This guest post comes from Paul Wilson, Jr. of 3hrive.com.

One of my most memorable life experiences is having the chance to play college football, which is why I’m a huge fan of the game. Those who follow college football know that from mid-December to early January of every year is “bowl season.” Football enthusiasts around the country will probably over-indulge, having the chance to watch 35 bowl games starting December 17th and culminating with the championship game on January 9th.

One of the most well-known college football conferences is the Big 12. And although they don’t have a team playing in the championship game this year, they regularly have teams that are at or near the top of the national rankings. However, as accomplished as that conference is, I don’t want you to confuse that Big 12 with the “B.I.G. 12 for 2012”.

Top-tier college football teams set a goal to be the national champion, not just to win a bowl game. Well this blog is not about college football or New Year’s bowl games. You need to determine what a championship year looks like for you.

What does winning the “big one” look like in your business?

How will you know if you are on track to meet or exceed preseason expectations? How are you preparing to make mid-season adjustments based on fresh opportunities, unexpected events, or new challenges?

Most people want to build a big business, but that is often focused on temporal measures of success that won’t stand the tests of time. However, a “B.I.G.” (Bold, Innovative, God-Inspired) business is one that focuses on building significance, i.e. the ultimate legacy that you want to create based on how you and your business impacts people and communities.

Significance happens by helping others achieve success. If you focus your efforts on building a significant business, you will definitely reap success along the way.

Here are 12 B.I.G. ideas to propel you to have a significant championship season personally and professionally in 2012:

1. Write a life championship speech – your eulogy – as if you were going to die 50 years from now. Then write what would you need to start doing in 2012 to eventually live up to your future legacy.

2. Choose a daily reading plan to read through the entire Bible. This is your spiritual playbook. If you have already done this previously, choose a different version of the Bible than you normally read.

3. Pray constantly for your customers, competitors, strategic partners, and employees. The Holy Spirit is your competitive advantage, so ask God for the specific wisdom for how to most effectively deal with each of these groups. Also ask Him for divine alliances.

4. On a monthly basis study the business characteristics of Biblical leaders such as Jacob, Joseph, Daniel, Paul, and others.

5. Choose a community group or charity in which to invest a percentage of your company’s profits on a monthly basis.

6. Choose a community group or charity in which to volunteer your time serving on a monthly basis.

7. Choose a community or non-profit organization that needs your expertise and offer one of your products or services pro bono. Ask God for creative wisdom so that all parties involved will be able to benefit over a long period of time.

8. Join a business-focused Bible study group where you can get strengthened spiritually and naturally in living out your faith while growing a sustainable business. There is safety in wise council.

9. Facilitate 12 information interviews (one per month) with a successful expert in your industry and draw out the transferable principles that you can apply to your business and life.

10. Facilitate 12 information interview (one per month) with a successful expert in a different industry than yours and draw out the transferable principles that you can apply to your business and life.

11. Plan an international business missions trip to be completed in either 2012 or 2013. The purpose of this B.I.G. adventure is to have a three-cord impact on the foreign community you choose to engage: social, spiritual, and financial.

12. Rest, relax, and recreate regularly. Your health is your greatest wealth. Take care of your spirit, soul, and body so you can enjoy the fruit of your bountiful harvest.

Champions prepare with the expectation that they are going to win. You will have a Bold, Innovative, God-Inspired year personally and professionally in 2012 when you plan your work and then work your plan. The significance you achieve will be worth exponentially more than a trophy. And you will have a great cloud of witnesses who will be cheering on your victories.

What else can you do to have a B.I.G. year in 2012? Leave your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below.

About the Author

Paul Wilson, Jr. is a Marketplace Pastor and “Dream Catalyst” for leaders and entrepreneurs. He is an author, inspirational speaker, and business coach. Connect with him at his website, 3hrive.com

Disclaimer: We will never share your email address with anyone, period.

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“Of course, God wants me to succeed!” you retort, but I want to challenge you on that. It’s not a question of if He wants you to succeed, but what He wants you to succeed at.

Think about that scripture for a second. If you’re a successful entrepreneur and you finally “make it,” have you really made anything at all? Sure, you’ve got a killer blog, marketing materials, clients lining up around the corner, and your profits have increased year over year, but are you really making a difference? I define success not by how many come through the door, but by how many I impact on the way out. God wants us to make an impact with our businesses not just money.

Your business should be the storefront of your soul offering people an array of products and services to meet their physical needs and connect spiritually. That’s why God impregnates us with the entrepreneurial spirit;  to give birth to wealth, provision, and a way to spiritually connect with others no matter where we are.

I want to share something with you that I believe will change your entrepreneurial life. If you want to make more money, get more clients, make an impact, and not just make a paycheck, then here are 5 steps to succeeding in God’s way;

Trust Him

Once you’ve got that killer business idea dropped in your spirit you’ve got to make a decision and trust God to give you everything you need to succeed. You have to It’s making a clear decision in your mind that you’re going to give “God a try.” Did you know that Heaven roots for your success by the vary thought of you trusting God?

Have Faith

After you’ve made the decision it’s time to do something about it. Faith is one part belief and one part action toward the end result. The Bible also says that faith without works is dead. So, you can believe you’re successful all you want, but if you’re not working toward it then you might as well sit on the bench.

