A special invite to the Make Marketing Suck Less Virtual Event? Social media feels like a 20-lb weight choking all the joy out of my business. All the "shoulds." All the rules. All the head trash around having the "perfect" hook." Maybe you feel it, too? Here's the deal: you don't have to RELY on social media for audience growth. You've got a ton of options. Finding what works for you is freeing. I'm hosting a virtual event, Make Marketing Suck Less to help you do just that. I'm gathering 10 business owners to reveal their  BEST marketing method to book more business this year beyond likes & shares. Because this is a conversation that the industry needs to have, as there is no ONE way to market your business. Your way is unique to you based on your strengths, who you serve, and how you want to show up. Join us here: https://drmichellemazur.com/event

Who are you talking to?  And I don't mean just your right-fit client. You probably know that you're talking to moms, other business owners, or women in tech looking to make a career change.  But who are you talking to in relationship with your business?  Have they been following you for ages, or did they just stumble on your website yesterday?  Because knowing that matters.  Let's talk about why understanding the relationship your potential clients have with you is key and how it's going to make your marketing twice as effective for your business. In this episode, we'll discuss: The strategic questions you should be asking yourself whenever you're marketing The five core stages of awareness and how your messaging aligns with each The relationship between messaging goals, audience awareness, and marketing strategies  

The foundation for all your messaging is something that is so often overlooked and skipped by many solo business owners.  This is an essential piece of messaging for ensuring that you're able to capture the attention of the people you want to serve. It helps you grow your audience.  This piece of messaging also makes sure that what you're saying resonates, that it makes sense and that it is persuasive to the people you most want to reach.  So what is this often overlooked and skipped-over piece of messaging? Voice of customer research.  In this episode we'll be discussing: The missing piece business owners leave out of their messaging Why client avatars aren’t the way to go and what to do instead Learn exactly what the VOC is and what it will capture How incredibly beneficial AI is in complimenting your VOC data The best way to create marketing content  

Happy 2024, Expert!   I'm noticing something that I never thought I would see in online business.   Messaging is finally having its moment.  While I'm thrilled that messaging is getting the attention it deserves, there is a catch, my friend.  Most of the business coaches and marketers who are talking about it are oversimplifying what messaging is and leading business owners astray about its true strategic purpose in your business.  So let's start the year off right by demystifying what messaging is with all the nuance, the goal it helps your business achieve, and how to become a master messaging mixologist to make marketing suck less. In this episode, you will: Learn what are the various elements of messaging   Discover the goal of messaging in business and how it’s a lot like politics  Hear the definition of messaging and its pivotal role in persuasion Understand the analogy of creating messaging as concocting a cocktail  

We made it.   This has been quite a year.  It's been unlike any year that I have seen in business before. As we wrap up 2023, I wanted to take a moment to celebrate and also take you behind the scenes of my business for an honest look at what 2023 was really like, what I'm proud of, what didn't go well at all and my secret excitement and hope for 2024. In this episode we'll discuss: My top three highlights of the year The most challenging situations of the year, both financially and personally My predictions for 2024  

There's a famous episode of South Park where gnomes are stealing the kids' underpants. The kids go on a quest to find out why the gnomes are stealing underpants. The reason? It's capitalism.  You see, the gnomes have a plan: Step 1, Steal underpants Step 2, I don't know??? Step 3, Profit! The way marketing is taught often uses the exact same strategy as the underpants gnomes, and it could be the reason why your marketing isn't as effective in bringing you more clients and booking more business. In this episode you'll hear: The analogy of the underpants gnomes stealing underpants as a marketing strategy Product market fit and its significance in marketing The importance of the foundation of messaging  

 If you scroll through social media, there are a heck of a lot of marketing experts all screaming at you about how they have the way, the proven formula that will help you book more business overnight.  Much of that advice is conflicting, and it also leaves you feeling like you need to be everywhere on all the platforms to grow your business.  And that's tough, especially as a solo business owner who is juggling so much client delivery, and sales, on top of all the marketing you should be doing.  In this episode, we are doing something a little bit different. I'm sharing with you a roundtable I facilitated that brought together three experts, Diann Wingert, Pauline Wiles, and Elise Enriquez, to discuss their challenges around overmarketing, and how they are learning to do less marketing, but do it better.  Tune in to identify where you're overdoing it when it comes to marketing and how to right-size your own marketing strategy. Because one of the insights that I had from this discussion is that overmarketing can also lead to overgiving, and that has impacts on your business.  We'll also cover the difference between being a creator versus being a business owner and how that impacts your approach as well. Whether you need help letting go of certain tactics or just want to dial in your own strategy, this discussion provides valuable insights for you, the solo business owner, looking to streamline your efforts. In this episode we'll discuss: The pressures and challenges of overmarketing How to let go of unproductive marketing strategies The difference between being a creator vs a business owner  Boundaries in content creation and marketing How to find clarity in marketing and business strategies  

All-or-nothing thinking is a scourge when it comes to messaging and marketing for your business.  What I see i sfar too often  business owners spend a ton of time, energy, and even money creating a new marketing asset.  Let's say you create a new lead magnet to grow your email community.  You'll spend hours creating that lead magnet, writing the welcome sequence, creating the landing page for it.   It could take you weeks or even months to finish that project, and then you'll put it out into the world. If you're not seeing the results that you hoped you would get, you just throw up your hands and think, “It's not working. I'm going to scrap the whole thing.” What do you say if we don't do that?  What if there is a better way to approach it?  One where you're not throwing the baby out with the bathwater, but instead, you tweak and evolve. In this episode we discuss: The negative impact of all-or-nothing thinking on messaging and marketing. The importance of tweaking and evolving marketing assets rather than scrapping them entirely. The process of planning, executing, and evaluating marketing experiments. The role of identifying glimmers of success and areas that feel difficult in the evaluation process. The significance of dedicating time and attention to creating effective marketing assets for business growth.    

Do you ever feel like you're not marketing enough?  You know what you should be doing, but the thought of doing it sucks the life force out of you.  You'd much rather work with your clients or do almost anything else, including cleaning your cat's litter box, than market your business.   If that's you. I want you to know that you are not alone.  I am letting you in on a recent conversation I had with two Expert Up Club members, Laura Gatsos Young and Bev Feldman, about under marketing their business, why it happens, what they're doing about it, and some of the unforeseen consequences of not getting the word out there about your business.  In this episode we'll discuss: The consequences of under marketing your business How to overcome mindset barriers and procrastination in your business Finding marketing strategies that feel authentic and comfortable The power of consistent marketing Repurposing content and time-saving strategies  

It's that time of year when you start planning for 2024 and begin thinking about the support you want for your business.  If that's you, I'd love to put The Expert Up Club on your radar for next year. The Expert Up Club is a fantastic community that focuses on the overlooked experts among us. You know, the ones who are often overshadowed by the flashy web celebs with all their attention-grabbing marketing. This club is specifically designed for established solo business owners who excel in their craft but struggle with marketing and selling their expertise. If this interests you, I'd love for you to join me at The Expert Up Club Open House. You'll get a behind the scenes tour of what The Club is all about, the resources that support messaging and marketing your business, and you'll even get to meet some of our members. It's happening on Wednesday, December 6th and you can RSVP at drmichellemazur.com/openhouse 

What's remarkable to me is there are so many courses and programs out there to teach you every marketing tactic under the sun. Yet, what those courses rarely (if ever) teach you is—how to know if your marketing is working.  It's no wonder when I ask a business owner, “Is your marketing helping you reach your business goals?” They stare at me blankly and then shrug. “I don't know.”   It’s time that you know so you're not wasting your time, energy, and resources doing marketing that is utterly useless to your business.  Today, I am taking you through my simple three-phase process to evaluate what works so you can double down and ditch what doesn't. In this episode we discuss: The three jobs your marketing and messaging should do for your business  The importance of the P.E.E. process in marketing A real-time example of the P.E.E. system How Michelle is using P.E.E. with LinkedIn  

Do you have to be on social media to market your business?  If you're becoming more and more disenchanted with social media, know this, you're not alone.  The number one question I'm asked these days, is there an alternative to marketing on social media?  My clients are requesting marketing strategies that don't have a social media component. Because let's face it, the platforms are demanding more and more of our time than ever before.  Whether it's creating Reels or the constant cycle of content creation, it seems never ending and the return investment is questionable.  It's gotten to the point it's making so many people wonder if social media is worth it.  And this is why I wanted to have Meg Casebolt on the show today to discuss this topic. She's noticed this trend too, and her podcast, the Social Slowdown discusses some alternatives. In this episode you'll hear: The op alternatives to social media marketing The impact of societal pressure and FOMO on social media usage How to balance automation and personalized outreach in marketing strategies The shift towards evergreen content creation and relationship building in marketing efforts  

Here's something we don't talk about enough when it comes to marketing…  What does effective marketing look like for your business?  I know what the web celebs will say. They'll say, “Marketing works when you're booked out with clients for months on end!” or “When your post goes viral and you grow your following by tens of thousands of people overnight!” Then that is success.  But is it effective? And who is it effective for? And are you the person it's effective for?  Today on the pod, I want to give you a process to think about what effective marketing looks like for your specific business. Because, if you don't know what effective marketing looks like, you're never going to know if marketing is really paying off.  In this episode you'll learn: The five steps to work through the question, “What does effective marketing look like to you?”  When to quit marketing methods that aren’t working for you. How to know if your marketing is actually working.  How to determine if your business needs a big audience or strong relationships.  

There's something celebrity online marketers get wrong about marketing messaging all the time.  They teach you that messaging is just one simple thing, like, it's an elevator pitch, your unique selling proposition, a content plan, or your client avatar.  It’s not.  If you've been a fan of the show for a long time, you know that your marketing message is literally everything your business communicates. Whether it's in marketing, on your website, in sales conversations, and even when you're being interviewed on podcasts or asked to speak on a stage, it’s ALL messaging.  It's a huge foundational area of your business to work on. I know that can feel overwhelming to create. It can feel like you just don't know where to start, so you put it off..  That's why on today's pod, I wanted to tell you exactly where to start. We're going to talk about 3 foundational pieces of messaging to focus on first so you can make your marketing more effective straight away. In this episode, you'll hear: The alternative to pain point marketing Why bad messaging actually costs your business The three key pieces of messaging to focus on first for more effective marketing are micro-stories, problem statements, and why-buy statements.  

The other day in the Expert Up Club, a member asked me a question that surprised me.  It was right after one of our quarterly marketing retreats.  In these retreats, we're setting goals for the quarter ahead. We create marketing plans, and we figure out what marketing experiments they're going to run in order to figure out what actually works in their marketing.   A club member asked afterward, “So how does all of the messaging sprints relate to the marketing?”  Now you've heard me say on this podcast that messaging POWERS your marketing.   But today, I want to get specific and discuss the three ways messaging makes marketing easier and more effective. In this episode you will hear: How to identify your “right-fit” client (and it’s not a bullshit client avatar) What is a driving belief statement, and why it’s important?  How to guide people to what you offer How to use your messaging so people know what to expect  

You've been told to be consistent.  Post every day on social media, Publish a blog post once a week, and Email your list regularly. When you do, good things will happen to your business.  Things like clients, opportunities to share your experience, being asked on other people's podcasts, and all the cool things that will help your audience magically grow just by showing up.  Unfortunately, this is a myth—the myth of consistency.  This type of consistency has you focused on the wrong things, which makes marketing a frustrating experience for you.  Today on the pod, I wanna talk about the two types of consistency and which one you need to be focused on in order to make marketing a whole lot easier. In this episode you will hear: The myth of consistency in marketing The two types of consistency you need to know The importance of strategic messaging in marketing The benefits of message consistency in your business The tricks to repurposing your content  

Wouldn't it be nice to live in a world where good work stood on its own?  Where, if you were getting your clients amazing results, that would be more than enough to fill up your client roster to always have people clamoring for your programs, that people would just come and ask you to speak on their stage. And wouldn't it be nice if good work could just be enough?  But it unfortunately is not when it comes to business, especially when it comes to getting opportunities to share your expertise or booking clients.  The best person at marketing is the person who wins the clients and the opportunities. And that's where most experts struggle.  Today on the podcast we are doing something a little bit different. I am giving you a behind-the-scenes tour of the Expert Up Club. It’s my community that is currently accepting applications for new members. The community is dedicated to helping you get known and hired for your work.  If you're a little bit curious about what the Expert Up Club can do for your business, how it can support you in being known, seen, and valued and the top choice for your “right fit” clients, then, listen in on this guided tour of what you'll find in the Expert Up Club. In this episode you will hear: Why, what, and who behind the Expert Up Club The three pillars of the Expert Up Club The shared values of Expert Up Club An introduction to some of the experts in the Expert Up Club Where the Expert Up Club lives (and it’s NOT on Facebook)  The four core forums of the Expert Up Club  How to apply for the Expert Up Club  

This show freely admits that marketing is freaking hard. And I, for one, am sick and tired of the web celebs telling me how easy marketing can be if I only had their super secret plan.  I've sat in boardrooms of Fortune five hundred companies with teams of super smart people who can't figure out why a marketing campaign flopped. If huge teams are struggling to make it work, Then it's 100% normal that you are too.  So today, I wanted to outline 4 different ways expert business owners like you are making marketing suck less. In fact, I wanted you to hear it in their own words.  In this episode you will hear: Brad discuss his significant breakthrough around his own messaging Rebecca shares how the Expert Up Club is making her marketing so much easier Pauline explains why the community is not icky nor sleazy Laura highlights the importance of the workshops hosted in the Club Why Diann doesn’t want to be the smartest person in the community    

One weird trick to make marketing suck less sounds like every click baby title ever.  But this is actually a weird trick that I have never seen another marketer or messaging strategist discuss.  To me, it's one of the most effective ways to improve your own marketing without actually working on your marketing.  I know that sounds counterintuitive, and I know it works. So what is that weird trick? You'll just have tune in to find out. In this episode you will hear: The one weird trick to improve your own marketing How the psychological distance concept helps with creating your own marketing message Hear why members of the Expert Up Club did not give “You go girl” feedback What the Expert Up Club promotes on a regular basis  

In business, the obsession with marketing tactics is never-ending.  Whether it's the latest Instagram hack or webinar trick, there seems to be an endless array of tactics promising to skyrocket your following and make your business go viral overnight.  But chasing the greatest and latest tactic tends to make marketing suck more, not less. because those promises of social media stardom often fall short, plus you're busy juggling sales and client delivery. So you don't have time for any of it. It's time to take a step back and look at what your business needs to have in place before trying any marketing tactic at all. Let's do this. In this episode you will hear: Why the podcast is titled “Make Marketing Suck Less” Two foundational business principles that will have a profound effect on how you approach marketing Two different types of strategies you need before ever thinking about a marketing tactic. Three questions that must be answered to build your marketing strategy  

I don't know if you've noticed, but audience growth is tough right now.   People aren't joining email lists like they used to. It's harder and harder to capture people's attention.  The marketplace is getting flooded with a lot of AI content crap.  This makes it harder for your amazing content, and amazing messages, to rise to the top so it’s seen by the people who need what you do.  Getting new people to sign up for your list is a herculean task. Yet, you still need to build that audience of future buyers, especially if you want to launch a group program.  So let's talk about the heart truth of what it takes to grow your audience right now.   In this episode you will hear: The reality of audience growth (and it’s not about you) The crucial obstacle you have to face if you want to launch a group program  How many times someone needs to “see you” before they actually act A deep dive into “The S-Curve:  How Business Really Grows” My personal journey with my audience growth  What is the “second launch fizzle” and how to avoid it  

Coming on September 5th, 2023, The Rebel Uprising podcast becomes The Make Marketing Suck Less Podcast!   The only podcast that admits marketing is F@$!ing hard and makes it suck less for solo business owners who are juggling client delivery and sales on top of all those marketing tasks. Unlike most marketing podcasts that share the latest marketing fads that promise “Viral Internet Fame,” Dr. Michelle Mazur, the author of the 3 Word Rebellion and founder of The Expert Up Club, knows you don’t need any of that BS to run a thriving business.  Each week she shares unconventional strategies and ideas grounded in research, not opinion, that help you clarify your message and become way more effective with your marketing.  While she can't promise you'll ever love marketing, she can promise you’ll hate it a tiny bit less. If you're already subscribed to the Rebel Uprising podcast, there's nothing to do. The new pod will appear in your feed on September 5th. If you're not subscribed hit the follow or subscribe button in your favorite podcast player, right now.

If you've been in business for 2 years or more, you've probably created a shit ton of content from blogs to emails to social media posts—and it's multiplying like rabbits.    But wouldn't you like to get more out of all of the hard work you're putting in?   If you want to do less but better marketing, it's time to resurface and repurpose some of your best pieces.  But how do you do that?  When Andrea Jones mentioned in The Expert Up Club that she just finalized a process to find the best of the best content, I knew I needed to have her on the podcast to talk about how she's repurposing her content as Andréa has been creating content for years. If you don't know Andréa Jones, she is a social media strategist helping brands with bold personalities, bold opinions, and bold ideas, make bold moves toward elevating their thought leadership. and growing their business using the power of social media. So let's dive into this conversation with Andréa so you can get more from each piece of content you create and make your marketing more effective.  And suck less, too. In this episode you will hear: How to choose the right content to repurpose The top platforms Andréa uses to keep content organized The exact process Andréa goes through to repurpose her content (and she doesn’t start with social media) How and what Andréa tracks what works and what doesn’t work Why engagement rates are continuously declining  

There comes a time in your business when you know something is not working.  It might be your message. It might be how you're choosing to market. There's something nagging at you that you know you need to change, but are putting it off.  You put it off because you might love what you've created. You might keep trying to optimize it, trying to make it work. If you tweak this one thing, then it will take off, but it hasn't.  So how do you know when to give up?  How do you know when to give up on a message or a marketing strategy? For me, this is a struggle I've been facing for the past 2 years.  I wanted to share with you how I knew it was time to let something go, plus a pretty big announcement about the future of this podcast. In this episode you will hear: The story of my personal sunk cost fallacy Two realizations that changed the future of this podcast Why this new messaging is even more rebellious   The new, innovative topics we’ll cover in the podcast  

Why does expertise matter?  When I was asked this very question on a podcast, I was taken aback.  I thought, Duh, of course, expertise matters. Why wouldn't it?  I realize, however, that we live in a world with a strong anti-expert bias. It shows up in the most subtle ways like someone saying, “don't be an expert, be a human.” Experts are so often misunderstood and don’t do a great job of communicating why their expertise matters.   It can seem like learning from your peers is better than hiring an expert, but honestly, in some cases, that's a risky proposition.  Let's talk about why expertise matters and why I'm on a mission to make experts visible so that they can be known, hired, and paid exquisitely well for their expertise. In this episode you will hear: The misconceptions of what an "expert" is Two surprising qualities of an expert, that people aren’t talking about  Three reasons why expertise in business truly matters  How to step out of the “one-step-ahead crowd”  

We live in a world where people get burned all the time. Sales pages, over promise, and under deliver.  And sometimes what gets promised doesn't get delivered at all. Because of this, trust is at an all-time low in the industry.  I know you. You aren't the problem.  You're the type of person who over-delivers. You obsessively make sure you get all of your promises fulfilled because you couldn't sleep at night if you didn't deliver to your clients. But this fuckery of the industry, well, it impacts you too.  Even though you're amazing, get results for your clients and follow through.  Your clients are slower to trust you. Who can blame them, right? They've been burned before.  How can you overcome this? How can you build trust? And how can you reassure them that you'll deliver?  That's where “Show Don't Tell” Marketing comes in.  In this episode you will hear:  The truth behind “Show Don't Tell Marketing” How the “Marketing Achilles Heel Assessment” works Details behind the  "Make Marketing Suck Less” hot seats and how to participate What I learned from the Expert Up Club Open House and the data to prove it      

Where are you “should’ing” on yourself when it comes to marketing?  With marketing, you have so many different options, and every marketing expert has their own opinion or proven formula for what works.  But how do you know what marketing strategy is right for you and when you just need to let something go?  I am seeking to answer those questions with my guest, Amanda McKinney.  She is a recognized thought leader and a coach on accidental entrepreneurship, author of “Why Not You?” An accidental entrepreneur's guide to success and the host of the “Unapologetic Entrepreneur” podcast.  As a coach, she can help any accidental entrepreneur navigate self doubt so that they can take action and uncover their confidence. Through utilizing her “You Promise” framework, she shared with us how she approaches doing less but better marketing, reveals one of her biggest marketing flops, and how she pivoted fast to recover.  Plus, you'll want to listen all the way to the end because Amanda has two questions that you can ask yourself about your business regularly that will help you make marketing suck less. Enjoy my conversation with Amanda. In this episode you will hear: How people over complicating marketing by “should’ing” themselves. When to recognize you need to hit the pause button because you’re “should’ing” Amanda’s best practices to doing less but better with her marketing The importance of looking at your marketing data Amanda’s greatest marketing flop and what is doing to make marketing suck less  

Are you making marketing harder than it needs to be by over marketing your business?  Whether you’re following the advice of web celebs telling you that you need to be everywhere or you are easily distracted by the latest marketing craze, it’s time to pause. You might be making marketing harder than it needs to be by doing too much!  In this episode is an inside peek into one of the strategies I teach in the ExpertUp Club called “Do Less but Better Marketing”. Here’s what you’ll discover: The difference between non-essentialist approach and the essentialist approach to marketing Why if social media is a part of your strategy then you want to embrace being social What strategy is and why it matters for your business The 3 jobs your marketing should do for your business The 3 marketing tactics to fulfill those jobs  

Marketing bites. It's something we don't talk enough about in business. As a solo business owner you're someone with just one or two people on your team, you're juggling a lot in your business client delivery, sales, and marketing. Let's face it, Marketing is one of those things that takes a ton of time and effort, and sometimes you see very little reward and payoff. So why does marketing suck so bad?  Today on the pod, we're going to deep dive into five reasons marketing bites and what to do about it. In this episode you'll hear: Why traditional marketing isn’t working for you When the shiny new way is really a paradox of choice The importance of having your message dialed in Why content pillars aren’t leading to clients wanting to work with you The emotional reason why marketing sucks  

On this series of bonus pods, I will help one business owner identify one action that solves their biggest marketing headache. This way, marketing becomes easier and more effective (and sucks less).  When Christie Pearl took the Discover Your Marketing Achilles' heel assessment, her biggest marketing headache was growing her audience. The good news is that she was definitely focused on the right people who were the closest to saying yes to signing up as her client. However, she needed to reach more of them and “educate” them.  How can you meet people where they are and give them the info they need to decide to work with you & how can you reach more of those people? Listen in and hear the specific strategy I give Christie, which accomplishes BOTH growing her audience and getting her people to sign up as clients! Want your own hot seat? Start by taking the marketing assessment at drmichellemazur.com/marketing  Then look out for an email later this summer telling you how to get on the show.  

I never felt like I fit in with what was happening in online business. I didn't belong. I thought differently. I was doing business differently. And I felt like my expertise, my knowledge wasn't valued.  And so many times, so many times I felt passed over and ignored. And that's a really lonely place to be. And if you're listening to this podcast, I bet you felt that way too, that it's been hard to find a place where your skills, your knowledge, your experience is valued, a place where you fit in.  That's why today I wanted to share with you the experience of other experts who feel the same way and how they finally found a place to call home in the Expert Up Club.  What makes the club truly remarkable is not me. It's not what you can learn, but it's the people inside the community. I am constantly amazed by their generosity and support of each other, and I can't wait for you to meet them. In this episode you will hear: Five experts from the Expert Up Club What Rebecca finds helpful in the Expert Up Club as she pivots her business  Laura’s impression of the workshops hosted within the community  How the club helped Brad narrow in on his ideal client Why Jessica invested in the Expert Up Club and what pleasantly surprised her when she joined Diann’s three powerful questions to ask yourself if you're on the fence about joining the Expert Up Club  

On this series of bonus pods, I will help one business owner identify one action that solves their biggest marketing headache. This way, marketing becomes easier and more effective (and sucks less).  This week we have Elizabeth Des Roches. She is a business coach with years of experience owning her own business and has a very unique set of tools in her toolbox When Elizabeth took the Discover Your Marketing Achille’s heel assessments her biggest marketing headache was showcasing the results her clients achieve. The was impacting her ability to invite people into her sales process. Why wasn’t she sharing the result? Because every time she sat down to write up her clients, results…she though “This is too good to be true. No one is going to believe this.”  When you’re an expert, doing amazing work, how do you highlight results that are too good to be true? Let’s dive in and figure that out!  Want your own hot seat? Start by taking the marketing assessment at drmichellemazur.com/marketing  Then look out for an email later this summer telling you how to get on the show.  

How many marketing courses have you purchased? How many of those courses did you implement and finish?  If I were a betting person, I'd guess you'd need both hands to count the number of courses you bought, and yet the ones you've completed is probably close to zero.  There is a reason for that. These marketing courses always seem like they are the thing, the solution to grow your audience, fill your client pipeline, and make marketing easier.  Not just make it easier, make it completely automated. Hands off so you can get clients in your sleep.  However, the reality is different because once you log in, there is a talking head on a screen that’s info dumping on you. It’s too easy to get stuck and feel overwhelmed. Plus, there’s one missing piece of your business foundation that makes it near impossible to implement the course.   So how about we change that? How about we talk about what you need to actually get something out of those marketing courses? So let's do that. On today's Pod. In this episode you will hear: The #1 challenge that many entrepreneurs face when purchasing marketing courses online Why your marketing won’t work if you don’t nail your message How to create your minimum viable meaningful marketing message (MVMMM) Why you shouldn’t wait to create your MVMMM

On this series of bonus pods, I will help one business owner identify one action that solves their biggest marketing headache. This way, marketing becomes easier and more effective (and sucks less).  This week we have Leah Steele from Searching for Serenity. When she took the discover your marketing Achilles' Heel assessment, her biggest marketing headache was around making offers to her audience. As we dove in, I found that Leah had a very particular problem. Her work serves two very different clients.  She offers the same solution to both, but why they buy has a different motivation. So, how do you market when you're speaking to two different groups of people? Listen in and hear what Leah I figure out. Plus, I give her a strategy that helps her easily build relationships with the right fit people on LinkedIn.  Want your own hot seat? Start by taking the marketing assessment at drmichellemazur.com/marketing  Then look out for an email later this summer telling you how to get on the show.  

What if the common business advice about how to grow your business is not meant for you? What if how you've been taught to market and sell was meant for the masses and not for someone with your very particular set of skills? If marketing doesn't seem to be working for your business, let me tell you, there's nothing wrong with you or your business. It is because how you've been taught to market doesn't work for an expert like you.  So let's bust through some of the biggest misconceptions so you can stop trying to market like everyone else and start communicating the value of your work so the people who need to hire you, know you exist. In this episode: Why claiming your expertise is not going to limit opportunities for your business Why you shouldn’t correlate the size of your audience (or your bank account) to the depth of your expertise Why you don’t need to be making Reels or dancing on TikTok to build an audience (you’re welcome) Learn more about Michelle Mazur & The Expert Up Club: Join The Expert Up Club Open House The Rebel Expert Manifesto Communication Rebel Resources: We've hit 300! Hooray! Here's What's Next.

Welcome to the first ever Make Marketing Suck Less Hotseat!  On this series of bonus pods, I will help one business owner identify one action that solves their biggest marketing headache. This way, marketing becomes easier and more effective (and sucks less).  This week we have Jenn Hume for Hell Yes Tech, through the Discover Your Marketing Achilles' Heel assessment, she realized that she was killing when it came to nurturing her audience! However, her audience was growing at the speed of the sloths.  Listen in as we break down what's happening in her marketing, and I give her an unconventional strategy that will help with her audience growth (and yours too).  Want your own hot seat? Start by taking the marketing assessment at drmichellemazur.com/marketing  Then look out for an email later this summer telling you how to get on the show.  

Sometimes we think we need to prove how smart we are in order to make people want to work with us.   On the surface, this makes sense in a world where we are told we only need to be one step ahead of our clients or we need to be just 20% smarter.  Being an expert is a competitive advantage, but showing how smart you are and how much you know in your marketing is not the best way to find clients.  It actually might have the opposite effect. It might push clients away from you.  Let's talk about this sneaky little thought of needing to prove your smarts and how it keeps you from attracting clients and what to do instead. Let's do it. In this episode, you will hear: How simplifying your message makes it easier for people to understand and care about it. Why the “Voice of the Customer” research is essential for capturing the benefits of your expertise. The importance of business owners not falling into the trap of proving energy in their marketing approach Why potential clients want to benefit from the expertise of business owners, not become experts themselves.  

