Sometimes things happen in business that leave a sour taste in your mouth. They might not be malicious or intentional, but they can still hurt you, your clients and your brand. Join us on today’s episode of the Spin Sucks Podcast, where we talk about the mistakes in your strategy that will come back to bite you.
It doesn’t matter how clear your client proposal is, or how beautifully you design your scope of work. You’re going to get clients who are going to ask for something you aren’t selling, and you’re going to be tempted to give them what they want. Fake it until you make it, right? Wrong. Don’t do it. Here’s what can happen when you work outside of scope.
Let’s talk about robots. Not actual robots, for the most part, but automated tools, technologies, and systems that can take work off your desk and let you get back to what only you can do. As you grow your business, you’ll often end up working a lot more than you need to, but there are so many available to help you automate your life. And let’s be real. You absolutely should.
On today’s episode, we’re talking about the customer lifecycle, and how your clients and prospects engage with you throughout this entire cycle. This is how it works: you want to attract your ideal client, sell them your offers, onboard them in your systems and processes, deliver on your promises, and either engage them for more or part as friends. Let’s go through each of these things.
Let’s talk about what we don’t know — more specifically, as it relates to our communications strategy. Our internal biases and things outside our control can have a big impact on the quality and success of our communications plans, so here’s how to mitigate the damage they can cause.
A huge number of Requests for Proposals are badly written and take tons of time and energy with no guarantee of a return — and yet, they persist. You can’t always avoid them, but there are ways to make them less of a part of your business life, and ways to protect your time when you DO have to respond.
How many times have you seen a company screw something up, and then make the situation 10,000 times worse by either not apologizing or apologizing badly? Mistakes and screw-ups happen. World events happen. Natural events happen. You will unfortunately eventually have to deal with some kind of crisis communication, and you’ll do a much better job of it if you’re prepared.
When you work in communications, you’re going to spend a lot of time pitching. You’re going to get rejected a lot — but you could get rejected a lot less. You don't want to send crappy pitches. You want to send excellent pitches! So here's how to write them so they get accepted more often than not.
With so many online community options out there, do you ever get Bright Shiny Object Syndrome? If you’re looking for a platform to host your community on, you’ve found the right episode. We’re talking about all the major community platforms and how to decide which one is right for you and your business.
You've probably heard this quote by Rumi at least once:, "When you are everywhere, you are nowhere. When you are somewhere, you are everywhere." As cryptic as it sounds, Rumi has a great point, especially when you apply this wisdom to social media. The thing is, you can't possibly be on all the social media channels AND still build a meaningful connection with your target audience. This week, we talk about the wonderful world of social media and how to keep your communications plan simple and ef...
Whether you’re the leader of an organization, a freelancer, or an enthusiastic member of the rank and file, there is never a downside to investing in yourself and getting better at things. But what should you get better at? And how do you do it? The best way to learn any skill is to practice, and today, we’re going through my top suggestions on things you should make an effort to learn, practice, and keep on improving.
Do you consider yourself a creative person? As a business owner, there’s something incredibly exciting when you get an idea. It’s that feeling of coming up with something, solving a problem — being creative. How can you hone this skill (because yes, it is a skill!)? Just remember the 3 C’s: Curiosity, Constraints, and Conflict.
If you’ve ever toyed with the idea of starting your own business, this episode of the Spin Sucks Podcast is for you. Today, we’re talking about the strategies and challenges that go with being an entrepreneur and scaling a business. It’s not the easy, but if it’s right for you, you may never want to go back to being an employee again!
Offices are a necessary evil for businesses … or are they? What if you could do away with the commute, distracting officemates, and paying for rent and utilities? On this episode of the Spin Sucks Podcast, we’re talking about Virtual Companies: how they work, and how you can arrange your own.
On this episode of the Spin Sucks Community, we’re talking about online communities. A community is made up of people who know, like, and engage with you or your brand (or both) — and engage with one another. This takes your content marketing one step further, as not only will your fans get to know and support one another, they’ll also evangelize for your products and services. So how can you build your own?
Stories are how humans understand the world. Whether we do it consciously or not, we tell ourselves stories about the things that happen to us, the things we believe, and the things we hope for. Smart use of stories can convey a message, encourage a decision, and connect with your people. In short, storytelling can dramatically help your brand in almost all business areas and is a worthwhile investment of your creative energy.
