The Authority Builder Podcast

Happy Valentine’s Day! I got you a little something…I know, I know, but I couldn’t resist. I really hope you like it ;-)Last week, I interviewed one of the legends of marketing, and we got into a deep discussion about:How to make your marketing work (and what’s missing most of the time).Why the big tech companies are making it harder for small firms to market online.How to hedge your bets, while still getting all you can from whatever online marketing you do...and a whole bunch more.My guest is Rich Schefren and he’s got a lot to say about the obstacles that are being put in front of small, entrepreneurial businesses like ours by Big Tech. And, he’s got advice on what to do to avoid the obstacles. It was a great conversation and I hope you enjoy this special bonus episode of the podcast. I know it will spark some new thinking for you.-Steve

When you narrow your target market – and we’re talking narrow – you’ll find that business growth is almost inevitable.  There’s an old saying: “Jack of all trades, master of none.” And it certainly applies when you pick your business’ niche. If you’re worried that by focusing on your ideal clients you’ll be missing out on a lot of work potential work… realize that you can make more money serving fewer well-qualified clients that you love working with.  It’s not just a recipe for growth but a path to creating a business that supports your lifestyle and not the other way around. Tune in to discover… A logical process for picking your ideal target market4 steps to weed out existing clients you don’t need anymoreHow to build the “machine” every growing business needs Where to find your customer avatarAnd more

Joseph Warren has been through a lot in his life. Extreme ups and downs were commonplace throughout his journey.  Many people give up when faced with tough times. Joseph chose not to. In fact, he turned the tables and used them to radically change his life… and then the lives of others… as he rediscovered his faith in God. This spiritual coach helps people facing issues in their relationships, businesses, personal lives, and more.  He contends you don’t have to sacrifice time with family or your own happiness to grow a profitable business. He maintains money doesn’t make you happy. Yet, he says that once you realize those things… you’ll be more successful than ever in the ways that really count.  We chat about finding spiritual and personal fulfillment as an entrepreneur, as well as… The dangers of comparing your “inside” to someone else’s “outside”The #1 missing element in most businesses – even successful onesWhy you should never be “comfortable” in your businessDaily habits you should adopt starting tomorrow The transformative power of rediscovering and maintaining your true self.

In the popular imagination, the entrepreneur is a risk-taker… ready to change directions on a whim. But the key to growing a business that will be sustainable in the long-term depends on a deep understanding who your ideal prospects are – the more specific the better – and then creating a system to reach them. For most business owners, the number of new clients they need each year is much lower than they think. This actually requires a whole different marketing mindset than you’re used to. Referrals, networking, online marketing… it can all play a role. Just not the way you think. We get into details on that, including… Why traditional Internet marketing doesn’t work for professional service providersHow to identify your top 100 prospects (and you only need 100) Ways to effectively communicate the true value you bring to the table The secret of relentless follow-upAdopting a mindset of abundance rather than scarcity

When he lost his telecom job in the Dot-Com crash, Mike McKim was inspired to get in early in one of today’s hottest business trends: gourmet coffee.  When he started, coffee was coffee to most people. But now he roasts high quality beans sourced from the best plantations on the planet and sells them all over the country. But being a pioneer wasn’t easy… far from it. What kept him going? Maybe it’s like his dad told him: “You’re too stubborn to quit and too lazy to start over.” There’s more to it, of course. And Mike gets into all the details, including… The attitude that kept him going after his first startup failure – and those that came laterHow he changed his business model early on – and why it made him stronger than everThe innovative product he invented that revolutionized the industryWhy he’s happy to be competing with Starbucks How thinking like the consumer transformed his entire approach to business

You have your ideal client clearly identified – and you know how to reach them.  Now what? Unless you have your company set up the right way, you can never take advantage of that knowledge to bring in enough new business. And that means slow or no growth. A steady flow of sales opportunities to bring in steady – and growing revenue – will take your business to the next level… and it’s all around you. You just need to know where to look…   We’ll cover that, as well as… The number of clients you really need – it’s less than you thinkKey ways that marketing professional services is very different How to create a never-ending flow of fresh leadsWhy you can never wait for a client to come to you (and how to make sure you don’t) And more

Before his current success, Ted Thomas had some very tough times as an entrepreneur and investor. As in, he lost it all almost overnight. Ted says he wouldn’t trade it because it showed him the dangers of being over-leveraged and tamed his tolerance for high-risk investments. We talk about how he got into a real estate-focused business with very low-risk that has resulted in steady returns since 1989… who he says is to blame for any failures in your life… and why he says paying other people’s taxes can make you a lot of money. We dig deep into those topics, as well as…The importance of surrounding yourself with people who’ll tell you like it isA unique real estate investment with “guaranteed” 18% returns – or more Where to buy tax lien certificates… and places to avoidWhy you should buy low and sell lowWhat happens to your lien when a person defaults on their tax payments… and how to take advantage of it

What if landing your next 10, or 50, or 100 clients was inevitable?I just love that word… it’s as if achieving the goal has already happened.And that’s precisely the idea I talk about on today’s podcast.The idea of making your growth goals inevitable.See, I’ve been thinking about how to create a “system of inevitability” that would guarantee that you would have all the leads you need and that all of those leads turn into all the clients you want to reach the amount of revenue you want in 2020.In today’s episode, I cover…The four key elements for creating inevitable growthThe #1 most important decision you must make nowHow to choose the best marketing methodsThe two key elements you need to build a marketing system that frees you upA simple 10-minute assessment to help you prioritize what to do first to build your own “inevitable growth system”Listen now...

What makes a potential customer choose your product or service? Your marketing efforts tell your prospects you exist and you have solutions they’re looking for.  But many business owners focus on the wrong thing in their initial marketing because they don’t understand the mindset of a buyer. In fact, they go after too broad a group… instead of focusing on those who will actually pull out their wallets. I reveal how to identify that select group and how to reach them. I also go into… How to tell if you’re “unique” enough in the marketplaceA strategy for compelling potential customers to choose you over the competition The primary goal of your “first touch” marketing to prospects4+ ways to establish yourself as the authority in your niche – and how it pays offAnd more

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day running of your business. But, says Gregory Gray, if you don’t think about the future and work towards it… all your efforts will be for nothing.  Because real sustainable growth can only happen if you’re clear on what you want and make an actual plan to get there… a plan that guides what you do on a daily basis. Of course, that’s just part of the equation. To be successful, part of that plan must be for you, as the business owner, to “remove” yourself from the business to a certain extent, otherwise it will never grow beyond you. We talk about how to do that, as well as… How to shift to a strategic rather than tactical – and why you shouldThe essential leadership skills for small business ownersWhat you can learn from good and bad mentorsWhy working long, hard hours does more harm than goodAnd more