AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs (c+p digital)
Explore every episode of AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
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| 28 Apr 2021 | #99 - Finding your voice. Finding your f*ck muscle with Joy Juckes | 00:28:42 | |
Hello everybody and welcome back for our 99th episode of 🎙 The 4 AM Report! 🎙 where we’ll be chatting to our guest:🎺performer, voice and speech specialist, Joy Juckes, about the power of your voice. Joy is the founder of ‘The World of Voice’ and her mission is to help you connect with others through your voice. Now that we’re all on Zoom, giving webinars, making presentations, having team meetings, if we don’t know how we sound, we’re not in charge of how we’re connecting. This indisputable fact means that now is the perfect time to learn how to transform your voice into your most powerful asset. Some of Joy’s top tips and tricks on how to use your voice to be heard, and understood, include: How to: 🔉 Warm up the sound of your voice Listen and learn!
About Joy
A professional performer since childhood, Joy has worked on stage, in front of the camera, in the voice studio, and as a recording artist. She brings her voice coaching expertise online to empower more students to take charge of their own learning, no matter what their learning style. JoyJuckes.com
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| 27 Nov 2019 | Fostering an online community and doing business on Facebook with Lara Wellman | 00:14:12 | |
⚡New episode alert ⚡ The 4 am Report is back with another episode 📣 Facebook...🤔 Despite everything you’ve heard, for certain audiences, this is still the place that matters most. In this episode of our wonderfully concise and informative micro podcast, The 4 am Report, we talk to someone who runs her successful business entirely through Facebook Groups. Learn how Lara Wellman, certified business coach and owner of the coaching practice, The Biz Studio, rules the Facebook algorithms. Season 3 of the The 4 am Report is diving deep into the marketing things that keep business owners and communications departments wide awake at night. We’re calling the season ‘The Dark Webbing of Marketing.’ Think Black Mirror meets Years and Years meets our middle-of-the-night insomnia. Here’s an excerpt from the transcript: Will: Lara, for small business owners looking to make Facebook great again for them, tell us why a group and not just a page. Maybe run down some of the benefits you've experienced from using Facebook groups. Lara: Facebook in general is a really great tool. I like to use Facebook because most people, not all people, but most people are hanging out there in some capacity. Facebook pages are a great tool. I think most businesses should have one, but a group is the place where I get to connect with people. It's where, as me, a person, I get to know other people. I get to engage with them. I get to build community. I get to feel like I'm having real connection, not just sort of blasting at them. I think that that's the primary difference with a group is the people in the community have just as much of an opportunity to reach out and share, connect, offer value as I do. Whereas the page is always just me pushing forward. I think that's the big difference, and that's why it works so well. Susan: Yeah, it's that two way conversation. And beyond two way. It's not just two dimensional anymore. It's multidimensional, like you were saying, with people. It's not just you opening a conversation, it's other people coming in and asking questions. It's a crowd sourcing of ideas. I think that community aspect of it is a big part. It's certainly one of the reasons that I participate in groups is obviously the first layer of perhaps being a member of a group from someone's perspective is the fact that there's an insight scoop kind of idea. You do get some special content when you're a part of groups and that's certainly worthwhile. Then there’s the community aspect of it. But also market research, like often if a group is in some way part of your customer set, it's useful to see what their pain points are, what people are talking about, what is taking their attention, who are they buying from? That kind of thing is good information that you can get out of these. Talk to us a little bit about what you're seeing in terms of how people are using groups. Lara: Well I think lots of people are using it in different ways, and it's about making sure that you know why you're using it. You have to have a sense for what it is that you're trying to create and where you're trying to take people. For me, my Facebook group is my first place to take them beyond they've heard of me to really getting to know me. Then just like you said, there's like the VIP experience, the extras they get, the way that I get to get information from them is also the market research. They get to help me figure out what videos I'm going to do, what my next training's going to be, what workshops I'm going to do, all of that kind of stuff. But that also makes them feel like they're getting a VIP thing because they're getting to have input in all of this stuff. But at the same time I'm like, “What do you guys actually want to know about?” Susan: Exactly. I think going back to that two way where you're benefiting in both ways. As well, you know from a user's perspective, I often wonder how do you fit all of this in? I know we wanted to talk about that with you a little bit is that when people are using social media, we get asked a lot. It's like, so how do I do this? How do I fit it all in, and how do I get the conversations and no one's saying anything to the stuff I posted? We're like, what are you saying to other people, is often our question. Are you hopping on there and having conversations? Are you only just popping one comment in and then not acknowledging any of the responses or not really even seeing what other people had to say? That's not a conversation. That's just a drop. So let's talk through that a little bit. How do we engage? I mean obviously we're talking about it from the perspective of a group, but whether group or otherwise, what can engagement bring to the Facebook algorithm? Lara: There's a few things there. One is a Facebook group is a lot of work, but the question is, is that worth it for you? So just like a podcast for example, it's also a fair amount of work. But if that's the thing that you want to do, if that's the thing that's fun for you to create, then maybe that's the good use of your time. When people ask me about Facebook groups, I'm not like, everybody needs one. Because especially in the beginning - I've had mine for over four years now - In the very beginning, I spent so much time in there. I would do weekly group chats. I would be in there every day multiple times a day. I would answer every single comment and question. I was in there full on. I don't need to be there at the same capacity anymore, but I really did need to nurture the group in a strong way in the beginning so that people felt like it was a place that conversation happened. I'm not saying that this doesn't ever work, but you'll see groups and they just have the same weekly prompts every day all the time. That's good, but you also need to make sure that people feel like it's a real place where people are actively connecting. About Lara
Lara is a Certified Business Coach who believes small business owners can make more money, love the work they do, and still have time to enjoy their lives! Through coaching, group programs, workshops and events, she helps business owners get the clarity they need to take the right action for them and their business. Connect: Twitter: @larawellman | |||
| 07 Aug 2024 | EP220 Kickstarting your AI Journey: First Steps for AI-Newbie Entrepreneurs | 00:18:43 | |
Welcome to Episode 220 of The 4am Report, a practical guide for entrepreneurs at the beginning of their AI journey. In this episode, I’ll give you the foundational steps necessary for assessing and integrating AI into your business operations. I’ll demystify the process and highlight actionable strategies that will have you moving in days and weeks, not months and years! What you'll Learn: ⚡ Understanding AI and Its Potential Impacts on Small Businesses: We'll start with a basic introduction to AI, including its common forms such as machine learning and natural language processing, and discuss how it can enhance business operations, reduce costs, and improve decision-making. 🔎 Identifying AI Opportunities within Existing Business Processes: Learn how to conduct an audit of your current business processes to pinpoint where AI can be integrated, focusing on high-impact areas like customer service, sales, and marketing. 🔁 Simple AI Tools that Can Automate Routine Tasks: Discover user-friendly AI tools that can streamline operations, featuring general examples like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and specific tools for email management and CRM. 🧮 Statistics Highlight According to McKinsey, 65% of organizations are now using generative AI, with a significant jump in adoption across various business functions. Deloitte notes that organizations are transitioning from pilot programs to large-scale deployments, though the anticipated efficiency gains are still emerging. 🇨🇦 Canadian SMBs and AI 78% are looking to adopt AI, with 65% encouraging their employees to use AI tools. The challenge remains in upskilling talent to utilize AI tools effectively. 🧠 ❤️ Why This Episode Matters With AI adoption on the rise, understanding how to leverage this technology can set your business apart. This episode aims to build AI literacy and help entrepreneurs implement AI deeply and effectively, beyond superficial use. 🎒 Case Studies and Resources For real-life examples of small businesses successfully implementing AI tools, revisit EP 218 - Beyond Blogging: 6 Use Cases for ChatGPT that Are Not Content Creation. Also pop back to explore my detailed tool recommendations and integration strategies from EP 213 - 9 AI-Enabled Tools That Save You 2 Hours a Day. 📢🤫 Special Announcement coming up Stay tuned for a significant rebranding in EP 222 after 5 years as ‘The 4am Report’. More details coming soon! Hit that subscribe button to stay in the know.
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| 07 Jul 2021 | #111 - Stand up for what you believe with Shelagh Cummins | 00:27:48 | |
As social injustice rocks our society, Shelagh Cummins joins us to discuss how to stand up for what you believe, even as you run your business and focus on sales A business coach, strategist, and founder of The Road to Seven Shelagh's goal is to help women entrepreneurs use their voice and their platform as they grow a freedom-based, profitable, and fulfilling business. She shares:
We talk about tough topics in tough times, but it’s not all grim. Like Shelagh says, we create our own sunshine🌞 Enjoy!About Shelagh
Shelagh Cummins is a business coach, growth strategist, and founder of The Road to Seven | |||
| 16 Jan 2020 | Setting expectations for professional video production with Genevieve Blais | 00:13:15 | |
INTRO: It's 4:00 AM. You can't sleep either. What's keeping you up? It's the 4:00 AM report, a collaborative approach to sometimes finding solutions to the things that keep marketers up at night. Where your hosts, Susan and Will. WILL: Welcome back to the last episode of season three of the 4:00 AM report and to close out this season we thought we should talk about the medium of the moment or rather the medium that's ruled our social channels for the past several years. Video now, in recent years, video has gotten a lot more DIY. You know, we can all make videos on our phones. Those platforms like Instagram stories, you know, tik-tok, they rule right now everybody's doing it. And the homemade DIY look, it's very of the moment, you know, it's what people see. But there's a big place for the professionally made video still and that's what we're going to talk today about with our guest Genevieve Blais. After earning a fine art degree from OCAD university, Genevieve made the transition to digital marketing bringing in artistic edge to all ventures. She's worked with a variety of clients and agencies across verticals producing digital content with a deep understanding of effective advertising and key insight into placement. She cofounded her production company atomic video in 2019 she specializes in social content commercials, music videos and narrative films, and we've worked with her before too, haven't we, Susan? SUSAN: Yep, we have suddenly worked with her team, with Genevieve and a team over the years on video and it's been a fun experience. We'll chat through some of that in a little while, but first tell us what keeps you up at night. GENEVIEVE: Hi Susan and Will thanks for having me on today. The thing that keeps me up at night is definitely the age old dilemma of expectation vs reality. Managing client expectations in the current moment can be very difficult because you have the ubiquity of streaming services, you have the rise of DIY video production, and so it can be really difficult when a client has an expectation that doesn't necessarily meet their budget. SUSAN: A lot of people tend to overlook the pieces that go into making professional video and really making it work. And it's easy to assume that just because someone is a pro and coming into the picture that all of the things are possible, right. So there needs to be some education around, this is something that we keep talking about. Often people expect everything but they don't have the budget. So the budget becomes one of the things that we know is certainly a concern in the space. And while we approach it by going in and asking what the options are, sometimes people just have strange requests, I'm sure. So talk to us about what some common misconceptions are that you come across in terms of expectations vs. Reality. GENEVIEVE: It's a really important thing to educate clients and people who are looking for video production in what is realistic and what isn't. Just because you have a green screen doesn't mean that you're going to get Steven Spielberg quality CGI. One of the big problems is making things look natural actually requires a lot of money from set dressing to wardrobe to hair and makeup. These are all things that clients sometimes overlook when they're planning. For instance, maybe you want a natural makeup look, you're still gonna have to hire a makeup artist in order to execute that. It's a very specialized fields and equipment costs are incredibly high within video production. So for instance, I know iPhone 11 just released that commercial, the snowball fight that was shot in T entirely on an iPhone, but if you watch the behind the scenes, there's a team of over 20 people. There's choreography, there's drones, there's snow machines and lighting, and so just to get that look, you really require a Hollywood crew. It doesn't matter the equipment that you're using. WILL: I think that's a great point. It really is. Those things that go into the planning, the behind the scenes and the professionals who know how to tell a story via video as well. Right? All of that. We think, Oh well I've got an iPhone 11 I'm going to do that. But the point you make I think is a good one. SUSAN: And as well, you know, it's on the brands as well where they're trying to make it seem "I woke up like this", right? Yeah, sure. It's shot on an iPhone 11 like you said. But you know, think of all of the pieces that went behind it. And I think this is an important conversation for people to be having. If you look at an ad...that ad, if it's on the airwaves, paying big media bucks, then for sure it's not a DIY. GENEVIEVE: Absolutely. And I think that we are discussing these issues with things like face-tune and influencers, but in terms of the video production, it's not commonly held knowledge that so much is required in order to execute something that looks natural. WILL: Yeah. And so tell us, when you start working with a client specifically, maybe a new client, someone who's new to professionally produced video, talk about that intake or we talked about there needs to be an education process involved. Talk to us a little bit about your process when you start working with a client? GENEVIEVE: I think it always starts with setting up expectations because you can't deliver a product without creating boundaries, without being transparent about the process and what is required in the process. So I typically start by opting for references with what they want to see. If they don't have them then I find some that are realistic and within a general budget I usually present three budgets, a cheap and cheerful version, a mid range version and then the high end and then whatever the client is comfortable with, we go forward with that. SUSAN: I know that we've worked in the past together, Gen and we put together videos like a whole couple of series of videos and one of the things that did for us is it really took our visibility to the next level. That particular series of content hacks videos that we worked on together. It was probably our first foray into like micro content and understanding that people wanted smaller things and everyone wanted for me to be like, Oh, just try this out and see if it works. For us. Do you want to pay someone for it? I'm like, yeah I do actually because I hate being on video. I am self conscious, I am, you know, uncomfortable about what to look at and things like that. And that is the kind of that someone brings to the table who's a professional. So I wanted to call that out and you know the value of using high production is something that we've seen for sure. So talk to us a bit more about what people should expect in terms of you know like an output. Once you've got that next level video, what can people expect from it? GENEVIEVE: I definitely think that it stands out when you have something that is more produced within the clutter of the social media landscape. There has been a trend of all of those automated video editing programs that create kind of texts in a moving photo. But because of the increase of people using those, definitely a produced video stands out, in contrast to that. It also levels up what you're creating. It gives some importance to your video when it does look slick and commercially produced, I think. WILL: You know what, that's a really great point you made about kind of cutting through the clutter. Years ago it was the DIY video that stood out and now because everybody's doing it. This makes sense what you're saying that a professionally produced video does kind of stand out in the scroll of the handheld homemade whatever and also those video platforms that you mentioned that kind of an image with some text and moving. It's almost like I think everyone's kind of gotten over that as well now and you know you see it and you don't click and watch it anymore. GENEVIEVE: Yeah absolutely. And I think with video it is such an all encompassing medium. You have the audio element, you have the visual element, you maybe have a tech element and supers and it's a lot more engaging than a static photo and copy. WILL: So something that I was excited to talk to you about Gen. Cause I always like hearing from the professionals in their field on, you know, 2020 we've gone through a lot of that new year trend predicting. So I wanted to hear from you, what's like hot right now with video production? What are you being asked to do or what are you seeing? Any predictions, that sort of thing. GENEVIEVE: I definitely think a big trend is the cinematic look, so making things very dramatic, very color graded, produced, and I think that that is occurring because of the ubiquity of Netflix and streaming services and also the sophistication of technology has certainly raised the bar on video production. Another big trend is comedy, so a lot of the big commercials that we're seeing nowadays take a very comedic approach. I think that because of the social climate right now, definitely people are looking for a bit of humor and that's what's really resonating with audiences and making something that's very sharable and definitely authenticity is still key on social media and it relates to video as well. So I know we're talking about budgets and production and pre-planning every element, but I think that definitely coming from an authentic position and being more natural in the presentation is also something that's really popular on social media right now. SUSAN: Those are some great points. Now, let's look at the flip side. I've suddenly been in conversations where people have talked about how they've hate being hostage by that slideshow video or that text on top of a picture kind of a thing. So what's on its way out? What is like seriously tired, no longer effective and we can just go out on a limb and said, stop doing these things guys. GENEVIEVE: Well I definitely think the slide-show video has run its course and that is definitely on its way out. I would say that another video style is explainer videos. They've seen their day. Unless your company is a very niche B2B area where you need to get into detail about the product. I don't see that those are being very effective these days. WILL: And when you say explainer videos, is that meaning, you know, here's the product, the product's benefits, are this, that sort of thing is what you're referring to, right? GENEVIEVE: Yes, definitely. I think that it's more about lifestyle and creating a need for the product and showing the product in situ as opposed to explaining the benefit of it. WILL: That makes so much sense. Now, something else I wanted to talk to you about is we're on our phones in our scroll, a video will come up. Usually the sound is off, so talk to us about the importance of captions right now on top of videos, especially when it's related to mobile GENEVIEVE: Placement is something that needs to be considered before you go into your video and before you start conceptualizing your video. Is it going to go on TV? Is it going to be for social media? Because nowadays most social videos are not listening to with sound and so it's absolutely integral that you also have your message clear within the copy on the video. SUSAN: Yeah, I remember we did a fair bit of that. Right? We would put supers together to make sure it was seen and then we were like, where do we put the super so that a close caption situation doesn't go over the super. People don't think about the amount of detail that needs to go into having a seemingly flawless final product, do they? GENEVIEVE: No. And I think a lot of times people will say, Oh, I'm going to make a video. And they don't put it in the proper preparation for that. Everything needs to be considered, especially placement. WILL: And you know, say it say I was like, okay Gen, I want to work with you and we're going to do a video. Here's the concept after production. How much planning I guess goes in beforehand when it comes to the specific channels. So is that something, I guess at the beginning that you're talking about, like where is this video going to live and do you film differently based on the channel that it's going to live on? Is that happening? GENEVIEVE: Yes, absolutely. I think sometimes we'll do two edits the same video because it's going to go on Instagram and it's going to go on LinkedIn. So channel placement needs to be established right at the forefront and the video needs to be created with that in mind. And then post production can accommodate in terms of ratios. So if you want to shoot for Instagram stories, that's a totally different ratio than LinkedIn. And so you're going to need to keep that in mind prior to shooting prior to the production. SUSAN: Yeah, you make such a good point. This is why sometimes in briefs when we ask something ridiculous like horizontal or vertical and people look at you oddly or like this is the reason a production brief exists. Right? So that we can catch all of the details, the number of times where we've had to redo something, you know, because it needs to feature in the vertical format. Even if it's just a slide show video, it's work. GENEVIEVE: Yeah, it's definitely time consuming. And so I think that that's why things need to be established before even going to production because otherwise you're going to end up with horizontal video with big bars on it for Instagram stories. And that's definitely not the ideal aesthetic for that format. SUSAN: For those small businesses who are perhaps intimidated by the idea of video or not sure if they can afford it, and you know, are probably thinking, this is out of my league. What might you be able to say to them to be like, no, it doesn't necessarily have to be. GENEVIEVE: I think keeping it simple sometimes is the easiest way to manage budget vs. expectation. The more involved the project is, obviously the rates go up for that, but I think that you can accomplish video on pretty much any budget. WILL: Okay. Some great advice there from our guest on the very last episode. Thank you very much, Genevieve. This has been a great discussion all about professionally produced video. Also, thank you for being the last guest of season 3. It was very nice to chat with you again. GENEVIEVE: Yeah. Thank you for having me. It was great. SUSAN: Thank you. Bye. *** About Genevieve
After earning a fine art degree from OCAD university, Genevieve made the transition to digital marketing bringing in artistic edge to all ventures. She’s worked with a variety of clients and agencies across verticals producing digital content with a deep understanding of effective advertising and key insight into placement. She cofounded her production company Atomic Video in 2019 she specializes in social content commercials, music videos and narrative films. Web: *** Still can’t sleep? We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems – your issue might be featured in our next episode! Any of these problems *speak* to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations – don’t miss it! If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!
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| 11 Dec 2024 | EP228 Use ChatGPT to Plan Your Dream Life | 00:09:18 | |
Have you ever thought about designing your dream life but felt overwhelmed by where to start? In this episode of ‘AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs’, we explore how ChatGPT can help you map out a vision for your ideal life - one thoughtful question at a time. Host Susan Diaz walks you through: ✨ The impressive reasoning capabilities of ChatGPT o1 and how you can have it function as a pocket strategic life coach. Susan also shares personal stories about discovering new hobbies, aligning values with daily actions, and creating a roadmap for meaningful change. Whether it’s enhancing personal growth, planning career moves, or tackling business challenges, this tutorial gives you an inside look at how AI can empower self-reflection and planning in ways we couldn’t imagine before. 🎙️ Listen to the full episode now! And as you hit please, please drop us a 5-star rating. It helps more entrepreneurs like you discover AI literacy gems! Take AI Planning to the Next Level This episode offers a peek behind the curtain at the kind of transformative work we do inside the Marketing Power Circle AI implementation mastermind (MPC). While listening to the podcast and trying these strategies yourself is a fantastic start, the real amplification happens when you’re part of a council of peers. Within MPC, you gain exponential benefits from diverse perspectives and varied use cases that multiply your learning and implementation. You’ll do more than apply AI - you’ll momentum and unlock breakthroughs as a community. If you’ve ever wanted to see what’s truly possible when you collaborate with other forward-thinking entrepreneurs, this is your invitation. Ready to explore how AI can revolutionize your business and personal growth? Join the Marketing Power Circle AI implementation mastermind (MPC) and connect with like-minded entrepreneurs using AI to work smarter, not harder. Whether you're new to AI or looking to deepen your expertise, MPC is your space to learn, implement, and grow - in a community of peers. Share your Dream Life Plan! What would your ideal life look like? Have you used AI to map it out? We’d love to hear your thoughts and stories - drop us a comment or tag us on social! | |||
| 21 Apr 2021 | #98 - Put your money where your mouth is to create lasting social impact with Ankita Rao | 00:21:09 | |
Hi everybody and welcome back to the 🎙The 4 AM Report!🎙 and what’s keeping our guest, Ankita Rao, up at night are burning questions about authenticity. Brands have been so quick to say they stand for something (for example, diversity, equity and inclusion) but are they just jumping on the bandwagon? How can we know they’re being genuine and whether anything they do will be permanent? How do we keep the momentum going 🚀? Ankita is a social impact practitioner who is here to help us figure out how to create lasting change. And it’s pretty simple: Put your money where your mouth is. Hold your brand accountable. On this riveting episode you’ll find out:
Listen up! About Ankita
Ankita is a Portfolio Manager with LEAP Pecaut Centre for Social Impact, responsible for selecting high-impact social organizations with passionate leaders for the LEAP portfolio, and working with them to provide strategic and operational capacity building support, and coaching, to scale their impact to more beneficiaries. Prior to LEAP, Ankita led the access to finance strategy for USD25m cashew value chain development program in Benin, West Africa with Technoserve (international NGO). Prior to Technoserve, Ankita worked for 6 years as a Management Consultant with EY Canada. Ankita is a CFA charterholder, and graduated with a Joint Honour in Economics and Finance, with a Minor in French, from McGill University. | |||
| 02 Jan 2020 | Structuring to be the 2% with Andrea Henry | 00:17:53 | |
This week hosts Susan and Will chat with guest Andrea Henry, a business lawyer who is passionate about helping women entrepreneurs get to that 7-figure goal. What do they discuss? ✔️The barriers facing women business owners when it comes to getting funding for growth ✔️The lack of value funders put on intellectual property here in Canada ✔️How women can be better structuring their business to be more attractive to potential funders Here’s an interesting stat: Only 2% of women owned businesses reach the 1 million mark in annual revenue; whereas businesses owned by men are 3.5 times more likely to do so. Andrea wants to change that. Here’s an excerpt from the transcript: *** Will: We do know that the Canadian government, the federal government launched a program last year, a hundred million dollar program funding for small businesses owned by females. It's called the Woman Entrepreneurship Fund. So to me that sounds fantastic. They realized there's a need for this. They're investing 100 million set up this fund. They have the goal of doubling the number of women owned businesses by 2025 which would add 10% to the national GDP. So this all sounds great, but Andrea, we were talking earlier and you were telling us from your experience with your clients, this program just isn't enough. Andrea: Well, I think it's a wonderful idea and I'm thrilled that the government understands that in supporting women owned business, there are certainly just going to help the whole country. You mentioned the 10% of the national GDP. When you empower women and allow them to have access to economic activity, you do better for the whole country. But in speaking to clients who've been trying to access funding, whether it's government funding or other funding, there seems to be a disconnect between the funding that's available and the types of businesses that people want to run. And so I have a client who is over a million dollars a year in revenue, has been for several years, has very good financials, but can't get funded because the assets are all intellectual property, right? Is her brand and is her reputation. And so the funding to me seems to be a lot more, you know, traditional, right? So if you've got assets that they can hold on to, then you're going to find it easier to get funded. Or if you only need a very little bit of funding, right? If you're a micro-business, you need a couple thousand dollars to get started. What I'm concerned about are the ambitious women who want to be industry leaders who want to breach that Mark and go further. There seems to be a gap in the marketplace or that, Susan: This is certainly something that keeps me up at night as well, Andrea. It's a perception versus reality problem. Almost like, you know, we talked briefly about how we see those little ADs for like, Oh, women entrepreneurs apply here and then you go in there and it's like $5,000 I'm like, that's one 10th of my monthly burn rate to girlfriend. You know? So there's just that sort of belief that women entrepreneurs are only in the starter stage of the business, which is not at all true. The real gap like you pointed out is in the middle, maybe those two 50 and up type entrepreneurs who are like on that serious growth path. And like you said, investing in the intellectual property, right? Like I've suddenly faced this problem as part of my journey, which is like I've invested in creating those systems and building the people and the and the sort of efficiency models which are intangible. They're worth a whole lot. But when I go in there, the bank is like, all right, little girl come back when you have a property with 1 million bucks, right? Andrea: Yeah, that's exactly what it is. And so we're in a new age, right? We are in an age where intellectual property is the thing. It's what you can create, the systems that you can create, the new innovations that you can come up with. But yet the banking and the funding system lags behind that on is more interested it would seem and the tangible assets which as we develop and as our world changes, we're going to be less and less important. Will: Now let's Canada versus the US for a minute. Cause I know you were telling us a story about a woman who couldn't get funding here in Canada goes to the States and she's able to set up her business and get funding there. Is there a difference you see in Canadian financial institutions versus the American money that's available? Is it that our system is just more conservative and we don't value that intellectual property as much as they do in the States? What do you think? Andrea: I think it's definitely more conservative, which is not always a bad thing is the reason why our economy didn't go off a cliff when you know, it did that in the States. So that's a good thing. So conservative isn't necessarily, you know, bad is it, but it is true that I have had examples of, of many business owners and women led businesses where they could not get the funding in Canada and moved and one lady in particular, they've just raised 7 million in funding in the States. Andrea: And this is a business that would have been able to imply countless numbers of people in Canada. She's a Canadian, but she only left to go to the States because she couldn't get the funding because again, their business owns nothing. It is 100% of systems and logistical assets business. And because of that, it was difficult for her to be able to get funded. So my concern is we have so many bright, ambitious entrepreneurs here, we want to keep them here. We want to make sure that they're growing the economy and hiring people in Canada and not losing out to the States because we're not in a position to really value assets in a way that some of the banking institutions here and also comfortable with. Susan: Yeah, and as you were saying, you know, it's like a, it's like an entrepreneurial brain drain. And you're, you're having people sort of move over there. And a point you made earlier that stood out for me was that whole implosion of 2008 didn't happen because entrepreneurs got it wrong. It happened because of real estate. Andrea: Yes. It was investment bankers in real estate. Yeah. Will: So you know, we've set the stage here that it's not that easy for female led entrepreneurs to get funds from financial, traditional financial institutions. The amount of money they need to really grow their business. What, when they come to Andrea or Susan from your experience, what is out there? What, what are the next things people start looking at and are they good options or not? Andrea: So what will often happen is if you can't get financing from a bank or credit union or any other type of lending institution, then you'll look for investment, which which makes sense, right? It's in a sense less risky than financing through debt where you're 100% liable and you will usually need to provide a personal guarantee. What I find is a pitfall is that when you're growing rapidly and you know that to get to the next level, I need marketing help or I need, you know, sales coach and whatever else you need to get to the next level. I need to bring on an employee and someone is willing to offer you their services for a stake in the company. So like you don't have to pay me, but I want a 10% stake or 20% stake. So at the time you're desperate and you believe in your company and you know it's going to get to the next level, that seems like you know, manna from heaven really, I don't have to pay you and you're going to give me all the services that I need. Andrea: So I fully understand that. The concern with that is you really have to think about what you think your company's going to be worth because if someone is to pay for those services would have been $20,000 and you think your company's going to be worth $1 million and you give up 20% of that, you've just spent $200,000 to get $20,000 worth of services. Right. It is an expensive way to fund your growth. If you have no choice, if you really, there is no way out. Our professors would always say, go to go to friends and family first, but the reality is for a lot of us, especially people who are new to entrepreneurship, who are immigrants to the country, who come from communities where they aren't resources, we can't write. Like I know there are people who go to their fathers and get a $50,000 loan or $100,000 loan to start a business. Andrea: That was not my case and I know that's not the case for a lot of people out there. So if you really have no choice, then you want to make sure that you still keep some control of your shares. So maybe you give up some of your company, but you keep control over it through call options or through convertible shares, which allow you then to somehow get your shares back at a later event. It might be more expensive, but it's not as expensive as if you allow your company to grow to this multimillion beauty that you know it can be and you've given up too much too early. The other problem with giving up too much surely is when you then grow. So you use these services and you, you know, and now you're attractive to people with much deeper pockets. You have already given up, you know, 20-30-40-50% of your company, what do you have left to give? Andrea: Because anything you give at that point is going to make you a minority shareholder and you'll lose control of your company. So it's just important to really think about all the ways that you possibly could fund and you know, negotiate. I saw something just this morning in life, we often don't get what we deserve. We get what we negotiate. So ask for what you want. You want to be able to buy your shares back three years from now. Ask for it. Right? You might have to pay different terms, you might have to pay a little bit more in the future. But if it's something that was important to you and you think that your companies want to do well, ask for it and work with someone who's willing to work with you. Susan: That's such great point to make. Andrea, let's sort of like give our like female owned business listeners some thoughts that you've discussed with us in the past about how you can be structuring your business from a legal perspective to perhaps be more attractive to those funders. And you know, not seem like that person who doesn't know some of these ins and outs of the whole thing as you grow. Andrea: So from both, whether you're going to go to for traditional bank financing or you're looking for investors incorporation. So having a corporate structure in the first place is really important. Not just, you know, incorporating online and having your certificate of incorporation, but actually going through the formalities, having a minute book, all of those things are going to be reviewed by your potential lenders, by your potential investors, and a shoddy minute book are a non-system. And that book can completely just scupper a deal to begin with. Keeping really good records from the beginning. Even a clear distinction between business and personal, which is hard when you're starting out. And when you know there's a lot of fluidity between your personal and your business life, but that's important because you need to be able to, so clearly what's the business and what's yours and then that to incorporation incorporated with a structure that gives you some flexibility. Andrea: So generally speaking, people think of shares and we think of common shares and comment and voted in shares as a part of the meat of the shares, right? It's the things that allow you to keep control over a business and they entitle you to the underlying assets. But there is a whole world of different types of shares that you can have. You can have shares that don't carry voting rights, you can have shares that are preferred, which means they don't have access to the underlying assets. You can have convertible shares that can turn from one type of security to another. So shares that will then become debt. At some point in time you can have call options on your shares, which means I sell them to you, but I have the right to buy them back at a particular price at a particular date. So making sure that you are working with a business lawyer who really understands corporate structuring and who understands what it is you want your business to do and where you want it to go. Andrea: A lot of people think you just get the certificate and that's it, but you are hurting yourself if you, if you want to be a big business and you want to go after significant funding to not have the right corporate structure in place. And then the other thing, and this isn't even really legal, I just pass this on cause I've spoken to so many lenders where this has been a point of frustration. Um, and I wasn't guilty of it myself when I started out. When we start, especially if you don't have tons of resources, you spend all of the money on your business, right? You spend all of your savings and you max out your credit cards, and you max like line of credit. I'm sure most of you are nodding with me and only when we've like nearly run out of money, then we go for financing. Andrea: It's just the worst possible time to go. So goal to the lender before you need it. So goal when you still have access to it, when you still have some savings because lenders will look at that, you know, right or wrongly, they will look at the fact that you bought some savings that you'd bought, some access to credit that you've been having, you know, increase in sales, go then, they're much more likely to fund you at that point. The third thing I will say is, it is almost impossible to get funding or invest in debt if you owe CRA, especially if you owe them lots of money. And so, you know, making sure from the very beginning that you are keeping good records, the money that you spend on a bookkeepers is going to be some of the best money that you can spend just so that you are completely on the right side of CRA and that doesn't prevent you from getting funding in the future. *** About Andrea Henry:
Andrea is a Cambridge-educated lawyer with more than a decade of experience working with businesses of all sizes and at every stage of the entrepreneurial journey. She's the daughter of an entrepreneur and also married one herself and is pretty much obsessed with all things business. | |||
| 02 Dec 2021 | EP149 The evolving categories of marketing | 00:41:25 | |
In this episode arc, we're going to focus on some specific trends and learnings that you can take with you going into 2022 in your marketing. This is a significant inflexion point in the evolution of the way we communicate, market, and sell. Things have changed a lot during the pandemic with a whole new virtual world open. The things we thought to be the vehicles or tools of marketing distribution have changed. What's getting attention? We break down 2 key things to focus on.
