Today we’re diving into business plans with Lura Wagenknecht. You’ve probably heard me harp on about the importance of business plans, and I know some of you might think it’s just a document collecting dust on a shelf. Well, let me tell you, every bit of that plan is gold, and Laura shared some great tips on how to make the most of it. Laura, the owner of Mosaic Business Consulting, is a seasoned business consultant and executive coach with over 30 years of experience. We’re both passionate about the power of business plans, and in this conversation, we’re unraveling how every element of that plan can fuel your marketing strategy. Laura sheds light on the practical uses of the business plan elements, from vision and mission to bios and service descriptions. It’s not just a static document; it’s a dynamic tool that can fuel your website content, social media posts, and overall marketing strategy. Laura emphasizes the beauty of breaking down the daunting task of creating a business plan into manageable chunks, making it less overwhelming. We also touch on the importance of revisiting your plan regularly, at least every six months, to ensure you’re on track and make necessary adjustments. If you’ve been hesitant about diving into the world of business plans, Laura’s insights might just be the encouragement you need to take that plunge.

If you are like most business owners you make the mistake of looking at your competitors for guidance on pricing. Unfortunately, they probably don’t know any more about pricing than you do. Why don’t business owners charge more for their products and services?  Robin Waite thinks it is usually it is fear that holds them back. Learn how you can get over your fear and raise your price. About Robin Waite Robin Waite is the founder of Fearless Business, a Business Accelerator for Coaches, Consultants and Freelancers. Having spent 12 year's running a digital marketing business, Robin pivoted in 2016 to focus on the part of his business he liked the best; training business owners how to be better in business. In 2016 Robin founded Fearless Business, a unique Business Growth Accelerator for Coaches, Consultants and Freelancers so help free them from the sales cycle of doom!

I got up this morning and there was snow outside.  And, quite honestly I was annoyed because it still fall.  The change in weather  completely messed with my plans. But, when I got over being annoyed I reached for a sweater, found my my hat and went out to face the day.  In a way, that's the life of an entrepreneur. You have your plans, you have your ideas and then something happens. So you have to dig around in your closet and find a tool or technique a new hat. Put it on and get ready to face the day. That's what you need to do today, find your hat and get ready to face the day.

I was so excited to have another chance to talk to Andrea Liebross, a business and life coach who specializes in empowering female entrepreneurs.  This time our conversation revolved around how women owners can think big, manage like a CEO, and achieve success in both their professional and personal lives. Andrea shares insights from her new book, "She Thinks Big: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Guide to Moving Past the Messy Middle and Into the Extraordinary." She outlines four key steps for becoming a big thinker, someone who makes decisions based on their future self and goals. The first step is to consider all your thought options, which means choosing thoughts that lead to positive feelings and desired actions. Next, Andrea emphasizes the importance of targeting the real problem, often rooted in a desire to avoid negative emotions. She encourages embracing uncertainty and ambiguity, recognizing that the future is uncertain and that we can't control every aspect of our journey. Lastly, seeking support is vital for entrepreneurs, whether through mentors, coaches, or supportive communities. Andrea's advice offers practical steps for entrepreneurs to become big thinkers, make better decisions, and navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship.

These days everybody's trying to present themselves as an expert. So how do you stand out in your niche in a crowded market? Part of the magic comes from creating a visual brand. - That's what i had a chance to chat with Sharon Haver about back in 2021.  Funny thing, the conversation is as relevant today!  Where does the process begin to build a visual brand for yourself? In today's crowded market, anyone can become a personal brand, but only special people can become have a personality brand. A personality brand is what's unique to you. It's how you position yourself in the market and how people perceive you. In the swipe right swipe left world, we make a decision about someone in less than one 10th of a second. We are in judging all the time so you want to make sure when you are creating your business, it's driven by your personality, because that's something that you're going to find your aligned audience with. And you're showing up in a way that is authentic and honoring who you are.