Follow the Blueprint

God gave us the greatest player in the game of business – Jesus and He left us his play book - the Bible. What greater tools could you possibly want in order to succeed with your business? Jesus lead with integrity, humbleness, and had incredible vision for his destiny. All we have to do is follow his example.

Use Your Gifts

You think you’re a good drawer by chance? I think not! God gave us all gifts to be blessed and to bless others. I wasn’t the best artist in the world, but I was decent enough to go to an art college. While I was there I met a guy that owned a design firm and he taught me the basics of graphic design. From our fateful meeting I started designing logos and even taught myself web design. Soon after I started my own graphic design company and the rest is history. Don’t over-look something you used to do well but don’t exercise anymore. It may be your ticket to success!

Do Your Part

That’s right, you’ve got work to do too!

• Pray – By staying in constant communication with God you’ll receive guidance, direction, and every answer you could possibly need!
• Fast – Sometimes you’ll have to starve your flesh in order to make your spirit more sensitive to hear from God. You can go on a Daniel Fast, total fast, or eat at specific times of the day. Doing so puts you in a state of spiritual awareness and makes you more productive.
• Give – A major key to being financially successful is your tithe and offering at your local church. It’s a Biblical principle and it works, trust me! By giving a tenth of your income God has to move on your behalf. What does that mean?
  It means, the doors of God’s provision, prosperity, and protection are open for your life and business. Do you realize how awesome that is?
  Let me break it down for you; A. Provision – you’ll have everything you need to succeed! B. Prosperity – you’ve got no choice but to succeed! C. Protection – nothing’s going to stop you when you succeed!

So, does God want you to succeed? Absolutely, but it’s gotta be in a meaningful way that will prosper someone else as well as yourself. Looking over the list above it may seem like God is asking a lot of you. But, is it to much to ask, for abundance of life, prosperity, and a sizable return on investment in life after death?

Let me hear from you. As a Christian entrepreneur are you succeeding like you should? Are you missing a step? Even if you’re not a Christian, I would love to hear what you think as well. Leave a comment or two below. For further reading, I found a great article at Got Questions.org that really gets to the core of How the Bible defines success.

Disclaimer: We will never share your email address with anyone, period.

About The Author

Rod Kirby

Update: Apple just announced it’s iPad 2 which will ship with a dual-core processor, 2 cameras, thinner profile, Facetime video chat, same great battery life, and more apps. Full review coming soon. Until then, the original may have just gotten better [expect to hear about a price drop soon].

There’s no doubt that the iPad 2 will be an awesome tool for business users, but the original is still great as is. Check it out!

Note: All products linked in this article are affiliate links. I’ll never recommend anything I wouldn’t buy. All the links are from trusted 3rd parties and nothing less.

The iPad is the best device on the market for movies, music, games, and more. According to Wikipedia, Apple released the iPad in April 2010, and sold 3 million of the devices in just 80 days; a true testament to it’s multimedia dominance. However, would you believe me if I told you it’s a great companion device for entrepreneurs as well?

Imagine going to a client meeting without your laptop and instead pulling out a multimedia powerhouse with everything you needed to seal the deal. As entrepreneurs we have a need to bring the office with us instead of constantly being tied to a desk. The iPad presents a unique shift in mobile entrepreneurship with its design, mobility, and scalability.

In this week’s episode of The Big Business Show, I’m going to count down the top 5 reasons you should buy an iPad for your business. I’ll also share with you a few apps that’ll help you keep your business running smoothly while you’re on the go.

For all you WordPress using pro-blogger types, check out the Padpressed plugin. It not only makes your WordPress blog iPad friendly, it makes it behave like an iPad app. Whenever someone visits your blog with their iPad they get swipe gestures, touch navigation, and more just like an app.

Note: For more tips, tools, and resources to help you make your blog mobile friendly, check out HOW TO: Make a Mobile Version of Your Blog [iPad Too!]

Enjoy the show, it’s 3 minutes of non-stop total action, thrills, and . . . ok, maybe not all of that, but I think you’ll like it. Be sure to let me know what you think in the comments below.

Check out more episodes of The Big Business Show right here!

Disclaimer: We will never share your email address with anyone, period.

About The Author

Rod Kirby

Millionaire Author, Speaker, and Coach Ken Brown

I got a tip from a friend that Kenneth Brown was in town not long ago. Ken’s story reads like a script straight out of a movie! He was raised in a poor family, had a rough upbringing, managed to pay his own way through college, became one of the youngest African-American owner/operators of a McDonald’s franchise, sold his franchise for millions of dollars, and is now a highly successful author/speaker. So, I had to pick his brain.

In this interview you’ll learn;

• Why you don’t need money to be successful
• What success really means
• How to become successful in this rough economic times
• Ken’s keys to success
• and more!

This was a fantastic interview and I had a great time meeting Ken. Enjoy the interview, it’s short, sweet, to the point, and powerful! Let me know what you think in the comments below. This is episode #3 of the Big Business Show, by the way. Check out the show’s channel on Vimeo or my channel on Youtube for more videos!

Disclaimer: We will never share your email address with anyone, period.

About The Author

Rod Kirby

How SOCIAL is Your Business?