Take a listen. We are joined by 6 guest judges. Andrea Henry, founder of Henry business law. If you’re a return listener, please leave us a 5-star review? Thanks 💫 | |||
| 23 Sep 2020 | #65 - Kolbe: Zeroing in on Your Zone of Genius with Laural Carr | 00:24:55 | |
Hey, Super Friends! 🦸🏽♀️🦸♂️ It’s time for another 🎃🎃🎃*definitely NOT pumpkin spiced* 🎃🎃🎃episode of the 4 AM Report! What is UP with all things pumpkin spiced? What’s next, pumpkin spiced wine? <<< Oh h*ll no!! 😂🍷🍷😂 (Steady on team…back to business. 🤣) This week, we talk KOLBE. Have you taken a Kolbe test yet? It’s super cool - everyone on our team has done one. Our guest this week, Laural Carr, founder and CEO of Toronto-based marketing firm Impagination, is also a Kolbe certified consultant. Kolbe helps you: 🌟 Define the way you take action and your approach to productivity. It sounds a bit 🔮‘woo-woo hippy-dippy’ 🔮but it’s really not. What is IS, however, is a way to really home in on your and your staff’s zones of genius - AND then build crazy-complimentary teams! 🔥💥🔥 Have a listen.
About Laural
“When I was younger, I heard from teachers, family and friends that I should do things a specific way. Disappointingly, I started more things than I finished, experimented with shortcuts and always asked “Why”. Luckily, I found my path, achieved success solving problems that generated new business and accolades for my clients. The game-changer came decades ago when introduced to Kolbe. My Kolbe A Index revealed my natural talents, transformed my business and relationships and gave me the confidence to operate in my natural style. I want to help business owners and teams reduce stress, simplify business operations and confidently stand-out in the market. It starts with Kolbe.”
Connect with Laural: Follow Laural Carr on Linkedin and Twitter Follow Impagination on Linkedin and Instagram Get awesome content and a free consultation at Impagination’s Kolbe Services web page – Activate Your Kolbe Advantage | |||
| 07 Apr 2022 | EP168 Masterclass not working? Repurpose it as a podcast! | 00:09:09 | |
Has your webinar/bootcamp/masterclass stopped working as effectively as it once did? Why? What has changed? These days people are stretched on a number of levels. Nobody has the bandwidth to come to five or six hours of you telling them why you are the solution and thinly-veiled self-congratulatory sequences. People ALSO don't have the headspace to process a whole lot of information. And they certainly don't have the budgets to come to the things that you're trying to qualify, which is likely a five or six-figure service package 🤷♀️ If that's not going to work, what can you do instead? Listen in 🎧 | |||
| 16 Oct 2024 | EP225 AI and the Oppenheimer Paradox: Hope, Fear, and the Future of Work with Jesse Adams | 00:34:23 | |
In this thought-provoking episode of AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs, host Susan Diaz welcomes Jesse Adams, CEO and founder of Ember Experience, to explore the dual nature of AI and its implications for the future of work. The discussion points to a compelling parallel in history with Oppenheimer and the development of nuclear technology, bringing both hope and fear to the front. Key Topics Covered:
Highlights:
Guest Bio: Jesse Adams is the CEO and founder of Ember Experience, an organization focused on improving culture within workplaces through leadership development and creating environments of psychological safety. Jesse's unique background spans from working with Olympic athletes to corporate wellness, and now leading teams to think deeply about how to navigate the complex, nuanced relationship between technology and humanity. Connect with host Susan Diaz on LinkedIn As you hit play on this episode please leave us a 5 start review!
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| 29 Dec 2021 | EP154 The art of taking time for renewal | 00:16:26 | |
We've reached the end of 2021, yo. It's been a mixed bag for many people. That said, the one big thing that emerged this year is a deep need for self-care. A deep need to renew, rejuvenate, take care of yourself, take care of your mind, your body, and your spirit. In this episode, we have tips from three awesome specialists in the health and wellness space, who will speak to different aspects of taking care of the mind, body, and spirit. Pick a practice, and focus on building it in 2022. Good luck!
The art of mindful doodling to relieve stress Melissa Lloyd, founder and chief doodler at DoodleBreaks points out, we are all born with creativity. And yet, many if not most of us lose that natural urge to doodle. Allow your mind to float, and your anxiety settle. 🧠 🧠 🧠
The art of slow motion multitasking Zannat Reza is a registered dietician and ambassador in the healthy aging space. She spends her waking hours helping organizations strategize and create memorable food & health content that inspires, educates, and empowers people to live their best lives. She delves into Slow Motion Multitasking. 🧠 🧠 🧠
The art of good sleep Lydia Di Francesco is the CEO and Wellness Consultant at Fit + Healthy 365. As a workplace wellness consultant, she helps companies understand the connection between well-being and mental health, and employee productivity and retention. 👏👏👏 She advises: | |||
| 21 Nov 2019 | Getting over your fear of on-camera with Heather Davidson-Meyn | 00:14:35 | |
Some people love being in front of a camera. But most of us don’t. This episode of The 4 am Report talks about why you should consider making your face part of your marketing plan. If you’re a small biz owner or an entrepreneur, your face is very much tied to your brand. And often one of your best marketing tools. In this episode of The 4 am Report, we talk to Heather Davidson-Meyn, owner of Fun Love Photography, about why personalized custom images can make your brand stand out from the competition. We’re not telling you to ditch the stock photography, charts, graphs and other important design elements you use in your marketing. But we are very certain that you’re missing a great opportunity to showcase some personality and make a more lasting impression people will remember. We speak from experience: Exhibit A:
And… Exhibit B:
Past images used to promote our material. Long story short: They worked and we got noticed. Here’s an excerpt from the transcript: Susan: So Heather, let's talk that out a little bit. A key factor that stops many of us as small businesses from putting our faces on our marketing material is mindset. So, from your experience working with many small business owners, why is this? Why are they so hesitant to put themselves sort of front and center in their marketing? Heather: Well, there's a couple of places the hesitation comes from. First of all, not knowing. Not knowing the "how" and the "what," exactly. What images do you need to create, and how do you create them? Where do you go? When do you do it? How do you represent yourself? Secondly, is the whole thing about feeling vulnerable and unsure and not feeling camera ready, whether it be your hair and makeup, your wardrobe, or bigger things like feeling like you need to lose ten pounds. Susan: Yeah, I can certainly understand all of those factors. My own journey has been at first I was like, "I'm certainly not getting on video." And then we did video, which was highly produced in which it was shot ahead of time, and we were lit perfectly, and that kind of stuff. And then now we've gotten to a place where we're quite comfortable hopping onto a Facebook Live or a LinkedIn Live, and just doing that from a video perspective. And we applied the same sort of thing obviously to our shops, as well, that we've taken along the way. And I can certainly speak to the fact that getting a hold of your head space and your mindset was a big part of that. Heather: Yeah, for sure. Will: I wanted to talk about going beyond just the head shot. Of course. Yes, head shots are great. There's a purpose for them, but let's remember the one thing that makes you and your marketing stand out is that it comes from you. So you are part of that UVP. So Heather, if marketers and small business owners are out there listening, getting kind of inspired by what we're talking about and considering investing in some interesting photography to accompany their marketing. Can you give us some ideas to help get creative juices flowing? Heather: Yeah, for sure. I start the planning process with every single one of my clients with five main images in mind. Not all will apply to everyone, but they're all important to consider. So first of all, there's you. Who are you? That that could be your basic head shot. What do you look like? Can you be recognized on the street? The second one is you doing what you do. So this is just a representation of you doing what you do. If you're a maker, if you're making something; if you're a consultant, this is working with people, reading up on the latest books that apply to your field. Third is you with your products. So again, this is more intuitive for someone who's making products. Maybe you're a seamstress, you're sewing clothes, then you have product, or you're writing books. You're an author, you with your books. And sometimes it's more challenging if you're a consultant helping people with services. It's more difficult to represent, but we can still definitely show you in a way that shows what you produce. Fourth is you working with clients. Now, as I said, not everything applies to everyone. You may not actually work one-on one-with clients, but it's still important to show that you can relate to people, and it helps people to see you working with people, so that they feel like they can relate to you as well. And then finally, you being you. So, this is a little bit more personal and not necessarily completely tied to your business, but it helps people relate to you as a person. And that's a lot of what this is all about. Showing your face, showing who you are, and giving something for the people out there on the internet who are seeing your photos on your website. Something for them to relate to. So, if you love taking walks, or you're an outdoors sort of person, or maybe you love drinking coffee, or doing yoga, or whatever it is you do, it's important to put that out there as well. Now, a lot of people might struggle with envisioning how to turn these ideas into images, but a great photographer will guide you along the process, taking the time to learn about who you are, what you do, what you represent, and who the target client is that you're actually trying to reach, and helping you represent that visually. Susan: Thank you, Heather. That's such a great framework of what people should be looking to shoot on a small business level, and we like to keep our episodes focused to a specific audience, but sometimes the lessons that we're talking about apply for a spectrum of people. About Heather:
Heather is an internationally renowned portrait artist who uses the camera to create images that show the beauty of a person, both inside and out. She photographs families (because who doesn’t want to work with children and pets), as well as small business owners looking to elevate their brand presence with custom and personalized images. Connect Facebook: @funlovephotography Instagram: @funlovephotography and @your_brand_photography *** Still can’t sleep? We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems - your issue might be featured in our next episode! Any of these problems *speak* to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it! If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you! | |||
| 30 Mar 2022 | EP167 Adding a panel to your podcast can help help in 3 ways | 00:08:43 | |
Who remembers fireside chats? But then you found this one space where people were having a fireside chat about a topic of interest when you went there, and it felt like some sort of respite from the rest of the chaos. With the loss of large scale events, to some degree we've lost the fireside chat. And I, for one, definitely think that is still capturable. Bring back the fireside chat,. | |||
| 05 May 2021 | #100 - Creativity ain't nobody's b*tch: How to foster creativity instead of forcing it with Allen Gannett | 00:25:00 | |
Welcome to the 💫4 AM Report💫 and our centennial episode, the 100th edition of the show! To celebrate, we’re talking about all things creative with Allen Gannett. He’s the author of the Creative Curve, a tech entrepreneur and angel investor, and a brilliant speaker on creativity. He believes creativity is accessible to everyone, but most of us just don't have the right tools. He shares his insights on: 💡 The line between inspiration and imitation,💡 Timing, craft and distribution of your creative ideas – and how getting this right leads to success Tune in for this epic, centennial episode!
About Allan
Allen Gannett was the founder and CEO of TrackMaven, a marketing analytics platform whose clients included Microsoft, Marriott, Saks Fifth Avenue, Home Depot, Aetna, and GE. In 2018 it merged with Skyword, the leading content marketing platform. His book The Creative Curve, came out in 2018 from Penguin Random House. The book has been featured on CNBC, Forbes, numerous top podcasts, and has been translated into nine other languages. Most importantly, he was once a very pitiful runner-up on Wheel of Fortune. | |||
| 04 Dec 2019 | Finding marketing common ground with Adam McDermot and Griffin Nykor | 00:19:47 | |
In this episode of The 4 am Report, hosts Susan and Will do what they do best - conduct a 19 minute laser coaching session for a business that has their empire built on one social media channel. If that's you, listen up. Common Ground 416 is a fitness space focussed on personal coaching that is the answer to the large gym chains ⭐️ They have a strong instagram presence with an engaged following - but they wonder if the model-rich content is forbidding to the average person. ⭐️ They have a base website that they'd like to leverage. ⭐️ They have an instinct that LinkedIn will help reach their downtowner audience but they question of they'll fit among the charts and graphs. See what advice and tactics we have for them to quickly fill a few gaps and take things to the next level. Including: 📖 Using DMs for bookings 🔌 E-commerce and calendar plug ins to automate bookings 😂 Entertainment on LinkedIn to 'stop the corporate scroll' + much more. 20 mins. Worth your time if you want more automation digital ROI in your small business. Here’s the transcript: Will: So this week we're talking about a classic situation that growing small businesses face. They have success doing a few marketing activities, they see ROI on those activities, but in order to keep growing, they're thinking about expanding that marketing function, but don't know exactly what they should focus on. It's uncharted territory. You only have so many person-hours in a day and so much budget, so trying to decide what's best for the business and what to focus on can be a challenge. Susan: And our two guests joining us this week are facing that exact scenario. So we wanted to invite them here to chat about the marketing successes that they've had, look under the hood, talk out a few different things that have been working, and maybe help figure out some parts for the future. So this is something that we really like to do with our small business clients, roll up our sleeves and figure out that solution that works because it's never one size fits all. Will: So it's my pleasure to introduce these two gentlemen. We have Adam McDermot and Griffin Nykor who work for Common Ground 416, a downtown fitness studio, personal trainers, but also they wear the hats of marketers and help promote Common Ground. Adam and Griffin, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself, about Common Ground, and most importantly, what's keeping you up at night. Adam: Hi, Susan and Will. Thank you for having us on. I'm Adam, and Griffin, we both are from Common Ground, we are trainers, and we also manage and promote the business. So we're quite a small business. We've been open for about 18 months. We had a really good start, so lots of Instagram marketing, lots of buzz. And now that we've grown to more trainers, we have more of an issue in getting leads for our business, which has never been so much of a problem before. Most of our marketing comes through Instagram. So it consists of stories, which we post throughout the day, most days and some posts through the actually Common Ground Instagram along with our Instagram posts. So that's worked really well, to begin with. Now, like I said, as we're growing, we want to diversify our marketing and figure out a more efficient way to do that. Susan: So talk to us, does Common Ground have a marketing strategy in place? I know that often small businesses kind of need to hit the ground running, right, and see what works and really lean into the things that are working. So that means sometimes that strategy hasn't been fully thought out, or that audiences need to be more defined, or somewhere that the brand voice and the messaging can use a little bit of help, or whatever. So talk to us about what's happening with your strategy. Griffin: So we don't actually have a formal marketing plan per se. Like Adam just said, we use a lot of social media, i.e., Instagram, Instagram Stories, Instagram Ads, but we don't have a specific plan being like, we're going to post an ad on this day for this many days to try and hit this many people. But rather when we feel like we're getting a little slow, or we feel like clients are starting to be able to work out on their own, or go away for holidays, or things like that, we try to ramp up our advertising in order to help keep the business growing, keep the business busy, and allowing us to keep training people and keeping people healthy. Will: Now when we're talking about, I guess, who's seen this, and I followed both of you guys on Instagram, I've worked out with you guys before, so I find it really impressive that you guys are so committed to that, Instagram Stories, posting workouts, that sort of thing, I'm just wondering if you were to say who your primary audience is, a secondary or even a third, currently who you're talking to, who you do want to be talking to as you grow. Adam: So when the business started, the business owner definitely had more of a direction towards models that he worked with. So we had quite a big buzz and that's where our original marketing strategy actually went to and a lot of our clients came from, was through links that he made through modeling agencies. And we still use that quite a lot. But I feel like we've probably got to a point where we saturated that in a way. And recently, we've had more people say that they were almost put off by that strategy. So we're trying to diversify from using young, attractive females as the formal marketing strategy. We're open to everyone. We want to train everyone. There's no specific demographic we don't want to aim at. Obviously, that's too big for us, so we're trying to specifically aim more of a say, mothers that have time during the middle of the day, or even financial clients that could come in at any time of the day. They're short on time, they want to work out, they have the money to do so. We haven't yet found a way to specifically aim at them efficiently. Susan: Right. And I guess that's where that sort of targeting exercise or getting to know who that audience is, not so much necessarily from a who's the demographic and are they 35 to 45, and do they make X amount of money? That's one way to do it, obviously. But I mean, since you guys have been having success with Instagram, that it goes a bit deeper than that, right? It's understanding sort of what are the pain points of these people. So for example, as you chat it through right now, that strategy of putting the perfect body out there might actually have been detrimental. Because, what do you call it? Will and I talk about this often, it's like imposter syndrome, right? I mean if you're not the perfect body, and if you're out there like, oh, I need to get slightly fitter, and if you see someone who's perfectly fit, that maybe isn't doing it for them, which is why I think in most of our work we tend to focus heavily on what we call pain storming, which is that really understanding the pain points of the people. You're not working out right now, you're not putting some time, money, and effort into it. Why are you not? What is stopping you right now? And maybe potentially speaking to those pain points. Will: Yeah, and something else I was going to bring up, I know, again, you guys rule Instagram, it's awesome. But if it is kind of someone like me or people who are in the downtown core sitting at their desk, you might want to consider a LinkedIn strategy, talking to those people who do have the money to come for that personal one-on-one training or get fit in at lunch or after work. And LinkedIn is the place to find a lot of those people. So that might be something as you evolve to start taking that genius that you do on Instagram and figuring out how to transfer that to the LinkedIn crowd, showing that you do service the people who have those corporate jobs and it's a welcoming place for those people as well. Griffin: For sure. Yeah. One thing that actually after having a chat a couple of weeks ago, Adam and I - LinkedIn is actually something that I've been trying to start to use more, not only for Common Ground but for my own personal use. I found it very confusing at the beginning, so it was kind of more like understanding the platform, the social media. I don't even know if you can call LinkedIn social media, but a social media platform and how it works. Because obviously, it's very, I don't want to say suit and tie, but it is very suit and tie, right? Like, you don't see anyone ever posting about any Buzzfeed videos, right? It's more like ads about how the stocks are doing and how the banks are doing. So I'm trying to figure out a way to implement a strategy, actually currently, on how we could kind of get exposure through that and kind of wiggle our way through the, this stock crashed and this today, and stuff like that so that people can see us. Susan: Yeah, that makes sense. But I guess my point to that would be there's some power to decluttering a little bit. So when you find a whole bunch of those standard blue graph-filled stock market-based posts, I think if you take it back to sort of the basics of content marketing, which is that you want to be informing people about what it is that you're able to do for them. And the second part, which is often overlooked, is that you want to be able to entertain them. So if you are able to provide content, if you're able to sort of riff off the various aspects of your brand's personality, you've got a fun name, you can already start making a few puns about having Common Ground with people. We're certainly going to do that in the naming of this episode, right, Will? I don't know, I'm just going to make stuff up right now, like you could make jokes around coffee or whatever, but you see the point we're trying to make about disrupting in a certain space or other de-cluttering in a certain space by entertaining a little bit, right? Obviously, there's a space to sell but there's a space to show up and let people see who you are. Will: And also too, I would say, there's a lot of people who promote themselves, a lot of coaches, like business coaches, life coaches on LinkedIn who promote themselves very well. And it's almost like I would look at your services in that same vein, providing this kind of mind/body/holistic approach that I think people who are that LinkedIn crowd into their 40s would really appreciate it. I know, Adam, I've told you and I've worked at with you before, that I feel like coming to Common Ground working out with you really does kind of do that, not just work out my body but also it's like a good therapy session as well. So I think there's a lot you could do to speak to that LinkedIn crowd without having to conform and fit to what you think that crowd is, like still being yourself and standing out that way. Susan: Yeah, we certainly talk about that therapy often. It's like some people go see a therapist, some people go see the physical version of that. But yeah, to go to a couple of tactics that could work for you guys, particularly in your case where there's an option to have videos, and you have good content on something like a video medium. LinkedIn video is a really good way to cut clutter, like post directly to LinkedIn. And you know how social media works, they prioritize the things that are on their platform because they want you to stay on their platform. So if you were to, let's say, have a short snippet of a video that you're already using on Instagram, give that a shot, like a low maintenance sort of version of testing the media if you will. Will: Now, do you have a website? Are there any other things like that that you're working on at the moment? Adam: So we do currently have a website, but we're looking to relaunch and rebrand the website a little bit for 2020. It's not efficient enough for us at the moment. It has a little bit about the gym. It has a few Instagram gallery pictures on there. It explains a little bit about what we do, but it doesn't really have any use for us outside of that, so we can't track anything. We don't really have a good email list from there. There's no blog on there, per se. There's no way where you can go and buy anything, we don't have e-commerce. And I know that I've had conversations in the past specifically, obviously, with you when you've been in, Will, about how we can then use the website to build a platform to get out what we're doing to our clients regularly. We don't have any sort of email strategy as it were, so that's something we really want to work on for the next year, and just make everything more coherent and easy to understand, I guess. Susan: I think as far as a website is concerned, you pretty much hit on most of those points right there, which is that for your particular business, I think the first thing you want to do is make sure that people can actually pay and schedule and book in sessions with you guys online, right? Because if you've already got a following, and you're just making it extra convenient for them, and taking out that piece from the manual dealings of things. So even if someone's actually paying you a different way right now, you could point them towards that. So I'd say for someone like you, e-commerce and just even basically setting up a Shopify plugin on your existing website is like a quick win, right? You've already got something like that and then you plug it into a calendar and you've got bookings coming in. So that's one thing to think about. The other thing as you said, is that all of this stuff that you're doing at social, there'll be multiple people who will tell you don't do things on social, so it on your own. But sometimes you just get better traction on social. So you're building your awareness there and there's nothing wrong with that, but why not sort of admitted it on your website? So it's good that you have a gallery there, but just sort of think about what you're going to be putting on your website, how you can make people give you their email. Because like you said, email lists, people will tell you that they're not the greatest thing and the people don't read email anymore. But if you have interesting email, people would read it. So it's worth exploring what that can do for you and integrating with email and stuff. So two things, just figure out a way in which you can get that payment system sorted so people can book online. And the second is figuring out how you can make email work for you. Will: Yeah. And the other thing I would add too is like what she's saying, the email, again, if you look at your Instagram as you're anchoring social promotional property, right? If you could take what you're doing already really well on Instagram and turn that into an e-book, a video series that you host on your site, something that people would want to download, like a 10-day challenge. You guys put up such great workouts and stuff like that, so maybe using that as the inspiration to build out something like a downloadable e-book, or a video series, or a fitness checklist that people would want to give your email, opt-in, and then you've got them there in your email list. Griffin: Yeah, so again, we're talking about 2020 here as we're coming to the end of 2019. We're working on our company's 2020 goals. And one of those is definitely to be able to have some sort of online marketing/cashflow aspect to it. You can only fit so many people into a gym at one time, right? But when you take away requiring the space, we can have hundreds of people working out all at the exact same time, right? If we sell a video package going over, this is a workout, you have these videos explaining what each exercise is. Griffin: Two things that I find in fitness nowadays that people hate is, learning, so a lot of people like to just have it in front of their face and just get it done. Hence, why lots of people train because we program workouts for them and they can kind of come in blind-eyed and just kind of work out. And two, I don't have a two. We're going to have to reset. Will: The hating learning was a good one though, Griffin. Griffin: I lost it. I had it, then I lost it. Will: We are so not editing that out, by the way. Griffin: That was fun. Thanks, please keep that! Will: That's cool though. What I like what you're saying is that's so true. People who don't want to come out to the gym, like you said, it's a small space, you can only have so many at a time, but figuring out maybe someone wants to come in and see you guys once a month. Then you give them a workout to continue doing on their own as part of a program, and then they come back in and check in on you, or you do online counseling, like through what we're doing now, where we can see you on the computer. I think that's a really neat thing to explore. Susan: It's kind of like taking the selling one-to-one process, and there's many complicated frameworks for this, but it's basically instead of selling to one person at a time, you're trying to sell to multiple people at a time, exactly as you said. And there's obviously advantages there, but there's obviously advantages to that one-on-one contact and that personalized attention. And part of your marketing plan is going to have to focus in one of those areas. And obviously, for the moment, if your face to face ones are your primary product, then you want to make as much of your marketing sort of funnel into that as possible, right? So yeah, I think exploring a couple of other channels and really showing some personality and letting people be entertained, it's the reason the cat video rules, because people just want a break and they want to look at something that amuses them. But just one more quick thing that I was thinking about. We were talking about Instagram and potentially taking Instagram to the next level, and the fact that you can only book-in one person at a time or a certain number of people at a time. One thing worth exploring is the FOMO factor. Use Instagram DMs, potentially, to send out to people being like, be the first five to book this and potentially maybe you get a better price or whatever. We live in a generation where people are constantly afraid they're missing out, right? So there's an option to leverage that in a good way. You know that the downtowners need their workouts and they need that mental chill and physical chill, so send out a couple of DMs to pull them in with that. Will: Do you guys want to talk about anything else? Griffin: Like Adam was explaining earlier, we do post a lot of models on our Instagram, and either me, Adam, Sopearin, or Kati, or even just on our Common Ground page. I don't want to change our demographic because we love training the models. We love the relationship we have with the modeling agencies, but I want to add to it. I want to be able to make Common Ground look like a space that is welcoming towards everybody. You don't have to be the ideal fitness level, like you don't have to come in and look like that immediately. That's not what we want to portray. We want to make it the most welcoming space possible so that if somebody looks on our Instagram, so let's say someone goes and looks at Adam's Instagram and he has stories, he has client A, client B, client C, they can be like, "Oh, Adam trains a bunch of different people, I want to train with Adam." I want us to try and start diversifying what we post on our Instagram, right? Will: Yeah. And you know what, Griffin, because I've been there to the studio, I know it's not just all beautiful models, right? It is a nice diverse mix that you have there. But I mean in addition to showing people doing the working out, you could also be showing someone walks in and how they're greeted, little behind the scenes stuff to add to it, right, to make it seem like that welcoming space. The reason I don't like going to a gym is I do feel a bit intimidated. There's lots of people, it's crowded. I don't really know what I'm doing. But when I come to see you guys, it's more than just the workouts, right? It's the personalities. It's the comradery. Susan: It's the experience. Will: Yeah. It's an experience beyond just the workout. So figuring out a way to communicate that I think too, would help attract other people like me who've just been turned off by the big gyms of the world that we thought were the only option. Susan: And maybe the journey as well. It's not a one and done. You didn't show up to the gym one time and get all of your fitness goals achieved, right? So a little bit of the journey of what motivates people to keep doing it and what motivates people to come back, and that kind of thing could be storytelling. Adam: So we actually have a couple of ideas of that. And one thing we were looking to do, and it's me and Griffin specifically, was some sort of Instagram TV, vlog, or YouTube Channel, or something that documents our day. So like you say, people coming in and coming out, how we treat our clients so you can see that we treat all our clients the same, how we engage with each other throughout the day, and just shows that fun atmosphere of the gym. You can then follow it over time so you'll see the progress of the clients in real-time rather than just when we post a picture every now and then. And I think it'll just get all of that hopefully, in one easy kind of way, which we haven't done as of yet and we're kind of scared to start doing. Will: You guys got to do it. That was like us with this podcast. We didn't want to do it, we didn't want to do it, then we just did it, and we leaned in and really did give it a go, give it our all. And we've seen great results. I mean we go to events, people comment on it. We've got great traction. We've jumped to number 27 in the Canadian marketing charts, which is amazing. So I think all it takes is you guys seem to want to do it, so you just got to make the time. And I think it's a great idea what you're saying, Adam. That sounds like an awesome idea. Griffin: Yeah, that idea kind of started as a joke in all honesty, but then we kind of realized it could actually be used as a really good marketing tool. We don't want it to become the David Dobriks of YouTube, right? We just wanted to shine light on how welcoming, and easy-going and laid back we all are at Common Ground. Yes, our branding is all black and white and looks big and tough and scary. I love our branding. I'm not bashing it whatsoever. But as soon as you walk in, you realize we're all super happy. No one is ever really screaming at anyone. No one is ever getting mad at anyone, and that it's a place where people can come get a really good workout in, and become fitter, become mentally, emotionally and physically fitter. Will: Okay guys, thank you very much. That was a good conversation. I'm excited to see what you guys do for 2020 because you've done a great job so far, so it's only up from here guys. Susan, I think that's a wrap on another episode of The 4am Report. Adam and Griffin, thank you very much for taking the time to phone in and chat with us today. *** About Adam, Griffin and Common Ground
