The Brand You Podcast with Mike Kim

Personal Branding, Marketing Copywriting, Consulting, Business, Coaching

Personal Branding, Marketing Copywriting, Consulting, Business, Coaching

Personal Branding, Marketing Copywriting, Consulting, Business, Coaching

Personal Branding, Marketing Copywriting, Consulting, Business, Coaching

Growing up I often marveled at great speakers, politicians, coaches, or preachers. Speaking never came naturally to me so I figured these people were just born with it. Maybe you've felt the same way ... but I've discovered that speaking is a skill that can be developed. Here are 3 "quick and dirty" tips for better public speaking. Record yourself. Get a leg up. Make ‘em talk to the hand. Remember, big doors open on small hinges. These small tweaks can make a huge impact on your public speaking. Announcements: I'm working on an online training course for missionaries and nonprofit fundraisers. Get the scoop here. Check out Podcast Movement happening this August in Dallas, TX. I'll be hosting a roundtable discussion. Be on the lookout for a future interview with Cliff Ravenscraft, my podcast coach and the one and only Podcast Answer Man. Download my free Do-It-Yourself Blog Guide ... the all-in-one blueprint that takes you from zero to launch with your blog. If you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see or a question about an upcoming episode, visit mikekim.tv/question. Feel free to ask a question, and I'll answer on air. Send a voice message Subscribe:      

Copywriting is still one (and always will be) one of the most critical parts of marketing. In this episode, I cover the 5 most important components of sales copywriting. 5 Components of Sales Copy: Promise Picture Proof USP (Unique Selling Proposition) Offer Announcements: Check out Podcast Movement happening this August in Dallas, TX. Download my free Do-It-Yourself Blog Guide ... the all-in-one blueprint that takes you from zero to launch with your blog. Make sure to check out my new favorite note-taking app, Notability. If you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see or a question about an upcoming episode, visit mikekim.tv/question. Feel free to ask a question, and I'll answer on air. Send a voice message Subscribe:      

When I was a kid, I watched a good amount of pro wrestling. Hulk Hogan, The Macho Man, Jake "The Snake" Roberts ... these were all characters that were part of my Saturday morning cartoon ritual. As I got older, I discovered more about the pro wrestling business and discovered some cautionary takeaways for my own business, ministry, and life. If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, you might be running your business like a pro wrestler ... and be due for a few adjustments! Have you neglected to build in an off-season? Do your victories go uncelebrated ... and therefore become empty? Are you getting by on artificial support? Have you failed to use "rest" as a weapon? Are you on a trajectory for burnout? This week, I encourage you to use rest as a weapon. Take steps toward building in an "off-season" into your business and life. If you're a leader, use your influence to create infrastructure that allows your team to work at a sustainable pace. Take on the hard work of rest! Announcements: Check out the Podcast Movement happening this August in Dallas, TX ... prices go up June 1st! Download my free Do-It-Yourself Blog Guide ... the all-in-one blueprint that takes you from zero to launch with your blog. If you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see or a question about an upcoming episode, visit mikekim.tv/question. Feel free to ask a question, and I'll answer on air. Send a voice message Subscribe:      

