Content Sells: Attract, Convert & Keep Your Ideal Clients with Content Marketing That Works

There are literally dozens and dozens of awards being offered each year acknowledging businesses and business owners. And being a finalist or winner can be a really awesome way to raise your profile and build your credibility. In this episode, your hosts Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon share tips and strategies, they have personally used with great success, for finding, entering and winning awards. FREE DOWNLOAD: Plus as a bonus resource, you can also download the 20 Must-Enter Awards For Women Business Owners overviewthat features a list of awards that may be worth entering this year! Listen to this episode to hear more about:  How to use awards as a credibility builder (even if you don’t win!)  How to choose the right awards to enter  The big mistake most people make when they win an award that is drastically reducing the credibility and authority they could be getting from their prize.  One tweak to all your emails that you want to make once you are a finalist or winner of an award  How to use PR to make the most of your award win  Why not winning the first few awards you enter is not an indication of future performance (and how one HerBusiness member went from winning “nothing” to winning so many awards she could barely keep up).  How to better convey your value in a succinct way in your awards entries  Why entering awards is GREAT for your sales conversations and marketing copy, even if you don’t win!  How to extend the lifespan of your award win credibility from weeks or months to years!  How to use your award win to have more journalists pay attention to you  Why entering an award is a good move if you want more speaking opportunities  How to make an awesome awards entry, even when they have super small word limits  How to create an events calendar and give yourself enough time to make a winning entry  How to show evidence of your success in awards applications, even when you’re not allowed to attach any extra materials or examples  Why and when a small local award could be better for your business and your profile than a big national or international award  One quick and easy way to find awards related to your specific industry  How long to allow for the completion of your awards application?  How to find and repurpose content you ALREADY have when completing your awards application  Where to get support for your awards application – for everything from copywriters to designers and PR suppliers  Answering the question “Is it best to have a professional writer complete the awards application?”  The 3 things you MUST do if you want to get the best results from using a writer to help you with your awards application  How you can use awards to celebrate your own achievements, feel acknowledged and get a surge of momentum and incentive to move forward Also mentioned in this episode: FREE Download - 20 Must-Enter Awards for Women Business Owners Episode 57 - How to Use Seeding To Move People Forward With Your Content Maria Louise Anderson - Sustainable Marketing Services Chantel Gilbert - Bluegum Electrical Solutions Sonia Ferlauto - Accelerated Collection Services Matt Church – Thought Leaders Louise Lucas - The Property Education Group Josephine Meli - My Freight Career Joanne Ivy - Cranberry Kim Batina - Precise Business Solutions Boost Awards Frances Pratt - Kiss to Sell Michelle Pascoe - Optimum Operating Procedures and Services Think Brick Awards

Think of this episode as a chat around the kitchen table or the coffee table as your hosts, Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon share some things that have been going on for us around this idea of continuing to be seen and heard and how sometimes that means finding the courage to do stuff that scares us… we chat a bit about how we deal with that - in the hope that it also helps you too. Because here’s the thing - creating content, growing a business, positioning yourself as an authority - they’re all things that are going to take you to the edge of your comfort zone in one way or another. And you have a couple of choices when new opportunities to play a bigger game and have your voice heard in a whole new way arise -- you can shrink back, you can keep the status quo, or you can step out into that new territory. It’s all about finding the courage to stand out and take those next steps. Listen to this episode to hear more about: How winning a recent award came from a moment of courage and acceptance for Suzi How to handle the “push/pull” of being seen and then wanting to retreat into your introverted cave (and why that’s perfectly ok!) Why you really need to celebrate and acknowledge all the aspects of your personality and brand (even the bits you might want to hide or think are not interesting) to really stand out  The one thing that helps Suzi keep stepping out and being seen, even though she’s quite introverted and it doesn’t always come naturally How one moment of “discomfort” resulted in an international speaking engagement for Michelle Why and how to push through the doubts you might have around a big vision and showing up in the world in a bigger way The importance of being your own hero Why a dash of audaciousness won’t go astray when showing up and standing out How to get clear on your bold goal (and why having one will make it easier for you to stand out) Much, much more... Also mentioned in this episode: Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jeff Walker Product Launch Formula HerBusiness REACH Retreat Hawaii Brene Brown TED Talk  Miracle Babies KeepCup

