strategies (I couldn’t resist)

If you struggle to find clients or what to offer, research problems. You have my permission to target high-ticket prospects even without current high-ticket clients. You are finding the exact issues that need to be fixed.

Search Google for “biggest problems (insert prospect here like yacht owners) face.” Read the articles, and become an expert on their pain points. You can even pivot this. For instance, I don’t care about actual yacht owners because I am not prospecting yacht owners since I don’t sell yacht services. However, I love yacht sales, yacht maintenance, and yacht docking companies for my marketing services. Find out yacht problems, find out those who solve those problems, and help the latter solve more of the former.

One tool I love for this is Closely. You can search LinkedIn for those in the market you want to reach, then put that search results into Closely. It will then automate outreach! For instance, I contacted yacht brokers for this article and asked for their expertise on what yacht owners have problems with. From here, I am building my audience of people who may want my services. However, I care about their expertise, so this article is as legitimate as possible.

If you want to explore more rich people's problems for fun or inspiration, these articles will kick you off:
https://whiteboardfinance.com/rich-people-problems/
https://www.buzzfeed.com/pernellquilon/wealthy-people-reveal-rich-people-problems 

Practice Does Not Make Perfect (Here Is What Does)

You have probably heard the phrase “practice makes perfect” from coaches and teachers. Well, they are liars. What if you practice the same motion over and over again, but you do it wrong? Now, you just created muscle memory for the wrong move. Practice just made you have to break a whole new habit!

Admittedly, I don’t watch football. I don’t care about other people’s lives who make millions more than me playing a game. So, I have no idea how I came across this quote by Vince Lombardi…“Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.”

But you aren’t perfect. Which means your practice won’t be perfect. So, what do you do? This is the Perfect Paradox. 

The Perfect Paradox and How To Move Past It

Perfect is a paradox. You will never achieve perfection because whatever you do can always get better. You can do something the best you can and practice daily, but it will also instill bad habits. So, accept this. We are all flawed.

Perfection is also subjective. What you see as perfect, someone else may see flaws in. This is often the case when you work with a coach one-on-one after practicing independently. You think you are doing fantastic, only for them to tell you how to do it better. 

Now that you feel bad about yourself, let me show you how to escape this paradox.

How I Got Out Of The Perfect Paradox.

When I first started working for myself, I was proficient in search engine optimization (SEO). Did I know everything? No. And it didn’t matter because the people at Google are way smarter than me. I can game the system, but I am not on their level. Also, the algorithm changes, so even if I am incredible at SEO now, it will change, and I will have to evolve.

From a business standpoint, I had no idea how to run one. I knew the minimalist version: do something, get paid. That was enough to get started. 

My “perfect practice” was ever-evolving, and I would have to go back and change as I learned. Learning through trial and error can be daunting and time-consuming, so I acquired Makeshift Mentors. 

These people have no direct connection to you but have the knowledge you want to acquire. Mentorships can be very expensive, so I digested all the information they gave online for free and bought their cheapest courses. 

Derek Halpern was the man!

I used online makeshift mentors like Derek Halpern, Ramit Sethi, and Tim Ferris to get started (have I aged myself?). My second group of makeshift mentors was the local entrepreneurs at a coworking space. They held seminars and gave me advice whenever I asked. The support group was incredible. In return, I became a makeshift mentor myself by teaching SEO at the coworking space. 

Finally, I invested in one-on-one mentorships. These people gave me an outside, higher-level view of what I was doing and helped me build the frameworks to achieve higher levels of myself. Yes, their view of perfection was subjective, but they are who I aspired to be like. One-on-one mentorships are the ultimate way to combat the Perfect Paradox. 

One more way to get out of the paradox is to completely remove yourself from it. Outsource work you simply do not want to do or want to be proficient in. Accounting, legal, etc. All of this will take away from the practice you could be doing on your own work. 

Since I am not perfect in all business aspects, I stuck to what I knew and could focus on, then outsourced the rest. 

Exactly What You Can Do Right Now To Be “Perfect”

First, frame the end result. Whatever you want the ideal result to be, please write it down and get into the details of it. Now, you have your idea of “perfection.”

Second, find someone achieving that result and break down their process. Find their YouTube, blog, Twitter, etc., and see exactly how they do it. Break down the perfect result into smaller bite-sized pieces. Use them as a Makeshift Mentor.

Third, pay to play. See if they have an intro course if you don’t have money. Or, if they are not a huge brand, I am sure their consulting is cheap for an hour of their time. A couple of hundred bucks now will shoot you ahead in days, months, or even years! 

Last but not at all least, accepting perfection is bull shit.

From Stress to Success: Empowering Tips for Self-Employed (Or Anyone)

Being self-employed is extremely rewarding. Helping others, seeing results, and knowing you do it on your own builds your positive self-worth. However, I have come head-to-head with the ever-creeping self-employed vampire, STRESS…and, you will too! So, here is how to reduce stress through empowerment, so you can enjoy your independence.

Note: Working on your mental strength, health, and consciousness will allow you to achieve whatever you want in life. So, use these tactics beyond self-employment to avoid depression and self-sabotage.

Why Stress Will Inevitably Happen:

When freelancing, you only deal with yourself, which is a great reduction of variables. But, when you are self-employed, you will stack on responsibilities, which are stressors. BUUTTT when you fulfill those responsibilities, you turn that into positive energy, momentum, and self-worth. So, we should be focusing on building our positive selves. 

This is where hustle culture and the daily grind blur the line. You take on all these responsibilities because today’s culture teaches us a busy bee is a good bee. Hustle culture spreads you too thin. It also makes you an aggressor because you are looking to attack tasks and new ventures. But, those never end! You will always be attacking the next thing.

As someone self-employed, you will always be at The Peter Principle. This is the idea that people are promoted until they reach a position where they are no longer competent. You are always going to be promoted because you are in the top tier, and, as a result, you will always be incompetent. Contradictory to the definition, this is temporary incompetence. Accept your new position as a person who pretty much doesn’t know anything and has to figure it out while keeping your cool. 

Luckily, this is a good thing. You will always be learning. People will mistake your journey for competence. Rather, you are accepting challenges without stress because you know there is a solution and you will find it at some point. You are building your self-confidence!

A Lesson In Self-Confidence and Self Worth

I became a freelancer because I believed I was worth more. It wasn’t a career path I knew about and chose. Rather, outside stressors taught me a lesson in valuing myself.

When working for an agency, I was hustling my ass off for them, and they didn’t truly appreciate my work, my potential, or my dedication. Of course, they loved the output I produced for the salary they paid me. Being a people pleaser, it initially felt good to be a top-tier producer, but rather than being compensated with more money, I was delivered more tasks for my…competence! 

More tasks = more variables, which also = more stress. I want more money, but they said my position was at its salary cap of $35,000/year. This is where Self Worth became a driving factor. I was tired of being told how much I was worth. Tasks are worth money, I am priceless.

It was then that I decided I am the one who determines my worth. However, the stressor of uncertainty reared its head. Being uncertain is part of your temporary incompetence. How do you deal with uncertainty? You write the next section about it…

Dealing With Uncertainty

Nothing is certain. Accept that, live in the present, and you can live in bliss. Uncertainty causes stress because we focus on doubts and “what ifs”. Don’t get caught in a “what if” spiral because “what if aliens landed, and made you realize you were artificial intelligence? You now have to accept you aren’t free thinking but programmed, and they can shut you off any second.” It isn’t worth stressing something that hasn’t happened yet. 

However, you can stack your desired outcome in your favor. Like a boy scout, always be prepared. Prep yourself for worst-case scenarios in the way you feel most supported. For me, I always say it isn’t the end of the world, and if it is, then it won’t matter anyway. Being bleak might not work for you, so other options include giving yourself your next two moves. If you get the result you want, you already know your next steps. If you don’t, what is your pivot? Now, uncertainty is gone because you have a plan. 

I knew that if my freelancing didn’t work out, I could tend bar again, phone a friend for a job, or apply at the many digital marketing agencies that want a competent, skilled employee. Or I could move to Costa Rica and surf for the rest of my life. 

Empower Your Stress

Just as Kristen Ulmer views fear in “The Art of Fear (Why Conquering Fear Won't Work and What to Do Instead)“ (I highly suggest you read or give it a listen), you need to give stress a position in your company. 

Think of your emotions, feelings, and every little tingle as a well-run factory or business. When one emotion is highly present, the rest of the employees cheer them on in support. When you are happy, your whole company is cheering on happiness to empower it. Stress is simply a worker who needs to be empowered. It isn’t “negative,” but rather it is simply saying “Hey, you need to reassess, please.” If you ignore its call, it will get louder until all your employees (emotions, tingles, brain power) stop and listen…which is a mental meltdown.