Last Friday I went to the Memphis Business Journal’s “Grow Your Business Expo” and had an opportunity to chat with Doug Watson. Doug was one of 2 keynote speakers for the day presenting on social media for business. In this clip Doug shares some valuable tips on maximizing it for business.

It was a really great interview and I’m super glad (phrase of the day kids) that I met him and had a chance to talk with him. If you’re ever in the Memphis area and you need some career or corporate training, Doug and the Lab Four team can definitely help you.

Enjoy the video. Run-time is only 3:46 but it’s jam-packed with power tips to help you maximize social media for your business. When you’re done let me know what your top social media marketing do’s and don’ts are in the comments below!

Having trouble watching this video? Click here! Check out The Big Business Show’s Vimeo Channel too!

Disclaimer: We will never share your email address with anyone, period.

About The Author

Rod Kirby

Social media marketing is more than simply having a blog, Facebook fan page, and blurbing out your latest products on Twitter. It’s about building and nurturing relationships and community beyond your brand.

I’ve talked a lot about maximizing social media to market your business on this blog, but I’ve never given you a “sequence of events” before like I have in this series. If you’re a small business owner or serial entrepreneur here’s what you have to do in order to be successful in social media marketing;

Step 1: Build a Web Presence for Your Business

Having a web presence is defined as having an Internet footprint. It’s more than just having a website where people can read about your company, see your services, and order from you. It’s how a person finds, follows, and fellowships (connects) with you online.

Read More . . .

Step 2: Build a Brand for Your Business

Social media marketing gives your business the opportunity to carve out a unique niche across the web. How are you going to represent yourself, business, services, or products? What image, feeling, or emotion do you want to convey whenever someone thinks about you and your business? This is the basis for branding. In this short clip I’ll show you the 5 elements to building a brand for your business.

Watch Video . . .

Step 3: Build a Marketing Base for Your Business

You’ve got to build a base which will become the foundation for your business’s success. Think of having a base as the same as having a marketing list. However, instead of a random list of people who don’t know you, you’ve got a list of people who trust and want to buy from you.

So, how do you build a market base for your business? Let’s start with your blog and email then work our way down to social networking sites.

Read More . . .

Step 4: Ask for the Sale

When it comes to social media marketing many entrepreneurs either;

• Ask for the sale too often – Aggressively pitching a product or service over social networks.
• Don’t ask for the sale the right way – Come across as “pitchy,” forced, or non-caring.
  or,
• Are too scared to ask for the sale – Constantly giving but scared their market base will rebel against them if they offer a product or service.

Hopefully, after this post, you’ll be empowered to ask for the sale and never again fall into one of those three categories.

Read More . . .

Series Wrap-Up

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this series as much as I have putting it together. I would love to get your feedback on it in the comments below. Over the weekend I’m going to work on producing an audio book based on this series so you’ll have access to all of it whenever you want it.

Call to Action

If the series has your spirit stirred, fired up, and ready to take your business to the next level contact me for help! I’m launching new services next week that will help entrepreneurs, small businesses, bloggers, and anyone else that wants to take advantage of social media marketing. Here’s a sneak peak at what’s coming next week;

Web Presence Building Services

• Domain name registration
• Web hosting
• WP (WordPress) blog set-up (theme customization, plugin installation, blog logo design)
• And more!

Brand Building Services

• Custom logo design
• Business card design
• Custom Twitter background design
• Facebook Fan Page customization
• And more!

Market Base Building Services

• Twitter updating (unique content) & follower build-up
• Facebook fan page custom content & fan build-up
• Custom newsletter content creation
• Custom blog content creation
• Video production services (includes shooting, editing, effects, etc.)
• And more!

If you see a service offered that meets your need, please, use my contact form and let me help you take your business to the next level! I’ll reveal pricing and other details next week, but, contact me today if you want a project quoted.

Rod

P.S. –  Subscribe to my “Success Tips!” newsletter for a special one-time introductory offer that will go out next week! I’ll also offer discounts and other freebies through the newsletter periodically as well.

P.P.S. – If you’re a “do-it-yourself-er” and don’t need the services mentioned above but still want to learn how to maximize social media for your business, contact me! I offer success coaching, consulting, and training at unbeatable prices. Sessions can be held over the phone, via Skype, or even in person no matter where you live in the U.S.! (That’s right, I can come to you and be your personal coach for the day! It’s cheaper than you think . . . trust me!)

Disclaimer: We will never share your email address with anyone, period.

About The Author

Rod Kirby

Welcome to the Social Media Marketing Success Series! There are 4 things you have to do in order to be successful in using social media to market your business; you have to Build a Web Presence, Build a Brand, Build a Base, and Ask for the Sale. We’ll go over each of these this week and give you everything you need to succeed in social media marketing!

Ready?

Let’s Go!

Note: The series recap - 4 Steps to Social Media Marketing Success is now available!

Part 1 – How to Build a Web Presence

Need to Build a Web Presence?

If a potential client looked for you online what would they find? Embarrassing Facebook pictures, a negative article written about your business from the local paper, a website that hasn’t been updated since it launched, or nothing at all? Of course, no one wants to fess up to any of those answers, but a lot of people fall into these categories;

A. Their web presence consists of their personal social media accounts,

B. Their web presence consists of what other people say about them,

C. Their web presence consists of a website that still has a “splash page” back from 1998,

or

D. They don’t have a web presence at all.

If you subconsciously raised your hand then you’re reading the right article.