Recently, I contradicted the advice of two big name creators.  These were the type of creators who had audiences of thousands of people. They have audiences bigger than I ever want to have an audience of. And you know what? It was awkward to contradict them to be the rebel going up against these industry giants.  As I listened to them talk about what it takes to grow an audience, to grow a podcast, I realized that advice wouldn't work for you and it wouldn't work for me.  What was the advice? What did I say? What do you need to know about getting in front of the right people who love your work?  In this episode: How do creators vs. business owner market differently and why it matters for your business The importance of prioritizing client work, sales, and marketing as a business owner Why you shouldn’t just publish one-off pieces of content and how to think about repurposing content as marketing assets  The importance of targeting a smaller audience of future buyers rather than building a huge audience Resources: Duped the Dark Side of Online Business Episode 315: Stop Growing Your Audience: Why Building a Huge Audience Isn’t Necessary to Grow Your Business Brittany Berger

What if you stopped trying to build an audience?    The common knowledge is that as a business owner, you should be growing your audience, building your email list, and growing your community.   But is that true for your business?  What if, for expert business owners, growing your audience is actually the wrong approach?  Then what should you be doing instead of focusing on building an audience so you can reach new people who need your business?   Well, that's exactly what I want to dive into in today’s podcast. In this episode:   Why building an audience may not be the best approach for your businesses The most important audience growing asset that builds security and stability for your business (it’s got nothing to do with social media) Why you should grow an audience of future buyers instead of casting a wide net  

Have you ever asked yourself, “If I'm so good at what I do, why don't more people know about me” Honestly, I've asked this question of myself a lot, and I've become obsessed with figuring out the answer in my own business and for my clients. I get to work with many amazing people who are experts with years of education, experience, and finely honed skills, and their work with their clients is incredible. They are the type of people who are so damn easy to refer to because their work is so good. They're the kind of people I want to make sure more people know about. But why aren't they known for their work if they are so good, talented, and skilled?  I believe I found the answer to why this happens and why you’re the overlooked expert. In This Episode: Where the overlooked expert exists in the online business world The cultural reasons why we don’t actually value expertise Why experts struggle to communicate their worth Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  3 Word Rebellion Mini Audio Workshop Take the Free Marketing Assessment

When it comes to marketing, sometimes it’s hard to know where to focus and what to do in order to make your marketing work for your business.   Plus, it doesn’t help when you kind of hate doing marketing. I know you’d rather be working with clients you love versus promoting your business all the time.   So how do you make the most of the time you spend marketing? How do you do it so that you actually see results in your business and you’re not just spinning your wheels?   Today, I’m talking about how to pinpoint what you need to be doing to stand out from the competition and be unrivaled in your field.   In this episode: Why marketing your business is crucial if you want to have any control over where your next client comes from Four components that help you become unrivaled in your field Why discoverability, nurturing, and making the offer won’t be enough if you aren’t clear on your messaging    Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Get on the waitlist for The Expert Up Club Request a free 1:1 Chat  Connect with me on LinkedIn   Resources: Discover Your Achilles Heel and Rise as the Unrivaled Expert in Your Field Sign up for the newsletter The Rebel Expert Manifesto Three Word Rebellion  

Where are my podcasters at?   If you have a podcast or are just thinking about creating one, then today’s show is for you.   My guest, Jeremy Enns, and I are discussing what it takes to create a podcast that gets noticed and stands out in a sea of a million other podcasts.   Plus, we’re talking about how to build a podcast that actually lands you clients. We’re diving into the one step that most podcasters overlook when starting their show and how to market your podcast in a scrappy way in 2023.   Jeremy Enns is the founder of Podcast Marketing Academy, where he teaches brands and creators to hit their next growth milestone with detailed step-by-step marketing playbooks. He writes the Scrappy Podcast newsletter where he shares short actionable ideas around how underdog shows can punch above their weight.   So I hope you enjoy this conversation with Jeremy and stay to the end because Jeremy shares something that's truly insightful about what it takes to be successful in business these days.   In this episode: Why you have to start with market research, plus Jeremy’s tips for how to do it for your podcast Why you shouldn’t be afraid to make content and position your show for experts What a podcast really does for your audience and your business in 2023 Why you shouldn’t throw money at advertising your podcast at the beginning, and what to do to build your audience instead   Learn more about Jeremy Enns: Podcast Marketing Academy Scrappy Podcasting Newsletter Podcast Marketing Assessment Twitter: @iamjeremyenns   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Get on the waitlist for The Expert Up Club Request a free 1:1 Chat  Connect with me on LinkedIn   Resources: Growth in Reverse Newsletter Sign up for the newsletter The Rebel Expert Manifesto Three Word Rebellion  

It might be hard to believe that there is only one way left to stand out.   This has been an idea that has been floating through my head for quite a while now, and I didn't feel comfortable coming out with such a bold claim until I kept seeing signs. You know, the type of signs that are basically saying, Michelle, you are right about this thing.   And other people are saying it too. Maybe it's time for you to say it!   And that is what we're doing today in this rebroadcast of episode 254.   We're going to talk about the only remaining way left to stand out in business. And guess what? It's probably not what you think it is.   In this episode: The one thing that no one can copy from your business How the way that you communicate about your work can always be uniquely yours How sharing your unique message attracts your people to your business   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Get on the waitlist for The Expert Up Club Request a free 1:1 Chat  Connect with me on LinkedIn   Resources: Content Inc., Second Edition: Start a Content-First Business, Build a Massive Audience and Become Radically Successful (with Little to No Money), Joe Pulizzi Don Schultz Meat & Hair Caroline Mays Kari Schwear Ignite Your Champions Sign up for the newsletter The Rebel Expert Manifesto Three Word Rebellion  

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know all about ChatGPT. And I know there are a lot of worries about it.   Whether it’s a worry about replacing you and your business or that ChatGPT is just going to create a lot more noise in the marketing space and a lot more boring content that marketers are going to copy and paste to save time.   But I’m taking a slightly different tack today.   I want to talk about how you can use ChatGPT to stand out and get noticed. How you can actually use this tool to enhance what you’re doing so more people are interested, curious, engaged, and want to know more about your business.   I’m sharing three strategies to use AI to stand the heck out in a sea of robots.   In this episode: How ChatGPT can help you quickly and effectively synthesize client research Why ChatGPT sucks for generating new content, but it’s awesome for repurposing content you already have The really fun way to use ChatGPT to punch up your copy   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Get on the waitlist for The Expert Up Club Request a free 1:1 Chat  Connect with me on LinkedIn   Resources: Rebel Uprising Ep 311: What Does It Take To Stand Out in 2023 Sign up for the newsletter The Rebel Expert Manifesto Three Word Rebellion  

What does it take to make your business stand out in 2023?   Things are weird out there right now. The marketplace is more competitive than ever and because of the Great Resignation, more and more people have decided to start businesses and hang their virtual shingle.   Plus, we’ve got a shaky, wonky economy that’s making it take longer to close sales, or even get people to have a conversation about sales with us.    So how can you stand out from the ever-increasing noise in the online space? How can you be remembered by the people who want to hire you?   That’s what we’re digging into today.   In this episode: Why it’s time to say goodbye to mass marketing on the internet How customization and personalization will actually lead to sales, unlike your Instagram posts How to ditch your ideal client avatar and learn to speak like your real clients instead Why your “unpopular opinion” needs to actually be unpopular–and it needs a clear solution Why you’ve got to stop using manipulative marketing language if you really want to communicate your expertise and stand out from the crowd   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Get on the waitlist for The Expert Up Club Request a free 1:1 Chat  Connect with me on LinkedIn   Resources: Duped: The Dark Side of Online Business Sign up for the newsletter The Rebel Expert Manifesto Three Word Rebellion  

Let's face it, the process of getting known and hired for your work is terrifying, sometimes completely frustrating, and other times defeating.   The web celebs want us to believe, it's a series of win after win after win, and everything is unicorns and rainbows. The reality is that there are ups and downs and sometimes more downs than ups before we start seeing the wins.   So how do we keep going? How do you keep putting your work out into the world where your clients can find it when it feels like nothing is working?   That's exactly what we're going to discuss today. In this episode: Why launching your message into the world can be so daunting How community support can make putting your work out there less terrifying and helps you cultivate stamina for the long game How being in community together will help us bring change to the industry, away from all talk and no results, to valuing true expertise   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Get on the waitlist for The Expert Up Club Request a free 1:1 Chat  Connect with me on LinkedIn   Resources: Sign up for the newsletter The Rebel Expert Manifesto Three Word Rebellion  

“The kind of people who sit there thinking about how to market themselves aren’t the kind of people who are developing these exquisite expertises.”   That quote from Michale Lewis, author of Moneyball and host of Against the Rules, has been on my mind ever since I heard it. Because that’s you, isn’t it?   The person with the exquisite expertise, the business owner who gets their clients amazing results. Your clients love you and they love to tell other people about you. The kind of person whose clients only wish they’d found you sooner, before they got burned by some other business.   How do we get experts and their businesses, the ones that get clients real results, known and hired for their work?   That is the question I’ve been not-so-quietly working on behind the scenes in my business. And today, I get to answer that question for you and introduce you to the brand new community, The Expert Up Club.   In this episode: Why flooding the zones with experts improves not only your business, but online business as a whole The three core pillars that are the basis for the Expert Up Club What’s inside the Expert Up Club, including live workshops with guidance from me   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Join The Expert Up Club Request a free 1:1 Chat  Connect with me on LinkedIn   Resources: Against the Rules with Michael Lewis Rebel Uprising Ep 306: Don't Like Marketing? Here's What You Need at the Minimum Rebel Uprising Ep 307: What To Do When Your Marketing Message Flops Rebel Uprising Ep 308: The True "No Audience, No Problem" Strategy to Grow Your Business Sign up for the newsletter The Rebel Expert Manifesto Three Word Rebellion  

How many marketing courses or programs have you purchased?   If you’re like me, it’s a shit-ton. Too many to count.   Those programs filled my head with all kinds of tactics to get my work in front of new people from Instagram, to webinars, to lead magnets that would “explode my list!”   I feel like I’ve heard it all.   But there’s something very important that these courses and programs leave out. And it’s actually the secret of success behind some of the biggest names in the industry.   So what aren’t they talking about?   In this episode: How collaboration and partnership are the secret sauce to audience growth The truth about “no audience, no problem” promises  Why messaging is inherently social How the Expert Up Club will facilitate collaborations so you can build your audiences together   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Get on the waitlist for The Expert Up Club Request a free 1:1 Chat  Connect with me on LinkedIn   Resources: Marisa Corcoran Sign up for the newsletter The Rebel Expert Manifesto Three Word Rebellion  

We've all been there. You send an email that no one responds to. You post on social media and despite spending nearly an hour on the post, you get crickets. You publish a podcast that you think is spectacular, and the downloads are meh. It happens to everyone. But the key is not to let the setback or the failure derail you. So how do you bounce back when your best efforts aren't working? That's exactly what we're gonna talk about on today's show.   In this episode: The fundamental mindset shift that will allow you to see your business and your marketing in a new light Why you have to get comfortable experimenting with and amplifying your work How to make your marketing content play to your strengths How I’m cultivating the courage to try in my own work   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Get on the waitlist for The Expert Up Club Request a free 1:1 Chat  Connect with me on LinkedIn   Resources: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Greg McKeown Sign up for the newsletter The Rebel Expert Manifesto Three Word Rebellion  

Do you ever wish that you didn’t have to market your business at all?   Do you wish that you could spend all of your time delivering your programs and working with your fantastic clients instead of trying to find the next client?   Well, I’ve got some good news, some bad news, and some even better news for you.   The good news is that there’s a very good reason why experts hate marketing their businesses. The bad news is that you still have to do it, especially if you have dreams of delivering group programs, writing a book, or just making more of an impact in more people’s lives.   But the even better news? There are steps that you can take to make marketing an easier lift in your business. And that’s what I’m sharing today.   In this episode: Why experts suck at marketing, and why you need to learn to do it anyway Why your business needs a Minimum Viable Meaningful Messages Three sets of messages to grow, engage, and offer your work   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Get on the waitlist for The Expert Up Club Sign up for the newsletter The Rebel Expert Manifesto Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message   Resources: Against the Rules with Michael Lewis  

“I just need to know the right thing to say that will resonate with my client.” I recently realized that you are a bit obsessed with getting it right. Let me explain. Last fall, I surveyed my audience and I kept hearing from you that you want the right, the best, the most appealing message that’s going to resonate with your clients and magically get them to work with you. And, boy, do I get that intention. I really, really do. But what if obsessing over getting it right or finding the best, most appealing way to say something is actually keeping your clients from finding you? That’s what I’m digging into today.   In this episode: Why perfectionism won’t protect you from having your work rejected, but it will keep your clients from finding you How doing foundational messaging work helps you let go of perfectionism and leave room for your messaging to evolve The qualities your messaging really needs  Why you should embrace “fuck around and find out” in the best way when it comes to your messaging   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Sign up for the newsletter The Rebel Expert Manifesto Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message  

When you’re an expert you’re in a pretty exclusive club, filled with a small number of other humans who are passionately and a bit obsessively interested in your specific topic. So of course it’s easy to talk to the other experts in your club. But how do you translate your expertise and make it interesting to other humans? How do you translate it so other human beings want to pay you for it? As a business owner, that is what you have to figure out. Otherwise, what you do and how it benefits your clients gets lost in translation. Let’s figure out how to make your expertise interesting to humans. In this episode: Why your potential clients are like my mom when I was in grad school Three steps to bridge the gap between what your clients know about what you do and what you know Why the framework behind your results is kind of like sausage–no one cares how it’s made Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Sign up for the newsletter The Rebel Expert Manifesto Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message  

What if the common business advice about how to grow your business is not meant for you?   What if how you've been taught to market and sell was meant for the masses and not for someone with your very particular set of skills?   If marketing doesn't seem to be working for your business, let me tell you, there's nothing wrong with you or your business.   It is because the way you've been taught to market doesn't work for an expert like you.    So let's bust through some of the biggest misconceptions so you can stop trying to market like everyone else and start communicating the value of your work, so the people who need to hire you, know you exist.   In this episode:   Why claiming your expertise is not going to limit opportunities for your business Why you shouldn’t correlate the size of your audience (or your bank account) to the depth of your expertise Why you don’t need to be making Reels or dancing on TikTok to build an audience (you’re welcome) Learn more about Michelle Mazur: The Rebel Expert Manifesto Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message   Resources: We've hit 300! Hooray! Here's What's Next.

“I don’t know if I’m expert enough to work with you.”   I hear this all the time from potential clients, and it’s usually followed by a list of certifications, years of experience, loads of transferable skills, frameworks they’ve developed to help clients, and years of getting them results.   So yeah, they are definitely expert enough.   But I understand why people feel this way, and why you, too, might be thinking that you’re not expert enough to even be listening to this podcast.   And while it may be good old-fashioned imposter syndrome showing up, it’s also possible that we have a fundamental misunderstanding of what expertise really is.   So let’s unpack what expertise means and how you know if you are expert enough.   In this episode: Why not even getting a PhD is guaranteed to make you feel like an expert Three stages of gaining expertise Key ways to figure out if you really are expert enough   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: The Rebel Expert Manifesto Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message

“If I can do it, you can do it too!”   After all, you just need to be one step ahead of your client, and if you have a rags-to-riches story about how much you’ve overcome, that gives you authority!   Messages like these have ruled the online space since its inception. These messages cast the widest net possible and basically say anyone can own an online business. No specialized  knowledge? No problem!   But these messages have left experts out because most of us don’t have a rags-to-riches story. We’ve done it for other people, not just for ourselves. And forget about being one step ahead of your client, you are twenty steps ahead.   So common marketing advice just hasn’t worked for you.   For too long, experts have been passed over and overlooked in favor of business owners who are incredible at marketing, but struggle to deliver actual results.   And that needs to change.   Let’s make 2023 the year of the expert and let’s change the online business industry together.   Here’s my call to action and audacious vision for the year ahead. Let’s do this.   In this episode: A five-part manifesto for owning your expertise in 2023 Why your expertise and the unique way you think are so vital and valuable How to make curiosity your superpower Why communicating your expertise isn’t just necessary for your business, it’s a responsibility   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: The Rebel Expert Manifesto Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message

Today, we’re celebrating the 300th episode of the Rebel Uprising Podcast.   Recently, someone asked me what it takes to get to 300 episodes of the podcast and for me, it was about playing the long game. I just kept turning on the mic, week after week, month after month, year after year.   The podcast has always been a strategic business priority and a core piece of my marketing strategy. But the real secret sauce? I love doing this.    And the best marketing you can do is marketing that you love to create.   So let’s pop the champagne, throw some confetti, and come celebrate with me as I reflect on what it means to play the long game, what I've learned from creating 300 episodes, and what's next for me and the podcast.   In this episode: Why playing the long game with marketing you love to create is a more successful and sustainable strategy than following the shoulds How this podcast nurtures potential clients and takes the pressure off sales calls Why I’m making 2023 the Year of Experts and I want you to join me Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message Resources: The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World, Dorie Clark Tara McMullin What the 3 Word Rebellion Does for Your Business Against the Rules with Michael Lewis

It's that time of year when you're casting a big vision, making plans, setting goals, and thinking about the projects that will move your business forward in 2023. But as Helmuth von Moltke the Elder said, no plan survives contact with the enemy. And no business plan survives contact with reality. So what do you do when reality sucker punches you in the gut? We are gonna talk about this and why this podcast went on hiatus unexpectedly at the end of 2022.  In this episode: How suddenly becoming a full-time caretaker taxed me mentally and physically Why I started thinking in terms of Minimum Viable Michelle How I evaluated my minimum viable marketing, and why that meant taking time off from the podcast How I repurposed content to maintain contact with my email list and continue generating revenue What made it onto my Thrive List Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message Resources: Tara Newman Carrie Soto Is Back,Taylor Jenkins Reid

How do you decide who to trust in your business? When you're thinking about joining a program or hiring a service provider, do you make those people earn your trust, or do you just default to trusting them? When we first meet someone new, we want to believe the best in people. We want to believe that they are trustworthy, so we trust them until they give us a very good reason not to.  However, today on the podcast, my guest and co-host of Duped, Maggie Patterson, is turning that notion on its head. She believes that in online business, we should be skeptical at first until we’re given a good reason to trust someone, that trust should be earned and not just given. So how do you earn trust and how do you know who to trust? Maggie and I are diving into all of that today. Maggie Patterson is the creator of Small Business Boss and has two decades of experience in communications, marketing, and client services. She's worked with everyone from solopreneurs to the world’s biggest brands and today she's a mentor and advocate for do no harm business practices in the online space. She's the host of the BS Free Service Business podcast, and her work has been featured in leading publications such as Entrepreneur.com, Fast Company, and Virgin.com.   In this episode: Why Maggie says “know, like, and trust” isn’t enough when it comes to building trust in your business Why online businesses need to focus on earning trust through relationships, not manipulative marketing hacks What a major recent survey can tell us about the state of trust, leadership, and values in 2022 How Maggie performs a trust audit before doing business with anyone The five aspects of creating Trust DNA in your business   Learn more about Maggie Patterson: Small Business Boss The BS‑Free Service Business Podcast Instagram: @smallbusinessboss   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message   Resources: Duped Podcast The Thin Book of Trust: An Essential Primer for Building Trust at Work, Charles Feltman 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer Trust Audit Checklist.pdf

The online business industry is in the middle of a trust crisis. People have been duped. Your potential clients are skeptical. Heck, you are skeptical. And that makes people reluctant to trust again, which impacts your business because you are kick ass at what you do. You consistently deliver great results. You show up and do what you'll say you do, and most of all, you give a damn about your clients. You want them to succeed. So what can you do to build trust with people who need your work but have been burned before? How can you show them you are not like the other business owners who didn't deliver before? That's exactly what we're going to talk about today on the podcast. How to build trust with your brand message. In this episode: How your messaging supports the four factors of trust Why your marketing should address your potential clients’ present reality, not just your solution How to know if a client is ready to work with you Why you need a “why buy” statement Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message Resources: The Thin Book of Trust: An Essential Primer for Building Trust at Work, Charles Feltman Rebel Uprising: 3 Word Rebellion Book Club: Owning Your Expertise Rebel Uprising: Clarifying Your Message Leads to A More Effective Sales Process

There’s a game Maggie Patterson, my co-host of Duped, plays with me all the time. It’s called “Can I Tell What Makes You an Expert?” We go to an about page of someone who’s doling out advice like candy on Instagram and see if we can tell why they’re credible to speak on this topic. If we can figure it out, great! They earn our respect and trust. But nine times out of ten, I have no clue why they are credible to do the work they do or say the things they say. It’s no wonder it’s so easy to be duped and burned in the online space. Real experts who know what they’re doing and how to help you are hard to find online, but pseudo-experts are freaking everywhere. So how do you know who to trust online? How do you vet them? And if you’re thinking about hiring a messaging strategist, what should you be looking for? In this episode: Three questions to ask when you’re vetting a program or offer How to gauge factors of trust–care, sincerity, reliability, and competence–in messaging strategists Red flags to watch out for in promised results, timelines, and testimonials Why you should steer clear of anyone who promises you “magnetic messaging” Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message Resources: Duped: Vetting Coaches and Programs: What to Watch For  The Thin Book of Trust: An Essential Primer for Building Trust at Work, Charles Feltman

“I’ve been burned before.” I’ve heard those four words more this year than in any other year I’ve been in business. Potential clients who fill out my intake form tell me about another “messaging coach” who didn’t deliver on their promises, or the person who they hired created messaging that was unusable in the client’s marketing, or they didn’t see how the message was ever going to bring in clients. In response to a survey I sent out to my email community, people talked about being burned by various service providers and programs–coaches, courses, etc–that promised everything and delivered nothing. When it happens to you, it sucks. And we need to talk about it. When you get burned, it violates your trust and makes it harder for all of us who are doing business the right way to earn our clients’ trust. So for all of November, we’re going to talk about the crisis of trust in the online business space. But first, let’s define terms. What is trust and how do you earn it from your clients? In this episode: How trust requires us to make what we value vulnerable to the actions of others Four factors that build trust How the mega launches and overblown promises of online businesses violate trust How to communicate the reliability and competence that are essential to real trust Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message Resources: The Thin Book of Trust: An Essential Primer for Building Trust at Work, Charles Feltman

You're just one course away from recession proofing your business! Or are you? The message around recession proofing is everywhere these days, but what do you really need to know about surviving, and even thriving, in this economy? Will the course or the membership site be the ticket, or are there other skills you want to cultivate to build a sustainable business in uncertain times? Those questions are why I wanted to have my friend Tara Newman on the show to talk about the economy. When Tara talks about the economy and what it means for small businesses, I listen, because this is not her first rodeo when it comes to riding out a recession. Tara Newman is the founder and CEO of the Bold Profit Academy, where she teaches service-based business owners how to sell premium services and programs without the emotional stress of launching, worrying about ads, overwhelming social strategies, or complex funnels. Tara hosts a weekly podcast called the Bold Money Revolution, and has been featured in publications like Money Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and the Huffington Post. She earned her Masters in Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University and has over 20 years of experience, is a Profit First Professional, and holds an advanced level Reiki certification. Everything she teaches incorporates energy, mindset, and strategy as a framework for resiliency and results. In this episode: Tara’s three biggest takeaways from the 2008 recession, and why they still matter today The online business models that may be at risk in a downturn Why your marketing needs clarity and differentiation more than ever Why Tara believes now is the time to make confident choices about where you want to be in three years The most important skill you can build–and keep building Learn more about Tara Newman: Bold Profit Academy The Bold Money Revolution Podcast The Revenue Goal Calculator Instagram: @thetaranewman Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message

There has been a disturbance in the force. Or, a shift in the market. When I first started offering brand messaging in 2018, the economy was cooking with gas. The stock market was on fire, the job market was stable, and consumer outlook was positive. And when the economy was great, clients would come to me with the hope that their message would allow them to reach their full potential. Maybe that full potential was landing a book deal with a traditional publisher or speaking on a TEDx stage. My clients have aspirations and messaging was the way to fulfill that aspiration. Flash forward to 2022. The economy has a big case of the weirds. Inflation is high, consumers are uncertain about spending, and now when clients come to me, the problem they want to solve has dramatically shifted. And that shift is key to keeping your message relevant during an economic downturn.   In this episode: How changes in the economy mean changes in what basic needs your messaging is trying to meet Why you need to consider if your messaging is addressing concrete or aspirational goals How to pivot your message so you communicate the value of your offer in these uncertain times   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message Resources: The Elements of Value, Eric Almquist, John Senior, and Nicolas Bloch

It doesn't feel the way I thought it would. Once my clients land on their Three Word Rebellion–the message they want their business to be known for, the message that they will be leading with–it’s not uncommon for them to say something like, “I thought this would feel different.” There’s an expectation that landing on your Three Word Rebellion is going to be some type of peak experience. The skies open, heavens part, angels sing, and there are puppies and unicorns everywhere! There’s the expectation that this message is going to be a realization of their full potential and validate the worth of their work. But that’s not really the job of your Three Word Rebellion, or any of the messaging you use to market your business. And maybe web celebs have sold you on the idea that marketing should feel a certain way, but let’s bust through that notion, shall we?   In this episode: How the online business space warps our perception of what our messaging actually represents Why messages of self-actualization aren’t actually great marketing, especially in uncertain times Why your Three Word Rebellion can actually make you feel pretty uncomfortable at first How to separate yourself from your message Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message

It's hard to believe that this is the last week of the Three Word Rebellion Book Club.  You’ve claimed your expertise, you’ve discovered your motivation for starting your own movement and why it’s important for experts to step up and lead. And you’ve heard from some experts about how their Three Words Rebellions have impacted their businesses. Finally you’ve done the hard work of unearthing your Three Word Rebellion. Or maybe you’re on the precipice and you’ve still got some digging to do. But once you have it, there’s a common pitfall I want you to avoid. Your Three Word Rebellion is your entry point into your world and your work. It’s what gets people’s attention. And nowadays, it’s a big job to get anyone’s attention, so once you have it, you have to know what to do with it. You have to expertly lead people to your work. And that’s where this pitfall comes in. You don’t know what to say next. So you relapse into talking like an expert and lose the attention of the person who really needs the work that you do. So, how do you stop talking like an expert? In this episode: One essential thing you need to remember when talking to potential clients The two next pieces of crucial messaging you need to go from getting their attention to getting their business Four messages that build the argument for your work Three signature stories that support your client decision journey The questions to ask yourself as you launch your rebellion   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Club Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message

Sometimes you just need to know something is possible. As you're digging in to find your Three Word Rebellion, you may begin to realize that encapsulating your expertise into just a few words is a heavy lift. But it is possible to find that Three Word Rebellion, that core message you want to be known for. And when you do that message can have a ripple effect in your business. In this episode, I'm featuring five experts talking about their Three Word Rebellion and what it has done for their business. The goal is to give you inspiration and drive to find your own Three Word Rebellion, while helping you decide what you want this message to do for your business. In this episode: How Cassie’s Three Word Rebellion communicates the intangible benefits of her approach to nutrition counseling How Annie’s 3WR helps validate and normalize the experiences of the parents she works with How Laura uses her 3WR as the foundation for all of her content and services How Heidi’s 3WR sharpened her focus and paved the way for new offerings How Stacy’s 3WR grounds her and ties together the threads of her work Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Club Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message

Experts can spot BS a mile away. And I believe that is what makes marketing so hard for them. They see the pseudo-experts out there, marketing their businesses and all they see are the big promises, the quick fixes, the big rewards for little effort, the easy-to-follow blueprints, and think, “That’s not how any of this works.” Experts look at those kinds of marketing messages and ask themselves if they really, actually, have to do that to get results?  So today, let’s dig into what you can say to get your work in front of the people who need you that will communicate your real expertise, and won’t leave you feeling slimy. For this week’s Three Word Rebellion Book Club, we’re reading chapters four and five and looking at why experts need to start rebellions, and the best advice I have for finding your Three Word Rebellion when you’re an expert. In this episode: Three reasons why you should stage a rebellion in your industry A prompt for moving beyond what you want to rebel against, to imagining the change you want to create Two key pieces of advice when crafting your own Three Word Rebellion Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Club Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message

Do you ever say to yourself, “I wish I didn’t have to market my business. I just want to work with clients. Why can’t I just do that?” It would be great, right? If the results you get for your clients could just speak for themselves. If people would land on your website and think, wow, she’s a badass expert, I’m going to book a call. But it doesn’t work that way. People need to know your business exists. They need to know that your expertise can solve their problem. That’s why in today’s Three Word Rebellion Book Club, we’re diving into chapters two and three of the book to talk about why experts need to lead, and lead with their expertise. We’re also going to talk about finding the motivation to build a movement–no matter how large or small–around your work. In this episode: An equation for a building a thriving business and a movement around your work Why you need to be clear on what change you’re trying to create How to build devotion from your audience by being devoted to them Two questions that will help you clarify who your people are Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Club Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message Resources: Against the Rules: Six Levels Down Rebel Uprising Ep 279: Are You The Overlooked Expert?

In an industry where you hear “you just need to be one step ahead of your clients,” claiming your expertise is a rebellious act. When I first started my business, a well-intentioned friend advised me not to use “doctor” in my branding because I would intimidate people. Clearly, I did not listen to that advice. The hard-earned expertise of my Ph.D. in communication, plus my 25 years of experience, is what gives me the license to do the work that I do. It’s what makes me excellent at my work. It’s given me the ability to get my clients results. But our culture is set up to dismiss expertise as unnecessary. We can do our own research and be our own experts. The Rebel Truth? If you want real results, hire an expert. And your job as an expert business owner is to figure out how to communicate your experience, skills, and knowledge to your audience and clients. For the next five weeks, we are going to read and see how we can use my book, Three Word Rebellion, to communicate your expertise and what makes you unique in a way that matters to your clients. But before we can communicate it, we have to own our expertise for ourselves. And that’s what I’m talking about today. In this episode: Why experts suck at communicating their expertise The elements of expertise Five steps to creating your “I am the one who knocks” statement Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Club Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message Resources: Michael Lewis on Why Americans Don’t Trust Experts - Vox Breaking Bad - "I am the Danger" Scene S4 E6 StrengthsFinder How to Fascinate Myers Briggs Test and Personality Assessment The Enneagram Institute

As we dive deep into your messaging this summer, I wanted to let you know about an absolutely free opportunity to get more support on creating your one-of-a-kind message that makes you the obvious choice for your client. It’s the Three Word Rebellion Book Club. In September, we’ll read the book and do the exercises together. You’ll get bonus book content that will help you unearth your Three Word Rebellion and we’ll have live book club meetings so that you can share your answers and ahas as you work on crafting your message. Sound good? Sign up at drmichellemazur.com/club Now back to our Summer Deep Dive. Today, we’re talking about return on investment. How much time, energy, and money have you invested in marketing?  Maybe it was courses, or hiring someone to write copy or some other service, heck, maybe you hired a marketing team and a publicist. Now, be honest. How did it go? If you’re like most people, probably somewhere between meh and total waste of time, effort, and money. There’s a reason why I say you have to nail your message and your offer before you invest in marketing.  And to show you, I’m going to give three client case studies that highlight three ways getting  your message right makes your marketing work. In this episode: Shifting the focus to take a boring solution to a revolutionary result that people want How your message makes you one-of-a-kind Why your message is key to creating a cohesive audience journey and brand messaging platform Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Club Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message

As we dive deep into your messaging this summer, I wanted to let you know about an absolutely free opportunity to get more support on creating your one-of-a-kind message that makes you the obvious choice for your client. It’s the Three Word Rebellion Book Club. In September, we’ll read the book and do the exercises together. You’ll get bonus book content that will help you unearth your Three Word Rebellion and we’ll have live book club meetings so that you can share your answers and ahas as you work on crafting your message. Sound good? Sign up at drmichellemazur.com/club Now back to our Summer Deep Dive. Today, we’re talking storytelling. Do you ever wonder what makes certain business owners successful? It's the stories they tell. Naturally, human beings are storytelling machines because we want to be relatable, we want to connect with each other and find our common ground. And when we show up again and again with the same stories and the same messaging, we are practicing radical consistency, which I believe is the cornerstone to every successful business. Let’s talk about the stories you need to be able to tell, and why they help you grow your audience, make sales, and feel good doing it. In this episode: Why rags to riches success stories don’t connect with your audience, no matter how many marketing bros use them How to craft a connection story that is both true and relatable  Why you need to give prospective clients a reason to believe in your results, from little client wins to major successes How to identify and use elevated social proof for your process Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Club Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message

As we dive deep into your messaging this summer, I wanted to let you know about an absolutely free opportunity to get more support on creating your one-of-a-kind message that makes you the obvious choice for your client. It’s the Three Word Rebellion Book Club. In September, we’ll read the book and do the exercises together. You’ll get bonus book content that will help you unearth your Three Word Rebellion and we’ll have live book club meetings so that you can share your answers and ahas as you work on crafting your message. Sound good? Sign up at drmichellemazur.com/club Now back to our Summer Deep Dive. Today, we’re talking about Brand Messaging Platforms. Every major brand in the world uses them, but unless you’ve been to business school, you’ve probably never heard of one. So what is it? A Brand Messaging Platform documents how you write and speak about your business every day. It explains the unique value that your business brings to your clients, how your business is different from everyone who does what you do, and how to take people from casual onlookers to clients. Sounds pretty important and useful, right? So let’s dig into building one. In this episode: Four key reasons to create a brand messaging platform for your business Why you need to stop worrying about repeating yourself The essential pieces of a brand messaging platform Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Club Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message

As we dive deep into your messaging this summer, I wanted to let you know about an absolutely free opportunity to get more support on creating your one-of-a-kind message that makes you the obvious choice for your client. It’s the Three Word Rebellion Book Club. In September, we’ll read the book and do the exercises together. You’ll get bonus book content that will help you unearth your Three Word Rebellion and we’ll have live book club meetings so that you can share your answers and ahas as you work on crafting your message. Sound good? Sign up at drmichellemazur.com/club Now back to our Summer Deep Dive. Today, we’re talking about using your messaging to lead people to your offer. That’s the purpose of messaging, right? But when was the last time you told the world how they could work with you? I’m not talking about spreading value through your emails and social posts. So really, when was the last time you directly told people about your offer? Today, I’m taking my own advice and sharing how you can work with me, and giving you an example of how you can share your offer. In this episode: What makes me qualified to call myself an expert Who I work with What my process is, from first call to marketing plan   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Club Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message

Welcome to the Summer Deep Dive. In June, you were able to listen to messaging makeovers, and now it’s your turn to make over your own message. This is a six-part series that was carefully curated to help you get clear and feel confident about your messaging, so you can show up and be radically consistent in your marketing, be known for your work, and lead people to hire you. Today: How to stand out in a crowded marketplace. There is only one remaining way to stand out in business: How you communicate with your audience and prospective clients. The hard pill to swallow about online business is that anyone, anywhere can steal what you do. They can copy your services, your strategy, your client experience, etc. But the way you communicate, your messaging? That’s uniquely yours and it can’t be copied. I’m sharing how to strategically craft your messaging so that you do stand out in business, so that you can feel confident in your services, and make an even bigger impact. In this episode: Why the combination of your words, your voice, and your personality can’t be duplicated Three service providers who’ve successfully differentiated themselves in the market Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message

