Archives March 2023

Marketing for Professional Speakers

Marketing for Professional Speakers

Having a marketing plan is essential for professional speakers who want to grow their businesses and reach new audiences. By clarifying goals, identifying their target audience, creating a consistent message, allocating resources effectively, and tracking progress, a speaker can create a roadmap for success and achieve their business objectives.

  1. Clarifying goals: A marketing plan helps a speaker clarify their goals and objectives. By identifying specific targets, such as increasing bookings or expanding their reach, a speaker can create a roadmap for achieving those goals.
  2. Identifying target audience: A marketing plan helps a speaker identify their target audience and create messaging and campaigns that resonate with that audience. By understanding their ideal clients, a speaker can tailor their marketing efforts to meet their needs and preferences.
  3. Creating a consistent message: A marketing plan helps a speaker create a consistent message across all marketing channels, from their website and social media to their email campaigns and speaking engagements. A consistent message helps build brand recognition and reinforces the speaker’s expertise and value.
  4. Allocating resources: A marketing plan helps a speaker allocate their time, money, and other resources effectively. By identifying the most effective marketing channels and campaigns, a speaker can maximize their return on investment and make the most of their resources.
  5. Tracking progress: A marketing plan provides a framework for tracking progress and measuring success. By setting specific goals and metrics, a speaker can evaluate the effectiveness of their marketing efforts and make adjustments as needed.

Creative Marketing Strategies for Professional Speakers

As a professional speaker, there are a variety of creative marketing strategies that you can use to promote your business and reach your target audience. Here are some ideas:

  1. Leverage social media: You already know that social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram can be used to share your expertise and engage with your audience. But how?  Make sure you share snippets from your talks, engage in conversations with others around topics relevant to your niche, and post updates about your upcoming events.
  2. Create a YouTube channel: Share videos of your speeches, interviews, and behind-the-scenes content on YouTube. Create a promotional video to share with potential clients, giving them a sense of what they can expect from you. The video can include clips from speeches, testimonials from satisfied clients, and an overview of the speaker’s expertise and background. This can help you reach a wider audience and establish yourself as an expert in your field. 
  3. Write a book: Publishing a book can help you establish your credibility and build your audience.  Prospective authors can self-publish on Amazon through their platform called Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). KDP allows authors to publish their books in digital and print formats and make them available to readers worldwide. You can use your book as a marketing tool by giving away copies to attendees at your events or using it as a lead magnet on your website.
  4. Offer a free webinar: Hosting a free webinar is a great way to demonstrate your expertise and generate leads. You can use your webinar to share tips and insights on a specific topic and promote your upcoming events.  Speakers can use Zoom for their webinars, but another idea is to use GoToWebinar, which offers features such as registration forms, customizable branding, and automated email reminders.
  5. Collaborate with other speakers: Partnering with other speakers can help you reach a wider audience and build your network. Consider hosting joint events, collaborating on content, or guesting on each other’s podcasts.
  6. Attend networking events: Attend industry conferences and events to meet potential clients, stay up-to-date on industry trends, and build relationships with other professionals in your field.  These events also provide opportunities to practice your public speaking skills, such as by giving elevator pitches or participating in panels. 
  7. Develop a referral program: Encourage satisfied clients to refer you to their friends and colleagues by offering incentives such as discounts or free consultations.  Platforms like ReferralCandy, RewardStream, TapMango, and Ambassador allow businesses to create and manage their own referral programs. They offer features such as referral tracking, customizable rewards, and analytics.
  8. Create a podcast: Hosting a podcast can help you establish yourself as an authority in your field and build your audience. You can use your podcast to share insights and interviews with other experts in your industry. Podcasts are a popular medium for consuming content, and starting a podcast can help a speaker reach new audiences who might not be familiar with their work.
  9. Use paid advertising: Consider using paid advertising on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to reach your target audience.
  10. Create a blog: Writing regular blog posts can help you establish yourself as an authority in your field and improve your search engine rankings. Share your blog posts on social media and promote them to your email list.

