Q: I am working at Mastering Influence Module 1 still and my 2nd and 3rd attempts are below. I want to get this ‘foundation’ right before moving on to Module 2. Is the 3rd attempt OK or does it still need to be refined? I am still feeling gobsmacked at the need to narrow my focus is since in all the time I’ve floundered around (some 15 years!) with this material no one has made me clean up my act before. I am feeling grateful, shocked and open to your feedback.
2nd “I am influential in teaching, speaking and writing about ways to reduce pain and suffering and improve health. I am passionate, confident and focused on helping people lessen their suffering by learning and understanding skills that break old addictive patterns of thought and behaviour.
3rd : I am influential in helping change co-dependent thinking and addictive behaviours which have become endemic in our society. I am passionate, confident and focused on helping people remember their goal of healthy, inter-dependent relationships and the ability to live empowered lives with the freedom to walk their chosen path in an authentic way. The problem for most is they are missing the skills that truly take us from co-dependent thinking and old behaviours to the more current and sought after thoughts and behaviours that mirror who we want to be. My Enlightened Living Seminar provides the skills, as does my new book “BEATHE”.
A: Really great work. A lot more focused.
So now the next level to take this is in looking at who your ideal client is. And how would they talk about what you do.
Remember, narrowing your focus does not mean you turn about people who come to you for help. A brain surgeon can still write a prescription for back pain. It just means you’re clear on who your main focus (target audience) is.
The more specific you make your audience the easier this will be.
I’m going to suggest you move forward on the modules. But make a not to circle back on this exercise at two-week intervals to keep considering if it can be refined and targeted more.
Q: I’m choosing a domain name. This could be splitting hairs, but I have to ask. If the domain name is about SEO since we are looking for maximum exposure: Given the choice between ‘family’ @ 55.6 million searches and low competition and ‘baby’ @ 83 million searches and medium competition, do the numbers or the competition hold more weight?
A: Those are both great numbers, so I’d give the greatest weight to whichever word best reflects the audience you want to get in front of.
Q: What is the best way to ask for testimonials?
*How do I choose who to ask?
*Where do I publish the testimonials? (I’m assuming on the website for sure, but do I publish them in/on the book?)
A: I’d start with people you have strong relationship with. Here’s where your
influence gifting becomes important. Who have you helped? Booked for
your stage? Mentioned in your newsletter etc.?
Ideally you want a couple key ones on the back of the book and on
the website. When your listing comes up on Amazon you also want to ask
friends and colleagues to post reviews on Amazon for you.
Q; I’ve been working through Bestseller 2 and haven’t heard this addressed yet…
There are a number of people asking me, “When can I buy your book?”
In line with striving to hit Amazon bestseller, what is the best way to handle pre-orders?
I’d like to take their credit card and order NOW – when they are ready to purchase.
Does this look like a paper pre-paid order form for friends, family, colleagues for now?
Or should I wait until my website is up and ready, etc.?
I want the orders to count toward the Amazon numbers.
A: Just ask them to wait until your book is ready and on Amazon. People being excited is a good thing.
I’ve seen some Amazon listings allow for pre-orders of late, but it’s not clear how to get that. The only ones I’ve seen have been from big publishing houses.
Q: Topic: I am influential in teaching people to connect in and up.Audience: I am passionate, confident and focused on showing people how get current with themselves and live in their heart.Problem: I help solve the problem of letting go of the past so as to step into the present.I think I’ve focused it in a bit better, but it is hard for me to say. I’ve downloaded Module #2 and will start on that and just sit with this and wait for ahah.
A: Yes, keep moving. I’ll take one more crack at this. Then I’ll accept whatever you decide.
I just want you to notice that you have not really articulated a problem as most
people would consider it a problem (i.e. you seldom hear people say, “My life sucks. I just can’t seem to connect in and up”). So only people who already can “connect in and up” will come to you for help (they know it’s a good thing to have).
Also please notice you have not defined an audience. That’s makes it’s really hard for other people to help you.
I know lots of stages I could recommend you to speak on or radio shows that would interview you if your target audience was any of the following
– business owners
– women
– corporations
– government
– parents
– divorced people
– vegans
– people over the age of 50
etc. etc. etc.
But I don’t know anyone who hosts events where they request speakers who specialize is speaking to “people”.
The only exception I can think of would be TEDx. And you are only allowed to speak there twice and then you are done.
Therefore your colleagues will have no where to recommend you as a speaker and can’t help you get speaking gigs. Nor can they recommend you for radio shows or webinars for the same reason.
Everyone you meet who is influential and is dying to help you will be unable to. Because there is nothing to catch onto to know where to send you.
So just be aware that much of what I’m about to teach you will not work well for you because it will be difficult for anyone to offer you support as colleagues because you’re kind of like the student who refuses to pick a major and just wants to stay in first year university forever.