Quick Personal Anecdote

Photo by Jamie Furlong

I actually did this practice with surfing. After I was held underwater and fought to get back to shore in what I was told was a 10ft+ swell, I let stress and fear hold me back from surfing bigger waves. Bigger, as in, if it were head high, I would only surf chest-high waves. If it were chest high, I would only surf waist to stomach sets. My fear of heights and drowning mixed with my low self-confidence made me miss out on great waves. I am not a big wave chaser to begin with, but I had surfed head-high+ waves before, so none of this was rational. 

This is when I gave stress and fear the equivalent of “employee of the month.” When the bigger sets came in, I would check in with them and let all of my other emotions cheer them on and thank them. Thank you fear for letting me know this is a learning experience to increase my comfort zone. Thank you stress for letting me know I should be preparing more. Since stress and fear were reacting to uncertainty, I analyzed.  Scenario A = I catch the wave, and all is well. Prep for Scenario B = Before surfing I did breathing exercises to increase the time I could hold my breath, and I began envisioning all of the scenarios via meditation. I may not be the best surfer or ride what others consider big waves, but I enjoy it much more again and increase my comfort zone. 

Self Employed Does Not Mean You Have To Do It Alone

You need support systems. Join groups, speak to mentors, hire consultants, and vent to a best friend (dogs are good listeners). These will get the stressors out of your mind and into the air. As someone who likes to reduce variables, bringing in outside sources is tough for me. However, you actually make others happy and feel fulfilled when they help you. It is almost selfish not to seek comfort from others.

When I am unsure, I put my ego aside and ask someone for their view. Make sure you aren’t doing this in a way to dump your problems on others and make sure you are speaking to the right person. My mom will listen to anything I say, but she doesn’t know how to run a business. My buddy and client Matt is busy running 100 businesses, but he will gladly answer a “what would you do in this situation” question as long as I am direct. 

Are you feeling less stressed? If you are feeling overwhelmed because now you have a to-do of how to deal with stress, you are approaching this wrong. As I like to do, let’s simplify the process:
Do not dominate stress, listen to it. Meditate on it.
Do your best to reduce uncertainty.
Find your support.

Need help? I am a click away.

The Only Two Niches That Matter (And How To Choose Yours)

I run multiple businesses, and you are about to learn the valuable lessons that made one prevail and the other fail. One is the agency that kicked off my self-employment journey. This business is alive and thriving today. The other is an agency I started almost a decade later using online coaching, and it sadly barely made a profit, then died. 

Why did one prevail and the other fail? Proper niching tactics. 

Two Types Of Niches

There are two types of niches you should choose:

1. The industry you want to work in

2. The service you want to provide

Knowing these two things will help you land clients, scale, and reduce stress. 

Some of you may have a passion for a specific niche, while others have no clue. Some may have a specific skill set, while others are unsure of what to offer. Then there are those who want to start a business and are not sure about any of this. So, let’s get your niches set.

Quick anecdote: I started my journey using a skill set I already had. I worked as a copywriter for a search engine optimization company. I chose SEO as my niche service. If you have a skill set you want to sell, start with that in your journey. If you are passionate about a specific industry, use that to guide you to what you want to offer. Passions prevail!

Choosing A Service:

If you don’t have an industry you want to work in, start here. When you choose a specific service, you are branding yourself. You will be able to sell yourself as a specialist in that field. You can broaden your services later, but focusing on one thing will reduce variables and increase your success rate. 

Since I am a digital marketer, I am focusing on that as an example. However, you could be a nutritionist, electrician, car dealer, etc. and follow this journey yourself (or hire me to help you 😉). 

My search engine optimization service and agency have been going strong for over a decade. I specialize in SEO for service providers and white-label for other agencies (more on that method in Drafting). This agency is low overhead and easy to scale. It took me about two months to prepare for starting that business and becoming fully self-employed. To see why I launched so quickly, finish this article, then read How To Grow Your Freelance Business As Quickly As Possible.

For those starting from absolute scratch and who want to be self-employed, marketing services are the easiest to get into. They are low overhead because you only need a computer and prospecting. Below are niche services you can offer:

1. Search engine optimization (SEO)

2. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising

3. Social media management

4. Social media advertising

5. Content marketing

6. Email marketing

7. Influencer marketing

8. Video editing

9. Affiliate marketing

10. Conversion rate optimization (CRO)

11. Online reputation management

12. Google My Business optimization

13. Local search optimization

14. E-commerce marketing

15. Marketing automation

16. Chatbot development

17. Web design and development

18. Analytics and reporting

19. Landing page optimization

20. Podcast advertising

21. Digital public relations

22. SMS marketing

23. Sales funnel optimization

What jumps out at you? All of these are very easy to learn using YouTube, Udemy, or any course! SEMRush, BrightLocal, and my favorite free class (you have to message me for this one) are all great to get you started. Study them, see what they entail, then hit me up if you have more questions.

Want to see what people are willing to pay a freelancer? Jump on Upwork, search for gigs, and see what services people want. This is by far the easiest way to find work as well. Clients are actually telling you what they want and what they want to pay. 

How I Suggest You Choose Your Niche Service and Industry

Niches are often synonymous with industries. In the coaching classes I purchased, I pretty much had five minutes (not the two months I had with my SEO biz) to decide on a niche industry and had to use their model to sell advertising (a service I wasn’t focused on at the time). 

The coaches suggested the auto industry because I had previously worked at an agency focused on automotive. Bad idea! These coaches knew I wasn’t a suave salesman, put me up against the HARDEST people to sell to (calloused, quick talkers), and to sell something I had no proven track record in. 

If you aren’t proficient in sales, don’t be like me and make a quick decision. Good salespeople can sell anything because the focus is getting money right now. But my heart is huge, so I couldn’t take people’s money and fail. That coaching class made plenty of people lots of money, so it works. But not for me. I should have gotten a mentor rather than a course. If you are taking a course and have questions, contact me, and I will help you. 

Write out the persona of the business owner and the business characteristics. If I had written out the persona of a car dealership owner, I probably would not have gone with them. Most likely, I would have focused on an industry that relies on a location (you can buy a car from anywhere). Better adjacent niches for me would have been mechanics or aftermarket parts and installation. They are not hard sales services, their customers are local, and they aren’t against big entities like Carvana.

The (quick) car dealer persona:

Look at this guy! He wants to sell cars, not meet with you for a discovery call.

• Performs multiple sales a day. Positive because they make money. Negative because they are  proficient in any selling tactic you use and rather make a sale to a walkin than make it to your meeting

• Does not have a set schedule, so booking time is tough

• Used car sales dont have set inventory. Good for scarcity marketing. Bad for product ads.

• Used car sales has customers with bad credit or low income. Great for buy here pay here. Bad for standard dealers.

• Used cars are easy to buy yourself via online marketplaces. 

• New car sales want the best in the business because it is big money. Hard to compete with bigger agencies. 

• Dealers are to commission sales. Good if you want to do all the work and get paid on commission as well when starting out. Bad because you rely on them to tell the truth. 

Those are just notes I would jot down. There isn’t a right or wrong way to do this. You can write out a full persona or do a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis. 

To see you on a path to success, I want you to focus on an industry with high-profit margins.

Your journey has just begun. With over a decade of experience, I can tell you reducing variables, being targeted, and analyzing now will give you a decade of success. Money tomorrow is great. You can sell to any poor schmuck. But having a service you can prove gives an ROI and loyal customers for years because you delivered on your promise is fulfilling mentally and monetarily. 

If you need help, I am a click away!

How To Avoid Error, Overwhelm, and Wasted time: Reduce Variables

How’d you like to learn about the key that reduces stress, saves time, increases happiness, and helps me personally every single day of my life? It sounds like an infomercial or wonder drug, but it is just a mantra: reduce variables. 

Note: this isn’t just a read and blast thru type article, I want you to practice this and answer my questions. 

You Are About To Find The Answer To All Of Your Problems

Above is a bold statement, but the proof is in the pudding below. Simply put, if you reduce all of the variables, the answer to your issues will appear in your minimal options.

Answer this honestly and with reflection: is there a tough current decision you must make or a recent decision you have made? Address it right now!

• Does/did it overwhelm you? 

• Is it taking up brain space by randomly popping in? 

• What can you approve/deny rather than justify with compromise?

• Are there pieces of that decision you could cut out by making a guideline?  

We all fear making the wrong decision, and, in many cases, FOMO (fear of missing out) lingers over us. 
Reducing variables works in many scenarios, as simple as buying a new shirt or as complex as starting a new business. You will learn how to fine-tune variables as you learn from them, and you won’t be angry about “failures.” 

Making fewer decisions reduces doubt.