 

How Nonprofits Can Benefit from a Storytelling Marketing Strategy

Nonprofit Marketing:  Using Storytelling as a Tool

Nonprofit organizations can benefit greatly by sharing stories as a part of their overall marketing strategy. Stories are compelling in the human experience because they create emotional connections.  They are memorable, universal, engaging, and informative. These qualities make stories a powerful tool for communication and the perfect way to engage donors and inspire them to action.  Some ways this can benefit them include:

  1. Raise Awareness: Sharing stories on social media can help nonprofits raise awareness about their cause, mission, and the impact they are making in their community. By sharing inspiring stories and experiences, nonprofits can engage followers and attract new supporters.
  2. Increase Engagement: Social media is a great platform for nonprofits to interact with their supporters and donors. Sharing stories can encourage engagement, comments, and shares, which can help the organization reach a wider audience and build a stronger online community.
  3. Strengthen Relationships: Social media provides a unique opportunity for nonprofits to connect with their supporters on a personal level. By sharing stories about the people they serve or the impact they are making, nonprofits can build trust and strengthen relationships with their followers.
  4. Fundraising: Sharing stories on social media can also help nonprofits raise funds. By showcasing the impact of their programs and the people they serve, nonprofits can inspire followers to donate and support their cause.
  5. Advocacy: Sharing stories on social media can also help nonprofits advocate for change. By sharing stories about the challenges their communities face and the impact of their programs, nonprofits can educate followers and encourage them to take action to support their cause.

How to Structure Your Nonprofit’s Story

The storytelling approach involves identifying the target audience, clearly communicating the mission, telling stories, making the donor the hero, using a clear call to action, and focusing on impact. By following these strategies, nonprofits can create a compelling message that engages and inspires their audience and drives support for their cause.

  1. Identify the customer’s problem: A business should be able to identify the problem that its customers are facing and position itself as the solution to that problem. The clearer the problem and the solution, the more likely customers are to engage with the brand.
  2. Present a clear message: The message should be clear and concise. The business should be able to articulate its value proposition in a way that the customer understands and can relate to. The message should also be repeated consistently across all communication channels.
  3. Make the customer/donor the hero: The nonprofit should position the customer/donor as the hero of their own story. This can be done by highlighting the impact of donations, recognizing and celebrating donors, providing opportunities for engagement, sharing donor stories, showing the connection between donors and beneficiaries, and providing regular updates on the nonprofit’s work.
  4. Use a story structure: Using a story structure can help make the nonprofit’s message more memorable and relatable. The nonprofit should be able to tell a compelling story that engages the customer emotionally.
  5. Engage with constituents: Engaging with donors is essential in building a relationship with the nonprofit. The organization should be responsive to the donor’s needs and feedback, and use customer stories to build credibility and social proof.
  6. Call to action: Every story needs a call to action. The nonprofit should be able to tell the donor what they need to do next to engage with the organization or help solve their problem.

Examples of Effective Nonprofit Campaigns that Use Storytelling

Nonprofits use a variety of storytelling techniques, including sharing real-life stories, creating videos, using social media, and highlighting the impact of their work. Here are some real-life examples:

  1. Charity: Water: Charity: Water is a nonprofit organization that provides clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries. They use storytelling in their marketing by sharing stories and photos of the people they have helped. They also create videos that showcase the impact of their work, and they use social media to share success stories and updates on their programs.
  2. American Red Cross: The American Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and education in the United States. They use storytelling in their marketing by sharing real-life stories of people who have been helped by their programs. They also create videos and infographics that highlight the impact of their work, and they use social media to share updates and encourage people to get involved.
  3. World Wildlife Fund: The World Wildlife Fund is a nonprofit organization that works to protect endangered species and their habitats. They use storytelling in their marketing by sharing stories and photos of the animals they are trying to protect. They also create videos that showcase the impact of their work, and they use social media to raise awareness about the issues facing wildlife and their habitats.
  4. Feeding America: Feeding America is a nonprofit organization that works to end hunger in the United States. They use storytelling in their marketing by sharing stories of the people they have helped and the impact of their programs. They also create videos that highlight the issue of hunger in America and showcase the work they are doing to address it.
  5. Save the Children: Save the Children is a nonprofit organization that works to improve the lives of children around the world. They use storytelling in their marketing by sharing stories and photos of the children they have helped. They also create videos that highlight the impact of their work, and they use social media to raise awareness about the issues facing children in developing countries.
keyword research

How to Use Keyword Research in Your Content Marketing Strategy

Using Keyword Research in Content Marketing

Keyword research is a critical component of any effective content strategy. It involves researching and analyzing popular search terms and phrases related to your industry, product, or service. By understanding the search intent and behavior of your target audience, you can create content that effectively addresses their needs and interests. It is an essential aspect of building a content strategy for several reasons:

  1. Understanding your target audience: Keyword research helps you understand what your target audience is searching for online. By analyzing popular search terms and phrases related to your industry, product, or service, you can gain insights into the needs and interests of your target audience.
  2. Improving search engine optimization (SEO): By using relevant and high-volume keywords in your content, you can improve the chances of your content appearing in search engine results pages (SERPs). This can increase the visibility of your content, drive more traffic to your website, and improve your website’s search engine ranking.
  3. Identifying content gaps: Keyword research can help identify gaps in your content strategy. By analyzing popular search terms and phrases, you can identify topics that your target audience is interested in but that are not covered in your existing content. This can help you create content that fills these gaps and meets the needs of your target audience.
  4. Creating targeted content: Keyword research helps you create content that is targeted to the needs and interests of your target audience. By understanding what your target audience is searching for, you can create content that addresses their specific questions, concerns, and pain points.
  5. Increasing website traffic: By optimizing your content for relevant and high-volume keywords, you can increase the visibility of your website and attract more traffic. This can increase your website’s exposure and lead to more opportunities for engagement, lead generation, and sales.

Free Keyword Research Tools

There are several sites that offer free keyword research tools that you can use to help you find relevant and high-volume keywords. Here are some of the most popular ones:

  1. Google Keyword Planner: This is a free tool provided by Google that allows you to research keywords and see their search volume, competition, and suggested bid for advertising. It is primarily designed for use with Google Ads, but it can also be used for organic search keyword research.
  2. Ubersuggest: Ubersuggest is a free keyword research tool that provides data on search volume, keyword difficulty, CPC, and more. It also offers suggestions for related keywords and content ideas based on your search.
  3. Keyword Tool: Keyword Tool is a free keyword research tool that offers data on search volume, CPC, and competition for keywords on multiple search engines, including Google, Bing, YouTube, and Amazon.
  4. Answer the Public: Answer the Public is a free keyword research tool that provides insights into the questions and phrases people search for on Google. It presents the data in a visual format, making it easy to understand and use in content creation.
  5. Google Trends: Google Trends is a free tool that allows you to see the popularity of a keyword over time and compare it to other related keywords. It can be useful in identifying seasonal trends or changes in search behavior over time.

Using Keyword Research

Once you’ve completed your keyword research, there are several steps you can take to use the insights you’ve gained to inform your content strategy:

  1. Organize your keywords: Start by organizing your keywords into categories or themes based on relevance and search volume. This can help you better understand the types of topics and content your audience is searching for.
  2. Prioritize your keywords: Next, prioritize your keywords based on relevance, search volume, and competition. This can help you identify which keywords to target in your content creation efforts and which ones to prioritize based on your business goals.
  3. Create content: Use your keyword research to inform your content creation efforts. Develop content that targets the keywords and themes you’ve identified as being most relevant to your target audience.
  4. Optimize your content: Once you’ve created your content, optimize it for the keywords you’ve identified. This can include incorporating keywords into your content titles, headings, subheadings, and body text.
  5. Monitor your results: Finally, monitor the performance of your content to determine if it’s meeting your business goals. Track metrics such as traffic, engagement, and conversions to evaluate the effectiveness of your content strategy and make adjustments as needed.