With a laptop and a smartphone, Natalie Sisson built a six-figure education business that she can run from anywhere in the world. And one of the keys to that success has been her book publishing strategy. In this episode your hosts, Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon chat with Natalie, who has just released her new book The Freedom Plan, about how you can use a book as a way to build your profile. Ttap into her wealth of experience as someone who literally built her business based on her content and ideas. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get the first 3 chapters of Natalie’s new book The Freedom Plan here for free. Listen to this episode to hear more about: Natalie’s opinion on whether it’s best to go with a publisher, self-publish or use a hybrid publisher How big a platform you REALLY need to launch your own book (the answer may surprise you) Innovative ways to get your book content created without it feeling like a slog (and how Natalie used her blog content to create her first book) Why you don’t have to be off in a hut in Siberia writing a book in isolation and how to get it done in and around your busy life The one key to your content that will guarantee your book has a long shelf life The merits of a “virtual” book tour How to keep your book top of mind for your audience after the initial publication push Why you need to think of your book as an entry point to the rest of your services How Natalie is offering other products and services to readers of her books (and why you want to do that too) Much, much more... Also mentioned in this episode: EP55: How To Use a Book To Grow Your Brand, Your Profits & Your Profile with Linda Diggle

Livecasts are something we’ve been doing more of and we're LOVING it… Technically, a Facebook Live is a live broadcast but what we’re talking about here is more like crafting your own event or show that you can broadcast to create a real experience for your viewers — just like Oprah! In this episode your hosts, Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon share how they are using Livecasts to attract and get new clients. FREE DOWNLOAD: Also get the top tips from today’s episode summarised in this easy reference handout: 9 Tips for Successful Livecasts Listen to this episode to hear more about: How you can stream your EXISTING events and expand your audience How including a Livecast option in your offer can overcome objection at the point of purchase - especially if your offer includes a live event Why a Livecast can make your life easier in terms of not having to do live events at all (or at least not in geographically diverse areas) What opening “Suzi’s Bar” had to do with one of our more successful Livecasts ever! The exact point in your sales process to offer a Livecast for maximum impact Why you want to include “ads” in your show and how and when to position them The secret to including guests on your Livecast Much, much more... Also mentioned in this episode: Episode 81 -How To Write a Call To Action - From Buttons to Blogs with the wonderful Joanna Wiebe Episode 13 - Call To Action Mistakes and Must Haves Zoom Mevo Mevo Customer Group

Ever thought about joining or starting a Mastermind? A Mastermind is a group of peers who come together in some regular way to share ideas, support each other and help each other succeed. In today’s episode your hosts, Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon share firstly — why you might want to think about BEING IN a Mastermind as well as when you might consider STARTING YOUR OWN Mastermind. HERBUSINESS MARKETING SUCCESS MASTERMIND - APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN. Go here to learn more or apply: www.herbusinessmastermind.com Listen to this episode to hear more about: What exactly IS a Mastermind and how do they work? Why Napoleon Hill had to say about Masterminds in his book Think and Grow Rich The highlights from Suzi’s experience over 20 years being in Masterminds (and why she wouldn’t be without one) How Michelle has increased her ROI on her Mastermind investment every year since joining one. Struggling with confidence? Hear how Michelle gave her confidence a massive boost joining a Mastermind in the US Why you want to step outside your comfort zone What to look for in the IDEAL Mastermind for YOU When it might make sense to start your OWN Mastermind Michelle and Suzi’s top tips for starting and structuring your Mastermind Much, much more... Also mentioned in this episode: Napoleon Hill — Think and Grow Rich HerBusiness Marketing Success Mastermind Episode 90 — Using a Connection Statement to Get New Clients  

