George Kao's Blog, page 37
November 6, 2018
Building trust is more important than making the sale.
The next time you hear someone tell you that a marketing or conversion tactic “works”... ask this question:
“OK, it might work to convert 10% of the audience… but does it build trust with the other 90%... or does it feel salesy to them?”
Years ago, I used to care only about the small percentage of my audience who converted -- I was all about the sale, getting the transaction. The rest of the audience? I thought of them as “illusory clients” or “tire kickers”.
I used to prioritize my own profit...
“OK, it might work to convert 10% of the audience… but does it build trust with the other 90%... or does it feel salesy to them?”
Years ago, I used to care only about the small percentage of my audience who converted -- I was all about the sale, getting the transaction. The rest of the audience? I thought of them as “illusory clients” or “tire kickers”.
I used to prioritize my own profit...
November 2, 2018
How a "No Excuses" attitude helps me create and fulfill my purpose
I’ve now completed 4 months of working on my new business for just 2 hours per week and here are the updates:
I am still focused on building my audience through authentic content -- that’s the focus of the whole first year, especially when I have such little time to work on it. See my 10 year plan.Facebook tells me I now have 1,800 individuals who have engaged with my content (on my brand new page) in the past 90 days!Since I began in July, I have spent exactly $746.64 on Facebook Ads for this...
I am still focused on building my audience through authentic content -- that’s the focus of the whole first year, especially when I have such little time to work on it. See my 10 year plan.Facebook tells me I now have 1,800 individuals who have engaged with my content (on my brand new page) in the past 90 days!Since I began in July, I have spent exactly $746.64 on Facebook Ads for this...
October 31, 2018
I Wish To Be Average in the Externals, and Lead from the Internals
Photo by DesignEcologist on Unsplash“Tell me about your goals.”
“Well… I want a business beyond my wildest dreams… doesn’t everyone?!”
In her voice, a slight tinge of desperation… an unspoken “I refuse be happy until I get there.”
When I started my business, I was also uber-focused on external success. Becoming a millionaire, having a guru online presence, etc.
And then I burned out. I came to see that prioritizing the externals tends to decay the internals… bringing stress, forever grasping, lac...
October 30, 2018
Aim for Quality through Quantity
How do I make great content? By making
more
content.
How do I improve my skills? By working with more clients.
How do I find ideal referral partners? By reaching out to more referral partners.
This principle of Quality through Quantity has made a difference in many areas of my professional and personal growth.
When we are willing to take action without judgment of ourselves -- knowing that true learning comes through action -- we build the muscles and perspective that leads to real growth.
It take...
How do I improve my skills? By working with more clients.
How do I find ideal referral partners? By reaching out to more referral partners.
This principle of Quality through Quantity has made a difference in many areas of my professional and personal growth.
When we are willing to take action without judgment of ourselves -- knowing that true learning comes through action -- we build the muscles and perspective that leads to real growth.
It take...
October 26, 2018
How *not* to reconnect with your network (and what we can do instead)
Definitely one of the best ways to gain new clients and opportunities for your business is to reconnect with your network.
Remember: even your friends and family don’t really know what you do, or at least, don’t think about what you do, often enough, to refer business to you.
So it is a great idea to keep in touch with your network. It can result in getting new clients.
The problem is that when you reconnect with that specific agenda in mind, it can feel “off” to the other person, and probably...
Remember: even your friends and family don’t really know what you do, or at least, don’t think about what you do, often enough, to refer business to you.
So it is a great idea to keep in touch with your network. It can result in getting new clients.
The problem is that when you reconnect with that specific agenda in mind, it can feel “off” to the other person, and probably...
October 19, 2018
How To Get Clients Quickly & Authentically
You believe that it’s important -- for yourself, your audience, and the world -- to do marketing authentically rather than succumb to the short-termist pressure, deceptive tactics, or hype.
And yet... you need to quickly fill your next workshop or course.
Or you need clients ASAP.
How can you accomplish this, without using conventional marketing that doesn’t feel right to you?
The key is to care more for your audience than you have cared before.
Here are 5 actions that demonstrate your care, as w...
And yet... you need to quickly fill your next workshop or course.
Or you need clients ASAP.
How can you accomplish this, without using conventional marketing that doesn’t feel right to you?
The key is to care more for your audience than you have cared before.
Here are 5 actions that demonstrate your care, as w...
October 16, 2018
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) in Marketing vs. Respect For Your Audience
"There are only TWO spots left in the program. Sign up now!"
This is the kind of email we might receive from a conventional marketer.
They have not taken the care to consider how this makes the audience feel. They're doing this because it "works" to get those openings filled.
When they say there are 2 spots left, and yet the campaign is being sent to thousands of people, what are the rest of the people supposed to do? "Feel left out" is the unfortunate answer.
This is the biggest problem in marke...
This is the kind of email we might receive from a conventional marketer.
They have not taken the care to consider how this makes the audience feel. They're doing this because it "works" to get those openings filled.
When they say there are 2 spots left, and yet the campaign is being sent to thousands of people, what are the rest of the people supposed to do? "Feel left out" is the unfortunate answer.
This is the biggest problem in marke...
October 15, 2018
FOMO Marketing vs. Kindness Toward Your Audience
"There are only TWO spots left in the program. Sign up now!"
…is the sort of marketing message we might receive from a conventional marketer.
It seems to me that they haven’t taken the care to consider how the audience feels. They're doing it because it "works" to get those few openings filled.
When they offer only 2 spots left, and yet the campaign is being sent to thousands of people, what are the rest of those people supposed to do?
They’re supposed to feel left out.
This is the main ...
October 12, 2018
Are you feeling "not ready" or are you procrastinating?
I see a lot of you (aspiring business owners) doing this:
You’re waiting until you’re “ready” before you take the next leap.
A dear client asked me about the “thin line between readiness and procrastination.”
Based on my experience personally coaching hundreds of business owners, I can almost certainly tell you this: You are being fooled by your own brilliant mind. Your feeling of “lack of readiness” is actually procrastination.
I never feel “ready” --
When I started writing this article, I was sc...
You’re waiting until you’re “ready” before you take the next leap.
A dear client asked me about the “thin line between readiness and procrastination.”
Based on my experience personally coaching hundreds of business owners, I can almost certainly tell you this: You are being fooled by your own brilliant mind. Your feeling of “lack of readiness” is actually procrastination.
I never feel “ready” --
When I started writing this article, I was sc...
October 9, 2018
"Make 6 or 7 figures! Get 1 Million Followers!" Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation
Notice the business and marketing experts that you follow, and the core sales message of their emails, social media, and website.
Are they trying to tempt you with "6 or 7 figure incomes" or "1 million followers"?
By selling wealth and fame, they are unfortunately leading people on a path towards anxiety and depression.
A business built on extrinsic motivations tends toward deep unhappiness.
An authentic business, created from intrinsic motivations, creates true success. #element-d49f166d-b015-4...
Are they trying to tempt you with "6 or 7 figure incomes" or "1 million followers"?
By selling wealth and fame, they are unfortunately leading people on a path towards anxiety and depression.
A business built on extrinsic motivations tends toward deep unhappiness.
An authentic business, created from intrinsic motivations, creates true success. #element-d49f166d-b015-4...