What will you do when Facebook goes away? Now I’m not trying to spread fear and panic and I don’t expect that the platform will disappear overnight. But let’s face it, technology changes, platforms change and so do fads and trends. At some point, Facebook will diminish. I mean, a decade ago, everyone thought that AOL was the be all end all. And the answer to the question is actually simpler than you imagine. While social media platforms are important, the one constant in your business is your website. And so while you will continue to share content on Facebook and other social media platforms, remember to be cultivating your community and driving them to your website and to your email list.

In this podcast interview, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jan Cavelle, a seasoned entrepreneur from the UK with a wealth of experience in running micro and small businesses. She is the author of two books, "Scale for Success" and "Start for Success," aimed at helping aspiring and growing entrepreneurs. She has also contributed an article as a guest author to my new collection of essays. We discussed the common issue of small businesses wasting time and money on marketing. Jan emphasized the importance of skepticism when dealing with marketing offers and recognizing that there are countless get-rich-quick schemes that prey on business owners' fears. She suggested thoroughly researching any potential marketing supplier and not being swayed by fear-based sales tactics. One key takeaway was to measure results accurately to determine the effectiveness of different marketing strategies. Jane's insights are incredibly valuable for small business owners looking to manage their marketing efforts efficiently and avoid unnecessary costs.

I know. you think we're living in a visual video world.  Maybe you believe  and you don't need to write anything anymore.  But that just isn't true. No matter what happens in the world of content it starts with words. So I really enjoyed chatting with Erin Lebacqz about the challenges people face when starting to write and tips on effective writing techniques for both informational and emotional impacts. Erin provides valuable advice on initiating writing, combatting "Blank Screen Paralysis," and how to engage readers effectively. She underscores the importance of addressing both the informational and emotional aspects of communication. For conveying information clearly, she suggests using direct and concise language, reducing bureaucratic or formal tone, and using verbs effectively to provide a call to action. This approach ensures that readers can easily understand and engage with the content. She also touches on the use of AI in content creation and the need to balance AI-generated content with a human touch to maintain authenticity and eliminate self-centeredness. About Erin  International educator and author Erin Lebacqz has been teaching writing for over 25 years. Her clients include business and non-profit organizations in the United States and around the world. Her new book High-Value Writing: Real Strategies for Real-World Writing helps business writers boost their confidence by writing clearly, concisely, and with intention. Want to learn more?  Check our Erin's YouTube channel  which helps listeners find new ways to meet their writing goals. It also supports team leads who need to support remote teams. The channel provides strategies, tips, tricks, and insights. It also shows viewers where to find more info on my book and services.

​When you create your brand you are investing in something that should last for the long haul. The colors, the fonts and your overall style guide should remain fairly consistent over the life of your brand.  However, sometimes your business changes and when it does you might want to consider rebranding. Maybe you want a more mature look, something more representative of. and established company. Or, in my case as I let go of my agency I'm looking to change my branding to create an image that is more about me so I'm going through a rebrand process right now. I'm doing the things you need to do if you're serious about rebranding.  I'm thinking about what I want my brand to represent, what I want people to think and when they see the More than a Few Words logo. The process is about the fonts. the colors and the style.  And, it's not easy, but if it's done right it will be a brand that will last.

In this interview, I was excited to invite Patty Farmer, to join me once again for a quick conversation.  This time we dove into how to integrate marketing and sales activities to benefit your business. It all starts by setting specific and measurable goals for both marketing and sales efforts, establishing benchmarks to track success. Patty explains the importance of reverse engineering goals, starting with the ultimate sales goal and working backward to determine the steps and content needed to engage potential customers. Collecting data and understanding customer behaviors is crucial to tailor marketing and sales strategies effectively. Patty also advises business owners to build a tribe of like-minded businesses serving the same target audience, fostering collaboration and simplicity in reaching potential clients. Finally, in addition to your marketing channel, Patty encourages businesses to build connections with others who cater to the same target audience, working together to achieve mutual success.  If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to look for my other interviews with Patty.