Adam and Griffin run Common Ground, a boutique fitness studio with minimal distractions. It provides a comfortable workout environment for exclusive personal training, quad training and small intimate group classes. Common Ground is a fully collapsible space that is versatile - everything from small intimate yoga & pilates classes, to health/wellness events & workshops. For more information visit http://www.commonground416.com/. *** Still can’t sleep? We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems - your issue might be featured in our next episode! Any of these problems *speak* to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it! If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you! | |||
| 22 Sep 2021 | EP133 4 Plays to get your Podcasting Mojo back | 00:11:10 | |
Are you falling out of love with your podcast because you’re not seeing results or not using it to the full? Or maybe you’re just bored of the same old, same old. In the words of Bobby McFerrin: 🎵Don’t worry, be happy🎵, because we’ve got four plays to get your podcasting mojo back:
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| 20 Jan 2022 | EP157 Is Joe Rogan a public health menace, TikTok for B2B, and Metaverse Musings | 00:31:33 | |
This week Susan is joined by Andrew Jenkins, founder and CEO of Volterra and host of the Low Production High Value Show. What's hot this week? Is Joe Rogan a public health menace? A recent open letter from scientists, public health professionals, and professors urged Spotify to take a stand against misinformation on Joe Rogan's hugely popular podcast. Joe's controversial guests, anti-vax rhetoric, and conspiracy theories could be considered a risk to public health as his audience is so huge. Spotify is naturally hesitant to muzzle their star, as they exclusively stream the podcast and it has made them (and continues to make) huge dollars. TikTok for B2B? TikTok is the ultimate modern rabbit hole for entertaining, thought-provoking, and engaging material (with a fair bit of crap thrown in for good measure). With 689 million users, it's also THE hot spot for the under-35 crowd, but is it the next big space for B2B? Like anything else in marketing, the key is to research thoroughly, know your audience, and dip your toe in the water before taking the big plunge. Claim an account in your name, take a good look around, and engage with people before getting your TikTok video vibe on. Metaverse Musings It was recently announced that Microsoft will be buying the gaming publisher Activision (of Call of Duty fame), leading Susan and Andrew to muse about how the virtual world is not just sneaking up on us, but is already becoming part of our lives. Naturally, the bridge to the metaverse is in gaming, as we know many a person that spends more time out of reality than in it. Something that is very appealing to people is that anonymity that the metaverse allows, and while that's good for some things, having a trusted commercial relationship is not one them. *** Watch the full episode here for a new 5 question segment with co-hosts on podcasting. Only on the LIVE video format, not the podcast! | |||
| 12 Nov 2021 | EP145 Knitting Banxy, Sexiest Man Alive, Trees for Pet posts, Newsjacking in the comments | 00:29:23 | |
Attention thirsty readers everywhere! Do you have a story that's got you absolutely parched? A news item, a marketing hit or miss, something from the world of entertainment and pop culture? This week Susan is joined by Angelique Binet, social media marketing consultant specialized in paid traffic and client acquisition for 6-figure women entrepreneurs and founder of Social Media Love. We're now taking story submissions. Hit reply and let us know your take on a story that caught your attention this week. We may even ask you to join us on our weekly Linkedin Live chat show, #ThirstyThursday. ** Marcus Rashford's MBE Manchester United star Marcus Rashford has made the Thirst List before, unfortunately because of some horrible racism he suffered after the World Cup loss. We're happy to report some great news, however, as he has just been awarded the MBE for his work with underprivileged children during the pandemic. This honour was awarded by Prince William and Rashford has since created a taskforce working with supermarkets and food banks to make sure kids across the UK are fed. Knitted Tribute For Remembrance Day, London’s anonymous Knitting Banxy (not to be confused with London’s anonymous graffiti artist Banksy) created a life sized knitted soldier and surreptitiously dropped it off at the War Memorial Clock Tower in honour of the day. As Angelique says beautifully, “bringing softness to something that is not soft”. Sexiest Man Alive - we're still doing this? Paul Rudd was recently announced as People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2021. Now we do think he most certainly is an attractive man, and are fascinated by his apparent lack of aging. However, as Susan says, aren’t we past the times of judging someone’s merit based on their appearance? We’ve made so much movement towards knowing that there’s more to people than just how they look, so let’s move on to better things, People. No, nobody is planting trees because you posted a picture of your pet (and why that went viral) If you were on Instagram in the past few days, you may have seen a post telling you to share a picture of your pet using their new feature Add Yours stickers. In return, for every pic the poster, Plant a Tree, would plant a tree. This would be a fairly normal post looking for engagement for a small business, but the unexpected virality of this post to the tune 4 million stickers before the post was quickly taken down has left the company in a bit of a quandary, since it can’t actually follow through with its promise. Scrambling ensued, making for a good lesson in social media and accountability. Newsjacking in the comments Sometimes it doesn’t take an expensive advertising campaign to get noticed. All it really takes is as little as a witty and entertaining comment on someone else’s post. The smartest companies are using young, TikTok-loving and savvy social media teams to use their brand voice to hijack posts via clever comments. Remember, one powerful comment on someone else’s post can be worth more than countless pieces of your own content. For these stories and more, including TikTok’s dropped ball on the Astroworld Tragedy and Reese’s Puffs partnership with Kaws, listen to the whole episode below. | |||
| 17 Mar 2021 | #93 - I got me babe. Finding your superpower with Debbie Dimoff | 00:26:39 | |
Hello friends, it’s the 💫4 AM Report💫 and it’s early. Some crazy folk get up at this time, but for most of us, what’s keeping us up is that endless inner chatter, the carousel of thoughts that go through the theater of our mind when we so, so desperately want to sleep. Big change coach and consultant Debbie Dimoff has some tips on silencing that mind saboteur. Or at the very least, hitting pause so you can get drowsy (and hopefully enter the (zzzzzzzzz zone). And the secret is... cue suspense… ta-da! – finding your superpower and using it wisely. In other words, being resourceful. You have to be your own best friend and partner and not expect anybody else to take care of you (we saw how that worked out for Cher). Turn 🎵I got you babe🎵 into: 🎵I got me babe🎵. She talks about the magic mental trifecta:
Listen up, this one is a doozy.
About Debbie
Debbie is Managing Partner of Growing Legends, a transformation consultancy focused on helping leaders, teams, and companies accelerate their impact and business success. She is a leadership consultant, coach, facilitator, and speaker. Debbie combines business expertise from a long track record as a corporate executive, management consultant, and start-up experimenter, to help her clients initiate big change. Deb’s clients are inspired and equipped to take on the biggest adventures in business and life whether they are taking on a new business, a new role, or a new initiative. As a long-time champion of “what’s next” in technology, she helps to define how customers, employees, leaders, and businesses can benefit from it. With a lively sense of humour and creative mindset towards wicked hard business problems, her focus is on helping clients create the resourceful mindset to work, play and live better. | |||
| 20 Nov 2020 | #75 - The Three Bs Holding You Back - Part 3: Burnout | 00:08:45 | |
Hello friends, it’s time for the third and final mini 4 AM Report in our series on the 3 Bs that are holding you back. Today’s just might resonate with you the most: 🔥🔥🔥 BURNOUT!!! 🔥🔥🔥 If you’re NOT suffering from some form of burnout at the moment, well bully for you, Mr. Robot! 🤣🤖😂🤖 But we certainly are, and so are most of the peeps we chat with on the regular. 😭 🦠🦠🦠 Covid-19. Home schooling. Work-from-home. Money stress. Loss of rituals and routines. Keeping a business afloat. Did we mention Covid-19?? 🦠🦠🦠 This year has been a 💥DECADE💥 and yet, we all must keep going. One big thing that helps in times of stress and uncertainty? Humour. Little moments of joy. In this episode, we talk about injecting levity and laughter into your marketing. You don’t have to be the 🤡🤡🤡 Court Jester 🤡🤡🤡 but don’t be afraid to have – and share - some fun! Enjoy! | |||
| 26 Dec 2019 | Level Up Your Podcast Part 2 | 00:13:45 | |
Here’s part 2 of ‘Level Up Your Podcast’. A brand new episode of The 4 am Report, for your Boxing Day listening pleasure. So grab a mug of eggnog, and get some very actionable advice on:
So, if you’re looking to make some improvements on a podcast you’re already doing, OR looking to start one in 2020, you’ll want to listen up. Here’s an excerpt from the transcript: *** Will: Hello 4-AM'rs. It's Susan and Will here with part two of our two part series on how to level up your podcast as we get ready for 2020 and we're doing all that planning stuff you do in December. We're sharing our podcasting process with all of you. This is part of our month long deep dive into 2020 planning. We're sharing what has worked for us would have been some of our biggest successes this past year and we're hoping to inspire you a little bit for us to come in 2020 so we're not only just producing our podcasts, but we've started producing podcasts for clients as well and that's been really fun and it's now part of our business offering to small businesses. This week we're going to talk about getting the engagement and growing your listener-ship when it comes to your podcast. We'll also talk about guest relations and of course how to measure ROI for your podcast. If you missed last week's episode where we talked to the creation and production side, go back and listen. But this week it's all about engagement, the guest relations and ROI. So if you're already doing a podcast or you want to start doing a podcast, this is all great information. So listen up and level up. Susan: So let's get right into this and talk engagement. Here's what we do once we have an episode that's been edited and it's ready to go out for distribution, we're pretty true to our theme and we lean all the way into it and our episode goes out at 4:00 AM on Thursdays. And along the way this has really become one of those like hard deadlines almost journalistic. So in order to be able to release the episodes at that time, meaning in order to put it out on social and distributed, we uploaded a few hours earlier. So it goes onto the actual platform where the episode lives, which in our cases, Libsyn. I think we mentioned that on the last episode. It goes there, it's uploaded there, and from there we put it on our website and then it also obviously reflects in other places like Apple podcasts and Spotify and many others. Susan: So that's kind of what we do. And then we take that page from our actual website. We have a podcast page on our website, which I think is important because you want to bring people back to your turf, whenever possible. Of course people listen to episodes elsewhere, but there's no harm posting it on your website. So we do that. We post that on all channels and then we use email to promote some of it as well. Yes, email obviously still works. We definitely believe that. So we use email to launch seasons and sometimes we send out recaps and some analytics to people who are on our lists. Now we don't bombard people with every single episode because many of these people are on our list because they are signed up for other properties and a podcast is not, they signed up to receive it. I mean it's CASTLE rules. Susan: You want to make sure that you're staying on the right side of who you are legally allowed to email. And for what when each episode goes out, we do offer people the option to sign up for the list if they do want to receive episodes. And lastly, how do we put the post together to post on social? We don't just post episodes once and done, we use our unplug and play calendar, which is essentially trying to post things in different formats and we'll get to that in a minute and giving each piece of content like full exposure. So that's coming up in a second. But if you do want that calendar for free, you can go and get it in the resources section of our website, cp.digital. So the other thing that we find is also very important in getting people to notice each episode is the actual creative or the artwork that accompanies each episode. Susan: So we switch this up for each episode. We have a guest on every episode except for the few episodes where we're talking through some learnings or specific comments. But usually there's a guest and we put the picture of the guests into the actual artwork that goes out. And we also use images that we change up. We have a batch of images that we shoot for each season and we reflect the theme. So right now, for example, we're going slightly deeper into the whole doc thing and talking about how surreal the online space has become in some ways and leaning into a black middle like theming. And so some of that is reflected in our images. We also tend to use a whole lot of humour because humour is a big brand value for us. And some of the images that we put out with the podcast, which essentially stops the scroll, is images of us being funny. Will: I totally believe our content and what we talk about on our podcast is great. The images, the artwork, the playfulness of it all, that's what kind of gets the attention. That's what get people to open the email or click through. So don't underestimate the value of artwork reflecting your theme being interesting, disrupting kind of the same old boring stuff people see on LinkedIn. Throwing a few fun pictures and that's really worked for us. Susan had alluded to this earlier when we were talking about the unplug and play calendar and putting content out in different formats. So maybe I'll let you, Susan explain how we use something called the anchor theory to really distribute in a very, almost our own scientific way our content. Susan: So we call it the anchor theory, but obviously most content practitioners will tell you that they have some variation on it. It's been called atomization has been called spinning, but essentially it's the idea that you have one core or anchor piece of content, which to keep with the theme here. Let's assume that is an episode of your podcast. So once you've got a podcast episode recorded, you've put a certain amount of research time, effort into the creation of it, and just putting it out once and being done is not nearly enough for that. So this is where you want to have support assets. We talked about the images obviously, but how are you using those images? You want to use them on social, you want to write up a batch of posts that you're putting out with it. Obviously that's one way to do it. Susan: You also want to be thinking about the fact that there's a transcript that you can get out of the actual episodes, use the transcript to write up a blog post, maybe a series of blog posts if it's a longer episode. We've had several cases of in depth episodes which have been used as lead magnets for clients and then they use that to subsequently collect emails from those who are interested in going into their list. So there's a whole lot that you can be doing. This is just scratching the surface, but don't dismiss the value of your key pieces of content. Think about it as if you have it in one format, like the audio format, like a podcast, and maybe think about a small video, a snippet of it, some visual assets as well as written assets, or put it into all of the other formats. And you should have a nice round set of assets to promote with. Will: And something else to remember. Don't just put the podcast episode out, promoted that week and then forget about it. We love to kind of bring things back. So at the end of each season, at the end of each 10 episode season, we do an email recap and we do social media recaps of some of our favorites and we'll, we'll bring them back. Sometimes we group some of the podcasts together and create little hubs. So when we created a little toolkit on content creation, we pulled three podcast episodes related to content creation and they went into this little toolkit as the podcasting part of this toolkit, which also had a blog and tips and an info graphic and that sort of thing. So think of how you can re-purpose and bring back these wonderful pieces of content that you've created Susan: and SEO loves that. When you create these little hubs of content on specific topics, it does tend to help towards helping you rank higher in those areas. So think about grouping it and reusing. Will: Okay, so now let's move on to the guests. We do have guests almost every week on our podcast. Last week we talked about the automation we use to invite the guest and bring them in and do the precall. So we talked all the way up to the recording. So after you've recorded with your guest, it's don't just, okay, bye. Thanks. Don't just do that. There's a lot of opportunity here. We send our guests and other automated email following the recording when the podcast goes live, thanking them. We give them a little digital coffee card to go enjoy a coffee on us and we also give them a link to the post and some copy to write so they can share it in their networks. Also this guest could lead to future collaborations, potentially even business collaboration, considered this guest and having them on your podcast at the beginning of a new, a new connection, a new relationship that you want to continue to foster and for sure for us, we've had guests post the podcast on their network and then we've heard from one of their connections that they wanted to get in touch with us to talk about business. Will: So it really does pay off and we'll talk more about that in the ROI section. Do you have anything to add on that guest part, Susan? Susan: I think often we get more guests out of the guests that come, like they'll introduce us onto someone else who's like, Ooh, I can think of someone else who's in this field who might want to talk about it. And I think the fact that we have that hook with the 4:00 AM report and "what keeps you up at night", it offers a lot of, I guess amusement value to people as well. So we do get a lot of conversations started this way. And that's kind of, that'll lead us into the ROI section of this in a minute. We should also mention that if you've got someone new in your world, make sure to ask them if they would like to go on your list and don't be afraid to sort of ask them if they know anyone else. And if they can suggest other people, you'd be surprised how much of connection you would open up by doing that. Will: Now. So we've talked about engagement, we've talked about utilizing that guest relationship. So now this brings us to talking about measuring the ROI on your podcast. And we've actually put a lot of thought into this. There's a case study on our podcast on our website that you can check out at cp.digital.com But Susan's written some really good pieces on podcasts, ROI and not just looking at the numbers, they're important, but there's so much more that she's seen we've gotten from our podcast than merely the ratings and the numbers and the shares and that sort of thing. So Susan, why don't you tell us about it Susan: For our podcast, here's the four step framework by which we measure. Obviously the base of it is the, what do you want to call the vanity metrics or who's consuming, who's sharing, who's commenting. Um, and in many cases that tends to be low, especially at the start. Then you might not see a whole lot. People might be listening to you on the actual channels and you can obviously look that up by going to the back end of it. So if you've got something like Libsyn. Libsyn, will give you some basic analytics for the specific channels like iTunes and Spotify. You might have to go down to each channel and get the information that you need. So that's a bit more technical than we have time to cover on this. But essentially you want to have the numbers for how many downloads, listeners, subscribers, reviews, that kind of thing. Susan: You want to have a handle on that. So that's the first level of measurement to figure out what your ROI is. Then comes the second level, which we've been talking about quite a lot, which is the value of the relationships. And once again, if you think about the guests, not as like someone to sleazy sales pitch too, but rather a new set of doors that opened for you and you know, obviously ask for those referrals. Sometimes you don't even have to, like I said, people introduce you to people. So really evaluate the value of that relationship. Follow through on those extra conversations and remember that when you've built something like a podcast, which you can invite people, you've always got a solid piece of marketing that you can bring people back to. So even if you're not actually having a conversation with somebody who's a, who's a client avatar of your type, inviting Lambda on your podcast and helping them to promote themselves as often a great way to get those conversations started. Susan: So think about it as a variation on the sales call. In some ways, not always, but in some ways the third level of what we measure out of it is quite simply the actual amount of business that we get out of it. Like when people reference the podcast and be like, Ooh, you produce this, we'd like to talk to you about whether it's you know, in the podcasting medium or whether it's in a different medium of content. We've gotten a fair bit of business that's come straight out of the fact that we have this podcast. And lastly, the thing that we measure number four is industry impact. So in our case, one of the examples is because we started this whole story with the 4:00 AM and what keeps you up at night, we tend to have a lot of emotionally intelligent conversations with people and around marketing and the state of it. Susan: It's kind of taken us to a place where we have a lot of interesting discussions around the things that we want to impact as well. The fact that we have a micro podcast and it's about 15 minutes and you know, many people have leaned into that and said to us that they think it's a great idea. Firstly because it doesn't clutter up download space by being really long. And secondly, because people really, not necessarily everyone is commuting those long commutes where they have time for the more in depth learning episodes. So that's kind of our fourth step, who's consuming and sharing and that kind of thing. What is the value of the relationships you're building out of it? What is the actual amount of business that is coming thanks to your podcast. And the last is how are you impacting your industry? *** Still can’t sleep? We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems - your issue might be featured in our next episode! Any of these problems *speak* to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it! If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you! | |||
| 10 Mar 2021 | #92 - Drop the Ball (and maybe You’ll Get it All) with Tiffany Dufu | 00:30:08 | |
It’s time for another edition of the 💫4 AM Report💫 and what’s keeping us up at night are thoughts around how to empower women and girls. This week we talk to Tiffany Dufu, author of “Drop the Ball”, and founder of The Cru. She’s the kind of awe-inspiring person who has dedicated her life to helping women realize their goals, and she helped this motley two drop-kick the ball right out of the park (ball begone! ⚽🤾♂️).
About Tiffany
Tiffany Dufu is founder and CEO of The Cru. Their algorithm matches circles of women who collaborate to meet their personal and professional goals. She’s also the author of the bestselling book Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less. Named to Entrepreneur's 100 Powerful Women and Fast Company’s League of Extraordinary Women, Tiffany has raised nearly $20 million toward the cause of women and girls. | |||
| 23 Sep 2021 | EP134 The Rise of the Rewatch, Don't get the vaccine, Missing White Woman Syndrome and Annie Murphy's vajayjay | 00:19:51 | |
Attention thirsty readers everywhere! Do you have a story that's got you absolutely parched? A news item, a marketing hit or miss, something from the world of entertainment and pop culture? We're now taking story submissions. Hit reply and let us know your take on a story that caught your attention this week. We may even ask you to join us on our weekly Linkedin Live chat show, #ThirstyThursday. Podcast Wars - The Rise of the Rewatch The cult hit TV show, Friday Night Lights, is the focus of a new 'rewatch' podcast, hosted by two of its stars Derek Phillips and Stacey Oristano, where they'll be sharing the juicy scoop, dishing out the gossip and revealing previously unknown behind-the-scenes moments. This format of podcast - where stars of a show literally rewatch each episode then press record and chat - isn't new. In fact versions of it are popping up everywhere. So why are they so popular? Well, we get to hear about the fun and scandalous stuff we didn’t know (and didn't know we needed to know), and it feeds the fans' love and nostalgia for the show. So what's the point for the creators? Streaming, people. It's all about getting the fans to go rewatch too...and make more money. We’re here for it - you know we are obsessed with the repurpose! The Leafs try to turn over a new...you know. (Does writing a lot about sports make us sportier? We think so. It's called osmosis, people.) This year, opening day for the Toronto Maple Leafs was newly coined Marketing Day in an attempt to change the narrative after yet another disappointing post-season (which last spring, when the Leafs exited after the first round of playoffs there was more than usual social media trolling / burning of jerseys). Now the Leafs are always going to be able to fill seats - this is Canada, after all - but as stated in this article, "The team is not worried about selling jerseys or tickets; it is selling a message; the key points are hope, optimism and belief.” Hopefully there will be a lot of believers out there - but there should be plenty of Beliebers, anyway, as Justin and his new clothing line, Drew, are collaborating with the team to create some truly Canadian designs. Don't get the vaccine Marketing win of the week: on Sunday outside a stadium in Charlotte, NC where the Carolina Panthers were playing, a truck drove around with a stark message: “Don’t get vaccinated!” At first glance this looked like a typical anti-vaxxer ploy, until you looked closer and realized the sponsor of this message was “Wilmore Funeral Home”. Turns out there’s no such place. And of if you went to the advertised website, you found a single page with the text “Get vaccinated now. If not, see you soon” linking to a vaccine appointment registry and FAQ page. It turns out this stunt was pulled off by a local marketing agency and any actual effect this will have on getting anti-vaxxers to change their minds is questionable. But like us, they are sick of the false narratives and want to make a statement (and maybe have some fun trolling the anti-v crowd!) Missing White Woman Syndrome The internet and the media has been in a frenzy the last couple of weeks about the story of Gabby Petito’s disappearance and murder...a fever known as "Missing White Woman Syndrome". The term was coined by PBS news anchor Gwen Ifill in the early 2000s about the obsession and attention given to white women who go missing or are murdered, while there are thousands of POC and indigenous women also missing. In fact, did you know that murder is the 3rd leading cause of death of indigenous women in the US? Meanwhile we all know the tragic stories and names of murdered white women like Laci Peterson and Natalee Holloway thanks to the huge amount of media surrounding the cases. Not to diminish what has happened to Gabby and other white women, but it’s very unfair that so many other women have been murdered and we haven’t batted an eye. We’re so glad to see this vital conversation happening. Annie Murphy's private parts go pubic. I mean public. After famously playing ditzy Alexis Rose in Schitt’s Creek, then delving into something a little darker in Kevin Can F**ck Himself, Annie Murphy is taking us on a journey to a much deeper place. Partnering with Phexxi, a brand new hormone-free birth control gel, Annie stars in an hilarious, innuendo-filled commercial that happens to be set, well…inside her vagina. This happens to be a luxurious place where ain’t nobody got time for traditional, hormonal, mood-swing-inducing birth control. We’re not surprised to find out this genius ad was thought up by an all-female creative team, checking all the boxes for female empowerment. For these stories and more on Facebook's sketchy moves, the unfair demonization of the lovely Rosemary Barton, and Joan Rivers, who lives rent-free in our heads, listen to the full episode! | |||
| 13 Apr 2022 | EP169 Use your podcast to serve your website publishing goals | 00:10:05 | |
Let's talk about how to up your publishing on your website, using a podcast, shall we? Here's what I often see: You have a podcast that you're regularly publishing. You're also creating material out of your podcast, likely for heavy social use. Good job 👏 Meanwhile, you're also offering blogs on your website that are often created from scratch. So what happens? Your blog publishing goals are not necessarily met, because it's hard to create blogs from scratch 🤷♀️ If you are creating some level of show-notes or writing out of your podcast, you want to consider how to amplify your creation efforts and make them count towards the SEO goals of your website. Because here's what I can tell you with absolute certainty: One of the best ways in which to optimize your SEO as a small to medium business is to publish quality content more frequently on your website. Listen in 🎧 | |||
| 20 Oct 2021 | EP 139 This Cheat Sheet makes your planning easier | 00:08:40 | |
The year’s end is nigh and most of us are thinking: Whaaaat just happened? As 2022 looms before us like an Apocalypse horseman (Pestilence? Just kidding, we’re not that dire), us marketers, CEOs and business owners need to think about strategic goal setting. This episode is all about helping you plan so you can get where you want your company or team to be in the next three years (instead of worrying about how you’ll get there). Here’s some of what we discuss:
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| 29 Nov 2023 | EP205 AI for introverts with Julie Greenham | 00:31:35 | |
Welcome to The 4am Report, a podcast where we delve into the things keeping marketers and entrepreneurs up at night. In this thought-provoking episode, I chat with success coach Julie Greenham, Founder of The Quiet Powerhouse. With her extensive background as a success coach, speaker, and Service Director for a major Canadian airline, Julie brings over 20 years of leadership experience. Join us as we explore how introverts can harness AI tools to transform their marketing strategies and achieve their highest aspirations. Here is some of what we cover: 🌟 The impact of AI can have on founder-led brands, particularly introverts. 🛤️ From French tutor to success coach, what Julie's journey can teach you about forging a unique path; especially if you are an introverted woman entrepreneur navigating marketing and sales. 🤖 How AI tools like ChatGPT are revolutionizing marketing for introverts by mitigating challenges like overthinking and perfectionism. ✨ Using AI to improve your creativity and efficiency in the process of creation (for example engaging social media content, planning events, and developing effective pages on your website that sell). 🕊️ The importance of whitespace in marketing for introverts; and how AI can help create the time and headspace to think. 📧 Exploring the use of AI in efficiently managing emails while keeping your personalized and authentic brand voice. 🧩 How AI can simplify creating systems, SOPs, and templates for repetitive but essential business tasks. 🗣️ Interesting insights into the versatile applications of AI in both personal and professional communication, including sensitive topics like communicating with your ex! 🎧 Listen to the episode for all that and a LOT more!