Having a guideline takes away analysis paralysis.

Remove post-purchase dissonance/buyer remorse.

The faster you can make decisions, the more momentum you will bring to the next step. It will reduce burnout and abandonment.

Examples:

I became an Apple person because I was taking too much time researching alternatives (mainly phones and smartwatches weren’t compatible). Apple annoys me with their planned obsolescence and shitty charging cables, but my computer, phone, watch, and AirPods all work perfectly together. So I don’t waste time troubleshooting connections or shopping. 

Fuji became my primary camera option, and I solely shot with one prime lens to dial in my style. Sony is the most popular right now, and Canon was my kit of choice. However, Fuji reduced variables of bags I can use (small camera and lenses fit everywhere), lenses I own (rarely do I get brands other than Fuji), and price point (the cameras and lenses are cheaper). 

Focusing on eco-friendly materials helps me cut out brands I support. From the thousands of black shirt options, I can focus on what supports my values. For example, rather than contemplating which big box store I buy from, the questions are, “Who is resourcing ethically and environmentally conscious materials? Does their cut fit well? Will it hold up to travel and adventure?” Once I find that brand, I stick to them and never have to shop around again.

Choosing a color palette for clothes allows me to purchase what I will wear regularly and helps me get dressed faster every morning. 

When hiring contractors to work on my house, I screwed up. I should have reduced my choices with specific criteria: they must be within the top three for the number of Google Reviews they have, hold an average of 4 stars minimum, and the contractor must be available within a month. If I had followed those rules, my home would have taken less than a year to finish instead of two. 

To answer any question, simply ask, “How can I reduce variables?”

Step one: What is a question/issue/choice you have right now?

Step two: If this was perfect, what would it look like? 

Step three: Define one variable that cuts out a majority of options. It helps if you choose the variable you won’t budge on. Time and money are easy options to start if you are new to this. Is it within your budget? At what time does this decision or task need to be finished?

Step four: Continue to reduce variables until you have a clear choice.

Reducing variables is a mantra and a practice. If you are after minimalism, it is a great place to start. If you are stressed, it will guide you to be less overwhelmed. Every time I break my guideline, I regret it. Even if it can be worth more money later, it is never worth the stress. 

Do you want to practice reducing variables with me? I do enjoy helping others. That practice allows me fine-tune my processes. Simply hit me up!

How To Grow Your Freelance Business As Quickly As Possible

Do you want to learn the proven way to quickstart your business? Thousands could be coming your way overnight if you are willing to eat some humble pie and make some friends in the process.

Why do I know this is proven? Because I have done it before. When I first started my business about a decade ago I went from $300/month in business to $5,000/month overnight (being able to quit my job and never return). 

What is this miracle model? Drafting. A lesson from professional racing! During an auto (or even a bicycle race), you will often see the person in second DIRECTLY behind the person in first. Second place is drafting off the success of the first place. The lead car is breaking all the friction, burning fuel, and heating up its engine. Then trailing car uses all the work from the first car to cruise with less stress. They are drafting off the first car’s success.

You have seen this strategy in many daily variations: collaborations, influencers, partnerships, etc. In essence, you find someone/a business/an account with an audience you want, and you draft off their success. 

Now, I will teach you how to do it, explain how my business benefits from it, and give you the next steps. But first….

Are You Even Ready?

Are you ready to scale? This is the biggest issue. If you don’t have a plan on what to do with the influx, it isn’t worth it to start. You will miss out on money or you will end up spending a ton of money trying to play catch up. Scaling fast leads to new problems.

If you are a freelancer who drafts off a larger agency in your field, you will see an influx in business. However, you won’t be doing all the work by yourself anymore, so you need to know how to teach a team to do what you do very quickly. Or, you must have software or white-label providers ready to be activated.

If you think, “I just want to be popular on social media,” great. But, this new popularity brings on the responsibility of producing quality content. Also, if it encompasses your life, you may not have time for your job anymore. How will you make money if you are forced to choose your popularity over your 9-5? We will get into monetization, don’t worry. 

This isn’t to dismay you, this is to empower you to focus on success. Now, let’s talk about how to draft and how to succeed.

How to Draft For Quick Business Growth

What is the exact service you are offering? Make this simple to say and explain like an elevator pitch. Many people offer SEO, social media ads, web development, branding, etc. Choose your unique positioning, and focus on that. For instance, my branding focuses on minimalism which usually includes four colors, two fonts, and logos on dark, light, and transparent backgrounds. This is great for businesses in the contractor niche as they don’t need elaborate branding a restaurant would for its menus, signs, social media, etc. 

1. Have proof of your success. This can come from your current clients, your own growth, or even a series on the topic you post on social media. I suggest you pick up a client for free or very minimal payment to get something to showcase. If you are looking to start your own business in the industry you currently have a 9-5, use that as your starting point. Their success is your success. 

2. Make sure you have every step of your process written out. Take it one step further and make tutorial videos. These are called standard operating procedures (SOPs), and they should be done so you can hire anyone anywhere and they can fulfill your service. 

3. Find a business/person offering a similar/adjacent service to yours. I offer search engine optimization, so I find branding, design, web development, and even social media companies. They have clients, and I have a service they could upsell to add value to their agency. The benefit to me is obvious (clients), but the benefits to them are more important: hands-off service, huge money-to-time ratio as they just need to sell the service, my successful portfolio as proof, all of my tools, and my SOPs for pitching the service.

4. Contact that company/person with the benefit to them. This is all personal preference. Cold email is usually garbage, but you can create something useful for them, send it to them, and see if you can start up a conversation. This is all a strategic dance to show your value and benefit to them. 

Cold calling is stressful, but it is very direct. Gatekeepers (like assistants and front desk operators) suck if you treat them badly. Be sincere and ask them questions! Try to get the information needed to speak to a real human. Be a human! I’ve cold-called before, and after the initial anxiety, you go numb and just dial.

If you want to run ads, you must have the budget and process to work on inbound marketing. This is a whole different style of marketing. For me, I like to choose who I want to work with and attack.

Want my (not) hidden secret to getting a client today to build your confidence? Contact me here!

Other ways to contact companies - MeetUps, Chambers Of Commerce, online groups like webinars/zoom calls/Facebook groups, Twitter space, Clubhouse…there are tons of em. Get in there, introduce yourself, find the key players, make friends.

One of the easiest ways to find a business similar to yours is to look through your inner circle. Do you have a friend who works at an agency you can draft off of? Do you have someone who can introduce you to an influential person and be an advocate for you? This cuts out step 5, which is usually the hardest step.

Need help with creating a drafting method for yourself? Time to hit me up to create a plan with you!

Buyer Intent Marketing Is The Easiest Way To Get New Business

Attract those who already want what you offer.

What Is Intent Marketing?

Targeting those with intent is the simplest form of marketing. Right now, someone is looking for what you have to offer. They are typing it into Maps Apps, Google, Bing, Yahoo, Youtube, etc and looking at the top results. This is where you need to be in order to get the easiest attainable customers/clients/patients/whatever on the market.

Prospects who show intent are those actively trying to solve their problem. A couple of scenarios: 

• You are unsure what to eat, so you open up your phone and search “takeout near me.”

• It is Friday night, and you want pizza, so you search for “pizza near me.”

• Or, you are meeting up with friends in another town (say Pleasantville) for food, so you search for “best pizza in Pleasantville.”

Cut and dry, intent marketing is capturing those who are actively searching for your good or service by having the best presence on whatever outlet the prospect is using. They intend to make a transaction to solve a specific situation. 

Intent marketing is different from targeting ads to an audience like you would on Facebook or other social media. 

Even though you can advertise your goods/services to those interested in them on social media, their intent is not to purchase or buy. Instead, you are fighting to deviate their attention from what they want. With intent marketing, you will capture their attention at the opportune moment.

Where To Find Those With Buyer Intent

Where does your target market hang out? Malls, venues, libraries, phone books, and other physical entities used to be the answer. Now they hang out where they get their information, such as Google, Bing, YouTube, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Quora, Reddit, Facebook Groups, etc.

Summed up in a golden rule - be the best result for what your prospect needs where they are searching for it. Pretty much another variation of the definition of intent marketing, but I will drive this into your brain.

If you are unsure where your market hangs out, simply open Google (most likely a portion of your market is searching here anyway), type in something your target prospect might search, and look at the results. It is that simple! You are now getting in your prospect’s mind (seeing what keywords you should optimize for) and learning where they get their answers (Google Maps, YouTube videos, Quora QA, etc.). 

How To Win Prospects With Buyer Intent Marketing

Be better than your competition and optimize. 