If you missed my conversation with Tina Bakehouse about writing tips in late 2021, here's you chance to catch up. Many "would be writers" think they should start with a title and let the story unfold.  Our guest, Tina Bakehouse suggests starting in the middle.  Begin by fleshing out the content in the middle.  Once you are clear on the body of what you're writing it will inspire the title and the flow from beginning to end. While a good title will grab the reader's attention, the best part of any story is the conflict or twist in the middle portion, which carries the reader along on the ride with with the storyteller.   About Tina  Tina has started her own company, Tina B LLC, to provide public speaking coaching and communication consulting to help individuals and organizations communicate more effectively. With 16 years of teaching communication and theatre (10 years at Creighton University), a TEDx speaker and coach, Tina is passionate about educating others to become more self-aware and enhance their speaker style.  After earning two BAs from the University of Northern Iowa, one in communication studies and psychology, and the second in theatre and English teaching, she completed a master’s degree in communication studies through the University of Nebraska-Omaha and completed certificates in Advanced Professional Writing, Keirsey’s temperament theory and two levels of improvisation training.

​The goal of every page on your website is to get visitors to do something. Maybe that's fill out a contact form, pick up the phone to call you, download an e-book, register for an event or sign up for your newsletter. No matter what it is you want customers to do the best way to get them to do that is to have a clear call to action on the page. CTA's come in all shapes and sizes as they're scattered through your website. However, the one on your homepage, that primary CTA needs to be the most important thing you want  visitors to, so be bold with your call to action. Don't be afraid to create something that catches their eye. It's okay to use all caps on a CTA. . I know it feels as if you are shouting at them. But you just spent time, money or other resources to drive traffic to your website. It's okay to shout just a little bit. Use powerful words. Don't just say submit. Give people a reason to take the next step. Don't miss this, learn more  or enroll today. Get started create compelling calls to action and your visitors will take the actions you want them to take.

Why did I invite Lisa McDonald, a certified career coach  to join me for a conversation?  You are not looking for a job, but you are probably looking for employees, And Lisa is probably working with those potential employees, telling them not to apply for a job with your company.  In this lively conversation, we talk about the mistakes employers make starting with job descriptions that don't really reflect the company to interviews that go completely off the rails.  This is one conversation you need to listen to, before you try to hire your next employee.

More than just marketing hype, your brand is about creating an impression of your company in the mind of your prospective customer. It is the basis on which all your other marketing should be built. More than ten years ago, Allison Carter and I discussed how a brand position defines who you are and who you serve.  It isn't marketing copy, but a clear outline of what you want customers to think about when they hear your name. A positioning statement contains the following elements: Description of the target customerBenefits sought by the target customer to solve a specific problemYour unique solution

My uncle used to say that he was going to write me a short note but didn’t have time, so he wrote me a long letter instead.  When you are limited in the number or words, you choose your words carefully and you use them sparingly. When you have the luxury of a long letter, you can ramble on and on, and hope that sooner or later, you’ll get to the point. And you hope the recipient will hang in long enough to figure out what you’re talking about. That strategy is something you should keep in mind when you’re working on your marketing. Treat everything you write as if it was a headline or a tweet.  Put your energy into refining the message and making it as concise as possible. When you do that, you will pique someone’s interest and earn the right to invite them back  Want to learn more about keeping your content concise?  Check out this conversation I had with Jarred Juett.  While it is almost ten years old the suggestions are as valid today as they were back then.

My friend Michelle McNally, the Executive Vice President of Customer Success for BoxCrush dropped by to talk about the importance of safeguarding digital assets, including passwords and resources. We talked about the key elements  business owners should have control over to ensure the security and accessibility of their online assets. Michelle highlights the common challenges faced by business owners and marketing departments when it comes to managing these assets. She stresses the importance of having access to domain ownership and Google properties, such as Analytics, Search Console, Tag Manager, Google Ads, and Google Business Profile, to create a robust online presence. The conversation also delves into the necessity of having contingency plans and multiple accounts to ensure access in case an individual or agency loses access or control. Michelle emphasizes the need for business owners to be actively involved in maintaining ownership of these assets and not solely relying on agencies. They discuss the interdependence of these Google properties and how they now work more cohesively together. Listen now to pick up tips on the critical steps business owners should take to protect and manage digital assets effectively and how to build contingency plans, ensuring  access to and control of the  digital presence.