🌟 Connect with Julie! Check out JulieGreenham.com and engage with her on Instagram @iamjuliegreenham for more empowering content. Thank you for tuning in to The 4am Report. Please leave us a 5-star review and share this episode with fellow entrepreneurs. 🌐 Connect with me, your host Susan Diaz on LinkedI Want top quality marketing x AI content like this delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our weekly ✉️ The UNboring AI Shift and stay in the know. Want to craft killer thought leadership blog posts without burning the midnight oil? This bite-sized 25-minute masterclass will unlock the secrets of using ChatGPT to create compelling blog posts that channel your voice and expertise 📝🔥 | |||
| 02 Dec 2020 | #77 - The Unsung Heroes of Marketing | 00:09:06 | |
OMG you guys - it’s December! 💫🎄🎅🎁🕎❄️💫 The last month (praise be 🙏) of what has been a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Year. But, on a positive note: We did it! 🦸🏽♀️🦸♂️👏👏 We slogged through and are still kicking. And we feel like celebrating! 💃🍾🕺 Not ourselves though (for a change 🤣🤷♀️🤣). No, this week’s episode of the 🎙4 AM Report 🎙is dedicated to the Unsung Heroes of Marketing. 🔥 The reporters. 🔥 Referrers. 🔥 And the ralliers! You make us better content creators. You help us feel seen. And you’re always bringing the support. 🥰❣️😍 Marketers, stop for a minute – and show some love to the peeps who lift you up. Have a listen to hear how. | |||
| 01 Aug 2019 | Controlling brand narrative in a digital world with Kevin Lennon | 00:12:13 | |
We’re talking with someone on this week’s episode of The 4 am Report who actually DOES sleep pretty soundly at night. What’s his secret? “I try to discipline myself to work in a world of no surprises.” Meet Kevin Lennon, a master of key messaging and narrative control. His career has run the communications gamut from a start in journalism, to working for major brands, to leading roles at PR agencies. For the past 20 plus years, he’s been principal at Trillium Corporate Communications. His sweet spot is working with top executives at major companies, preparing them for those big media interviews, working on their crisis comms protocol and getting them ready to meet with regulatory bodies. We discuss the power and persuasiveness of positive, future-oriented messaging and language. Brands need to understand that everything put out there today, from a tweet to an interview with a reporter, is being scrutinized. “Make sure that every single word, every single image you put out into that marketplace is deliberate with an end goal in mind. And if you don’t know what to say, don’t say anything.” One key take-away we got from Kevin -- investing in ‘brand safety’ is a must. About Kevin
Kevin Lennon has more than 30 years of experience in Journalism and Public Relations and is founder and president of Trillium Corporate Communications Inc. He is known for his creativity and clear strategic thinking, his winning strategies for dealing with sensitive issues and as one of Canada's top communications skills trainers. His experience as a journalist, working for Canadian wire services and daily and weekly newspapers is regularly translated into practical advice about how to get positive media coverage — and minimize the impact of bad news situations. Kevin works with clients in the energy, entertainment, telecommunications, amateur and professional sports, resources, retail and financial sectors. He has also worked with national associations, provincial crown corporations, federal and provincial governments. He has worked internationally, managing projects in China, North Africa and throughout Latin America for major Canadian corporations. Kevin holds a Bachelors degree in Journalism from Ryerson Polytechnic University. | |||
| 17 Apr 2024 | EP214 The Future of Content Writing with AI ft. Tom Winter | 00:32:20 | |
Welcome back to The 4am Report, the podcast that explores AI (artificial intelligence) literacy issues keeping small business owners up at night. In this episode, we’re thrilled to have Tom Winter, the founder of SEO Wind, dive deep into the evolving world of AI and content creation. Host Susan Diaz sits down with Tom to chat about how AI is reshaping content strategies and the myths surrounding its use. What you’ll learn in this episode: 🔍 AI’s Impact on Content Quality: We discuss the latest Google content updates and how AI tools can help create helpful, data-packed content that engages readers and complies with search engine standards. 🛠️ Myths vs. Reality: Many fear that AI content will be flagged by Google as spam or that it will dilute personal voice. Tom debunks these myths, explaining that AI is just a tool that, when used correctly, enhances content quality without compromising authenticity. 🧠 The Power of AI-driven Tools: From improving search engine performance to streamlining content creation processes, AI tools like ChatGPT are changing the game for content developers and marketers. 🤖 The Cyborg Approach: Tom advocates for a hybrid model where human creativity and AI capabilities are combined for optimal results. He shares insights on how blending AI with human input can lead to more effective and efficient content strategies. ✍️ Practical Tips for Integrating AI: For those new to AI, we talk about ways to start with tasks you may dislike, as AI can significantly reduce the time and effort required, enhancing overall productivity. 📈 Tom's Experiment: Learn about a challenge that Tom took on: publishing 100 articles in 30 days using AI tools, which resulted in an 80% increase in organic traffic. 🎧 Hit play to listen now. And as you do, please take a moment to give us a 5-star rating. It helps us keep working on delivering episodes with powerful AI insights and tips for small business owners 📢 Join the Marketing Power Circle 📢 For those looking to dive deeper into using AI to revolutionize their businesses, don't miss the opportunity to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs in the Marketing Power Circle. Here, we explore AI's transformative potential together, sharing insights and strategies for leveraging AI in small businesses. Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn to gain AI literacy insights in real time.
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| 07 Sep 2022 | EP180 How to set your podcast host up for success | 00:07:20 | |
Hosting a podcast is not easy. Showing up and doing this on the regular over and over again, making sure that you bring the right vibe to represent your organization to multiple stakeholders is a hard job. And it's probably not always appreciated as much as it should be. As an organization, you need to make sure that a podcast host receives the assets, the training and the input that they need to keep doing their job. Even at the earliest stages, it's an excellent idea to equip your host with the things that they need. And then make sure that they're properly trained to do the job and continue to do it with a great deal of follow through and accountability to your business goals. There are four main areas to cover in order to make sure that your host is well trained, and fully in the know about what the strategy is. 1) Key messaging | |||
| 27 Oct 2021 | EP140 Join the Marketing Thirst Awards (behind the scenes planning) | 00:31:53 | |
If you are thinking of doing something for the year end, and haven’t quite nailed it, now’s the time. Whether it’s a report, or a workshop the best way to get it in the bag is to start with a recording to plan it. Come behind the scenes with co-host Susan Diaz and Will Lamont as they plan c+p digitals year-end Marketing Thirst Awards In this power-packed 30 minute episode they walk you through
If you’ve heard us before and don’t hate us, drop us a 5 star review? Please and thank you! | |||
| 21 Dec 2022 | EP186 Boost your 2023 pipeline with your podcast | 00:22:12 | |
Welcome back to The 4am Report! Today host, Susan Diaz, dives deep into the specifics involved in fully leveraging your podcast to boost your pipeline in 2023. Susan covers: 📝 Why podcasting is one of the most powerful tools that you can utilize in your pipeline process to increase your sales 📝 The importance of putting in place planning cycles so your podcast serves your business goals 📝 The difference between podcasting for audience building and podcasting for business building 📝 Five specific types of business goals that podcast could be serving 📝 The seven factors we employ in the planning of the The 4am Report podcast (for you to steal and use!!) 📝 Why podcasting is the “Trojan horse” of pipeline conversations For the full details on that and a lot more, 🎧 listen to the episode 🎧 If a podcast is on your mind, and you plan to do it yourself, we have resources. In our podcast program focussed on building business (over audience) we cover:
You’ll find the program here 👉https://cp.digital/podcastmasterclass/ If you are a return visitor to The 4am Report podcast, please drop us a 5-star rating. Thank you! We appreciate you. | |||
| 10 Apr 2020 | Crisis re-messaging 101 | 00:14:04 | |
Well aren’t you all lucky ducks! 🦆 🦆 🦆 This week, with the current calamity that is Covid-19, we’re bringing you two episodes of The 4 AM Report! There's a lot of noise about what we should be doing. So we’re keeping our episodes short and sweet 🍭 🍭 🍭 - delivering lots of marketing and comms advice that you can use today! Today? We talk strategy. When all this broke, we put the brakes on: 🦠 Immediately stopped everything we were doing for every client. 🦠 We paused the calendars and ALL automation. 🦠 And looked at our strategic process - rinsing through every step with this new COVID lens. That strategy? We call it the five degrees of simplification – AKA “The Toddler Method” – and there’s a special “Toddler” workbook available you can download for free. And when we say free, we mean free, like - free free - like not even your email required! 😂 This is something we’ve been talking about a lot with this pandemic – that businesses – where they can – should be un-gating any content that would help other business owners and entrepreneurs get through this chaos. So yes – we’re snorting our own blow. Have a listen – and get ready to re-jig your strategy (if you haven’t already!). Or, continue reading for a few quick tips!
The Toddler Method “The Toddler Method (Five Degrees of Simplification) kind of has its origins in my little girl who is nine years old right now. But when she was a toddler, she helped me simplify most things by asking the question “Why?” a lot. A LOT. That's why they call it the terrible twos - they keep asking why it’s annoying! LOL And most parents, like make jokes about it or try to stem that. I think it comes from a deep need they have to understand “What is the simplest version of this message?” So, we decided to go with that. And we ask ourselves “why” a lot when we're trying to do anything, and we really think that has value in the moment, about defining that compelling reason why you need to continue to communicate amidst the noise WHILE making sure that your audience understands it.”
“The workbook is an 11-step strategic process. It takes you from start to finish and is a really, really good exercise to go through when you have the time. We're just going to pull out five parts of that to talk about just for the sake of timing, and we don't want to overwhelm you. The very first thing that we recommend - before you get into strategy even- is to a content audit. Everybody knows what a content audit is. Go through your library of content, things you've created, things you've produced, podcasts you've done, go through everything, and put anything that you feel is relevant and helpful to your audience right now in a little figurative box. And maybe those things need a little tweaking, maybe they're old, maybe you need to have a copywriter. Maybe write something up to make sure it's clear why this is relevant to the audience now during this time, but you know, you don't need to go and reinvent stuff, probably most of you have a lot of great, great content already produced, you just need a way of repurposing it a bit for these times.”
“You've been marketing to this 40 year old mother of three: you know what she does for work, you know what she does after work. You know what she likes to do with her friends, you know what her kids’ activities are, you know, you’ve planned that whole thing out. You still want to market to that 40 year old mother of three. But her life is turned upside down right now!! She's trying to do work at home. She's trying to keep the kids busy. She's trying to think of educational activities for them to do she's probably going a little bit insane. Are you going to be messaging to your audience the same way? I don't think so. We definitely aren't. So, you know, have some empathy here and think right now about your audience -because what they want might have changed a little bit right now.”
There’s much more in the podcast, including how to think about competitors, and why it’s so important to have your messaging ON POINT during these difficult times. We hope you enjoy!
Now get yourself over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe to us – you won't regret it! Plus, if you're losing sleep over a particular marketing/business related problem during this Covid-19 economic uncertainty, or if you have a guest idea on the topic, let us know. Drop us a line at C+P Digital. And as always, sweet dreams…well, hopefully! | |||
| 04 Jul 2019 | Leveraging rich media with Andrew Jenkins | 00:10:01 | |
Keeping up with the Kontent In this episode of The 4 am Report we welcome back Andrew Jenkins, social media mastermind and principal at Volterra Digital. In this week’s episode we talk about something that keeps a lot of content marketers up at night. The struggle to keep pushing out content to one’s audience. It can be overwhelming and at times, seem to yield not-so-impressive results. Andrew wants listeners to know that the traditional way companies have been using blogs is a thing of the past. Gone are the days where you published 10 blogs in a month on 10 different topics. Welcome to the rise of rich media - content that is reworked into several different bite-sized formats to meet the needs of the various channels of distribution. It may sound like this is a lot of work. But trust us, it’s not.You just need to figure out a system that works for you and your team. No matter what size. Andrew’s advice: so instead of doing your 10 blogs. Do 4. Yes, blogs are still the cornerstone when it comes to reaching your target audience. But they can’t do it alone. From 1 blog, pull out a series of tips that you can release via instagram or twitter cards. Put together a 30 second closed caption graphic video giving an overview to the blog topic (short form video with text overlay rules right now). Pull out a few compelling quotes and combine that with relevant graphics and push those out over the month. What you’re doing is creating a hub of content on one topic. And you’re reaching people via a wider array of channels. (Will likes to call this the ‘Kris Jenner-ing’ of your content. Think of all the content that’s been spun and reworked from that one show. Get the headline, now?) This will save you time. And get you better engagement. And better conversion. Andrew also shares some tools he uses to further up the content creation efficiency. He often uses trylately.com’s Social Post Autogenerator. It’s a free tool where you enter in the url to your blog post and it basically comes up with various alternative titles, or pulls out a quote to act as a headline. The URL stays the same, but you’ve just used automation to repurpose that post and give it a lifespan of a few months. When it comes to video, we also discuss some great tools that make creating bite-sized, short form visuals simple. Some of Susan’s favourites are: lumen5, animoto and biteable. **** | |||
| 02 Mar 2023 | EP191 3 strategic reasons you should audit your content right now | 00:09:12 | |
Hello and welcome back to The 4am Report! Today I'm kicking off a 2-parter where we will talk, in detail, about content audits. The why, the how, AND the hacks to make it easy on yourself if you are doing a large-scale audit that covers over 100 pieces of content. In the first part, we’ll dive into 3 specific reasons why you need to prioritize a content audit in a recession. Here’s a sneak peek 👇 📌 Content marketing audits are am excellent way to map your digital footprint; either for compliance reasons or because you have great evergreen material that needs reinvigoration 📌 Content marketing audits are a tool to quantify and get deeper insights from your content marketing, beyond just a topline of engagement metrics 📌 Content marketing audits are invaluable when it comes to understanding user behaviour. They can help smooth out user experience (UX) for your ideal client, across multiple platforms, particularly your homebase ie: your website For the full details 🎧 listen to the episode 🎧 Looking to save marketing dollars in a recession? Start with a structured content audit before you invest any more in your marketing. We can help. More details here 👉 https://cp.digital/save-marketing-dollars/ If you are a return visitor to The 4am Report podcast, please drop us a 5-star rating. Thank you! We appreciate you. Looking for UNboring ways to up-level your content marketing? Susan Diaz is the author of “UNboring: Take your content marketing from blah to brilliant” The book is available on Amazon and all other book retailers. | |||
| 01 Jul 2021 | #110 - How to navigate an exhausting news landscape as a small business trying to market | 00:17:07 | |
In moments of reckoning surrounding a deep social injustice like that which Indigenous people in Canada have endured at the hands of settler colonialism, it’s hard to think about what to say, or how to make any sort of impact from a marketing and communication perspective. For small businesses, specifically those between 1 and 5 million, navigating crisis communication - the guilt, the burnout, the uncertainty on how to go about doing business while this is the backdrop - can be a LOT. How do you balance life in a global pandemic with ongoing self awareness and discovery? How might small businesses be empathetic, self-educating allies, while respectfully doing our job as business owners, which often requires actively marketing and selling what we do? If you, like us, believe that your teams, your partners, your collaborators, and your customers are your greatest assets, you really want to be thinking about what is challenging them on the daily and either:
Towards that end, here are The Three Bs Holding Back MANY small businesses: Budget, Bandwidth, and Burnout, and some thoughts on navigating them The burnout part in particular is something we think is appropriate reading for a time in history when people are maxed and overworked in the extreme. Are you a reader? Here is a blog post on the subject. | |||
| 22 Jan 2025 | EP229 The Master Prompt - The AI Question That Changes Everything | 00:16:35 | |
🎙 Welcome Back to AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs 🔑 Episode Highlights What is the Master Prompt? It's a powerful AI technique where you ask AI to ask you questions - uncovering blind spots, breaking down complex goals, and driving clarity in ways you never imagined. Example: "Ask me questions to help me plan a successful product launch." Why This Matters
Real-World Applications
Step-by-Step Guide to Using the Master Prompt:
🛠 Pro Tips for Success
📢 Key Takeaway The Master Prompt isn’t just a tool; it’s a game-changing way to interact with AI. It encourages reflection, drives clarity, and makes overwhelming tasks manageable. 💡 Join the Conversation Try the Master Prompt for yourself! Use it for personal or business goals and see how it changes your workflow. Let me know your results on LinkedIn or Instagram. 🎯 Ready to Go Deeper? If this episode blew your mind and you’re ready to implement AI at quantum speeds, join us inside the Marketing Power Circle (MPC). It’s a mastermind for entrepreneurs who want to integrate AI into their businesses, gain back time, and build a thriving, future-forward business. 🔗 Links and Resources: Learn more about the Marketing Power Circle: https://cpdigitalinc.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/1157552 Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode! | |||
| 25 Aug 2022 | EP179 How to choose a podcast host | 00:08:35 | |
Every show needs a host! Whether it's a show on TV, or a radio show or other podcasts that you follow, you'll find that the one thing that tends to draw people in and keep them engaged in the piece of content is the quality of that host. The host has the role of moderator, the role of curiosity and question driver, and the general job of holding the show together. So picking a good host for your podcast is quite key. I encourage people to think about four key areas to pick the perfect host for your podcast show. 🎧 Listen in 🎧 | |||
| 15 Nov 2023 | EP 204 Long-form Content and AI to Maximize Your Marketing Reach with Jennie Wright and Deirdre Tshien | 00:40:46 | |
Welcome to The 4am Report, where we peek into the marketing woe that keep entrepreneurs awake at night. In this episode, host Susan Diaz, chats with two remarkable guests, Jennie Wright and Deirdre Tshien, diving deep into the synergy between AI (artificial intelligence) and long-form content, especially focusing on podcasts and online summits. 🤖 How embracing AI can significantly reduce the overwhelm by automating content creation. 🌟 Why it's crucial to maintain authenticity and focus on providing value to build community and consistency in marketing in the age of AI. 💡 While AI tools offer tremendous benefits, why it's essential to keep our humanity in marketing and business growth. 🎯 The importance of starting by identifying business bottlenecks and then selecting the AI tools that align with your goals. 🔧 Should you use generalist tools like ChatGPT and Claude or specialist tools like Capsho for podcasting and summits? 🎧 Listen to the episode for all that and a LOT more!
Upcoming events: Don't miss out on Capshovians Live, happening in January 2024, a two-day event in Florida, USA, focused on strategy, lead generation, and community building for expert entrepreneurs. Connect with our guests: Jennie Wright on LinkedIn, or visit JennieWright.com for insights on list building, lead generation, and impactful launches. Deirdre Tshien on LinkedIn for more info about Capsho and Capshovians Live
Thank you for tuning in to The 4am Report. If our discussions strike a chord, please leave us a 5-star review and share this episode with fellow entrepreneurs. Until next time, may your marketing be as smart as your AI. 💡 Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn
Want top quality marketing x AI content like this delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our weekly ✉️ The UNboring AI Shift and stay in the know.
Want to craft killer thought leadership blog posts without burning the midnight oil? This bite-sized 25-minute masterclass will unlock the secrets of using ChatGPT to create compelling blog posts that channel your voice and expertise 📝🔥 | |||
| 09 Jul 2020 | #55 - A Safe Return to the Workplace with Kevin Steinberger | 00:23:27 | |
🦠 Covid-19 or no Covid-19 🦠 - marketers gotta market! And voila! 🎩 🎩 🎩 It’s time for another edition of the 4 AM Report, and today, we talk returning to the workplace! We’ve been lucky during this lockdown, as we work from home on the regular. 🌟🌟🌟 But for many, returning to work will bring no amount of trepidation and anxiety! How should your reopening work? How much space-per-employee should you dedicate? How do you keep everyone safe? We went straight to an expert for answers! Today we have with us Kevin Steinberger, Program Director and Producer, Future Offices Conference Series at IQPC. His job is to know the ins and outs of space utilization, leasing new technology, new sanitization measures, automation within design, etc. You name it, he knows it! Through his research with global heads of real estate, workplace HR, and Fortune 500 brands he’s synthesized a safe return to the workplace to three main things: Safety, trust and productivity. Have a listen! About Kevin
Kevin Steinberger is responsible for developing global market research for corporate real estate, facilities and workplace teams across all industries of the Fortune 500. This research is used for advising tenants on next steps for their workplace strategy and real estate footprint, and additionally is used to develop the speaking content for the annual Future Offices conferences at IQPC. As the producer for these shows, Kevin brings together the highest level of research and content circling around people, place and technology to ultimately help enterprises develop their next generation workplaces. *** You can also listen to the entire episode, as well as all our previous episodes, over on Apple Podcasts. We'd love it if you could subscribe give us a review! If you're losing sleep over a particular marketing/business related problem during this Covid-19 economic uncertainty, or if you have a guest idea on the topic, let us know. Drop us a line at c+p digital. And as always, sweet dreams…well, hopefully! | |||
| 26 Feb 2020 | Sleeping more, healthy habits and combating ageism with Zannat Reza | 00:24:54 | |
WAKE UP!! It’s time for the 4 AM Report – your weekly “before the dawn” look at what keeps you awake at night when it comes to your marketing efforts. And today we have dragged a special guest out of bed to join us. Zannat Reza is founder and chief storyteller at Thrive360, and she spends her waking hours helping organizations strategize and create memorable food & health content that inspires, educates and empowers people to live their best lives! We’re chatting about:
And guess what happens when you pick up healthier habits around eating, stress and exercise…? YOU SLEEP BETTER!! And so it all comes full circle. Pour yourself a coffee (or tea, or whatever strikes your fancy in the early AM – we don’t judge!), put your feet up and relax, then click here to listen to the entire inspiring podcast! Or, read on for a sampling of what this week’s 4 AM Report is bringing to the breakfast table! Sleep = Productivity “Sleep is super important when it comes to our productivity. We know that we need to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep every night. BUT sleeping too much is just as bad as sleeping too little. So, if you're thinking great, I got 12 hours of sleep. That's almost like saying, I'm only sleeping four hours! There’s actually a sweet spot - seven to eight hours. And we know that if you're getting too much or too little, it actually affects your decision-making ability.” Stay on Schedule! “We want to take some time to develop what they call good sleep hygiene, and breathing and introducing some mindfulness can actually help you fall asleep. What they recommend is trying to fall asleep around the same time every night, doesn't matter if it's a weekend or weeknight. Routine helps. Now listen, obviously, life is life. Right? If you've got a special party or whatever, on the weekend, I think we can bend those rules, right. But I think generally speaking, we want to get to bed at a good time. And we know that by being mindful, being aware of what's going out, going on around what we're doing. Reading actually helps lower stress hormones.” Slow the Heck Down, Why Doncha? “Try Slow Motion Multitasking, because we know that, like, multitasking at a crazy rate that does no good that's not productive at all. But slow-motion multitasking is doing one task. If you hit a blockage, stop - move on to something else, and obviously not in a frenzied sort of way. But by doing it in a slow way. It actually helps boost your creativity.” Keep Moving “I was at a meeting and I suggested ‘Why don't we do a walking meeting?’ And then there's, there's this huge silence!! Okay, this is not really popular, but it just took one other person to say, yeah, you know what, maybe we can try that for our next one. And so, you know, I talked about cardio in terms of moving, and you do some sort of like strength training, whether it's weight or even yoga where you're using your body weight, that actually helps lower sort of age- related muscle loss. Okay, so we're, you know, once you hit 40, the age of 40, your muscles start breaking down at a faster rate than your body actually builds muscle on a daily basis. So, you know, keep up the cardio, just move your body. That's kind of the bottom line.” Ok Boomer My Ass! We’re All Getting Older “So, people are getting older and a much faster rate. If you look at Statistics Canada, we know that by the year 2030 one in four Canadians will be above the age of 65. From a marketing perspective, I guess we've looked at this a few times, and keep coming back to the same thing, which is the lack of inclusivity in the way in which we communicate, and whether it's, you know, a lifestyle thing, an age thing and race thing, whatever it is, it's just not really seeing that there's another way to tell the same story. How, how can we change the storytelling around this? Well, I think, you know, for marketers, it's being mindful of the kinds of images and words that are being used right, like this whole Okay, Boomer thing that drives me nuts like what does that really mean? Right? It’s old and out of touch. People say that to me. No.” The Decade of Healthy Aging! “The 2020s is the decade of healthy aging. And so really, my call to action is listen, as the world's population is getting older – there are opportunities no matter what you do, whether you're a marketer, whether in health, whether you're in another industry, financial industry, there's lots of opportunities to be part of that solution. There are all these challenges, but we can all play a part in fixing it!” We hope we’ve delivered a little food for thought with this episode – if so, get yourself over to Apple Podcasts for more 4 AM Report insights and subscribe to us – because we know you wanna! *** About Zannat
For the past 20 years, Zannat Reza has helped organizations with their health storytelling. She brings science-based credibility and creative energy to the table. As a healthy aging advocate, she is the deputy ambassador of the Toronto chapter of Aging 2.0, an organization that accelerates innovation to address the biggest challenges in aging. Zannat is also a veteran media expert and appears regularly on CBC News Network. Twitter: @ZannatReza_ *** Still can’t sleep? We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems – your issue might be featured in our next episode! Any of these problems *speak* to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations – don’t miss it! If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!
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| 09 Apr 2020 | Why you should ditch your gated marketing | 00:09:44 | |
WAKE UP EVERYONE!! Oh, who are we kidding – no one’s sleeping that much these days, amiright?? Covid-19 has caused us to shift gears slightly – especially here on The 4 AM Report. This week we continue the trend – to help you cut through the clutter of information on what you should be doing with your marketing during this time of crisis. Here’s one tiny tip you can put into play immediately - especially if you are pushing out content to “help” businesses get through these crazy-turbulent times. DITCH THE DREADED OPT-IN BUTTON We get it. It’s lead generation. List building. BUT if you’re promoting and sharing your wealth of information – no matter your industry – as a “good deed” – then requiring an email address to access it? Guess what? That’s not a good deed. In fact, it’s more than a little tone deaf. And if for some reason you can’t un-gate something (which I guess happens) – at the very least DO NOT bombard people with follow-up emails. I get it. We’re all adjusting to this thing that’s turned the business world upside down. And that’s why it’s never been more important to get it right. Listen in for more on opting OUT of opt-ins in times of crisis. No email required. Or, scroll down and keep reading for some snippets from the podcast.
