Forget “shiny objects” and “silver bullet” formulas. Please. There’s a better way. A much better way. And, in the age of coronavirus, it’s time to boil things down to the essentials, don’t you think?
Relationship-based marketing makes your business sustainable for the long haul, allows you to be of service in a way that’s meaningful to you, and creates a process that you can enjoy every step of the way.
In the episode of Video Mojo above, I do my best to will help you avoid the worst mistake in digital marketing (spoiler alert: it’s making your marketing all about the money) while illuminating the path to more satisfying forms of success.
About Video Mojo Video Mojo is a video blog and podcast hosted by award-winning media innovator, Jon Leland of https://www.combridges.com. It combines timeless marketing principles with a playful exploration of the “bleeding edge” of digital video & social media.
3 Ways to Avoid the WORST MISTAKE in Digital Marketing: Formulaic vs Relationship-Based Marketing
Hi there and welcome to another edition of Video Mojo. My name is Jon Leland from ComBridges.com. Video Mojo is a podcast and a vlog that connects timeless marketing principles with a playful exploration of video marketing and social media marketing.
Today we’re going to explore 3 principles to help you avoid the worst mistake in digital Marketing. In other words, why formulaic marketing hurts your brand and how relationship based marketing builds success.
This is a subject that is very near and dear to my heart. It is something that bugs me in the marketplace where, I think, we all, in this day and age, have much more sensitive “bullshit meters” than ever before. We recognize hype, we recognize when people are trying to manipulate us, and now with coronavirus and kind of a reinvention of our entire society (at least I hope in some ways), more and more people are trying to focus on what is essential and important in life. This contrast between what I call relationship-based marketing and manipulative or formulaic marketing is really at the heart of the matter.
I think that the worst mistake that you can make in digital marketing is to make it all about the money. Formulaic marketing taps into this kind of myth that I think a lot of people have, that there can be a silver bullet. That if you just follow this formula A-B-C-, it’s a guaranteed six to seven figures. We all know it’s a myth. It’s just a false promise and people are playing on the entrepreneurial spirit that’s out there, genuine authentic longing to be of service. And they are capitalizing and going – well these are the tips and tricks -. I think we all have a propensity to look for shiny objects, quick fixes, and that kind of thing. But you know, stay away. I think that is the worst mistake not only to buy into that but also to think that that’s a recipe for success.
To be clear, I’m not saying that techniques and strategies such as sales funnels or email sequences are bad per se. There are a lot of very solid techniques but there’s a fuel that powers them. And that’s the things that I’m most passionate about and why I’m involved in online marketing. So I want to offer you 3 key principles that I think really make marketing work in the face of all this bull.
1- Make Authentic Human Connections
So #1 is the fact that we need to make authentic human connections. That’s why this is Video Mojo and why I’m such a big proponent of online video. We need to make human connections. Those human connections need to be fueled by value.
2 – Human Connections are Fueled By Value
I am reading a book right now by Robin Sharma called The 5 am Club. And he talks throughout the book about this goal which is to serve as many people as possible. And I think that’s something that, if not all of us, most of us want to do is have our work, serve as many people as possible.
That is the second principle is if it’s heart oriented, if you’re really coming from service people get that and that builds on the human connection and allows you to really make a difference.
3 – Marketing is a Long-Term Process
The third principle is that you really have to look at marketing as a long-term process. I heard the famous quote recently that you shouldn’t confuse the map with the territory. The map, or the design, or the strategy is really one thing but the territory is the landscape and in marketing, it’s the environment that we’re working within. If you’re going to build authentic long-term relationships, which I do think is a very real definition of success, authentic long-term relationships, it’s a process. No relationship is built in one day or in one event. Basic marketing principle being multiple touches and basics of relationship-building is contribute, contribute, contribute, and always be adding value.
I love the expression “Lead With Value”. You offer your service, you offer value. The people that I know and admire that have been really successful in online marketing have generated tons of free content. And this is my modest effort, Video Mojo. No charge, no sales pitch. I’m out here trying to make a difference, trying to help people do better heart-based, relationship-based marketing, rather than the kind of formulaic stuff that is so prevalent and so hyped.
I think the bottom line is, how do you define success? There are many definitions of success but I can tell you that if you make it all about the money that is very short-sighted and not sustainable. People can smell when what you’re doing is really “I just want sales, I’m just after your money”. On the other hand, if you’re coming from being of service, people can taste that and they can get a real sense that you’re here not for the money necessarily. Although, I believe the money follows and this is what fuels a long-term business that’s sustainable. They get the sense that that’s why you’re here, you’re around and you’re consistent. That’s one of the big things I’ve talked about here over and over again, consistent content and consistent presence. That’s the kind of thing that builds what I think is a definition of success which is sustainable long-term relationships.
Business is about relationships. When you’re present and leading with value then I think that you have kind of marketing that can work and that will feed you all along the way so that you can become part of a learning process and evolve and develop relationships over time. It’s a long game but that’s a game worth playing and a game that you can enjoy every step of the way.
That’s this episode of VIdeo Mojo. If you’re looking for more episodes, there’s a youtube channel or also on my website ComBridges.com/blog. On the blog is where you can find all the episodes including transcripts. I look forward to your feedback as always I’m very grateful for your time and attention and we’ll see you next time.
https://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Worst-Mistakes-in-Digital-Markeing_-640-x-300.png300640JonLelandhttps://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ComBridges-Logo-300x60-300x60.jpgJonLeland2020-05-07 15:10:512020-05-07 15:10:533 Ways to Avoid the WORST MISTAKE in Digital Marketing: Formulaic vs Relationship-Based Marketing
Now, more than ever, it’s essential to do what works. Why would you want to do anything else!?
This episode of Video Mojo explains why email works so well in today’s digital marketing mix. This video will also help you avoid a couple of fundamental yet common mistakes:
Don’t be distracted by formulaic solutions like ‘best practices” or “quick tips” that some huckster says is a “silver bullet.”
Don’t be fooled by “shiny objects” like the latest and greatest social media networks (or Facebook Ads) with the result that you overlook the power of email to deliver the kind of consistent value that truly connects you with the people (real human beings) that are most important to you.
If making meaningful and authentic connections that lead to sustainable, long-term relationships matters to you, then please check out this episode and let me know what you think. Thanks!
About Video Mojo
Video Mojo is a weekly video blog and podcast hosted by award-winning media innovator, Jon Leland. It combines timeless marketing principles with a playful exploration on the “bleeding edge” of digital video & social media.
Resource Links mentioned in this episode:
Jay Acunzo of Marketing Showrunners (who will be interviewed in an upcoming Video Mojo episode): http://jayacunzo.com/
I’d love to hear if you find this vlog post useful. If you’ve got questions, feedback or suggestions, let’s connect (and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever):
Go Beyond Best Practices: Email Is Your #1 Marketing Tool (but not the way you think)
Hi and welcome to Video Mojo!
This is a weekly video blog and podcast that combines timeless marketing principles with a playful exploration of the bleeding edge of video communications, online marketing, and all kinds of good stuff like that.
This week I’m talking about:
Beyond Best Practices: Email is your number one marketing platform, but not the way you think. And how to make your emails massively more effective.
So let’s start with fundamental principles. Digital marketing is about relationships. Really all marketing and business are about relationships. And not only is marketing and business about relationships but when you build them online it HAS to be recurring.
I’m going to be interviewing Jay Acunzo on Video Mojo and his Marketing Showrunners company has this line.