To be better than your competition, you need proof. It is one thing to say you have the best pizza, but it is another to have 50 reviews on your Google Map listing from actual customers who rave about your delicious margherita pie, quick delivery, and friendly staff. 

Your plan of action should focus on:

• Finding out what your prospects are searching for

• Make sure your current customers are happy so you can elicit quality (not just stars but written out) reviews 

• Producing content prospects can easily understand

You should focus on branding and reputation management at this stage. Do you look like the result prospects need? Do you have strong advocates? Do you have the information searched for by your potential customers? 

Pizza Place Scenario:

You own a pizza place and your Google listing only has two photos posted by you: one of the outside and one of the inside. Someone posted a picture of your menu two years ago and also a selfie. Will you win the customer who wants a vodka sauce pie?

I own a pizza place. Every day I take a photo of our special, post it on my Google listing (among many other places), and write a description of the pizza with the price. My items are written out in the Google Menu section because the text is analyzed by their bots. When a customer picks up an order, I make sure they receive what they want before leaving (show them the order - don’t assume it is all there). I follow up the order with a text to say thank you for purchasing and it would be greatly appreciated if I could get feedback via a review. I guide them by saying it is vital to say which item they ordered and what they liked because it greatly helps others who might be interested.

I will earn much more business than you are in this scenario, simple as that. 

Hot Tip - see if your POS or CRM has automated text and email capabilities. Ask for the review like an hour after they pick up their food.

Hot Tip Two - Use the reviews for social media posts and Google posts. Brag about your wins! Plus, you will be keeping your Google posts updated with relative content that helps local optimization. 

That is easily said, but I am sure you are trying to figure out what tools I use and my process. Here ya go!

Tools to do it yourself:

https://brightlocal.com/ - if you are a local business, this will show you exactly where you rank on the Google map for those searching for keywords in your area. 

https://www.semrush.com/ - get your site scanned for errors, find keyword ideas and volume, see your competitors, and discover content ideas

https://www.frase.io/ - type in a keyword and see ALL the questions your target market types into Google, Quora, Reddit, and much more. Build FAQ sections on your website’s product/service with these questions and your expert knowledge!

The Intent Marketing Machine

For those looking to take the next step, read on to create a perpetual machine of capturing your market. 

We put them in the machine at the buyer intent stage. They have actively searched for your product/service on Google, Bing, Yahoo, YouTube, or whatever search engine. You have an ad or are the top results, so they click on your asset. 

Scenario One - They Give You Their Information

Your website has a lead capture on it. Your main goal is to get their contact information: a minimum of name, email, and phone number. If you own something like a pizza place, you will get their phone number, so when they put in their order, ask for their email. If you are selling a course, this is in exchange for something free for them, such as an exclusive list of contacts, a how-to guide, etc. For service providers, this varies. Real estate agents can get this information for a free home valuation and access to see home details. Landscapers, you should be showcasing your best work and offer a free quote. There are tons of possibilities, but your goal is to get their information.

Once you get their information, you will add them to your email database, then send out weekly or biweekly newsletters to keep them informed and help them. These newsletters should empower the reader and just keep you top of mind. 

Add them to a custom audience list on Facebook to advertise to them on Instagram and Facebook whenever you have a new special or service. It is also great for seasonal services because you can attract them before they begin to think about opening their pool, prepping their lawn, etc. AND, you will advertise to lookalike audiences to get people similar to your current customers to see your ads. 

Make a retargeting ad on Google using the Display Network and do the same thing as you are with Facebook. These are attractive banner ads that sell a service. 

Repeat as new prospect information comes in with their name, email, and phone number.

Scenario Two - they don’t give you their information

They click on your ad, don’t submit their information, then leave. Lost cause? Nope, you have your Google Ads conversion code and Facebook Pixel installed. You now have them automatically added to your retargeting lists. 

On Google, you will advertise a special on the display network. Initially, your targets didn’t see enough value in your offer. Your goal here is to up the offer a bit to see if you can convert them. I always suggest an upsell rather than a discount because it doesn’t devalue your work. Once they click the ad to receive an offer, your target must give their information. Repeat the marketing machine above!

On Facebook/Instagram, you do the same thing. Run an ad to anyone who visited your site but isn’t in your database. Same offer as the Google Display network, but I would also suggest testing a few other offers out if you are savvy with A/B testing ads. 

On YouTube, bust out those editing skills (or pay someone on Upwork or use Canva) to make a quick ad that simply says the offer and entices them to click. DO NOT WASTE TIME on the intro. Instead, you need to attract the person in a few seconds enough to divert their attention away from what they want to watch. 

No matter how you get information, always provide a “refer a friend” incentive. Your current happy customers are your biggest advocates. They influence their immediate circle of friends. 

Above is a perpetual flywheel of marketing. You are constantly putting prospects in, then getting their information. Depending on the scenario, you offer more value in different ways. Keep building your database!!!

No Need to search

Everything you need is right here. Go back and reread the article to see how you can start capturing those with buyer intent. If you are still lost, you have me.

Click below and start asking questions!

Why “Why” Is Your Business's Existence: How To Find The Core of Your Brand

This article uses my own business as an example throughout. It is not meant to brag, but my experience will help you make sense of the concepts.

Breakdown:

• Intro to The Golden Circle and “Why”

• Exactly how I found my Why

• My Why, How, What

• Only those who are ready to take their businesses seriously should go this far

Have you ever heard of the Golden Circle by Simon Sinek? If not, I HIGHLY suggest you watch the short video below. This concept changed the trajectory of my entire business model and truly drove the motivation to get off my ass and do something real. Yes, you can get away with just listening to it.

Intro to The Golden Circle and "Why"

Exactly how I found my Why:

You better have watched/listened to that video. When I first saw it I immediately had a feeling of authenticity in my heart. Below are the questions that raced through my mind and my quick answers. Copy these, delete my answers, then answer them for yourself.

What do I authentically offer others?

Someone who researches, applies strategies, and gladly shares the story. I don’t believe I hold hidden secrets from what I learn and I want others to benefit from my research.

Why do I exist from a business standpoint?

I am an external asset who has already cut through the clutter. My need for freedom to work when I am at my best lead me to be a freelancer. Agencies benefit from not paying a full-time employee and they can now offer services like search engine optimization. Individual clients get an advisor and one-on-one, not a faceless name.

What can I offer?

Advisory, courses, speeches, reporting, full-service SEO, target market building, a fresh set of eyes and ideas.

Why do you exist?

The framework is already taking shape here! Do you see it?! You can’t be self-deprecating in this practice. It is VERY important you believe in yourself. I don’t care if you are a content writer and there are a million other writers out there; the same goes for musicians, designers, coders, make-up artists, or whatever seemingly saturated industry you may be in. We ALL feel like imposters on occasion, or as if what we offer has already been done, but YOU haven’t done it YOUR way yet.

I’m not sorry I drove that point so hard. Some of you might have shrunk your head into your shoulders reading that but you need to come to the realization you are the unique element in every saturated market. There are tons of advisors, marketing specialist, search engine optimization providers, and others who offer what I do, but they aren’t me. Finding your Why will guide you. You will forget what others are doing in the same types of industries and find your own way as a result. You will be forced to tune your skill in a way others haven’t.

YOU are your WHY!

While I was defining my why from a business standpoint, I started defining my why/how/what for other parts of my life. Little things like being the type of person who uses a refillable coffee mug, complimenting others (people spend time on clothes, hair, car restoration, dog training, and it feels great when others notice), being honest when I don’t know something instead of smiling and nodding my head, and even trying to breakdown why I’m attracted to a trend rather than accepting the trend.

This practice can be contradictory; it is invigorating, embarrassing, easy, hard...but it is YOU and YOU are your WHY.

My Why, How, What turned out like this:

I chose to focus on the idea of connections because my mind draws an image of an idealistic end result, which I then like to break down into specific tangible points. Just like a connect-the-dots image, I go from point to point to get the big picture. All I did was use “connections” as a concept to guide me.

Why: What is my cause, purpose belief, why does my biz/me exist?

For everything I research and take action on, I believe there are others who can benefit and I thoroughly enjoy helping others. I believe everyone has/needs a connection or a few crucial connections that can enhance their lives or enhance somebody else’s significantly. Connections are not limited to interpersonal, but connecting to tools available as well.

How:

The way I help others connect is by giving them tools they can use, confidence they need, strategies to follow, and a point person to come to when necessary.

What:

I just happen to have a website for this information, advanced opportunities for one-on-one consultation, and am available to speak at events. Want to hire me?

Only those who are ready to take their businesses seriously should go this far

This is the scary part for you: it is time to reveal your WHY. Some things that helped me were exploring what words do I often use to define my business, who are part of my target markets, what makes me smile, what makes me want to wake up early, what gives me an adrenaline rush.