Welcome to the Summer Deep Dive. In June, you were able to listen to messaging makeovers, and now it’s your turn to make over your own message. This is a six-part series that was carefully curated to help you get clear and feel confident about your messaging, so you can show up and be radically consistent in your marketing, be known for your work, and lead people to hire you. Today: Why you should ditch the client avatar and what you should do instead. How many ideal client avatars have you created for your business? Probably a crap ton, right? Every business program wants you to do one and they all kind of sound the same. And they don’t really work. You know why? Because your ideal client avatar isn’t a real person! They’re a figment of your imagination! Do you know who you can't market or sell to? People who don't freaking exist. So let's burn all of those ideal client avatars and start paying attention to what actual clients say and have conversations with actual people.  Here’s how. In this episode: How to create an empathy map to dive into what your real clients are thinking, saying, and doing Why you need to use your clients’ own words about their struggles and goals when they hired you Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message

Welcome to the Summer Deep Dive. In June, you were able to listen to messaging makeovers, and now it’s your turn to make over your own message. This is a six-part series that was carefully curated to help you get clear and feel confident about your messaging, so you can show up and be radically consistent in your marketing, be known for your work, and lead people to hire you. Today: How to Assess the Effectiveness of Your Message How do you know your message is working? Get curious. Operationalizing curiosity in your business means asking better questions. With my clients, I’m always asking questions about the assumptions they are making about their audience and their most ideal clients. If I don’t understand something, I ask. If I want to get to the “why,” I dive in with better questions. And I do this in all areas of my business. I’m always asking more and better questions so I can get better results for my clients and my business. Today, I want to ask you some questions that will help you make more sales in your business, make your marketing easier, and help you become known for your ideas and your work. In this episode: How to use your message to get out of the referrals rut Why you need to craft a client journey How your story works with your client journey How your message supports your marketing assets and your plan   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message

Welcome to the Summer Deep Dive. In June, you were able to listen to messaging makeovers, and now it’s your turn to make over your own message. This is a six-part series that was carefully curated to help you get clear and feel confident about your messaging, so you can show up and be radically consistent in your marketing, be known for your work, and lead people to hire you. First up: The Difference Between Messaging, Marketing & Copywriting  So many online business owners invest in the wrong things at the wrong times. Their sales are stalling, they’re having trouble finding new leads, and their audience is quiet. So they think they need to rework their marketing, when maybe what they need to focus on is their messaging or copy. But so often, they think all three of those are the same thing. In this episode: Breaking down the what, the how, and the action of messaging, marketing, and copywriting Why you need to know your message in order to write effective copy  The difference between tactics and strategy in marketing Three questions to help you figure out what you need to focus on now Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message

I love sales. I know most people don’t feel this way about making sales and it took me years to feel like this about having sales conversations. But now I love the opportunity to meet someone new, to talk about their business and where it’s going, and then I get to help them decide if messaging is the right next step for them. And the big reason that I can now say I love sales so much is that I know exactly what I’m going to say on that call. I feel confident that I’m in my zone of genius. So what are the pieces of messaging that you need to have in place in order to have a more effective sales process?  Today we’re digging into a client case study to find out where she was missing the mark and what she did to clarify her messages and make more sales. In This Episode: Why your message needs to speak your clients’ language How to craft a message that speaks to results, not process Why your “why buy” message needs to be something in your control How having a framework makes your sales more effective Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message Resources: Cassie Christopher Rebel Uprising: Sell the Results, Not the Solution

Tell me if this sounds familiar: Hey, everyone! I’m so excited to announce that my mastermind is now open for enrollment. If you’re a coach or a consultant wanting to take your business to the next level… We’ve all heard it, right? It sounds just like every launch post of a program ever. To be clear, I am not against direct asks to your email list or social media. It’s exciting and fun to announce the launch of a program or to tell people you have spots open to work with you. But how can you talk about your offer without sounding like everyone else on the planet who talks about their offer?  How can you use your message and the content you create to get people ready to work with you? How can you talk about what you sell without actually talking about what you sell? It is possible. And I’m showing you four ways to do it. In This Episode: How talking about an unexpected symptom of the problem you solve sells your work How to use industry trends to talk about your offer Why a case study is better than a testimonial dump The best way to give people a taste of your work is by letting them experience it   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message Resources: @GoodMarketingHQ on Twitter Love Life Connection Podcast

If I went to your website right now, would I understand what your work does for me? Is the result that I am looking for–that I would pay you money for–representing in your message? Or are you falling into the overlooked expert trap of leading with your solution? Experts are obsessed with their solutions. It’s natural! You love what you do and how you do it. And you see the results that it creates for other people. It’s easy for you to get excited about your work and want to talk about the work all the time. And we assume other people are just as excited about our expertise as we are. But here’s the Rebel Truth: Your clients don’t care how you do what you do. They want the results your work creates. Today we’re talking about how to go from solution-focused to focusing on the result your audience actually wants. In This Episode: Why experts struggle to see the difference between the drill and the hole A client case study of marketing the result not the solution Four steps to take your messaging from solutions to results Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message Resources: Theodore Levitt Camille Rapacz

Have you ever noticed  how many clichés there are in online business? Scale your business. Grow your audience. Take it to the next level. Make money while you sleep. Do it all while avoiding burnout. Now, if everyone is saying the same thing and relying on these clichéd marketing messages, it makes it hard for you to stand out. If you want to go from being that overlooked expert into being known and hired by your right people, well, my friend, it is time to move past the clichés. How do you do that? Today I’ll tell you how. I’m going to take three overused marketing messages and make them stand out by asking two very simple questions. In This Episode: Why we have so many clichés in online business How to turn a worn out marketing message into a standout call to your people Why you have to get specific in your messages Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Finally Nail Your Message Resources: Uncertainty reduction theory Rebel Uprising: The Top Meh Messages in Online Business for 2021

Today, we are going to the dark side–the dark side of online business. Duped is the podcast that I host with Maggie Patterson. And in this episode, Maggie and I have a fascinating conversation about predatory pricing practices in the online business pyramid scheme.  Let's face it, there’s a lot of downright terrible advice and business practices around pricing and Maggie and I try to debunk them all. Find the full show notes and all things Duped at Duped.Online.

Carving out your unique place in the market is critical. Any messaging expert worth their salt will tell you that one of the jobs of your message is to differentiate your business so you stand out. And so people will understand why they should hire you instead of your competition. You can be the best in the world at what you do, but if people don’t know about you, and they don’t know what makes you different, then you’re just going to blend in with every other person who does what you do. But here’s where I think the overlooked experts have an advantage. Because you, my rebel friend, are different. You’ve got strengths, experiences, and skills other people don’t. Even if those people share your area of expertise, you’ve got something that makes you different. Now you have to harness that advantage and communicate it. In This Episode: How differentiation works to get you in front of your right fit clients Why differentiation means being able to charge more for your services How differentiation eliminates your competition and turns them into colleagues Why you want to be a category of one  Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Join That Should Have Been Me: A Project for Exploring the Messy Middle of A chieving Success Marketing Uprising Workshop Resources: The Fascination Advantage Building a Storybrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen, Donald Miller Find Your Red Thread: Make Your Big Ideas Irresistible, Tamsen Webster

One of the biggest lessons I learned in my business early on is to focus on what you can control. There are so many things in business that are out of our control. Like whether that prospective client says yes to working with us, whether or not we land that podcast interview or that TEDx talk. We don’t control whether people open our emails or not. And even though so much is out of our control, we do control the moments when the ball is still in our proverbial court. Those are the moments before we send the proposal out to that prospective client, when we’re crafting that application to that TEDx talk, before we send the email and we reconsider our subject line. And for the overlooked experts among us–those people who are amazing at what they do, but feel like they’re relatively unknown–what we control is actually the key to becoming known to the right people for our work. So what do we control? In This Episode: What messaging is, what it isn’t, and why it’s not a fill in the blank template from a free download Why your work needs you to advocate for it in a cohesive, comprehensive way Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  3 Word Rebellion Mini Audio Workshop Join That Should Have Been Me: A Project for Exploring the Messy Middle of Achieving Success Marketing Uprising Workshop

My husband and I love to play the game “spot the character actor” when we watch TV.  You know, the actors that make you say, wait, what have I seen that person in? Why do they look so familiar? Because they’ve been in freakin’ everything. But you have to google them to figure out their names and what else you’ve seen them in. And I believe those actors hold the key to how we overcome being the overlooked expert. Because you don’t need to be Brad Pitt famous or a web celeb to be known for what you’re good at.   In This Episode: What we can learn about being visible to the right people from the red stapler guy from Office Space Why not following the path of the web celeb means redefining success Why your marketing needs to change when you step away from the visibility pyramid Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  3 Word Rebellion Mini Audio Workshop Join That Should Have Been Me: A Project for Exploring the Messy Middle of Achieving Success Marketing Uprising Workshop Resources: Rebel Uprising Ep 279: Are You the Overlooked Expert? Against the Rules with Michael Lewis

Have you ever asked yourself, “If I'm so good at what I do, why don't more people know about me” Honestly, I've asked this question of myself a lot and I've become obsessed with figuring out the answer in my own business and for my clients. I get to work with a ton of amazing people who are experts, with years of education, experience, and finely honed skills, and the work they do with their clients is incredible. They are the type of people who are so damn easy to refer because their work is so good. They're the kind of people I want to make sure more people know about. But why, if they are so good, so talented, so skilled, why aren't they known for their work?  Well, I believe I found the answer to why this happens and why you’re the overlooked expert. In This Episode: Where the overlooked expert exists in the online business world The cultural reasons why we don’t actually value expertise Why experts struggle to communicate their worth Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  3 Word Rebellion Mini Audio Workshop Join That Should Have Been Me: A Project for Exploring the Messy Middle of Achieving Success Marketing Uprising Workshop Resources: Against the Rules with Michael Lewis Duped: The Truth About Influencers and Experts

Did you play MadLibs as a kid? Your partner would ask for a noun, a verb, an adjective, a number, etc. and at the end, your friend would read back the MadLib and it would spit out a nonsensical and sometimes hilarious and/or wildly inappropriate story. Well, the other day I discovered a piece of software that claims it can create a social media post for your business in just three seconds. And it was just social media MadLibs. You enter your client’s title, their biggest misconception, what they really want, and the software spits out a post you can copy and paste to your platform of choice. This is the pinnacle of playing the game of communication. You want to post quickly to score points, be consistent, and get those likes and shares so your content continues to be seen. Meanwhile we’re not really thinking about what our mission is, what makes our clients unique, what makes us unique.  Playing the game of communication with social media MadLibs robs you of your biggest strength: YOU. How can you opt out of playing the game and bring more of you into how you communicate about your business? That’s what we’re talking about In this final installment of the Game of Communication series. In This Episode: Why your marketing needs you, not a swipe file How following marketing trends doesn’t attract the clients you want Why you need to own your expertise, credibility, and strengths in your marketing How to hone your unique perspective on your industry and what you do Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  3 Word Rebellion Mini Audio Workshop Join That Should Have Been Me: A Project for Exploring the Messy Middle of Achieving Success Marketing Uprising Workshop Resources: Don Schultz Rebel Uprising: The Top Meh Messages in Online Business for 2021 Building a Storybrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen, Donald Miller Find Your Red Thread: Make Your Big Ideas Irresistible, Tamsen Webster Duped: The Dark Side of Online Business Podcast Rebel Uprising: Building an Argument: How to Get Past the Manipulation Tactics

Have you ever said to yourself, if I can just get people on the phone with me, I know I can make the sale. But the problem is getting them to that phone call in the first place. I hear this all the time when I'm on a call with a potential client. And it tells me two very important things. Number one, it tells me what they are doing is tremendously valuable. And that when they're talking with someone one-on-one, they are very skilled at communicating the value their business is creating for that other person. So that is something to celebrate. That is a success.  But it also tells me that what they are saying during that sales call is being lost in translation in their marketing. And that’s why they’re having such a hard time getting people on the phone in the first place. Their sales messaging is not translating into a marketing message that people find compelling. But why does it happen? Why can't we translate what we say on a sales call to another human being into that brilliant marketing message? The answer is found in the environment where we are communicating about our business. Today we are exploring the true conditions of communication. Or, what needs to happen in order to get our message heard, understood, and acted on.  In This Episode: How distraction, noise, and misunderstandings impact your message Why motivation and ability are key factors to persuasive messaging Four essentials to get through the marketing noise Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Join That Should Have Been Me: A Project for Exploring the Messy Middle of Achieving Success Marketing Uprising Workshop Resources: Shannon and Weaver Model of Communication Elaboration Likelihood Model Seven and a Half Lessons about the Brain, Lisa Feldman Barrett Rebel Uprising: The Top Meh Messages in Online Business for 2021 Anywhere the Eye Can See, It's Likely to See an Ad - The New York Times Rebel Uprising: The Brené Brown Case Study: The Curious of Case of Why Consistency Works

What was the intention behind your last email or post? What did you want it to do for your business? What did you want it to do for your audience? Sometimes we get caught up in posting or emailing for the wrong reasons. We realize that it’s been a while since we sent an email to our subscribers so we draft one quickly and send an email out. We come up with something that we think the algorithm will like so we post on social media even if it’s not really communicating our message. In this episode, the second episode in a four part series about playing the game of communication, let's talk about why we get so fixated on vanity metrics and how we can start measuring what really matters. In This Episode: Why the points system of vanity metrics is so persuasive at pulling us away from our actual missions What other people’s revenue numbers and follower counts are really telling you How to use metrics to measure progress, not success Two questions to ask yourself before you create a piece of content How to create your own points system to measure the success of your messaging Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Join That Should Have Been Me: A Project for Exploring the Messy Middle of Achieving Success Marketing Uprising Workshop Resources: “How Twitter Gamifies Communication,” C. Thi Nguyen Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content, Ann Handley

Let me ask you a question. Did you start your business to accumulate shares, likes, views, comments, email subscribers, and traffic? I don’t know your life, but I’m guessing that if you’re listening to this podcast, you did not start your business for any of those reasons. I started my business because I truly believe that communication can change the world. I knew that if I could help business owners communicate what it is they do and why it freaking matters, then more people who are doing the best work would be known, seen, valued, and hired for that work. So how did our goals and missions for our businesses get co-opted and transformed into all of those metrics? The reason lies beneath this question: Are you communicating or are you playing the game of communication? In This Episode: What social media and the Legend of Zelda have in common How the game of communication erodes your message and makes it harder to actually connect Three questions to get clear on your real goals for communication Why real messaging and communication have long-term dynamic value Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Join That Should Have Been Me: A Project for Exploring the Messy Middle of Achieving Success Marketing Uprising Workshop Resources: “How Twitter Gamifies Communication,” C. Thi Nguyen

Do you have to be on social media to market your business? If you’re becoming more and more disenchanted with social media, know this: you are not alone. The number one question I get asked lately is if there is an alternative to marketing on social media. My clients are requesting marketing strategies that don’t have a social media component because the platforms are demanding more and more of our time. Whether it’s video, reels, lives, stories, the constant cycle of content creation seems never ending. And the return on investment is questionable. Which is why I wanted to have Meg Casebolt on the show. She’s been talking about this trend on her podcast, Social Slowdown, and alternatives to hustling on social media platforms. Meg Casebolt is the founder of Love at First Search, an agency devoted to helping online businesses get found in search results like Google, YouTube, and iTunes and turn those new readers into leads, subscribers, and sales.  Meg lives in Rochester, New York with her husband, two boys and an 80 pound pit bull. She has an insatiable appetite for s’mores, Broadway musicals, and romance novels.  In This Episode: Why social media can’t be your one marketing strategy to rule them all How the instant gratification of social media gets confused with real results How Meg’s using content creation and collaboration in her marketing strategy Doing the math on how many people you really need to reach Learn more about Meg Casebolt: Love at First Search Social Slowdown Instagram: @LoveAtFirstSearch Facebook: @LoveAtFirstSearch Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Join That Should Have Been Me: A Project for Exploring the Messy Middle of Achieving Success Marketing Uprising Workshop Resources: Rebel Uprising: Love at First Search with Meg Casebolt

How much time are you spending on social media each week?  I don’t mean the time you spend doom scrolling or mindlessly looking at cat photos, but the time you spend creating social media for your business. Creating the visuals, researching the hashtags, writing the captions, engaging with other people with purpose, answering your DMs, sharing other people’s work, responding to comments–it’s a long list of tasks that take more time than we think. Last year I did a time audit and realized that I was spending about five hours per week on social media content creation. That’s twenty hours per month, and 240 hours per year, which is six weeks of work. That’s one and a half months of my working time! When I realized that, I had to ask, is it even worth it? And if it is worth it to me, then is it working? Could I be doing something else with that month and a half? That’s what we’re diving into today.   In This Episode: How to find out if your people are buying services on social media The power of having marketing assets so other people can help spread your message Why your social media posts don’t have to be disposable   Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Join That Should Have Been Me: A Project for Exploring the Messy Middle of Achieving Success Marketing Uprising Workshop   Resources: Rebel Uprising 271: Why Is It So Hard to Know If Your Messaging Is Working? Rebel Uprising 272: Demystifying Marketing : Behind The Scenes of My Marketing Strategy What Tech Calls Thinking: An Inquiry Into the Intellectual Bedrock of Silicon Valley, Adrian Daub

What happens after you get a message that works for your business?  AKA that message is persuading people and leading them to work with you, so it's generating revenue for your business.  How do you get that message that works to the people who need to hear it? The people who right this minute are most likely looking for you, but they don't know you exist? Yet. That's where marketing comes in.  Today I'm going to take you behind the scenes of my own business to show you how my marketing ecosystem works and the marketing assets that are currently working for me without me actively having to push them 24/7. In This Episode: Three key phases of marketing for your business Why marketing assets are more than just graphics How to simplify your marketing strategy for each phase Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Join That Should Have Been Me: A Project for Exploring the Messy Middle of Achieving Success Marketing Uprising Workshop Resources: Rebel Uprising: Case Study: Why You Should Stop Over Nurturing Your Audience Duped: The Dark Side of Online Business Podcast Brainz Magazine

Today's bonus episode of the podcast comes from the "It Should've Been Me" Community Project. Who do you turn to when the messy middle of building a business becomes TOO MUCH to handle? Today, we have Tracey Warren a very raw and vulnerable “It Should’ve Been Me Moment” and what she did to navigate through that moment to remind us all - even when it’s hard - there is a way through. If you've enjoyed this story and want to hear more stories like this one, sign up for the community project at drmichellemazur.com/me

A huge following equals easy sales, right? Eh, not so much. Let me give you an example. Once upon a time in 2019, there was an Instagram influencer with a following in the millions who hung on her every word. She decided she wanted to create a clothing line and she would start with a T-shirt. All she needed for the first run was 36 people to buy a shirt. Sounds simple, right? Except she couldn’t get 36 people out of 2.6 million followers to buy a T-shirt. There’s a common misconception in the online business world, and the online world in general, that amassing an audience means sales will be easy. You’ll know your messaging is working because everyone will be gathering around you and supporting you! But what if that’s not true? What if social media is the worst and most confusing way to understand if your messaging is actually resonating and if it will actually lead people to become your next clients? Let’s dig into what makes social media such a confusing space for creating messaging that leads to people working with you and measuring how your messaging is working or not. In This Episode: Three reasons why social media engagement is a terrible measure of your messaging What the real job of your social media presence is for your business The channels where you can really make a persuasive case for your work Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Join That Should Have Been Me: A Project for Exploring the Messy Middle of Achieving Success Resources: Rebel Uprising Ep 270: Messaging: What Is It and How Do You Know If It's Working Rebel Uprising: How Big of An Audience Do You Really Need To Have a Sustainable Business?

How do you know if your messaging is working for your business? Ask yourself a few questions: Are you making the sales you want to make? Are you closing the deals you want to close? When people show up on sales calls, are they ready to work with you? And is the sales conversation just about the fit? If you answered yes, congratulations! Your messaging is working!  If you answered no, well, you have some more work to do. And it’s no wonder! The online business world is chock full of confusion about what messaging even is, let alone how it supports your business’s one true job. Let’s clarify what your business’s job really is (hint: it’s about revenue), how you really know your messaging is working, and what you can absolutely let go of as a test of if it is or not. In This Episode: Why messaging is more than a sentence, an elevator pitch or your brand voice How messaging builds an argument for your business Why you need messaging before you can have successful marketing Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Join That Should Have Been Me: A Project for Exploring the Messy Middle of Achieving Success

Imagine this: a friend tells you they’ve just landed a huge opportunity.  And you’re thrilled for them! You’re genuinely happy for their success. But. There’s this niggling little voice in your head whispering, that should be me. And it really is a both/and situation. You can be genuinely excited for someone else and still feel that twinge of envy, knowing that you want an opportunity like that too. It’s so easy to see someone land a TEDx talk and think, that should have been me, or they land a book deal and you think, I would love to have a book deal, that should have been me, or they get a Forbes feature and you think, oh, that should be me! We see the happy endings and we compare our messy middles with them. Our brains are actually hardwired to do it. But what about the bits we don’t see? The bits that come before the Instagram-worthy end goal? Let’s talk about the messy middle of building a business and achieving success. In This Episode: Why you can’t control comparing yourself to others, but you can control what you do with the comparison Why we need to shine a light on the messy middles of building a business The three key pieces you’ll get from joining That Should Have Been Me Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat  Join That Should Have Been Me: A Project for Exploring the Messy Middle of Achieving Success Resources: Derek Sivers: How to Start a Movement Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience, Brené Brown

What if the online business game is rigged? There’s such a sense of rugged individualism and “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” when it comes to building an audience and building your business. And celebrity entrepreneurs with their huge audiences teach you in their courses that if you want a business and an audience just like theirs, you need to do what they do. You need to show up consistently. You need to provide great value. You need to blog, podcast, do videos, host webinars and workshops, build your email list, run ads, because that’s the way you build a successful business. But what if that’s not really how they did it when they started out? What if what you’ve been told to do to build your audience and build your business isn’t actually the best way for you to do that? In This Episode: The underappreciated advantages that celebrity entrepreneurs had that you might not have access to Why we need to talk more about the messy middle of building a business Why strong relationships and community mean more than the size of your audience Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat Join That Should Have Been Me: A Project for Exploring the Messy Middle of Achieving Success Resources: Mind Your Business Podcast Ep 215: Playing BIG with Amy Porterfield The New Creator Manifesto Rebel Uprising Podcast: How Big of an Audience Do You Really Need to Have a Sustainable Business? Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content, Ann Handley

Have you ever wondered what needs to happen to take an idea and turn it into a TV show? All of the TV that we watch starts as an idea someone had, that they then had to develop and advocate for to finally get it on TV. Sound familiar? What needs to happen to get a show on TV isn’t all that different from what we need to do as business owners to take an idea out of our heads and turn it into a business. Today, I’m speaking with Dave Noll, the co-creator of the hit reality TV show Chopped. We’re diving into how he and his colleague first developed the idea for the show and what they needed to do to get it to 75% there, to on the air. Dave Noll has created, sold, and produced over 60 series and over 3,300 episodes in the US and around the world. He has won two Emmy Awards, two Gracie Awards, a James Beard Award for Best Television Series for Chopped, and a platinum album from the Recording Industry of America. In This Episode: How years of paying attention to the 4, 3, 2, 1 format finally turned into the idea for Chopped Why the premise, title, and tagline got them 75% of the way there, and the final 25% of development into production took two years How feedback from the network overcomplicated the premise and almost killed the show How Dave and his team got back to their original pitch and got Chopped on the air Learn more about Dave Noll: Chopped Connect with Dave on LinkedIn Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat Resources: Chopped  - SNL

Pull a hoard of drooling, slobbering, fervent buyers willing to buy everything you have to offer! Yeah. That’s a real headline from a real sales page. Ick. But it reminded me of a question from a member of my email community that asked me, what will replace manipulative, privilege-based marketing in years to come? And the short answer is that we, as business owners, have to learn how to persuade in a different way. If we’re are going to break free from manipulative marketing, we have to encourage critical thinking in our buyers and prospective clients. And the way that we encourage critical thinking is by building an argument for our work. When you do this, not everyone is going to buy into the argument that you’re building. You will hear no. And that’s okay because that means that client wasn’t right for you. If they’re not buying into your argument, it’s good to hear no! You should be hearing no! Even though it’s uncomfortable and it hurts. But what does building an argument even mean? What does that look like? That’s what we’re diving into today. In This Episode: The two foundational paths to persuasion Why your unique perspective and point of view are a prerequisite for making an argument Five steps to building an argument for your work Learn more about Michelle Mazur: Communication Rebel Three Word Rebellion Book Request a free 1:1 Chat

Previously on the podcast, I’ve introduced how to change ‘meh’ into a powerful message, that will set you apart from everyone else who is in your industry. On this final episode of the podcast in 2021, I am diving deeper into 7 types of ‘meh’ messages, so you can start creating messages that will stand out in overcrowded online space. My dear rebels, I wish you a fantastic Christmas holiday and New Year. Talk to you soon! Visit this episode’s blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/12/the-top-meh-messages-in-online-business.html

If a visitor came to your website without its branding in place, no logo, name, tagline, would he or she even recognize it as yours? If the answer is no, that means you are delivering ‘meh’ messages to your audience. And with  ‘meh’  messages people aren't seeing you and your work. It is about time to start working on your message, so you can stand out and bring your uniqueness into the world. Visit this episode’s blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/12/a-question-every-business-owner-should-ask.html

In today’s episode, we are moving forward with how to create a demand in your business. If you haven’t tuned into the last two episodes, please do, as this one is a sequence.  Everything we do in business is about communication. You want a message that builds a desire, builds demand for your work, and really engages with people. So today, I’m going to dive into the 3 essential foundations that create demand in your business.  Visit this episode’s blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/11/the-3-essential-foundations-for-creating-demand-for-your-business.html

If you're a business owner that is almost always at capacity for client work but never quite gets there, do not miss this episode of Rebel Uprising. Today, I am diving deep into the five reasons you want to be in demand and why it is important for your business, your cash flow, and creating consistency.  Visit this episode’s blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/11/the-five-reasons-you-want-your-business-to-be-in-demand.html

Are you familiar with a phase of the business ‘’It's time to make the donuts’’?  Some of us don't truly know it's happening to us, because on the surface everything is fine, you are financially stable, but actually, there is an underlying frustration to get more clients, to work with clients, to be fully booked in advance.  In this episode, I will walk you through the importance of making a framework and creating demand for your work and expertise. More on today’s episode of Rebel Uprising! Visit this episode’s blog post here:  https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/11/the-unspoken-problem-in-online-business.html

There is an epidemic in the online space where we have been taught to always be giving value, but we're not taught actually how to sell and to make the ask. In this episode, I will walk you through how to stop over nurturing to create marketing that actually results in new clients, new sales, and more money. You will learn how to create something that will be highly valuable for your audience, but also will be selling to them on working with you. Visit this episode’s blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/11/why-you-should-stop-over-nurturing-your-audience.html   

Duped is back with an all-new season! I wanted to share this episode with you because I'm constantly asked if courses are the way to "scale."   Stop us if you’ve heard these ones before - “Make money while you sleep!” “Never trade dollars for hours again!” “Create it once and set it on autopilot!” We all know celebrity entrepreneurs make BIG promises when selling us a course that teaches us how to create… another course. But do courses actually live up to the hype? Are they the passive income dream they claim to be? In this episode of Duped, we’re looking at whether courses are a magical moneymaking dream or a bonafide business nightmare. Learn more at: duped.online

Are you one of those business owners who doesn't want to be too salesy or too self-promotional in your business? I'm on a mission to show you how to sell without feeling salesy, to show that you can talk about your services and still create value and help people, and also how to promote your work. In this episode, I am sharing the main characteristics of my right-fit clients who are ready to work with me on the 3 Word Rebellion Messaging Intensive. Listen in now! Visit this episode’s blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/10/is-the-3-word-rebellion-messaging-intensive-right-for-you.html 

There's a piece of internet marketing advice that floats around the internet that we, myself included until lately, largely ignore -- and that advice is to listen and pay attention to what your clients are saying back to you, what questions they ask, what their everyday struggles are. This is an excellent way to create content and copy that actually engages with your right fit clients and it doesn't have to be complicated or techy. I'm sharing how on today's episode of Rebel Uprising, listen in! Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/10/the-best-way-to-create-content-that-engages-your-right-fit-client.html 

How many ideal client avatars have you created for your business? Probably a crap ton. This is usually heralded as one of the first steps to creating a solid messaging and marketing strategy. But here's the thing, all of those ICAs? They are a figment of your imagination. They don't exist, and do you know who you can't market or sell to? People who don't freaking exist. So let's burn all of those ideal client avatars and start paying attention to what actual clients say and have conversations with actual people. More on today's episode of Rebel Uprisng!  Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/10/why-you-should-ditch-ideal-client-avatars-do-this-instead.html 

If you rely on word of mouth marketing, you have to be sure that your clients know how to explain exactly what it is that you do. You want them to be able to say more than you're magical, or it's so great to work with you. You want them to be able to refer you to their friends and colleagues with specific and actionable language. How? Tune into today's episode to find out! Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/10/the-missing-ingredient-for-wildly-effective-word-of-mouth-marketing 

You don't have to work with shitty clients. One thing that breaks my heart is when my clients are working with people who don't appreciate their skills or talents, or they're working with people who just are not ready for the transformation that they are offering through their work. You don't have to work with these people. In fact, you can use your marketing and your messaging to screen them out, to repel them. I realize that sounds scary to repel people, but it's exactly what you want to do if you never want to work with another crappy client again. So how do you do it? Well, that's exactly what we're talking about on today's podcast. Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/09/3-ways-to-repel-clients-who-arent-the-right-fit-for-your-business 

What if I told you there was only one way left to stand out online? This has been something I've been thinking about for a while, and now I'm finally ready to share it. Listen in to this episode to hear what exactly that one way is and how you can start employing it in your business today. Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/09/the-only-remaining-way-to-stand-out-in-business   

The Rebel Uprising podcast is going on a short hiatus for a very GOOD reason.  Listen in for the update and an exciting announcement.  In the meantime, be sure to check out our sister podcast Duped: The Dark Side of Online Business

There's an awakening happening in the online business world: business owners are finally realizing the toxic and manipulative nature of bro marketing. However, they don't realize that bro marketing is lurking inside their businesses still. So let's root it out during this summer fun replay episode of the Rebel Uprising Podcast.   Catch the original blog post with a transcript and links for this episode here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/09/is-bro-marketing-lurking-in-your-business.html

It’s easy to think “I’m not like them. I would never knowingly manipulate people into buying from me. I’m not like those Bros!” But what if it’s more complicated than that? There is not a Bro Marketing Binary. What if Bro Marketing is the air we breathe online? You may not look like a Bro, but that doesn’t mean Bro Marketing isn’t lurking in your business and that’s exactly what we are breaking down in this episode of Duped for our 2021 Summer Fun series. Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/08/duped-the-bro-marketing-binary.html

The StoryBrand framework is heralded as the gold standard for business messaging. But what if you bought the book, took the course, or even worked with a StoryBrand consultant, and it just didn’t work for your business? There are good reasons that the StoryBrand framework didn’t work for your business so let’s discuss those and what you can try instead on today's episode of the Rebel Uprising Podcast. Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/07/4-reasons-the-storybrand-framework-didnt-work-for-your-business.html   

Have you ever sat down and thought about what your message does for your business? The words on your website, the post you share on social media, etc. Those words bring new people to your community, bring you clients and bring you more opportunities to share that message. Your message does a ton for you and your business and we're going to discuss the eight specific things that your message can do for you when you have the right message on today's summer fun episode of the pod. Visit this episode's original post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2018/10/8-tasks-your-message-does-for-your-business.html  Schedule a call with Michelle here: https://drmichellemazur.com/3wr 

You’ve created Your 3 Word Rebellion and you’re ready to grow your movement. So now it's time to take the next step and create your audience or customer journey so that the right people can easily say yes to your 3 Word Rebellion, to being a part of your movement, to what you've got to offer. But how exactly do you talk about your messaging so that people are excited to join in the impact? That’s what we’re breaking down on today’s episode of Rebel Uprising.Visit this episode’s blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/05/creating-the-audience-journey-to-yes.html Schedule a call with Michelle here: https://drmichellemazur.com/3wr