Having a web presence is defined as having an Internet footprint. It’s more than just having a website where people can read about your company, see your services, and order from you. It’s how a person finds, follows, and fellowships (connects) with you online.

There are 4 things you have to do in order to build a web presence for your business. You have to secure a domain name, get online with a web host, launch a blog, and get social!

Step 1: Secure a Domain Name

Domain Name

The web address of this blog, The Success Center, is www.rodkirby.com. Why did I choose my name for a domain name? Because, I wanted people to find me when they looked for success (It’s a part of my brand – we’ll talk more about branding tomorrow). Here are a few tips in helping you choose a domain name to start your web presence;

• Keep it as short and simple as possible!
• Don’t include numbers.
• Use your real name, nick name, stage name, or pen name.
• GoDaddy.com is a pretty good place to secure a domain name.
• Be sure to select private registration. This keeps your personal information safe from data miners.
• Securing your domain for multiple years in advance rates well with search engines. It shows stability and let’s them know that your site will be around for a while.
• Some web hosts such as Fused Network (aff link) will register your domain name for you if you get a hosting package.

Step 2: Get Online with a Web Host

Web Hosting

Web hosts come a dime a dozen, but great ones offer excellent customer service and give you more for your money. The Success Center is hosted through Fused Network (aff link) which I have had for over a year now. Needless to say, I love their service. Here are a few things to look for in choosing a web host;

• Shared Hosting – A shared host refers to a web hosting service where many websites reside on one web server connected to the Internet. You’ll find the most bang for your buck with these services.
• Dedicated Hosting –  A type of Internet hosting in which the client leases an entire server not shared with anyone. More expensive but is great for sites that get extremely large amounts of traffic.
• Shared Hosting vs. Dedicated Hosting – My advice is to start with a shared account and as your site grows, scale it to a dedicated account.
• If you already have a website up, look for a host that offers free data and email migration services. It’ll save you tons of headaches in the future.
• A host that offers free WordPress installation and theme set-up is definitely a plus.Speaking of WordPress . . .

Step 3: Launch a Blog

Blogging

The key to building a web presence is to have a hub where everyone can receive updates, news, content, and other information about you and your business. This is where blogging comes into play. For most people a blog is simply an online diary with a couple of pictures chronicling their recent trip overseas. However, for the successful, a blog is the pulse of their online community. I could cover blogging for days alone, but for now, I’ll just hit the “high notes;”

• Install a WordPress blog for maximum stability, support, and functionality.
• Purchase a high quality WordPress theme to give your blog a unique look. I highly recommend Woothemes (aff link) as their themes are custom made and give you great support as well. If “free” is best for your budget then check out Smaching Magazine’s 100 Free High Quality WordPress Themes collection.
• Enhance WordPress with free plugins. Among my favorites are;
  Disqus Comment System – Great commenting system that adds user avatars, sharing, and more!
  FT Signature Manager – Adds an “about the author” box at the end of each post.
  GD Star Rating – Lets readers rate articles with stars and more!
  Page Links To – Links any page to any website. So you can have an “About Us” link directly to your Facebook fan page as an example.
  WordPress Mobile Edition – Generates a beautiful mobile version of your blog. Perfect for smart-phone readers.
  Sexy Bookmarks – Adds beautiful social bookmark and sharing options to your blog.
  Tweetmeme RT Button – Allows readers to share your posts on Twitter.
  Facebook Share Button – Allows readers to share your posts on Facebook.
  Note: Get more of my WordPress plugin recommendations from my Resources page.
• Define your blog’s niche – Start with your industry, break it down into categories, then topics, and get your creative juices flowing from there.
• Create a Plan – You’re not going to get very far unless you have an idea of where you want to go. Start with a name for your blog, niche, topics you want to blog about, who you want to read your blog, how often you’re going to update your blog, and what kind of content you’re going to create (articles, videos, podcasts, or all of the above).
• Create an Editorial Calendar – It doesn’t matter how often you update your blog . . . as long as you do it consistently. Having a schedule is a great way to keep content fresh and updated on a regular basis. Watch this video to learn how.
• Want to take your blog to the next level? Watch my PowerPoint presentations; Treat Your Blog Like A Magazine and Take it to the Next Level! and 4 Pillars To Building A Successful Blog.
• Check out the “Best Of” page for more of my best advice on blogging.

Step 4: Get Social!