When asked about their branding style, I often hear business owners say they "want to look like Apple." They admire the clean, sleek design. They imagine their brand will seem modern, authentic, high-tech, hip, cool and smart if they incorporate some of the same style elements into their brand. But it is usually a bad idea. Don't get me wrong, I love Apple's branding for Apple. It just rarely works out for other brands. Why? Business owners won't walk the talk. Apple styling requires lots of white space in your design. The clean, minimal effect is created by using color sparingly and keeping fonts to one or two styles. The Apple brand is stark, and most business owners can't resist the urge to clutter the designs. When faced with their brand in Apple style, they ask for more text, maybe a cute piece of clip art or a stock photo. The result is visually confusing. Not every brand should look like Apple. It's okay if you don't look like Apple. One of the cool things about the world of branding is the diversity of different brand personalities. If you are a friendly, low-tech brand, Apple styling isn't right for you. There isn't anything warm or welcoming about the Apple brand. The hip, cool, and somewhat aloof styling is aspirational and isn't for everyone. A good example of rotten Apple branding is J..C Penney. For more than 100 years, middle-aged middle Americans turned to J.C. Penney for clothes, appliances and home goods. The brand offered durable, good quality items at a reasonable price. When they tried re-branding and transforming their stores into showcases with a light, airy, upscale feel it felt wrong. The stores were lovely, but empty and their core customers didn't feel welcome. The new target audience never believed the branding shift and didn't come. Trying to use Apple styling when it really isn't you is like trying to wear someone else's shoes. They may look good, but they will never feel exactly right. Instead of trying to be an Apple clone, figure out the core values of your brand and with a designer who can bring that brand to life.

In this podcast episode of "More than a Few Words," host Lorraine Ball interviews Geoffrey Klein, a story expert, TEDx speaker, and content producer, about creating captivating content. Klein's new book, "The Content Beast," serves as a guide to crafting remarkable content. The conversation revolves around the challenge of making content stand out and the art of storytelling. Klein suggests that a key element of compelling content is understanding and catering to the audience. He introduces the concept of the "eleventh commandment": knowing your audience. Instead of making content solely about oneself or the business, it should be geared towards the audience's needs, interests, and pain points. Klein proposes a simple yet powerful storytelling structure called the "Story Pad," which includes the elements of Pain (beginning), Answer (middle), and Difference (end). By identifying the audience's problems, offering solutions, and illustrating the transformative impact of those solutions, content can resonate more effectively. The podcast emphasizes that effective content creation involves understanding your target audience's pain points, delivering relevant solutions, and highlighting the positive change that comes from using your product or service. Klein emphasizes that storytelling is a powerful tool for engagement, urging content creators to avoid self-aggrandizement and focus instead on relatable, audience-centered narratives. This approach can help content stand out and truly connect with the hearts and minds of the intended audience. Look for Geoff's new book:

In this conversation from our archive, Andrea Butcher of HRD  - A Leadership Development Company shares why she  believes you should live life by design, not by default.  Taking control of your daily activities starts with a long term vision - where do you want to be in ten years.  Once you have the vision, you can begin to think about what you can do this week to move closer to that goal.  And on  a daily basis, defining what is the most important thing for you to do today.   Although the conversation is four years old. Her suggestions are as relevant today as they were the day we first recorded the conversation.

To develop really effective marketing, you need to be clear about your brand position, what makes you uniquely qualified to earn the business of your customers. Look beyond the technical skills and product specifications to the intangible elements. What should customers think and how should they feel as they interact with the brand. Sounds simple, but it isn’t. Being high quality, hardworking, offering leading-edge technology or providing good service are important but they are not things which really set a company apart. Why? Think about it, how often to you hear about a company which offers crappy service, high prices, poor technology or inferior products? These benefits put you on parity with everyone in your market. Your position statement must be more. So the hunt for  something unique begins. Unfortunately, it’s hard work, and many companies take the easy road, trying to combine two or more benefits which really don’t go together. The result is marketing that feels like a giant game of tug-of-war, pushing and pulling as the brand tries to fit into more than one niche in a customer’s mind.