“Great marketing isn’t about who arrives, it’s about who stays.”
That really is what I’m talking about. That is how you can use email to be your #1 tool. You can keep people coming back and stay engaged with the people who care about the value that you are offering.
How do you build relationships using all of these latest greatest online marketing tools? Well, email is often overlooked. It’s interesting, when people are starting out and building an online presence, they know they need a website but they don’t often think about the email list as a primary way that they connect. People don’t always go to your website, for example, but they do always go to their inbox. If you’re leading with value, as I like to say, then you’re visiting them and having the opportunity for multiple touches. And that really is one of the main reasons that email is the #1 marketing tool. You get to go back again and again as long as you build a relationship, lead with value, and give some meaning for you to be there.
Seth Godin defines “permission marketing as the privilege (not the right) to deliver anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who actually want to get them”
So how do you do that? How do you deliver email messages that people actually want to read? Well, the first thing is the #1 principle, keep it simple! The biggest and most common mistake that I see is complicated, convoluted, long newsletter-style emails. That’s not really something that has much appeal. But a personal meaningful message that really is designed to give your most important followers the value that they’re looking for, on message with the way that you contribute, that is something valuable.
How do you get them to understand that? It actually starts with the subject line. At last year’s Crafts + Commerce, the Convertkit conference – that I’ll be going to again this June – I heard Karen X talk about viral videos. She emphasized that it all starts with the headline. So when you’re doing videos and you want people to find them, the subject matter actually begins with the title. And with an email, equally important if not more so is your subject line. Because obviously if people don’t open the email then it doesn’t matter how good it is and how much valuable content it is. That subject line is how you let people know the value that you’re trying to deliver.
What is the fundamental game-changer? Being intimate and personal, rather than the more conventional approach to digital marketing – a shotgun blasted out, see what comes back. You really want to make an intimate personal connection rather than some kind of manipulative selling.
Keep it simple, keep it focused. It doesn’t have to be glitzy. Definitely don’t make too many notes, too long, or too complicated. But keep it valuable and let people know with the subject line how you are going to help them. That simplicity of focus on being valuable and being of service is what will keep people engaged with you and deliver the holy grail of building relationships, online meaningful, authentic, sustainable relationships with what you’re doing online and email is your best channel to do that because it has that conversational recurring basis.
One final tip: A lot of people tell me that they’re worried about a weekly frequency, that people will turn them off. Well, if you’re being valuable on a consistent weekly basis, that actually is the real secret sauce of building relationships and keeping it going. The unsubscribers, don’t worry about them. They’re not your people. The people who engage and read on a regular basis and appreciate what you’re doing, that’s the real gold.
That’s video mojo for this week. Thank you so much for your kind attention.
I look forward to your feedback questions and suggestions and I’ll see you next time!
https://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Email-Is-Your-_1-Marketing-Tool-640-x-300.png300640JonLelandhttps://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ComBridges-Logo-300x60-300x60.jpgJonLeland2020-03-20 01:26:082020-03-20 01:28:58Go Beyond Best Practices: Email Is Your #1 Marketing Tool (but not the way you think)
Is there such a thing as a “North Star” guidance system for your digital marketing?You bet there is.
And, it’s not a tip, trick or “recipe for success.” It’s WAY more valuable than that.
For me, connecting with what I call “the real Internet” is “the one in front of all the zeros.” It’s that important because it gives everything else meaning.
Click above to watch this week’s Video Mojo video blog & podcast episode.
Please watch and let me know if you agree. OK?
About Video Mojo
Video Mojo is a weekly video blog and podcast hosted by award-winning media innovator, Jon Leland. It combines timeless marketing principles with a playful exploration on the “bleeding edge” of digital video & social media.
I’d love to hear what works for you and if you find this program useful. If you’ve got questions, feedback or suggestions, please comment below, or let’s connect (and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever):
Digital Marketing Guidance: Better Choices Make a Better Business – This Changes Everything!
Hi and welcome to Video Mojo!
My name is Jon Leland and this is a video blog and podcast that combines timeless marketing principles with the bleeding edge of marketing and video communications.
Today I am talking about something that can change everything! It’s the choices that we make in our business and really some of the fundamental choices that are like the north star that guides everything. You know, there are these “whys” and these passions, and when you have the discipline to take the time to listen for those they do make better business choices. It’s not just about money but about quality of life, quality of relationships and doing marketing and communications that are meaningful.
I started listening on Audible to the new James Taylor fragment of autobiography. It’s his first 21 years he calls it “Break Shot”. He opens that audio program with this quote.
“Perhaps art happens when the usual channels are not available and you have to find a new path forward. Sometimes in describing that new pathway, we open a door that is useful to other people too.”
That’s kind of why I’m here. Because I’m opening doors for myself and exploring:
What do I want to say in this video blog?
How can I contribute?
Who are my tribe?
Where’s my community?
What I’ve remembered is that the internet is this multi-faceted thing. We all know that there are spammers and trolls out there and there are get rich quick marketing people. I do highly recommend that you avoid these, in particular, get rich quick ideas. “Here’s the formula, here’s the recipe, if you just follow this three-step process you’re guaranteed to make six figures.” I don’t think that’s how it works and I also don’t think that’s a north star.
I’ve really learned over the years that it’s not about the money, I like earning a living there’s nothing wrong with money, but I’ve found that there is a better internet and the better internet is based on real people who are doing authentic things.
I’m reminded of this story when I was on a video shoot in India. We were in an airport in a small city in India and it was kind of this relatively modern concrete impersonal dry cold kind of building, like airports tend to be. We were waiting for a delayed plane and one of the locals invited me to go for chai tea at a local chai walla – a local chai stand. We walked out of the airport around a corner and before we knew it we were with the local people in a local chai shop. It was warm and friendly and colorful like most of India, very much not like the airport. I said to myself, “Oh, this is the real India. Now we’re in the real India”.
I had a similar experience recently. I had a conversation with a marketer, the head of Marketing Showrunners, Jay Acunzo. And this conversation lit up my heart. He’s an authentic guy who I really think is about making a difference. Someone who is saying some very direct things about how we build real community. In this conversation, I went “Oh, this is the real internet! I remember there are people out here like that.”.
So that’s my invitation to you this week. Find your north star. Find real people, make real connections, build authentic relationships. There is a real internet out here and if you do that, it changes everything. You’ll make better choices that will give you a better life, better communities, and a more satisfying business.
So let me know what you think I really appreciate your kind attention and I do look forward to your feedback comments and suggestions.
Thanks again for watching. See you next week!
https://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Better-Choices-640-x-300_1.png300640JonLelandhttps://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ComBridges-Logo-300x60-300x60.jpgJonLeland2020-02-27 16:32:132020-03-12 20:35:17Digital Marketing Guidance: Better Choices Make a Better Business – This Changes Everything!
Social media networks are a whole new kind of communication opportunity; but too many people and organizations are either confused, over-whelmed or just “don’t get it.”
In only four minutes, this episode of Video Mojo describes and illustrates three types of social media posts that have no advertising expense required. Each type of post is used by my company, ComBridges, in order to help our clients and ourselves. By using all three types of posts, we more present on social media; and, we “lead with value” to build authentic, sustainable long-term relationships. Please check it out and let me know what you think:
Click above to watch this week’s Video Mojo video blog & podcast episode.
About Video Mojo Video Mojo is a weekly video blog and podcast hosted by award-winning media innovator, Jon Leland. It combines timeless marketing principles with a playful exploration on the “bleeding edge” of digital video & social media.