“You are your message” is advice that shouldn't be followed nor is it how you should approach your message. Believing this may keep you thinking small and prevent you from connecting with the right clients for your business. Listen in to today's episode to learn how you should instead view your message so you can have a healthier relationship with your business (starting today). Visit this episode's original blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/04/why-you-are-not-your-message.html Book a consult call with Michelle here: www.drmichellemazur.com/3wr   

The key to successful messaging? Consistency. There is no better example of this than Brené Brown. So today on the podcast, we're replaying one of my most downloaded episodes of all time so you can learn why consistency works and how it can impact your business. Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/06/the-brene-brown-case-study-the-curious-of-case-of-why-consistency-works.html  Book a consult call with Michelle here: www.drmichellemazur.com/3wr 

In the online business world, we tend to throw around a lot of jargon that is never defined. One of those words is “brand” or “personal branding” or “branding” in general. So today, branding expert, Dr. Robyn Graham is on the show to tell us exactly what a brand is, what it does for your business and the steps you can take to create your own personal brand. Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/07/what-the-heck-is-branding-with-robyn-graham 

Have you ever been told that your messaging doesn't really matter because at the end of the day it's just a bunch of words? Today on Rebel Uprising I want to break that myth wide open. I'm sharing why words and the language you use every day actually do matter to the success (or failure) of your business. For a transcript and links, visit here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/06/why-your-words-message-matter-more-than-you-think-in-business.html 

Online business has messed with our heads and made us believe that we can't market our offers without relating the results of what we produce back to money. But here's the deal my Rebel friend, you can't promise anyone that they will make money, period. So what can you promise and what's the reason that your clients buy from you? Enter your "why buy statement," we'll be breaking this down on the show today so you can start using it in your own business ASAP. For a transcript with links, visit here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/06/why-buy.html

What if you could have an app that would tell you exactly what to say and write for your business? It would tell you what content you would need to create for an upcoming marketing campaign or the launch of your group program, or just for general social media. You would never have to guess what's most efficient, and you would know how to bring people into your business. Well, you can have this, but it is definitely not an app. It's called brand messaging platform and it documents how you write and speak about your business every single day. Learn how to create one for your business on today's episode of the pod. For a transcript with links, visit this episode's blog post here:  https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/06/brand-messaging-platform.html

When was the last time you told the world how they could work with you? One of the things I'm always pushing my clients to do is tell the world how they work with people on a consistent basis, because I see them marketing themselves, whether it's on social or their email list, but not telling people, their community that, “Hey, I have a process and it can help you get a result.” If you've been listening to this podcast for a while, you hear me talking a lot about messaging, marketing, thought leadership and growing your business and your audience, but we've never dived into how specifically Communication Rebel and I can support your business when it comes to messaging and marketing. So it is high time I take my own damn advice and tell you exactly who we serve, how we can help and why the heck I'm qualified to do this work. For a transcript with thinks, visit here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/06/messaging-marketing-support.html 

Helping people to decide whether or not to work with you is an act of service. It's an act of helping people figure out if they are ready and I mean, really ready to experience your work and the transformation that your offers promise to them. So, how do you know when someone is ready to work with you? What are the sure-fire signs that they are ready for that work and the transformation? On today's episode, I'm sharing the 5 messaging readiness indicators to model how you can do this in your own business, too. For a transcript with links, visit here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/06/how-to-know-if-your-business-is-ready-for-messaging  

It's frustrating when words fail to capture the work you do for your clients. This is where Caroline Mays of Switchblade Lemonade comes in. She’s an expert in helping her clients uncage their Epic Credential. She insists that the average about me paragraph is a personality killer and identity eraser and a creative wasteland. And personally, I couldn't agree more. Caroline's joining us today to share the importance of finding your Epic Credential so you can stand out in your industry. Enjoy!  Visit this episode's blog post: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/05/uncage-your-epic-credential-with-caroline-mays.html 

One of the biggest questions I am asked is, “Michelle, I don't know what to call myself. What should my title be?” But the thing is, your title is an inadequate description of the value and transformation that you actually create for your clients. This means that means no matter what you call yourself, you're always going to feel that the results and the value your business creates is so much more than that. So let's talk about why your title matters way less than you think and what you should do instead on this episode of the Rebel Uprising podcast. For a transcript and links, visit today's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/05/why-your-title-matters-less-than-you-think 

If you're feeling stuck in your business, it may be a mindset problem, which is why I'm so excited to have KC Rossi on the podcast today. KC is a business and leadership coach who helps women scale a profitable and soul aligned businesses. In our conversation, we learn why beating ourselves up is never helpful mindset work, and what we can do instead when we face blocks as we grow our business and become leaders in our industries. I can't wait to hear your favorite takeaways from this episode! For a full transcript and links, visit here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/05/the-mindset-to-spread-your-message-with-kc-rossi 

Do you over nurture your audience? When we are over nurturers  we forget to tell our audience about your products or services and/or do not tell them how they can work with us. So today we're finishing up our four part masterclass on the BOLD Thought Leadership Framework and focusing on clear calls to action so that our audience knows exactly how to work with us so that we're not leaving money on the table. For a full transcript with links, visit here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/05/create-stand-out-calls-to-action.html 

You know what the online business world needs less of these days? Influencers masquerading as leaders. If you followed the latest Rachel Hollis event, you know exactly what I'm talking about. So we need less influencers and online business needs a whole lot more leaders. The online business world has created a unique opportunity for you to lead with your ideas. And this is going to be the key to standing out in the online space and being bolder with your business. We are going to break down how to lead with your ideas and your thoughts on this episode of the Rebel Uprising Podcast. For a full transcript and links, visit here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/04/lead-your-clients-with-a-bold-message 

When you think about standing out on your Instagram posts or blog posts, the focus is typically on yourself, how you're different, how your personality makes you unique, or how your story ads to your one-of-a-kindness. While these elements are important,  I think they're missing a big, big, big opportunity -- focusing on your individuality to make your audience feel seen, heard and listened to in your messaging. So, that's exactly what we're going to talk about today on the podcast, why focusing on your audience and your clients is one of the fastest ways to become the only option to them. Let's do this! For a full transcript and episode resources, click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/04/why-focusing-on-your-audience-clients-is-the-fastest-way-to-stand-out 

What I am seeing in 2021 is a lot of business owners saying the same things and I don't know how to differentiate one business owner from the next. I want better for the world (and for you). So for that reason I have created a four part masterclass about how to stand out in a noisy overcrowded marketplace. In this first episode, I'm going to take you through a framework that I created to to help individual business owners be bolder with their messaging and really stand out so that we can stop this epidemic of sameness so that your business and your work gets the recognition and the attention that it deserves. For links and a full transcript, visit here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/04/standing-out-in-a-crowded-market-4-part-masterclass 

I see so many people in the online space confused about what copywriting is and how it is different from messaging and how is copywriting different from marketing. As a result, many business owners investing in the wrong service at the wrong time, or they have misconceptions thinking that copywriters can do what marketers can do or marketers do what copywriters and messaging strategists can do when they actually don't. I believe it's important to define terms so that everyone knows what we're talking about and we can start out on a level playing field. So let's clear up the confusion between messaging, marketing and copywriting so you can decide what you business needs to be focusing on. Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/04/whats-the-difference-between-messaging-marketing-and-copy 

How do you want your clients to feel like after they experienced working with you? That's one of my favorite questions to ask my clients when we are working on their 3 Word Rebellion. I think we often underestimate the power of emotions to build connection with our people. So when sales start to stall out in our business, the question is not about how do you sell more or close more or what kind of technique should you be using. But the REAL question is about the emotion and intention that you are bringing into your sales conversation. So on today's episode, we are going to talk about why emotions are key to closing more sales.   Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/03/how-emotions-are-key-to-closing-more-sales.html   

Good marketing and messaging leads people through the content you create and cultivates conversation with the purpose of helping your audience make a decision of whether or not they want to work with you. This is also known as lead generation. But what do you do when your leads dry up? That's what we're going to cover on today's episode. Listen in now! Visit this episode's blog post here for a transcript and links: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/03/why-youre-not-getting-any-leads-and-what-do-about-it 

Last week on Rebel Uprising we talked about how large your audience needs to be in order to be sustainable, because the truth is, most businesses cap out at 100 true fans. So what do you do when your audience stalls out? That's exactly what we're going to talk about on this week's episode of the show. Visit today's blog post here for a transcript and links: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/03/what-to-think-about-when-your-audience-growth-stalls-out 

You most likely started your business because you love what you do, right? Not because you love spending all of your time on social media. But here's the thing, social media is a necessary evil. So with that in mind, how big of an audience do you really need to create a sustainable business? My short answer for you is 1,000 and we'll be discussing why this is on today's episode of Rebel Uprising. Visit this episode's blog post here for links and a full transcript: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/03/how-big-of-an-audience-do-you-really-need-to-have-a-sustainable-business.html 

Have you ever tried to skip steps in your business? I see it so often, myself included. Sometimes skipping steps is fine and it gets you where you want to go even faster. But most of the time we skipped something that is foundational and holds us back from reaching more people, growing our business and even making more money. When our business is not growing the way we want to, despite our efforts, it's time to take a pause and figure out what's missing. So, what is that missing foundational piece in nearly every online business? Well, that's exactly what we're going to talk about today on the podcast. Visit today's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/03/the-missing-foundational-piece-of-nearly-every-online-business-owner.html 

Are you on the cutting edge of your industry? Are you doing something that no one else is doing? Or perhaps you're doing something so innovative and new that people don't even know that they have the problem you solve yet.? If you found yourself nodding yes o any of these questions, then you don't want to miss this week's episode of the podcast. We're talking with Kari Schwear, founder of the Question the Drink movement. She struggled with the same issues you're having and is sharing how to create messaging that still works! Visit today's show notes page post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/02/question-the-drink-with-kari-schwear.html 

Have you been telling yourself that you're not good at sales? Or don't market your business successfully? I've got two pieces of good news, you're not alone in this thought and you're better at marketing than you think. Tune in to today's episode to hear how bro marketing tactics have clouded the beliefs you have about sales and how to reframe this mindset. Visit today's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/02/the-one-reason-youre-better-at-marketing-than-you-think.html 

The single best investment I made early on in my business was SEO optimization. SEO helps your content to be found on Google, stay relevant, and forges you as the authority in your industry. Today on the podcast I brought on Meg Casebolt, an SEO expert from Love at First Search. Listen in to hear how SEO can make you less dependent on social media platforms and help get your work found while continually growing your audience.   Visit today's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/02/love-at-first-search-with-meg-casebolt 

Authority... what is it and how can you claim it? I've been thinking about this a lot lately because time and time again I have seen authority be abused, especially when bro marketing tactics are used. I remember when I first started my business, I struggled to find my authority and be confident in it. I often compared myself to other leaders in my industry until I was able to lean on my experience, my education, and the credibility that I created throughout the years. So how can you find your unique authority to have a thriving business? That's exactly what we're talking about today on the show! Visit today's blog post for a full transcript and links: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/02/authority-how-to-claim-it.html 

Every Monday, I always sit down to review the week that I had before, and I asked myself this one question: What's one project that I move forward last week that future Michelle will thank me for? Sometimes it's working on a sales page or updating my playbooks that I use with my clients. And sometimes it's revising and expanding the Three Word Rebellion book.  And other times it's nothing. The week got away from me. I had client work. There were things going on in the world that were distracting to me and I didn't get done what I set out to do. And I want to say, sometimes that is absolutely okay. We need those respite weeks to recharge our creativity. But more times than not, it bums me out.  And then I read a book that changed everything. It was one simple thing I could do every week that would guarantee that I get something done. At least one thing done to move a project forward where future Michelle would be thrilled with past Michelle. Where I could feel like I was getting ahead and not behind in the things I was working on. Or I can feel like I was a success. So I did what my guest, Rob Hatch, calls “putting success in your way.” And when I heard that phrase, I thought, “Wow, what a great Three Word Rebellion.” And I knew I had to talk to him about how he took that idea from a Post-It note and turned it into a book. Tune into the episode to hear more: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/01/put-success-in-your-way-with-rob-hatch.html

I'm seeing a lot of conversations on Instagram about bro marketing and, you know me, I am totally here for those conversations. A new way to market and sell is emerging. And the more people who are talking about harmful marketing practices, the more it will become status quo to not do bro marketing because, let's face it, bro marketing makes people feel like shit. And it makes us question our judgment when we buy something we don't need for our business. Like, why did I do that? I should know better. But what I'm also noticing is a lot of misunderstanding about what bro marketing is and what we should do about it from well-intentioned female entrepreneurs thinking that bro marketing is about how men treat women on the internet. And although that's an issue too, that's not what bro marketing is.  Or people are still actively using bro marketing in their business, so they talk about bro marketing, but then when you look at their marketing messages and how they're showing up to sell, bro marketing tactics are still very much present. So today on the pod, let's talk about what is bro marketing really, why do I call it that, and how do we divest? How do we get rid of it in our marketing and sales? So that's the topic of this week's podcast. Tune into the episode to hear more: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/01/what-is-bro-marketing-how-do-you-divest-from-it-in-your-business.html

This episode is a perfect way to start your year! One thing that changed my relationship with goal-setting forever was an idea that Tara McMullin of the What Works Network shared around creating commitments to guide your life and business instead of adhering to the strict goal setting that we do every time this year.  And this blew my mind. So I invited Tara on the show to talk about the commitment blueprint, how she developed the idea that was helping her in her own life and transformed it into an offer that people can't get enough of. Tune into the full episode to hear more: https://drmichellemazur.com/2021/01/commitments-over-goals-with-tara-mcmullin.html

In my copious amounts of free time, I have been researching NLP or neuro-linguistic programming. I know you're all jealous of my #hobbies. However, I love to learn about things that I don't understand, especially when they're a common marketing practice in the online world. And NLP is one of those things that bro marketers and bro-ette marketers use to manipulate us into making questionable decisions. In fact, most of the celebrity entrepreneurs -- hat tip to my friend Maggie Patterson for coining that phrase -- they use NLP in their copy and in their word choice. According to Jason Louv who wrote the article “10 Ways to Protect Yourself from NLP Mind Control,” NLP is a technique of layering subtle meaning into spoken or written language so that you can implant suggestions into a person's unconscious mind without them knowing what you're doing. But what really caught my attention about this article was a note about vague language and vague messages because, holy crap, the whole internet is full of vague language and messaging! But check this out from that exact same article by Jason Louv: “One of the primary techniques that NLP took from Milton Erickson is the use of vague language to induce a hypnotic trance. Erickson found that the more vague language is, the more it leads people to be in a trance because there is less that a person is liable to disagree with or react to. Alternatively, more specific language will take a person out of a trance.” And as people who want to market in a way that feels good and you value having people make the best purchasing decisions for themselves, we actually want our people to think about what we're offering them so that they can make a good business decision. And so it means we need to get away from the same old, same old, boring-ass messages and drown those messages in the sea of sameness from whence they came. So on this final episode of the podcast in 2020, let's talk about the ten messages that we need to leave in the rear view mirror of this year and let's start talking about how we can create marketing messages that inspire thinking while attracting the right people to our business. Tune into the full episode to hear more: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/12/10-marketing-messages-that-need-to-drown-in-the-sea-of-sameness-in-2021.html

What does your business need? When was the last time you sat down and asked yourself this very question, or have you ever asked the question? What does my business need? And the reason I'm bringing this up is because this is the question that I always pose to my clients when we’re wrapping up their messaging. They have this new, shiny message. They have this new client journey. They have all these content ideas. They're raring to go. They get stuck and they don't know how to put it out there. And the question I always ask them, “Well, tell me -- what does your business need?” And it's so easy to be flippant and just think, “Oh, well, my business needs sales. It always needs sales and money,” but does it really? I also think this is a perfect question to start thinking about what's next in our business because it is the season. So today on the pod, we are going to talk about the three needs every business has because your business is actually pretty basic when it comes to its wants and its needs. And I also want to start by posing another question that you can ask yourself to help you ease into 2021. So let's do this. Tune into the full episode to hear more: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/12/what-does-your-business-need.html

One of the biggest gifts that 2020 brought us is that we are finally having real conversations about bro marketing and manipulative marketing tactics. I am so grateful that people are finally waking up to what these tactics are, how they're being used, and who is using them. It makes us better consumers and also makes sure that we are investing in programs that are really aligned with who we are and our own ethics and morals. With that being said, I am also very, very weary. I am weary of people talking about bro marketing tactics and saying they aren't marketing with ethics and integrity. And then you take a closer look and you see that they're still relying on fear and scarcity and manufactured authority and atypical social proof to promote their programs, their services, and their products. Being an ethical marketer is more about paying attention to what people do more than what they say. And my big concern for 2021 -- and I share this with my partner in crime over at Small Business Boss, Maggie Patterson -- is that we're going to see a lot of what is essentially “green washing” of ethical marketing. People saying that they're doing ethical marketing, but really they're still relying on the same bro marketing and manipulative tactics that they've been taught since they started their business. And it's super easy to slap this buzzword of ethical marketing on your bio or in a headline. But ethical marketing is not a strategy. It's not a tactic. It's not something that you easily implement. It's a philosophy. It is a way of thinking about your business. So that's what we're going to talk about today on the podcast -- developing your own philosophy for ethical marketing so you know how to take a stand about what is right for you and what is wrong for you based on your own morals and principles. Tune into the full episode to hear more: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/12/the-rise-of-ethical-marketing-in-2021-and-what-it-means-for-your-business.html

When I started my business almost nine years ago, I had no clue what I was doing. I knew that I had amazing expertise in communication. I had passion and curiosity. I knew that I understood marketing from my time in corporate America. But building a business from the ground up? No freaking idea. I went to find experts who would teach me how to build my business the way they had built their business. I wanted the blueprint, the success formula that would minimize my work and also shorten the length of time it took me to have a successful business.  And guess what? I paid thousands of dollars for it.  Sound familiar? Of course it does. The online business world experts teach you how to recreate their business. They have a successful business, they know how to build that kind of business, so then they say, “Hey, give me tons of money and I'll teach you how to build my business.” However, that is not the type of business that is aligned with you. And this is the reason why I wanted to have serial entrepreneur Caryn Gillen on today's show. She knows how to build many kinds of businesses without all the cookie cutter bullshit that doesn't work for you and just ends up over-complicating your business. So a bit about Caryn: she is a life and business coach for coaches who want to bring more them into their business so that they can have more fun and make more money. And whether you’re new to business or a seasoned veteran, I promise that Caryn has some insights for you on how you can lead your profit and build your business in a way that is fun. Tune into the full episode to hear more: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/11/lead-your-profit-with-caryn-gillen.html

You're in the weeds. You love what you do. You're passionate about it. And if you could just sit down with someone one-on-one for a good 30 minutes and explain it, you know they would be all in. They would be ready to buy. And what you do is so complex that you feel like you need to spend that time rambling just to get people to understand what your business is all about and how it can help them. Does any of this sound familiar? If it does, you're suffering from what Steven Pressfield calls the “curse of knowledge.” And that “curse” is keeping you from marketing your business. That “curse” is actually forcing you to rely on word of mouth and referrals instead of being proactive with your marketing. So what can you do when you are so close to your own work that it feels impossible to create a marketing message that other people will grok quickly? What I want you to know, my dear expert friend, is that it is possible to find that message. And this is exactly what we're going to talk about on today's episode: how to find your message, explain what you do when you're far too close to your work. So let's do this. Tune into the full episode to hear more: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/11/explaining-what-you-do-when-youre-an-expert-who-is-too-close-to-their-work.html

Do you often feel like you're a jack of all trades and a master of none? Do you hesitate to call yourself an expert in any one thing because you don't want to be pigeonholed into one area or one idea? Do you bring a ton of different skills and experiences to your business and the work you do in order to get your clients results? If you found yourself nodding your head “yes” to any of these questions, you just might be a multi-passionate. I've got to say, I love you multi-passionates. You are some of my favorite clients. Also I am one of you. Multi-passionates are people who are interested in everything. They're always taking in new information or reading books, applying all of that knowledge and skills to what they do. Multi-passionates tend to be on the cutting edge of the latest trends or what's new in their industry because they are so curious, inquisitive, and always want to know more. Now, when I talk to my multi-passionate friends, they always ask me, “Michelle, I am multi-passionate. I don't think I can have a Three Word Rebellion. How can a multi-passionate person find one core message that they can stick to?” And that's a great question. Exactly what we're going to tackle on today's episode. So let's dive in and do this. Tune into the full episode to hear more: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/11/discovering-your-one-core-brand-message-when-youre-a-multi-passionate-entrepreneur.html

Happy Election Day, rebel. I hope wherever you are, that you have already cast your ballot. And if you're listening to the sound of my voice on Election Day and you're standing in line somewhere, I just want to say, keep standing! Your vote matters, and this election is so important. And I'll be honest -- as a business owner, I've been really dreading Election Day because it's hard to market your business right now. Right? There's going to be a lot of noise out there. I keep telling my clients, “You gotta be flexible in November because we don't know what's going to happen.” So instead of doing my regular-type podcast where I share some insights and some reflection with you, I thought today I could share with you one of my biggest passions, which is reading. I freaking love books. I taught myself to read around the age of four and my nose has been in a book ever since then. And I read a lot of books that could benefit you and your business. So today I'm going to share some of the top books that I've read this past year that can help you grow your business or clarify your message along with a few fun surprises. So sit back, enjoy this episode, and maybe you'll discover your next read. Tune into the full episode to hear more: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/11/best-books-of-2020-for-growing-your-business-clarifying-your-message.html

How do you know what's really working in your business? How do you know if that last launch really worked? If your Facebook ads are profitable or you're setting your money on fire? And how do you know if your email marketing is effective? You know when you look at the numbers. Oh, numbers. I know many of you are not like me. I'm a researcher. I revel in numbers. It's giving me feedback on whether or not my efforts are paying off.  However, for you, numbers may feel like an abyss of anxiety and uncertainty. What do all these numbers mean? Am I looking at the right numbers? What do I do with these numbers now that I know them? And this is exactly why I invited Rita Barry on the show to talk about the numbers in your business so that you can translate data into confidence (and P.S. that's her three word rebellion). A bit about Rita: she is a measurement and marketing expert and the founder of Rita Barry & Company, a digital marketing optimization consultancy. For the past 10 years, she and her team have been helping women-led online businesses get clarity about every aspect of their marketing funnel and paid traffic campaigns. Now, if you're about to run away from this podcast because we're talking about numbers, please don't. Rita makes data approachable and even fun. Tune into the full episode to hear more: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/10/translating-data-into-confidence-with-rita-barry.html

Well, isn't that curious? Curiosity and staying curious is one of the core values of my company Communication Rebel. And I'm curious by nature. I always want to know how something works, or I want to hear the backstory of how you came up with that remarkable idea. I'm constantly reading to find out more information so that I can understand the world better and satisfy my curious nature. But to operationalize curiosity in my business, well, that means asking better questions. With my clients, I ask questions about the assumptions they are making about their audience and their most ideal clients. If I don't understand something, I ask. If I want to know the why behind a certain belief, a really strong stance, I dive in with a better question. But I also do this in all the other areas of my business. With my marketing -- if a post on Instagram works very well, I wonder, “Huh. Why did that get so much attention?” If one flops and I thought it would do well, I ask myself, “Huh. What didn't work about this post?” I'm always asking more and better questions so I can get better results for my clients and my business. And today, I want to ask you some questions that finding the answers to will help you make more sales in your business. It will also make marketing so much easier and help you become known for your ideas and your work. If you're ready to have your curiosity piqued and you want to answer some better questions that will help you grow your business, then keep on listening because we're going to do this. Tune into the full episode to hear more: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/10/4-questions-every-business-owner-needs-to-answer-to-make-more-sales.html

What do you want to be known for? That's a doozy of a question, isn't it? But if I ran into you on the street -- six feet apart, masks on, of course -- would you be able to answer that question in just a few words, in a way that was so compelling it would make me want to know more. So what do you want your business to be known for?  For me, I want to be known for the Three Word Rebellion and creating messaging that matters. And that entire question of being known for something in your business, that all comes down to your message. And in this online business world, there are so many courses and programs that teach you marketing and funnels and PR strategies, but rarely do they teach you what to say in the funnel that will get people to take action or the angles for your pitch that make podcasters want to interview you. And even if they try in these courses and programs, the messaging that’s produced sounds very generic. Very “me too,” like everyone else in your industry. Why is that? Well, it's because messaging is messy. It's very custom to the business owner, to you. People have a lot of misconceptions about what messaging is and how to find the answer to that question of what do you want to be known for? So on this episode of the pod, we are going to bust through some of those misconceptions about messaging and replace them with some rebel truths so you can start getting clear about crafting that message you want to be known for -- that message that gets you clients that gets you on podcasts, that really helps make your business easier to market and promote. Let's do it. Tune into the full episode to hear more: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/10/5-rebel-truths-about-crafting-the-message-you-want-to-be-known-for.html

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine. Now, you might think that I'm thinking about the song because it's election season and it feels like the end of the world, but really I thought of that song today because I've been thinking a lot about my time on the speech and debate team in high school and college. And if you don't know the folklore behind that famous REM song, let me educate you. REM one day stumbled into a policy debate tournament on the campus of the University of Georgia, and what you should know about policy debate back in the day is that every thing, every policy would end in total annihilation of the planet Earth. So as a former debate geek, I love it that song. And so do most debaters. But one of the other things that I learned from my time in debate (aside from every policy action ending in nuclear war or how to rip an argument to shreds), is the importance of the defining terms so that every person is on the same page. Recently it's come to my attention that people don't really understand what messaging is about. It started when someone slid into my DMs on Instagram and said, “Hey, so what is a messaging expert? Do you teach me about a sales strategy or how to talk to people in the DMs so they can be converted to clients?” And then I also asked on a webinar if people understood what messaging was. They get parts of it. They see how a message could apply to a specific marketing campaign or a launch or your sales strategy or a social media strategy, but what they don't realize is that messaging actually encompasses everything in your business. So like a good debater who doesn't want the end of the world to come, let's define our terms and talk about what messaging is, how to use it in your business, and why you need a message that matters for your thought leader business. Tune into the full episode to hear more: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/10/what-the-hell-is-messaging-why-does-your-business-need-it.html

One question my clients are asking me right now is, “How should I be marketing my business in November?” Now, November is code for, “I think the election is going to be a shit-show and everyone's going to be distracted. So what should I do?” And you know what? I am right there with you. I'm not exactly sure how I want to proceed in my own marketing when November comes, but here's my feedback and what I'm going to do: Make a plan, but hold that plan loosely. Don't be afraid to burn it to the ground based on what's happening in the world so that you can respond with compassion and empathy to your clients, your community -- and most importantly, you should do what you need to do to take care of yourself. And also right now, make a plan to vote. Empathy, compassion, even getting out of our online bubbles of information is exactly why I wanted to have a conversation with Kira Hug. She has some unique and fascinating insights on why the words we use in our marketing and our copy matter and how business owners can actually get out of their bubbles and how that can influence them to do better work. And what I loved most about this conversation is we talk about scaling empathy so that we can live in a more compassionate world. Tune into the full episode to hear more: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/09/scaling-empathy-with-kira-hug.html

I see a new Bermuda Triangle emerging -- one that business owners are getting sucked into -- where they put out their work, no one notices, and they're not making the sales they want to make. And so their business just gets sucked into the Bermuda Triangle of Marketing, never to be heard of. I'm over seeing so many thought-leader businesses, people who are talented, who have big ideas, who get their clients these transformational results just being sucked into this Bermuda Triangle. Why does this happen to the best of business owners? And how can your own business escape the Bermuda Triangle so it can be noticed, so that it stands out, so that you start making sales and impacting lives? Well, that's exactly what we're going to discuss on the podcast today. Tune into the full episode to learn more about the three foundational pieces your business needs to have so it doesn't get sucked into oblivion: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/09/escaping-the-bermuda-triangle-of-marketing-for-your-thought-leader-business.html

On today's episode, we are talking all about joy in business, marketing, and life with my guest M. Shannon Hernandez. Let me introduce you to Shannon. She is all about that joy in life and business, and specifically is known around the globe for her joyful marketing methodology. She works with online coaches and consultants, teaching them how to market and sell from a place of joy first and build a profitable business that includes abundant time off. She understands and has cracked the code of the importance of joy in your marketing. As you listen to or read today's podcast, think about what's not bringing you joy in your business and your marketing and how you can make it more joyful: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/09/finding-joy-in-marketing-life-with-shannon-hernandez.html

Finally, after years of talking about dude-bro marketing -- that marketing that is manipulative -- there's an awakening happening in the online business world. Other business owners are finally realizing the toxic and manipulative nature of bro marketing. They don't realize that the killer -- the bro marketer -- is lurking inside their business. There could be a bro hiding out in your business! He's sneaky and, let's face it, the way we have been taught to do marketing online has been through these tactics. So let's root him out during this episode of the Rebel Uprising Podcast. Tune into the full episode as I help you root out the toxic marketing culture techniques that you may be using in your business without even knowing it so you can market you message in ways that connect and engage with your audience: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/09/is-bro-marketing-lurking-in-your-business.html

If you've been in the online marketing world for any length of time, you know that we get a lot of "rules" in business from bro marketers and celebrity business coaches about marketing and how we show up to promote our own businesses. All of these tactics, all of these rules, they are what is screwing up your marketing. Because, for the most part, most of these rules change quickly. Tactics over complicate your business. They stall out your thought leadership. They make sure your message doesn't reach the people who it needs to reach. Let's get back to the basics and talk about what marketing is really at its most simple form. Tune into the full episode as I expand on getting back to the basics of marketing and how that can be a game-changer in your business: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/09/how-to-unfck-your-marketing-so-your-business-gets-noticed.html 

Do you remember the first time you felt like you fit in somewhere? I promise this is very relevant to finding what your business stands for because this is exactly the way you want your audience to feel. Today I'm sharing a recent epiphany I had about marketing, outlining the difference between a cult following and a business built for the masses. You have to find which thought leadership is right for you in order to attract your people. Tune into the full episode because I'm sharing 3 questions you can ask yourself in order to find who your business stands for. Visit this episode's blog post for a transcript and resources: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/08/what-does-your-business-stand-for.html

The Rebel Uprising Podcast is dedicated to helping passionate business owners become recognized leaders who make more money and impact the world by turning their messy, complicated ideas into thriving thought leadership businesses. You might remember that line from the Rebel Uprising trailer, but what does a thought leader business actually look like? Buckle up, because that's what we're covering on today's episode. For a full transcript with links, click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/08/what-can-a-thought-leader-business-look-like.html 

What do you think of when you hear the phrase thought leader? Maybe you think it's completely irrelevant to you, or unattainable. But what if the way the online world has been thinking about thought leadership is all wrong and what if you are already a thought leader and you just haven't realized it yet? Listen in to start redefining thought leadership with me today. For a transcript with links, visit here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/08/what-is-a-thought-leader-really-and-could-you-be-one-already.html 

I'm so excited to introduce the new and improved, Rebel Uprising Podcast. Rebel Uprising is dedicated to helping passionate business owners become recognized leaders who make more money AND impact in the world by turning their messy, complicated ideas into a thriving thought leadership business. Each week Dr. Michelle Mazur will share strategies, tools, and insights on how to turn your complicated ideas into great messaging and solid business structures. New episodes will drop every Tuesday. To make sure you get every episode delivered straight to you, subscribe right NOW. Then leave a review and share with another rebellious business owner.