My way of finding WHY wasn’t built on Simon Sinek’s books. I was already on a path to finding it when I was introduced to his concept, but The Golden Circle video pushed me in the right direction. If you are having a hard time and truly want to find your why, Sinek offers a reasonably priced course here: https://courses.startwithwhy.com and https://fourminutebooks.com/find-your-why-summary/ is a solid synopsis.

What Is The 1000 True Fan Strategy, Why/When To Apply It, and How To Use It

This post is a short introduction and a slight variation of the 1000 True Fans strategy by Kevin Kelly. Tim Ferris pushed this strategy to his large audience, which is how I heard about it. Unfortunately, in trying to do the right thing, Tim also revealed something with blurred lines. I believe you need to understand what the 1000 True Fan strategy is, why and when to apply it, and how to do so in order to avoid blindly following a potential dead end.

Breakdown:

• What the 1000 True Fans strategy is

• Why/when to apply it

• How to use it (including social media strategy)
  
  

What the 1000 True Fans Strategy is

Basically, the 1,000 True Fans strategy is focused around niching down and forming connections, both of which I believe will build a better brand. Your goal is to go for the deepest connections with an attainable 1,000 people who will spend money on your business. The thought behind it is if you can get 1,000 fans each to spend $100 dollars a year on your goods, you will make $100,000 a year.

We are presented with a very simple formula, great name for a strategy, and what seems like a fail-proof plan - but you should know that Kelly does not live hard and fast by the number 1,000. He states,

“the actual number may vary depending on the media. Maybe it is 500 True Fans for a painter and 5,000 True Fans for a videomaker. The numbers must surely vary around the world. But in fact the actual number is not critical, because it cannot be determined except by attempting it. Once you are in that mode, the actual number will become evident.”

— Kevin Kelly

Check out the article http://kk.org/thetechnium/the-reality-of/ for a great retraction and pivot on the subject as well.

Kelly goes on to say you may need a mix of true fans and lesser fans. For instance, 500 fans who spend $100 and 1,000 fans who spend $50. Don’t forget, you have to factor in your spend on marketing, goods, taxes, etc. In my opinion, this is an idea to build from to show you how attainable growing your business is. You will hit a goal using this strategy and you will learn great organic growth.

Another awesome clarification by Kelly is in the article The Case Against, where he states,

“What my research tells me: there are very few artists making their entire living selling directly to True Fans. The few that are, are selling high-priced goods, like paintings, rather than low-priced goods like CDs. But there are many that partially fund their livelihood with direct True Fans.“

— Kevin Kelly

Now we are starting to reveal the 1,000 True Fans strategy is really only a thought to build off of. It seems as if Kelly had a theory, then found out it isn't such a hard and fast rule.

"1,000 True Fans" is a goal we can attain in various ways. Below is about to get into the nitty-gritty of the strategy based on how I think it should be properly used.

Why and When to apply a "True Fans Strategy"

Now that we have a better understanding of the concept of 1,000 True Fans, let’s take advantage of it. Don’t be discouraged that Kelly was really loose with the exact number. Some of you may even need less than 1,000!

Why should you use this strategy?

• Because it will help you create a SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, timely) goal. You may have to be elaborate with it, but you can say “I will create a loyal fan base of 1,000 people by xx/xx/xxx and deliver a $100 product to record how many are true fans.”

• You will define a niche

• A loyal market will become advocates for you

• Upselling a current customer is easier than attaining a new one

When You Should Use This Strategy

For those starting brand new business, the 1,000 True Fans strategy is incredible! Starting a new business tends to have open ends such as who is your target market and what is the best way to spend money. By trying to attain True Fans even before you launch your website, you will see momentum when normally there is a stand still. For instance, you may be waiting for your first round of design for your site, so going out and starting conversation and trying to get them to care about you and what you have to offer will give you contacts to hit immediately when the site launches. You can even sell your services before the site launches with a special offer to early adopters. Nurture the first True Fans so they feel elite and want to advocate your business.

Building relationships should happen during the life of your venture. Never forget your building blocks and always try to reward them so they stay True Fans. When you launch a new product or service similar to what they purchased in the past, you will have an easier time converting and upselling them.

“All those kids who were in high school, they went to college and they brought that music with them, and they had hand to hand connections. That's the whole idea of the grass root complex."

“All those kids who were in high school, they went to college and they brought that music with them, and they had hand to hand connections. That's the whole idea of the grass root complex."

Chance The Rapper used the True Fans strategy to grow his career. There are several articles written about him, but this excerpt from DJ Booth sums it up pretty well:

“We went up to all the schools, passed out CDs, and all my friends went to his first listening party. It was raining, it was pouring outside, these kids waited to get in because it was packed. After that, we sold tickets and played Lincoln Hall - it was the first hip-hop show that Lincoln Hall has ever decided to throw.

All those kids who were in high school, they went to college and they brought that music with them, and they had hand-to-hand connections. That's the whole idea of the grass root complex. It's way easier for you to relate to somebody when, even if it's not you, you can say, "My homie is from Chicago and he said one day he went to Lincoln Park and Chance [gave him a free CD]. That means a lot more than any billboard because it's a personal connection with an artist. And it's not through social media, it's not through [hand to hand marketing]." - Taylor Bennett, Sway”

If Chance can grow this way, so can you!

How to use the 1000 True Fans Strategy

Go on reddit/quora and engage in conversation. Try to get one-on-one convos going. Answer their points of concern in the thread, then try to take it into a quick one-on-one using Google Hangouts. Show them you are real. This strategy isn’t just for service providers. For example, a pet store can talk to its target market about the hard time they are having training their dogs to not chew furniture. You will become an authority and later you can send them a link to your absolute favorite chew toy. The goal is to nurture a relationship by providing authentic interaction. You can sell them whatever you want as long as it is coming from a "friend". 

Facebook Groups tend to focus around needing advice. I have seen a few product Groups turn into sources of information for things like how to setup Facebook ads and marketing funnels. Find the Groups related to your business and engage! Answer questions, slide in DM’s, start threads based on concerns and then resolve them. The more people who see your name often the better!

For Instagram, choose a handful of hashtags or a location to engage with. Hit these people up regularly as they post. Using parts of this strategy is how I built a small local following on Instagram before I could even properly use my camera. My skills were not nearly as in tune as my ability to reach out and connect with someone via my words and simple interactions. I never planned on selling anything but my direct messages were populated with people seeking advice or admitting their pain points. I’ve made friends from this and now love seeing these people in public. A great way to explore this is to use the Gary Vaynerchuk's $1.80 strategy. 

GO INTO THE WILD! Social media may have profile pictures, but a real face-to-face is powerful. Find networking events via Eventbrite, Meetup, Chamber of Commerce, WhatsApp, Kik, or one of the many other services. Be authentic and listen to your market. I always forget names and often what I am about to say or the points of stories because I am so excited. Keep calm and interact. You can show your passion without talking until you can't breath like I sometimes do.

Ok, so now you have a few people (maybe you put in the work and hit 1,000) you are personable with. Sell them something small. Test to see if they are willing to part with their money (or even just their email) because they value you. This will depend on your target market’s income. For instance, I might sell a $20 guide on how to create a SMART goal, find your “WHY”, and choose your ONE thing. This guide is worth much more when done face-to-face with me, but $20 or even exchange for an email is solid. If I had 1,000 TRUE fans, I’d be $20k deep. However, my goal is to get a niche of them who like that, then try to convert some of them to buy a $500 package of one-on-one sessions to cut my need for 1,000 True Fan, down to 200.

Remember, offer disproportionate value! Give and give and give, then ask for the sale. This will help validate who will pay for your goods. If you ask for a $20 sale and they go for it, you will most likely get them to pay $50 later for something of more value or $40, then a special offer of a $20 upsell valued at $40.

I have a friend whose band is popular in their genre and they tour all over. He uses the True Fans strategy to make some extra income while on tour. Remember, merch sales are not filling the bank accounts of every memeber of the band, so he has to do more. Before each show, my buddy offers drum sessions focused on tuning, playing, Q&A’s, and more. This builds his (and the band’s) True Fan-base and makes him extra money. He is already on tour and these people already like his music. All he is doing is giving them a chance to learn from someone they look up to and to connect to him ona personal level. You can do the same! Find something in your style you can offer.

If you want a more specific example for yourself, hit me up! I would LOVE to expand on this article with real-life examples. I will gladly brainstorm some ideas with you.

How to Easily Build Your Own Local Influencer List and What To Do With It

Before we go any further, I want to say I am a HUGE advocate for influencer marketing. Collaborations (much better word for this type of marketing) are my favorite way to spread a product, movement, or whatever else you want to get to the masses. However, it can become scammy, so make sure you are collaborating with an influencer who would really advocate for you.