3 Types of Ad-Free Social Media Engagement: The Building Blocks of a More Attractive Online Presence
Hi and welcome! My name is Jon Leland and this is Video Mojo.
Video Mojo is both a video blog and a podcast that combines timeless marketing principles with a playful exploration of, what I call, the “bleeding edge” of both digital video and social media.
Today we’re going to dig into social media a little bit.
There are 3 types of ad-free social media posts. They’re kind of the online building blocks of a vibrant authentic social media presence. They exist within, what I would call, the social media ecosystem. I’m not going to get into social media content marketing campaigns today, which are really kind of fundamental. With whatever we do in social media we want to lead with value. We always want to contribute and make a difference before we ask for a sale. Relationships are built over time through multiple touches so you want to show up in the marketplace as a valuable contributor. What this post is about is the 3 types of social media posts. Once you have done your content marketing and developed your own original and valuable content there are other things that you can do, the building blocks, that will help you stay present and build relationships. I’ve broken that down into 3 distinct types of social media posts.
Type 1:
Social media posts type 1 are original visual designsthat are linked to your own content. We see those all the time as quote graphics or quote memes. They come out of our own content or creations. We develop original graphics so that they reflect the brand of our client as well as the message of our client and they’re our core value messages. They may reflect values literally or they may reflect the communication mission, if you will, of what that clients work is about and what their niche is about.
Type 2:
The second type of posts are content curation posts. Next week I think I’m going to get into a tool to help enable content creation. But within the niche, again following the same focus, there are other contributors. There are other people publishing valuable content. So for example, my client The Soul of Money Institute likes gratefulness.org. They are very aligned with their values and so we might repost a blog post from that site.
Type 3:
The third type of social media posts are retweets or repost, usually on Instagram or Twitter, where you are using other posts or other kinds of content that are being posted and are relevant to what you’re doing. A good example of this in our business is we represent the Marin Airporter, the local airport bus service. People will post pictures of their experience with Marin Airporter and their joy of travel using #MarinAirporter.
**Bonus**
And then finally, not really a kind of post but, is being involved and monitoring what is going on and responding to comments. I call it conversational engagement. It is a really important piece of the service. If you are going to have a social media presence you certainly want to be responsive and engaged with the people that are liking, retweeting, commenting, and answering questions.
I’m always looking for your feedback, because I would love to do more of the kind of posts that you want to hear. So please let me know. And again, I am very very grateful for your presence.
Thank you so much for watching or listening and I’ll see you next week!
https://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/649027_VideoMojoThumbnai-Blog-Feautured-Image23_021120.png300640JonLelandhttps://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ComBridges-Logo-300x60-300x60.jpgJonLeland2020-02-14 17:05:332021-12-18 23:55:313 Types of Ad-Free Social Media Engagement: The Building Blocks of a More Attractive Online Presence
I’m feeling vulnerable as I step into owning my history as a media innovator. Can it really be 50 years?!
In doing this week’s Video Mojo, I discovered that “Connecting People Who Care” is more than just words for me. It’s a thread that somehow flows through all of my work.
Click above to watch this week’s Video Mojo video blog & podcast episode.
The meaning of this phrase is also important because it is an invitation to take action, to make a difference with what we do, to step into the spotlight and in front of the camera. As Scoop Nisker used to say, “If you don’t like the news, go out and make some of your own!”
This week’s episode unpacks all of this in less than 5 minutes and also has some pretty interesting photos from back in the day. 🙂 Click above to watch now. About Video Mojo Video Mojo is a weekly video blog and podcast hosted by award-winning media innovator, Jon Leland (that’s me!). It combines timeless marketing principles with a playful exploration on the “bleeding edge” of digital video & marketing.
I’d love to hear what works for you and if you find this program useful. If you’ve got questions, feedback or suggestions, please comment below, or let’s connect (and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever):
50 Years Connecting People Who Care: Lessons from 1970 That Still Matter
Hi there and welcome to another edition of Video Mojo, my video blog and podcast that combines timeless marketing principles with state-of-the-art technologies, tools and tips.
I usually say that I’ve been a media innovator for decades, but the truth is that it’s been 50 years! And that’s kind of a vulnerable thing for me to say because people can figure out that, hey, I’m more than 70 years old. The innovation and the process also is what fuels today’s podcast and this episode and why am I doing this in the first place. So that’s a thread I want to make. What is 1970 and the network that I started, a radio network that I started in 1970, have to do with what I am doing here in 2020 And there really is a solid connection.
So, yes, I have been a media innovator for 50 years. In 1970 I planted the seeds of the first narrowcast network. It was a radio network that was targeted to a specific audience and that wasn’t being done back in those days. I was up in Seattle, there was a trial called the “Seattle 8” and I started doing the new feeds to the Pacifica stations. This led me to doing news feeds to Pacifica stations, other lister supported stations, FM rock stations like KSan in San Francisco, WBCN in Boston, WNEW in New York. There’s a whole bunch of them and dozens of college stations around the anti-war movement.
So what does that have to do with today? Well, the reality is that I’m really looking—and still exploring and still learning—how does it work to enable people? I mean I am into empowering people to use the power of new media and these amazing tools. The fact is that the iPhone that I am shooting this video on is shooting a quality of video that wasn’t even imaginable in those days. And we all have this kind of capability in our pocket. How does that democratization of media help people to tell better stories? Help people to make better connections in communities of people who care?
So that’s what I am exploring.
I call this program sometimes a “joyful exploration” because I’m still learning: how do we connect people?
Back in 1970, I was connecting people who cared about the anti-war movement, who wanted to spread news about other people who were demonstrating. And today I’m doing this video blog and podcast in order to see what happens. How do people connect when they have the courage to take action? And when they have the courage to express their voice, to let their voice come forward and to use these amazing, powerful new tools.
So there really is a thread that I really wasn’t even aware of until (#1) I had the courage to say you know, I have been doing this for 50 years and, yes, I am more than 70 years old and (#2) There is a power to communication. There is a power to authentic connection and there is, in particular, a power to people who want to take action and are willing to express themselves and get themselves out there… whether it’s in the streets, on YouTube, wherever.
So, I want your feedback. But even more than that, I want your participation.
Let me know what is working for you and what is not.
Back in the day when I was doing media, in the ’70s and ’80s, I had a guy named Scoop Nisker on a TV show that we did. And Scoop used to always close is radio shows with this line, he would say:
“If you don’t like the news, go out and make some of your own.”
So, that’s what this is about.
And then also, I wanted to share another quote with you because one of my clients, The Soul of Money Institute, we shared this quote from Daniel Berrigan.
Daniel Berrigan said,
“The difference between doing something and doing nothing is everything”
So get out there and make the news, make your own news, and I look forward to working with you. I look forward to collaborating with you, and I look forward to hearing about what works and what doesn’t work.
Next week I’m going to get more specific about some video tools so we will try a whole other kind of episode, but I look forward to your feedback and as always I’m really grateful for your kind attention.
I’ll see you next week!
https://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/629719_Video-Thumbnail-for-Vlog-21-640x300_012020.png300640JonLelandhttps://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ComBridges-Logo-300x60-300x60.jpgJonLeland2020-01-24 23:21:352021-12-18 23:54:4450 Years Connecting People Who Care: Lessons from 1970 That Still Matter
I’m guessing that you want to work smarter, not harder. That’s why I ask: What does it take to put a solid foundation under your content marketing?