What if 300 days is what it took to transform not only your business, but your life? Alice Karolina is on the podcast today and she's sharing the story of how she challenged herself to 300 days of money making activities, creating change that she never could have expected. Plus, you'll hear why she's rebelling against all things superficial and how she's hoping to change the online business industry. Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/07/the-business-changing-brilliance-of-the-300-day-challenge-with-alice-karolina.html 

Raise your hand if you suck at setting boundaries AND sticking to them? I'm so excited to have Nancy Levin on the Rebel Rising Podcast today because she's a complete boundary bad ass. Listen in to hear why it's okay to be a bit selfish, plus how to set healthy boundaries to feel more in alignment with your own desires. Visit this episode's blog post for a full transcript with links: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/07/reclaiming-selfishness-becoming-a-boundary-badass-with-nancy-levin.html 

I'm so excited to have Glenn Meier on the show this week. Glenn is an attorney who is rebelling against a legal system that forces everybody who participates in it to treat each other like they're enemies. On this episode he explains how we can create a win-win relationship with each of our clients and vendors. If you are a business owner who has even one contract relationship, this episode is for you. Visit this episode's show notes page for a full transcript with links: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/07/people-over-paper-with-glenn-meier.html 

Today's episode is a rebroadcast from last year. My conversation with Erica is even more timely now and offers a great reflection for considering diversity and inclusion in your business. -- Erica Courdae, entrepreneur, coach, and consultant, is joining us on the Rebel Rising Podcast today. We're talking all about the necessity of talking about important and necessary topics in a safe space creates change and helps people feel comfortable, open, honest, and forward focused. If you've been waiting for the rebel take on diversity and inclusion, this episode is it. For a full transcript with links visit this episode's show notes page here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/10/imperfect-allyship-with-erica-courdae.html

This week on the podcast we are finishing up the BOLD Thought Leadership Framework with D-- direction. As a leader, you have to provide your audience with direction instead of making the mistake of assuming they know next steps to take. The most common way of doing this is through a solid call to action. Listen in to hear how to craft the perfect one for your audience in order to make more sales. For a full transcript with links, visit here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/06/direct-your-audience-to-act-with-bold-direction.html 

This week on Rebel Rising we are continuing our way through the BOLD Thought Leadership Framework. Today we're going to talk all about the L: leadership. Being a good leader means that you lead with your values, viewpoints, and structured framework. Listen in to hear a bit more about how to do each of these. For a full transcript with links, visit here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/06/lead-your-audience-your-business-with-bold-thought-leadership.html 

Hey rebels, last week we talked about going bold with your message, and now we are moving on to O-- other focused. This BOLD framework is rooted in thought leadership, which ties in perfectly to other focused. Tune in to learn more about how you can take the focus away from you and steer it instead to your audience in order to be more engaged. For a full transcript with links, visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/06/be-bold-other-focused-why-adding-self-reflection-is-key-to-make-your-thought-leadership-stand-out.html 

Today on the podcast I'm sharing what it means to be BOLD with your messaging. You need to be getting the maximum wattage out of every single word that you are using. When you have one of a kind messaging, you're not afraid to say that you are the best at what you do while focusing on your only-ness. You are a leader, and you're here to change lives, it's time to get known for exactly that. For a full transcript with links, click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/06/going-bolder-with-your-message.html 

This week we are celebrating the 200th episode of the podcast, can you believe that? If you've been here with me since the beginning, thank you. The show today is completely different from the day I launched. Today I'm talking about the evolution of the podcast as well as next steps, including the new name for the podcast! Listen in to find your very own action step now that you've done all the rebel rising you can. For a full transcript with links, visit this episode's show notes page here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/05/message-in-a-champagne-bottle-celebrating-200-episodes-of-the-rebel-rising-podcast.html 

Brodie Welch, a Chinese medicine practitioner, bio hacker, and entrepreneur, is on the Rebel Rising podcast today. She is the expert in the Fundamental Interconnectedness of All Things. She helps her clients see beyond inundated self-care to really treat underlying problems of their constant stress, fatigue, tension, and more to help them live a life that is more meaningful and sustainable, a life where they feel more in touch and in control with themselves. If you're ready to go beyond self-care and really change the way you live and do business in order to be in harmony with your body, listen in now. For a full transcript with links you can visit this episode's show notes page here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/05/embodying-self-respect-with-brodie-welch.html 

This week's podcast is quick and dirty, but I'm talking about something that's important to community building: lead magnets. I'm sharing how you can revolutionize your thinking around your opt in, because lead magnets (or community anchors/builders as I've started calling them) can be rebellious too.   For a transcript with links visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/05/ditching-the-lead-magnet-building-your-email-community-the-rebel-way.html 

Ash Ambirge from The Middle Finger Project is joining me this week on Rebel Rising. She was one of the first people that I was really drawn to when I started my business eight years ago. The foundation of our conversation focuses on rebelling against the construct of authority and what that really looks like, even during a pandemic.   If you're finding it hard to separate yourself from your business, or even struggling with showing up to sell, this episode is for you.   For a full transcript with links, visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/05/being-brave-causing-problems-in-business-with-ash-ambirge.html 

If you're struggling during the weirds (my new name for the pandemic, coined by The Staying In Podcast), I have a piece of solid advice for you: focus on something bigger. I've seen that having a bigger vision for myself has helped me navigate this time because I'm not giving up on the plans that I had for 2020. I have also seen this manifest in each of my clients, they don't want to let go of their businesses and their lives, because those businesses? They help people. So how exactly do you stay strong and focused during the weirds? Tune in to listen to my four essential elements! For a full transcript with links: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/04/feeling-weird-about-selling-the-4-essential-elements-of-resilient-business-message.html 

Hey rebels, we need to talk about the F word: FREE. This episode might be a little hard to hear, but it's so necessary. I've seen so many online business owners and entrepreneurs giving away their services for free. The hard truth here is giving away our valuable services for free has a pretty negative impact on the economy and on our businesses. Listen in for what you can do instead OR how you can move forward if you've already given something away for free. For a full transcript with links, visit this episode's show notes page here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/04/we-need-to-talk-about-the-f-word-the-economics-of-giving-your-products-services-away-for-free.html 

Hey rebels, this week on the podcast Natalie Sisson of the Untapped Podcast is here to share how you can get paid to be YOU, even during this pandemic. As we know (because we hear it everyday) these times are so new and uncertain to so many people. If you're an online entrepreneur, this change probably feels somewhat easier. But there's also so many people who are completely having to pivot to the online world almost overnight. Natalie shares some really important insight on using the skills that you know to help those around you that are craving help, certainty, and guidance during this time. Plus, why it's OKAY to be getting paid for your unique skills.  For a full transcript and links, visit this episode's show notes page here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/04/how-to-get-paid-to-be-you-even-during-a-pandemic-with-natalie-sisson.html 

How are you feeling at this moment? All feelings are welcome. For me, I'm feeling grounded, optimistic, and curious. I'm always feeling a little curious, I must say, but I'm curious about what's next. So on the podcast today, I wanted to share with you various resources that are helping me right now to navigate these times and the resources that are working for me. I encourage you to take what you need from this episode and leave the rest behind because. As I've said before, no one knows what the hell they're doing right now. We've never been here before as business owners, as humans in this pandemic, but I feel called to tell you what works for me, what resources have been helping me and giving me peace of mind to  navigate the uncertainty and really helping my business thrive right now. Visit this episode's show notes page for links and a full transcript: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/04/resources-for-how-to-thrive-navigate-uncertainty-in-your-small-business-during-this-pandemic.html

A one star review on the 3 Word Rebellion book opened up my eyes to a huge bias of mine-- I believe everyone is a thought leader (even you). You can be a thought leader because no matter what your industry that you're in, no matter what your area of expertise, no matter if you are a multi-passionate, every industry can be improved in big and small ways, and it doesn't have to take a big massive thought or a big idea to shift an industry. Listen in to this week’s episode for more encouragement, so you can finally take that step towards massive change in YOUR industry. Full transcript with links here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/03/i-believe-everyone-can-be-a-thought-leader-and-yes-that-means-you.html

Should you be marketing and selling during a pandemic? You’re not going to like it or maybe you will…the answer is……I. DON’T. KNOW. But you do. So, this week on the Rebel Rising Podcast I’m asking some open-ended questions to help you decide what's best for you and your business when it comes to marketing and selling during a pandemic. But the bottom line is, don’t hide, don’t disappear because Coronavirus isn’t going anywhere and NEITHER IS YOUR BUSINESS! https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/03/should-you-be-marketing-selling-during-a-pandemic.html

In the last episode of the podcast, we talked about the three signature stories that your business needs to turn strangers into clients, connection stories, reason to believe stories, and, elevated social proof stories. However, now that you know the story types, you may be wondering how to source ideas for them as well as how to write them to make them enticing for your audience. So, using inspiration from Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks, that's what we'll be covering this week on the show. For a full transcript with links, click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/03/how-to-find-craft-stories-worthy-of-your-business.html

Do you ever wonder what makes certain business owners successful? It's the stories they tell. Naturally, human beings are storytelling machines because we want to be relatable, we want to connect with each other and find our common ground. This truth is one that every business owner should keep in mind when creating content that will help turn strangers into clients. So, today on The Rebel Rising Podcast, I'm sharing the three types of stories you need to be telling. Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/03/signature-stories-your-business-needs-to-tell-to-turn-strangers-into-clients.html

Hey rebels, this week Claire Pelletreau joins me on The Rebel Rising Podcast. Claire is one of my own favorite podcasters, and a rebellious entrepreneur that I've looked up to and learned a lot from myself. Today we talk about the journey of her podcast and it's own transformation, as well as how she uses her show to grow her list and her income. More importantly, Claire shares why she's rebelling against shiny happy marketing and how she's trying to create less bullshit in the world. Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/03/how-do-you-get-p…laire-pelletreau.html

Raise your wine glass because it's the first anniversary of the the 3 Word Rebellion book and we're celebrating all week! Despite a pretty successful launch, there are still a couple things I wish I had done differently, which is exactly what I'm going to talk about on this week's episode of the Rebel Rising Podcast. Along with lessons learned, I'm also sharing what's happening next for the book and promotion of the book. Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/02/celebrating-the-first-anniversary-of-the-3-word-rebellion-book.html

If you could gain 100 new followers this coming week, could you make it happen? Unfortunately, I think a lot of people wouldn't know how to make this happen. This is because most business owners don't know how to intentionally capture the hearts and minds of people who don't know them at all. So, this week on the podcast I'm going to be talking about how you can create content with intention, content that will help you get more eyeballs, leads, and sales. You can find this episode's show notes page here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/02/stop-throwing-co…s-with-intention.html

I get this question a lot about creating a persuasive brand message that gets your business known is: when does it make good sense to work on your message? And that's a really good question. So I want you to understand two things. Number one, why should you even care about having a message and two, when and when should you think about working on that message?  There are three signs or inflection points when working on your message might be that right next step, and that's what we're going to be talking about on today's episode of the podcast.  You can find this episode's show notes page here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/02/3-signs-it-makes-good-business-to-sense-to-focus-on-your-message.html

Lacy Boggs, content mastermind and owner of her own marketing agency, is joining me on the show. She's introducing Leadership Marketing, which I believe is the best way to get your message seen. Leadership Marketing breaks away from cookie cutter marketing practices, because when your marketing is the same as everyone else's, that's all your audience sees. This episode is for you if you're worn out from the same content marketing that is being displayed on repeat and you're looking for a new and effective way to connect with your people. Visit this episode's show notes page here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/02/leadership-marketing-with-lacy-boggs.html

If you've tuned into the last few episodes, you know that I've realized I haven't been playing big enough in my business, I haven't been doing the work to create a true movement. So, today on the show I'm covering the 7 principles to turn your business into a movement. These principles are simple in theory, but they are far from easy to implement. So tune into to get one step closer to creating the movement that you've been striving for. Visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/01/7-principles-to-turn-your-business-into-a-movement.html

Today on the Rebel Rising Podcast I'm going to be asking you three key questions that will help grow your business into a movement. The answers to these questions provide the foundation for your business and for your movement. And the good news is, you most likely have the answers to at least half of these questions, right? So dig in with me as we go through each question to make the beginning of your movement actionable. Visit this episode's show notes page here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/01/3-questions-to-ask-to-grow-your-business-into-a-movement.html

Welcome back to the Rebel Rising Podcast as we dive into the first episode of 2020. Today I'm sharing author, Charlie Gilkey's, life cycle of a business because I think it's important to know where you are in order to decide what your next step should be. Whether your business is just a seed in your mind, or you're booked out, the life cycle will help you craft the plan that will launch your business into a movement. For a full transcript with links, visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2020/01/is-your-business-ready-for-a-bigger-message-and-to-tackle-bigger-challenges.html

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, isn't it? This is the last episode of the Rebel Rising Podcast for 2019 and for today's episode, I wanted to do a little something different. It's not just the last episode of 2019, I'm also getting ready to celebrate 8 years of the Communication Rebel. In honor of that, I wanted to give you eight business lessons that I have learned throughout these eight rebellious years of business. Enjoy! For a full transcript with links, visit this episode's show notes page here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/12/celebrating-8-rebellious-years-with-8-business-lessons.html

Today on the podcast we're going to continue to talk about your marketing investment and how you can get the most ROI out of each marketing dollar you can spend. I'm sharing three stories of actual clients of mine to show you the difference that good messaging can have on your marketing success. Why do I believe that messaging is so important when it comes to marketing? Messaging is the engine that powers your business at drives, results sales, and helps you serve more people in the world. And once you nail it, everything in your business gets easier. For a full transcript with links visit this episode's blog post here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/12/3-big-ways-your-message-makes-your-marketing-investment-pay-off.html   

One of the things that breaks my heart more than anything is people setting their money on fire when it comes to marketing. Entrepreneurs spend money on these elaborate funnels, marketing teams, webinars, and more with absolutely zero ROI. Here's the truth though, It doesn’t matter how great the marketing strategy is or how talented your marketing team is or how high tech your funnel is if your message doesn’t work (or is non-existent). So join me today as I share what you NEED to do before investing thousands in any type of marketing. You can visit this episode's show notes page here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/11/what-you-need-to-know-before-investing-in-marketing.html

Have you ever sat down and thought about what your message does for your business? I mean, really think about what the words on your website or the post you share on social media do for you and your business 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Those words bring new people to your community, bring you clients and bring you more opportunities to share that message. Your message does a ton for you and your business and we're going to discuss the eight specific things that your message can do for you when you have the right message on today's pod. Let's talk about why your message is the workhorse of your business in ways that you probably have never even thought about before. For full show notes with links click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2018/10/8-tasks-your-message-does-for-your-business.html

Hey, hey rebels. If you're feeling stuck in your business, then today's episode of the podcast is just for you. Casey Jourdan is joining me today and we're talking all about he pursuit of evolution and what this means for your business. Here's a big hint, you don't have create a course, a webinar, or even a mastermind. You only need to do what feels right for you. For a full transcript with links visit this episode's show notes page here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/11/the-pursuit-of-evolution-with-casey-jourdan.html 

Do you ever find yourself doubting yourself? I know I have. There are many symptoms of self doubt like perfectionism, procrastination, and so much more. Self doubt can hold you back in your business and in life. Today on the podcast I'm going to share a simple exercise that I use when I feel self doubt creeping in. This exercise is going to revolutionize the way you think about yourself. It's going to help you stand in your power and start changing your industry. For a full transcript with links visit this episode's show notes page: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/11/how-to-stop-doubting-yourself-once-and-for-all-with-a-simple-exercise.html

Hey, hey rebels. Today on the podcast I'm not only reminding you that success doesn't happen overnight, but explaining why this is so. It all boils down to the Diffusion of Innovation Theory. If you're a long time listener of the podcast then you've heard me talk about this theory before, but today I really wanted to dive into it. It's important to understand how an idea spreads and ultimately gets accepted so that you have a good idea of where to start and how long spreading your message may take. So sit back and relax as I take you through the five different audience segments you should be aware of and how to talk to create conversation for each of those segments. After this episode you'll be on the right path to becoming one of the only options in your industry! For a full transcript with links, visit this episode's show notes page: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/11/how-new-ideas-spread-ultimately-become-accepted.html

Erica Courdae, entrepreneur, coach, and consultant, is joining us on the Rebel Rising Podcast today. We're talking all about the necessity of talking about important and necessary topics in a safe space creates change and helps people feel comfortable, open, honest, and forward focused. If you've been waiting for the rebel take on diversity and inclusion, this episode is it. For a full transcript with links visit this episode's show notes page here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/10/imperfect-allyship-with-erica-courdae.html

It can be easy to blame yourself when your messaging isn't working, especially if you feel like you have trouble accurately putting into words exactly what is that you do. On today's episode of the Rebel Rising Podcast I am sharing with you one really important thing to consider when perfecting your messaging: your audience's frame of reference. Visit this episode's show notes page for a full transcript with links: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/10/the-unexpected-reason-no-one-understands-what-you-do.html

Register for the Free 3 Word Rebellion Workshop here: www.drmichellemazur.com/webinar Hey, hey rebels the other day on the Rebel Rising Facebook community, one of the members had an excellent question, "How do I promote my 3 Word Rebellion?" I was searching for resources to give him when I realized I have never told you the whole framework of the 3 Word Rebellion, only bits and pieces.  Once you create your 3 Word Rebellion, people will not automatically adopt it, you have to create a whole ecosystem of messaging. So, today on the podcast I'm going to dive into that framework.  For a full transcript with links, visit here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/10/how-do-you-promote-your-3-word-rebellion-build-your-audience-around-it.html 

Hey rebels, do you think that you are your message? Now, if you've listened to past episodes of the podcast, you know exactly how I feel about this idea. I've talked to a few other people who do messaging and they tell me that I am the message But I think you are not your message. Other people cannot spread you. A message that matters to your audience is about your audience. But what it allowed me to see is that there are two schools of thought for finding your message. There is the self centered school and the audience centered school and yes, self-centered is a play on words. But in this episode I want to dive in to both of those and when it can be helpful to have that deep dive in to your life and when you need to focus on being audience centered in your message. For a full transcript with links visit this episode's blog post page: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/10/who-should-your-message-focus-on-self-centered-vs-audience-centered-messaging.html 

Rebel truth: communication is difficult, a that's coming from somebody who's studied this stuff for 25 years. In messaging, miscommunications are inevitable and since you are a business owner, getting people to understand what your business does, the value in your business, how it's different from other people who do what you do, it's an exceedingly daunting task. So, for the month of October, I'm going back to the basics. I'm going back to my training to talk about communication and to talk about why a can be so fraught with difficulty, but also what you can do to really master your own messaging in your business. For a full transcript with links visit this episode's blog page: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/10/could-this-be-the-one-thing-that-makes-everything-else-in-your-business-easier.html 

Hey rebels, Nicole Hernandez is on the show today and she's sharing her heart over hype philosophy when it comes to marketing. Today so many people are not favorable toward marketing because so many companies have chosen short term, ineffective, hype-based marketing practices. Listen in as Nicole Shares how storytelling, creating a connection, and being transparent is the best marketing decision you could make. For a full transcript with links, visit this episode's show notes page: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/09/heart-over-hype-with-nicole-hernadez.html

Sue B. is joining me on today's episode and we are talking about the importance of being visible and really showing up in the world. We'll be digging into Instagram and why it is such a valuable social media channel. To view the transcript and grab the links mentioned in this show, go to: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/01/show-up-and-engage-on-instagram-with-sue-b-zimmerman.html

My newest mindset shift: make decisions as the future version of myself. Why? Because it makes sense to cultivate a relationship with the person that you want to become.  Today on the newest episode of The Rebel Rising Podcast I’m going to help you uncover that future version of yourself. Then, once you meet her/him, I’m going to show you what you do with that because it really does take a lot of stepping outside of your comfort zone to start living and making decisions in the present as the future version of yourself. You can sign up for the free Future Influential YOU challenge here: http://futureyouchallenge.com For a full transcript with links click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/09/how-to-let-future-you-make-decisions-in-your-business-today.html 

Hey hey rebels, today on the podcast I am so excited to talk to you about one of my favorite words: influential. We're going to talk about the difference between being influential and being an influencer, plus why you should aim for influential. Why? Because I firmly believe that when we embrace how truly influential we are, then we can start reaching more people with our work and being recognized. For a full transcript of this episode with links visit: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/09/the-difference-between-being-influential-vs-being-an-influencer.html 

Has anyone ever told you that you're too much? We hear this message too often and it can actually stop you from creating what you want to create. I say screw that noise on the show today. I'm going to get a little personal with you and talk to you about how I have experienced the too much comment all throughout my life and how I've come to embrace it and use it as a sign that I'm actually on the right track. For a full transcript with links visit this episode's blog page here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/08/has-anybody-ever-told-you-that-youre-too-much.html

Hey, hey rebels. Today on the show we're talking about yet another negative outcome of Dude Bro Marketing-- that we are led to believe small results don't matter. Not only is this not good for our mental health, but it also is not good for our business. It's time to reframe this thinking because small results are amazing and they lead to bigger results. For a full transcript with links tune into the show notes page: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/08/how-bro-marketing-triggers-fraudy-feelings.html

Hey hey rebels, welcome to this week's Rebel Rising Podcast episode. This week, Michelle Evans is on the show. She's giving us the back story on her very own 3 Word Rebellion, Profit without Worry. We'll also be covering how you can implement her strategy into your business so that you don't have to worry about your cash flow ever again.

My most commented on and widely shared episodes are always about Bro Marketing and I believe that there is a reason for that. People are genuinely over the Bro Marketing tactics.  There is a different way to market your business and it is a way where you can be of service and build relationships. Plus it's even scientifically backed with research. So that's what we are going to talk about on this episode, a different way to market and sell without any of the sleazy Dude Bro Marketing tactics. Sign up for free Masterclass: Take Your Audience from "What the Heck are You?" to "Heck Yes!" without the sleazy Bro Marketing Tactics here: https://drmichellemazur.com/webinar For a full transcript with links click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/08/the-alternative-to-dude-bro-marketing.html 

During this summer lull, it is time to start thinking about what kind of results do you want to see in three to six months in your business? Today on the podcast we are going to talk about how to use this summer downtime to prepare ourselves for success in the future. And it's not about working constantly throughout the summer, but it's about being strategic on what you want to focus on and how to use your time so that you can see the results you want to see in your business. For a full transcript of this episode with links click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/07/how-to-use-the-summertime-lull-to-prep-for-success-in-the-fall.html

I am always asked, "How do I know if my message is really working for my business? What are the signs and the signals that you should be looking for?" This is a great question because having a solid message that actually gets your business results creates stability and predictability. So on today's show, we are going to talk about the different ways to test to see if your message is not is working or it's not working. For a full transcript with links click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/07/how-to-know-if-your-message-is-really-working-for-your-business.html

We have all let tiny mistakes completely uproot us, causing negative self-talk and doubt. So on today's show, I'm going to give you some practical insights and suggestions to navigating the doubt that you might feel as you start putting your work into the world and to go boldly and share that message. For a full transcript with links click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/07/what-if-they-think-its-stupid-how-to-stop-doubting-and-start-sharing-your-work.html

This week I wanted to give you a sneak peek behind the scenes of what is happening in my business because right now I am very focused on growing my audience and the reason that I want to grow my audience is because I have the 3 Word Rebellion book and I want it to get it into as many hands as humanly possible. So, join Katya Varbanova and I as we talk about the importance of audience growth plus my game plan for hitting 5,000 book sales and beyond! Enter Instagram Contest: https://www.instagram.com/p/BzqsA4DJMaR/ For a full transcript with links and resources click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/07/amplifying-whats-working-to-grow-your-audience-a-candid-conversation.html 

We have all heard the advice that you should tell your story and I give this advice to my clients all the time as well because it is a great way to connect with your people. It's how you develop your know, like, and trust factor. But for those of us hesitant to tell our stories, let's talk about four alternatives to telling your story that can help you connect with your audience. For full show notes with links click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2018/07/4-stories-to-tell.html

Today I am talking about my favorite tool for helping get my clients about a million percent more strategic with building their audience and growing their business. This tool moves you past thinking about your audience in very broad terms when you're creating your messaging and your marketing and it moves you into thinking about the current relationship or a lack of relationship you have with them. Once you know about this tool, you'll be able to figure out exactly where your marketing and your messaging might be leaving people behind. For a full transcript with links visit here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/06/where-are-you-leaving-your-audience-behind.html

High-performance leadership coach and host of The Bold Leadership Podcast, Tara Newman, is on the show today. We're talking about what it really means to be a bold leader and why good leadership is so hard to find. She's also hitting on the one thing that you should look at if your business is starting to feel out of whack. For full episode transcript with links visit this episode's blog post: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/06/creating-bold-leaders-with-tara-newman.html

Here's the catch 22 for you: so many people want their message to be famous, but they don't want to be famous themselves. Now that is a split intention. So let's talk about how to make your message famous and the mindset shift that you may need to make. For a full transcript with links click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/06/how-to-make-your-message-famous.html

Did you happen to catch the Brené Brown Netflix special, The Call to Courage? I watched it the day it came out. It was phenomenal and I highly recommend it. However, what really stood out to me is how I had heard everything in this special before. Why do I keep tuning in and buying the books when I have heard it all before? Well, that's exactly what we're going to talk about in this episode of The Rebel Rising Podcast. We are going to talk about the power of consistency and why Brené Brown is a shining example of that and what it can do for your business and the impact that you want to make. For a full transcript with links and resources click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/06/the-brene-brown-case-study-the-curious-of-case-of-why-consistency-works.html

One of the biggest objections I hear about the 3 Word Rebellion is the idea that other people should be the messengers of your message. And I get why that can be terrifying. But I think there's something operating here that is far bigger. So let's talk about why on this week's episode of the Rebel Rising Podcast. For a full transcript of this episode, links and other resources click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/05/why-you-need-other-people-to-be-the-messengers-of-your-message.html

Jennifer Louden is on the Rebel Rising Podcast today. We are talking about what she is rebelling against-- women's voices being marginalized. She's giving us all the power and resources to claim our voices and tell our stories. Most importantly, we're talking about the importance of making what we want in this world and how things would change if we simply did that. For this episode transcript, episode resources and links, visit the full show notes page at https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/05/making-what-you-want-with-jennifer-louden.html 

Hey, rebels, you've done the writing prompts in the 3 Word Rebellion book. You've completed the analysis and Eureka! You think you have found it, the 3 Word Rebellion that you want to lead within your business and grow your movement around. So, now what? Tune into the newest episode of the Rebel Rising Podcast as I share the journey to yes for your audience. For full notes and links click here: https://drmichellemazur.com/2019/05/creating-the-audience-journey-to-yes.html    

We live in a world of shoulds. We live in a world of experts who are full of well-meaning advice about what works and what doesn't. And some of those experts are legit and really know their stuff and can help you move your business forward and others are less legit. So today what I want to talk to you about on this episode is how to question the should, how to question the advice and figure out what really works for you because it doesn't matter what works for me, it matters what works for you.

Hey hey, rebels. Sandy Connery, co-creator of Namastream Software and co-host of the Soulful MBA podcast, is on the show today. We're talking about one of my favorite topics, the dreadful dude bro marketing and why it needs to end. We're also chatting about why there needs to be more women in entrepreneurship, how this can happen, and what the world would look like if women stepped in this role. Enjoy!

Hey rebels, I wanted to get real with you today and talk about something that has been bugging me for ages: online course addiction. Taking course after course is a recipe for getting stuck in your business. So today I am breaking down four stages in your business and what exactly you should be focused on and investing in during that stage of your business.

Susan Hyatt is on the show today and her interview is sure to fire you up, especially if you often find yourself fighting against self-control. Susan is rebelling against is really the status quo, the patriarchy, and the diet industry. In her new book, Bare, Susan shares her personal story of weight gain, weight loss, diet hell, body drama, and her journey to health, happiness, and liberation—and how she decided to try the most radical thing of all: treating her body like a friend. Listen in to the full episode for practical ways you can transform your personal life and your business.

You are your message. You've heard that one before, right? but what if you are not? What if it's counterproductive to the impact that you want to make in the world? What if you are not your message and thinking you are is keeping you stuck and playing small. So that's what we are going to break down today. On this episode of the rebel rising podcast, we're gonna talk about why you are not your message.  

So many of my clients decided to start working with me because they have plateaued in growth. I have found that 9 times out of 10 this is an audience problem, due to only catering to your "true believers". What is the true believer problem and how do you know if you have one that could impact your business? And if you have that problem, what do you do about it? Listen in because that's what I'm going to talk to you about today. We'll shift the way you are developing content for your business and create conversations for future members of your movement and customers in your business.

Today is the day. I'm going to break it all down for you. I'm going to let you know exactly how the 3 Word Rebellion book launch went. We're going to talk about the good, the bad, the downright terrible, and I'm going to reveal all the numbers to you. How much did it take to create this book? How many copies did I sell and is it profitable for my business? Are you ready for this? Because I certainly am. And whether you're thinking about writing a book or not, this episode, we'll have some learning for you, whether you're going to be launching a product, a program, or a service in the future.

Stacy Fischer, the founder of The W Collective, is joining me on today's show. Her work centers on female founders, teaching them how to create how they want to feel in their business and their life. Today we'll be talking about how we can train our brains to be in control of our thoughts and how this can and should change our world, as well as all the things Stacy is rebelling against. 

As you know, my book, the 3 Word Rebellion, has launched. So, today I wanted to talk about all the emotions of going through something like this, of creating the best work of your life, putting it out into the world, making sure you had all your I's dotted, all the t's crossed, you are doing everything you can to guarantee the success of this book. Then all of a sudden things outside of your control feel like it's going to tear it all down and meanwhile there are still some amazing things that are happening.

There is something that has been really bothering me lately. I see a lot of business coaches and brand strategists talk about how sales are manipulation. I don't want to be manipulating people into working with me. That just feels bad and wrong. And frankly, I don't think that's what I do. And if you're doing sales in the right way, that's not what you're doing either. There's a difference between manipulation and persuasion, so let's talk about it. 

Hey, hey rebels. It is time to pop the champagne and throw the confetti because today is one of the most exciting days ever at Communication Rebel headquarters. Because after over a year of work, the 3 Word Rebellion book is available right now. It's available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and some of your favorite indie bookstores. So on today's podcast, I'm going to give you a taste of the book, but I wanted to start by sharing four reasons why you should head over to Amazon or your favorite book outlet and buy it now. And if you stick around to the end, I'll tell you about some cool bonuses you get for buying the book. Go to www.drmichellemazur.com/book for all the book bonuses!

If you've listened to almost any of my other podcast episodes or visited my website, then you know messaging is important to me. Today I'm talking about the power of a really good message and how it can transform your business. In my newest solo episode, I'm going to share three reasons why nailing your message is worth the work and the effort and the time and how it can change everything in your business. Listen to the end for a few action steps that you can take today, as well as one of my favorite business mantras. 

Nicole Lewis-Keeber is joining me today on the podcast. Nicole has over 20 years in the mental health field, including a Master's degree in social work and a licensed social worker.  Today we're talking about the different types of traumas that we can experience throughout our lifetimes and how these traumas can deeply affect our lives and therefore our businesses, even decades after the fact. Nicole's work has truly helped me identify and solve problems in my business (that I didn't even know existed) and I know she can help you do the same.

If we let our minds run free, it goes places that we don't necessarily need to go to and then all of a sudden you find yourself stressed out. Having anxiety in the middle of the night or sometimes even in the middle of the day for no apparent reason. To do the change making work that you and I want to do to create the impact that we want to make, we have to cultivate our mindset. On this episode, learn how to consciously and deliberately choose your thoughts that help you reach your impact goals.

After receiving many messages through signs and psychics, Rachel Alexandria began her journey to understand and integrate her calling as an energy healer and intuitive in 2006. Since then, she has worked with hundreds of clients as a therapist and now as a Leadership and Power Guide. Via Spirit’s guidance, she has innovated dozens of programs as an entrepreneur, including a video series combining tapping and the Enneagram, a series of guided meditations, a best-selling book about preparing for interpersonal conflict and a book of illustrations about how to work with consciousness. Join Rachel and me today as we discuss the evolution of your 3 Word Rebellion as well as one of her most popular programs, The Adulting Revolution.

Sue. B is joining me on today's episode and we are talking about the importance of being visible and really showing up in the world. We'll be digging into Instagram and why it is such a valuable social media channel.

On this week's episode, I am talking about the "Only Effect" and why it is crucial to have for your business. The Only Effect will help you to create significance while also leaving a lasting impact.

In 2019, we're going to be in the process of moving away from that marketing that just talks about the money and instead we're going to start creating marketing and messaging that focuses on creating meaning with our lives and our business. Listen in for all the details and why I think this is a trend that you should adopt for your business.