Here is your breakdown. Click to a section to explore it further or read straight through:

• Definition of an influencer and how/why they help small businesses

• Why are we even doing this?

• What influencers are going to expect

• How to easily build your own local influencer list

• What to do with the list...Influencer outreach

• FAQ

What is an influencer?

• An influencer is an individual who has the power to affect purchase decisions of others because of his/her authority, knowledge, position or relationship with his/her audience.

• An individual who has a following in a particular niche, which they actively engage with. The size of the following depends on the size of the niche.”

- Influencermarketinghub.com

In 2017/18, we were inundated with “influencer” marketing. We saw Instagram and YouTube stars being called influencers rather than celebrities. Some of these influencers pushed for social causes like helping Puerto Rico when they were hit by a massive storm and forced to evacuate. While others used the chance to make some money by pushing products from sponsorships or starting their own labels.

How/Why Influencers Help Small Businesses

Why would you choose an influencer over other marketing options? To be honest, it is not a this-or-that strategy. All marketing should be holistic. However, ads are disruptive to our daily scrolling on social media. An ad stops us and tries to tell us something that we weren’t even thinking about. An influencer will organically present your business/product in a feed while not disrupting the natural flow of scrolling through of social media.

Think about when you watch YouTube videos. Do you tune out or get annoyed by the pre-roll ads? I do because they haven’t quite hit me correctly with ads I care about (one more local car dealer and I smash my phone!). However, when someone like Peter McKinnon stops in the middle of a video to thank a sponsor, I listen! Check it out below:

Another example of this is when Mango Street. They went out of their way to make a ridiculous ad right in the beginning of the video. There is no point to skipping because I know it will be over soon, but it is also entertaining. I recognize the people in the ad (because I watch their channel) and it resonates with me.

I actually switched from WordPress to SquareSpace. One, because they know how to reach me properly. Two, because I started running into snags with WP and decided I might as well try SquareSpace.

You may exclaim: “But these people have a following and are on YouTube. I can’t afford them!” If you own a restaurant, clothing store, or any other small operation, you might be thinking “how could influencers help my small business?”. Influencers aren’t just mega stars. Many of them are in your backyard and are very tangible to work with. Small businesses should target those who are active in the local community.

For instance, a star like Casey Neistat is the dream to collaborate with, but the chances of him coming to your restaurant outside of NYC are slim. However, the vegan girl who lives within 20 miles from your establishment, runs an instagram that focuses on fitness, and has 10-20k active followers is a much more tangible/affordable option and has a similar target market to your business.

You might be thinking “that is very specific” and you would be right! That is the goal of niche marketing. You want to find the biggest name in your very specific niche. Remember, Influencer Marketing Hub states: “The size of the following depends on the size of the niche.”

These local influencers aren’t hard to find when you know where to look, and I will show you how to do the research later on in this article.

Why are we even doing this?

Influencers do exactly what the name implies. They influence their followers to take the same actions. But, there is more to it than that. Think of the psychology of these advocates. When someone comments on the influencers post, the influencer will most likely nurture that follower. The follower feels a connection and will probably take actions that nurture that connection.

For instance, an influencer posts about a restaurant or maybe even a specific meal there, then a follower comments on the post because they have been to the restaurant (maybe they say they have had that meal), and the influencer nurtures that follower by saying how much they loved it or maybe even tries to work the Instagram algorithm by asking what else the follower tried. Basic right? But now that follower will want to feel even more connected and will probably visit in the near future. Maybe they will even post and give credit to the influencer for reminding them to go to the restaurant (because they want more connection to that influencer!).

I’ve said this before: Instagram is like high school. When the cool kids say something or someone is cool, they are passing on their clout to that thing or person. We are doing this to have the popular people tell everyone to check us out. Also, this works with Instagram’s algorithm. If a popular account mentions yours, you get more momentum and possibly showing up in their followers’ explore pages.

What an influencer is going to expect...

The image above is from Later's article "This is How Much Instagram Influencers Really Cost". Let's peel this onion a little more...

Money, products, and/or services. I understand you are tight on time and money, but you need to understand these people built their following using those same assets. Now, they want to reap the benefits of their hard work.

You have to remember this is a pay-to-play world. Unless the influencer is an advocate for a cause and wants to donate his/her time and reach, you are going to pay somehow. You can trade clothes, food, or services, but most likely, the influencers will want money.

Please, do your research before talking to them. Yes, you are essentially saying “you are cool and I want to benefit from that” but don’t make them feel that used. (There will be more on how to approach influencers in “What to do with it”.)

I love this one example from a restaurant I work with. Instead of having one influencer some to the establishment, they invited 10 to have dinner with each other and talk. About 5-8 showed up and they had a great time! Of course, they posted about each other (as well as the restaurant), which is very organic. As they tagged each other they spread to more markets (they are smart and know what a feature can do in one another’s story or feed) and exposed the fact they are at this restaurant.

Below is a sample of package options from Later's post. However, the rates are from a lifestyle blogger, with 118K followers and a 2.5% engagement rate. If you are going hyperlocal/niche, these numbers can be way lower!

How to easily build your own local influencer list:

Try to find ways of how the collaboration benefits them more than just a quick check. This will help you find the right person. For instance, if you own a bar, don’t try to get a fitness influencer in to help push your happy hour. They won’t advocate for drinking. Find someone in fashion (fancy drinks), photography (you know you will get good photos), or even a band (they drink and have a following that wants to hang with them). Remember, this is a collaboration. You want to match niches and build a relationship with the influencer and the audience.

Below you will learn how to build your own influencer list.

One thing to note: high follower count does not mean they are an influencer. Click on each profile, look through some images, and see if they have high comments and likes in correlation to the amount of followers. 2-3% engagement is normal for an account, but make sure they aren’t following thousands of people to get more followers. For more in depth on this subject, check out https://later.com/blog/find-instagram-influencers/.  https://socialblade.com is good for validating, but using your judgement is best.

Another Note: if you are only finding people in the 2-10k range, that is fine! Not everyone lives in densely populated areas. You can (and should) work with people who have lower follower counts and still high engagement. Instead of one big influencer, try to throw a small networking event for these micro influencers. 2,000 x 10 = 20k and it might only cost you a meal, coffee, and conversation.

Step 1

Go on Instagram and search by location. Type in your town, then scroll through the images in that location. Find those that would relate to your business and check to see if they get high engagement. If so, click on that media and visit the profile. Check to see if the engagement seems legitimate for the number of followers the account has. Copy the account, put the link/username in a file, make a note of why they would be good to collaborate, then repeat this step for more locations near your business.

Step 2

Once you are done with searching via location, search Instagram by hashtags. Type in hashtags with a geo modifier such as #njfitness then go through posts using that tag to find accounts close to your business. Add them to the list you are keeping.

Step 3

Use a tool like Iconosquare that allows you to search media more in depth. https://pro.iconosquare.com/search/media/search allows you to search two hashtags at a time. This is powerful as you can search users who tag their posts both by location like #newjersey and interest like #vegan. Those combined will produce very solid results for your niche. You can also search a hashtag and words/phrases that were used in a caption. I suggest starting with a location hashtag, then adding a phrase. Add your favorites to your list.

This process is going to be time consuming. You will be checking out profiles, validation, and keeping record, but it is all front loaded work! Once it is done, you have a list you can use over and over again.

What to do with the list...Influencer outreach

Now that we have our lists all in order, it is time to reach out. Make sure to like and comment on their photos so your name may seem a little more familiar. Nurture this relationship for a bit. There is no exact amount of time you should wait but try to leave authentic interactions before your go in for the pitch. Direct message these influencers, but also check their profiles for emails or a even a phone number. Their website might have more information on collaborating too. To break the ice, you can find a post in their feed that you love, message it over to them, and say why you like it and how you would love something like that for your establishment.

You want to contact influencers with an inquiry. They are busy with their daily lives, account management, and whatever else they feel like doing. I don’t believe in wasting time and not asking for what you want, but I do believe you should be authentic. Tell them why you like their posts. They put effort behind their account, so show you recognize the details and that is why you really want them to come check out your business. Ask if they have a media kit as an influencer. If not, that means they might not do it professionally and you can make the terms as you see fit. If they do, see if it works with your budget. It is that simple. If you have to negotiate, be polite about it. “$500 for an appearance is a little out of our scope, but we would gladly be able to pay $250 and a free meal at our restaurant.” - that could suck to hear on a influencers end, but they may take it because it is better than nothing. Or, they shot for $500 expecting a negotiation. Who knows?!

What you want out of this is time in front of their followers. Try to negotiate a permanent post on their feed (or a least five-days to a week), the full 24 hours in their story, and a picture for your own feed and/or your story. These are all very basic assets, which probably won’t be denied.