To Opt-In, Or Not To Opt-In – That is the Question “Great, I got the free guide. In a normal world, I'd be hit with another email from that person's funnel a few days later, saying, ‘Hey, did you really enjoy the guide? Well, if you enjoyed that, then you should try this and this…’ you know, it's that funnel to make the sale. So, it goes to the automation doesn't it? It's like not everyone like two or three weeks into this pandemic has modified their automated funnel. If you sign up to get these free things, you're instantly going to get hit with what might be potentially off color, automated sequences, pushing for the sale. And here's the thing if you want to keep your gated opt-in going, then give it some context, maybe the landing page it lives on, you need to acknowledge why this opt-in is relevant and why you think this audience should have it now, AND why you're not able to remove the email wall to get it and just have it as a free download. Or adjust the follow-up email - write some little copy to go like ‘Listen, this was a no strings attached thing. I’m not going to be harassing you for the sale!’ So, there's ways to still have the opt in especially if you can't turn it off. Tweak the materials around it, tweak the email landing page, tweak the email that delivers the opt-in, there's lots of stuff you can be doing to be a little less tone deaf around all this.”
“Right! The easy changes are the text changes. You can even put a banner just across the top of the landing page - we did one of ours - just a little block at the top explaining why we thought this was relevant now and why we were ungating this. The landing page and all the information stays the same because that's the good information that explains what the download is about. But I just put like a little update bar at the top of one of our pages and I think that suffices. Also you might want to be reassuring people if they do still have to give their email that, perhaps by giving their email, they're just going on to a list where you send out only things that are helpful for your business right now, you know, via that email, it could be like, ‘if you sign up for this, we're going to be sending you one resource a week to help you keep your business on track or something, feel free to opt out.’”
How to Track the Love Without an Opt-In Button “We've been trying for a while to figure out what can be a compelling case for how to track things if you don't have people's email. How do you know who's consuming ads? You know? And that's the hard part. Do we have a compelling answer? Well, possibly not. But there's some things you can be looking at like, how long was someone on a page? If you did send an email out about it? Did they go to that page? So, you know, there's going to be ways for you to track and see if it is still something that people are interested in.”
“Okay, look at clicks, for example, like, often we find that if you send out a thing, people will read the thing. They may not click through on your call to action. If people are clicking on a free call to action, then that's a good thing. Like Will said, time on page clicks, as well. Where does the traffic coming from? If all of your traffic is coming in from Facebook, you don't actually know who those people are because you don't have their emails. But that's an opportunity to step up your outreach on Facebook. So yeah, essentially, as far as we're concerned, experiment with the option in this moment, if there's information out there that you can provide, which you're already providing it for free one thing that we would say is explore the word free, like, make something completely free and see how that works for you. If the traffic spikes on the back end, you know, we're not playing!!”
Now get yourself over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe to us – you won't regret it! Plus, if you're losing sleep over a particular marketing/business related problem during this Covid-19 economic uncertainty, or if you have a guest idea on the topic, let us know. Drop us a line at C+P Digital. And as always, sweet dreams…well, hopefully! | |||
| 10 Oct 2019 | The role of digital media in the 2019 Canadian Elections with Andrew Jenkins | 00:14:35 | |
Susan and Will interrupt regularly scheduled programming for a special Canadian federal election episode of The 4am Report. This week they invite one of their favourite guests, Andrew Jenkins, back to the table to talk about the role of digital media when it comes to the election cycle. People get their news on social media. We know this. We read headlines and have the attention span of about 150 characters. We keep up on pop culture via memes and gifs. So what does this mean for political parties? Let’s dig in, shall we? Andrew kicks things off with a 101 on the rise of rich media and its impact on how we consume messaging. He talks about how we’re image and video obsessed. And how everyone with a smartphone is a creator of content. Will explains a simple formula that illustrates how social media is king when it comes to getting your message out. People aren’t watching the evening news. But they are sitting on their couch on their phone scrolling through Tweets and Insta stories. Of course political parties are stepping up. But social media is beast and it won’t be tamed. Case in point - Will refers to how Elections Canada royally messed up an influencer campaign that had a price tag of 650K. Basically they didn’t properly vet the influencers they chose to work with. Andrew talks some of the benefits of social media when it comes to the election. Politicians can’t get away with bending the truth as easily. (Well, at least that’s true here in Canada. We won’t mention another country where misinformation via Twitter seems to be working quite well for someone). Andrew points to how people are literally fact checked by social media in real time as they speak. Will wonders if politics needs to whole-heartedly embrace memes as a way of communicating with their audience. It seems the only things getting shared these days are memes. Susan states that memes are the 2019 version of the political cartoon. So true! Andrew warns politicians to be careful with trying to create and control memes involving themselves. According to him, just keep your fingers crossed that you end up on the good side of the meme. Trying to control memes could blow up in your face. Susan and Andrew bring it back to some takeaways for our listeners. If we are getting our news about politics via social media, how can we do this responsibly? According to Andrew, it’s up to us to make sure we’re fact checking and following a diverse group of authorities. The episode ends with Andrew highlighting what he feels is a great benefit of social media when it comes to politics. Back in the day, you’d have to write a letter to your local MP’s constituency office. Today, you add the right level of sass to a tweet, and hit post. You have a very direct line of communication to them. About Andrew
Andrew Jenkins has provided social media strategy and social selling services to numerous mid to large enterprises such as CIBC, Royal Bank of Canada, BMO Nesbitt Burns, National Bank, Sirius XM Canada, the Globe and Mail, World Vision Canada, and the Aga Khan Foundation. He has spent the last twenty years working in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) spanning social media, wireless, and e-business. He holds a BA in Economics from Laurentian University, a BFA in Film Production from York University, and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. He also taught entrepreneurship at OCAD University and currently teaches Digital Strategy at the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies. Andrew speaks internationally about the social and digital landscape. His entrepreneurial efforts have been featured in the Toronto Star and by LinkedIn Canada as one of their success stories. *** Still can’t sleep? We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems - your issue might be featured in our next episode! Any of these problems *speak* to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it! If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you!
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| 20 Jan 2021 | #84 - How to Spin Your Podcast Into Micro Marketing Content | 00:09:59 | |
It’s that time again – time for another episode of the 🎙🗣🎙 4 AM Report! 🎙🗣🎙 Hard to believe we’re almost a year into this 🦠 pandemic 🦠 and lockdowns are still happening. But here we are. Whether you have adapted, or you’re one of the many who took their businesses online for the first time – either way – you still have to 💫MARKET! 💫 Today, we continue 🥁🥁🥁 banging the drum 🥁🥁🥁 about our anchor theory. For us? It’s our podcast. Whatever it is for you, be prepared to learn how to spin 👏 that 👏 thing 👏 into as many 👏 pieces 👏 of content 👏 as you 👏 CAN!! ⭐️ Social posts? ✔️ ⭐️ Show notes? ✔️ ⭐️ Blog post? ✔️ ⭐️ Video content? ✔️ ⭐️ Graphics or other images? ✔️ Get ready to flood your funnels and keep those conversions happening! | |||
| 05 May 2020 | Good news and inspiration with Susan and Will | 00:18:11 | |
Sick and Tired of Non-Stop Bad News? Get Ready to Be Covid Inspired!! Hello friends and welcome to a special edition of the 4 AM Report! 😴 Ugh. The news-cycle these days is brutal. And as if 2020 couldn’t get any worse – we now have Murder Hornets!! Murder. Hornets. Ugh. So, rather than wonder what’s keeping you up at night – we’ve decided to shift focus and bring you ALL THE GOOD NEWS! Today, we explore some really exciting and innovative things companies are doing to stay in business and 🦠🦠🦠 survive Covid-19! 🦠🦠🦠 We focused on four categories: 👩🔬 The all-in, boots to the ground, search for a vaccine! 💅 Health and lifestyle/beauty (Hello! Remember haircuts?) 🎾 Sports 💻 And technology We could all use a few more smiles these days. And some reassurance that all is not lost. Enjoy!
We’re All Collectively Grieving There’ve been many many articles about the strangeness we’re all going though right now – and most agree that the emotional discomfort you're feeling right now is grief – grieving a loss of life and liberty on many levels for many people, whether it's jobs or you know, something much less, like damaging to your financial bottom line, whatever it is. Everyone's feeling that loss and that pain in this moment and understanding that, is part of emotionally intelligent self-responsibility, isn't it? We’re absolutely NOT saying that each and every one of us who runs a business has to jump in and be doing something awesome. For many of us, it’s just too much pressure on top of everything else. But if there was inspiration out there, it's only going to come to you if you seek it. So, we really wanted to dedicate this post (and the podcast) to the entrepreneurial spirit and doing whatever it is you have to do to – that takes you to the next step and keeps you from jumping off those cliffs! And by leading today, you'll be a leader tomorrow when this all ends. Because it will end. Eventually.
The Search for a Vaccine “The first example is, as I said, this company called Serum Institute. They're in India, and this particular company is an independently owned company that manufactures like a significant amount of the global sort of serums and vaccines. Notably, they were involved with the Oxford University malaria vaccines as well as Ebola vaccines. So, this company approached Oxford University because they had previously worked with them, and asked for rights to be able to help them (in their vaccine search). They've taken a bet on the first fact that it's going to work, and they've made improvements or changes or whatever it is to their machinery. And in addition to that, and this blows my mind, they're preparing to produce about 60 million units of this vaccine at their own cost. They'll obviously sell it if it's viable. But they've promised to keep it at affordable prices. This is like to me, not only like extreme visionary behavior, spotting those opportunities, cutting through red tape, India's not an easy country in which to have things like this happen, right? Doing all of that, but also like putting your money where your mouth is, like, it's straight up, like sticking your neck out and being like, you know, what, if someone loses their head, it's me.”
Honey, Your Roots are Showing “Even like places where you go and get your hair done, hair salons, are doing virtual consults and helping people cut their hair digitally. Two of my friends go to a higher end hair salon to have their roots and hair touched up. And they were doing delivery where you could get the actual same product your hair stylist uses with instructions. And you know, it was good stuff because you had to use it up in 24 hours or went bad. But it was the exact same stuff you used in the salon. I mean, obviously, you don't have the wonderful professional doing it for you. It's probably still not gonna be as good, but still allowing you to use those same products and get this almost the same, the same type of results. So yeah, it's just pretty amazing what people are doing to still make sure they have some cash flow coming in the door.”
Wimbledon Rolled the Dice – And WON! “Apparently in 2003, after the SARS outbreak had come and gone – they thought they should consider pandemic insurance. And I guess they went with it. And then kudos to whoever that company is who, who a pitched them and suggested it and came up with that strategic plan and got it approved. It's phenomenal. Think about that now, like 17 years later, that is the best decision of the Wimbledon, you know, events life because they were just paid out $141 million on pandemic insurance. And this is what like, I mean, we obviously don't know the industry deeply, but what we're reading is that this is likely to probably change the way in which insurance is delivered forever. This is one of those like milestone moments.”
Thank You, Technology “But a couple of examples of people who are shining in this moment. I think it's the delivery apps of different types, whether it's the food delivery apps or The, you know, the grocery delivery apps, we've had people panic buying groceries, obviously for a while now. And we've used apps, I guess I personally have been using instacart to have my stuff delivered for a couple of years. And in this moment, we've had a few things go wrong, you know, but I knew they've been doing their job, and it's been going well, so we reached out and customer service came back every single time saying, ‘Here's your money back. So sorry, we screwed that up.’ And that's kind of what you remember, like, you know, when the customer service actually delivers the promise that you made while you sold?”
Now get yourself over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe to us – you won't regret it!
Plus, if you're losing sleep over a particular marketing/business related problem during this Covid-19 economic uncertainty, or if you have a guest idea on the topic, let us know. Drop us a line at C+P Digital. And as always, sweet dreams…well, hopefully! | |||
| 15 Aug 2019 | The state of inorganic social with Phil Yetman | 00:11:21 | |
And that’s a wrap on Season 1 of our scrappy little micro podcast, The 4 am Report. 👏👏👏 Two months ago, we thought, let’s give this podcasting thing a try. We had a good idea (a MICRO podcast) and an interesting angle (capitalizing on our work stress sleeplessness). So we bought some equipment. Set up a sort-of recording studio. And invited some of our colleagues and industry friends to join us. Cut to now. 10 episodes later. And we’re leaning in folks. Season 2 is coming soon. To close out Season 1 we have the “Swiss Army Knife of marketing”, Phil Yetman on talking to us about strategy and end-to-end thinking when it comes to doing inorganic social media ad buys. “One thing I like to tell my clients is an ad buy on its own is like a band going on stage with just the singer. It'll probably work, but it's not going to sound as good and not going to be as great if the whole band was on stage playing together.”
About Phil
Phil brings a design and technical background to digital project strategy and management, creating a valuable asset to the agency and clients we serve. He has planned and executed successful, award-winning campaigns for product based clients on both a local and national level, and has managed accounts with budgets ranging from four to seven figures. Phil is the “swiss army knife” of marketing with vast knowledge of both consumer and business marketing and technical skill ranging from graphic design to complex online marketing campaigns. His experience includes digital management of websites, developing digital strategies, branding, social media strategy and full scale marketing campaigns. Currently, Phil is focused on digital strategic design and integrated social marketing and search marketing. Connect with Phil | |||
| 26 May 2021 | #103 - The alchemy of explosive branding with Laura Beauparlant | 00:27:45 | |
On 🎙 The 4 AM Report 🎙 we’re chatting to Laura Beauparlant about how to use explosive branding to stop the mindless scroll. She’s the founder and creative director of the agency Lab Creative and developed two innovative programs, Brand Camp and Brand Accelerator. Her mission is to help ambitious solo entrepreneurs and micro business owners create a brand that connects (❤ to ❤) with their audience. Listen to the episode to find out: 💥 Why brands are becoming publishers 💥 How branding is like baking 💥 Why you need to connect with your brand, before your customers can 💥 Why a strong foundation is so important 💥 The need for a great visual identity, consistency, and clarity in the digital space 💥 Why being vulnerable and showing who you are is part of being kickass Enjoy!About Laura
As the founder and chief ‘brand alchemist’ at Lab Creative, Laura leverages her unique process to help entrepreneurs understand – and embrace – their magic and create explosive brands that stand out from the crowd, attract the right clients and reach new levels of impact, influence and success. As a speaker, Laura has been recognized for the chemistry she creates with her audience as she informs, inspires and candidly shares insights into her own story of overcoming adversity and finding clarity – in both life and business. She has an engaging presence and easy, conversational style that captures her audience every time. | |||
| 14 Oct 2020 | #68 - Staying Sane in the Covid-19 Second Wave with Gini Dietrich | 00:22:40 | |
Hello friends, and welcome to the second wave of Covid-19!! 🦠🦠🦠 Ok, we kid, we kid, welcome to another edition of the 4 AM Report. Wait. We DON’T kid! We ARE inching into the dreaded “second wave” and BOY are we not ready for this! 🤬 Rolling shutdowns are already occurring, and we’re thinking it’s going to be a long, cold winter. 🥶😷🥶 Our guest this week, Gini Dietrich, has been juggling a full household on lockdown while being the powerhouse behind umpteen numbers of properties nestled under the Spin Sucks brand. She’s an author, featured speaker, and owner of a 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸Chicago based 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 PR/Marketing/Comms agency - plus super hilarious, ridiculously smart, and an all-around great person. We talk: 🦠 Life during this looming second wave of Covid-19. 🤯 The emotional shift that comes with “Oh no. Not AGAIN!” 😴 Its impact on sleep…glorious, delicious sleep…why hast thou forsaken us?? 💣 The “six-month wall” of burnout people hit when faced with uncertainty and upheaval. 🎉 Plus, when you do grab that elusive sleep, the incredible power of dreams! Give yourself a mental health break and have a listen!
About Gini
Gini Dietrich is the founder, CEO, and author of Spin Sucks, host of the Spin Sucks podcast, and author of Spin Sucks (the book). She is the creator of the PESO Model and has crafted a certification for it in partnership with Syracuse University. She has run and grown an agency for the past 15 years. She is co-author of Marketing in the Round, co-host of Inside PR, and co-host of The Agency Leadership podcast.
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| 19 Nov 2021 | EP147 Ted Lasso marketing, NFTs, Acting Good, Uber Pricing Fail and Tay-Tay | 00:27:03 | |
Attention thirsty readers everywhere! Do you have a story that's got you absolutely parched? A news item, a marketing hit or miss, something from the world of entertainment and pop culture? This week Susan is joined by Jackie Porter, award-winning financial planner who has been in the financial industry for the past 23 years serving thousands of families, established businesses, and professionals in the Greater Toronto Area. We're now taking story submissions. Hit reply and let us know your take on a story that caught your attention this week. We may even ask you to join us on our weekly Linkedin Live chat show, #ThirstyThursday. ** Team Ted Lasso markets their way to the top In the last few weeks there have been a lot of awards given out and Ted Lasso’s marketing has repeatedly been getting kudos. They really do go the distance. Their twitter account is legit “Ted Lasso” who comments. Even on April fools the governor of Kansas issued a proclamation that recognizes Ted Lasso. So why is this working well? The feel-good subject of the show really lends itself to this type of marketing and they’ve done really well for a subject that translates and are getting a lot of attention and recognition for it. Are NFTs here to stay? As marketers we’ve been playing with NFTs on a gimmick level right now, but after thirsting over them week after week, we’re realizing that there’s really nothing that has disrupted the market quite like them. They may be a little difficult to understand, but there’s definitely a niche market for them. It also puts a really interesting spotlight on the value of intellectual property. Acting Good A new comedy show is coming out from Anishinaabe comedian Paul Rabliauskas. “Acting Good” will come out in 10 parts and will star Paul himself. The show is loosely based on Paul’s actual experiences and follows a failed attempt at living in a big city. If there was ever a time to come together with humour and realize we’re not that different and need to treat each other fairly, this is it. Uber Pricing Fail Uber recently announced some changes to their pricing plan for their ride share option. They’ve taken a simple concept that evidently was not sustainable and complicated it to the point of our utter boredom. Honestly let’s just keep things simple! Simplicity means you can scale which is never a bad thing. We realize that they’re just trying to keep people happy but you can’t please everyone! Taylor's songs Belong with her After a bout of Bad Blood and losing the rights to most of her early music which was bought out by an ex-manager with a shady reputation, Taylor Swift saw Red and will not be just Shaking it Off. She has re-recorded the albums Fear and Red with the subtitle (Taylor’s Version) and is reclaiming what is rightfully hers. In a big win, several large radio stations including iHeart Radio have vowed only to play Taylor’s version from now on. For these stories and more, including Cambridge Dictionary's word of the year, listen to the whole episode. | |||
| 27 Jul 2023 | EP196 AI: The equitable power tool for marketers ft. Caroline Dunn | 00:30:04 | |
In this episode of The 4am Report podcast, join host Susan Diaz as she welcomes Caroline Dunn, electrical engineer turned marketer, early adopter of artificial intelligence, and Vice President of Marketing at Wahsega. They delve into the fast-evolving world of artificial intelligence (AI) and its immense impact on marketing and communication strategies. 🎧 Listen in as they dish on: 🚀 Caroline's YouTube celebrity story: Caroline shares her journey in the marketing realm, including her YouTube experience and how it led her to embrace the potential of AI in the industry. 🌟 AI: the equitable power tool in your hands: Discover why AI is not exclusive to large corporations or tech giants. AI is accessible to all businesses, regardless of their budget, providing equitable opportunities for growth and expansion. 📈 Using generative AI for SEO discoverability and social media mastery: Explore the significance of tools like ChatGPT in blog writing, SEO, and content creation. 🎯 Finding your Ideal Customer Profile: Uncover key considerations for identifying your ideal customer profiles (ICP). 💬 The two-way street of training AI and AI training you + the profound impact it can have on freeing up valuable time for marketers. Join Susan Diaz and Caroline Dunn for this engaging and insightful episode as they unravel the potential of AI in the marketing landscape. Don't miss out on the latest updates and thought leadership in the AI space; subscribe to The UNboring AI Shift newsletter now! 📩 cp.digital/ai-shift Thank you for tuning in to The 4am Report 🎙️✨ If you’re a return visitor, please leave us a 5 star review 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
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| 18 Oct 2023 | EP 202 How to systematize your marketing with AI ft. Tereza Litsa | 00:25:51 | |
Welcome back to The 4am Report! In this episode, host Susan Diaz chats with marketing consultant Tereza Litsa about practical ways for small businesses to start integrating AI into their workflows. Here are some of the key takeaways on the other end of this episode! 🔑 There is a gap between AI hype and real adoption - only 29% of SMBs are leveraging AI tools currently. Overcoming the perception of complexity is key. 🤝 AI should augment human skills, not replace them. Think "human + machine" rather than "human vs. machine." 🏃♀️ Start small with basic AI tools focused on specific use cases, like using ChatGPT for ideation. Let benefits motivate gradual expansion. 📈 Review your workflows first to identify friction points before determining where AI can help. Visual mapping can be useful. 🔍 Look to everyday tools like Canva that are building in AI capacities in stealthy ways. Explore familiar platforms for new automations. ❌ Don't try to overhaul everything at once. Narrow your focus to find the right AI balance for your team's existing processes. 👥 Joining communities accelerates learning. Peers provide frameworks and moral support for the AI adoption journey. Listen as Susan and Tereza break down complex theory into simple execution. New visitor to The 4am Report? Thank you for being here. Please do us a solid and leave us a 5-star review. It helps us bring excellent AI for small business content to more people. 💡 Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn
Want top quality AI content like this delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our weekly ✉️ The UNboring AI Shift and stay in the know. Want to craft killer thought leadership blog posts without burning the midnight oil? This bite-sized 25-minute masterclass will unlock the secrets of using ChatGPT to create compelling blog posts that channel your voice and expertise 📝🔥 | |||
| 28 Jan 2021 | #85 - How to Turn Your Podcast into Large-Form Content | 00:07:34 | |
Hello friends! It’s time for another edition of 🗣the 4 AM Report! 🗣 Today, we 💡💡💡flip the switch💡💡💡on last week’s episode (have to keep you people on your toes!). 💥😂💥 Instead of chopping your podcast into a bazillion bite-sized pieces, you’re going to use it to create 🦖🦕🦖multiple mega-pieces of work 🦖🦕🦖! Think: 🔥 Building content hubs on your website full of themed content. 🔥 Combining four or five episodes into one knowledge-heavy monthly email. 🔥 Publishing a quarterly e-book. 🔥 Or even – hint hint – publishing a yearly 📕 BOOK-book! 📕 (👀watch this space! 👀) The key is to do less creating – and more collating – which equals more time to 💫💫💫grow your biz! 💫💫💫 Have a listen! | |||
| 06 Aug 2020 | #59 - Shop Local and Invest in Community with Kerri Beaulieu | 00:19:15 | |
Hello friends! 🥰 It’s time for another edition of the 4 AM Report! And today, we want to talk LOCAL! With 🦠Covid-19🦠 still lurking (such a jerk!) and slow re-openings *carefully* occurring – there’s been a definite push everywhere to “think local.” 🛍 Shop local. 🍽 Dine local. 🏖 Vacay local. And that’s a great opportunity for small to medium sized businesses to support each other and align together (where possible) to get through this next pandemic hump. 😬 Kerri Beaulieu is marketing manager at ClimateCare Canada, a cooperative of heating and cooling businesses. Yes. A cooperative. Back in 1992, they decided to work together, rather than be competitors. And they’re uniquely positioned to spread the message of “buy local.” Listen and learn. And be a local hero! 🦸🏽♀️🦸♂️🦸🏽♀️🦸♂️ About Kerri
Kerri Beaulieu is the Marketing Manager for ClimateCare Cooperative where she assists 28 heating and cooling businesses across Ontario to elevate their brand in their local communities. She brings her 15 years of marketing, market positioning and brand development experience in the investment industry, to help raise awareness of ClimateCare and its members, as customer driven HVAC companies that support their communities. ClimateCare Canada is 100% member owned, and the largest cooperative of independent, locally-owned heating and cooling professionals in Canada. | |||
| 04 Nov 2020 | #71 - Use the Anchor Theory for an Explosion of Content with Susan Diaz and Will Lamont | 00:15:55 | |
Wake up world, it’s time for the 4 AM Report! 💫🎉💫 Hard to believe we’re looking ahead to 2021 already, because GURL, this has been one long, MOFO year!!! 🤯🦠🍷🇺🇸🤯 But here we are. Still tickin’. ⏰ Today is all about the anchor theory of content marketing – and making your planning easy as 🥧🥧🥧! How to take your anchor content and: Spin 👏 that 👏 thing 👏 into 👏 as many 👏 things 👏 as you 👏 CAN!! 👏 Think of the four formats: ❶ Written format ❷ Audio format ❸ Video format ❹ And, the graphic or image format And use them all to expand upon your anchor piece. Before you know it, you’ll be 🏊♀️ 🏊♀️ 🏊♀️ swimming 🏊♀️ 🏊♀️ 🏊♀️ in a river of content, creating SEO magic, and driving people back to your website! #You’reAnExpert! 🤣 Have a listen for tips and tricks. And here’s to 2021! 🥂🍾🥂 | |||
| 20 Apr 2022 | EP170 Remember, a blog is not just written format | 00:04:21 | |
Do you find yourself in a situation where you're only publishing 1-2X a month, based solely on content that you're creating from scratch, like 500 word blog posts? Well, if you have a podcast - or if there’s one on your horizon - you should really think about how the publishing possibilities stemming from a podcast can massively uplevel your website SEO. Last week we talked about how everything in podcasting needs to be translated in some way to writing. You use material that originates out of your podcast in multiple pieces of writing, not just one. Now let’s focus on formats. Listen in 🎧 | |||
| 07 Feb 2024 | EP209 AI Co Pilots for small business excellence (Beginner's Edition) with Karl Yeh | 00:38:53 | |
🎙️ Welcome to a special edition of The 4am Report, where we continue to bring awesome AI literacy content covering Generative AI for Small Businesses. Please welcome your host, Susan Diaz! Today, we're diving into the transformative world of thinking about Generative AI in a strategic context rather than a task-based approach. We’ll do this with the insights of Karl Yeh. 👥 Meet our Expert Guest: Karl Yeh is a Demand generation leader, video content creator, AI strategist and operator, and the Co-founder 0260.AI. Karl brings a wealth of knowledge, sharing how AI tools offer a competitive edge and streamline operations. For small businesses, AI is not just a buzzword; it's a co-pilot that navigates you through the complexities of modern entrepreneurship. 📝 In This Episode we cover: AI as Your Co-Pilot: Discover AI's role in enhancing decision-making and efficiency. Real AI Impact: Karl provides real-world examples where AI has been a game-changer. Myth-Busting AI: We tackle the myths, giving you the real scoop on AI's capabilities to help you cut through the noise. Overcoming AI Hurdles: Practical advice for small businesses looking to adopt AI. AI’s Future: Peek into the future of AI in small businesses over the next five years. Ethics and Security: We give you practical guidance on the ethical use of AI and how to secure your business while also leveraging the AI landscape.
🚀 Take Action Now: Eager to integrate AI into your small business? This episode is your first step towards leveraging AI's full potential! 🔗 Resources for Deeper Learning: Connect with Susan Diaz and Karl Yeh on LinkedIn to gain AI literacy insights in real time. Discover how Karl’s AI implementation firm, 0260.AI can help you accelerate your AI plans. Grab our free guide with a collection of ChatGPT prompts to improve your life and everyday productivity! 🎧 Don't get left behind in the AI revolution. Subscribe to The 4am Report for more such insights and tips tailored for the entrepreneurial spirit. Drop us a 5-star rating. It allows us to keep coming back with more powerful AI literacy episodes to help small businesses soar!