Hey, rebel risers, welcome to the final episode of 2018! I almost didn't record this episode. I always think, oh, why would anyone care about what's going on with me and my business? But I realized something I realized I loved hearing behind the scenes stories of businesses. I love hearing people reflect. I love how Maggie Patterson does a monthly debrief on the Small Business Boss podcast or how Tara Newman did a CEO debrief on her Bold Leadership revolution podcast. I learned so much from listening to these women reflect and it's so important for us to reflect on the year. That was before we start creating what's next. Here are three questions that I asked myself when I start thinking about the past year and what's next for Communication Rebel in 2019. The first question I asked myself is, what were my big successes? The second question, what were my big lessons and the third question, what do I want to create next year. Since I'm a big fan of the number three, the 3 Word Rebellion, of course. I'll share with you my top three answers for each of these questions and I know that there are some learnings in here for you as well.

Jennifer Gresham has helped hundreds of people around the world find greater fulfillment and financial success as a high-performance coach and business strategist. She founded Work for Humanity to help people see the future as an invitation to create a better human experience of work, rather than a dire problem to solve. Today on the podcast Jen and I talk about moonshots, a near-impossible goal, that if achieved would produce an enormous positive impact, either for yourself or out in the world. We cover why everyone should have their own moonshot, how to choose one specifically for you, and how it can quite literally change the world.

It's that time of the year. Everyone is talking about goals and setting your goals for 2019. I have a confession. I've always struggled with setting goals. In fact, it stresses me out! So all of the goals setting talk that happens this time of the year, it makes me feel like a failure. Because when I look back on the goals that I set for myself in 2018, I didn't really accomplish any of them. In fact, I accomplished a whole set of goals that I didn't even know I had, which I'll talk about in a future episode. But let me explain why this makes me feel like a failure. I am a high achiever. I'm super competitive. I like to win and my friends could tell you about a time when we were playing Duran Duran Trivia, where they thought if I didn't win. I was going to burn down the house. I'm kidding, kind of, but I am hyper-competitive. Because you are stepping into this role of being a thought leader, being known for your work, making a difference. You might be a high achiever too, and you might be a little bit competitive. Join me for this episode as I talk about why goal setting might not work for you and what you can do about it!

You've made a choice to be a rebel on the rise, to make a difference, to be a part of the next generation of thought leaders and influencers who are cropping up. I know as part of that mission, you've been working hard on your message. You've worked hard on your 3 Word Rebellion. What I know for sure is developing your 3 Word Rebellion is not an easy task and for those of you who have done the framework, gotten the support, put in the work and found yours, I salute you and I celebrate you. So, let's talk about how you can create an inciting incident that puts you and your work on the map and gets people excited about what you're up to.

Join, photographer, Danielle Cohen and me on this week's episode of the Rebel Rising Podcast. We cover how Danielle feels in front of the camera, what it means for her to take photos, Danielle's lasting legacy and what she is currently rebelling against.

When most people say own your message, they're talking about living your message every single day. Walking your talk and sharing your message with your audience. I agree that's important. However, when I say you must own your message, I mean you must trademark that message. Recently I was on a training and the speaker asked us, "what do you want your brand to be known for?" For me, that's an easy question to answer. I want my brand to be known for the 3 Word Rebellion. The other people on the call, their answers surprised me. They wanted their brand to be known for reliable information, impactful results, connection, accessibility and integrity. Those are amazing brand attributes. They are great brand values, but your business can't own any of them. Every news station in the world wants to be known for reliable information. None of them can own or trademark that. Now, there are some of you who are listening who want to be thought leaders and influencers, but who are currently stuck in the land of being a subject matter expert. Talking about the "how to's" of video or social media or Business Coaching, health coaching or energy work, and here's the thing, you can't own any of those broad categories and how to won't propel you into thought leadership. It actually keeps you stuck as a commodity where you're competing with other people on price because you haven't created your own thought leadership, your own message yet. Let's talk about the three important reasons you need to own and trademark your message.

It's easy to think that once you have your 3 Word Rebellion, that your message will take off overnight. I remember seeing an interview with Mel Robbins and she said that when she first started out with the five second rule, she spent a whole lot of time telling people that it wasn't the rule for when you drop food on the floor. You're going to spend time talking about your 3 Word Rebellion too. Rebel Truth: We All Start at Zero Listen in on this episode to learn why this is not only an important truth to know but also a great starting point.  

On today's episode, I am welcoming back my dear friend and one of my mentors, Tanya Geisler. She is an expert on all things confidence and how the Imposter Complex is our biggest obstacle in obtaining it. During this episode, Tanya gives us an inside look at a few things that are holding us back from achieving Unshakeable Confidence. You might be surprised to learn about a few of the things that are standing in your way, like a big giant wake up call, and maybe some hard truths. A few of my favorite nuggets from our conversation: Integrity, action, and presence are the stool legs of our UC We are in a crisis of presence when we engage in diminishment or comparison Integrity's about what you stand for, and presence is what you're here for, what you are here for. Action is really about having a willingness to fail, resilience, and tenacity. Join the conversation to dig deeper with us!

Once upon a time I got curious and asked a question in the Rebel Rising Facebook group, would you rather be famous or make an impact? Now take a moment and think about how you would answer this question. The results in the facebook group were overwhelming. People wanted to make an impact and no one wanted to be famous. And no one said both famous and make an impact. In fact, most people didn't want fame. They didn't want to be known. But here's the paradox of that. If you want to make an impact on many people, you've got to be known by many people and if you're known by many people, well then you're famous. Now, you might not be Kim Kardashian, famous or Oprah famous, but if a group of people knows your name, you have got a bit of notoriety going for you, then you are famous.   So let's talk about the downsides of being known for your work, what to do about it, and remember what the definite upside is of being known for your work.

Join Alexia Vernon, author of Step Into Your Moxie, and I as we dive deep into exactly what it means to step into your moxie and own your power and influence as a woman. Alexia explains why women should rebel against the idea that we have to look and act a certain way to be successful business owners, powerful communicators, and strong leaders. We also talk about the importance of focusing on our legacies instead of getting famous. You'll end up asking yourself, "what do I want to leave behind?" Buy Alexia's new book Step into your Moxie

Can we have a serious chat about being visible? About sticking to your message and sharing it consistently? Because one of the things that I have noticed is that it is hard. It is so difficult for so many of you. I've seen that in the Rebel Messaging Audits that I've been doing for business owners and speakers who want to be thought leaders and influencers. I've noticed consistently is that they're not sharing their message consistently or if they are sharing and showing up on social media and being visible, they're off message. Sharing your message and sticking to your message is one of the most important things that you can do to be known for your work. It's how you get momentum and grow your audience so that you get more clients, that you get the gig, that you reach your goals. The key is to show up every day and share the same message. Sticking to my message and showing up has been, one of my biggest struggles through the course of my business. And this year it has changed because I believe in the 3 Word Rebellion more than I've ever believed anything else I've ever done are created in this business. This made me reflect on why.

Have you ever sat down and thought about what your message does for your business? I mean, really think about what the words on your website or the post you share on social media do for you and your business 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Those words bring new people to your community, bring you clients and bring you more opportunities to share that message. Your message does a ton for you and your business and we're going to discuss the eight specific things that your message can do for you when you have the right message on today's pod. Let's talk about why your message is the workhorse of your business in ways that you probably have never even thought about before. Click here to register for the 3 Word Rebellion webinar. Go apply for the Rebel Messaging Audit.

It's time to talk about sales because one of the core principles of the rebel rising podcast is sufficiency. I want you to make money so that you can focus on doing good work in the world. To do that, you must be good at sales. More than that, you've got to be confident and freakishly excited about what you're selling. There's no better person that I can think of to talk to you about sales and being a million percent confident in what you sell than Erika Lyremark. Erika, and I dive into what product, confidence, confidence is how it makes you more money, how you can start cultivating product confidence today, no matter what you sell.

Businesses who make the greatest impact, who influence thousands, if not millions of people and make a great income, have one thing figured out. It's the one thing that is associated with their name and how they serve the world. Without it, it is difficult to rise up, make the impact that you want to make, and be that influencer or thought leader (or as I like to think of you, that Rebel Riser who impacts thousands. What is that one thing that one essential ingredient to influencing millions? It's your message. Yet most people skip over the whole importance of a message when telling you how to be successful, and I say no more to that.

When you think about having a mission and vision for your business? Do you think of something like this: “We interactively communicate scalable alignments in order that we may progressively create multimedia-based potentialities while promoting personal employee growth.” Y-U-C-K! The companies I worked for would spend hours and hours developing vision and mission statements just like this. They would roll out their vision in a big company meeting. It would be proudly displayed on the website. Where it would quickly be forgotten about, wither and die. When I started my business, I thought to have a vision was LAME. It meant putting a bunch of gibberish on a paper that you would soon forget about. My plan when I started out was to offer a kickass service, make enough money to pay my bills and occasionally go on vacation. I didn't need no stinkin’ vision. It turns out I was wrong. I did need a vision. For change-making business, a vision is critical to your impact (and your income). Because when you don't have a vision, you don't know where you're steering your ship. When you don't know where you're going, it's difficult, if not impossible, to make the impact that you want to make. I want you to make an impact. I want you to reach as many people as you can with your message so that your people benefit and are changed by your work in the world. Mostly, I don’t want you to waste time thinking that you don’t need a vision (like I did). You do have one. It’s lurking in the work you do right now, so let’s get it so you can name it, claim it, and take one tiny step to make it a reality. Here’s what’s in store for you. on today’s Rebel Rising podcast: Two biggest reasons that you don’t define your vision and what to do about it Why naming and claiming your vision is key to making it happen The one question that helps you define your vision quickly Why you need to find a role model of possibility Discover the next step to take to make your vision a reality (even if you have no clue how you’re going to make it happen)

I am excited to announce to you the beginning of a new era: The Rebel Rising podcast. Last week, I said goodbye to the Rebel Speaker podcast because I have changed. My business is evolving and the impact that I want to make in this world had changed. Finally, I am owning my why that communication changes the world. When you and I take a stand and create a vision for a different, better future that’s how we make an impact. What I know for sure is that we can’t go on that journey alone. This work of making a difference is hard. It’s messy. It takes grit and resilience. Above all else, it takes people doing it together. So let's start building that community of change making speakers, entrepreneurs, and business owners here today on the Rebel Rising podcast. Let's be there for each other on this journey. On today’s episode, I am sharing with you: • My vision for the Rebel Rising podcast • Why we need to rise together as the next generation of thought leader and influencer • Who it’s for (yes, my speaking friend, it is for you) • The four pillars of what it takes to be a rebel on the rise • The Rebel Rising Manifesto (who you and I are becoming together)

Change is inevitable for business owners and speakers. We are bound to change as we learn more about ourselves, more about our clients and more about how we best serve. The business you built one day may no longer work for you. You changed who you are and there isn't anything wrong with that. Now it's about telling people. Things have been changing for me and for the Rebel Speaker podcast. Let's talk about it.

You want to get paid to speak, right? Yet the thought of pricing and negotiating your speaking fees makes you feel uneasy. You’re not sure what to charge. You don’t know how to negotiate or what to negotiate for. You think “we don’t have a budget” means that you’re not going to get paid at all. If this is you, you’re going to love our first guest expert interview on The Rebel Speaker. Our guest expert is Jen Gresham who runs a blog called Everyday Bright, and Jen is truly remarkable. She has a Ph.D. in biochemistry. She spent years in the Air Force, and now she's an executive coach and business strategist. One of her areas of specialty is money mindset. When I first met Jen, what I loved most about her, was that I could tell she had a very healthy money mindset. She lit up when she talked about money, and that really attracted me to her and her message, and I thought people needed to hear from you. In this episode (and the transcript below) we are going to dive deep into money mindset issues including: Why is money mindset so important for speakers How to set your speaking fee How to talk to meeting planners so you understand the value your speech creates for them. A strategy for negotiating a win-win outcome for you and the person who wants to hire you.

Let's talk about what it means to step into leadership and own your power with our guest today, Lena West. Lena knows what it means to lead and to be a powerhouse in your field. She shows women entrepreneurs how to discover their inner CEO and leverage that knowledge to build a business that loves them back. I kind of love that. Yay. On the show today. we are talking about leadership and owning your power. I've noticed a disturbing trend that too many business owners and speakers are abdicating their leadership role in their industry in favor for the four hour work week, or in pursuit of their next seven, eight, nine-figure launch. If you're a business owner, you are a leader. If you're a speaker, you are a leader. Let's talk about it.

If you have ever been on the verge of pushing the send button on an important email pitch - the one for the gig on a stage you have always dreamed of being and suddenly you hear a voice. "Who do you think you are to be pitching for that speaking gig? You don't have enough experience, maybe if you had a Ph.D. then you could pitch for that speaking gig. And what if you get it? What if you get it? They're all going to find out you don't know what you're talking about." If you've had that experience or you're thinking right now, "Michelle, get out of my head." You have experienced the imposter complex. And in my work, I see it all the time with speakers. Today, we are so fortunate to be talking to Tanya Geisler. Tanya is my coach and an expert in helping high achievers like you and me deal with the imposter complex so we can own the stage and make the difference in the world we were born to make.

When I realized the number one thing holding me back in my business was me, I realized that I didn't need another course or tactic or more business coaching. I needed to get out of my own damn way. I was stopping me from success. I was stopping me from the difference that I wanted to make. I was stopping me from leading my own rebellion. I was stopping me from making the money that I wanted to make. This lead me to Tanya Geisler and her Starring Role Academy (you'll be hearing from her in the next episode!), which has been life-changing. Here's what I've learned in the last eight months of working with Tanya.

In today's three word rebellion spotlight, we have Devon Smiley. Devon is an absolute expert in a skill that each of you, including me, 1000% need for our businesses and our speaking business: she is a negotiation consultant and speaker and has 15 years of experience with Forbes' finest and small businesses alike. In today's episode, we talk about: How Devon got into the business of negotiation Why she is rebelling against the classic, "alpha-dog" style of negotiation The difference between being grateful and just settling with what you're given Devon's best negotiation tips, especially for those just starting out Why reframing your view of negotiation begins with everyday interactions

I really don't like telling my story. Part of the reason why is that I consider myself a fairly private person. And while I'll share whatever with my nearest and dearest people sharing with you - the person listening to this podcast right now -  makes me rather uncomfortable. Because I wonder if you really would care if I talked more about myself. I've sat through too many speeches, podcasts, interviews, and panel discussions where the person on the stage just blathers on and on about themselves and they seem to forget about the audience or why we should even care about what they're thinking. We have all heard the advice that you should tell your story and I give this advice to my clients all the time as well because it is a great way to connect with your people. It's how you develop your know, like, and trust factor. But for those of us who are hesitant to tell our stories, let's talk about four alternatives to telling your story that can help you connect with your audience.

Being seen. We speakers crave it. And yet, at the same time, we are a bit terrified by it as well. If we get on stage, Facebook Live, a webinar, or a podcast and tell our story and share our expertise, we wonder what will they think? Then we worry that they won't show up to hear us speak anyway, and if they do, they will criticize us for sharing our truth. Sharing what we're deeply passionate about is a scary proposition. It makes us vulnerable. We lay bare and we worry about the rejection of the unseen “they.” How do you feel the fear and speak your truth anyway? How do you not let the they get to you and stop you from sharing your message? I know the speakers that I work with like to share their story to connect with the audience. But that puts us in a place of vulnerability. On the podcast today, I give you three questions to ask yourself so that you can speak your truth from a place of strength instead of a place of fear. Plus, one of the most overlooked places to find your story that connects with the audience.

Share your soul stirring story. Your story? It's your legacy. You must share it on the stage. You are doing your audience a huge disservice if you don't share your story. Heck, the whole world wants to hear your story. Or, do they? Telling your story is very popular public speaking advice. However, a friend of mine did an informal poll on Facebook asking, "What breaks your trust with a speaker?" The number one answer was fascinating to me, because the number one thing that breaks the audience’s trust with you, the speaker, is talking about yourself too much. We have conflicting information right? On one hand, we have all of these speaking gurus who are telling you to share your story, because that's what's important, and that's how you'll connect with your audience. On the other hand, you have people saying they don't want to hear it. What direction, as a speaker, should you go in so that telling your story isn't undermining your speaking credibility and hurting your speaking business? Find out in this week’s episode of the Rebel Speaker.

Time. There's never enough of it, right? If you are feeling time starved, like there's not enough hours in the day to do the work that you want to do, I 100 percent feel you right now. I am spending my days working with my clients, who I love, talking with potential clients, working on business development, writing the three word rebellion book, working with my coach and recording this podcast - so I know you're super busy too. Yet you also have your eye on making a difference in this world, making your impact.  When I talk to people who are thinking about working with me and they tell me that they will do it when they have more time, I know that it's a trap. Why? Because there will never be more time. There will never be a better time. It’s a myth - just like sasquatch and unicorns (sorry unicorn fans). Now the question becomes, for me and for you, how do you create the time and space to focus on your message, to focus on your three word rebellion and have the time to launch it into the world so that it actually makes a difference? Now, let's create more time for you to do that work. More time for making a difference with your message and getting paid for it.

What's next? When I finished working with a client, I always want them to leave with a plan for what's next. They have done the creative work with me to find their three word rebellion, craft those talking points, write a speech or create a workshop or Webinar to launch their message into the world. When they leave, I want to make sure that they have an action plan for getting visibility on their message. And this action plan is completely customized to them.  It can include strategies for finding speaking gigs, for podcasts, opportunities, whether or not they should launch their own podcast. There is also one piece of advice that I always give to my clients.   It is the one action that is so simple to take. It's so very effective and yet it's also the hardest to implement even for me, and it's the subject of this week's rebel speaker podcast.

That "I'm not ready" feeling.   It creeps in every time you want to expand, to get bigger with your message. And your 3 Word Rebellion? Well that requires you to get bigger. (If you don't know what a 3 Word Rebellion is, go to threewordrebellion.com and check it out) That 3 Word Rebellion requires you to take up more space, to speak its truth every day of the week. When you and I see that requirement, it is so easy to let the "I'm not ready" feeling to creep in. I hear it all the time when I'm on decision making calls with potential clients. They tell me "I'll be ready when I reach seven figures in my business." "I'll be ready after I work with this coach and then take this other course and then maybe do this mastermind program.” "I'll be ready when I finish the book or launched the course or teach the workshop..." "I'll be ready when life settles down"  Side note, rebels, it never will. "I'll be ready when I have large expanses of time to focus on my message." Here's the rebel truth: You'll always move the readiness finish line. Your readiness to spread the message to get known for the work you do is not dependent on being more, taking more courses, getting another degree, or making a gazillion figures. Your readiness depends on your decision to feel uncomfortable.   Because "I'll be ready" keeps us safe when we know we have to move out of our comfort zone. So how do you know when you're really ready? Here are three signs that you’re ready to get out there and be seen and know for your 3 Word Rebellion.

I know you shouldn’t have a favorite episode. It’s a bit like having a favorite child or favorite cat. It just shouldn’t be done. This interview is my favorite interview I’ve ever done for the Rebel Speaker Podcast. Jennie Nash is a book coach who helped yours truly develop and put words around the 3 Word Rebellion framework. When Jennie asked if she could come on the pod, and talk through her own 3 Word Rebellion, I said: “hell yes, you can!” She and I covered so much more than that during this episode. We chatted about: What’s wrong with this book publishing industry and how it should change Why that little orange bestseller flag on Amazon is MEANINGLESS (and what you should really be after) What authors and speakers need a heck of a lot more when they are bringing their ideas to life (this was the genesis of Jennie’s 3 Word Rebellion) Why finding your 3 Word Rebellion is so darn hard What you should create first -- the book, the speech or the course Why investing in your idea and your business feels risky and is worth it Tune in for our conversation

What kind of weirdo wants to start a movement? I mean seriously! Starting a business or being a speaker is crazy making enough. And a movement -- wow that’s a whole other ball of complexity. Lucky for you and me, we are not alone in our quest to create something that is bigger than our business. Nikki Groom, the host of the Movement Makers podcast, is on a mission to support aspiring Change Makers to step into their leadership role and create their movement. If you’ve been working on your 3 Word Rebellion and have your sights set on create a following of people who are the messengers of your message, you want to listen to this show! In this episode, Nikki and I discuss: What defines a Movement Maker (it’s simpler than you think) Why you absolutely MUST have other people around you to create change on scale The critical difference between a Leader and a “Guru” How authenticity and showing your screw ups is a key leadership trait for Movement Makers Launching a rebellion requires you to step up into leadership. Tune into find out how to be a Movement Maker

There’s such a focus on scaling your business to 6-figure, 7-figures, a gazillion figures in the business world. I’ve always found that emphasis on money meaningless (not that I don’t love money and the freedom that it brings...it’s just a hollow goal to chase). The business owners that I have been talking to lately have been focused on creating something bigger than their business. They want to make a huge difference and they want their message to take on a life of its own. The 3 Word Rebellion plays a large role in that...but those 3 Words are not enough to get people to act and spread your message. For that you need an inciting incident that takes your audience on a journey that removes their resistance to change and allows them to embrace your message. Find out how to create that message that is bigger than your business in this episode of the podcast.

You've done the work, you've discovered your 3 Word Rebellion and you're super excited about it (even if you haven't discovered yours yet, don't worry, I'll tell you how to get help with that). But now that you have your 3 Word Rebellion, you may be wondering, now what? How do I get this message out there? What do I DO with my 3 Word Rebellion A 3 Word Rebellion doesn't do you or the world any good if you keep it under wraps or don't know how to disseminate that message. While the 3 Word Rebellion is the hook that gets people interested and curious about what you’re creating, you'll need something more to get people to raise their hand and say yes to your business, to the movement that you're creating. You're going to have to persuade them to join you. Let’s  talk about the next step in launching your rebellion and creating that message that is bigger than you and your business. Let’s create an inciting incident that spreads your message. What’s that you ask? You’ll have to check out this episode of the pod to find out.

The number one question I am asked about the 3 Word Rebellion is, “can you give me some examples of great 3 Word Rebellions?” Of course I can. 3 word Rebellions are all around us. All you need to do is look for them. On this episode of the rebel Speaker Podcast, I'll talk about what makes a 3 Word Rebellion compelling. I'll give you three case studies of 3 Word Rebellions that I think are awesome and why they work. Finally I have a special announcement I'll be revealing to you how you can work with me on crafting your very own 3 word Rebellion. If you haven't already, I highly recommend you head over to three wordRebellion.com and grab the framework so you can start discovering your 3 Word Rebellion right now. Enjoy the show!

We are CELEBRATING the 100th episode of the Rebel Speaker Podcast. Woo-hoo!! Pop the champagne. Throw the confetti. Strike up the band. We are having a party. We’ve got a very special episode of the podcast. Maggie Patterson of Small Business Boss, flips the mic on me and asks me questions. As one of my business besties, she knows where all the bodies are buried all my secrets. I rant. I rave. You get to find out which of my cats I’m most like. Seriously here is exactly what you’ll take away: What I believe is the WORST piece of public speaking advice (hint: there’s more than one answer) How the heck you can figure out your message! Why you need a message bigger than you and your business What devotion has to do with your legacy Who is a movement maker that I see on the rise (an awesome opportunity to brag about my clients and their work) How my doctorate relates 100% to the work that I do The telltale signs of when it’s time to work with me

We are kicking off a new series on the Rebel Speaker podcast called, The Movement Makers Spotlight. A movement maker is a catalyst who uses their message to change the world for the better. Using the three-word rebellion framework, we dive deep into the change these movement makers want to create. Plus, it gives you an insight on how others crafted their own 3 Word Rebellion. I am so excited because our very first guest is Amber Rae. She is called a millennial motivator by Fortune and the Brené Brown of wonder by MindBodyGreen.  Amber helped launch six bestselling books as chief evangelist of Seth Godin's publishing experiment and started an accelerator for your life called the Bold Academy. Her upcoming book, Choose Wonder Over Worry... well that title had me at hello. It’s an amazing example of a 3 Word Rebellion. Fun fact: I’m the Olympic Champion of worry. I’ve struggled for ages with quieting down my own brain so that I can sleep at night. Becoming an entrepreneur only worsened my non-stop worrying mind. Additionally, I see worry so much with my clients who are on the verge of becoming even more visible. They worry about being reject. They worry about landing the gig. They worry about never making it to the big stage. It’s time to stage a rebellion from worry. On this episode Amber and I talk about: What she’s really rebelling against (and it’s actually not worry) The one thing that ALL worry is rooted in The change she wants to create in the world and a few very actionable steps to deal with your worry What the world would be like if everyone Choose Wonder Over Worry And I 100% encourage you to pre-order her new book, Choose Wonder Over Worry.

Did you know that Dr. Seuss's editor challenged him to write a book using only 50 words? He accepted and rose to that challenge. Oh, yes, he did, and that book became one of the most beloved Dr. Seuss books of all time, Green Eggs and Ham. Now, I'm a rebel. I'm also a nerd who likes structure, so my motto is always rebel and do it with structure and a plan. A rebellion without structure is a riot. The purpose of the 3 Word Rebellion is to craft a statement that encapsulates the change you want to create. It's the hook that makes people sit up, take notice, and say “Yes.” You need constraints to bolster your creativity otherwise it's chaos. Chaos that has you swimming in a sea of possibilities. Never making a decision on what your message is going to be and not moving forward. It's analysis paralysis. You've done the free writing for your 3 Word Rebellion. (If you haven’t head over to threewordrebellion.com and get the playbook!) It's time to create the constraints. Here are three creative constraints for crafting your 3 Word Rebellion.

Rebel truth time. It's hard to figure out your message. If you have been struggling to find the right words, know that there's nothing wrong with you and it's just a difficult process. Because we want to get it right and we hold onto finding that message so tightly that we can't see the right words in front of our face most of the time. Mark Twain once said, "The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. 'Tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning." He's right. The right words call our people in. The right words incites action. The right words spread our message and the right words create the change we want to see. Phew, that's a lot of pressure, right? No wonder we struggle so much to find the right words that we never get out of our head, we never launch our speaking career, and we don't move forward. One of the goals of The 3 Word Rebellion is to move you past all that pressure. Because this should be fun, it should be an enjoyable journey that's inherently creative. But we hold so tightly onto getting it right that we never get out of our heads to start getting it almost right so that we can strengthen it and find those right words. Let's stop the pressure and start having some fun.

William Faulkner once said about writing that you have to “kill your darlings.” Stephen King took it one step further in his book on writing and said, "Kill your darlings. Kill your darlings. Even when it breaks, your egocentric little scribbler's heart, kill your darlings." As business owners, speakers, and change makers, we get very attached to our ideas, especially the ideas that have been a part of what we speak about or how we do our business, for a very long time. It's hard to let those ideas that we love go, even though we need to evolve. It's hard to let them go, even though we know those ideas aren't serving our clients, our audiences, or our followers, at the highest level. Today, I am killing one of my dearest darlings, a darling that has been with me since this business started as a blog over six years ago. It pains me to do so, because I have podcasted, blogged, discussed on interviews, and extolled the virtue of this darling for years, but it's time to let her go. The precious darling that I'm killing today is my beloved Big Idea. I've talked about the big idea on so many podcasts that I have lost count. It has been one of the centerpieces of the work I do with my clients, but the market has changed for speakers, and has become oversaturated with speakers. Frankly, you need more than a big idea to be known and to move your audience. You need to insight action always. To do that you need to rebel...in fact you need a 3 Word Rebellion.

Trying to find your message. Describing what you want to be known for. Finding what the right words, where the right people say, "Heck yes, count me in. I want to follow you to the ends of the earth." It's hard, it sucks, and it's frustrating. There's so much trial and error that it feels like you'll never get it right. One minute you think “By George, I’ve discovered it.” The next moment you say to yourself “What was I thinking?” The fact is that you are too IN your head to find your message. The words spin around like a record player. You’re just too close to be objective. How do I know this? I see it all the time with my clients Recently, I was working with a client, and she showed up to our session rather frustrated. She said to me, "Doc." (She likes to call me Doc.) "I've been thinking about this 3 Word Rebellion all week, and I just don't know what mine is. I have no clue." So, I took her through the 3 Word Rebellion framework and 20 minutes later, ah-ha, we found it! And you know what? It's something she says all the of the time, but she was so IN her head that she couldn't see it. Here’s the rebel truth: You don’t have to struggle to find your message! Here are three awesome strategies to get you the raw material you need to find your message that you can change the world with.

When you think about doing video for your speaking business. You most likely think all you need is a sizzle reel. A three minute trailer that captures who they are, what their message is, and how they deliver it on the stage. However, if you think that the only video you need in your speaking business is your sizzle reel you're missing out on a huge opportunity to be seen, to be known. I'm not just talking about being known but having your name synonymous with your message. And, video also helps get speaking gigs. Today, I am talking with my go-to-person for all things video. Her name is Katya Varbanova aka LiveStreamKatya . She is a video marketing strategist specializing in creating viral video funnels for influencers and entrepreneurs. We are talking about all about how speakers can use video to get visible and speak more including: How video and livestreaming helped Katya land speaking gigs Why video positions you as a speaker (Katya even warns if there’s no videos of you online people might not see you as a speaker) Harnessing the power of your video audience to land paid speaking (it’s all about leverage) Katya’s approach to creating videos that go viral (it’s easier than you think) How to get started with video even if you’ve never done it before! Get visible with video so that you spread message and get known for the change you create for your audience

You know that have to be visible in order to make a difference in the world. A movement was never started by hiding out behind your computer. A speaking career is never launched by posting on Facebook and Instagram alone. People must know about you and your message in order to grow network and build relationships that grow your speaking platform. You need the help of other people. Specifically, you need the help of other people's audiences. You can't do this alone. You have to enlist others in helping you spread your message. In my opinion, one of the best and easiest ways to be exposed to other people's audience is to do podcast interviews. Why? Well according to my friend and founder of B, the PR agency, Brigitte Lyons, in the past two years podcasts have emerged as the newest media disruptor. Everyone from major brands to indie businesses to speakers are flocking to get their message out through podcast. As a speaker, you should be doing this too. You can get known for your message when you appear on a podcast. Let's face it, getting on a podcast is much faster and easier than landing a speaking gig. So let's get you on some podcasts.

Are you hiding out? Worried about how much of your speech you should share online? Because what if you share too much and no one wants to hire you to speak? What if someone steals your whole speech? If you do a Facebook Live on a portion of your speech, does it devalue what you deliver on stage? The answer: All these questions are keeping you playing small. They keep you hiding out. These questions stop you from sharing your message. They stop you from making your speech, your message, synonymous with your name. It's time to stop hiding out, stop hiding your message away because you're worried about something that may or may not happen, because hiding away means that no one knows you. And if they don't know you, if no one is buzzing about you, then no one is going to be hiring you to speak, and the change you want to create in the world is going to languish in obscurity. It’s your time. Come out of hiding. Here are the three big reasons why you need to create your own damn stage and get visible stat.

There is one aspect of speaking that I absolutely cannot help speakers with. That's the speaking contract. I am not a lawyer nor do I play one on TV, so I am not comfortable at all consulting with you on what your speaking contract looks like. However, I know that a speaking contract is an essential piece of your speaking business, so while I'm not an attorney, my guest today is. Today we are lucky to have Christina Scalera. She is the attorney and founder behind The Contract Shop, a contract template store for creative entrepreneurs, wedding professionals, and coaches, and speakers like you. This episode gave me several aha’s not only about how you can protect your ASSets but also about how a contract can make you more money including: Why contracts actually make you money How to establish the copyright of your speech and understand your intellectual property right Negotiation (even for your fee) isn’t over until the speaking contract is signed Why you might not need to hire a lawyer when a good speaking contract template is all you need Tune in and cover your legal butt!