If you’re someone who hates manipulative selling in marketing as much as I do, then I’ll also ask: Can online marketing really be done with authenticity and humanity?
And, because I know we all want real results, you might want to know: What’s the biggest “low hanging fruit” or missed opportunity in online marketing?
This week’s Video Mojo video blog & podcast episode.
These key questions are answered in this 4-minute video blog post/podcast. It offers three fundamental “guiding light” principles that will ensure that your social media, video and other forms of content marketing make real human connections, the kinds of connections that lead to authentic and sustainable business relationships.
About Video Mojo Video Mojo is an (almost) weekly video blog (vlog) and podcast hosted by award-winning media innovator, Jon Leland (that’s me!). Video Mojo combines timeless marketing principles with a playful exploration of the “bleeding edge” of video & marketing communications tips, tools and techniques.
Resource Link, recommended content mentioned in this episode: The book, “How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy” by Jenny Odell http://www.jennyodell.com/writing.html
The Video Launch Pad If you’re interested in getting going with video for social media and podcasting, I’ve crafted an exclusive offer that’s fun as well as a real breakthrough opportunity for the right people. This page offers a short video introduction. Click here to find out more.
I’d love to hear what works for you and what you find useful. If you’ve got questions, feedback or suggestions, please comment below, or let’s connect (and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever):
3 “Guiding Light” Principles for Better Digital Engagement in 2020
Hi there and Welcome to Video Mojo. My name is Jon Leland and I’m a media innovator with about five decades of experience.
Video Mojo is my weekly video blog and podcast where we combine timeless marketing principles with state of the art, we could say bleeding edge, video and marketing communications tools, tips, and techniques.
Today we’re going to talk about three guiding principles, fundamental important marketing trends that will help you develop better digital engagement in 2020.
1 – Learn Video as a Language
The first guiding light principle is Learn Video as a Language. Video is so much more than most people think of it. You know they think, we’re gonna do one explainer video or one corporate introduction video and it’s a one-and-done philosophy. Video has become really a language, a visual language, that can involve day to day things like emails and explaining a particular how-to to a client all the way through ongoing social media video blogs like these. So use video more and the thing about video is that it’s a practice. It’s not a one-and-done thing. It’s something that you develop and learn to speak and learn to play with and you can only do that through experimentation. So that’s what I’m inviting you to do is to learn video, use video, play with video, experiment with video, and I guarantee you that will give you better engagement online in the year to come.
2 – Double Down on Being Human
The second guiding light principle that I’d like to share with you today is Double Down on Being Human. I’m reading a wonderful book called How to Do Nothing Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell. It really is a wonderful read. I was inspired right from the get-go in her introduction when she quotes Jaron Lanier saying “double down on being human”. That’s a commitment that I’m making and I’m doing it for a number of reasons. Mostly because it feels better and it feels right. But the other thing is that that’s how we develop a real connection, Its authenticity and being yourself that helps you create, not just a real connection with people but a sustainable connection.
3 – Business is about Relationships: Nurture the Ones You Have
And that leads to the third principle, businesses are about relationships. I want to debunk the big buzz in marketing of “lead capture”. That’s not how you create a relationship, by “capturing”. A relationship really takes multiple touches and more of an ongoing process. Where I think there’s the biggest missed opportunity that I see over and over again is not nurturing the leads that you already have. It’s not about “lead capture”, it’s about leadnurturing! Most of us have relationships already that we are not taking advantage of. Who are the people, for example, who actually open and click on links that you send out in your emails? Those are people that are already engaged. Are you nurturing those leads and developing them?
So I hope that’s helpful. I would love to hear more from you. I love your feedback and I love the comments and I love hearing what works for you and what doesn’t. Of course, it helps us if you would like to comment and subscribe and all those things whether it’s YouTube or on Apple podcast Spotify or what-have-you. I’m really really honored by your kind attention – thanks so much for watching and we’ll see you next week!
https://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/624182_VideoThumbnailForVlog19_640x300_011320.png300640JonLelandhttps://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ComBridges-Logo-300x60-300x60.jpgJonLeland2020-01-16 23:05:002021-12-18 23:54:433 “Guiding Light” Principles for Better Digital Engagement in 2020
Sadly, the meaning of storytelling has become clouded by the fact that it has become a “marketing buzzword du jour.” AND, as my expert guest Michael Kass says, “Story is real!“
Story is so real in fact that, if you listen to yourself carefully, you might find that there’s a story in you that WANTS to be told.
This episode of Video Mojo is different. It’s longer than usual because it’s an interview/conversation with healer, facilitator, and coach, Michael Kass, who encourages us all to plumb the depths of storytelling. As you will see and hear, this approach is something quite different from the more mercenary and manipulative, “storytelling-as-a-marketing-strategy.”
This week’s Video Mojo video blog & podcast episode.
Most importantly, Michael aligns with this program’s core values of being more human and our commitment to cultivating what it takes to build more authentic relationships and community. Sound good?
About Video Mojo
Video Mojo is an (almost) weekly video blog (vlog) and podcast hosted by award-winning media innovator, Jon Leland ( that’s me! ). Video Mojo combines timeless marketing principles with a playful exploration of the “bleeding edge” of video & marketing communications tips, tools and techniques.
I’d love to hear what works for you and if you find this program useful. If you’ve got questions, feedback or suggestions, please comment below, or let’s connect (and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever).
I’d love to hear what works for you and if you find this program useful. If you’ve got questions, feedback or suggestions, please comment below, or let’s connect (and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever):
The Beyond Storytelling Interview: How to Find the Story that WANTS to Be Told
Welcome everybody to a very special episode of Video Mojo where we bring together both traditional marketing concepts, really timeless marketing concepts, and the next latest generation of tools, techniques, and strategies.
Today, in some ways we’re talking about an UN-strategy. We’re are talking about going beyond storytelling and my good friend and the storytelling expert, Michael Kass is with us.
Jon: Michael, Thank you for being here.
Michael: I am happy to be here. This is fun!
Jon: Yeah and unlike most of my editions of Video Mojo, 1 – This is going to be more than 4-5 minutes long, and 2 – It’s going to be a conversation. Michael and I are going to talk for 10 minutes maybe about storytelling and then we’re going to open up and have Q&A with the people that are joining us online. And thank you to those who are with us live or those that are listening to the recording. Anyway, this will go out via podcast as well as via the video blog. So Michael, storytelling. I was thinking that “Beyond Storytelling” as a title would be in quotes and then within that “Storytelling” could be in quotes because the word “Storytelling” has all these meanings. Historically it reminds me of way back in the day when multimedia was the hot thing and I would be talking about multimedia and I would hear What do you mean by that?. And then digital video came along and now there’s not only YouTube but high-end commercials, television, tick-tock and Facebook live. I mean all of that is technically digital video. My point being the term becomes so broad you don’t know. I think that storytelling has become a buzzword and it means a lot of things to a lot of people. I saw a blog post the other day that I didn’t send to you because I think it would have made you nauseous because it was about how with storytelling you have to tell your brand’s story and it’s become this marketing hook.
Michael: My heart! My heart!
Jon: I know, exactly! So I don’t want to make you sick but I also think it’s very exciting to go to another level of storytelling. So how do you distinguish that? I liked the way you did in one of the social media posts about this conversation you said “It’s NOT about marketing and It’s NOT about persuasion” So, what the heck is it?