Social Media

If your blog is the hub of your web presence then Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube are your outstations. The greatest marketer in history was Jesus Christ. He didn’t give salvation to only those that were in a church, he went where the people were! You have to do the same. Potential clients and customers are waiting to connect with you outside of your blog and that’s where you have to go. Here are some tips on maximizing social media to enhance your web presence;

• Facebook – A Social network with over 500 million users. Great for building deeper connections with blog readers, followers, and potential customers.
  - Create a Facebook Fan Page to centralize your customers and help them engage with your brand, business, and content in new ways.
  - Customize the look of your fan page to keep your brand consistent and unique (more on this tomorrow).
  - Share exclusive content on your Fan page such as videos, podcasts, and etc.
  - Install the Networked Blogs app to automatically share your blog posts on Facebook.
• Twitter – Twitter is a social messaging utility for staying connected in real-time. It’s great for sharing useful content (news, articles, special deals, etc.), generating blog traffic, and building community.
  - Start by searching for keywords related to your niche and “listening” to conversations.
  - Follow thought leaders, influential types, bloggers, and others who are related to your industry.
  - Engage by sharing related content, commenting, and promoting others.
  - Share what’s happening in real-time at events, conferences, and other places of interest.
  - The more you share the more followers you’ll build up!
  - Don’t forget to download a free copy of my e-book, The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Twitter Success!
• Youtube – YouTube is a video sharing website on which users can upload and share videos. It’s an excellent network to reach customers, generate web traffic, and have content “go viral.”
  - Search for videos related to your industry, product, service, or blog niche. Use these to start a “video hub” of content.
  - Upload videos of tips, best practices, advice, and how-to’s.
  - Create your own web TV show and upload video interviews of people related to your niche.
• Tip: You don’t have to have an account with every social network. Only the ones you know you’ll be able to update consistently. There are many more social sites you can be a part of, just remember to go where your potential customers are!
• Use tools such as Hootsuite or Tweetdeck to update and manage your social media accounts at the same time.
• Create a Social Calendar – similar to an editorial calendar, except, include when and how often you’re going to update your social networking sites.
• Be sure to check out the Best Of page for more advice on maximizing social media.

Your web presence is the sum of your digital footprint that leads people from your hub (blog) to your outstations (social networks) and vice versa. The domain name and web host are only the formalities permitting it all to be found and branded in a unique way. Come back tomorrow for part 2 of the social media marketing success series as I show you how to build a brand. What do you think of the series thus far? What tips or advice would you add to building a web presence for your business? Leave your comments below!

Disclaimer: We will never share your email address with anyone, period.

About The Author

Rod Kirby

Are you headed for success?

(This post was originally published in October 2009 and was updated with new content!)

If a media mogul, with a net worth of half a ba-jillion dollars, offered to share his or her secrets of their success, would you listen? I don’t know about you, but I’d be willing to listen and learn from any media mogul who wanted to share anything with me!

The wisdom, knowledge, and understanding you could gain from that person would definitely be worth paying for. However, there is one requirement to gaining access to this free knowledge, you have to sign-up for their newsletter and share it with all your friends. Would you do it?

I think the majority of you would because you want to take your business to the next level. That’s the place where opportunities come to you instead of you having to knock on doors to find them. That’s where success, prosperity, and the freedom to live your life the way you want is. How do you get there?

You Have to Make Strategic Marketing Moves

Getting the word out about your blog, website, business, products, or services is key to business growth. People won’t know who you are if you don’t tell them. Common sense right? Yet, the Small Business Administration says;

[In 2008] There were 627,200 new businesses, with 595,600 business closures, and 43,546 bankruptcies.

As an entrepreneur I have to believe that one of the primary reasons for all the closures and bankruptcies has  to do with their marketing plans. I can’t help but wonder, “how did they spend their advertising dollars?” Did they do what typical businesses do and overspend on print marketing and TV spots? Sure, the economy did make things harder for entrepreneurs . . . but not impossible. That’s why you have to make strategic marketing moves to position yourself for success.

Want to know the greatest marketing secret ever? You’ll be surprised along with some ways to maximize the technique.

So, what are the secrets to growing your small business?

1. Maximize tools, resources, and information that you already have

If you have a laptop, a mobile phone, and a car then you’ve got an office. Don’t limit your thinking to what you don’t have because God equipped you with everything you need to succeed. If there’s a piece of equipment that’s a “gotta have,” then continue to work with what you have until you can afford it.

Resource: 5 Free Ways to Market Your Business

2. Build relationships with prospects and create clients for life

Don’t go for the quick sale. Take the time to get to know people, what they want, and what they need. Doing so positions you to generate long-term sales and success. Not doing that makes you sound like a pushy used car salesman . . . and no one wants to buy from that guy.

Want my best advice on building relationships? Check out 10 Ways to Build Relationships and Keep Clients for Life

3. Brand your company and distribute a unique message that declares who you are and what you’re about

What company comes to mind when you hear “We love to see you smile?” What about, “Just do it?” These are themes associated with company brands. You can have that same power but it doesn’t come over night. It’s something you have to build piece by piece consistently. When I went to Social Camp Memphis this year there were people who knew who I was before I said anything to them. That’s the power of personal branding. Make it work for you!

Resources: Check out How to Use Social Media to Build Your Brand Locally and listen to my show Personal Branding 101 with Ronald Wilsher

4. Leverage social media and traditional marketing in a way that yields real results

A real result is one that makes a physical impact on your local market. If you can network on Twitter and as a result create relationships that leads to business in your city then you’ve got yourself a real result. Whether you like it or not, social media isn’t a fad and it’s not going away anytime soon. Are you leveraging it to make real results for your business?

Resources: You’ll enjoy my post, The Recipe for Social Media Sales Success – in it I share how social media marketing can help you make real dollars and cents. Also, take a look at 35 Keys to Social Media Success by Chris Brogan. Chris shares some valuable info for entrepreneurs who are venturing into social media marketing.