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| 10 Jul 2024 | EP219 3 Lessons from a Year of Teaching AI to Small Businesses | 00:11:56 | |
🎉 Celebrating One Year: The AI Advantage Program Welcome back, listeners! Today’s episode is special as we mark one year of our DIY AI literacy course - The AI Advantage. Join me, your host, Susan Diaz, as I extract three pivotal lessons from pioneering AI literacy for small businesses. Key Lessons from the Year: 🚀 Lesson 1: Early Adoption Transforms Embracing generative AI early can significantly enhance business capabilities. And I share personal reflections on how overcoming my own initial skepticism to realize AI's potential for marketing transformation. 🤝 Lesson 2: Community and Collaboration The power of a supportive learning community in fostering growth and innovation cannot be overstated. 🔄 Lesson 3: Commit to Continuous Learning I talk about the importance of adapting and evolving with AI advancements. A heartfelt thank you to our community for a year of engagement and feedback inside the program. Exciting plans ahead to expand and deepen the program's impact. 🎉 Get the AI Advantage DIY AI Literacy Course Ready to revolutionize your business with AI? Click here to join The AI Advantage Program. 🌟 Keep listening for more insights from upcoming guests who are using AI in groundbreaking ways, and join us next time for more AI literacy discussions on The 4am Report! Connect with me - Susan Diaz on LinkedIn: Entrepreneur, podcast host, and passionate advocate for using AI to enhance small business marketing and sustainability. | |||
| 04 Apr 2024 | EP213 9 AI-Enabled Tools to Save 2 Hours a Day in Your Business | 00:26:52 | |
Welcome to The 4am Report, where we dissect AI's dilemmas and opportunities keeping small businesses awake. 🎤 Join Host Susan Diaz today as she brings you the masterclass you need to energize your productivity with 9 essential AI tools. Join Susan for a dive into the future of efficiency 🚀✨ Sure, we all know mainstream AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity, but did you know about Superhuman, which can help you save an hour a day on your inbox management? Or Canva, which can simplify presentations and image editing? And let’s not forget Zapier, the much-needed integrator that can help you stack AI tools for exponential project and cost efficiencies. In This Episode you’ll find these ‘other’ AI force multipliers for your small business productivity: Superhuman - Email Management Reimagined 🦸♀️ Zencastr - Podcasting, Elevated 🎙️ Canva - Your Graphic Design Genie 🎨 Descript - Video Editing Simplified 🎥 (Mentioned as Opus Pro, potentially a transcription error) Zapier - Connect Your Tools Effortlessly ⚙️ Connect with Us: 📚 Explore AI Literacy: Discover our AI Literacy course and mastermind sessions for small businesses. 📅 Want details of Upcoming Events where you can join Susan for real time AI insights? Subscribe to our newsletter here. 🎁 Freebies & Resources: Dive into our treasure trove of AI literacy materials. Grab Yours 🔗 Stay Connected: Follow Susan on LinkedIn for the latest updates and join our vibrant community of AI optimists. 📢 Call to Action: Ready to harness the power of AI in your business? Book a discovery call with Susan to explore how these tools can revolutionize your workflow. Book Now
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| 22 Apr 2020 | Why Publishing a Book Can Lead to Serious Business ROI with Scott MacMillan | 00:27:30 | |
Time’s kind of making its own rules up these days, eh? ⏰ 🥴 🦠 🗓 Well, you can count on knowing it’s Thursday – because we’re back with The 4 AM Report, your weekly dose of late-night insomnia! 😴 😴 😴 And we’re excited to introduce you to Scott MacMillan, President and Executive Publisher at Grammar Factory Publishing. Be honest. We’ve all thought at one time or another “I should write a book!”…right? Or, maybe you’re looking at the screen cock-eyed right now wondering why a business owner/entrepreneur should put the work in and get a book out? Here’s why – of those who wrote a book: 📕 86% of them grew their business. 📗 72% got speaking engagements. 📘 And 34% saw their overall earnings double! Being published gave them authority and helped them stand out from competitors. So, if you’re curious about self-publishing, put your feet up and have a listen. For those of you who prefer the “skim” technique, scroll down for some snippets from Scott!
The ROI of Writing a Business Book “(Of those who wrote books) some were just for the exposure. And the majority of them, you know, two thirds got media exposure of some kind, whether it be online, radio, TV, newspapers, or what have you. So, if we if we step back and think about these outcomes, what a book did for these entrepreneurs anyway, was give them a differentiator that their competitors didn't have and couldn't quickly replicate. Gave them authority signals that allowed them to raise their rates and be more selective around choosing which clients to work with. You know, it opened doors with media and event organizers and strategic partners who could help them achieve their business goals. And you know, what isn't captured in the survey - what I know anecdotally - is that the book asset provides these benefits in a scalable way. So, you write it once, and then you leverage it in your business. And while you have to work it alongside with your business, it keeps doing his job 24 seven, right, anytime, anywhere, whether you can be there or not.”
Me? Write a Book?? Come On!! “The reality is, you know, any of us who are in business, we've got something to offer our clients, right. If we didn't, we wouldn't have a business. And the key to writing an effective book, a book that supports your business and grows your business, is converting that proprietary knowledge, proprietary approach expertise, converting that into an IP asset that gets into book form. And you know, what's really great about that is that it reflects the way you do your business. And, you know, you're no way an imposter because you're being authentic to the way that you work every day. And I think that's where a lot of people get hung up. But that's really the solution - if your book captures that, that uniqueness and those novel ideas, then you really have something that is of value to people. And generally speaking, the ideal reader of your book is the same as the ideal client for your business. And that's where the two really come together and really work together.”
Short. Sharp. Shocked. “I would say that writing styles for books have become more informal, a little bit more ‘user friendly’. The caveat to that is the expectation when somebody's reading a book is a bit higher than what they feel when they're reading an article online. So, you know, grammatically, it still has to follow the general rules, right? But, you know, not those same strict rules that we would all have learned in school. If it has the intended effect to help you relate with the reader. It's really about understanding who your reader is, how they talk, and writing in a way that is going to impact them and move them. I think the other thing that is happening is the length of books is getting a bit shorter. You know, a nonfiction book 10 years ago might have been, you know, 400 pages, let's say. Most of the books that we publish now are somewhere between two to three hundred pages. Some are as short as 100 pages and, you know, I think that's probably a direct reflection of attention spans. And the fact that for these types of books in particular, people aren't reading them to be entertained right there. They're reading them for an outcome and the quicker you can deliver that outcome, the more value you're delivering.” If you’re thinking of writing and publishing a book to help elevate yourself in the business space, Scott might just be the guy to make that happen for you!
About Scott Scott MacMillan is President & Executive Publisher at Grammar Factory Publishing, a Toronto-based professional service publisher that has helped more than 200 entrepreneurs write and publish books that build authority and grow businesses. Hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s episode - now hop on over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe to us – you won't regret it! Plus, if you're losing sleep over a particular marketing/business related problem during this Covid-19 economic uncertainty, or if you have a guest idea on the topic, let us know. Drop us a line at C+P Digital. And as always, sweet dreams…well, hopefully! | |||
| 18 Jan 2023 | EP188 An UNboring ChatGPT primer for marketers | 00:24:59 | |
Welcome back to 💫The 4 AM Report 💫 In this episode the one piece of tech that's on the mind of a majority of the people in the online business world. GPT, or generative AI. The most commonly known one is ChatGPT, a product that was introduced in November 2022. The very first weekend that they launched this free product, they had over a million people sign up. While AI is not replacing any human jobs anytime soon, it’s definitely worth adding to your toolkit to supercharge your communication efforts; especially if you’re a writer of any type. On the episode I dive into: 💡What generative AI (artificial intelligence) is and why ChatGPT is a phenomenon. 💡Why it's AI needs to be viewed as a super-tool and not a person (or a threat). 💡How ChatGPT (and other AI platforms) can be used as a tool to uber-simplify the grunt work that is involved in the process of creating any kind of marketing material (especially writing) 💡Why, and how can you use ChatGPT for lateral thinking (with some examples of things I now regularly use it for) 💡How to deal with naysayers and voices in your head who are not “early adopters” Grab a 🍻☕️🍹beverage 🍻☕️🍹Kick back. And enjoy this epic episode we have for you!!! Looking for more UNboring ways to up-level your content? Susan Diaz is the author of “UNboring: Take your content marketing from blah to brilliant” The book is available on Amazon and all other book retailers.
If you are a return visitor to The 4am Report podcast, please drop us a 5-star rating. Thank you! We appreciate you. | |||
| 29 Aug 2019 | Beyond the brochure for inclusivity with Rohini Mukherji | 00:14:42 | |
It’s 4 am. And Season 2, Episode 1 is ready for your way-too-early-in-the-morning listening pleasure. 🙌 🙌 🙌 That’s right. This is the premier episode of Season 2 of The 4 am Report - Deeper into the Dark. The topic for discussion? Going beyond the brochure when it comes to inclusivity with a PR powerhouse, Rohini Mukherji. “The problem that I certainly see is I think we lump together diversity and inclusion and they're very different. And specifically, I think we would get a high grade for diversity, but I actually would think we are failing when it comes to inclusion. And so, that's what really keeps me up at night.” Rohini brings up many interesting points about retaining and best utilizing an increasingly emotionally intelligent talent pool. We talk about what we can all do to be better as we prepare for a new decade. It’s a new way of working, and we need to wake up to it. This is a conversation everyone needs to be having. About Rohini
Rohini Mukherji is the VP at Apex PR. About two weeks into her PR agency career, Rohini says she knew that she had been reeled in for the long haul. She’s worked on both the B2C and B2B sides of the business, across sectors including insurance, banking, air transportation, fitness and food & beverage. Rohini’s instinct to nerd out on the industries in which her clients operate has served her well in building integrated programming that is just as successful as it is fun to execute as a team. Outside the office, you can usually find Rohini planning her next vacation, giving her colleagues and friends (me included!) dinner recommendations, taking a cooking class, or throwing competitive darts, just for fun. Connect Twitter:@RohiniMJ | |||
| 27 Jul 2022 | EP177 How to turn your webinar into a batch of podcasts | 00:08:54 | |
Today I want to talk about how to take the average 60 minute webinar or masterclass, or customer education piece or member facing content and repurpose it into podcasts. So let me walk you through what that looks like. 🎧Listen in 🎧 | |||
| 08 Jun 2022 | EP175 The 7 factors of the 4am report's planning process | 00:09:58 | |
Today I want to focus on the seven factors of my podcast planning process. And you are welcome to, as Neil Patel says, steal my process. In an ideal world, if you have less than 100 episodes, I suggest you go through this process once a quarter. As time goes on, this gets easier and easier and you can cut it down to a couple of times a year. Here are the seven factors to consider: ⭐️ Bandwidth
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| 02 Feb 2023 | EP189 How to stop hating sales with Dr. Jim Kanichirayil | 00:36:58 | |
Welcome back to 💫The 4am Report 💫 where your host Susan Diaz, sits down Dr. Jim Kanichirayil, self-described “professional megaphone”, focussed on highlighting innovation in DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging) and HR tech. In this episode Susan and Dr Jim dive deep into something that keeps a LOT of people up at night, particularly in a recession. It’s potentially one of the top most hated things in the business world - sales! 👇 💡 Why do we hate sales, and how do we stop? Grab a bevvie 🍻☕️🍹And enjoy this masterclass in revenue!!! If you are a return visitor to The 4am Report podcast, please drop us a 5-star rating. Thank you! We appreciate you. Looking for UNboring ways to up-level your content marketing? Susan Diaz is the author of “UNboring: Take your content marketing from blah to brilliant” The book is available on Amazon and all other book retailers. | |||
| 03 Jun 2020 | #49.5 - Marketers, it’s Time to Stop, Drop, and Roll | 00:12:14 | |
Today is a special short but important episode of the 4 AM Report. Those of us of a certain age remember the Rodney King trial verdict and the resultant L.A riots. Twenty-eight years later, and frankly, little has changed. America is righteously burning. Due to pain, rage, fear, and frustration. Protests are happening globally. And for marketers, it’s time to stop, drop, and roll, and put the brakes on your campaigns.
🛑 STOP: Press pause on your marketing, lest something tone deaf or tasteless goes out. 🛑 DROP: Drop all your current marketing plans and re-assess all your content. Scheduled social posts, email campaigns, etc. 🛑 ROLL: Once you’ve got a grip on what’s happening and how you can contribute respectively and supportively roll with it.
Now’s the time to be extra sensitive. People are crying out for justice. Don’t be the brand that shoves the metaphorical middle-finger in their faces. | |||
| 18 Sep 2024 | EP223 Building an AI-Powered Podcast Workflow with Dan Sanchez | 00:27:51 | |
🎙 Welcome to AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs! In this inaugural guest episode under our new name, host Susan Diaz sits down with Dan Sanchez, a seasoned marketer, podcast host of AI-driven Marketer, and AI enthusiast. Together, they explore how to leverage AI to streamline podcast production and maximize content reach. In This Episode, you'll Learn: 🚀 Dan's Journey into AI for Podcasting: Dan shares his early experiences experimenting with generative AI tools like ChatGPT to solve practical problems in podcast production, from generating creative names to designing custom workflows. 🔄 Building an AI-Enhanced Podcast Workflow: Learn about My Showrunner.com a custom GPT tool co-developed by Dan and Susan to automate parts of podcast pre-production. This tool minimizes the manual effort involved in preparing for a guest interview on your podcast or video show. 📊 Overcoming Common AI Challenges in Podcasting: Dan discusses the importance of clear, documented processes when delegating tasks to AI, and how AI should be treated like a competent team member rather than a magical solution. 📈 The Future of AI in Marketing Teams: Dan and Susan talk about the evolving role of AI in marketing and content creation, predicting a future where AI tools will handle more tactical work, freeing up time for strategic and creative efforts. 🛠️ Practical Applications and Tools: From using Zencaster for production to leveraging AI for generating show notes, social media posts, and newsletters, this episode provides actionable tips for podcasters looking to incorporate AI into their workflows. Why This Episode Matters: With AI adoption increasing rapidly, knowing how to apply these technologies in content creation can set your podcast apart. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to scale their podcasting efforts or enhance their marketing strategy with AI. Don't Miss This: 📝 Resource Highlight: Dan shares his AI-powered email course on marketing, a unique, hyper-personalized learning experience. If you're eager to level up your AI game, check it out at aidrivenmarketer.com/course 🔗 Connect with Susan Diaz and Dan Sanchez: Follow Susan and Dan for more AI insights and strategies on how to automate and optimize your podcast workflow!
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| 21 Mar 2024 | EP212 AI for All - Democratizing Tech in the Entrepreneurial World (ft. Talica Davies) | 00:33:37 | |
🌟 Welcome to "The 4am Report" 🌟 In this special episode, we're getting right to the heart of AI's impact on small businesses, with a special focus on the critical conversation around user demographics and the digital divide. I am your host, Susan Diaz, and I’m joined by Talica Davies, Principal of Talica Davies Sales Consulting. A sales mind extraordinaire and advocate for democratizing AI, Talica is Program Affiliate for Marketing Power Circle. We explore how AI is currently being harnessed and who is being left behind. 📊 Who's Using AI? Inequality Exposed 📊 A significant portion of society has interacted with AI technologies like ChatGPT, yet there's a noticeable gap in usage among different demographics. Gen X and small businesses led by traditionally marginalized founders, particularly BIPOC women, show lower engagement with AI. This highlights a digital divide but also an unparalleled opportunity for change. 🌱 The Opportunity to Democratize AI 🌱 This gap presents a unique chance for agile small businesses to leverage AI, potentially leveling the playing field. By embracing AI, marginalized founders can harness this disruptive technology to amplify their growth, innovate, and compete more effectively in today's digital marketplace. 🔍 Navigating the AI Landscape for Small Businesses 🔍 We discuss practical steps for small businesses to embrace AI, enhance AI literacy, and explore AI's potential to democratize technology access. Join us as we unravel how small businesses can navigate the AI landscape, harnessing its power for innovation and efficiency. 📢 Join the Marketing Power Circle 📢 For those looking to dive deeper into using AI to revolutionize their businesses, don't miss the opportunity to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs in the Marketing Power Circle. Here, we explore AI's transformative potential together, sharing insights and strategies for leveraging AI in small businesses. Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn to gain AI literacy insights in real time. Find Talica Davies on LinkedIn for actionable sales advice. Thank me later! Learn more about how you can work with Talica here. Want free AI literacy resources? Grab our guide with a collection of ChatGPT prompts to improve your life and everyday productivity! 🎧 Please give us a 5-star rating. It helps us keep working on delivering episodes with powerful AI insights and tips for small business owners! | |||
| 12 Dec 2019 | The art and science of building an online brand with Dr Monisha Ravishankar | 00:16:16 | |
🎉We're celebrating 25 episodes of The 4 am Report this week with our guest Dr. Monisha Ravishankar. In this episode with talk about the art and science of building an online brand in 2020. (We also can’t get enough of the many sides of Monisha - you need to listen to fully get why we are so fascinated with this guest and the many hats she’s worn over her career. To say multi-talented is an understatement). ⭐This episode is for you if you’re trying to bring together many different interests. ⭐Or if you’re trying to find that hook to set yourself apart from the the ‘lifestyle entrepreneurs’ out there. ⭐Or if you wonder about social sharing lines when it comes to your professional account. Here’s an excerpt from the transcript: *** Monisha: Okay. I am a light sleeper, so I have to mention that there are very many things that keep me up at night. But in terms of the marketing aspect of late, I have had this particular topic that has been keeping me up at night, which is what exactly is my presence? Who am I on social media? I've always been a part of social media. I have an account on most of the platforms, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, et cetera. And I've always had one side to me. But of late, I've been thinking hard about, okay, I've always been a multifaceted person, so why not be able to show the world who I really am, share my lifestyle, and it could probably help someone out there, or someone could have a positive day just learning something new about me. But it also kind of gives me the question where should I be sharing all aspects of my life with the world? There was a time when I was quite active with my creative side with media, and of course my life was out there in the public. But this has almost been a decade, and then I moved from India to Canada and been working on my life as a dentist. And the last few years has been all about working full time as a dentist. I'm also a mom. I have a four-year-old girl, so it's been home, work, and somewhere in between, you could say at 4 AM, I woke up feeling, "This has just gotten so monotonous. How do we break this monotony?" And that's when I realized I'm not doing what I actually love doing, which is being a multifaceted person, which is actually being in touch with all aspects of things that I love to do. So what is stopping me? Is it because I'm a mom? Is it because I work full time as a dentist? Is it because being a professional, I'm worried about not being taken too seriously if I get back into media or any aspect of the creative side, even being a dancer or a theater actor. So I want to be able to break that monotony and show people out there that you can actually do different things. The question is how you manage, how you balance your lifestyle, and how you make the time for it, make peace with yourself and be confident about how you're taking that step forward. Will: Right, right. And you know what? First of all, I do want to say I would definitely follow a social media account of a dentist/actor/ballet dancer/TV personality/news anchor. So right there already, I'm intrigued. I'm very intrigued. You said you've been basically using social media for your dentistry right now. Is the ultimate goal here to actually use your social media as a platform to gain employment in the other fields as well? Or is it more to entertain friends and family and yourself? Just looking at the goal of what you're wanting to do right now? Monisha: Almost 10 years ago, probably 8 to 10 years ago, when I was very active with media, social media wasn't as active. The world of influencing and stuff like that didn't exist back then. Even if it did, it was in a very small scale. So I got on social media back then mainly to keep in touch with friends, with family, anyone I've lost touch with across the world, and it's been that way all these years. And like I said, I've been busy with being a full-time dentist and a mom and yada yada. So I haven't really gotten into serious aspect of handling my social media account just to take care of putting out my personality out there like I explained previously. The dentist profile that I was talking to both of you about has been something that I've done recently, just the last year. The original handle that I've always had is more a personal account, but the dentist handle is something that I started a year ago when I actually started thinking about, "Okay, why not put my life out there?" Now, I don't want it to be a boring account just showing dentistry. I'm pretty sure not many people out there love going to the dentist and it's not like they're going to be very interested just looking at dental work on social media. Of course, I would love to share my work out there. Who doesn't love having a smile makeover? Who doesn't love knowing stuff like how you can do small changes that could impact your oral health without actually having to visit a dentist? You know what I mean? We know how expensive dentistry can be and so if I could give people tips that they could just listen to and that makes a change, well then, I'm happy. So it started out like that where I wanted to share lifestyle tips, dental tips, but not just concentrate on the dental aspect, to also be able to put my personality out there, my flair for life, and just share the positive side of my mind, you could say. Susan: I think you're making a lot of really great points in terms of content marketing. One of the things that motivates it best is putting information out there, learning out there, tips and usable material out there for the sole purpose of letting someone have that information. Once they do get that, they get to know who you are. And I think tone and voice has a lot to do with it and we'll touch on that in a minute. But once you've got people reading and using your content, when time comes to make decisions about something that they could potentially purchase or that influence aspect, you get that much more organically and naturally. So that's already great. The second point is the fact that you have this hook. We talked about it briefly about our podcast and how you were saying that we've done well and, honestly, if we had to take it down to one thing, it's the fact that we had a good story, a good hook, and we were sort of committed in doing it, right? So yours is similar. You've cut the clutter already. I believe one of the things that your Instagram handle says is “The Real Tooth Fairy”, which I think is super cool. You're already indicating the left and right brain side of yourself and who, like Will said, doesn't want to talk to the dentist who's also the cool TV personality and theater actor, right? And as well, the very good point that you make about dental isn't covered for most people and it is a genuine expense, and for those that do have it, they don't fully understand how great it is to have it, but so many people don't. And why not, like you said, go to that proactive preventative? It's in the wellness realm, right? Wellness has acquired a bad rap over the years because so many people have abused it, but basically you could totally stay in that space of lifestyle and wellness, except you're not just who's making up this advice, you are someone who is an actual doctor of the profession. So I think there's a lot of story in there in terms of how you can do it. Will: Yeah, and Susan was mentioning tone and voice, and I think if you are going to make this kind of an elevated social media account, you'd want to do some thinking about that. You want to still be giving professional dental advice, as we were speaking earlier. I know you have an interest in fashion, you have an interest in overall wellness, things like this, which I think could easily be worked into this account in a fun, entertaining way. So it's kind of like your goal is to entertain and inform, a twofold kind of account. Susan: Yeah, I think basically that's what it is. You want to bring that entertainment to the forefront, and by entertainment, I don't think it needs to be like straight up "haha" funny, unless that's the personality that someone wants to convey. But it's just a little break. We call it the decluttering of your day. You've got a feed full of people either selling you something or giving you bland motivational statements on whatever. When someone puts in something which cuts the... Oh, what do they call it? The “stop the scroll,” right? Why not aim to get that sort of tone and voice? And as far as the actual operations of it is concerned, Monisha, I know that we talked about how you've had this advice from a couple of other friends in the space as well, it's suddenly what's streamlining and focusing your efforts to one or two places. Potentially for you, that means bringing your Instagram accounts together into one account, however you choose to spin that. You can build out the story around that a little bit. But that brings the question where is the line, right? Often people are like, "I really would like to share a personal detail about what I wore for Christmas, but does that belong on the page?" Then you're going to have to figure- Monisha: Absolutely. Absolutely, Susan. Thanks for bringing that up because that is probably one of the main things that keeps me up at night. A friend pointed out to me, kind of opened my eyes, I can say, as to why are you running two social media handles? It's like running two parallel lives. Why would you want to do that? I do understand that you kind of have a few aspects of your private life that you might not want to share with the world, but it doesn't really make sense in terms of time, effort, energy, running two parallel lives. And that got me thinking. Yeah, what am I really hiding from the world? Is there a need to have two different personalities? Why not just be myself and market myself for the person I am? I'm old enough. I have evolved as a person over the years with experiences and with the people I've met, associated with. So why not just take it all into one account? And that's what I'm working on right now. But like you said, where do you draw that line? Susan: There's a couple of practical suggestions you can employ in terms of the line, right? I understand the effort that goes into two. So if you assume you'd streamline them into one and kept your main feed in line with whatever it is that the content that you want to put out there, whether you want to represent a few specific aspects, you want art, you want music, you want dentistry, for example. I'm just making this up. And then within your feed you stay with those. You have certain times that you will punch it up with some personal details, but those will be controlled personal details. I might get a lot of flak for saying this, but I think it's important to control your feed. Where you do have the opportunity to put out some of the personal stuff is on the stories, right? Like Snapchat, the disappearing factor allows a little bit more safety in one sense. And the other thing to think about is to limit. So when you put in stories you can limit some things to close friends. It takes a little while to set up those things, but it certainly takes a lot less time than trying to manage two accounts and trying to- Monisha: Absolutely. Yeah, it's possible. I've just realized that it is possible, and it doesn't really make sense to be handling two separate accounts just to put my life out there. Will: Yeah, and a way to start off this, too, is actually almost scheduling a little bit. So say, if you still want to lead with dentistry, let's just say, but you also want to be bringing in the other aspects of your life. So you're going to be the dentist who also is X, Y, and Z, as opposed to the X, Y, and Z who happens to also be a dentist. So, depending on how you want to lead, you could say, "Each week I'm going to be doing two original posts: on tips for white teeth, one in-the-office post." You could actually start by doing that and then it'll get a little more natural and you can kind of let it flow. But it might be easy to start off because you seem like someone who would stick to a schedule. I don't know you very well, Monisha, but I think if you scheduled something, you would do it. So I think if you sketched out how a week of posts would look. And actually, we have a calendar called The Unplug and Play, and you can print it off. There's already some icons and a legend there. So we can give you a guide on how you can schedule it or you can just go and do your own thing. But it's a neat way to make sure that you're using different formats on different social media. You can get that on our website and download it for free. About Monisha
Monisha Ravishankar - “The REAL tooth fairy” .. Dentist by profession, Artist by passion. A perfectionist who believes in second chances but not for the same mistake. A true blue lifestyle and wellness enthusiast, a bit of a sugar-coated idealist who believes that she can change the world one smile at a time! :) Instagram:@fairysprinklesdent *** Still can’t sleep? We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems - your issue might be featured in our next episode! Any of these problems *speak* to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it! If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you! | |||
| 27 Aug 2021 | #126 - AirBnB & Afghanistan, Podcast Wars, #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, OnlyFans, Curry woes, and something Sort of cool! | 00:15:02 | |
With birthday boy Will off celebrating, Susan is joined this week by Global Marketing Director of Shared Services & Outsourcing Network (SSON), Dionne Vaz for this week’s #ThirstList **** AirBnB and Afghanistan The news cycle has been heavy the last little while and we’ve seen individuals and brands reacting to the situation in Afghanistan. One of the companies that is really stepping up is AirBnB, who are planning on paying for 20000 Afghan refugees to be housed in host homes. This is fantastic, but not surprising, as this is super on brand for AirBnB. From Hurricane Sandy to the Pulse Nightclub shooting, they have been great in times of crisis. One thing that bothered Susan just a little was that the story was rushed out with no real meat to it. So how are they going to go about doing this? What are the next steps? When you release things that are purpose-driven, make sure you include all the details in one spot so people get the dirt without all the digging. Want to help out in Afghanistan but not sure where to start? Check out this link for a list of curated and verified GoFundMe campaigns. At Spotify, after some beta testing, they have opened up Podcasts Subscriptions service to all US creators. Some of the highlight points: 1) No more FOMO - you want in, you got it! 2) Lots of detail on the pricing - we appreciate that they noted that creators like more flexibility in prices. 3) The ability to use RSS feeds Apple already jumped on the podcast subscription bandwagon a while back, but Spotify, an Apple critic in the antitrust fight, is so far keeping their prices more affordable. #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt While we’re still swimming around in the realm of Creator Economy, we had some news this week about how TikTok is expanding its ecommerce efforts in a partnership with Shopify and are allowing creators the ability to affiliate with brands. Users will be able to shop right from their favourite TikTokker’s account. We heart a good UX. Instagram has used this feature well, so why not? This week OnlyFans, under pressure from banks and financial services companies, announced that they were banning sexually explicit content from the site. This decision was quickly reversed after a huge uproar from both fans and creators, many of whom are relying on their content as a main source of income. Talk about failure to identify both their target audience and target creators, but good on them for supporting their peeps in the end. Padma Lakshmi, Indian author, actor, model, and tv presenter, took on The Washington Post and one uber-annoying opinionated writer who ranted about how much he disliked Indian food. Ok that’s totally fine, right? Not when you do it in a lazy, racist, and frankly non-factual way, claiming it’s the only ethnic food completely based on one spice - curry. Um, what? Ugh. Padma fairly kindly Instagram-shamed him whilst also cleverly plugging her new book, “The Encyclopedia of Spices & Herbs” Hello, newsjacking! We love it, Padma! From right here in the hood, a story of a new tv series called Sort Of, created by and starring Bilal Baig, who is the first queer south asian Muslim playing the lead of a primetime show. How freaking amazing that we get to live in this wonderful diverse city and now it is going to be showcased all over mainstream TV! | |||
| 17 Oct 2019 | How to entertain in your content marketing with Denise Alison | 00:14:58 | |
This week on our micropodcast, 🌟The 4 am Report🌟, we speak to social media strategist and all around hilarious person, Denise Alison, about something that’s been keeping her up at night: the mountains of sub-par content brands and people are putting out that’s cluttering up our digital landscape. Do you know the main reason content like this isn’t connecting with audiences? To put it simply, it lacks personality. It’s not entertaining. It’s bland. 💤 All content should do two things: inform and entertain. Most people do a good job of informing. But are they making it interesting? And going a little above and beyond to make the content experience enjoyable for the user. If you want to get some content creation inspiration from an expert, on simple things you can be doing right now to up your content game and make your audience smile, give it a listen. Here’s an excerpt from the transcript: Denise: I think that by now most businesses and entrepreneurs, we figured out that we need to create original content and that means educating our audience on whatever it is that we're an expert in, passionate about or whatever it is we're all about. But when you're creating content you really have four things that you're trying do. The first is to educate. The second is to entertain, which you have mentioned and we'll dive into in a second. You also want to engage your audience and excite your audience. So entertainment doesn't mean that you need to be a standup comedian, you don't need to be juggling fireballs, you don't need to be doing cartwheels. It means that you need to capture the attention of your audience and that means that you can't just type or sit there or create your content like the professor on Ferris Bueller that nobody is listening to. You need to capture their attention in some way. For me, like you mentioned, I do comedy so humor is what naturally comes to me. If that naturally comes to you, that's great. That can be a great way to connect with your audience, capture their attention. If you're not a funny person, then don't do that. You might be a really bubbly and compassionate person or there's lots of people do these cute things when they're like, “Hey love, I'm really not like that. So that wouldn't fit for me.” But it's really finding your voice, putting your personality into it and just being you not trying to be someone else or not trying to be like a really washed down version of yourself where you applied so many filters and edits where you sound like everybody else but like nobody. * * * * Susan: 100%, it's all about that engagement and it simplifies engagement. I think it's such a big word and everyone keeps talking about it, but at the bottom of it an engagement is a conversation, right? You're looking to get a conversation started. You put something out there into the world, hopefully someone will say something back and then you've got it and if you simplify it that way and just try to do it the way you would actually have a real life conversation when you went into the room with a human being, you usually get it right on social media. There was this funny video that we saw some while ago which was trying to superimpose the average Facebook interaction, which is just like, Oh, hello, someone comes rings your doorbell and you're like, I vaguely know this person. And then they're like, “I knew you from 27 years ago. We went to middle school together or whatever.” And then you're sort of accepting that and letting that person into your house. And it was, I guess, trying to make a security point, but you know what we're trying to say here is super impose your social media interactions into real life. And you'll handle it way better, right? Denise: Yeah. Engagement has become one of those buzzwords that's become meaningless. I'm not going to walk into a party and say what I'm looking for today is engagement. And then again just engagement for engagement's sake where I'll say a phrase or a statement and then people are going to look at me and do a thumbs up and also say, yeah, great, great statement. And then that's it. Like you said, the purpose is to start a conversation and so not engagement for engagement's sake. Engagement is like a word that social media has put on their interaction and really your goal is to start a conversation or to make that person feel closer to you, for you to feel closer to one another or connected. Get the ball rolling on, building that relationship based on some common points and hopefully they become a loyal customer at some point. Or maybe they become a collaborator or, a supplier or something or maybe they're just a supporter. But the goal is to build those relationships. Will: Something else I wanted to talk about that I think is interesting for me. Someone who, I was trained academically to write and then I was writing PR using the CP Stylebook. It was almost like when I segued more into this digital side of marketing, I had to unlearn the rules that I thought had to apply - unlearn those rules of how to write properly. And I learned from Susan a lot, like when I saw her writing and I was like, this is so grammatically incorrect, but it so works for her voice for how she communicates. And my writing style is totally changed. I write for social media a lot more how I talk and I've found it really helped me find my voice on social and my voice for our company here as well. Denise: Yeah, I mean you want your copy, so the written text on your social media posts just sound like you might talk. If it sounds like it's from a textbook, or something, you didn't do it right. So I've definitely had that struggle because I come from a world of academia as well. And the challenge for me was when I was doing my masters and writing a thesis and all of these things to my professors and peers or classmates, they tell me that my language was too casual. So okay, so got to put some big words in there. And then I went to work for government and then they told me, well my language is too academic. Okay, you got to speak in government terms and use a whole bunch of jargon and the short versions of things, but no one else understands. And then when I became an entrepreneur and a marketer, it was like retraining my brain to forget absolutely everything, how to speak like your average person might or someone in high school or, not an academic or government person, but really sound like a real person, sound like me. And then when I'm writing it, to try to translate that as well. The hardest thing in the world for some reason is to be yourself both in video and in written content. So it's a really, really weird catch-22. Susan: Yeah, I think you're right. It's like on video, it seems to bring out some of that imposter syndrome/vulnerability that so many of us have. I would rather write 1000 words about my deepest darkest feelings than go on video. And which is why on many occasions recently we'd had to push ourselves out of our comfort zone to go and do some slightly more casual LinkedIn lives. Because honestly, when a tool is new and people are interested, that's when you're going to leverage that “engagement”, right? So you got to sort of practice what you preach. But something about videos sort of things get most of us get a little anxious. And I know this is your particular zone of genius. So hit us with your tips. What is it that you're channeling that you'd like for the rest of us to do on video? Denise: Yeah. No matter who you are, your first dozen videos are going to be a pile of garbage, and that's just how it is. Because you're talking to a robot and you don't know how to talk to a robot because you've never met one. And so really what you need to do is imagine that you're talking to one of your best clients or one of your best friends and not look at the camera, but just imagine you're having a casual conversation where you're informing that person. It helps you be a little bit more of yourself and who you are, and it helps you relax a little bit. So on video, I mean there's a few other tips. When I first started, I would look incredibly nervous. So it was about forcing a smile on my face so that I'd actually smile because that's how I am in real life. Again, if you never smile in real life, maybe that's bad, but forcing a smile, knowing where to look - I know it is a little thing, but if you can look at the camera in a way that you're making eye contact with a person, that can go a long way - and having a little bit of a plan for what you're going to talk about can be really, really great. Now you don't need to script out the whole entire thing. In fact, if you do that, you might have the habit of wanting to read it and then that's going to look really bad, but you also don't want to wing it because then you're just going to ramble on. Especially in a live where it seems like most people just click “live” and have no plan and are just rambling the whole time. You do want to have some kind of plan. So imagining a friend, making eye contact and having a bit of a plan - those will get you started on the right path.