Michael: That’s a great question! So there was a moment a couple of years ago where I had a pretty profound realization about story. I’ve been hired to teach storytelling in a prison up in the Central Valley and I was very bad. It was 12 sessions and I was terrible. I didn’t know how to run the room and I was just doing a bad job. As I was on my way out one day a guy stopped me. He was the Native American spiritual leader in the Chapel of the prison. They had all the different religions represented and he asked what I was doing. I tell him “Oh, storytelling”. We then got into a conversation about the role of story in indigenous cultures. I had known this but the way he said it really struck hard for me. He looked at me at a certain point and said “Story is real. It’s not a form of communication and it’s not a tool to allow us to connect. Story, quite literally, creates the world around us.” So at that level, story is an act of profound creation. And if you do it in a really deep way it becomes a profound act of co-creation because you’re inviting others to create with you. So when I think of story I think of it as a profoundly creative act, that’s also the basic building block of community. If we start to think about our businesses, really if you’re doing it in a centered way with integrity you’re engaged in the act of community building. What wants to happen and what story can enable, and isn’t really being fully realized much, is a deep act of code creation with the people who joined that community, right? So that’s how I think of story. When it gets flattened to – Well, if you just tell your origin story then it’s going to tug at the heartstrings and people are going to want to X – whether X is buying your product or contribute to your nonprofit or whatever it is, I think a pretty profound misunderstanding of how deep story is woven into the way that we make sense of the world.
Jon: So clearly you’re talking about going deeper. Is it a philosophical concept that our language basically creates our reality? So are you going to that kind of fundamental level?
Michael: Yeah, I wouldn’t even say that that’s philosophical. I would say that there’s, you know, there’s the clickbait articles. According to science language creates our reality. My favorite example of this, and it’s the language substitution I give to everybody I work with is Hey, what if you substituted the word and for the word but every time you use the word but. The use of a word as simple as but automatically cancels out everything that came before it. Like, “I really wanted to do this conversation with John but it was a busy day.” Well, now it doesn’t matter how much I want to do the conversation with John as opposed to, “I really want to do this conversation with John and it’s a busy day and I’ll make it work” or “and we can reschedule it” So even something as small as that starts to create a different reality. So I push back on the idea of philosophy but yeah.
Jon: Okay good. So, the other angle that I hear there is, which is one that I love and that I would say I still aspire to reach as I have something of a following, is this community building and co-creation. And the language that then “positions me“, right? You talked about, I’m trying to remember the example you said something earlier that the word flash to me is, well that’s manipulation. If you’re telling your story designed, you talked about moving people, so we’re going to design our story to have an emotional hook. And that’s storytelling that will make a difference. You’re really talking about something different from that so how do you distinguish between something that makes an emotional connection and something that truly is a co-creation and builds community? Meaningful storytelling is really what I want to do with Video Mojo and it is actually kind of part of the mission.
Michael: Yeah, that’s a great question and it’s tough. I think that for me it’s sort of a felt sense thing. So, unfortunately, there’s no chart where you can say Oh okay, this story is co-creation versus this story which is manipulation. I would say that when folks are engaging in storytelling that is not fully aligned and doesn’t have integrity, at a certain level they feel it. It just doesn’t feel quite right, there’s a little hitch in it, it doesn’t work. Then the question becomes, how do you train yourself to recognize that feeling of misalignment? Breathe into it and go okay, what wants to happen in order for this to feel more fully aligned.
Jon: And the converse – right? That converse is when you’re in alignment and you are connecting your heart to your soul’s story, if you will, you know when that’s happening to. I think that’s part of the reason I became good friends with you is because I think you and I have these conversations and it happens enough that I want to spend more time with Michael even though most of it we do like this in zoom. There’s a resonance that happens and that’s also the converse indicating that you’re in alignment.
Michael: I would say I love that word “resonance”. You know, what’s coming to me is when I feel that my story is in alignment and I’m deeply connecting I can tell because I literally feel my body temperature rising. I’ll feel my eyes tearing up and my body feels different in very very tangible, measurable ways. And there is the science behind that, there’s oxytocin flooding through my body because I’m connecting with another human being or several hundred human beings if I’m doing a large workshop. And if I stay aligned with that in attuned to that feeling then it’s easier for me to hit those places of integrity and alignment.
Jon: So you ask the question as you were talking, “How do you train yourself to notice when you’re out of alignment?” and I would also say how do you train this in alignment and that is in fact what you do. The context is, if I’m wanting to connect with more people, if I’m wanting to build community or wanted to build an audience or wanting, god forbid, to sell something online – which there’s nothing wrong with doing that – How do you bring this kind of storytelling into play? How do you teach yourself to do it in a way that works?
Michael: A part of it is ignoring everything that they teach you about storytelling. So a lot of the more conventional storytelling will train people to follow a template that fused pretty closely to the hero’s journey. The standard entrepreneur story would go something like, “I wasn’t doing well I was in a real I was in a real pickle and I was sleeping on my grandmother’s couch and I went I wonder how many other people have couches that they would like to rent out to people and then I formed Airbnb and now I’m a bajillionaire.” That’s kind of the fairly standard way of doing a story. Once you get trained to only tell stories that way, you’re stripping narrative of a lot of its humanity and you’re stripping it of the details. In terms of how to share a really authentic story, I would say go to those moments that feel really resonant to you, and don’t worry about structuring, just write down what made the moment so resonant. Really go through an exercise of deep exploration knowing that the deeper we go in that exploration then the more universal chords will hit. Because it’s not just what happened, which is where a lot of particular entrepreneurial storytelling tends to stay at the plot level. “I wasn’t doing well I made a bunch of money now I’m gonna sell you this thing so you can make money too.” There’s nothing human in that. That’s a functional story. And it’s based on somebody’s perceived lack. Meaning, if that story resonates with you, you feel like you don’t have enough money. That makes sense? As opposed to, if I share a very simple story. You know my favorite one, this guy I was working with had a small business and we just asked him to share story just about a time he wanted something really deeply. It ended up that the thing that came up for him, and he apologized for this, he was like this is a stupid story. I’m gonna tell it because it just came up. He was eight and he wanted this pair of shoes and he would have done anything to get them. He ended up spanging, asking for spare change, in a small town to get these shoes. Now that is a pretty dumb story but what did those shoes mean to you? What did they represent? And it ended up that the rich kids in the neighborhood wore them, and so it represented growth and social mobility and he felt that if he had those shoes he would finally belong. The business that he ran was all about helping small businesses scale and reach a different level of achievement. So in that small human moment what he actually uncovered was the same DNA that made him so passionate about his business. And he started sharing that is almost an origin story and people resonated with it because it showed not just that he was effective at what he did but that at a deep level he knows what it is to do what it takes to move into what he thinks will bring him more satisfaction. So it’s finding those small moments and really lifting them up, I think, it’s where you find some really powerful stories that almost never get told.
Jon: Yeah and I will dovetail on that in terms of what’s been working for me which is, I think it’s a practice. That’s the other big fallacy about storytelling – Oh, we’re just gonna switch we’re gonna pivot right and try a new strategy which is storytelling – That’s just more of the same really. But what I found with the video blogging, particularly because I’m doing it really without an agenda, is that I’m now getting practice and exploring my voice and what do I really feel called to talk about and do. This of course conversation is part of that. So good! We’ve probably done, Oh we’ve done 15 minutes. And we could go on about this. But, you know, the thing that I wanted to say is that I think training is like a practice. The more you do it the more you can feel – am I in alignment? am I not in alignment? – and kind of tune your listening machine, your human-machine, if you will.
