video

I'll never forget when I was working on a video shoot with a friend and he turned to me and said, "you're a producer!" I was like, "Cool!" And then had to let it sink in a bit. Even me, someone who took video and TV production in college and has produced video in my many marketing roles... I had to think about what that label really meant.  

Since I have been talking more about video production with clients and prospects, I thought now might be a good time to clarify what a "producer" actually …

Recently in a networking conversation, after I introduced myself someone said, "Animated video? That sounds juvenile." Well, I beg to differ.  

How do you win hearts and minds in a time when everyone is selling something (constantly)?

When it comes to marketing your business, you can easily be a stuffed shirt. Just do what everyone else does... advertise, promote, tell them verbally. 

Or, you can be unique. 

You can entertain just as much as you persuade. You can ask questions, listen and be…

Maybe you've heard that it's less expensive to retain existing customers than it is to acquire new customers. But did you know it can 5 times MORE EXPENSIVE to gain new customers? 

Furthermore, increasing customer retention rates by 5% increases profits by 25% to 95%. This is why creating an excellent customer experience is so important.

Now, a story...

When I was a marketing director I had to rely on staff that were not my direct reports to carry out customer service. I was often reassured b…

When it comes to professional service-based businesses, what's with asking for an hourly rate? 

Because if I'm hiring a professional service business like a CPA for example, I'm not asking "what is your hourly rate?" Rather, I'm asking about results of effective tax knowledge and expertise in navigating the process correctly. Perhaps, I'm asking for client results but definitely not hourly rate. 

Hourly is what you pay when there is an exchange of time for money. Professional service-based bus…

I once went to a chiropractor who had a very impressive onboarding process. As soon as I said "yes" to his services, the onboarding process began.

First, I had an evening orientation event to attend. I recall them having a few rows of chairs set up in their small lobby. We watched a video --  likely about value of chiropractic. They shared testimonials about results they've seen in their patients. We got our paperwork and scheduled first appointments.  

Next, at my first appointment I learned …

Subscribing to a YouTube channel is like joining a neighborhood. It's like saying "yes" to seeing each other regularly and having conversations (in the comments).  

It reminds me so much of a community that I feel like I'm channeling Mr. Rogers when I ask, "Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for tips on storytelling."  

Previously, under a different iteration of my business, I created YouTube videos. I learned a lot. I experimented enough to know there's a knack to really taking on YouTube. It ca…

There's a way to stack the deck in your favor the next time you are onboarding a client. It's great to get another sale for your service business but what does your client's experience look like when they work with you?  

Take John for instance... his business is successful but he often finds people have misconceptions about what he does as a CPA. "Right away, they think all I do are taxes but there's a whole lot more to it than that." It's important to John that the clients he does take on hav…

When I was a copywriter, I had to learn to switch voices depending on which brand I was writing for at the time. To do this, I liked to visualize putting on a certain hat that matched the voice of the brand. In other words, does this brand wear a fedora, a baseball cap or a top hat? There is a personality in a brand. It provides a way for us to differentiate and show our uniqueness.

Video provides a medium to literally hear a voice and see a personality – and if it fits, perhaps wear an actual …

It’s all too common for me to hear, “ugh, I don’t like marketing myself.” Why is this so common among solopreneurs, consultants or business owners?  

It reminds me of that scene in Jerry Maguire where the newly-solo sports agent is desperately trying to sign a big football star, Cushman. They’re in a hotel room and Cushman sees himself on the jumbotron and says, “I’m sick of me already, I’ve got Cush-lash.” 

Sometimes we as business owners can get tired of touting our own business. Maybe it fe…

It was 1997 and I was in working on my undergraduate degree in communication. I just landed a job at a radio station in Fort Lauderdale where I sat in a 10x6’ room with 5-6 other people calling loyal listeners to survey them on the latest radio playlist. It wasn’t glamourous but as a communication major I was proud to finally have a job “in my field” at a popular radio station. 

Having entrepreneurial parents, I lived through both the prosperity of being a business owner as well as the struggle…