A lead magnet is something you offer to viewers of your website or visitors to your brick and mortar business in exchange for their contact information. That information then makes them a "lead" ... a prospect for future business. A lead magnet is one of the most important components to marketing, both online and offline. If your business is online, leveraging the 24/7 availability of the internet to generate leads is one of the most essential actions you can take. This is how to create a lead magnet, based on the process I used to create mine. To get my Do-It-Yourself Blog Guide, type your email address in the header above ... or click the picture below. 1. Take a survey. This can be informal (i.e. taking stock of what the most common inquires you receive are) or formal, like the reader survey I put on my blog a few months back. My reader survey helped me pinpoint the general income level of my audience. That allowed me to recommend services in my lead magnet that they could easily afford. I also saw that one of my most popular podcast episodes was How To Launch Your Blog with Maximum Impact. Remember, anyone can plot a course with a map or compass; but without a sense of knowing where you are, you won't know which road to take. 2. Jot down what you wish you had known ... and create that as a resource. For me to do anything with passion, I need to know why I'm doing it. Knowing "why" helps me press through the messy middle. This is how I wrote my table of contents ... just random things I wish I had known. Then I organized these in a linear fashion to make life simple for my readers. I also added screencasts and templates for convenience. 3. Answer this question: "What do I want the user to be able to do?" Make your content practical and actionable. If your reader actually accomplishes something as a result of your resource, you will have won a loyal prospect. If you need lead magnet ideas, download my DIY Blog Guide. I share about 5 ideas for lead magnets there. 4. Write the content piece by piece. Creating longer content is difficult. I'm used to writing shorter blog posts, and having the satisfaction of finishing something rather quickly. Doing this project was like growing something in a greenhouse ... little by little over the course of several months. Towards the end, I had grown so sick of working on it that I pushed through to get it out of my life! In all, I estimate I spent 100 - 150 hours on it. Phew. 5. Cut content. There were extras parts I was going to put it, but realized those would only make the guide nominally better. The trade off in time wasn't going to be worth it ... moreover, it would have been "out of bounds." My guide had one purpose: to be an all-in-one blueprint that takes people from zero to launch with their blog. If you struggle with cutting content, take comfort in this quote by director Harold Ramis, "The cutting room is where you discover the optimal length of the movie." 6. Make it prominent. To feature the fruit of my labor, my designer and I created the opt in form above. I sent it to my current email list, leaked word of the DIY Blog Guide a few weeks earlier on Facebook and Instagram, and asked a few friends to help me promote it. Finishing the product isn't enough, you've now got to tell people about it. Make sure you don't forget to market what you've spent so much time creating! 7. Create associated content. This blog post and podcast episode is related to the DIY Blog Guide. There will be more content related to it in subsequent weeks. I want to make sure I get the most out of what I put into it. You should do the same with your lead magnet. You've put so much into it ... it's time to put the same effort into getting the most out of it. Announcements: Special thanks to Caleb Suko for a review this week on iTunes! If you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see or a question about an upcoming episode, visit mikekim.tv/question.

I confess: struggles have become an even bigger part of my business, and therefore life. As someone that prides himself on staying cool, calm, and collected, my entrepreneurial journey has been anything but that. I'm starting to understand what they me...

Most small business owners struggle with marketing. In this episode of Up and To The Right, I cover some basics on creating a marketing campaign. My policy on creating marketing campaigns is to always work backwards from the launch date. Here are six simple steps on how to create a marketing campaign. Set a launch date. Choose the proper media. Establish phases. Create a marketing calendar. Create content. Launch the marketing plan. Special thanks to Hans Finzel for asking a voicemail question this week. If you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see or a question about an upcoming episode, visit mikekim.tv/question. Feel free to ask a question, and I'll answer on air. Send a voice message Subscribe:

It's hard to believe, but this is episode ten of this podcast! It's been quite a ride; challenging but worth it. Here are ten things I've learned from recording the first ten episodes. 1. Teaching is the best way to learn. Creating content for this show has solidified so many of the concepts I've learned but have become hazy. Reading is intake, but speaking and writing constitutes output. Crafting and distilling content has solidified so many of the foundational concepts I've learned. If you're an avid learner, teach! You'll be amazed at how quickly you grow. 2. Discipline is contagious. Recording this show week after week has been an exercise in discipline, something I hate discipline as much as the next guy. But the discipline required to put out an episode on a regular schedule has leaked over into other areas of my life: exercise, blogging, and personal productivity at work. Leverage the areas you are already showing discipline in, and let it run its course into other aspects of your life. 3. Communication in an unfamiliar medium. I’ve been a public communicator for most of my life: preaching, teaching, music, seminars, and more. But podcasting threw me for a loop and stretched me outside my comfort zone. Why? There's no live audience! A story about the comedian Chris Rock helped me overcome this. In an interview, Rock said that he magnifies himself by three when he's on stage. Podcasting has taught me to be even more expressive, especially since no one except my dogs can see what I'm doing! 4. Clarifying success is vital. One of my business coaches, Brian Scheer from communicatorcoaching.com asked me, “What does success look like for you with your podcast?” I don’t necessarily need 10,000 downloads an episode, though that would be great! This podcast exists for me to add value to others and simultaneously hone my craft, establish my expertise, and land consulting clients. Clarifying success has kept me from falling into the comparison trap. 5. To work smarter, not harder. A huge time sink: reinventing the wheel. A huge time saver: repurposing content. I never feel bad about this because my audience, though not 10,000 downloads, is always growing. Likewise, there are always new people being exposed to whatever you are putting out. Repurpose content and share your valuable ideas with those who haven’t been with you from the start. 6. How to be a pro’s pro. Is my audio good? Is my content tight? Am I rambling or am I making every word count? Am I human enough in my recording? Bottom line: am I delivering on a scale that the best in my industry or niche would find acceptable or exceptional? Up your game so that you make it easy for the best to engage and recommend you to others. 7. To give fear less airplay. All this talk of going pro stirs up the voice of fear. But I’ve realized fear gets too much airtime. Recently my Podcast classmate Johnny Lee Phillips from The Life Detective podcast asked me to record a short segment on my greatest fear. That made me realize: most people would rather have unhappiness than uncertainty. Step out into the unknown, and you'll develop the vital skill of learning to give fear less airtime. 8. To practice the art of the start. Deciding to start a podcast was equivalent to knocking on the door of opportunity. They say opportunity knocks; well this was backwards. No one invited me to podcast. No one suggested I do it. It was totally self-intiated, an opportunity I sought out. When I knocked on Opportunity's door, Work answered. There was a seemingly endless list of things I had to learn to podcast. But in the end, most of these tasks were "one and done" and I was able to push through. So can you. 9. Being my own worst critic also means I must be my own biggest fan. I expect a lot of myself; you probably expect alot from yourself. But podcasting has taught me to be patient with the process. If I’m going to be my own worst critic, I’ve also got to be my own greatest fan.

In his book Influence, Robert Chialdini relates the story of a jewelry store. The owner had trouble selling turquoise jewelry, so she scribbled a note and told her assistant to mark everything in the case "price x 1/2." The assistant misread the note and charged double. To the store owner's surprise, the entire stock sold out. This story reflects 3 psychological principles vital to marketing effectively: Click / Whirr: The mechanical process by which human beings are triggered by certain stimuli. The Power of Pressing Play: The exploitability of the "click / whirr." Psychological Jujitsu: Using the weight of human psychology with minimal effort. Announcements: I have reserved my spot for The Podcast Movement, this year’s only national conference for podcasting this August 16-17 in Dallas, TX. This event is hosted by my friend Jared Easley. Find out more at podcastmovement.com. Check out my interview on Jared's Starve the Doubts podcast. I discuss career changes, cheeseburgers, and more! Special thanks to Kyle Musser and Clay Lamb for their reviews this week on iTunes! Episode Resources: Influence by Robert Chialdini My Interview on Jared Easley's Starve the Doubts - Up and To The Right 5 Must Know Laws of Marketing [Podcast] If you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see or a question about an upcoming episode, visit mikekim.tv/question. Feel free to ask a question, and I'll answer on air. Send a voice message Subscribe:

Marketing has a lot more to do with psychology than you might imagine. Part of the frustration with marketing (and hence psychology) is that it can be vague. Did someone make a purchase because of one particular campaign? How do you quantify the effect of multiple factors when a person is pitched a product or service? Today's podcast will hope to put some concrete applications to the often vague topic of marketing. Violate these laws at your own risk! The Law of Leadership: It’s better to be first than better. The Law of the Category: If you can’t be first, setup a new category you can be first in. The Law of the Mind: It’s better to be first in the mind that to be first to the market. The Law of Perception: Marketing isn’t a battle of products, it’s a battle of perception. The Law of Focus: The most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the prospect’s mind. Episode Resources: The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing - Ries & Trout If you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see or a question about an upcoming episode, visit mikekim.tv/question. Feel free to ask a question, and I'll answer on air. Send a voice message Subscribe: Feedback: If you have an idea for a podcast or a question about an upcoming episode, visit mikekim.tv/question. Also, if you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out!

Here are the steps I followed to launch my consulting business while working full time. I started a blog with little fanfare. I changed my hobbies. I found the people who were living the life I wanted to live, and learned from them. I positioned myself strategically with my blog. I took free clients to grow my portfolio. I made everything legal. Episode Resources: Quitter by Jon Acuff Launch your blog at mikekim.tv/wordpress Legal Zoom - legal forms Sleep Cycle app If you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see or a question about an upcoming episode, visit mikekim.tv/question. Feel free to ask a question, and I'll answer on air. Send a voice message Subscribe: Feedback: If you have an idea for a podcast or a question about an upcoming episode, visit mikekim.tv/question. Also, if you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out!

Are you intimidated by copywriting? Do you find it a chore, or lack confidence in even wrapping your head around what good copy is? In today's episode, I'll cover a few low-cost ways to improve your copywriting. Every businessman or businesswoman (yes, even YOU), must aspire to improve in copywriting...even if you don't write your own copy. There is nothing more persuasive, powerful, and high-yield / low-cost than good copy. Tip of the week:  Would you take 3 minutes and fill out my reader survey? It will help me craft better content for you on my podcast. Thank you! Announcement: From next week, I will release new podcast episodes on Thursdays. I've had some schedule changes during my workweek and need to adjust. Special thanks to: Kevin Anthony Williams, Matt Redard, Joe Beckman, and cgrella for leaving some great reviews on iTunes about the show! Low Cost Ways to Improve Your Copywriting Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you’re doing, but nobody else does. - Stuart Henderson Britt 1. Study other copy…for free. You will never learn to write great copy unless you are first able to recognize it. Screenshot copy great marketers write. Go back through any high end product, either from a company or an individual, and study their landing page. Read it, top to bottom, bullet point to bullet point. Subscribe to every blogger that is marketing high end products. You are getting free email marketing / copywriting lessons EVERY DAY and don’t even realize it. 2. Take a copywriting course. If you write 500 words (a short blog post) every week for 40 years, you'll write 1,040,000 words in that time. Imagine learning how to hone and craft those words to reach your audience and market your product. Wordsmithing - use gerunds or action words to start sentences, especially bullet points. Don’t tell me the moon is shining. Show me the glint of light on broken glass. Brevity - "An ad is finished only when you no longer can find a single element to remove." - Robert Fleege WIIFM "What's In It For Me?" - You will learn how to enter the conversation your potential buyer is already having inside their head. The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and lightning bug. - Mark Twain 3. Think FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out Have an understanding of people; a curiosity and sympathy for them. What do they love? What are their interests? What do they wear? What do they fear? Think about a recent purchase you made. Don’t ask yourself why you bought it or wanted it. Think about what you would have missed out on if you didn’t buy it. If you can’t turn yourself into a consumer, you probably should be in the advertising business at all. - Leo Burnett Episode Resources: Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy Infographics: The Power of Visual Story Telling by Lankow, Ritchie, Crooks If you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see or a question about an upcoming episode, visit mikekim.tv/question. Next week I will talk about “How I Launched My Business While Working Full-Time." Feel free to ask a question, and I'll answer on air. Send a voice message Subscribe: Feedback: If you have an idea for a podcast or a question about an upcoming episode, visit mikekim.tv/question. Also, if you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out!