George Kao's Blog, page 40
July 4, 2018
Develop an urgency to create content
Nothing in my business is as important as getting in and staying in a consistent rhythm of content creation.
It is how I get smarter in my field.
It’s how I develop the writings and videos that occasionally get shared, thereby bringing new fans and new clients.
More than anything else I do, creating content consistently is how I give back.
It’s my ministry and mission.
Your wisdom, life lessons, skills, knowledge can help to transform many people's lives… so if you’re not being consistent in shari...
It is how I get smarter in my field.
It’s how I develop the writings and videos that occasionally get shared, thereby bringing new fans and new clients.
More than anything else I do, creating content consistently is how I give back.
It’s my ministry and mission.
Your wisdom, life lessons, skills, knowledge can help to transform many people's lives… so if you’re not being consistent in shari...
June 26, 2018
How to make money fast — with integrity
Not talking about “getting rich quick”, but giving yourself some breathing space…
An “opportunity” that promises overnight wealth is almost certainly a scam: they make money quickly by taking your money quickly. Or, you may be asked you to sell an "income opportunity" to your friends & family. I’ve been there. I'd advise you to decline any scheme that requires you to recruit other people to sell successfully before you make real money.
Making money fast is not what I typically discuss. An authe...
An “opportunity” that promises overnight wealth is almost certainly a scam: they make money quickly by taking your money quickly. Or, you may be asked you to sell an "income opportunity" to your friends & family. I’ve been there. I'd advise you to decline any scheme that requires you to recruit other people to sell successfully before you make real money.
Making money fast is not what I typically discuss. An authe...
June 19, 2018
Stop focusing on “Building an Email List”
“George, how do I grow my email list”?
“Well, why do you want it?”
“Because I’ve heard marketing experts say that this is the most important thing to do in marketing...”
I've been around marketing experts for years. The real reason is: “We want to grow an email list because we want an audience we can reliably communicate with.”
It sounds obvious, but it's an important distinction, when we switch the question from “How to build an email list?” to “How to build an engaged audience?”
When you are...
“Well, why do you want it?”
“Because I’ve heard marketing experts say that this is the most important thing to do in marketing...”
I've been around marketing experts for years. The real reason is: “We want to grow an email list because we want an audience we can reliably communicate with.”
It sounds obvious, but it's an important distinction, when we switch the question from “How to build an email list?” to “How to build an engaged audience?”
When you are...
June 12, 2018
Don’t fear the criticism of your audience — they’re not the ones you’re making content for…
To grow your audience, create better content.
To create better content, you need to practice creating more content.
To create more content, you need to get over the fear of your audience.
When you are afraid to make content, whose judgmental voice or look are you thinking of?
Don’t make your content for that person/group. Make it only with your true fans in mind — they love you no matter what.
Think about this: By definition, if your audience is going to grow, it’s going to grow far beyond the...
To create better content, you need to practice creating more content.
To create more content, you need to get over the fear of your audience.
When you are afraid to make content, whose judgmental voice or look are you thinking of?
Don’t make your content for that person/group. Make it only with your true fans in mind — they love you no matter what.
Think about this: By definition, if your audience is going to grow, it’s going to grow far beyond the...
June 5, 2018
Passion & Compassion: Dual Focuses in Authentic Business
“Do what you love” …vs… “Offer what they want”
Here's a common idea among solopreneurs:
“If I have a passion for something, then there must be enough other people with that passion, which means I can build a viable business.”
Building a business on passion alone takes a lot longer than you might think. You have to look far and wide for individuals with that specific passion as you. Or, you have to build an online audience from scratch and educate them until they really "get" why you're so passio...
Here's a common idea among solopreneurs:
“If I have a passion for something, then there must be enough other people with that passion, which means I can build a viable business.”
Building a business on passion alone takes a lot longer than you might think. You have to look far and wide for individuals with that specific passion as you. Or, you have to build an online audience from scratch and educate them until they really "get" why you're so passio...
June 4, 2018
“Do what you love” …vs… “Offer what they want” – Passion vs. Compassion in an Authentic Business
This is a common idea among solopreneurs:
“If I have a passion for something, then there must be enough other people with that passion, which means I can build a viable business.”
Building a business on passion alone can take much longer than you initially think it would. You might have to search far and wide for individuals with a passion like yours. Then, you have to build enough trust for them to buy.
Or instead of finding and reaching out to those people, you can build an online aud...
May 22, 2018
How to get clients without "marketing"?
The problem is what “marketing” has become to you...
A reader asked me whether it’s possible to get clients without having to do marketing.
“I’m so good at doing my work, not so good at marketing. I just want to focus on the work itself. How can I get clients?”
I can relate to this question. Maybe you can, too. In the beginning of my business a decade ago, I practiced what I was taught: old-school internet marketing that felt more like war (“dominate the market”) or religion (“indoctrinating/c...
A reader asked me whether it’s possible to get clients without having to do marketing.
“I’m so good at doing my work, not so good at marketing. I just want to focus on the work itself. How can I get clients?”
I can relate to this question. Maybe you can, too. In the beginning of my business a decade ago, I practiced what I was taught: old-school internet marketing that felt more like war (“dominate the market”) or religion (“indoctrinating/c...
May 15, 2018
No need for traffic-and-conversion funnels... Keep it transparent and organic.
Many solopreneurs are being indoctrinated by digital marketers who sell them on the idea that they need a complex sales/marketing “funnel”.
A complex funnel goes something like this: You see an FB ad, or an email, about a wonderful free thing… a "special" report, video series, email course, or an intriguing quiz.You can only get that “free” thing by giving them your email address. This is known as "the opt-in." (See my other article No More Lead Magnets.)You get more emails giving you “value...
A complex funnel goes something like this: You see an FB ad, or an email, about a wonderful free thing… a "special" report, video series, email course, or an intriguing quiz.You can only get that “free” thing by giving them your email address. This is known as "the opt-in." (See my other article No More Lead Magnets.)You get more emails giving you “value...
May 8, 2018
Focus Your Marketing for Better Results
You don’t have to do everything.
Double-down on your top strength.
When you start to learn marketing, you’re going to get pulled in many different directions... which way should you go? One expert: “You must do video, and upload it to Youtube & Facebook!”
Another expert: “It’s all about connecting with Instagram influencers.”
Yet another expert: “The fastest way to build an email list is by organizing a Telesummit!”
An SEO expert: “None of the above builds you a truly long-term asset unless you...
Double-down on your top strength.
When you start to learn marketing, you’re going to get pulled in many different directions... which way should you go? One expert: “You must do video, and upload it to Youtube & Facebook!”
Another expert: “It’s all about connecting with Instagram influencers.”
Yet another expert: “The fastest way to build an email list is by organizing a Telesummit!”
An SEO expert: “None of the above builds you a truly long-term asset unless you...
May 4, 2018
The 4 Layers of Authentic Business
An authentic business is financially viable and deeply meaningful to you. You make enough money to support you, but the activity itself feels worthwhile, even if you had to do it for free.
However, it's not just about “doing what you love”... not just a hobby. It is an Authentic Business, a true livelihood.
I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to help many people make progress in their own authentic businesses, and I’ve been operating my own successfully for a decade.
Here is my current framew...
However, it's not just about “doing what you love”... not just a hobby. It is an Authentic Business, a true livelihood.
I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to help many people make progress in their own authentic businesses, and I’ve been operating my own successfully for a decade.
Here is my current framew...