Sidenote: keep a bank of the photos and videos they send you or post. Add those to a highlight story of people who visit your establishment and keep building on that highlight.

Influencer Marketing FAQ

How influencer marketing works:

Any influencer is the middleman. Instead of a brand, business, etc paying for ads to hit the consumer directly, they hire someone (the influencer) who consumers are interested in. The influencer is usually paid in dollars and product to post photos and/or video advocating for the products/service.

How do influencers help brands?

They use their popularity to spread knowledge of the brand. The influencer’s followers get a more organic presentation of the brand rather than a disruptive ad.

How do influencers get paid?

Influencers get paid in money and product. It all depends on how you set up the terms of the payment. Paypal, Venmo, check, and more options are available.

How do influencers make money on Instagram?

Via brands, businesses, and others who want their product, service, or self known. Influencers are paid to present these assets to their followers.

How do influencers get followers?

Plenty of different ways. They can pay-to-play with ads to extend their reach, or they can put in the work to grow organically. The secret sauce is different for each of them.

How do influencers use social media?

This is an odd question, so I will answer is as if it was asked “how do influencers use social media for brands?”. Basically, they put a twist on advertising. They build up a niche following and present brands (that pay for the exposure) to their followers.

What is influencer outreach?

It is just another way to say what we have been saying. You persuade persuading influential leaders to promote your brand.

What is influencer mapping?

You might be confused with influence mapping, but we can twist the definition to fit. Influencer mapping would be creating a visual model showing the interests of a niche and the people who have influence to drive decision in that niche.

Why is influencer marketing effective?

There are many reasons, but to me it is about connections. You trust these people you follow on social media and feel like part of their lives. When they are advocates for something, you are more inclined to take their word for it. They are making decision easy for you.

Problems with influencer marketing:

One of the biggest problems is finding the ROI without using expensive software. Also, ensuring the influencer sends the correct message at the correct time.

Influencer vs Celebrity

A celebrity can be an influencer. They have niches that followers each of them in which they have an influence over. An “influencer” might not be a movie star or musician, but they are a form of celebrity. Think about an Instagram account for a dog with 100k followers. That dog is an influencer.

Influencer vs Affiliate

An influencer can be an affiliate if they are getting a cut of the sales. You can give an influencer an affiliate link to your online store to make it easy for them to get that cut. Often affiliates who are not influencers must apply to offer goods from a business. 

Who are the best digital marketing influencers?

I’m not going to write who the top influencers like Casey Neistat are. Rather the best digital marketing influencer are those who have an authority in your niche.

Why is influencer marketing growing faster than digital ads?"

It is new and shiny. Many people want to be associated with the cool kids (just like high school), so paying them is easy. Also, it is organic. Personally, I like a more holistic approach to marketing rather than shoving ads down throats (or eyes).

What is unique about influencer marketing?

It is not disruptive! Ads stop us and tell us to do something. Influencers just so happen to have this awesome thing you should try!

What are the benefits of influencer marketing?

Association with a larger entity, direct access to a niche, and an advocate for your product/service. Also, it shows you are paying attention to who is popular and supportive in your niche. 

What are the best sites and tools for influencer marketing? What tools can I use to find influencers?"

NinjaOutreach, Upfluence, Famebit, Reelio, Izea, Onalytica, HYPR, Brand24, GroupHigh, Influanza, In/Spree Brands, TapInfluence

What are micro-influencers?

These are who I suggest you hit up as a small business. These are the people who have a small, but very dedicated following. Think about the person in your town who has 5-10k followers rather than everyone else who has 500-2k.

How can influencer marketing help to grow my business? How to use influencer marketing for my business?

There are two ways this focus can work: One, develop a relationship with an influencer and have them consistently advocate for your business. Two, have several influencers advocate for your brand at the same time to get a wider spread. They will help with exposure, but not guarantee sales. If you want to go into greater detail, you should just hire me to break this down for you.

Does influencer marketing really work?

Depending on your goal, yes! As long as you do your research to find the best influence in your niche, you will have a productive campaign.

What kind of ROI does influencer marketing produce?

Exposure. Don’t expect a ton of followers or sales. Yes, both happen, but don’t think influencer marketing will immediately change everything in your business.

What are the most common mistakes in influencer marketing?

Not clearly defining the goal for the influencer and you expectations.

What problem is influencer marketing solving?

It is cutting through the disruptive ads. It associates a product with a person, which is more relatable. 

What is the best way to buy social influencer marketing posts?

Research your market to see who they look up to! Make your own list!!! However, these tools will help: NinjaOutreach, Upfluence, Famebit, Reelio, Izea, Onalytica, HYPR, Brand24, GroupHigh, Influanza, In/Spree Brands, TapInfluence, AspireIQ (formerly Revfluence)

Cannabis Dispensary Marketing: Why Organic Is Best As Usual

Right off the bat, there are several roadblocks on the way to effective cannabis dispensary marketing. Don’t let these obstacles make you feel as though you are on a path of dead ends! I actually love this type of market, because it forces you to research and use creative thinking to work around these new developments. Luckily for you, this guide will help kick-start your journey to dispensary marketing and advertising, and do the same for your online business! For those who do not have the time to do this themselves, contact me about my dispensary marketing agency services.

What you can’t do/restrictions

Now, I normally balk at being told what I can or cannot do, but in the case of cannabis marketing, it’s important to acknowledge and recognize these restrictions so we can preemptively avoid sinking energy into them.

You can’t use Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/LinkedIn/Pinterest advertising to directly sell cannabis products.

You can’t use Google advertising to sell cannabis products.

You can’t buy bus, train, or other public advertising. (this is according to https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/SF-Muni-bans-marijuana-ads-on-buses-trains-12376020.php but I feel that may change eventually)

Summed up, these rules make it nearly impossible to advertise directly to the general public

I don’t know about you, but I hate seeing “can’t” that many times. Screw the rulemakers, I should be able to reach my market to tell them what I want them to know! So, why all these hoop-jumping arbitrary restrictions? Because cannabis is still not legal on a federal level. Yes, it’s ridiculous to me, too. Tobacco and alcohol have exponentially more advertising freedom, and the cannabis industry is stuck fighting just to post a picture on Instagram that won’t get torn down because you accidentally mentioned the wrong thing, or could be misinterpreted as appealing to minors.

On the local level of dispensary advertising and marketing

The restrictions on dispensary advertising are heavy. You basically can’t advertise outside of cannabis industry news sources or private banner companies. This cuts out any ads on Google, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or any other popular public platform. I am just rehashing the above list, but it’s something I think is important to drill into your head.

As a dispensary, you have a brick and mortar building, which is going to be helpful in the long game. You are not going to be able to show off your cannabis in a window display, but your physical presence will be a boon in the tried and true method of peer marketing. Let’s dive into this niche.

Why dispensary marketing is easier than you think and what to do

The good news is, cannabis users are going to be actively looking for your business. If I am in Colorado or California, I am going to want to find the best dispensaries. Since you can’t outright advertise on a public platform, we are going organic.

This is where local search engine optimization becomes integral to your business. Local SEO is going to be a huge way for dispensaries to get found by potential customers. As of right now, January 2019, there are about 44,000 searches a month for “dispensary near me” in New Jersey alone. On average, Google is saying it gets 100,000 to 1,000,000 searches a month for this term. There are going to be plenty of variations of this keyword going forward. For example:

Pay special attention to that last one. See “michigan”? Prospective customers are going to be switching “michigan” for different states, cities, towns, and counties. The order of words in term will change slightly, such as “dispensaries near denver” or “NJ dispensaries.” All of these options will have different search volumes, so you can capture these markets.

My enthusiasm in local SEO for dispensaries may be biased because I have specialized in local SEO for so long, but that’s because it is a great starting point for organic marketing. Its foundation is built upon solid business practices you should already be doing, like making sure your name, address, and phone number are all correct and added to proper business directories. With these efforts, you get a two birds, one stone situation! You add yourself to niche directories like Weed Maps and Leafly for that initial target market, and in doing so, get even more back-links that can results in Google Map listings.

“dispensary near me” Google Map results

When being local, think local. Try writing an article for your local newspaper, nextdoor.com, or Facebook groups addressing what they should know about cannabis. This is organic exposure, and some will give you more backlinks to your website. Links from trusted local news sources add greater authority to your site. Try to stay active and answer any questions people in the community may have about the cannabis industry to sow trust at the ground level.