The Bottom Line

You have to build your business with these four walls in order for it to grow and succeed. A tool that can help you build your business and take it to the next level is my newsletter, “Success Tips!”.  I mail out tips and advice on marketing and growing your business. If the Success Center is a grand buffet then “Success Tips!” is a plate full of meat that promotes strong business muscles. Each edition builds on one of the four walls of business success above. Don’t take my word for it, look at what others have to say about it;

What Should You Do Next?

So, you’re all stirred up and ready to take your blog, business, product, or service to the next level. . .now what? Remember the ba-jillionaire’s requirements for gaining access to his free knowledge at the beginning? The process is as simple as 1, 2, and 3.

Step 1 - Sign-up
Enter your email address below. I hate spam as much as you do so I WILL NEVER sell, rent, or abuse your contact information. Once you’ve signed up, check your email in-box for my welcome letter and be sure to add rodsuccesscenter (at) gmail.com to your safe list.

Note: You can read through the newsletter archives to catch-up on past editions. You’ll find tons of solid advice that will help you market your business.

Sign up for Success Tips!

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What else creates a strong business and promotes success? What are you doing to promote growth for yours or what tips have you learned from others? I would love to hear you thoughts in the comments section below.

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About The Author

Rod Kirby

Me and My Twitter BFF

If you are following me on Twitter then you know that yesterday I was tweeting live at #BroganMemphis. That’s right, I had a front row seat to the biggest nerd-meet-up [cough - I mean, business meet-up - cough] in Memphis’ history! Speaker, author, blogger, and social media ninja, Chris Brogan was in the house delivering fantastic information on how businesses could maximize social media.

Shout Outs

Big thanks to Amy Howell [follow her if you don't already, she rocks my socks!] for inviting me, Thom Rigsby for making sure I didn’t embarrass myself, everyone who looked like their Twitter profile pic, and  Chris Brogan for sparing a moment to give us some advice in the video below.

Tweets of Wisdom

After the quick video you’ll find my tweets from the front row. I’ll also be updating my Facebook Fanpage with another video and pics so be sure to head over there once you’re done. There’s a ton of wisdom in these 35 tweets. So, bookmark this page, save it in Google Reader, and share it with a friend or two because I guarantee it’ll tickle you silly how awesome they are!

By the way, if you’d like to read other awesome tweets from yesterday’s event, type #BroganMemphis in Twitter search to get in on the conversations. Let me know if any of them hit home with you in the comments below. Enjoy!

35 Power Tweets for Social Media Success

#1. Everyone is in sells and everyone is in customer service. If you’re not powering “human business” you’ll end up unemployed.

#2. Social media can be used for awareness, lead generation, education, sales, crm, and community.

#3. 3 Major Buckets of Social Media; listening, connecting, and publishing. Spend 30 mins a day doing each 4 success.

#4. Have a media company mindset – think production, distribution, engagement, and two-way communication.

#5. Definition of “Human Business” – it’s sustainable, relationship-minded, and value-driven. (no shady marketing!)

#6. At the core of Social Media marketing is your database – grow it, feed it, and manage it with care.
listening is a HUGE human-business boom. [tap into it and make use of social media to listen!]

#7. Best way to make a sale is to “be there BEFORE the sale” – get to know people, earn trust, engage!

#8. 12:1 rule: tweet and share 12 times as much as you do about everyone else and then make your “ask”

#9. Don’t count your [blog] “views” as value at the end of the day how much you have in the cash register is what counts.

#10. Don’t use social media tool measurements, use money, number of sign-ups, and generate REAL action.

#11. Human Branding – use real names on social networks, real faces, promote others, get into conversations!

#12. Blog Advice; make sure you have real goals don’t just have a blog to “have a blog.”

#13. Blog Advice; build a content catalog, use an editorial calendar. Need help? Here’s a video http://bit.ly/2BcjB6

#14. Blogger Outreach; start making friends (genuine, friends, not based on how many followers they have)

#15. Measure social media success with tangible goals – not views, but sales and sign-ups!

#16. Human-Business Success; 30 mins of listening, 60 mins. of producing content, 30 mins of responding

#17. Social Media Marketing Success – share! “Free” is a very powerful tool.

#18. Start thinking of a mobile strategy – beyond phones as well (ipad, etc.)

#19. Affiliate Marketing is a great way to make money online. [Offer products you stand behind and don't push them!]

#20. If you’re going to start social media marketing, give yourself 3 months to get into the groove of things.

#21. Damage Control Plan – be “socially chirpy” during the good and the bad times. Response time is less than 24 hrs.

#22. Damage Plans – people who don’t have relationships with their communities won’t be as successful in controlling it.

#23. Linkedin questions and answers is really powerful, groups are amazing. [Don't discount it!]

#24. Posterous is a great tool for posting emails that come out like a blog on the other end. [Very powerful for quick posts!]

#25. Video bridges the generational gap in social media [very powerful tool 4 marketing]

#26. Apps are a real opportunity for digital publishers. Trick is to create useful content. Not just advertise.

#27. Privacy is dead because of the internet. [Win by having as much volume & value as u can]

#28. People don’t look [for services] until they have a need. Use listening tools to reach people BEFORE they need you.