About Denise
Denise is a social media strategist, entrepreneur and part time comedian who loves getting entrepreneurs noticed by the right people on social media. Connect: @socialdenise *** Still can’t sleep? We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems - your issue might be featured in our next episode! Any of these problems *speak* to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it! If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you! | |||
| 12 Jan 2022 | EP156 What motivates a diversity rant? with Nita Tandon | 00:27:20 | |
What makes someone actually get brave enough to rant about something? And if the something you're ranting about is the workplace approach to diversity, does it get even more loaded as a subject? Nita Tandon, Founder of Dalcini Stainless, award-winning sustainable housewares, is here for the inaugural issue of 'Founders Rant'. What keeps her up at night is the one dimensional approach to diversity. Does the media equate 'diversity' with color? Are employers, in an attempt to “do good”, hoping to just hire BIPOC, pat themselves on the back and say they are a “diverse and inclusive” employer? What made Nita say, "Okay, this is a rant, and I want to tell you about it." When you encounter racism or racist microgressions, you know it clearly. When you are denied something, because of your colour, or because of your gender, you know that it's because of those things! So when someone tells you, 'No, you're just seeing it wrong', it's frustrating. (psst: At the risk of calling it out brutally, if you tell me that I'm, if I'm not feeling what I'm feeling, that's what you call gaslighting. ) Here's a fun look into the mind of a social impact founder | |||
| 06 Jan 2022 | EP155 New Day's Lyric, Pizza Hut roasts Ford, Betty White passes, and Don't Look Up | 00:22:14 | |
To kick off a fresh year's dishing sessions on marketing news, Susan is joined by mindset mentor and performance coach Megan O'Neill. What's hot this week? 👇 New Day's Lyric One of our favourite rising stars, poet Amanda Gorman, made 2021 her own in a whirlwind of events from the US presidential inauguration, to the Met Gala, to the Superbowl, all while snagging a groundbreaking contract with Estée Lauder and penning 3 number 1 bestselling books. Now to ring in the new year, in partnership with Instagram, Amanda has released her latest poem, 'New Day's Lyric' in beautiful video form. The poem speaks of hope, love, and connection. Pizza Hut Canada decides to make the decision to get decisive about roasting Premier Ford After yet another lockdown announcement that left us with many many SMH moments, many people took to social media to air their grievances with Ontario Premier Doug Ford. As we love to see happening these days, we caught on to a little bit of Twitter newsjacking brought to us by none other than Pizza Hut, who cheekily took a popular term from the speech that one clever and entertaining step further. 2021 takes our Golden Girl As if 2021 didn't already take our sanity, on the last day of the year the legend Betty White passed away at the age of 99. She has touched every generation from her start in show biz. If there was anyone that should have lived forever, based solely on the fact that she was so universally loved, it was Betty. Knowing how wonderful she was, she probably just didn't want to sully the new year with such sad news 😢 We'll miss you, Betty! The science of climate humour The movie Don't Look Up has been popular thanks to its cast of big stars, but it's also raised some questions about its satirical coverage of climate change and politics. Since the topic of climate change is so serious, is it really appropriate to joke about it? In short, yes! We are all about the EQ (Entertainment Quotient) around here, and agree with Canadian comic Leonard Chan who believes that the closer the humour is to crisis or upheaval, the better the humour has to be. Write well, use your common sense, and have some fun! | |||
| 12 Jun 2024 | EP217 The Mindset of Thinking 100x with AI for Small Businesses | 00:12:30 | |
Welcome to The 4am Report, where talk AI literacy for founder-led brands with me, your host, Susan Diaz. Today I will be exploring what it means to think exponentially in the age of artificial intelligence and how this mindset can drastically shift your business landscape. On this podcast, we no longer do intros and outro on audio, so here’s a short note on who I am. I am Susan Diaz, lifetime marketer with over 20 years of experience spanning startups to government sectors. I am the founder of a content marketing firm, and I am focused on how artificial intelligence can turbocharge small business operations. In this episode you should expect to hear about: 🚀 Thinking Exponentially: How adopting a 100x mindset, with the support of AI, can lead to significant growth and innovation in your business. 💡 The True Power of AI: Exploring how artificial intelligence can be a game changer, not just a productivity tool but a strategic partner in your business. In-depth Topics Covered: I love a good metaphor to help me learn and remember. And I hugely value the experts who give me that. And I try to do the same as I speak to, and train, various audiences. Inside this episode I give you an interesting analogy on how technology evolves and becomes mainstream, relating it to how refrigeration technology, initially developed for preserving life-saving drugs, evolved to widespread uses - including ‘skincare fridge’. You’ll also learn the three key mindsets for leveraging AI to grow exponentially: 🤖 Strategic Partner, Not Just a Task Manager: Viewing AI as a co-thinker and brainstorming tool, not just as an automator of mundane tasks. 🔍 Workflow Visualization: Importance of understanding current processes clearly before integrating AI, bringing clarity to how AI can fit into and optimize these processes. 🌱 Focused Implementation: The significance of starting with one tool or process, mastering it, and then scaling to avoid overwhelming change and to grow sustainably. Thinking about implementing AI in your small business? For hands-on help, consider joining our Marketing Power Circle ⭕ an AI implementation mastermind group that meets twice a month. Together, we focus on automating one business workflow every 90 days, turning your quantum possibilities into actions that will move you far ahead of the curve. Join Here Connect with me, Susan Diaz on LinkedIn to gain AI literacy insights in real time. As you hit play, please leave us a 5 star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It goes far in helping us bring AI implementation strategies to more small businesses. | |||
| 02 Oct 2019 | How to measure marketing ROI like an investor with Tracey Bissett | 00:18:24 | |
Just in time for National Small Business Month, here’s a very relevant episode of our micro podcast, The 4 am Report. We’re tackling the unsexy side of marketing: how small businesses can best measure ROI on their various marketing activities. Numbers, data, analytics. It’s easy for small business owners to get bogged down in all this. It’s difficult to know where to start. This is definitely the case for this week’s guest, Tracey Bissett, president and chief financial fitness trainer at Bissett Financial Fitness. In fact, Tracey points out an interesting paradox about herself: “I know how to help my clients think about return on investment, but how do I do this for my own marketing?” This led to an interesting discussion. What if you were to approach establishing your marketing ROI as if you were establishing the ROI on financial investments? Susan, Will and Tracey bring some cool hypotheses to life and discuss what an investor lens might look like when you assess your marketing investment. They also talk about what ROI looks like beyond just vanity metrics and data. Set your marketing goals Susan talks about how it's important to set overall goals. Is it sales? In that case, is there a certain number of dollars that need to come in the door? Then that becomes a measurement factor. If it's a question of increasing lists, then again quantifying the goal from something vague to increase the list by 20%. Get into that discipline of numbers at the goal stage. Awareness is a big goal for many people. That as well needs to be quantified. Does awareness mean you want more people to come to your page? Does it mean you want more people to be calling you? So quantify what the end result of those things are. The importance of doing a full content audit (regularly) Will and Susan talk about why doing content audits is essential to fully understanding how your content is performing. Cataloguing content and measuring it against the 2 - 3 metrics you’ve already chosen is the only way to see what’s working and what’s not. If you’re looking for a guide on how to do a small business content audit, get it here. Can we approach establishing marketing ROI in the same way we’d approach it with financial investments? This is where Tracey and the hosts have a little fun. They look at three factors that Tracey says help her establish ROI for her clients:
Susan and Will talk about how low risk marketing is doing what you’ve been doing. You know your audience consumes it. But it’s not getting you a jump in numbers/engagement. Enter the higher risk marketing. Everyone wants to be a disrupter and get that 5X results. But it’s not easy to predict what’s going to gel with your audience. Some areas of marketing that are higher risk but are proving to be rewarding for some brands? Taking a stand on an issue. Newsjacking. And mindset marketing. The two tiers of measurement To keep you from the overwhelm, Will explains there are two simple tiers of measurement. The first tier is vanity metrics. Obviously that's the likes, the shares, all those things that make you feel good right away. The second tier is engagement or behaviour related. Things like where on social is the traffic coming to your web from? Or is it coming from emails? And looking at how long people have spent on a page gives you some indication of what they’re reading, watching or listening to. Are they clicking to go elsewhere on your site, staying within your site? Are they putting something in the cart? All of this helps with tweaks to your UX. How using The Anchor Theory of content creation can help ease the volatility of your marketing portfolio (Look, another investing analogy) Susan explains that if you're investing time and planning a 2500-word lead magnet or a 45-minute podcast, you're putting a significant amount of effort into creating that content. So you wouldn’t just throw some money in an investment and pull it out after a month. We need to look at our content creation that way. The c+p digital team call this ‘anchoring’ your content and then spinning it off into bite size pieces, giving it as much exposure as possible. It's not the idea of duplicating content necessarily, it's just creating it in multiple formats. For a great visual on what The Anchor Theory is all about, check it out here. How do we measure the success of The 4 am Report Susan talks through how c+p digital measures the ROI on this podcast. It’s a mix of traditional metrics but then she explains how going beyond the data can give you the true picture of overall worth. One key thing is the value of the relationships that are being built with podcast guests. This means and expanding network and new business opportunities. Will and Susan have also seen an actual impact on the industry (i.e. micro is where it seems to be at). If you want to read a case study on how The 4 am Report has been one of c+p digital’s best marketing investments, check it out here. Tracey then shares some of that same ROI she’s encountered from her podcast Young Money, including reaching an international audience and being asked to appear on a popular podcast in Australia. We end with a plug from our guest To help entrepreneurs who have cash flow concerns, Tracey has created a master class called, Can I Afford It? How to be certain of what you can and can't afford in your business in five minutes or less every time. To check out the details for the master class, go to bissettfinancialfitness.com/afford About Tracey
Tracey Bissett is the President and Chief Financial Fitness Trainer at Bissett Financial Fitness. She is on a mission to redefine the economic future of the world by addressing financial literacy of young adults and entrepreneurs. She does this through her weekly podcast, Young Money - the advice show for millionaires in the making, teaching and delivery of courses, coaching and consulting. Connect https://twitter.com/bissettfinfit https://www.instagram.com/bissettfinfit/ https://www.facebook.com/bissettfinfit/ | |||
| 20 Oct 2022 | EP182 Step 1 to saving marketing dollars is an audit | 00:16:32 | |
Today we're going to focus on the relevance of content audits, especially in a recessionary market. There's so much content that we create, as businesses, especially small businesses who might not have endless resources to get things done over and over that it's really worth thinking about what you have and fully utilizing it. And as the recession rolls around, and people start are asking for budgets to be cut, it's really worth thinking about what you own, and how best you can use it, and really employing that zero waste way. We're revisiting a conversation Will Lamont and I had with Amber Khan, founder of Amplifyology, a repurposing content marketing agency in London; Romina Buchle, marketing manager of a B2B lead nurturing firm in Zurich called Aioma; and Kira Tchernikovsky, an international marketing consultant based in Toronto. Listen in 🎧 | |||
| 16 Feb 2022 | EP161 Let’s dispel myths about podcasting | 00:11:42 | |
Podcasting is changing at warp speed. That said, there are some myths that you can safely dispel. We are far from the oversaturation issues that you might read about in the headlines! When you compare podcasts to blogs and videos, you're at least 10, if not 100 times lower in terms of market saturation. YouTube has 50 million videos. Are there universal truths you can apply to dispel universal myths? Listen to this episode for the details 🎧 | |||
| 26 Jan 2022 | EP158 Your boss wants you to make a podcast. Should you? | 00:13:07 | |
From 1 podcast episode, you should expect to mine no less than 10 pieces of content for distribution. This will multiply the reach of the average content calendar manifold. What are the 10 pieces? 1 x blog post 3 x social posts (written - snippets of the blog post  )3 x social posts (visual cards - quote and visualization of key points) 1 x video promo (atleast) 1 x email (NOT a 'please listen to my podcast' email - a proper tip or teaching email) And that's just the start. For deeper learning, listen to this week's episode. | |||
| 12 Aug 2020 | #60 - How Writing Helps Power Up Your Podcast with Lindsay Bell | 00:20:47 | |
Is it hot where you are? 🔥🥵🍳 How’s your sleep? 😴💤😴 We’re struggling - but not complaining - because SUMMER! And summer/lack of sleep be damned – here at c+p digital the show never stops! It’s time for the 4 AM Report – where we find out what’s keeping marketers up at night. Today’s guest is one of our own, writer/editor Lindsay Bell. 🎙 Have you started a podcast lately? 🎙 Have you been thinking about starting a podcast? 🎙 Do you know anything about podcasts? If you answered yes, yes, no (😂😂😂) to the above questions, you’ll want to tune in. 💥Discover the power of well written show notes! 💥Learn how to spin off REAMS of content from a single episode!💥 💥And soak up our very own writing tips, tricks, and tactics to help you get found on the God that is Google. 💥 Praise be. Enjoy!!
About Lindsay
• Shared a smoke with Robbie Robertson. • Ditched 28 years in TO for life in her East Coast homeland. • Wife/Mom/Music Fanatic • READS ALL THE BOOKS A seasoned writer, editor, and content marketing consultant, Lindsay is a former television producer (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) with over 20 years of production experience who brought her knack for creating audience responsive content to the digital space in 2010. She focuses on digital content and editorial strategy, helping organizations improve upon and expand their digital footprint, as well as driving increased lead generation through storytelling. Her writing resume includes some of the top thought leaders and publications in the digital space, in both Canada and the United States. | |||
| 04 Sep 2024 | EP222 How I used AI to rebrand my AI podcast (A Behind-the-Scenes Look + AI Powered Rebranding Framework) | 00:25:49 | |
Welcome to the very first episode of “AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs”! 🎉 In this inaugural episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on a big, bold decision: rebranding our beloved 5-year-old podcast, "The 4am Report", into its new identity, "AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs." After years of exploring what keeps founders and marketers up at night, the past year made it clear that our mission was evolving - pivoting sharply into the world of AI. And so, a rebrand was in order. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 🔍 Why Rebrand a 5-Year-Old Podcast? Find out the emotional and strategic reasons behind saying goodbye to “The 4am Report” and how we knew it was time for a name that reflects our current mission. 🤖 The Power of AI in Rebranding Discover how I used AI tools like ChatGPT and custom GPTs to brainstorm new names, analyze past themes, and gather community feedback to guide the rebrand process. 📝 The 3 Key Criteria for the New Name I break down the three things I knew the new name needed:
📊 Engaging the Community 🔎 Navigating Trademark Availability and Market Research: Hear how AI tools like Perplexity simplified the search for name availability and helped us make a plan to avoid potential trademark issues, ensuring our new identity was both unique and legally sound. Why This Episode Matters: 🎉 Join us as we embark on this new chapter, doubling down on our mission to make AI accessible, actionable, and valuable for entrepreneurs everywhere. Stay tuned for more episodes packed with insights, interviews, and AI strategies designed specifically for your business growth. Subscribe to “AI Literacy for Entrepreneurs” and share your thoughts on this episode. What does AI mean for your business? How do you see it shaping your future? Connect with me, Susan Diaz, on LinkedIn for real-time AI insights and updates. | |||
| 28 May 2020 | #49 - Determine the Real ROI of Your Content Marketing Efforts | 00:20:14 | |
Welcome to another edition of the 4 AM Report – and today, we chat about what’s keeping US up at night? 🎉🎉🎉 EXCITEMENT 🎉🎉🎉 We’re fast approaching a milestone – we’re soon turning ONE! Thursday after Thursday – and we haven’t missed a beat! Watch this space for celebrations and frivolity (we’re actually pretty good at frivolity 🍷🕺💃🍷)! Because we’re a year old soon, we thought it was the perfect time to share some info on how to get high ROI out of your content. Today you’ll hear about: 🌟 Engagement 🌟 Amplification 🌟 Consistency 🌟 The Humblebrag 🌟 And of course, the almighty dollar Because while this has been fun, we’re not doing it just “for” fun. 😉 Listen in for all the buzz! | |||
| 06 Jan 2021 | #82 - Covid-19, Courage, and Cookies for a Cause with Chelsea Hearty and Ian Moores | 00:28:58 | |
Welcome to 2021 - 🎙the 4 AM Report-style! 🎙 🔥💫💥We are back, and raring to go.🔥💫💥 Today, meet an entrepreneurial couple who b*tch-slapped 🦠Covid-19🦠into a (soon to be) cookie empire. 💪🍪👊👨🍳 Chelsea Hearty and “hobby-baker” Ian Moores began baking cookies in their kitchen, as treats for friends. Before you could say “get in mah BELLEH!” Courage Cookies was born. 👏👶👏 Their 2020 story is a familiar one – inadvertently starting a business due to shutdowns and job loss (whispers *pivot*)! 😂 The picture of purpose over profit, they’ve been baking their BUTTS off, and have donated +$34,000 to help their local community! They’re super cool and fun, and you’ll love their story - which includes some “Toronto tea,” if you catch our drift. 🗣☕️😏😯🗣☕️ Enjoy!
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| 01 Apr 2020 | Finding your space to double down with Colleen O'Connell-Campbell | 00:23:13 | |
Welcome to part two of our cracking double header week – it’s The 4 AM Report! With Covid-19 gallivanting around the world causing no amount of uncertainty and economic chaos, we’re shifting gears here and being proactive with our content! This week we’ve brought you two brilliant financial minds to share their thoughts for business owner and entrepreneurs on staying fiscally solvent throughout this crazy crisis! If you missed part one, you can check it out here. Today’s guest is Colleen O'Connell-Campbell, lead of O'Connell-Campbell Wealth Management at RBC Dominion securities. We’re talking about: 🌟 The importance of communicating with your financial advisor directly in times like these. 🌟 How to step away from things you can’t control, and focus on what you CAN. 🌟 Why it’s never been more important to be able to adapt and pivot quickly. 🌟 And how to ensure decisions aren’t driven by fear or panic (or BOTH!). So grab a beverage and have a listen. Then let us know what you think! And if you’re more of a ‘skimmer,’ scroll down for some snippets from the podcast. Consider the Source “Most people recognize right now that there's not a lot they can do if they've got a long-term portfolio, but they're scared. And there is uncertainty. And, you know, it's the health scare and you know, like the ripple effect of the day to day changes and health and it's just everything. It's very, very, very overwhelming. And you know, I'm not immune to it myself. I mean, I am just like my clients. I'm just like everyone else, even though I'm also giving financial advice. So, the approach that I've taken is, I've said to myself, what do I need? What do I want to hear? And essentially what I need to know are the real facts, and getting them from, you know, reliable and sound sources. Like, go right to your major financial institution, don't go to your friend down the street, go right to your financial advisor and talk to them. Find out how this changes your plan, or does it change your plan? I got on top of it right away that first week we had quite a bit of turmoil in the stock market. My outreach has been about you know, relating on a very personal level, and then let's, let's keep calm and make informed decisions if we do make changes.”
Draw Deep from Your Genius Pool “You know, we all started somewhere, putting one sock on at a time and then likely bootstrapping our business. It's resilience, and it's looking back to some of the things that we needed to do when we were in startup mode. We are creative, and we find solutions to things. Right now, we're like stuck in the mud, it feels like quicksand. But I truly, truly believe that we're ingenious. And we are going to, we are going to get through it. In the meantime, we need to keep our, you know, our mental state healthy. And that's, you know, also maybe stepping away from the things you can't control and looking at the things that you can control. If you sit and watch the media all day long, I mean, you're watching what you have no control over. Right? You're just you're watching it happen to you. And as business owners, let's face it, day in and day out we're making decisions. And those decisions are things that you can control. Let's look at our businesses and let's look at the things that we can control.”
Keep Your Eye on the Money Prize “I think you know, one thing - as a business owner and even as an individual is to take a deep breath and look at the numbers. And, you know, I would say that if you look at your numbers, and you're really, really worried and even if you're not really, really worried, like, if you think you're good, it's also absolutely a great time to be reaching out to all your suppliers, your financial institutions, whatever and having a conversation. Like, don't put your head in the sand and worry that because you don't have control over worry. Look at your numbers, inform yourself and inform the people around you. Because everybody's in this together right now, right? Look at where your liquidity is. Because things are unknown. So, where can you access cash to keep things moving along, whether it's your payroll, or, you know, other obligations that you have. Or, should you be using that liquidity to double down on strategies that are really needed right now serve your audience - really needed right now and are actually going to help you grow your business. And, you know, for some people that might leave a bit of a sour taste, but if you've got something of value that is going to help somebody else right now, then, you know, step up to the plate and be a leader and put it out there to help everyone else move forward.” We hope you enjoyed our special two-parter offering “financial business advice during a pandemic” ( Ok, just WRITING those words was so surreal!) – for more from Colleen check out the entire podcast! And get yourself over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe to us – you won't regret it! Plus, if you're losing sleep over a particular marketing/business related problem during this Covid-19 economic uncertainty, or if you have a guest idea on the topic, let us know. Drop us a line at C+P Digital. And as always, sweet dreams…well, hopefully! *** About Colleen
Colleen O'Connell-Campbell, lead of O'Connell-Campbell Wealth Management at RBC Dominion Securities, specializes in building and strategizing financial plans that optimize how entrepreneurs, self-made millionaires, & wealthy families spend save, and share their wealth. She publishes a weekly blog and speaks regularly as an expert in areas relating to wealth management and entrepreneurship. | |||
| 14 Apr 2021 | #97 - How to not suck at sales with Niraj Kapur | 00:25:35 | |
Welcome to the next edition of 🎙 The 4 AM Report! 🎙 where our special guest is an expert sales coach and the author of Amazon bestseller📖: ‘Everybody Works in Sales.’ Niraj Kapur shares how to not suck at sales, drawing from his personal journey to success. He wanted to become the first Indian Bon Jovi and when he failed as a musician, took the first job he could find in sales. Now he’s a successful sales coach who helps others succeed through sales. Discover that:
Niraj knows how to weave a story. You’ll meet his 90’s Rockstar persona, find out about walks with his nephew and a dog and feel like you can almost taste his mom’s Indian food. From using LinkedIn voice notes effectively to knowing how your audience’s life and schedule has changed, he has so much wisdom to share. Enjoy!