How are your resolutions faring now that January is drawing to a close? What have you accomplished? Did you slip off the wagon a time or to? Chances are, if you’re human, you haven’t done perfectly. But that’s okay – it happens to the best of us. Maybe what YOU need is a little digital decluttering. It might not inspire you to eat more broccoli, but it WILL make you feel better.
Have you received a pitch in your inbox that was just a little … off? Because the pitch made totally no sense for you and your audience? Today we’re talking about the importance of doing your research when it comes to earned media. When done right, pitching is a powerful way to get your content in front of a lot of the right people. But what we often see is a more indiscriminate mass-email situation that’s like throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks. So how can we do this better?
There’s a new social media channel starting to gain steam, and you might want to get in while the getting’s good (and the competition isn’t too fierce)! Enter: Alexa Flash Briefings, a new service offered by Amazon for their Alexa/Echo customers. Here’s how to make the most of it and leverage it for your business!
Happy New Year! This is the time of year that we’re all used to setting goals, starting new projects, and making the changes we’ve been meaning to for ages. And to make effective plans for 2019, you need to be in the loop about what in the communications industry is likely to be most important. Here are three things we need to pay attention to this 2019.
It’s time for year-end roundups! What happened in 2018? Were our predictions right? And what’s going to happen in 2019? I’ve been waiting all year for this. Here are my predictions from last year… let’s find out whether or not they came true!
Networking can be the key that opens many doors to growth and success. Much of it comes down to meeting the right people at the right time for the right reasons. It’s not easy, but it’s worth putting in the time and getting it right. On today’s episode of the Spin Sucks Podcast, we’re talking about networking. What are the different ways you can do it, and how can you make sure you’re doing it effectively?
What are you good at? Do you believe that’s something you’re born with? Hold your horses. That’s a fixed mindset. And in business, communications, and … life, we need to move forward with a growth mindset. What are these mindsets? Why are they so important? And what can we do if we find ourselves on the fixed mindset end of the spectrum?
When did we stop talking to each other like real people? In our industry, it’s getting hard to sort through all the hype. What’s the difference between a meaningless buzzword and a genuinely useful phrase? Take the term ‘Thought Leadership.’ This is what we’re getting into today, so sit tight because we’re going to be looking at how to synergize the 30,000 foot view to maximize our authenticity. Just kidding.
Reality is still changing — the way we interact with it, and the way we think about it. It’s weird. It’s different. In this episode of the Spin Sucks Podcast, we’re diving into the world of artificial intelligence. Computers can now learn, programs can talk to our clients, and everything is tracked or automated. What does this mean for our businesses?
Over the past few weeks, Gini has gone into detail about the PESO model, and how you can develop a killer communications strategy that will boost your authority, build brand awareness, and generate qualified leads. In this week's replay episode, we go back to the beginning and for a refresher course on one of her best developed secret weapons: the PESO model.
From cat videos to memes, and Wikis to slews of selfies — user-generated content is happening all around us. What is user-generated content? This is any content, from tweets to blog posts, that people who aren’t directly in your brand and business create. How can you harness this boundless creativity and production in your communications strategies? People want to share stories and experiences with one another online. Our job as content marketers is to give them something good to talk about.
Pay to play: If you’ve ever heard someone mention the phrase — especially about a platform like Facebook — they’re probably talking about paid social media. That’s what Gini is diving into in this episode of Spin Sucks. Paid media is exactly what it sounds like: paying to reach new audiences. If you’re new to the podcast, listen to Episode 16 first (the basics of paid media), then come back here when you’re done! You’ll discover how you can leverage paid social media to improve your communic
Those who practice the best social media etiquette often go unnoticed - and you'll want to do the same. "But don't we want people to acknowledge how well-behaved we are online?" No, not exactly. You really only want people's attention on two things: your content and personality. Last week, Gini gave you 6 Social Media Don'ts. Today, she's back to talk about ways you can engage on social and make a great impression!
Our actions have consequences, and social media denizens love to remind us of said consequences. Twitter is especially volatile when it comes to delivering social media justice. It's a mob wielding metaphorical pitchforks and torches, impatient and merciless. Want to avoid their ire? We’ve got a few guidelines to help you become a consummate social media user. Let's talk about mindfulness and accountability, shall we?