I know that a lot of you are onboard with rebelling against the status quo and creating for your audience and your industry a big change. But there might be this little tiny voice in your head, a voice of reason, wondering, "Can I actually earn a living doing this?" In the past, I have talked so much about getting paid to speak (because it’s 1000% important). You might be wondering if going this direction, focusing on making an impact, and then making a profit from that impact, can actually support you. The answer is yes. I'm still and always will be a fierce advocate that speakers should get paid for the value they create for organizations. (Can I get an Amen?) I want to address this objection head-on of how do you get paid to speak when you're trying to create this movement. In this episode, there are the two key, fundamental truths of getting paid to speak while also creating this movement

Every movement and every speech must be moving people away from something, away from something that's in the status quo and towards something else. We have talked about what you're rebelling against in the status quo of your industry. What do you want to shake up? What do you want to change? What are you rebelling against? But rebelling isn't enough. Pointing out that something needs to change isn't going to make your message spread and make a lasting impact. We saw this with a 99% movement. They rebelled against Wall Street, but they didn't have a vision or plan for how to change the status quo and what it would look like if they changed it. The movement ultimately fizzled. The rebellion is the first part of being a speaker who starts a movement with their message, figuring out what is causing people a challenge or a pain that needs to be overcomed. The most important part is you've got to show what people are moving towards. And that’s the focus of this episode of the Rebel Speaker Podcast

It's so easy to look at other people's endings and compare those to your beginning or even your middle. I think speakers do that a lot especially when they are trying to create something bigger than themselves. I admit that I do this! When I first started my business I was following a speech coach who had been in business for 20-years, and beating myself up for reaching her level of success. Not good! But when you are creating something with more meaning, with more impact, with the potential to make a difference, it’s so easy to compare yourself. You look at  Simon Sinek and think, "Wow, that guy showed up overnight and exploded. His TED Talk has like a gazillion views." Here's the rebel truth: Simon Sinek did not start with a gazillion views on a TED Talk. You are coming in at his end (however, I’d wager that talk was his middle). So where do you start? How do you do this crazy, bold, audacious thing of starting a movement with your message? You start by stopping, by shifting and then by asking. That’s the first step to starting a movement.

For the past two weeks, we've been talking about building something much bigger than a speaking business. Something with much more impact. Something that has the potential to change lives or even society or culture. And I've been calling you to step into something huge, something that you are at the epicenter of. Where you're the catalyst, you're the change maker, and you're that speaker making it happen. And while all that might be exciting to you, it also might be freaking you out. I am RIGHT there with you. When I decided to start talking about speaking in the context of creating something movement, I became freakishly excited about the possibilities of what I was creating, and also completely terrified. There’s been all the fraudy, fraudy, feelings. The inner critic shouting “what are you doing? You’ll never pull this off? Who do you think you are?” And then the excitement of feeling in my bones that this is the message that I want to share most. This is what I want to create most in the world. Everything has been leading up to this moment… ...and then there's voice again telling me no. How do you deal with it? You tune into this episode and get 3 tools to help you speak for impact!

“How do I book speaking gigs?” I get this question all the time. I know why. It’s frustrating to figure out. You’re on the book of Face and see a friend post “I just booked my first speaking gig of 2018! Huzzah!” You wonder how did she do that? But that’s the wrong question to ask. She booked the gig because people KNOW her. How do you get people to know you? How do you get them to see you as an expert? How do you get people to spread your message for you? Change and devotion. We paint a picture of change and then we deliver on that promise to our audience. We become wildly devoted to that change and helping people create it in their lives. And we talk about it EVERYWHERE! (The month of March is going to be devoted to that...so stay tuned). After last week's podcast about creating movements to move your speaking forward, there might be a practical side of you that is wondering why the heck should you be building a movement with speaking at the heart of that movement? Here are 3 reasons why you should think BIGGER than speaking and start a movement with your message

True story: The Rebel Speaker Podcast almost became a thing of the past. As I wrapped up recording the last episode of the podcast in November, the question “what the heck am I going to talk about next year?” popped into my head. And then I remembered WHY I started this business in the first and WHY I got my Ph.D. and WHY I’ve been learning and practicing the craft of speaking and coaching speakers for 25 years. And this WHY is why I am issuing a big, bold challenge today. Listen in to the Rebel Speaker Podcast to find out!

You've decided to be a speaker and build your speaking business. Now the universe is going to test you on how badly you want it. You send out a pitch and get a "thanks but no thanks", or you send out a pitch and you hear crickets. You're in the middle of a negotiation for your speaking fee and they say "Sorry, we don't have any budget to pay you". They're going to be times where you need to have the cojones to walk away and say no to speaking gigs. It takes tenacity and fortitude to make your speaking goals a reality. How are you going to do this? The best way is to go through this exercise that I make all of my clients do before they start pitching, setting their fee or even get on a call to negotiate their fee. It's even a great exercise to have in the back of your mind right before you're going to step on stage and nail it. Find out what that exercise is in this episode of The Rebel Speaker.

Every successful speaker that I've ever chatted with has had a secret weapon. The secret weapon won't be mentioned on stage or receive applause or accolades. But behind the scenes, this secret weapon has helped the speaker on their journey. It has helped the speaker go from an unknown to making $10K, $20K or $30K per speaking engagement. So what is that secret weapon and why should you have one? Find out in this week podcast episode.

Many of you know that corporate speaking is the direction that you want to go in your speaking business, but you haven't quite cracked that nut yet. How do you break in? How do you know if your message is going to appeal to the corporate crowd? We are lucky today because we have Simon T. Bailey as our guest, and he is one of America's top 10 most-booked corporate and association speakers on change, leadership, and customer experience. He has worked with over 1,500 organizations, has impacted more than two million people through his presentations and seminars in 45 countries.  Some of his clients include AT&T, IBM, Mastercard, Seattle's own Microsoft, and Toyota. Simon reveals some rebel truths about corporate speaking including: Why motivational speaking won’t get you in the door and what to do instead Find out how to take an inspirational message and turn it into a speech that is marketable to corporations Discover why speaking about your passion is NOT the best idea for corporate speaking when you’re starting out Why you need a body of work so you can go deeper with organizations that hire you (and create more revenue) The four things you can start doing today to build relationships to book corporate gigs

One of the things I do with speakers to help them find the message that they want to be known for is a free writing exercise where I give them the prompt: I believe ... They write a manifesto of sorts of what they believe about their area of expertise, their industry, the audience they serve. Sometimes it goes into about life itself when they are really on a roll. I've realized after 83 episodes of The Rebel Speaker Podcast that I have never shared what my I believe list is. I've never shared what I am trying to create in the speaking industry and for the speakers that I serve. I wanted to end this season of The Rebel Speaker Podcast with my Christmas wish for you by sharing what I believe about the speaking industry and what I would like to see created.

What do you want to achieve with your speaking? What kind of impact do you want to make? What business are you building? This is the time of year where my coaching practice gets full of people who are envisioning what their next year will look like.  They begin to imagine how speaking fits into that year in order to  take their message to a wider audience, make an even bigger impact and get paid to do it. They all are curious about how I can help them get to their next stage of speaking. I love, love, love these conversations! It doesn’t matter whether the speaker is up and coming and just starting out or it's a speaker who has been in the business for years, I love hearing about their vision and what they feel is really getting in the way of moving them forward to that vision. What I have found, time and time again, is that there are specific moves...decisions even...that speakers need to make to take their speaking career to the next phase. Moves that can help them book more speaking gigs, get paid, and most importantly make a bigger differences in the world. Here are my top five big moves that you should make to drive your speaking career forward into the next year!

I’ve been staring into my crystal ball (aka reading meeting planning trends report) to find out what 2018 has in store for speaker. The speaking industry is ever changing and ever evolving, and you've got to stay on top of it in order to make your speaking grow. Once upon a time, as a speaker, you needed to have a buffet of topics listed on your website. If you could talk about leadership and goal setting and time management and communication skills, awesome. The more topics, the better. Pretty much if you could read a book about it, you could be speaking about it. In recent years, these speakers have started to struggle because the speaking industry and the people who book speakers are looking for speakers who are experts on their particular topic. In the past couple of weeks, I have been pouring over meeting planner studies and meeting industry reports to identify the emerging trends in the speaking industry, and figure out how that will impact you as a speaker. Here are the five most important trends for the speaking industry in 2018 and how you can stay out in front of them.

Does it ever feel like your mind is working against you, like your mind isn't your best friend? For instance, you're about to step onstage and your brain all of a sudden starts saying to you, "Who are you to be up here? You've got to be kidding me!" Or the moment before you hit send on a big pitch, your brain says, "Oh, you should really stop kidding yourself. They would never want you as a speaker." The good news is that you are not alone. We all do this. I do this, but the even better news is that there's something you can do to remind yourself of who is really in charge of your brain. Today, on the Rebel Speaker podcast, we have Rachel Alexandria, and she is going to remind us of how we are really in charge of our brains and how to silence the inner critic. In this episode we discuss: How our brains can STOP us from sharing our message (and what to do about) Why we place so much importance on what the inner critic says Discover how to show the inner critic who is really in charge so you can get on stage anyway Why understanding the inner critic is NOT the real you is key to challenging it Recognizing and disrupting the inner critics temper tantrum  

Being seen. We speakers crave it. And yet, at the same time, we are a bit terrified by it as well. If we get on stage, Facebook Live, a webinar, or a podcast and tell our story and share our expertise, we wonder what will they think? Then we worry that they won't show up to hear us speak anyway, and if they do, they will criticize us for sharing our truth. Sharing what we're deeply passionate about is a scary proposition. It makes us vulnerable. We lay bare and we worry about the rejection of the unseen “they.” How do you feel the fear and speak your truth anyway? How do you not let the they get to you and stop you from sharing your message? I know the speakers that I work with like to share their story to connect with the audience. But that puts us in a place of vulnerability. On the podcast today, I give you three questions to ask yourself so that you can speak your truth from a place of strength instead of a place of fear.

Comparison. In this online world. it is so easy to compare ourselves to others. We've all seen that Instagram post of a speaker onstage taking a selfie with the cheering audience right behind him. Or the Facebook humble brag post about being upgraded to first class “because I travel so much for speaking #speakerslife.” These posts are enough to send you on a downward spiral into the jaws of the comparison monster, where we start wondering “why am I not on stage? “ “I have just as much to say as that person. I should be on that stage. “ “I must suck.” And I get it. I do and did that too, especially when I first started my business. But we all fall prey to that comparison monster. So how do we stop comparing ourselves and escape the grasp of the comparison monster so that we can stay focused on creating a speaking business that supports us? Here’s  one lie that the comparison monster tells us and two truths on how to defeat that monster so that you can start getting onstage.

Desire, it's a yearning. It's a strong feeling that we just wish something would happen. As a speaker, you most likely desire being seen and heard, making a difference for people, and getting paid to do it. But have you thought about what your audience desires, what each member of that collective group wants to have happen. What they're yearning for? If you haven't, you should, because desire is the key to opening the door to creating a message that audiences want, that organizations who would hire you need, and being a speaker that everyone is talking about. Let's figure out what your audience desires, based on how you want to get paid to speak.

Happy Halloween, rebel speakers. Today, on the most haunted day of the year, we are going to travel to one of the most frightening places on the planet. It is a spooky place where you spend a lot of your time. It's your own mind. Specifically what your mind is saying to you and how that is actually holding you back from speaking more. What we say to ourselves is stopping us from trusting ourselves! If you're in this place right now of doubting yourself and doubting whether the speaking thing is right for you, whether you should be doing it or not, then there are three actions you can take right now to escape the haunted house of your mind!

"Stand out or don't bother." This quotation from Sally Hogshead has always bothered me.   Although I believe 1,000 percent that standing out is critical to having a successful speaking business that makes a difference in the world, standing out is a process. You have to find that message that rises above the noise, and lucky for us, today we are talking to Marc Ensign.   Marc is a role model for how to make an impact with your message, and how to rise above all the noise that is out there. As a speaker, Marc has shared the stage with the likes of Gary Vaynerchuk, Chris Brogan, Brené Brown, Simon Sinek, (my imaginary boyfriend), and Chelsea Clinton. In this interview we discuss: If authenticity is just marketing babble or still meaningful to seapker Why Marc urges other to “be a Dick” (and it’s not at all what you think) How story fosters connection with the audience if it’s done the right way How an unconventional approach lead to amazing speaking opportunity What to do if your audience gets offended by your message

I'm sure you've been there. You're watching a speaker, taking notes, you're enjoying it, having an "Aha," moment or two, and then wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am, the sales pitch comes. And it feels awkward. You feel awkward, like you should buy even though you just met this person, and they want you to spend $1,295 for their latest and greatest program. And it feels icky for you, it feels high-pressured. Like you’re being SOLD a bill of goods And while some people buy, that's not you. (Or maybe it is you; we've all fallen for this once or twice.) But more importantly, that's not the kind of speaker you want to be. Yes, you want to speak to market your business, to get clients and customers; it's part of how you're getting paid. But you don't have to be that guy on the stage, you don't have to speak to sell. You can speak to convert instead. Find out what makes a speech that converts a better way to turn audience members into clients on this episode of the Rebel Speaker Podcast.

Confession. I fell for the speak-to-sell lie. When I was first starting my business and struggling to get my feet underneath me, my coach at the time recommended that I look into a certain speak-to-sell course. It was from one of the biggest names in the industry and it cost about a thousand bucks. At that time, I was not ready to make that type of investment, so my coach gave me a copy of her own speak-to-sell talk. I decided to test it out at my Toastmasters club. Now, the content part of it rocked. It was super. It felt great. But when I got to the part about asking for the sale, I chickened out. I totally chickened out. I couldn't do it. I couldn't ask for the sale even among friends, even among people I knew. This was just practice. I couldn't do it. The reason why, it's because it didn't feel like me. It wasn't the kind of person that I wanted to be. It wasn't the kind of business that I wanted to run. I didn't want to be the person who was telling people to run to the back of the room because it's only a limited time offer. I just couldn't do that sleaze. And, yet, these big speak-to-sell courses make promises of five-figure speaking gigs and six-figure businesses, all from speaking. For most of us, that's the wrong strategy. There is a better way to get clients into your business and we're going to discussing it on episode 74 of the rebel speaking podcast.

Over the summer I’ve been working with speakers who want to use speaking to promote their business. They’ve been out there speaking. It's been fun, the audience loves them, the organizers who booked them to speak loved them. It all goes really well, and then nothing happens. No leads, no sales, maybe a few new opt-ins to their email list, but it feels like the audience forgot them as soon as they left the room, and they're not sure why. The good news is that it has nothing to do with them or their business or what they sell.   It has everything to do with the speech because it’s the reason potential clients are running away. If you are speaking for your business and want to increase the number of people that come into your business from speaking, keep on reading. There are three reasons why your speech might be chasing clients away. Tune in and find out on the Rebel Speaker Podcast

To make speaking work for your business, you’ve got to dedicate one very limited resource to it. TIME! With all of your millions of things to do, how do you fit speaking into the mix? How do you create time & focus to get the pitching, the writing and the practicing done? You start by listening to my guest, Jessica Abel, the author of the book Growing Gills: How to Find Creative Focus When You’re Drowning in Your Daily Life. Jessica’s mission is to help creatives get the work into the world. Yes as a speaker, you are most definitely a creative. During this interview, we discuss: The real reason you're not getting your speaking work done (and it’s got nothing to do with procrastination) Why “idea debt” holds your back from making progress One action to take right now to make speaking a priority tomorrow How to get back to taking action when life has gotten in the way.  

Having a message that matters to the audience and to the people who hire speakers is the reason why you get booked to speak. How well you're able to market your speaking depends on the message. How well your pitches are received, and responded to, depends on your message. How do you create a message that matters to the audience, and to the people who hire speakers? You start by speaking for impact. When I work with clients, I walk them through a step by step process for creating that message that matters. I call this process, "Speak for Impact." I've been using it for the past five years with my clients, and I've seen great results. From doubling their speaking fees, negotiating their highest speaking fee yet, speaking all over the United States, getting clients, and booking more speaking gigs. I am going to share the three steps of this process with you today because I know it works.

A lot of attention is given to how to book speaking gigs. I've talked about it on the Rebel Speaker podcast and here on the blog. There are whole courses devoted to how to market yourself as a speaker. There are even people who will offer to do the marketing work for you. There's so much to do that it can make your head spin. It feels rather overwhelming. All that work and where should you begin? Here's the Rebel truth:  All of that marketing work, all of that energy, time, and money invested in video production, and pitching, and one sheets is meaningless if you don't have your message nailed. The marketing isn't what gets you gigs. The marketing isn't what helps you reach more people or make a bigger difference. The message is. How do you go about finding that all important message? Let me hook you up with the three must-have messaging pieces, so that you can book your next speaking gig on this episode of the Rebel Speaker podcast.

You've got an itch to make a difference to more people, to get your expertise, your message, your story in front of more people, and you know that speaking is one of the best ways to make it happen. And, bonus, you love it. There's just one tiny problem: getting speaking opportunities. You can't make your impact if you don't get on stage, right? You've done exactly what the experts have told you to do. Why is it that you’re struggling to book speaking gigs? Marketing is tactics, pure and simple. You put a plan in place and you work the plan consistently, and you get results. Messaging, on the other hand, is the thought leadership. It's the positioning. It's a deep understanding of who you serve with your speech. We skip to marketing ourselves and pitching for speaking gigs because, frankly, it's a whole lot easier than getting messy with our message. There are three tell-tale signs that your message is not working for the people who would book you to speak. Find out on this episode of the Rebel Speaker Podcast.

To have a slide deck or to not have a slide deck? That is the question, or at least it is for many of the clients that I work with and many of the speakers in The Rebel Speaker Facebook group. Speakers write this great signature talk, and then they start wondering, "Should I have visuals?" Because they've been in that presentation where you're looking at the speaker and you're looking at the slides, and you think, "What version of eyeball hell is this?" For speakers, it's really important to have great slides with a great design if you choose to have visuals. It's what makes you a pro. Today my guest is Adam Tratt, and he knows all about great presentation design. He's the co-founder and CEO of Haiku Deck, an app for creating flawlessly beautiful presentations on iPad or the web. Haiku Deck has been ranked the number one productivity app in iTunes and 50 markets around the world. We discuss: The four design principles that every speaker should know about (and how #3 is the easiest to mess up) How Haiku Deck makes designing a presentation deck a breeze What Sir Mix A Lot has to do with designing a great an app (he likes big apps and he cannot lie)

Whether someone is looking to hire you as a speaker or to hire you to do work for them, one of the first places they'll go is your website. When they land on your website, you want to make it as easy as possible for them to hire you. I've seen far too many speaker websites that don't include enough information for people to make a decision about taking the next step and contacting you to speak. Then when there’s not enough information? The person who was interested in hiring your clicks away never to darken your door again. Let's make it easy for people to hire you to speak with these 5 website tweaks.

I'm not one for following the rules. In fact, if everyone is following a trend, if everyone is telling me I should do something I am more likely to say, "No way," and buck the trend. For instance everyone in business is saying courses and memberships sites are the way to scale your business. Screw that. I'm doubling down on one-on-one work. It's what I love to do and what gets the best results for clients. With speaking, I'm always throwing out the tried and true tips to experiment and to create a better experience for the audience. Except, there is this one rule that I particularly love and it doesn't even come from speaking. It’s one rule that produces great results. Results like your message getting remembered, audiences members turning into clients, booking more speaking, and creating the impact you want to create in the world. Tune in to the Rebel Speaker Podcast to find out what this rule is and how to use it in your speaking.

The promise is a big, fancy speaking career with your name in lights. You'll book gigs, paid speaking gigs, even if you don't have a clue who to contact or what to say. Buy this course, and you'll be on your way. And that all sounds amazing. It's the dream: Making a big difference in the world, being on stage, and getting paid to do it. But, there's one tiny problem. And a few weeks into the course, they find themselves stuck. So before you invest in that slick speaker marketing course that costs $1,000, $1,500, or even $3,000, you need to have one thing nailed before you can get the results that are promised.

Have you ever scored a big speaking opportunity and went from elation to “OMG, what did I get myself into?” in less than an hour? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. Writing a speech is a creative process. A process that is full of excitement, panic, and wondering if it will ever come together. In today's, episode of The Rebel Speaker Podcast, we are going to discuss the creative process behind how to write a speech. Buckle your seatbelt, it’s going to be a wild creative ride. We’ll cover: The five stages of writing your next speech The stage that is the most difficult to get through My favorite resources about creativity My best two tips for surviving even thriving during the creative process MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Seth Godin’s The Dip (book) Brene Brown’s Rising Strong (book) Sally Hogshead “Creativity and The Throne of Agony” (blog post) Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic (book) The Speak for Impact program for crafting a signature speech The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group

The key to being a successful speaker is running a successful business. That means you're not just a speaker on the stage. You are the CEO of your business. But what the heck does that mean? What does it look like to really step into that CEO role of your speaking business? I am super excited because we have Dana Corey on the podcast.  She takes business owners (and speakers) and transforms them into CEOs. Dana and I talk about: Why speakers must step into the role of CEO if they want their business to thrive The major mindset shifts you need to make to be a CEO How to start delegating like a boss so you’re not doing all the day-to-day hustle Why every Speaker CEO needs to know their numbers in their speaking business

Do you have a feedback system in your speaking business? When I first started speaking, like many of you, I was in high school and I joined the speech and debate team because I wasn't naturally good at speaking at all. I joined the team because I sucked, and I knew that the only way that I could get better at speaking is if I got help and feedback.   And, boy, did I get a lot of feedback from my coach and from my peers. This helped me grow exponentially as a speaker because I could figure out what I was doing well, what I was improving on, and what needed a lot of work. I have noticed a disturbing trend in the speaking industry. Speakers are not actively seeking out feedback on their speaking. They figure, "Oh, man, I got a standing ovation, the audience loves me, and that's good enough." If you want to succeed in the speaking industry, you've got to be the best, and to be the best, you're going to need feedback. In this episode we are going to setup a feedback system for your speaking business so you know that your keynote speech is working FOR your business.

Every day, I'm Googling to find out who is that actor on Twin Peaks and what have I seen him in before? Or, I want to find out how to prepare a spicy hot chili for dinner, or even to figure out what that thing is on my arm. We are always Googling, and information is at our fingertips, which means if you are an expert in your field and you're focused on the how to do something, then Google can easily replace you. So, what's a speaker to do? If you're focused too much on the "how to," you're not positioning your expertise in a way so that people want to hire you after they hear you speak, and if you're getting paid to speak, you want to position your expertise so your audience knows that there is more where that came from. At the end of the day, when your audience feels like they can DIY it, you've just talked yourself out of a job, so let's change that.

Do you have a plan for how to make money with your speaking? Or are you hoping that someone will hear you speak and want to hire you right out of the gate? Or that someone will hear you speaking and give you your big break as a paid professional speaker? If you don’t have a plan for generating revenue, then you need to make one, big time On today’s show, we’ll discuss the two paths to revenue for speaking and how to craft a speech for each path: Understand the two paths to create revenue with your speaking Why a client attracting speech is NOT about selling from the stage Know the difference between a “what” speech and a “how” speech The difference between creating a speech that attracts clients versus getting paid speaking gigs Mentioned in this Episode: Stop Dreaming About Landing Speaking Gigs and Do This Instead (TRSP 10) The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group

Many of you know that corporate speaking is the direction that you want to go in your speaking business, but you haven't quite cracked that nut yet. How do you break in? How do you know if your message is going to appeal to the corporate crowd? We are lucky today because we have Simon T. Bailey as our guest, and he is one of America's top 10 most-booked corporate and association speakers on change, leadership, and customer experience. He has worked with over 1,500 organizations, has impacted more than two million people through his presentations and seminars in 45 countries.  Some of his clients include AT&T, IBM, Mastercard, Seattle's own Microsoft, and Toyota. Simon reveals some rebel truths about corporate speaking including: Why motivational speaking won’t get you in the door and what to do instead Find out how to take an inspirational message and turn it into a speech that is marketable to corporations Discover why speaking about your passion is NOT the best idea for corporate speaking when you’re starting out Why you need a body of work so you can go deeper with organizations that hire you (and create more revenue) The four things you can start doing today to build relationships to book corporate gigs

The number one question I get in my inbox or that comes up in strategy sessions with potential clients is: How do I book more speaking gigs? How do I find them? How do I book them? I totally get why. You want to do what you love, speaking. You want to change lives, start a movement with your message, and get paid for doing it. It totally makes sense to me. Are you too hung up on trying to book speaking gigs when there's something else that you really need to focus on? Maybe.   But your focus should never be on booking the gig, landing the deal, getting that speaking opportunity. Why? Because getting booked to speak is outside of your control. Someone else makes the decision to hire you. As a speaker, it's important to invest your time in what you can control. The number one thing that you can control...you’ll find out in this episode of the rebel speaker.

Share your soul stirring story. Your story? It's your legacy. You must share it on the stage. You are doing your audience a huge disservice if you don't share your story. Heck, the whole world wants to hear your story. Or, do they? Telling your story is very popular public speaking advice. However a friend of mine did an informal poll on Facebook asking, "What breaks your trust with a speaker?" The number one answer was fascinating to me, because the number one thing that breaks the audience’s trust with you, the speaker, is talking about yourself too much. We have conflicting information right? On one hand we have all of these speaking gurus who are telling you to share your story, because that's what's important, and that's how you'll connect with your audience. On the other hand, you have people saying they don't want to hear it. What direction, as a speaker, should you go in so that telling your story isn't undermining your speaking credibility and hurting your speaking business? Find out in this week’s episode of the Rebel Speaker.

Pop quiz, what is my least favorite TED Talk ever? If you've been hanging around these Rebel parts, you probably know the answer. If not, the answer might surprise you. My least favorite TED Talk of all time is Tony Robbins. Why? Why do I hate Tony Robbins' TED Talk so much? Because it’s 8-steps to this, 7 level of that, 14 ways to this other thing...all in 18-minutes! His talk is too much, it was too overwhelming, and I couldn't process what he was saying or understand what he wanted me to get out of it. But I think there's something that you and I can learn here because as experts, we tend to overwhelm our audience with the information that we want to give during our signature talks. I see this over and over again with my clients where we're working on their keynote speech, the talk that they want to be known for, and they're like, "But I need to talk about this, and I need to talk about that because they're all really important to me." When we're writing a talk, it's not about what's important to you as the speaker, what's important to build your brand; it's about what's important to your audience. So today we are going to talk about why we overwhelm and what we can do about it to make for a more effective signature talk and a better audience experience.

You know that I talk about making money with speaking in two different ways. There's paid speaking and then there's client attraction speeches. Client attraction speeches have nothing to do with selling from the stage. Instead you create a speech that's aligned with your business, you do a bang up job delivering it, and then you offer something completely free, so that people give you their email addresses. I know one thing that people struggle with is, "Great, I've got their email, now what do I do?" This is where our guest expert Maggie Patterson comes in. Maggie has spent her entire career working in client-facing roles and marketing and as a copywriter. Today she works with service-based business owners to help them implement smart strategies for business growth, including today's topic, funnels. If you don't know what a funnel is, don't let the word scare you off. Maggie is going to explain what a funnel is and how to create one for your business.

You hear the roar of applause and receive your standing ovation. Audience members say, "You did an awesome job! That was great!" The vast majority of your evaluations say you did a good or excellent job in your session. That's awesome. I want you to receive and celebrate that. When you're done with the celebration, ask yourself this question: Is it translating? Is the applause and the standing ovation translating into more speaking opportunities? Are those enthusiastic audience members translating into people who hire you and become customers? Is that organization where you got those fabulous evaluations, is that translating into being asked back or being asked to provide additional training? The bottom line question is, is speaking exponentially growing your bottom line? If you look at your numbers and it's not producing the revenue that you would like to see, what should you do about it? Find out where you’re leaving money on the table in your speaking business

Every successful speaker that I've ever chatted with has had a secret weapon. The secret weapon won't be mentioned on stage or receive applause or accolades. But behind the scenes, this secret weapon has helped the speaker on their journey. It has helped the speaker go from an unknown to making $10K, $20K or $30K per speaking engagement. So what is that secret weapon and why should you have one? Find out on this week podcast episode.

How do you take your SFD speech, your shitty first draft, and transform it into something that audiences are persuaded by? That they are moved by? That they are moved so much that they stand up and applaud after you're done speaking? How do you transform that SFD into something that gets you referrals, and amazing testimonials, and more business from organizations? The key to that is in the editing. I know, it's super sexy but this is what marks a pro speaker from an amateur. The magic of speech writing happens in the editing. Editing  is where you can craft a better story, find better words, create more connection and build engagement with your audience. I'm going to walk you through how I begin to edit a speech so that you can go from pro to amatuer.

Your speech is not a speech. It's your next best-selling product. That's the strategy that I outlined in my book Speak For Impact. It's one of the core pillars of building a successful, thriving speaking business. It's one of the things that you should be focusing on whether you're just starting out as a speaker or you're an old pro. But here is what I see happen all the time in the speaking industry. You create a speech and it's good enough. It's good enough to get you applause. It's good enough to get you booked a couple of times. It might even be good enough to get you a standing ovation and that feels really, really amazing. It's definitely good enough to get you good enough evaluations. But what if it could be remarkable? What if you're leaving money on the table, you're leaving speaking opportunities on the table, you're leaving clients on the table because you're not upgrading your speech to make it truly remarkable? .   Here are the five stages of writing a speech that gets you booked to speak and paid.

If you have ever been on the verge of pushing the send button on an important email pitch - the one for the gig on a stage you have always dreamed of being and suddenly you hear a voice. "Who do you think you are to be pitching for that speaking gig? You don't have enough experience, maybe if you had a Ph.D. then you could pitch for that speaking gig. And what if you get it? What if you get it? They're all going to find out you don't know what you're talking about." If you've had that experience or you're thinking right now, "Michelle, get out of my head." You have experienced the imposter complex. And in my work I see it all the time with speakers. Today, we are so fortunate to be talking to Tanya Geisler. Tanya is my coach and an expert in helping high achievers like you and me deal with the imposter complex so we can own the stage and make the difference in the world we were born to make.

As a speaker, you've got a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. Especially if you're running your speaking business like a lone wolf. You are in charge of finding speaking opportunities, pitching those speaking opportunities, and tracking those pitches when they go out the door.  Then, the sales conversations, negotiating your speaking fees, booking your travel, marketing your speaking. Plus, you have to create the speech, customize the speech for that specific audience, and become a master of the speaking craft, on top of following up with the people who gave you the opportunity to speak in order to stay top of mind, so that you get amazing referrals and testimonials. And, maybe, just maybe, you’re running another business, as well. One of the questions I've heard in the Rebel Speaker Facebook group is, "What the heck can I outsource to focus on what really matters in my speaking business?" Here are 5 Tasks to outsource to a virtual assistant

You listen to this podcast because you're interested in speaking. You want to be booking more speaking gigs. You want to become a better speaker and improve the  experience the audience has with you.   Yet there might be this little niggling feeling that you're not 100% committed to adding speaking into your business mix. You're just not sure if it's the best move for your business. This month we are featuring listener questions on the Rebel Speaker Podcast and Shawn Fink of the Abundant Mama asks “why should I add speaking to my business?” Here are five reasons why you should consider adding speaking to your business mix.

A terrible fight with your wife. Your kid just got suspended for the eighteenth time from school. And maybe your business, well, that's not so hot either. Any one of those things are enough to throw us off our game. But what happens when you feel like the world is crashing down around you and you have to get on stage to speak? One of my private clients emailed me recently to say that she was a mess. She'd been crying all day and was in no shape for the speaking gig she had that night. What advice did I have for her? Find out on this episode of The Rebel Speaker.