Maintain a blog! I don’t care if you only produce one article a month, it will keep your site fresh. Make it all about your deals for the month or a FAQ for new customers. Write whatever you want, and try to tie it to your local area. If it is Pride weekend, offer an upsell (I like these better than discounts) of a two for one “bud for your buds no matter who you love”. Okay, maybe that’s not your final copy tagline, but get creative! You NEED to think outside the box to draw in new eyes.

Local SEO is of benefit for any new business, but it is going to be a truly essential asset to dispensaries.

If you have found this article interesting so far, I highly suggest we talk. I would LOVE to work on your dispensary’s search engine optimization, because I believe in the product and what it does for many of its users.

Okay, enough laying down the initial groundwork. Let’s get even more creative with the hottest marketing outlet: social media.

You are screwed! Just kidding, but restrictions are pretty tight on what you can post and advertise.

Let’s go over the current (January 2019) guides:

Facebook/Instagram

Let’s put this bluntly (no pun intended, but also...hey!): Facebook’s advertising policies strictly prohibit the promotion of illegal or recreational drugs. You simply cannot promote cannabis on these platforms, even if you are pushing ads for health and education reasons. Sorry, it is that tight.

You can definitely write about the industry, which means you could, for example, repurpose blog posts as Facebook updates. I highly suggest doing so, because users are allowed to seek out this information and Facebook will deliver your content. As a friendly but constant reminder, this content MUST be educational and informative.

There isn’t very clear information on the alternative promotion of CBD. This is a tricky industry, because some products contain THC and some don’t. I won’t get too deep into that because the information is sparse.

I can leave you with this mild respite from Facebook’s restrictions, though:

“Drug and drug related products are prohibited from being advertised on Facebook, as detailed in our ad policies: Advertising Policies

As the ad in question is referencing medical assistance, it has been approved. Should you want to create an ad referencing the use of CBD oil, it will be reviewed by our policy team and you will be advised of the approval or disapproval decision at that time.”

Twitter

Just like Facebook, it’s a no go on the ads for cannabis according to Twitter’s advertising policies. You are not allowed to promote recreational or herbal drugs, accessories related to them, dispensaries, or depictions of hard drug use (we all know why that last term gets under our skin.)

However, Twitter is a crazy platform. You will see tweets and media posted that you will not see on many other platforms. Use this opportunity to get creative with the imagery in your feed. Despite official policies suggesting otherwise, here you will find all of the cannabis enthusiasts who are open about their use and posting pics and videos to prove it.

YouTube

Like the others, YouTube’s Community Guidelines say no to ads for cannabis. YouTube is a very interesting platform, because it does allow for content that is educational, documentary, or artistic as long as it is not harmful or dangerous.

Despite its official stance, I know I have seen videos of people straight up smoking weed, so I did a search. “First time smoking weed” videos are pretty popular (and funny). So, this seems to be a loose guideline.

A quick search for. “cannabis” on YouTube, and you can see most of the videos are infotainment. Personally, I am into it. If anyone wants to see a hot girl smoking weed, they can do it anywhere online. YouTube is a good escape from just eye candy.

Pinterest

Again, Pinterest’s advertising policies prohibit the promotion, sale, or use of illegal or recreational drugs. However, this platform does allow ads for products like hemp and CBD as long as they don’t contain THC.

This is an ideal place for organic cannabis marketing because you can post artistic and educational content.

Snapchat

You are correct, Snapchat would seem like the most likely place to be able to place ads! Even though they aren’t as clear on their guidelines as some other popular social media sites, Snapchat’s advertising policies still state you can’t have ads about illegal or recreational drugs or paraphernalia.

However, just like Twitter above, let your content free! As long as you aren’t actually promoting illegal activity, cannabis usage and posts about it are allowed and popular.

Reddit

Following suit, Reddit’s Advertising Policy says it’s a no-no to promote sale or use of recreational drugs. However, as it is still the wild west of social media, you can pretty much post whatever you want about cannabis. The Reddit’s Content Policy doesn’t want content that promotes illegal activities but is not entirely clear on if cannabis falls under this umbrella.

Google

This seems a total bust, as Google’s advertising policies prohibit the promotion of dangerous products or services, including recreational drugs.

However, when you search for something like “bong companies” you get ads like the one below. It seems to work much like vape devices, where you can only advertise when someone DIRECTLY types in your product. As brands you have in store become more popular, you may be able to advertise for them.

Creative Cannabis Marketing

After reviewing the above policies, it is clear to me that organic marketing is the way to go for the cannabis industry. There are several tried and true tactics to achieve this for your own business.

Create content that evokes emotion (inspiration, love, fear, anticipation), and that will drive action. This is essential to consider when framing your blogs, social media posts, posts in media outlets, and pretty much any image or written word that you put out there.

Engage with your target market! Grunt work is the real game here. Be out there. Users tend to forget the “social” part of social media, and instead just use it to blast their content. Imagine walking into a room and just blurting things out, without taking the time to actually talk to others. It doesn’t make sense as a long term strategy.

Team up. Find other similar companies to work with. Yoga studios, massage therapists, breweries, restaurants and bars, any type of local businesses will have followings. Find a way to mutually engage each other’s markets. Actually, you can create a whole list of influencers! Check out my article on building an influencer list here.

Do some goodwill! Host charity events to get coverage, create Snapchat/Instagram/Facebook filters, hold Meetups. Do anything that you can to engage and benefit the community. Building goodwill helps nail your target market.

When it comes to outdoor advertising, we are walking a fine line. Local regulations will determine if you can take out a billboard, so make sure to check in your particular state. According to  BillboardsIn, one out of every 50 requests they receive is from a cannabis-related business.

Marijuanaventure.com has summed up the guidelines for billboards nicely:

DESIGN EFFECTIVELY

There are three essential rules you should keep in mind when designing your ‘board if you want your ad to be effective.

1. KEEP IT SHORT: The average read time for a billboard is 2-5 seconds. Keep your message short. Eight words max.

2. SELL YOUR BRAND: What’s your differentiator? Speed? Price? Selection? Let the people know what sets you apart from everyone else. That should be the crux of your ad’s design and message.

3. INCLUDE A CALL TO ACTION: What do you want your customers to do after seeing the ad? If it’s to visit your website, you better include the URL on the billboard. If it’s to visit your shop, you better display your address. Make it easy for them to be able to do the thing you want them to do after seeing your ad.

Of course, you can always go to other extremes. Instagram star Dan Bilzerian used over sexualized billboards to promote his company Ignite.

Photo from: https://www.instagram.com/p/BoA6-6pgjp1/

However, expect blow-back. Women in the industry HATED it, and parents in the surrounding towns pushed for the removal of the billboards.

My suggestion: make your message empowering, empathetic, and direct. Women in lingerie will get attention, but that isn’t what you are selling. If you really want a pretty women in your ads, try using cannabis as the focus of someone with social anxiety approaching her.

FAQs (TL,DR: what’s going on?)

Q: Why did your cannabis social media account get shut down?

A: You are not following the posting policy for that platform. Additionally, you probably already broke those rules a few times.

Q: What would your marketing strategy be in a marijuana business?

A: I would focus on organic marketing, as fully explained in this article. I would mix in paid marketing on cannabis niche specific outlets like Leafly.

Q: Why is marijuana being promoted so much on social media?

A: Social media gives everyone a voice. What you are seeing is people being unapologetically themselves. It isn’t being promoted, so much as it is a popular topic. Based on the algorithm of most social media outlets, it seems like you are interested in the subject.  

Q: How to promote a medical marijuana dispensary?

A: Local search engine optimization really is the key here. People are looking for your services, so being there when they are looking is your goal. Your target market is already specifically searching for you!

Q: How to advertise a marijuana business online?

A: Sites in your industry will have this option. Search for sites that offer products or services in your niche, but that aren’t direct competition.

Q: How and where do I advertise my CBD/hemp oil-related products?

A: CBD has a little more lenient rules. Use the command or ctrl + f then search “cbd” in this article for some information. Or, contact me to do some research strictly for you.

Q: What is the best way to advertise CBD products?

A: See the answer above. There is enough in this article to give you a kickstart. However, I will gladly find more information for you if you contact me.

Q: What's the best way to market a cannabis mobile app?

A: Find blogs, influencers (learn how to find them here), or a similar outlet you can team with. You won’t be able to use advertising, so public relations skills are ideal here.

Q: How to profit off of Canada's upcoming marijuana legalization?

A: Start your dispensary SEO as soon as possible. Get in front of the curve and build your authority. If you can solidify yourself in the market early and properly, you have a better chance at succeeding.

Q: How can SEO benefit medical marijuana dispensaries?

A: Terms like “medical dispensary near me” get several searches a month. This means your prospects are either new and want to know their options or don’t like their current dispensary and searching for other sources. Local SEO also includes reputation management. As you get positive reviews on Google, you will be more attractive to your target market.