#29. Best way to get companies who aren’t using social media on board is to not confuse them with the “nerd-o-logy”

#30. Twitter has changed the dynamic of how we get our news. We get real-time news faster than regular news channels.

#31. Media Company Advice: get out of the circulation game and get into the “action-game.” They have to adapt.

#32. The new value for media companies online is not subscribers but content/reader engagement. [social currency]

#33. Quick Fact: chrisbrogan starts his day by listening, reading other posts, publishing a few posts, and interacting.

#34. When sharing, share things that you really like. Not just “anything.”

#35. Don’t just “collect recipes,” open a restaurant. Put what you collect into action.

Disclaimer: We will never share your email address with anyone, period.

About The Author

Rod Kirby

What Could You Learn from Him?

Update 10/05/2011: Sadly, one day after the iPhone 4S announcement, Apple announced that Steve jobs passed away on Wednesday 10/05. He was a creative genius and someone who changed the scene of technology as we knew it.

Our prayers go out to his family, friends, and co-workers at Apple.

Note: The article below was originally published on May 4, 2010.

In 2009, Fortune name Steve Jobs CEO of the decade; beating out Google’s Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Warren Buffet, Oprah Winfrey, and Carlos Slim Helu (currently the world’s richest man).

Why him?

• Could it be the fact that he reinvented the music, movie, and telecommunications industries
• Maybe because a $100 investment in Apple stock on Dec 30th 1999 would’ve grown to $7,898 by early 2008
• Maybe when Apple launched the iMac in 2001 it had only 2% of the US PC Market, but by Nov. 2009 it dominated the high-end computer market (accounting for 90%)
• Or what about the fact that Apple was responsible for 99.4% of mobile apps sales in 2009

Oh…let’s not forget that Apple sold 300, 000 iPads its first day out (roughly $150,000,000).  Have you heard of a product selling $150,000,000  on its first day??!!

No…me neither.

So it’s safe that say that Christian Entrepreneurs might be able to pick up a few tips.

So here they are…some Job-isms for the Christian Entrepreneur:

1. Have a Purpose Beyond Making Money

I can’t stress this enough. Great entrepreneurs have a purpose that goes beyond making money. Don’t get me wrong–they make money but also set out to change the world in some way. The purpose embedded in Apple’s DNA has always been ”to democratize technology.”And breakthrough technology has been born out of that purpose.

The Bible says, “The noble-hearted man has noble purposes, and by these he will be guided.” (Isaiah 32:8 The Bible in Basic English)

When Apple was under the leadership of John Sculley (after Jobs was ousted) it focused more on marketing than engineering; on pointing out past successes than looking for future opportunities. That set the tone for a very expensive downward spiral. It lost sight of its purpose. It needed its purpose driven founder to take it from bad–to good–to great.

2. Pay Attention to Details

Right before Apple was set to release the iPhone in 2007 ( the riskiest project to date), Jobs came in one Monday morning and told his team:

“I just don’t love this. I can’t convince myself to fall in love with this. And this is the most important product we’ve ever done.”

Think about that for a second: millions of dollars have been allocated, dozens of hours have been logged, sacrifices have been made, and the CEO comes in and says: “I think we can do it better…let’s start over.”

And yet this isn’t new.

When Pixar (his former company–now owned by Disney) was making Toy Story there was a point when they realized the story wasn’t that good. So they shut down production for five months, while they perfected the story. They could have just left it at good, but Jobs knows, that good is never good enough.

Jobs tends to view products in one of two ways:

“Insanely great” or “s#!t”

He is a stickler for details.

He understands that form is just as important as function.

Gordon Ramses (the chef on TV who’s always screaming at people) expressed his philosophy of detail:

“It doesn’t matter how amazing the steak is, if it’s served on a cold plate it’s crap. If it’s served with a dull knife it’s crap. If the gravy isn’t piping hot, it’s crap. If you’re eating it on an uncomfortable chair, it’s crap. If it’s served by an ugly waiter who just came in from a smoke break, it’s crap. Because I care about the steak, I have to care about everything around it.”

Jesus was a stickler for details. He never cut corners, and whatever He did was done with excellence. In fact, in prayer, He told God:

“I glorified You on earth By completing down to the last detail what You assigned Me to do….I spelled out your character in detail to the men and women You gave Me.” (John 17: 4,6 The Message)

Whatever you’re building be as concerned (if not more) about the little things. Because the majority of people aren’t. That “attention to detail” mindset will push you light years ahead of those “other people.”

Remember Jobs: “It’s ‘insanely great’ or its ‘s#!t!’”

3. Strong Leaders Need Strong Leadership

After Jobs became Apple’s CEO one of the first things was replace his supporting leadership with people from NeXT (his former company). He understood a simple truth: a leader is as strong as its supporting leadership.

When I say “leaders” I mean just that: leaders!

Not “yes men”, but strong men. Not soldiers, but generals. Not just followers, but leaders in their own right. John Maxwell calls this The Law of the Inner Circle:

“A Leader’s Potential is Determined by Those Closest to Him.” (The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, p.109)

Early in his career, Jobs’ been obsessed with getting the most talented and competent people possible. In fact, at NeXT, he once braggedthat even his receptionist had a PH.d!