Michael: Yeah, I love what you said bringing more humanity into it is really a measure. To build on that real quick before we see if folks have questions, you know one of the things that happen, especially when I do workshops for organizations, that I caution people is you know in the room in a safe space all of this stuff is very intuitive, right. It makes perfect sense, cool we can share stories. And then they’ll go out in the world and they’ll try to do storytelling this new way once and maybe it’ll work. Then I’ll do it again and it won’t work. Then they feel stupid and never do it again. So it’s not just practice, it’s creating spaces or groups that are dedicated to practicing storytelling in this more deeply human way so that you’re building the muscle. We’ve gotten so far away from it, many of us, especially in our work lives that it takes some time to build that capacity back up.
Jon: I want to thank you and I want to ask you one more question which is when you were talking before and we talked about the inner work and connecting to our authentic self. I love the book called The Legend of Bagger Vance. He talks about the authentic swing because it’s a golf story. We’re getting a little woo-woo, right? And a lot of people are listening from the context of business, so where’s the overlap between wanting to be successful in the business and wanted to have thriving successful businesses and this community inner work taking time for alignment. I mean I will answer my own question in part because and I mentioned in my last Video Mojo episode the book Content Inc. And he has a model which I think I’m going to be talking more about as I work it through myself. But when you look at the sweet spot of you know who you are, what your capabilities are, and what you’re really passionate about and then how you do the content tilt about your unique message. It’s not something that happens in a day it happens from expressing yourself continually, blogging, video blogging, podcasting, what have you, so that you can find it. But is that a business model or are we outside the business realm hoping business catches up somehow and if you tell your authentic story the money will follow.
Michael: No that’s not a thing. But I will say, there’s a question that came up as you were saying that which is how do we define success and thriving in our business, right. So if success is purely financial then tell manipulative stories. Make people feel that. If your goal is just to make money then let nothing stop you in the pursuit of that goal, right. I think that’s a crappy business model. I think it’s an unethical ideal, it’s terrible.
Jon: That’s a crappy life model.
Michael: So I would define success and thriving as finding that place where, yes you are able to generate income and be comfortable at whatever level feels right to you and do that in a way that is uniquely yours and has deep integrity with your deeper sense of purpose. You could say souls purpose or reason for being here. That’s not a woo-woo thing, that’s just real that every single person at some point feels, unless they’re very lucky, that the work they’re doing or their life that they’ve built around them doesn’t fit. And that’s because there’s a misalignment between the story they’re out there telling and the story that wants to live through them.
Jon: Say that again slowly. I think this is the point.
Michael: Yeah, everybody, certainly myself among them, at some point feels like the story they’re building out in the world, what they’re part of, their work the life that’s built around them is out of alignment or intention with the story that wants to live through them and who they really are. And resolving that tension happens when we do that deeper inner work and bring those stories into alignment. It’s rarely a comfortable process, right. People do it in all sorts of ways through therapy, through soul seeking, through dumping their life out and putting the pieces back together like a jigsaw puzzle. But at some point, that’s what wants to happen. Then when we share that story the results of that process that becomes a really really powerful thing that community can build around.
Jon: I love that! But I do think that it’s in some sense a radical concept to presume that there’s a story that wants to live through me. I think that most people are thinking, this is kind of where we started, is when they think about storytelling they well I can just make up the most clever manipulative story that fits the model of selling. Whatever it is I want to sell as opposed to being willing to listen and wait and then actually hear the answer and then actually respond to that. I mean that’s a fairly, I would say, sophisticated spiritual process.
Michael: Sneakily, I use story and story coaching as kind of a Trojan horse to talk about these deeper, you know, spiritual or personal growth concepts. Because if people really want to tell a story that sticks than it wants to be told from that deeper level of connection.
Jon: Yeah, I think what you said was that you wouldn’t disagree with me. That it’s a fairly sophisticated spiritual concept to assume there is a story that wants to be told through you. Yeah Alright, so we have some people online. Who has a challenge or an issue or a question around the stuff that we’re talking about here today? You can raise your hand. Judith has a question. Thanks so much for joining us.
Judith: Hello. Hi Michael. How are you?
Michael: Santa Fe looks good on you!
Judith: Yes thank you! I’m enjoying it, it’s great. You know, there are a few things. You said so many things they were really great. I came in when you said story is real and that just like Whoa I just got my money’s worth! That really resonated deeply with me. I think it’s interesting that you’re having this conversation about story versus business versus woo-woo and I think that is – I don’t know if this is a question or a comment and it might be both – I think that that’s an indicator of how far we have moved away from what it means to be human. Because the truth is there is no, in my view, real distinction between story, what we do our business our work, and this idea. You know, I once looked up the definition of woo-woo and woo-woo is something that can’t be scientifically validated and everything we’ve talked about is scientifically validated. We know that story has existed that this was how we passed information on for millennia until we learned how to write and then even after that because not everybody knew how to write. And then now that everybody knows how to write we’ve let go of these very fundamental human qualities. I think that we’re I struggle – and perhaps this is my question – and we’re many of us struggle who grew up in this modern era is that we don’t understand what real story is. It’s just become a foreign concept. So even though it’s innate to who we are to being human and that there really cannot be, and is no conflict with what it means to run a business. It’s still something that I, and I imagine others, struggle with. So if that’s a question?
Michael: I think there a question in there.
Jon: What’s the, How would you describe the struggle? What’s your struggle with it because you seem clear that story is real?
Judith: Yeah I think the struggle is that when we get into business mode we put up the barriers and we stick to the facts, as Michael was saying earlier, that we just focus on the factual and we don’t get into the deeper stuff which is where people connect. And as Michael knows, I actually teach this I teach about human emotion and connection and that if we want to be successful it’s the emotional connection. And yet I even still find myself in the way I might be approaching potential business clients who are businesses with just the facts.
Michael: I was gonna add you don’t just teach this stuff to anyone though, you teach it to Lawyers. So you go into the places that are most disconnected. I just wanted to add that because you glossed over it.
Jon: Yeah, Michael do you want to answer?
Michael: Yeah, I have a thought. I think you’re absolutely right. Because, you know, there’s inertia and all of the structures, particularly in conventional businesses, all the structures are in place to support a fairly shallow level of connection and being.
Judith: Yes Yes
Michael: So, what’s necessary, and I’ve had some beautiful experiences of this recently, is to create experiences where people get to have the embodied experience of sharing story deeply and allowing the stories that are shared to reveal, for example core values for a team or to reveal strategic opportunities. Instead of coming at it from a very left-brained rational way. Because if we try to tell people that the way they’re doing things is deeply extractive and responsible for everything terrible in the world that doesn’t work. I had this beautiful experience on Friday where I created a story experience for people where in the space of 30 minutes they shared really deeply with each other. These are people who have worked together for years and they came out of that experience just with tears in their eyes profoundly grateful because in those 30 minutes so much stress and so much disconnection fell away. And that created enough curiosity in them to get them to ask well what do we do, right? We’ve had this experience how do we do it? Because it’s so short and so simple, they are leaders in their organization, they can bring that back to their teams. But if we just go in and start doing things a different way it won’t land. How do we invite people to participate in this different way of being? I think that’s what you give people in your classes as well. You give them tools that allow them to move differently, I think.
Judith: I do yes I do. And yet I find in my own experience when I’m thinking about myself I actually have a tendency to go more toward the less emotional and the more factual. I find that to be a curious conundrum. What you said just now I think is an opportunity for me to notice when I’m going in that direction and bring myself back. So thank you.