Many of us are finding ourselves on video a lot more than we used to - even if we aren’t making content videos to put on YouTube, maybe we are being seen on camera more with our clients on Zoom Calls, Webinars, Skype Meetings etc. And while you might have thought about your makeup and spent time mapping out what you’re actually going to say… very often people overlook one VERY important part of their video - the BACKGROUND! It makes up the majority of the shot and can REALLY impact how long people watch your video and what they think of your brand. In today’s episode your hosts, Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon are talking about how to make your videos look great! Specifically, what you can do to make your backgrounds and your settings look great - as well as some tips on relatively inexpensive equipment options that will make a massive difference to how fabulous you look on screen. FREE DOWNLOAD: Plus, we’ve got this FREE resource for you Pro Tips for Choosing Video Backgroundswhich you can download here. Listen to this episode to hear more about: How to avoid looking messy, bland or washed out on your next video How a few well-placed props can boost your “Authority Bling” and get people seeing you as a leader in your field How even a simple nook in your home can be transformed into your own personal film studio Why you want to think about putting yourself in a real-life work situation when recording your videos How shared workspaces can be a boon for your videos and spice up your backgrounds Why you might want to think about using a large screen TV as part of your backdrop (plus a cheaper alternative if that’s all too hard!) How to get your backgrounds looking different even if you are regularly filming in the same space (and why it’s CRUCIAL you add some variety to your video set) What you need to know about “depth of field” that will get your video looking like the pros in no time What to do with pesky blinds, pictures, and other “set destroyers” Is a “custom backdrop” something you should check out? Suzi’s “dream set” and how you can get a similar feel for a fraction of the budget Much, much more... Also mentioned in this episode: MarieTV WeWork Belinda Weaver - Copywrite Matters Nadine Shaw - Essential Solutions for Everyday Valerie Khoo - Australian Writers’ Centre

Coupons and discounts CAN be very powerful when it comes to getting new customers, generating cashflow and boosting sales... but we are putting a BIG asterisk on today’s episode that says - you must use this tactic VERY strategically! It’s not the only tool in your toolbox when it comes to getting your market to buy from you. Because what can happen is that you’re not getting the sales you want or you are thinking up ideas for a new campaign and it can be REALLY easy to jump to offering 20% off or providing some other discount as your first idea, when you really don’t have to… and when doing so could actually HURT your business rather than help it. So you want to be really clear about WHY and WHEN you offer a discount or coupon. Because they can be AWESOME when done well… and when not done well you are essentially giving away profit you didn’t need to sacrifice. In today’s episode your hosts, Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon dig deep into WHEN you might want to think about offering a discount or coupon, HOW you can do it to get the most bang for your buck and some tips on what NOT to do. FREE DOWNLOAD: See our best ideas for getting people to buy MORE from you after they claim their discount or coupon by getting the 10 Step 2 Secret Examples download here: Listen to this episode to hear more about: How you might be using discounts to erode your value (and what you can do instead) Why you need to have a healthy belief in your product and your pricing BEFORE you even think about offering a discount The “bulk order” strategy you can use to turn every sale into a higher dollar value An idea to get your “first time shoppers” leaping into action and buying from you right away The clever discount strategy HerBusiness member Anita McLachlan of Sequins and Sand is using to tap into her IDEAL customers What a “Loss Leader” is and why it’s OK (sometimes!) not to make money on that first sale How to use discounts and coupon codes to activate your current client base to give you more referrals The “early bird” discount strategy that can help you get people signing up for your events sooner Ways to discount that aren’t just about offering $$ off! Why it’s more about “perceived value” and how to pack a punch with your discount messaging The big mistake Suzi and Michelle see retailers make ALL the time with their discounting strategy that is costing them BIG TIME Much, much more... Also mentioned in this episode: Anita McLachlan Sequins and Sand Swimwear HerBusiness Mentoring Episode 11 - The Step 2 Secret  