How do I find more speaking gigs? This is the number one question that I get all the time for speakers. Speakers are looking for the magic bullet to find those gigs and to find them without doing the ONE thing that makes the biggest difference to your speaking business: building relationships. On the Rebel speaker, we are very fortunate because we have David Fisher here. He is a speaker but he is also an expert on building relationships and how we do leverage our relationships to book more speaking gigs or get more sales. In this interview David and I talk about: How to find speaking gigs when you’re just starting out A LinkedIN strategy for networking and finding speaking opportunities How to start building relationships with an organization where you would like to speak Should you hire a speakers bureau to help you get the gig Why once you’ve landed the speaking gig and delivered the goods, you’re relationship has only just begun

The best way to book more speaking gigs? Easy, ask. Then ask some more, and ask again, and then follow-up. Sounds simple right? You know that you need to be pitching if you want to be speaking, but it's not as easy as it sounds because a lot of the times we don't feel ready to pitch. We think, oh, my website's not good enough. Or I don't have a speaker sizzle reel yet, I don't have action shots, I don't have a speaker's one sheet. We get so wrapped up in all of the marketing, that we don't do the very thing that gets speaking gigs, which is pitching. Today I’m sharing five keys to start pitching before you think you’re ready.

You've decided to be a speaker and build your speaking business. Now the universe is going to test you on how badly you want it. You send out a pitch and get a "thanks but no thanks", or you send out a pitch and you hear crickets. You're in the middle of a negotiation for your speaking fee and they say "Sorry, we don't have any budget to pay you". They're going to be times where you need to have the cojones to walk away and say no to speaking gigs. It takes tenacity and fortitude to make your speaking goals a reality. How are you going to do this? The best way is to go through this exercise that I make all of my clients do before they start pitching, setting their fee or even get on a call to negotiate their fee. It's even a great exercise to have in the back of your mind right before you're going to step on stage and nail it. Find out what that exercise is in this episode of The Rebel Speaker.

To speak for free or to not speak for free that is the question. It seems to be the question that members of the Rebel Speaker Facebook group come up against. It's the question my clients have for me all of the time in our sessions. It's wild to me how many organizations from non-profits to Fortune 500 companies and everywhere in between, expect speakers to speak for free or as they like to say it, exposure. Well the only things exposure has ever gotten me was the flu. Today on the Rebel Speaker Podcast, we are going to talk about when you should speak for free, when you should start charging and saying NO to free speaking, and how to turn down free speaking gigs without burning bridges.

Do you ever feel like you’re the best kept secret in the speaking industry? If only more people knew about you and your message, you could easily book speaking gigs. As a speaker, you want to be known for what you do both onstage and off. One of the best ways to boost your speaking credibility, get the edge of your speaking competition, and even get paid more to speak is with PR.   Today on the show and blog, my guest is Brigitte Lyons, the the founder of B, a Boutique Marketing and PR agency that helps thought leaders and small businesses hone their message and reach more of the right audience. She’s going to give you the lowdown of how and why you should be using PR to help build your speaking business including: How PR can give you a competitive advantage when booking a speaking gig Why you don’t need to be famous to get the media’s attention How much time you need to spend on PR efforts to get noticed by the media (it’s surprisingly little) The four steps Brigitte uses with her clients to get them media placements  

There's a lot of advice, courses, and information about how to grow your speaking business. From how to market yourself as a speaker to how to land paid speaking gigs. And everything in between. There's a lot of information and it can be overwhelming. In fact, you can feel like you're drinking out of a fire hose.                                       What should you work on first? Marketing your speech? Your video reel? All of it? How do you know what to focus on and when?   On the show, I am going to walk you through the three stages of growing a successful speaking business and what you should focus on in each stage.  

The speaking industry is competitive. There are so many keynote speakers, breakout speakers, trainers and more. How do you stand out from all of the competition? How do you get hired over other speakers who speak on a similar topic? In fact, why you’ll get hired has NOTHING to do with you! It has EVERYTHING to do with how you answers these two questions. Discover the two questions to that get you booked to speak.

Your speech is the keystone of your speaking business. It showcases your expertise. It's the vehicle that produces results for your audience. It highlights your story and your passion. It also does something else for you. It's what gets you booked to speak. Because you’re about to listen to this podcast I know you want  to be speaking more. You want to build your speaking business. It's important, then, to treat your speech like any other product in your business. In fact, I want you to start thinking about your speech like it is your next best selling product. There are  three important reasons why you should shift from thinking about your speech as an art or  performance piece and start thinking about it as a product for your business and that’s what we tackled on this episode of the show.  

You want to get paid to speak, right? Yet the thought of pricing and negotiating your speaking fees makes you feel uneasy. You’re not sure what to charge. You don’t know how to negotiate or what to negotiate for. You think “we don’t have a budget” means that you’re not going to get paid at all. If this is you, you’re going to love our first guest expert interview on The Rebel Speaker. Our guest expert is Jen Gresham who  runs a blog called Everyday Bright, and Jen is truly remarkable. She has a PhD in biochemistry. She spent years in the Air Force, and now she's an executive coach and business strategist. One of her areas of specialty is money mindset. When I first met Jen, what I loved most about her, was that I could tell she had a very healthy money mindset. She lit up when she talked about money, and that really attracted me to her and her message, and I thought people needed to hear from you. In this episode (and the transcript below) we are going to dive deep into money mindset issues including: Why money mindset is so important for speakers? How to set your speaking fee How to talk to meeting planners so you understand the value your speech creates for them. A strategy for negotiating a win-win outcome for you and the person who wants to hire you.

You want your speaking business to take off like a rocket. You want speaking inquiries to land in your inbox. You want to be making a difference to the people who need your message most, and get paid for it. How do you make that all happen? Good news! You don’t have to wander around in the dark to figure out how to build your speaking business. There’s actually a fairly predictable process (not formula) to building a successful speaking business. In this episode of The Rebel Speaker podcast will discuss the three pillars that you need make your speaking business thrive

Speaking more isn't a goal. It's a hope. When I hear somebody tell me, "Oh, I want to be speaking more in 2017," I know one thing: if they're going to make that goal of speaking happen, they have to define their vision and get a lot more specific about that goal. Research shows that the more specific you are when setting a goal, the more likely you will accomplish that goal. In this episode of the Rebel Speaker podcast, I'm going to take you through my two-part system that I use with my clients to define their speaking vision and set their goals for speaking in 2017 and beyond. You can grab a copy of the goal setting workbook at: www.drmichellemazur.com/goal

I have that little ’80s ditty “I Wanna be Rich” from one-hit-wonder Calloway playing in my head, “I want money; lots and lots of money,” because today we’re talking about money—one of my all-time favorite topics. If you want to make money by being a speaker, you will have to talk about it sooner or later even though most people would rather have a root canal. Before getting caught off guard by the question, “What is your fee,” you need to learn how to set your speaking fee, when to consider speaking for free and how to avoid common scams. In this episode, we explore: Why you must determine a fee in your mind, even though it is always negotiable, before someone asks you what your speaking fee is How you should negotiate your fee including the questions you should ask and the research you should do When to determine that it makes sense for you to speak for free Why you should never pay to speak Mentioned in this Episode:    The Unfair Speaking Advantage    Rebel Speaker Facebook group    Episode 13:Two Paths to Revenue in your Speaking Business    Turn your Audience into Clients with a Client Attracting Speech (Selling from the Stage not Included)

Believe me. A speaker who has great delivery on stage can be mesmerizing (just ask me about my days in grad school judging debate tournaments). But if you rely on just your delivery as a speaker, you will fall flat on your face. Content and delivery are both important. If you want to get paid to speak, the first step is to develop a solid message to share with your audience. In this episode, we discuss: Why I believe content counts just as much as your delivery How content never has a bad day on stage if your presentation’s big idea, the central message of your speech, has the audience at its center and is very clear about the result that you’re going to get Why having a remarkable message is the key to getting people to pay to hear you speak Mentioned in this Episode: 1.     The Unfair Speaking Advantage

Do you ever get déjà vu when listening to a presentation? When that happens, it’s because you’re listening to a me-too speaker who never heard the advice of Sally Hogshead when she says, “Stand out or don’t bother.” The speaker is only regurgitating thoughts shared by others previously without adding any original substance or spin. Being a me-too speaker is a public speaking pet peeve of mine. I implore you: Do not become a me-too speaker! Stand out from other speakers by sharing your original thoughts. In today’s Rebel Speaker podcast, we explore: Why you lose your audience and opportunity for paid speaking gigs if you don’t add your own ideas to the conversation What we can learn from the improve how-to manual, and how adding “yes and” to the ideas of the great thinkers who came before you can set you apart While there are no entirely original thoughts, there are ways to create different connections and combinations from the information that has been shared before Mentioned in this Episode:    The Unfair Speaking Advantage    Starfish Story

Have you ever noticed how many people talk about the finale of a television series, but rarely give two hoots about the pilot episode? The Sopranos. Six Feet Under. Mad Men. People are still talking about these series finales even years after they aired. Just like on television, how you end your speech matters. Don't let the final thought of your speech by an afterthought. Today is all about how to create a conclusion for your speech that your audience will remember. We discuss: How The Recency Theory from social psychology supports the rationale to craft the end of your speech with care. The key to turn your audience members into advocates of your message by finding the battle cry of your speech. How to tap your power to create a powerful last thought that is well-crafted and tweetable. Mentioned in this Episode:    The Unfair Speaking Advantage    The Audience Journey

Want to know how to make your audience hang on your every word? You must capture their attention immediately with a powerful introduction. And nope, telling them your name or what you did last night is not powerful. Thanks to the 30-second Head and Shoulders commercial from the 80s, I know you never get a second chance to make a first impression, but as a professional speech coach, I see far too many people blowing it. As Sally Hogshead states in her book, How the World Sees You, you only have 9 seconds (NINE SECONDS) to fascinate your audience. I beg you: Don’t waste ’em.  Our episode today explores: The variety of ways speakers waste their precious few moments after walking on stage with meaningless conversation that doesn’t tie into their speech. The brain science that guarantees you audience will tune you out if you waste your intro. How to craft a powerful first line and a wow-worthy opening. Mentioned in this Episode:    The Unfair Speaking Advantage    Speak for Impact Program     Rebel Speaker Facebook group

Since coaches can help with your fitness goals, your golf swing and your kid’s baseball team, doesn’t it make sense to hire a speech coach to help you achieve the next level of speaking success? Yes, of course, but before you let your fingers Google “speech coach,” you need to get clarity on few things to know for sure if hiring a speech coach is the right thing for you and your business. The first step is to determine your ultimate speaking stage and then how you wish to make money from your speaking. Do you plan to attract new clients from your speaking or get paid to deliver a speech? Once you have a solid goal and a plan for how you will get a return on the investment of hiring a speech coach, the next step is find the right one for you. In this episode, we discuss: The different versions of speech coach—content, delivery and speaker marketing coaches—and who should hire which one. How you determine who you will work including the questions you should be prepared to ask prospective coaches Why your success in working with the coach depends on your dedication and commitment to the systems the coach has set up Mentioned in this Episode:    The Unfair Speaking Advantage    How to Get Paid to Speak by Writing a Remarkable Speech    Michael Port, Steal the Show    Lois Creamer    Speak for Impact Program  

Is vulnerability the silver bullet to speaking success? Not necessarily. A presentation infused with personal anecdotes can be powerful, but when you’re in the midst of a vulnerability hangover you’re just exposing yourself and giving your audience too much information, rather than leaving them changed. Every time you step on the stage, you must ask yourself if there is a lesson for your audience by the story you share with them. Today, we explore how you can check in with yourself to know if you are about to share too much information in your presentation and we discuss: Brene Brown’s research on vulnerability and her sage advice about being selective about who you are vulnerable with The three questions you need to ask yourself if you’re wondering if you should share your story or if it’s just TMI Vulnerability is a choice. It’s not mandatory to share your darkest secrets with the audience to become a phenomenal speaker or deliver a successful presentation Mentioned in this Episode: Rebel Speaker Bootcamp Rebel Speaker Facebook group  

Just like the Force that pulls Luke to the good side and Vader to the dark, persuasion is inherently neutral. It’s how a speaker uses a persuasive technique that makes it ethical (good) or manipulative (bad). When persuasion is used ethically, it is an amazing tool! Persuasion can create incredible results for your speaking and for your audience. It’s powerful, changes lives and truly serves. In today’s episode, we will get to the bottom of how you can avoid the persuasion dark side so you can communicate in a way that feels good to you and your audience: Learn the two questions you should ask yourself so that you stay on the good side of persuasion Discover why some persuasive tactics make you feel “icky” Consider how to select a persuasive lever that works for you and your audience Mentioned in this Episode: Rebel Speaker Bootcamp Triple Your Speaking Income? Don’t Believe the Hype! Rebel Speaker Facebook group  

Have you heard it? All the hype that you, yes YOU, can triple your income with public speaking in just weeks, “just like I did”? Yeah, right! This marketing message implies that speaking is a quick and easy fix to make all your revenue goals come true. When it doesn’t happen for you, and believe me it won’t happen that quick or at all for most of us, it positions you as a failure. Today, our episode will outline what you can and should do to set reasonable income goals for your speaking: The first step is to define where you are in your speaking journey Then, we will discuss how to set a reasonable goal for yourself based on the reality of where you are Learn how an audit allows you to zoom out to ensure that the goal you just created aligns with your overall vision for how you see yourself as a speaker Mentioned in this Episode: Rebel Speaker Bootcamp Two Paths to Revenue in Your Speaking Business (TRSP 13)

Priority No. 1 is to be known for what you do and how your business serves. Your Signature Talk is the key to how you talk about your business and how to crystallize your message for the people who need it the most. And, as an entrepreneur, it’s something that cannot be outsourced—no one can replace you when you need to talk about your business.   The focus of today’s episode is your Signature Talk, and we chat about: The reason entrepreneurs need a Signature Talk to talk about their business All the places a Signature Talk can be used on or off the speaking stage from webinars to sales calls to videos The elements of a Signature Talk and how you can nail it by answering three questions Mentioned in this Episode:    Your Unfair Speaking Advantage    Speak for Impact Program     Get a Speech, Get a Gig    Guest blog post on entrepreneur.com: 3 Steps to Your 'Unfair Speaking Advantage'    

I loved playing Mad Libs as a kid. All you needed to do was fill in the blanks with different parts of speech to create a hysterical story. While this was great fun for me and my mom many moons ago, if you want to book more speaking gigs, you should never use a formula to create your presentation.   Today, we explore: Why Mad Libbing your presentation hurts you as a speaker How originality and positivity in your presentation help your audience feel good, solve a problem and serve a purpose, and why speaking formulas are bad for your audience The importance of adapting your presentation to your specific audience, while maintaining the message of your Signature Talk   Why it’s your job as a speaker to become an expert at presentations Mentioned in this Episode:     Your Unfair Speaking Advantage    Speak for Impact Program     The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group  

Speakers get obsessed about solving the wackiest things. What should I do with my hands? How do I stop saying “so”? Blue or black suit? (Neither, you want color!) Answers to these questions can help you get better, but none of them are the most important thing to raise the bar on your presentations. To create an epic experience for your audience you need to create a remarkable presentation. We get down to business in today’s episode and discuss: What remarkable presentations look like (Hint: It’s a presentation only YOU can give!) How to develop a remarkable presentation that converts well, gets you more speaking gigs and gets you paid what you’re worth How to be bold, audacious and a risk-taker to get your audience to take action Mentioned in this Episode:  Your Unfair Speaking Advantage The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group

While we might think variety is the spice of life, it turns out that too much variety can paralyze your audience into no action at all. Many speakers make the same mistake with their calls to action. In the excitement to be all things to everybody, they speak about the oodles of things they can do for their clients and audiences. While there is no doubt about their talent and skill-set, they are not effectively moving their audience to “yes.” In today’s episode, we will delve into: Why you need to streamline your call to action for each presentation and not tell your audience ALL the things you can do for them Why too many options leaves your audience confused and they default to doing nothing at all How to determine the one natural next step that you can take with your audience to make a deeper connection Mentioned in this Episode:   The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group   Your Unfair Speaking Advantage    Get to Yes

There are many people who could make a huge difference in the world. They have the talent and the message to share. But these talented people remain invisible to the audiences that need them most, because they keep making a critical mistake that continues to cost them speaking opportunities. They haven’t developed their signature speech. In today’s episode, we will explore: The three reasons why you need to have a signature speech Why marketing yourself to land a speaking gig should happen only after you develop a signature speech Why re-creating the wheel for each speaking invitation dilutes your message Mentioned in this Episode:   The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group   Nilofer Merchant, “How Can I Be a Speaker, Like You?”

We’re going to pull the last three episodes together and tie them up in a pretty bow to create your unfair speaking advantage. Be sure to listen to episodes TRSP 19, TRSP 20 and TRSP 21 first, so that you have the building blocks in place to create a statement for speaking success that can serve as the basis of your signature talk. After today’s episode, you will have one statement that describes how you’re different and why someone should have you come speak to their organization. We’ll discuss: The three questions that are the building blocks: rant or rave, adjective that describes your unique value and how your audience will change after hearing your speak How to take a Mad Libs approach to craft your unfair speaking advantage The best way to leverage your unfair speaking advantage in your marketing Mentioned in this Episode:    The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group   Get the Discover Your Unfair Speaking Advantage blueprint

As the next piece of the speaking gig puzzle, we delve into the reason you want to be a speaker (and to get paid to do it). But, as you’ve come to expect from the Communication Rebel, we’re going to turn this discussion on its head so you can stand out in the crowded marketplace to achieve speaking success. In today’s show, we take another step deeper into my signature process to uncover your unfair speaking advantage. We’ll explore: How it’s critical to get clear on the vision you hold for the audience, because they are the most important people in the room Why you must be a giver rather than a taker The three possible results you can help your audience achieve and why you must change your audience to make an impression How to find the result that you and only you can give your audience Mentioned in this Episode:  The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group    Get the Discover Your Unfair Speaking Advantage blueprint

Are you struggling to realize the speaking success you know you’re capable of? You’ve come to the right place, grasshopper. As the leader of the presentation rebellion, I’m on a quest to banish boring and uninspired pitches to help you stand out as a speaker and position yourself better than the competition. In today’s show, we continue the discussion of my signature process that helps you develop your unfair speaking advantage and achieve speaking success. We’ll discuss:   How a strong viewpoint and, yes, even a bit of controversy is vital to landing speaking gigs Why it’s important to develop your own unique viewpoints, your secret sauce, rather than recycle the wisdom of the greats How to avoid getting lost in the crowd of competition The meaning of rants and raves and how they are ravishing to your audience Mentioned in this Episode: The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group Get the Discover Your Unfair Speaking Advantage blueprint

Do you want to be speaking more? I know it’s a silly question. 99% of the entrepreneurs I talk to want to be in front of more audiences. But how they describe what they speak on isn’t doing them any favors in the quest to book more speaking gigs. When I ask people what they speak on, typically I get a couple of words that describe their topic and not a lot else. If you want to stand out and eliminate your competition in the speaking world (and you’re competition is all the other speakers who speak on your topic or even related topics) then you must know how to position and pitch your speaking. Over the course of the next three podcast, I’m going to take you through my signature process to help you stand out as a speaker.  In part one, I’ll give you an overview of your Unfair Speaking Advantage as well as how to put more of YOU in every pitch and presentation you make. You’ll learn Why you need to discover your unfair speaking advantage in order to stand out The 3 components that make up your unfair speaking adjectives Discover the one adjective that best describes how you add value as a speaker Mentioned in this Episode: Get the Discover Your Unfair Speaking Advantage blueprint Take the Fascination Advantage Assessment The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group

I’ve got a dirty little secret. I HATE practicing my presentation. It’s so weird. Me talking to myself with an audience of cats (side note: cats are tough crowd). But if you’re like me and wondering “Do I really have to practice my presentation?” the answer is YES. The good news is that practicing your presentation doesn’t have to be a huge time suck, boring, or awkward. On today’s show, I’ll give you my best strategies for how to practice your presentation in less time. You’ll discover Why you procrastinate practicing your presentation How to set an intention for every practice session How small chunks of time add up to a great presentation Creative ways to practice that don’t include talking to yourself Mentioned in this Episode: Grab the guide for practicing your presentation in less time! The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group

“There are no two words in the English language more harmful than "good job".” -Terence Fletcher, Whiplash Whenever someone says to me “Good Job” after a presentation, I know that I didn’t do my best. I know it’s time to start a presentation autopsy and figure out how I can do better. But too many speakers think “good job” means that they did a great job. When actually it’s the audience’s polite way of saying “meh, I’m not that into your presentation” On today’s show, we’ll discuss 5 different ways to measure the success of your presentation including: Why it’s not the audience’s job to give you constructive feedback on your speaking How a speech is a first date and why getting a second date should be your goal What’s a conversion rate and why it matters in speaking (because math matters)! Mentioned in this Episode: Amy Cuddy’s speaks about the Superman pose for more confidence. An excellent article on how to calculate conversion rate from Maggie Patterson The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group

Whenever someone tells me that their speaking goal is to be a well-paid motivational speaker, I cringe. Outside the fact that inspiring speakers are a dime a dozen, there’s another problem: Inspiration is everywhere these days. You can get it for free on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube. Heck, my cough drops have inspirational quotes on them. On today’s show, we’ll discuss why it’s more important to be an expert who speaks than a motivational speaker who inspires. We’ll explore: Why people won’t pay top dollar to be inspired and what they look for instead What is actually valuable to people who hire speakers Why in order to create value (transformation) you need to map out the audience journey How to create an audience journey before you write one word of your presentation Mentioned in this Episode: The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group

The most important decision you’ll ever make as a speaker is choosing your speaking topic. You’ll be know for this topic, and you must LOVE it because you’ll be speaking on it for years to come. Choosing your speech topic is one of the most rewarding and most difficult decisions you’ll ever make as a speaker. On today’s show, I’ll take you through a process to discover your most valuable speaking topic including: Why choosing a speech topic is the most important decision you’ll ever make as a speaker The process for discovering your most valuable speaking topic The question you must ask yourself if you want to make money speaking Mentioned in this Episode: Speak for Impact - Group Program The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group

Seth Godin once wrote “The only reason ever to give a speech is to create change.” I agree with him 100%. However, most speakers try to change the whole world in just 20-minutes when what is most meaningful to any audience is a small change that really produces the desired result. A small change puts the audience on the path to a larger change and that small change gets you known as a speaker for the results that you produce. On today’s show, we’ll get super specific in defining the result that you can produce for you audience that gets you known for what you can do as a speaker. You’ll find out: Why grand sweeping changes are hard to accomplish in a 20, 45 or 60 minute speech The three possible results a short speech can produce How to choose a specific result that can be accomplished in the time that you have and still leave the audience wanting more Mentioned in this Episode: Speak for Impact Why You Should Put Your Product In Exactly the Right Hands by Tara Gentile Amy Cuddy’s TEDx Talk Two Paths to Revenue in Your Speaking Business (TRSP 13) The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group

Do you have a plan for how to make money with your speaking? Or are you hoping that someone will hear you speak and want to hire you right out of the gate? Or that someone will hear you speaking and give you your big break as a paid professional speaker? If you don’t have a plan for generating revenue, then you need to make one, big time On today’s show, we’ll discuss the two paths to revenue for speaking and how to craft a speech for each path: Understand the two paths to creating revenue with your speaking Why a client attracting speech is NOT about selling from the stage Know the difference between a “what” speech and a “how” speech The difference between creating a speech that attracts clients versus getting paid speaking gigs Mentioned in this Episode: Stop Dreaming About Landing Speaking Gigs and Do This Instead (TRSP 10) The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group

You’ve heard this public speaking advice before: “Share your soul-stirring story.” But is that that piece of advice costing your revenue, clients, and speaking gigs? Yes, yes it is. The reports about how much your audience cares about your story have been greatly exaggerated. On today’s show, we’ll discuss how to tell your story in a way that matters to the most important people in the room - your audience: Why telling your story is hurting your speaking business The difference between a “hey, look at me” story vs. a “hey, look at you story” How to share your story in a way that is meaningful to your audience Why you need to give your audience a tool based on your story Mentioned in this Episode: The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group  

We are 16 days away from 2016. I’ve been deep into my 2016 planning for about a month now. And one thing I know for sure as a speaker: If you don’t have a plan to speak for 2016, you won’t be speaking at all. How do make a speaking plan that sets you up for success in 2016? You’re in luck! On today’s show, we’ll cover my four part process for planning to succeed, including: Why you need to look backwards at the-year-that-was before you start planning for the year-to-be? How to figure out the numbers behind what you want to happen in your speaking business A process to identify where you want to speak in 2016 and beyond How to make contact with the organizations where you want to speak (hint: it’s not about cold calling or cold emailing) My process for building relationships with organizations where I want to speak Mentioned in this Episode: The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group How Do You Choose Your Speaker by Meetings & Conventions Speak for Impact to make sure you’ve got a talk that sells

Does booking a paid speaking gig feel more like luck to you? A matter of who you know instead of what you’re capable of as a speaker? If you’re like many speakers out there, you’re ready to get off the hamster wheel of free speaking or you want to charge more for the speaking you’re doing now. There’s a key mindset shift you need to make about your speech in order to make that happen. On today’s show, we’ll discuss the mindset shift you need to make ae well as: The one word that will shift your mindset and change the way you see your speech Why viewing your speech as an expression of yourself is bad for business One question to ask yourself about your current presentation so that you can demand a higher fee Mentioned in this Episode: Tara Gentile - Speaker & Business Strategist Speak for Impact The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group      

Have you sat in the audience watching one male speaker after the next wondering where all the female speakers are? A friend of mine went to a marketing conference last year and every single speaker was a male. How is that even possible? Aren’t there any women who speak on marketing? Well statistically it’s not possible. There are many women who speak and speak well on marketing but weren’t represented on that stage. On today’s show, we’ll cover three reasons why you aren’t seeing as many women on that stage: Why there is historical bias against women speakers How the male way of speaking dominates the professional stage How women are holding themselves back from going after paid speaking opportunities Mentioned in this Episode: Why are there so few women speakers by Dr. Nick Morgan National Parliamentary Debate Association Toastmasters International Gail Larsen - Transformational Public Speaking Tanya Geisler - Imposter Complex Tara Mohr - Playing Big The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group

Please mind the gap. The presentation gap. Too many speakers, step on stage, and fall into the gap. The gap is a trap of giving far too much information to the audience. Once in that trap your audience becomes overwhelmed and never takes action on the message. The gap sucks and must be avoided at all costs. On the show today, I’ll show you how to keep out of the presentation gap and instead write a speech that gives the audience a bite-sized experience of you and your business. We’ll cover: My least favorite TED talk of all time...you’ll be surprise who I think sucked What is the presentation gap Why the gap is so stinking bad for your audience Two ways to avoid the presentation gap The one thing I wish people would STOP doing to the audience Mentioned in this Episode: In my opinion, the worst TED talk ever TRSP BIG IDEA episode The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group

How do you create change in your industry by pushing boundaries instead of buttons? Listen up Rebels, you’re never going to change anyone’s mind if you approach your presentation with guns blazing, bound and determined to make change or else. Instead you need to craft a message that establishes your vision and gently guides your audience to your way of thinking. On this episode of The Rebel Speaker Podcast, we’ll talk about how to challenge the status quo in your industry without everyone thinking you’re the jerk who wants to change ALL THE THINGS! We’ll cover: Why you don’t want to be a “me too” speaker Identify why change is so difficult for your audience How to position yourself so your audience is more receptive to your message Why resistance to your message is magical for persuasion The questions you can ask to establish common ground with your audience Mentioned in this Episode: The Speak for Impact program for crafting a signature speech The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group

Want your audience to remember your message? Want to book speaking gigs because meeting planners must have you and ONLY YOU? Then you must find the BIG IDEA behind your presentation.   The biggest reason speakers don’t gain traction in speaking and aren’t paid what they are worth is because their speech is full of many small ideas that don’t position them as the go-to expert in their industry. In today’s episode of the podcast, I’ll help you find the BIG IDEA of your presentation so you can begin to position your expertise in a way that is memorable to your audience. We’ll cover: How much your audience really remembers about your speech (hint: it’s pretty grim) What is the BIG IDEA and tips for crafting yours Identify how the BIG IDEA serves as a beacon for writing your speech The one question you must ask to find your BIG IDEA Mentioned in this Episode: The forgetting curve - how much your audience remembers about your speech The Speak for Impact program for crafting a signature speech Erica Loren, Workplace Happiness Coach Personal Finance that Doesn’t Suck by Mindy Crary The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group

Have you ever scored a big speaking opportunity and went from elation to “OMG, what did I get myself into?” in less than hour? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. Writing a speech is a creative process. A process that is full of excitement, panic, and wondering if it will ever come together. In today's, episode of The Rebel Speaker Podcast, we are going to discuss the creative process behind how to write a speech. Buckle your seatbelt, it’s going to be a wild creative ride. We’ll cover: The five stages of writing your next speech The stage that is the most difficult to get through My favorite resources about creativity My best two tips for surviving even thriving during the creative process Mentioned in this Episode: Seth Godin’s The Dip (book) Brene Brown’s Rising Strong (book) Sally Hogshead “Creativity and The Throne of Agony” (blog post) Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic (book) The Speak for Impact program for crafting a signature speech The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group

Imagine you’re standing on stage, and you’re nailing your presentation. The audience is laughing in all the right places, heads nodding, active participation, this speech could not have gone better. Until… You get to the end, shrug, and say “Thanks that’s all I have for you.” You’ve just blown the most important part of your speech - the very last words you utter. This, my fellow rebels, is a public speaking tragedy. In episode 4 of The Rebel Speaker Podcast you’ll hear: the most commons ways speakers blow the ending of their speech (have you done any of these?) why the last words of your presentation are the ones your audience remembers how to craft a memorable, repeatable final thought that lets your audience spread your message Mentioned in this episode: Grab your copy of the Audience Journey and nail the final words of your presentation Read about the Recency Effect and why it’s so darn important in presentations The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group - Come join the community of instigators, renegades, and rebels out to make an impact with their message.

I’m getting ranty on the Rebel Speaker today chatting about my biggest speaking pet peeve ever. It’s the pet peeve where I want to scream “The audience is on to you and we are NOT buying it anymore.” Not only that, this pet peeve has made speakers feel like gross, slimy salespeople for far too long. On episode 3 of the podcast I’m ranting about why Speak to Sell formulas are ruining the art of public speaking and what you, dear speaker, should be doing instead to grow your relationship with the audience. We’ll cover: what Simon Sinek thinks about speakers who sell from the stage (and no it’s not flattering) why speaking to sell is the antithesis to what public speaking is all about what you should be doing instead of pitching the stage why you need a marketing plan to nurture the relationship between you and your new found fans Mentioned in this episode: Read Simon Sinek’s best public speaking advice in this article from Entrepreneur Learn all about how to do marketing, create email funnels, and build relationships from Maggie Patterson The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group - Come join the community of instigators, renegades, and rebels out to make an impact with their message.

You’ve heard the speaking tip: Know your audience Have you ever thought “how the heck am I going to do that?” Most blog posts and article tell you why you need to understand your audience, but they don’t tell you HOW. And if they tell you how, they have you chasing down the wrong information. The type of information that provides you with very little insight about your audience for the vast amount of leg-work that you have to do to get access to it. In this episode you’ll find out: why it’s critical to know your audience before you prepare your presentation how to start mapping out the journey your audience embarks on during your presentation why Google may not being your best option for audience research and the correct tool to use instead (hint: it’s always with you) the game changing question you must answer about your audience before you write one word of your speech. Mentioned in this episode: Check out Social Media Manager, Tracey Warren, at Read, Set, Grow CEO The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group - Come join the community of instigators, renegades, and rebels out to make an impact with their message.

The Rebel Speaker Podcast is for speakers and entrepreneurs who love speaking both onstage and off, and yet don’t feel 100% confident that they are nailing their message and making the impact they want to make on the world. Let’s face it, public speaking is a hot topic. Gurus tell you that it’s a great way to promote your business. You can find public speaking advice everywhere from Time magazine to Hubspot to small, unknown blogs. But how do you go from a good speaker to a successful speaker that makes a difference? We’re starting this presentation rebellion with a quick intro episode to share with you: why following the tried and true presentation rules is a sure path to mediocrity what you should be doing instead to up-level your speaking what you can expect each week from The Rebel Speaker podcast Mentioned in this episode: The Rebel Speaker Facebook Group - Come join the community of instigators, renegades, and rebels out to make an impact with their message.   Hit the subscribe button and get all the episodes downloaded to directly to your phone or tablet!