Saul and David were very strong leaders. But David, unlike Saul, was comfortable with having Mighty Men around him and as a result his kingdom grew to awesome heights! Saul, however, was intimated by having any one around him who could possibly upstage him (i.e. David).

Jobs found the best, was the best, and therefore created the best.

4. Customers Are NOT Always Right

Apple does no market research. They scoff at the notion of target markets. They hire no outside consultants to see what customers want.

Why?

Because Jobs understands a simple truth about people: people don’t know what they need and they think they know what they want.

He subscribes to the philosophy of Henry Ford:

“If I’d have asked my customers what they wanted, they would have told me ‘A faster horse.”

In his words:

“There’s a certain amount of homework involved, true, but mostly it’s just picking up on things you can see on the periphery. Sometimes when you’re almost asleep, you realize something you wouldn’t otherwise have noted. I subscribe to a half-dozen Internet news services, and I get about 300 e-mails a day, many from people I don’t know, hawking crazy ideas. And I’ve always paid close attention to the whispers around me.”

Those “whispers” have created some of the greatest products the world has ever seen!

You have to constantly keep your ear to the street: looking for things that others haven’t yet picked up on.

Truth be told, great entrepreneurs are like prophets: they see things others don’t see, listen to that “still small voice” or “the whispers”, and pounce on the opportunities immediately!

They constantly keep their ear to the street.

Jesus kept His ear to the street:

“Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, ‘Who do men say that I am?’” (Mark 8:27 New King James Version)

AND He understood the changing (and fickle) desires of people:

“Because of the miraculous signs He did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many people were convinced that He was indeed the Messiah.  But Jesus didn’t trust them, because He knew what people were really like. No one needed to tell Him about human nature.” (John 2:23-25 New Living Translation)

Jobs understands that what people want today will not be what they want tomorrow. And as result, of that knowledge he’s positioned Apple as a global phenomenon.

5. Failure is a Stepping Stone to Success

In light of Job’s successes it’s so easy to over look his failures:the Lisa, NeXT, Motorola ROKR, Apple TV. That said, 8 of the Top 10 Apple Products  Which Flopped were designed during the Jobs absence, when Jobs was not with Apple (also check out Steve Jobs’ 5 Biggest Mistakes).  That being said: failure is an inevitable step to success.

There’s no way around it.

But let me say this: mistakes aren’t bad, not learning from mistakes is bad. But the benefits of mistakes will only be learned through persistence and trying different strategies.

Jesus taught the disciples the value of trying different strategies. Both were when they when they were fishing and caught no fish:

“When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Now go out where it is deeper and let down your nets, and you will catch many fish.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if You say so, we’ll try again.’ And this time their nets were so full they began to tear!” (Luke 5:4-6 New Living Translation)

“At dawn the disciples saw Jesus standing on the beach, but they couldn’t see who He was. He called out, ‘Friends, have you caught any fish?’ ‘No,’ they replied. Then He said, ‘Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get plenty of fish!’ So they did, and they couldn’t draw in the net because there were so many fish in it.” (John 21: 4-6 New Living Translation)

The message was simple: “Keep doing what you’re doing, don’t quit, just change this.”

To succeed you’re going to have to persist in spite of failure.

6. Success Comes Through Focus Not Through Diversity

When Jobs took over as “interim CEO” the company, according to him, “had a zillion and one products.” He immediately set out to reduce that number drastically. Now to be fair, the previous CEO, saw this and cut the number from 350 to 50. Jobs finished it up bycutting it to 10.

That ability to focus, according to Jobs, had helped Apple drastically:

“Apple is a $30 billion company, yet we’ve got less than 30 major products. I don’t know if that’s ever been done before. Certainly the great consumer electronics companies of the past had thousands of products. We tend to focus much more. People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.”

Great entrepreneurs have the ability to focus on things that matter (or that bring the most return).

For instance, while most fund managers spread their bets among dozens if not hundreds of stocks, Warren Buffet (arguably the worlds greatest investor)  has been known to allocate tens of billions to only a handful of stocks. More surprising is that his top 10 account for 90 percent of his portfolio!

How has this strategy worked for him?

Well… if you invested $1000 in 1956 in the DOW/S&P by the end of 2007 you would have made $139,131

But…if you invested that same $1000 in his company at the same time you would have made $30,649,493

Wow! Crazy isn’t it?

Jesus understood the power of focus. Though He spent time with thousands of people, He revealed Himself the most to the 12 disciples. When He left it was the 12 (Matthias replacing Judas) who spread the Gospel and turned the world upside down! He focused His efforts and as a result got His Message into the hearts of billions. Would He have gotten such a result spreading Himself so thin? Probably not.

But…don’t get me wrong…diversity has its benefits too. Especially when you’re just starting out and not sure of what you’re doing. But after a while, you should see where the most returns are coming from. When you do focus your efforts there.

Well that’s all I got! I tried to keep it short (wink wink). But its obvious there are a lot of lessons to be learn. It just takes the right entrepreneur who’s willing to go to school.

What do you think?

Mike Holmes

Mike Holmes is a blogger that writes on business and leadership development from a Biblical perspective. When he’s not writing blogs or speaking he can be found writing bios in the third person. Check out his website/blog here.

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