What do you do when you have a particular feature or benefit of your product or service that YOU know is awesome… but it’s not immediately obvious to your potential customers that it’s awesome? How do you treat a feature or benefit that is often undervalued? Do you hide it in your marketing and trust people will just find it once they buy, or do you shout it from the rooftops? Well, we’re going to answer that for you in TODAY’s episode - where we are going to help you perform the magic trick of making the INVISIBLE, visible when it comes to the value what you’re offering delivers. In this episode, your hosts Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon answer questions for you as we help you perform the magic trick of making the INVISIBLE, visible when it comes to the value you’re offering delivers. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get the 7 Ways To Make the Invisible Visible in Your Marketing Offers Cheat Sheet here. Listen to this episode to hear more about: How Suzi took a feature of her Membership offering that was majorly overlooked and turned it into one of the key features of her offer, driving a TON more sales in the process The best-kept secret in Suzi and Michelle’s Mastermind Group and how they were able to change up the way they talked about it to potential customers that made all the difference to it’s perceived value How to VISUALISE your features and benefits in a way that makes them more visible (even the tricky ones!) Why sometimes it’s just about acknowledging the “elephant in the room” How the stories your customers tell can help you bring a “secret” value more to the offer Much, much more... Also mentioned in this episode: Free Workshop - Get More Clients Jennifer Gale - Fit & Fifty Plus Anna James - Sohovian Belinda Weaver - Copywrite Matters Amey Lee - Heart Content Kate Mitchell - Blue Sky Results Loren Bartley - Impactiv8 Vivienne Kane - MinuteMan Prahran Natasha Hawker - Employee Matters

One of the KEYS to moving more towards connection is to feel comfortable and confident communicating your value. Problem is, any time you’re trying to communicate your value to get new clients it’s pretty certain that you’ll hit roadblocks. In this episode your hosts, Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon talk about the #1 thing you MUST master if you want to communicate your value and connect with more clients. FREE WORKSHOP: We cover more about this Connection Statement and how you can build a Connection Network in the FREE Get New Clients Workshop: www.getnewclientsworkshop.com Listen to this episode to hear more about: The difference between having a network, and networking (and why getting new clients is NOt about “Networking”) What the “Connection Scale” is and why you need to know where you are on it How to overcome isolation and grow your network The perils of treating your interactions as “transactions” and how to build stronger connections The #1 thing you MUST master if you want to communicate your value and connect with more clients How to avoid people getting bored and their eyes glazing over when you try to answer the question “So, what do you do?” How to make the most of every interaction you have in your business The 4 things you NEED to include in your Connection Statement to make it effective How and when to use your Connection Statement to get more clients and expand your network Much, much more... Also mentioned in this episode: Free Workshop - Get More Clients Workshop

One of the BEST ways we’ve found to grow our businesses is through Strategic Alliances. But how do you start? What are you looking for in a Strategic Alliance partner? Where can you find good Strategic Alliances? In this episode, your hosts, Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon answer all those questions and more. FREE DOWNLOAD: Plus you can get a free download Strategic Alliance Success Framework by going here: Listen to this episode to hear more about: 6 types of Strategic Alliances and how to know which one is right for you The “Peaches and Cream” test and how to use it to pick awesome Strategic Alliances What you can learn from Spotify and Uber’s Strategic Alliance for your small business How a formal dress hire company in Canada used Strategic Alliances to grow their business Suzi and Michelle’s favourite partnerships - what worked and why Much, much more... Also mentioned in this episode: Free Download - Strategic Alliance Framework [INSERT LINK] Fiona Keary - Style Liberation Chantel Gilbert - Bluegum Electrical Rent, Frock, Repeat Headspace