Overall, keyword research is just the first step in building an effective content strategy. By organizing and prioritizing your keywords, creating and optimizing content, and monitoring your results, you can use the insights gained from keyword research to create a content strategy that drives results and achieves your business goals.

Content Marketing: Strategies and Basics

What is Content Marketing?

Content marketing is a marketing strategy that focuses on creating and distributing valuable and relevant content to attract and engage a target audience. The ultimate goal of content marketing is to drive profitable customer action, such as increasing brand awareness, generating leads, or driving sales.

The content can take various forms, such as blog posts, articles, videos, infographics, podcasts, social media posts, e-books, webinars, and more. The content should be informative, educational, or entertaining and should provide value to the target audience.

By providing valuable content, businesses can establish themselves as thought leaders and build trust with their target audience, which can lead to increased brand loyalty and customer retention. Additionally, content marketing can also help improve a website’s search engine optimization (SEO) and drive organic traffic to the website.

Content Marketing Plan Basics

Here are some basic principles of content marketing that can help you get started with your content marketing plan:

  1. Define your target audience: Before you start creating content, you need to identify your target audience. Who are they, what are their needs, pain points, interests, and preferences? Understanding your audience will help you create content that resonates with them.
  2. Set clear goals: Determine what you want to achieve with your content marketing efforts. Is it to increase website traffic, generate leads, or drive sales? Having clear goals will help you measure the success of your content marketing strategy.
  3. Create valuable content: Your content should be informative, educational, or entertaining, and should provide value to your target audience. Make sure that your content is relevant to your audience and addresses their needs and pain points.
  4. Choose the right format: There are various content formats you can choose from, including blog posts, videos, infographics, social media posts, and more. Choose the format that works best for your audience and the message you want to convey.
  5. Consistency is key: Consistently producing quality content can help you build trust and establish your brand as a thought leader. Set up a content calendar to ensure that you are regularly publishing content that aligns with your goals and resonates with your audience.
  6. Promote your content: Once you’ve created your content, you need to promote it to ensure that it reaches your target audience. Share your content on social media, email newsletters, and other channels to increase its visibility.
  7. Measure your results: Use analytics tools to track your content marketing performance and measure your progress against your goals. Analyzing your results can help you optimize your content marketing strategy and improve your future content.

Content Marketing Strategies and Formats

Here are some effective content marketing strategies that you can use:

  1. Blogging: Blogging is one of the most common and effective content marketing strategies. It allows you to provide valuable content to your target audience, establish yourself as an expert in your industry, and improve your website’s SEO.
  2. Video marketing: Video content is becoming increasingly popular, and it can be a highly engaging way to reach your target audience. You can create videos to showcase your products, provide how-to tutorials, or share industry insights.
  3. Infographics: Infographics are visually appealing and can help simplify complex information. They are highly shareable on social media, and they can be an effective way to educate your target audience.
  4. E-books: E-books are longer-form content pieces that can provide more in-depth information to your target audience. They can be a valuable resource for your audience and can help establish your brand as an authority in your industry.
  5. Social media marketing: Social media can be a highly effective channel for content marketing. You can use social media to share your blog posts, videos, and other content, engage with your audience, and build a community around your brand.
  6. Email marketing: Email marketing can be a highly effective way to reach your target audience and promote your content. You can use email newsletters to share your latest blog posts, videos, and other content with your subscribers.
  7. Podcasting: Podcasting is another popular content format that allows you to reach your target audience on the go. You can create podcasts to share industry insights, interview industry experts, or provide how-to advice.