Storytelling for Small Business – @SayItWithStory

By Rich Brooks 12/28/2014

If you’ve ever been to a conference or presentation, you know that not all speakers have the gift of being able to really engage their audience. What is it that makes some speakers have an edge over other speakers, and how can you get that edge for yourself?

The brain is designed to think and remember in terms of stories. By being an effective storyteller, you can not only make your point hit home harder, but it will also be more memorable to your audience. By learning new ways to tell your stories, such as personalizing them and making them relatable to your audience, you can engage them in ways that will make your message more memorable.

David Lee is an author, speaker and founder of HumanNature@Work. He helps organizations on topics related to leadership, communication and customer service, using his innovative and powerful storytelling techniques.

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Your Small Business Podcast with @jaredeasley

By Rich Brooks 12/21/2014

Whether you’re currently a podcaster or just thinking of starting one, you’re probably aware of how much competition there is out there right now. What you need to do is find something that sets you apart from the rest of the pack. Something that will gain you visibility, attract an audience and turn them into customers.

Learning how to attract the widest audience can take some fine tuning. One way is to include those listeners that are perhaps new to the podcast world by removing some of the normal barriers to allow these first-timers to find you and listen with ease. Offering a format that is slightly different than the norm can also attract listeners as well as help you to engage them in a way that allows for future dialogue to continue.

Jared Easley has become the “podcasting guru”. In the past couple of years he has started a podcast – which was featured on Entrepreneur.com and Huffington Post – written a book and co founded the first international podcasting conference, Podcast Movement.

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How To Create Better Content – @annhandley

By Rich Brooks 12/14/2014

Whether you are a good writer, or just think you are, creating marketing content for your business is no easy task. Ensuring that content is of the utmost quality can be downright daunting. It’s time to stop feeling like a deer in the headlights and start rethinking the way your business markets.

Communication with your audience is a privilege, so give them content that inspires engagement and truly serves the needs of your business. Understanding the writing process – whether it’s a blog or a simple tweet – and how to create a dialogue versus a monologue will serve your business well. Swapping places with your reader will give you a chance to see things from their perspective so that you’re better prepared to answer the questions that they want to know. Don’t just create more content, create better content.

Ann Handley is a content superstar. As the Chief Content Officer of Marketing Profs, keynote speaker and author of two bestselling books, Ann proves that she knows a thing or two about creating smart, engaging, effective marketing content that helps make businesses successful.

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How to Unleash Your Business Avatar – John Lee Dumas

By Rich Brooks 10/13/2014

How many times have you hit that fork in the road when trying to solve a business decision? Are you worried you’re not reaching the precise audience that’s right for your business? Have you ever envisioned what your one, ideal audience member would look like if you put a face and backstory to them?

Creating an avatar of your one, perfect listener allows you to narrow your niche to the most precise audience member that you’re trying to reach. Your avatar is your targeted demographic that allows you to focus exactly on the people that benefit most from your message. Once you know who that person is, it allows your business to find its direction and become a magnet that people are drawn to.

John Lee Dumas is the Entrepreneur On Fire, whose podcast was recognized as Best Of iTunes in 2013. John’s podcasts aim to teach upcoming entrepreneurs to take their leap towards success by hearing the stories of failures and lessons learned from other well-known entrepreneurs.

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How to (Finally) Write Your Book – Julie Anne Eason

By Rich Brooks 10/05/2014

Perhaps you’ve thought of writing a book, but became intimidated by the anticipated time involved with the process. Maybe you just didn’t know if people would be interested in what you have to say. Maybe you just didn’t know where to start.

By putting a carefully structured, strategic plan in place right from the start, you’ll have all the tools you need to organize your book from the initial outline to the marketing, and everything in between. Whether you elect to write it yourself or hire a ghostwriter, the results will allow business owners to leverage their expertise into other programs and marketable content so they can increase profits and sustainability.

Julie Anne Eason is a New York Times bestselling ghostwriter, with past experience as both a journalist and copywriter. Julie’s ingenious system of book writing makes the entire process less daunting and intimidating as you progress from idea to finished book.

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