Jon: Yeah and I think that that’s exactly the process, I mean Buddhism, for example, you know talks about the human condition and how we get stuck in our patterns. I know a little bit about recovery and it’s like you don’t undo what you’ve been doing for an entire lifetime in a short period of time. And as a culture this moving away from, as you said at the beginning, being more human. I think my Michael’s approach to storytelling and what we’re talking about in terms of this story that wants to be told is very deeply human and we all have these patterns and tendencies to go off into “Show me the money! I’ve got to make a buck!” or whatever the other story is a cultural one. I’m also a fan of a group called the Pachamama Alliance which taps into the wisdom from the indigenous people of the rainforest. They call it the dream. You know they say It isn’t just enough to stop the drilling we have to change the dream. I think that’s very similarly the same thing. We have to be more human recognized that we’re part of nature, what our true nature is and so forth. Anyway hopefully that helps reinforce what you’re asking about. It is like we’re talking about earlier I mean it is a practice and it’s a skill just like meditation and other forms of alignment doesn’t happen in a day it’s a practice and a skill that you develop. This being more human and what I’ve learned from Michael in terms of working my own finding the story that wants to be told you know it’s a process that goes on literally over years. Some people might say that’s the bad news other people say we get to enjoy the journey.
Michael: Yes and the other thing I’d add to that is people are hungry for this. I know Judith you’ve seen this with your students and I’ve seen it you know when I walk into a room of like conservative business people in suits there’s always part of me that’s like this is the time it’s not going to work. And every time they have a pretty profound experience and they’re very curious about what they can do with it. So I think there is a deep hunger that people maybe aren’t aware of until they have an experience of something different that’s simple and doesn’t come across as you know super-spiritual or crystal slinging. It’s one of the reasons I love working with story. Its story everybody can work with story. There’s no you know sure I always wear my white robes and I’m my little golden crown but other than that I’m just like them!
Jon: That’s a very funny image Michael!
Judith: Yeah, I’d love to see you in your white robe and gold!
Michael: That’s never gonna happen
Judith: You know it’s really true, I’m no longer distracted by the suits and ties because nothing enough times the human shows up the experience they’re really there to get something. When there are the cynics in the room it’s always really surprising and enjoyable to see them look up and go “huh, what something’s happening here” and you know there’s not as much resistance as we might imagine. But the continuity I think is what’s important to both of your points and to Jon’s point a moment ago and creating that continuity I think is where people run into a challenge. It’s really easy to just fall back and this has been working it’s not comfortable but it’s been working so far so I’m just gonna keep doing it.
Jon: Thank you so much! I really appreciate you coming on being willing to show your face and be present in the video
Judith: Thank you! I’ve been enjoying it.
Michael: Something that Judith said feels very very powerful because I know especially when I talk about story it can get a little bit esoteric and it goes you know kind of like conceptual and big up here. So I think it’s really useful to bring it back to something really concrete which is my favorite thing. This comes from the social transformation project and it’s the wheel of change. I think we’ve talked about it Jon.
Jon: I’m not sure what’s a social transformation project is.
Michael: The social transformation project comes out of either Berkeley or Oakland. But they have a whole bunch of amazing tools that are all about you know social transformation and one of them is called the wheel of change. And the wheel of change is very very simple. It’s basically, you have a change you want to create, so I want people to tell stories in a more human way and bring humanity back into the workplace and their businesses. Cool, that’s the first part it’s hearts and minds, right. There has to be a shared desire to create that change. Which doesn’t do anything. A shared desire is lovely but it just sits there. Then you need behaviors, what are the behaviors we want to shift, right. So in my case, I would love the behavior is deeper listening, right. I want people to see each other’s deep humanity and relate to each other in the world around them in a profoundly different more co-creative way. Those pretty big behaviors but those won’t happen on their own because there are so many structures in place to either inhibit those behaviors or promote the opposite behaviors, right. So then the third part is structured. This is what Judith’s point triggered. If we don’t put structures in place to reinforce the desired behavior then nothing will change and that’s where a lot of organizations and individuals stumble because they don’t put the structures in place. Those structures can be something, I just worked with the group I was like hey you’re not allowed to have any meetings that are longer than 45 minutes and here’s how every meeting needs to start with three deep breaths. Great. That’s a very concrete structure. Another one would be, you need to do quarterly story circles where you get together and you go through this process. That’s a structure to reinforce the behavior. That’s how we create change in a systematic and strategic way. It’s not just about information and about desire. It’s also how do we put really powerful structures in place to support this new way of being.
Jon: Fabulous! I love that you brought it back to the concrete that way. Alright well, I think we made an awesome new episode of Video Mojo, which my podcast and video blog. Find it everywhere or if you’re interested in more information my website is combridges.com Where do they find if they want more Michael Kass where do they go?
Jon: Okay awesome, Michael has all kinds of awesome services and things that he uses stuff and things yeah!
Michael: So check it out and feel free to get in touch.
Jon: Yeah, so Welcome and thank you all for being here live thank you for listening to the recording. Thank You, Michael, so much for your time and presence and the teachings and the mission that you’re carrying forward I really admire and respect it.
Michael: Back tell you Mr. Leland. Thank you for having me.
Jon: You’re welcome, Thanks again. And as I say at the end of every episode, See you next week!
https://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/621961_Resize-Week19BlogFeatured-Image_010820.png300640JonLelandhttps://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ComBridges-Logo-300x60-300x60.jpgJonLeland2020-01-15 18:52:462021-12-18 23:54:43The Beyond Storytelling Interview: How to Find the Story that WANTS to Be Told
Fact: Websites are totally over-rated as marketing tools.
Websites aren’t even an “online presence” anymore. If you’re living in the past and think all you need is a website in order to be “present” online, then this video is for you:
This Weeks Power Briefing, 3 Reasons Why A Website Is No Longer An “Online Presence”
Online marketing or digital marketing is constantly changing, especially if you are interested in (or committed to) making authentic, meaningful connections with your prospects, customers, clients, or community.
The video above summarizes three key reasons why a website alone is no longer an effective strategy for online marketing. It also offers a fresh approach that can help you build more meaningful connections online. Enjoy!
If you are so inclined, please share, comment and all that good stuff. It really helps!
Happy Thanksgiving, one and all (US & otherwise).
NOTE: By this time next week, in addition to being on my ComBridges blog, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, this video blog will also become a podcast. And it will be known as Video Mojo! It’s already on Spotify here. Whoo-hooo! ☺️
VIDEO Transcript:
3 Reasons Why a Website Is No Longer an “Online Presence”
Hi there, my name is Jon Leland and this is Video Mojo, where we talk about making meaningful marketing connections for a better you, a better me and a better world.
Today’s subject is “3 Reasons Why a Website is No Longer a Web Presence.”
Reason #1: Marketing Is About Relationships
When people think about being present on the web and doing any kind of marketing online, the first thing they want to do is create a website; and then maybe they think about search engine optimization or SEO. That’s another video I did earlier about “Why SEO is so Yesterday.”
It’s even more fundamental than that. A website is not a web presence because number one, marketing is about relationships. And that’s a theme here on Video Mojo, we’re always talking about how we build better relationships and make better connections for meaningful marketing. So, if you want to make better marketing and you have to make better relationships. And, at the end of the day, a website is just a brochure.
So, the number one reason that a website is not a web presence is because it really doesn’t create relationships. There may be a need for you to have an online brochure. That’s perfectly valid. But if you want to reach out and you want to create new relationships, then a website is not sufficient at all.