About Niraj
After 23 years in London running sales teams from The Guardian newspaper Group to FTSE 100 businesses, Niraj wanted to raise the standards of sales, so he wrote Everybody Works in Sales which was in the Amazon Top 100 on 21 occasions. He then set up his own sales coaching and training company to keep businesses accountable to help them achieve results. He’s delivered sales training to 300 small businesses including corporates like: Barclays. Natwest, Sainsbury’s and Google. To learn more, connect with Niraj https://www.linkedin.com/in/nkapur or www.everybodyworksinsales.com Click here to purchase the Amazon bestseller Everybody Works In Sales Click here to purchase the Amazon bestseller The Easy Guide to Sales for Business Owners | |||
| 31 May 2023 | EP194 Unveiling the truth: 3 marketing lies founder-led brands need to unlearn | 00:16:55 | |
Welcome back to The 4am Report! In today's episode, we're debunking three common lies that founder-led brands need to unlearn in their marketing. If you're looking to grow and succeed in the competitive marketing landscape we have in a recession, you’ll want to listen to this episode. Host Susan Diaz dives deep into: 👶 Lie #1: You can outsource or delegate marketing to someone junior (spoiler alert: the secret solution lies in systems. But how? Susan tells you in the episode.) 🤥 Lie #2: You can do it alone (let’s tackle the misconception that founders can handle all strategic aspects of marketing on their own, without a squad) ⛔️ Lie #3: You can be present in all available channels (stop at once because you’re overwhelming yourself and diluting your efforts to reach your ideal clients). Susan guides you through the vital few channels that align with your target audience and business goals. 🎧 Tune in now and uncover the truth behind these marketing lies! 🎧 🚀 If you're serious about relieving bandwidth by focusing on revenue in your marketing, we invite you to join us in the Marketing Power Circle mastermind. Deets 👉https://cp.digital/marketing-power-circle/ Looking for UNboring ways to up-level your content marketing? Check out Susan Diaz's book, "UNboring: Take your content marketing from blah to brilliant." Available on Amazon and all major book retailers. Thank you for tuning in to The 4am Report 🎙️✨ | |||
| 29 Oct 2021 | EP141 Rogers family woes, Spanx shares the wealth, Cabinet shuffle, Roblox X Chipotle | 00:26:50 | |
Attention thirsty readers everywhere! Do you have a story that's got you absolutely parched? A news item, a marketing hit or miss, something from the world of entertainment and pop culture? This week Susan is joined by Wealth Coach Wendy Brookhouse of Blackstar Wealth. We're now taking story submissions. Hit reply and let us know your take on a story that caught your attention this week. We may even ask you to join us on our weekly Linkedin Live chat show, #ThirstyThursday. ~~~ Podcasts 2 Ways 1) Toronto Raptor Fred VanVleet now has a podcast, and he's not just giving us dunking tips. "Bet on Yourself", which is his own life mantra, is geared towards BIPOC entrepreneurs and gives realistic tips on how anyone can succeed in life. Real life Canadian 'Succession' No matter how awkward your holiday dinner might get, it likely won't beat the Rogers family get together this year. The telecom giant is dealing with serious family infighting in the company, causing their stocks to drop and soap opera-like stories to be splashed across the news. We've learned two things for sure from this story: the lawyers are the real winners in this, and we all need to watch out for errant butt-dials. Spanx founder catching attention for all the right reasons Sara Blakely, CEO of Spanx is having a pretty sweet week with the sale of a majority share of her company to a private equity firm. Never one to keep the wealth all to herself, she rewarded each of her employees with 2 first class tickets anywhere in the world as well as $10,000. We've been following Sara's moves for a while and think she's super inspirational and sets an amazing example of vision and perseverance for women everywhere. Cabinet Upgrade Justin Trudeau did a little shuffle after the elections with a new cabinet containing many women. While he's been called performative and shallow and accused of tokenism, we think it looks great on he government, especially since with the new very qualified minister of defence, being not only a women, but a child of immigrants, Anita Anand. What we DON'T love is the now-erased headline announcing that previous minister of defense Harjit Sajjan was "being replaced by a woman". Roblox X Chipotle Chipotle is hosting a 3 day "Halloween-themed 'Boorito' experience" via the game Roblox, where people can virtually trick or treat in the online restaurant and earn coupons towards actual in-restaurant food. It's only natural that companies like Chipotle are experimenting with new forms of marketing in the metaverse, with their audience getting less tuned in to typical marketing and more into gamification. ~~~ For these stories, and more including Elizabeth Holmes, Adobe's 'Convert to NFT' option, and the Calgary transport department’s use of humour in signs, listen to the whole episode! | |||
| 11 Jul 2019 | Influencer Marketing on Instagram with Vanessa Grant | 00:09:45 | |
Influencer marketing. Some love it, some hate it, but regardless you’re sure to come across it as a marketer. In this episode, we’re staying with up Vanessa Grant, principal of Grant Media and president of Mommyfluencer, to talk about how we can track results with influencers. Why is influencer marketing popular? We all know that Instagram has become really popular especially amongst younger demographics. Unfortunately for marketers, they are trying to block ads - potentially affecting how many people actually see your content. So how can a brand connect with their younger audience? They use influencer marketing, a strategy that helps partner brands with thought leaders within specific target audiences. Many brands hear about influencer marketing but many don’t quite know how it works or how to leverage it. The first thing Vanessa does is educate the brands about expectations and how much it will cost them. Then comes the campaign to contact and choose the right influencer to work with. Vanessa creates draft contracts and creative briefs for both parties. Finally, she tracks the results and reports back to the brand. What does the influencer do? Each brand, aside from fulfilling their bottom line, aims to increase exposure and awareness. They can do this by partnering with influencers who create engaging social media content with their followers about the value of the brand. In this process, brands are able to filter which influencers match their brand and which do not. Vanessa urges us to create long-lasting relationships with those that do match the brand to prove to their audience the authenticity of the brand and the influencer promoting it. Your influencer should be a part of the team, not just a one-time promoter. The influencer should also love the brand they’re partnering with! Their loyal followers will definitely be able to tell if something doesn’t match the other posts or the influencer’s brand overall. Choosing influencers who already use and like the brand’s products will garner more results because followers already know that the influencer truly does believe in the brand and its products. When your influencer is already a fan of the brand, it will be much easier to convert their followers into fans as well. Metrics influencer? Micro influencer? Nano influencer? There are three types of influencers: metrics, micro and nano. Metrics influencers are those with over 50,000 followers such as Kim Kardashian. Micro influencers are those with less than 50,000 followers and the nano influencer has 2,000 followers or less. While it may be tempting to aim high for the metric influencer, Vanessa warns us they that typically have lower engagement rates. If you’re looking to increase engagement within your campaign, opt for nano or micro influencers who typically have closer relationships with their audiences. Nano influencers are also great if they identify themselves as photographers or content creators. The extra production value can go a long way when their audience is presented with a beautiful photo or video instead of a simple picture they quickly took on their phone. You can then, with their permission, repost their content on your feed and website. Another consideration for your influencers is to look for those who have a Facebook group. The Facebook algorithm now prioritizes content from personal friends and groups over content from brands. How to better track your ROI If you’re thinking of creating an Instagram campaign with influencers, be sure to look beyond vanity metrics and focus on the quality of comments or engagement. This is especially important since Instagram has taken away the “likes” count on each post (unless you’re the one who posted it of course). Another tip is to set up a system to show a better Return On Investment (ROI). You can set up a page or a duplicate of your homepage that your influencer can link in their stories or on their Instagram bio. You can also set up an affiliate system where your influencers can receive a commission to track who is actually helping you generate sales.
About Vanessa
Vanessa Grant is a classically-trained journalist turned content writer, editor and strategist. She also runs a mom-focused boutique influencer marketing agency called Mommyfluencer. More from Vanessa: Instagram: @mommyfluencer, @vanessagrantmedia
Still can’t sleep? We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Tell us your problems - your issue might be featured in our next episode! Any of these problems *speak* to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it! If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you! | |||
| 01 Sep 2021 | #127 - Thinking beyond cover art for your podcast promo visuals | 00:10:20 | |
So, you’ve got a podcast brand and you want to develop the visual side of it? On this episode of 🎙The 4am Report🎙 we share how you can grab your audience through your podcast promo visuals:
🎧Tune in for more!🎧 | |||
| 11 Nov 2020 | #72 - How to Use Anchor Content to Flood the Sales Pipeline with Susan Diaz and Will Lamont | 00:17:47 | |
Anchors aweigh!!! 🛳⚓️🛳⚓️ Ok. Admittedly, that’s a little lame. 😂😂😂 But we can’t help it if we’re excited to continue our series on the Anchor Theory! Today, on the 4 AM Report, you’re going to learn how to 🌊🌊🌊 flood 🌊🌊🌊 your sales pipeline with anchor content! 🍾🥂🍾 We share: 💫 Why it’s time to ditch traditional sales funnels, and instead embrace the flywheel method. 💫 Steps to widen your network - and stay in touch with - the type of people you WANT to work with. 💫 How to pour that tsunami of anchor content into your sales pipeline without getting spammy! 💫 And how to use email effectively by knowing your audience, and only sharing anchor content they’ll appreciate.
Oh. And an added bonus? Google LOVES that 👆👆👆shizz. Like, a lot. Enjoy!! | |||
| 13 Nov 2019 | Women don't need pink and other financial things with Sarah Zandbergen | 00:14:41 | |
Season 3 premier of our micro podcast The 4 am Report is ready for your listening pleasure. 👍 In this episode we talk to Sarah Zandbergen about the ways (some not so good) financial brands market to women and female owned small businesses. The consensus? Things need to change and financial brands have to step things up. Hint: your women-focused content doesn’t always need to be pink 🙄 Sarah’s the perfect guest for this discussion as she does marketing for stnce, an organization that inspires women to confidently take ownership of their finances through open and informative conversations. stnce believes everyone benefits when women are self-reliant, self-assured, and well-informed about their financial affairs. We love everything about this. 💜 Keep listening to season 3. Released on social each Thursday at 4am. We’re calling this season “The Dark Webbing of Marketing”. (Thank you to @rohinimukherji for suggesting this season’s title) Here’s an excerpt from the transcript: Sarah: So many women that I talked to are expressing their dissatisfaction with the communication that they're receiving surrounding finances. There's a lot of platitudes and sometimes when they accompany a male spouse, the advisor's only addressing the husband. It's 2019 something's got to change. There are so many financial literacy programs out there and at stnce we believe we're not in competition with any of them. In fact, we simply feel like financial confidence is quite often the missing ingredient. Susan: This is very interesting to me and we've been looking at some numbers to try to quantify this and I don't necessarily have Canadian stats, but here are some US stats, which is kind of representative I guess. Four out of 10 US businesses are female-owned right now, and they generate $3.5 trillion in revenue. But to your point, you still have your husband or your dad who's talked to in all of the financial communication and all the content that's coming out of large financial brands and this is sort of ... there's a big afterthought. It smacks of afterthought, doesn't it? The whole thing with like, here, throw together something that's trying to flag female by virtue of being pink. It's condescending. And sometimes if you put it that way and you put a frame that sort of negative on the whole thing, that doesn't really attract people. But what is the money-making opportunity that this could stand for, I guess is one way to look at it. If you start including, shall we say financial, whether it's literacy or confidence or whatever material that attracts women, what does that look like? Susan: That's a great question. That's actually a really good point as well. And something that I wanted to touch on is the reason that we called it stnce. And so if you'll see, I don't know if there's going to be a little description down underneath, but stnce is all lower case and it's S-T-N-C-E. So there's no A, and the reason for that is we feel like that confidence, that missing ingredient. So what we say is, the A isn't missing, we're saving the space for you. And one of the other reasons that we called it stnce and not something like The Red High Heel is because we really wanted it to be something that was neutral and approachable. And yes, we're really, really marketed towards women at the moment. But going forward, again, it's 2019 it's almost 2020 let's be accessible for all genders. So back to the archaic attitude. I wanted to say that this attitude is really ingrained in the financial industry, but I believe that there's change coming down the pipe. And that's why I'm so proud to work at Equitable Bank. We positioned ourselves as Canada's challenger bank. And what that means is that we're challenging the status quo and we're looking for solutions and things that we can do differently to approach Canadian consumers. I mean, what other bank is really reaching out to consumers about financial confidence in the way that we are? I'm super, super proud of that. And so part of my role at stnce is to help facilitate this change. So I've been reaching out to groups of financial professionals and I actually run a session with mortgage brokers and financial advisors centering around how they can better communicate with their female clients. Sarah: A stat I love, and I actually use this in the presentation, is that it's estimated that by 2026, women will control close to half of all accumulated financial wealth and that is an estimated $900 billion. You combine that with the amount of women who are unhappy with the industry, again, something's got to change, right? We're here to be part of ushering in that change. Will: Yeah. That is a stat that nobody can ignore. I'm wondering when you're out talking to women, you have your finger on the policy. You said you're talking to financial professionals and how they can better communicate to women. What are some of the insights you're sharing with them? What are you telling them that they need to step up to? Sarah: That's a great question and while I'm kind of around the topic, I wanted to say, hey, no shade. If you like glitter, if you like pink, if that's the way you learn, good for you. No shade to any of those organizations using that. But most of the women that I speak to want more info. They really want the facts and they want it to be easily accessible. That's something else that we want to achieve with stnce. So if you check out stnce.ca, and that's S-T-N-C-E.ca, and I hope that those listening do check it out, you'll see an abundance of educational and inspirational articles about a variety of financial topics. Investing, saving, budgeting, retirement, all sorts of it. It's all there. We're busy and there isn't always time to juggle to go see an advisor if you have a quick question, right? Sarah: So we're aiming to have that information at your fingertips, easily accessible, whenever you want. We have an ask the expert section as well. So if you have a specific financial question ... really, we find that there's an embarrassment surrounding asking questions as a woman. And I wish we could change that. We're on our way to changing it. I mean I have it too, but if you want to stay anonymous and ask a question, you click on ask the expert, ask your question, and we'll publish the answer for you. And next month to celebrate financial literacy month, we're going to be releasing our glossary of financial terms on stnce.ca. So easily digestible definitions and examples. About Sarah
As the Senior Program Specialist for stnce, Sarah is thrilled to participate in and grow a truly grassroots community of like-minded individuals. Her goal through stnce is to inspire Canadian women to confidently take ownership of their finances, through open and informative conversations. Instagram: @stnce.ca Twitter: @stnce_ *** Still can’t sleep? We would also love to know what’s keeping you up at night! Email us your problems - your issue might be featured in our next episode! Any of these problems *speak* to you? Click here to subscribe in iTunes to hear about more things that haunt us or to keep an eye out for any of your problems. We might find a solution for you (or at least share your pain too!) We have more episodes with great tips, jokes and conversations - don’t miss it! If you get a chance, leave a review on iTunes so that others can find this podcast too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” We’d love to hear what your favourite part of this episode is in the comments below. Thank you! | |||
| 19 Nov 2020 | #74 - The Three Bs Holding You Back - Part 2: Bandwidth | 00:06:27 | |
Ok, it’s time for “mini number two” of our 4 AM Report mini-series! ⭐️💫⭐️ We’re looking at each of the three Bs that might be holding you back when it comes to your content marketing, and today – its BANDWIDTH. 😭😭😭 Are you feeling a little stretched these days, when it comes to mental bandwidth? We are, that’s for sure. 🦠🦠🦠 Covid-19 🦠🦠🦠 has left us all stretched a bit thin (👈👈👈 understatement!) – servicing clients (YAY!), planning for 2021, finding the time to 📯 toot our horns 📯with our own content output. It’s CRAY!! BUT not impossible. The key is to start thinking differently about your content. 🤯🤯🤯 Still writing 500 words and hitting publish? 🛑 Stop that schizz! 🛑 In this episode, we dissect old-school blog posts, and explore the myriad ways you can hack content that goes beyond the written word! 📽🤳📹 🎤 Enjoy! | |||
| 07 Sep 2023 | EP 199 Beating email burnout with generative AI (artificial intelligence) | 00:04:26 | |
In this solo tactical episode, host Susan Diaz tackles a ubiquitous pain point for founders and marketers - email overload! Susan shares an email management framework for leveraging generative AI (artificial intelligence) tools like ChatGPT to streamline your overflowing inbox. Listen in for 3 actionable strategies. Key takeaways in this episode: ✅ How to use AI for routine email responses to save time on mundane requests 📝 Customizing prompts to handle specific, challenging emails while maintaining privacy 💭 The art of generating empathetic, emotionally intelligent replies to prospects' concerns 📈 How AI can provide structure to develop email systems for your unique workflow Don't let your inbox slow you down. Implement these AI email management techniques to communicate faster and smarter. Listen in to this short and power-packed episode. Follow Susan Diaz on Linkedin for daily tips and strategies on using AI to create exponential marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susandiaz/ The UNboring AI Shift - Marketing x AI newsletter for SMEs - written by Susan Diaz, this deliciously current weekly note delivers news from the world of AI and explores strategies that will help you get the most out of your marketing using artificial intelligence and marketing automation Thank you for tuning in to The 4am Report 🎙️✨ If you’re a return visitor, please leave us a 5 star review 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
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| 29 Oct 2020 | #70 - People Centric Business Equals Big Revenue with Hilda Gan | 00:25:00 | |
Hello friends, it’s time for another episode of the 4 AM Report. 🎙🎉🎙 Did you know that being “people centric” as a business owner – when you INVEST in caring about your teams and helping your employees grow – results in 3x the revenue and sales versus those who view people as a commodity? 💵💰💵 Hilda Gan knows. She’s President and Chief People Officer of People Bright Consulting, an HR management consulting firm that delivers customized HR solutions. And she’s our guest this week! We talk about: 💫 Building strong work cultures, and creating strong, healthy foundations with your people. 💫 How to face uncomfortable discussions head on. 💫 The power of the pivot (👈👈👈 UGH, there’s that word again! 🤣) when faced with unexpected change. 🦠😷🦠 💫 And knowing your company’s VALUES, and matching (‘ish) those values when hiring. There’s lots to chew on in this episode, have a listen!!
The President and Chief People Officer of People Bright Consulting, her company, provides strategic Human Resources support to businesses, including recruitment, employee engagement, manager and team training and HR policies and procedures to organizations that recognize that People are their great asset. During COVID-19, she created a weekly webinar series, COVID-19 Tough Decisions for Business Owners, to help businesses navigate the complexities of managing the business and the impact on the employees. A serial entrepreneur, she has built four companies – in Healthcare, HR, Management Consulting, and Engineering. The latter, she co-founded with her husband. iTRANS Consulting was an award-winning, national Engineering consulting Firm that was recognized as a Best Workplaces in Canada – top ten twice and a finalist in Canada’s Best Managed Companies. She was recognized by the BWNYR for her work in promoting HR literacy to the Businesses. She is the creator of the Connect with REVUP Program to help organizations build stronger teams, managers and work cultures through training, mentoring and coaching | |||
| 14 May 2020 | #48 Investing in talent infrastructure with Helen Patterson | 00:21:34 | |
How are your sleeps going now that Covid-19 is entering a new phase of cautious rule-loosening? 🦠😴😱🦠 Hopefully slightly better – because it’s time for another edition of the 4 AM Report! 🍷🥃🍷 This week Will and Susan chat about investing in an often-overlooked part of small biz infrastructure – human resources! What better time, really, when the work-world is upside down! Guest Helen Patterson helps businesses grow by creating people strategies, and heart-centered, high-performance cultures. You’ll learn: 🌟 The importance of having HR policies in place BEFORE the scramble starts. 🌟 Why the hiring process isn’t the best use of time for a busy entrepreneur. 🌟 And why compassionate and humane leaders who treat staff with respect will sail through any crisis. Let’s face it, it’s your people who are helping your company thrive. And right now, during these crazy times of economic uncertainty – to thrive is to survive.
About Helen
As the Founder of Life Works Well, Helen Patterson brings 20 years of passion and experience to creating high performance heart-centred cultures that deliver proven results and increased revenues. She is known for leading National firsts and has increased market share and brand awareness by up to 400%. She’s also helped these companies with millions of dollars in cost-savings through innovative people strategy and risk mitigation. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lifeworkswell/ | |||
| 13 Aug 2021 | #122 - Greta Thunberg in Vogue, Salesforce and Chill, Cineplex subscriptions, and Delta helps Delta | 00:17:42 | |
With Susan Diaz off on a much deserved summer road trip , Angela Penton, Founder of Open Field PI, joined Will for this week’s #ThirstyThursday **** Greta Vogues fully on brand Just in case you didn’t already realize the world is on fire, the latest UN climate report is stating that, unequivocally, humans are changing the climate everywhere on the planet. There’s really no going back, but we CAN slow things down. What is greenwashing? Well in this case, it's when a company comes out with a line of environmentally friendly clothing (calling it recycled or eco or sustainable) to distract us from the environmental devestation they are actually causing. A recent report by the Changing Markets Foundation found that 59% of fast fashion brands making environmentally friendly claims, were in fact, false. According to Greta, you cannot mass produce fashion and promote yourself as sustainable. This has us rethinking some our own choices. We're all going to have to change our behaviour if we want to slow the warming down. Salesforce and Chill Let’s Go To The Movies! Are you ready to hit the movie theatres again? To encourage us all to return, Cineplex Canada is launching a membership program. For $9.99 a month, you get one free movie, discounts on their super addictive popcorn and the opportunity to purchase cheaper tickets for any friends who want to join you. Is this enough to lure us back now that the dents in the couch are JUST RIGHT for our butts after 18 months of Netflix and Disney+ in our own home theatres? Delta Force Just like Delta Airlines, Corona Beer likely wasn't too happy when the Corona Virus was first name. But interestingly enough, their sales did not suffer at all. In fact, they went up! Ah, the resiliency of kids and brands. (BTW - we're wondering how Delta Burke has been handling the past few months) A&W Antics A&W Canada got a bit too gimmicky for both of us with their “Beyond Bait Experiment” to help launch their new plant based nuggets. In the promo video the veggie nugget is fed to a venus flytrap to prove that plant based bites can in fact satisfy a meat eater. About Angela Angela is the owner of Open Field PI and helps fast growing trades and manufacturers build capacity with effective processes so they can serve more happy customers with less day to day hassles and stress. Continuous Improvement and creative and resourceful problem solving are the things that really drive her forward. In her spare time, she loves to swim, scuba dive and hike the beautiful trails of Nova Scotia. | |||
| 07 Apr 2021 | #96 - A year on LinkedIn and how to set it on fire with Dionne Vaz | 00:23:24 | |
Today on 🎙The 4 AM Report!🎙, we’re talking LinkedIn and how to set it on fire🔥, whether you are part of a leadership team, a founder or an entrepreneur. Our guest is Dionne Vaz, Marketing Director of IQPC – a large global events management firm – and former ad executive who supports her marketing smarts with data-driven results. She believes that LinkedIn should be a crucial part of any company’s marketing channels. So, she set out to prove it. She started posting once a day, following conversations, and responding to comments. Once she got results, the rest of the team were on board. Find out how Dionne set 🔥LinkedIn🔥 on fire! Discover:
About Dionne
Dionne believes in data-driven marketing, the power of the brand, and the magic of storytelling. Over the course of her career she have earned a reputation for her out-of-the-box thinking, creative problem solving skills (Winner of a Steve Jobs Award), building high performing teams and the ability to consistently deliver exceptional results. | |||
| 12 Sep 2019 | The challenges of selling purely online with Leigh Clements | 00:13:03 | |
Another 4 am dispatch ready for your unreasonably early listening pleasure. This week, as we go deeper into the dark, we’re talking to Leigh Clements from SHOT in the Dark Mysteries and we talk about the ever changing ecommerce digital marketing space. So Leigh has a pretty cool gig! She’s creates murder mysteries. (For reals!) Not really like those parties your parents threw in the 80s, though. Leigh’s creations are focused on true investigation experiences 🕵️♀️. And people, all over the world, are loving them. Leigh is what we’re calling a magical unicorn when it comes to marketing. She has run a successful online shop, ranking on page 1 of google, taking on ‘The Overlord of Search’, who makes 3,200 algorithm changes a year, solo. That's pretty. Darn! Impressive!! But what’s keeping her up at night now, is exactly those 1000s of changes Google has made to SEO. It’s a lot. And they impact smaller players who’ve lived by wit and hard work, just as harshly as they impact the bigger players who think mindless keywording and backlinking is the ticket to all things. And Leigh wants nothing to do with search results beyond page 1. So grab a coffee, give us 10 minutes (remember, our podcasts are micro), and go deeper into the dark with us as we discuss how Leigh and others online businesses (which is the holy grail for us, let’s be honest) can own search intelligently again! Oh, and if you have trouble sleeping because you can’t switch off your hard-wired, marketing obsessed brain, drop us a line, and be a guest on an upcoming episode. 🎙👀 About Leigh
Leigh Clements is the Creative Director of Shot In The Dark Mysteries, a murder mystery company focused on true-investigation experiences. Leigh has been marketing SHOT digitally since the days of MySpace, and continues to strive to grow SHOT within the ever-changing e-commerce digital marketing space. Connect with Leigh Website | |||
| 30 May 2024 | EP216 Blending AI with Financial Expertise - Insights from Marni Saifert | 00:46:14 | |
Welcome Back to The 4am Report 🌟 In this episode, I meet you at the intersection of AI and financial coaching with my awesome guest, Marni Saifert. A certified financial planner and financial coach, Marni brings over 30 years of expertise to our discussion, highlighting how she used AI to enhance her life and financial coaching services. 🤖 Meet Marni Saifert Marni identifies as someone who blends the mechanics of money management with the emotional aspects of financial decision-making. Her approach focuses not just on financial literacy but on understanding clients' money stories - the underlying beliefs and behaviors that shape their financial decisions. 🔍 AI in Financial Coaching We discuss how AI has become a game-changer in Marni’s practice, helping her streamline processes and enhance client interactions. AI tools have leveled up the way she operates, making her services more efficient and effective. 💡 Balancing Business Growth and Personal Time We talk about the challenges of growing a brand while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Marni shares insights into how AI helps manage her workload, allowing her more time to focus on strategic tasks and personal growth. 🎧 The Impact of AI on Financial Literacy Learn how Marni uses AI to improve the financial literacy of her clients by providing them with customized educational materials and interactive experiences. This not only helps in better understanding complex financial concepts but also in making more informed decisions. 💬 Listen to this episode for practical advice on embracing milestone technology to stay relevant in the ever-evolving small business landscape. Remember, embracing AI is not a replacement for human expertise but rather a powerful tool to augment it. 🔗 Connect with Marni Saifert - Follow her on Instagram @moneymentormarni https://www.instagram.com/moneymentormarni/ for more insights on your money stories and to explore her upcoming group programs. Connect with me, your host, Susan Diaz on LinkedIn to gain AI literacy insights in real time. As you hit play, please leave us a 5 star rating. It goes far in helping us bring AI implementation strategies to more small businesses. Like what you're learning about AI and community building? Join our Marketing Power Circle where we dive right to the heart of implementing AI in your small business marketing. Join Here | |||
| 08 Aug 2019 | Where is the line with intellectual property in a digital world with Cynthia Mason | 00:12:38 | |
Are you guilty of copyright infringement on your social channels and don’t even know it? In this episode of The 4 am Report we chat with Cynthia Mason, Lawyer and Trademark Agent. We invited Cynthia on to talk about intellectual property in a digital age, and also give us some much needed advice on where the line is when it comes to copyright infringement on your social channels. Cynthia starts by giving us a 101 on intellectual property. What you can and can’t trademark. And why it’s so important for businesses to do this: “Your intellectual property is what sets you apart from everyone else out there. At the heart of it the laws enable you to stop your competitors from competing with you.” Then we get into an area that in Cynthia’s own words is “a bit messy.” With social media, brands have become a lot more relaxed and realized the need to play in pop culture speak. Sometimes, that can result in accidentally stepping over the line. Will gave the example: “What if I’m a plumber, and I tweet ‘We’re the Superman of sink unclogging’. Did Will step over the line? Click to listen and see what Cynthia has to say about this. Plus she gives a bunch of tips to ensure you stay in the grey area and don’t cross the line. About Cynthia
Cynthia Mason is a Canadian lawyer and trademark agent who helps innovative businesses protect their names and logos. Over the last 15+ years, she has helped businesses of all sizes and stages protect their trademarks, and she’s passionate about teaching business owners how to protect all the hard work they’ve invested into growing their brands. Connect with Cynthia Facebook and Instagram: @MasonProfessionalCorporation | |||
. The Road to Seven