Yes if you pick something it means you’re excluding other things. I request you look at what you’re making that mean.
I promise if you try something and you don’t like it later, you can change. But unless you pick something you will always be in first year university.
Q: Am I only meant to be finding ten influencers in those kinds of areas and then building relationships with those people? And NOT including any I know and respect already that might be helpful, like radio or TV personalities or others who might have great connections but whose influence is in a different area?
A: Building relationship with influential people is not something you check off your list.
It’s an enquiry you remain in. You may be at a networking function next week and
meet a journalist who would love to do an article on John or Fab. You then connect
them – Influence gifted to both sides. At that point you could also include the journalist
on your list of someone you’re building influence with. Without the intention and goal
to build relationship with them, you would have let that opportunity float by.
Q: I mentioned that I didn’t have a contact for John – but I meant a direct contact. I am never sure if ‘the Gatekeepers’ pass messages along to such major influencers because no doubt they are bombarded with people writing about all sorts of things.
I sent email to someone on the list of various departments on his website, and asked her to please pass on my messages (update re: Fab, thanking John etc. and also offering to be of service).
A: The gate keepers will always pass on messages that are of high value to John.
Here’s an example of a message I would typically send that always gets results.
Hi Clarissa,
I met a reporter from Inc Magazine yesterday who mentioned she’d love to
interview John. Can I connect her with you to set up an interview? I believe
their reach is over a million.
Teresa
That’s the equivalent of bringing the apple pie to the new neighbour.
Your not sure if they’ll answer because you’re walking over to the neighbour
you’ve never met and saying “I know you’ll love my kids and want to babysit them”
You need to bring them an apple pie first. If you keep working through the modules.
It will all come clear.
Q: As a theme, I chose “I am influential in violence in relationships. I am passionate, confident and focused on helping women solve violence in relationships.”
“violence” in relationships includes sexual, physical, emotional violence and/or toxic behaviours. It also includes childhood experiences. Most clients may be able to identify physical or sexual abuse, it gets much more complicated with emotional abuse or toxic behaviours. Is the theme I chose specific enough?
The other point is concerning the list of influential people. I look for influential people in the area of relationships because I help women in a specific area of relationships. Is that ok? Or shall I only look for influential people in the area of domestic violence/ violence in relationships, etc?
A: I’d still working on it a bit more. The outcome you are seeking is not violence in relationships.
You might brainstorm this with a group of friends. But it would be more powerful to say something like
I am influential in helping people complete dysfunctional upbringings in order to have powerful relationships.
Or something in that realm. You area of influence is what you leave people with, not what you take away. (Martin Luther King Jr stood for racial equality. He was not influential in inequality)
Re. your list of influential people – yes. I agree with your approach. You might even add some
that are outside that area completely but who are known to you and might help you.
Q: I’m doing module 1 again as I’m starting a new book. I have a question about audience:
Can a book have more than one audience?
A: Bookstores want to be clear what section of the store you book does into.
So the answer is yes, as long as you have a primary audience in mind that you’re prepared to declare.
For example, my book is primarily for entrepreneurs. So most of the examples speak to entrepreneurs. But I have a secondary audience with corporate leaders. But they know it’s an entrepreneurial book, so they’re expecting examples that may not speak to them.
Q: Are those blog entries what you’re looking for as far as seeing us blog?
A: A newsletter and a blog are two different things. But you can re-purpose the content of your newsletter and re-post it to your blog.
Q: Is twice a month enough times or should I be writing more blogs and if so, how often?
A: Yes, twice a month is enough. And the more your write the faster you will build relationships and the quicker you will have enough content for your book.
Q: Should my blog entries be a separate thing altogether from my coaching practice?
A: I would write about what you speak and coach about. The more your congruent with your overall brand the better. So if you’re coaching practice is aligned with everything else you do there there is no separation.
Q: Should I have a website for my book alone, including blogging?
A: No you can use one blog for all your blogging needs. Or is it ok to incorporate it all since my book completely ties back to my coaching career in every way? Yes.
A: Looks great. Make some effort to promote your blog and get people to comment so you can see what posts resonate most with people.
Q: How can you ensure that no one takes your book title?
A: You can’t until it is published. But generally this is not a problem and I’ve never heard of it being one.
Q: Is that something to be concerned about? Is creating a website one way of doing that?
A: Yes this is a good idea if you can register the domain that is the same name as your book.
Q: Like my book title is “Destination Now” so do you recommend that I create a website called www.destinationnow.com? A: Yes if that domain is available.
Q: Do you also recommend that a FB page be created regarding my book, where I would post excerpts on a regular basis?
A: If you have the time to maintain it, yes this is a good idea. If not, incorporate it with your existing facebook page.
Q: Is that effective for increasing my author platform and creating interest?
A: Yes. You want to use your page to engage with other pages. Share and comment on their stuff. then they will likely reciprocate. But do this with pages of similar following level to you.
