Fwd: Podcasts, webinars and influencers, oh my!

------- Original Message --------

Subject:	Podcasts, webinars and influencers, oh my!
Date:	Mon, 31 Mar 2014 12:08:08 -0400 (EDT)
From:	John Lee Dumas <John@EntrepreneurOnFire.com>
To:	stevescott@techacq.com

Hi Steve!   Wow... last week was pretty crazy! Did you attend Social Media Marketing World, too?   Since I know not everyone was able to attend, I thought it would be valuable to share some key takeaways and highlights with you. Sound like a plan?...   I'll start with the two panels I was a part of since those are freshest in my mind ;) Then, I'll dive into the most talk-about presentations that took place over the 2-day event.   Session: How Podcasting Can Make You a Credible Authority in Your Niche Led by me, with Lewis Howes, Dan Miller and Lou Mongello   Key Takeaway: 2014 is the year of the niche Podcast!   What is your passion or interest? Niche it down, then niche it down again!   There's nothing more powerful than speaking directly to an audience who is looking for help with a very specific problem. When you try to talk to everyone about everything, you run the risk of talking to no one.   Session: Top Podcasters Reveal the Secrets of Monetizing Your Show Led by Erik Fisher, with me, Ray Edwards, and Cliff Ravenscraft   Key Takeaway: Podcasting is an AMAZING medium to create and build YOUR audience.   ...and when it comes down to it, building an audience is the only way your business is going to thrive. Once you've niched down and defined your avatar, focus on providing the highest level of value possible via a consistent format; Listen to their obstacles, challenges and pain points; Create products and services to help solve those needs; and finally, Hold live Webinars, provide a ton of value for free, and introduce your products or services to your audience. We've learned so much through testing, failing and tweaking the things we offer our audience, and as a result, we've successfully launched a community that has brought in over $400,000 in revenue, Podcasters' Paradise.   This was possible because we've built an incredible audience who we listen to, constantly find ways to provide value to, and who we understand.   If you're interested in how you can create and present a Webinar that converts, join us for our upcoming WebinarOnFire!     Session: Networking That Works By Michael Stelzner and Larry Benet   Key Takeaway: Be present and really FOCUS on building relationships, NOT on buying and selling yourself, your business, your products/services.   Everyone knows how important building relationships is in the online business world by now, but not everyone puts as much time into helping others' accomplish this as Michael.   It was pretty cool to be at a conference where specific time was set aside for building relationships and getting to know others in the industry.   Session: How Content Plus An Influencer Network Can Grow Your Business By Lee Odden   Key Takeaway: Brands need to move from mechanical to meaningful; Content = Influence = Content.   Lee gave a great talk on how to "romance and engage" influencers who can help share and promote your content.   What I like about the whole idea of influencer networks, and something Lee focused on in his presentation, is that it's not just about getting your content shared by big names, it's about being able to spread value to a larger audience than you would otherwise, and in turn solve multiple problems all while growing your network and earning influence.   A great example Lee shared was of co-created content: by reaching out to experts and asking them to share 1 tip on X, you're doing all of the above: spreading value to a larger audience (if an expert has contributed, they'll be more likely to share with their audience), plus you're growing your network through this new relationship and earning influence with your own audience!   Session: 7 Rules to Writing Blog Posts That Get Read and Shared By Michael Hyatt   Key Takeaway: FOCUS on the reader!   It seems like a no-brainer, but a lot of bloggers don't do it. It's not about what YOU feel like writing about; it's about what YOUR AUDIENCE wants to read about.   Not sure what your reader wants? Ask them! Michael suggests creating a reader survey to find out what their habits, frustrations and aspirations are.   It was no surprise that by the time the conference was coming to a close, the biggest buzz I heard was surrounding Pat Flynn's presentation, How to Get Your Podcast to the Top: What Works and What Doesn't.   Key Takeaway: Podcasting is visual; iTunes is a search engine: Title, Host Name, Description and Episode Metadata matter!   Pat had a lot of amazing takeaways, but very high up on the list was the fact that iTunes is a search engine. Therefore, using keywords in your title, your description and in your episode metadata matter, and all of these things are under your control!   What is your ideal audience member searching for? How can you naturally integrate those keywords in your title, description and episode metadata?   This year has started off with a BANG in terms of incredible conferences. January was New Media Expo, March was Tropical Think Tank, and last week, Social Media Marketing World...   Up next: Podcast Movement in August. Will I see you there? (Podcasters' Paradise members: get 15% off your ticket! Check the Paradise homepage for the discount code.)   Thanks for hanging out with me today, Steve! I hope you enjoyed these key takeaways from SMMW.   Oh, and before you go, don't forget to sign up for our free, live Webinar this Wednesday, where we'll talk about how to create and present a Webinar that converts!   Until next week,   ~ John   Visit EOFire.com for resources, podcasts, blog posts & more! If you no longer wish to receive ANY communications from EntrepreneurOnFire, click the link below: Unsubscribe 846 Grand Ave San Diego, California 92109 United States