Reason #2: Relationships Require Multiple Touches
The second reason is that if you want to build relationships it requires time. It requires multiple touches and that doesn’t happen on a website.
People visit your website and they’re there and gone very quickly. If you want to have multiple touches and create a conversation—which is what it takes to have a meaningful relationship—then you have to be consistent. You have to be putting out what we call in marketing “multiple touches.” So, that happens via email, that happens via social media, that’s where the real interactivity or engagement happens.
It happens on social media. It happens on email because you’re reaching people where they spend time every day. They don’t spend time on your website or looking for your website, but they do spend time scrolling through Facebook or Instagram. They do spend time in their email inbox… God knows.
So, those are the places where you need to show up on a consistent basis.
Reason #3: You Must Be Consistently Valuable
The third reason that a website is not an online presence is that it takes that kind of consistent value, being consistently valuable in order to build a relationship. So, you have to offer things on an ongoing basis. I am an advocate of a weekly minimum frequency, just like we’re doing here on Video Mojo. I’m doing my darndest to create a weekly video blog post and podcast in order to be consistently valuable.
I’m walking my talk in that regard, and I think that’s what it takes to build a new kind of engagement with a conversation.
So, just having a website is not sufficient if you want to create engagement, if you want to create meaningful connections.
A Website is Not a Web Presence!
Being consistently valuable online via social media and email, that’s where you can create a conversation. That’s where you can have multiple touches, and that’s how you create a meaningful connection.
Thank you so much for watching. I’m really grateful for your kind attention.
Happy Thanksgiving if you’re watching in that kind of timeframe and Happy Holidays. I look forward to seeing you next week!
https://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/594815_VideoThumbnail16IGStory_B_112519.png300640JonLelandhttps://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ComBridges-Logo-300x60-300x60.jpgJonLeland2019-12-05 16:45:292020-03-12 20:39:473 Reasons Why a Website Is NOT a “Web Presence” & What It Takes to Be EFFECTIVE with Digital Marketing
This week, I’m excited to share a video about the power of getting your message OUT. We all want more people to see, hear and appreciate what we offer, right?
If you do, please remember that producing your marketing videos (and great content in general) is JUST A START!
A very common mistake is to think that once you’ve posted whatever you’ve created on YouTube or Facebook, then you’re done. Not true!
Getting creative with distribution—or what Jay Baer calls the “amplification layer”—across multiple social media networks, in a variety of forms helps to leverage the power of what you’ve produced and gives your content much greater reach and impact.
That’s why I’m exploring new kinds of distribution, from “videos as podcasts” to IGTV (Instagram TV). This video explains why:
Video blog post: With Video Marketing, It’s Not “How to Distribute?” It’s “How ELSE to Distribute?”
This video blog post is designed to help you get more out of your marketing videos, blog posts, or other kinds of content. It offers both encouragement and video marketing tips.
This video blog post is designed to help you get more out of your marketing videos, blog posts, and/or all of the other kinds of content that you create.
It offers both encouragement and video marketing tips. Please let me know what you think.
LINKS
And, if you want to get yourself or your company/organization on an empowering fast-track to creating and distributing social video posts successfully, please check out our Video Launch Pad.
With Video Marketing, It’s Not “How to Distribute?” It’s “How ELSE to Distribute?”
Hi and welcome. My name is Jon Leland and I’m a Video Explorer who loves exploring all the different ways that video can be used online to create meaningful connections.
“Great Content Creates Audience”
One of my favorite subjects on the topic of today’s video is when you’re doing video marketing, the question is not “how to distribute” the question is “how else to distribute”, and this is near and dear to my heart because it’s part of the fun that I have. Part of the reason why I call myself a Video Explorer, is that I’m exploring all the ways that video can create meaningful connections and that involves so many different forms.
It’s almost like video has a different language. On Instagram TV, certainly, it does in a new platform like TikTok and obviously YouTube is different, LinkedIn is different. So when we create content, which is the fuel of content marketing that’s what happens. Jay Baer, a famous author famously has said that “content is fire, social media is the gasoline.” So there’s this amplification layer as he calls it. I will link to a video of him talking about this in the show notes of this video blog post.
When you create content, you have to think about how best to leverage it
When you’re creating content, you have to amplify it, you have to distribute it. So that’s part of what I’ve been exploring is all the different ways to take these video blog posts and not just put them on YouTube, but for example not just put them on LinkedIn either.
LinkedIn is really important, I do business with other businesses called b2b marketing so LinkedIn is a primary distribution method for me. Do I just post a link to the YouTube video on LinkedIn? No, I upload the video directly to LinkedIn; it’s called a native video on LinkedIn, so that it appears within the feed as moving video with the lower-third subtitles. Do I stop there? No. I create LinkedIn articles so that the video also appears within a LinkedIn article and that gets more distribution and more visibility.
So one of the things that’s come up recently is we’ve rolled out a whole system that we help other people also to distribute their videos across multiple platforms, is this relationship between podcasting and video blogs.
You may or may not know that there are a lot of people who actually treat YouTube as a radio and they listen to podcasts on YouTube. We’re now moving towards using these video blog posts in order to create a podcast and short form podcasts are a thing now so you’ll soon see this video blog as a podcast.
Do It Yourself or Get Help?
That’s something that I’m excited about and that’s another example of this really important principle, which is not how to distribute but how else to distribute. It’s a very common error that businesses make when they start up, they want to create the content, but they don’t think about marketing the content. Or they want to create a product, but they don’t think about how are they going to market the product, what’s the right budget, what are the right avenues, how do you do that. Same thing with content marketing and video marketing.
It’s not just about creating the content, it’s about distributing it, building that audience, building that community, and ultimately building meaningful relationships and connections. So that’s today’s video blog post.
If you want to know more about how we help companies and people to do video marketing and to distribute social media and video blog posts, please check out combridges.com or go to go go.combridges.com/video-launch-pad. Our video launch pad offer is specifically where we help people to distribute video across multiple platforms and to get started in the whole game of video marketing.
Thanks again so much for watching. I really appreciate it and look forward to your comments and suggestions. See you next week!
https://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/589270_VideoThumbnailBlog_B_111819.png300640JonLelandhttps://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ComBridges-Logo-300x60-300x60.jpgJonLeland2019-11-22 21:35:272019-11-22 21:37:11With Video Marketing, It’s Not “How to Distribute?” It’s “How ELSE to Distribute?”
In today’s online, social media environment, trust matters more than ever before. Here’s why.
Everyone wants to filter out the BS, the hype, the sales pitches, and the get rich quick schemes. How do you do that? While browsing, you gather “data”—usually very quickly—in order to figure out whether or not you can trust someone. You want to know if they are really going to be of service and whether or not they actually care about offering something (whether service or product) that will truly be valuable to YOU.
This Weeks Power Briefing, 3 Ways Video Can Build Trust & Meaningful Digital Connections
In other words, trust is the “currency” of online/digital engagement. It matters enormously and it is extremely valuable. That’s why I think video is so important as a primary component of your online and social media presence. Nothing builds trust like video. Period.
So, if you are marketing in any way via social media or a website, building trust is crucial. In order to help with that, I made this video to illuminate three ways that you can use video to build trust and meaningful digital connections.
I hope it helps you to market with authenticity and to build meaningful, human relationship via digital media. Or, to be more specific, I’d love to help you build more valuable relationships via online video.
New Service Offer:
The Video Launch Pad This is a new service where I help you to learn about how to do video effectively while we create three videos together, and then our ComBridges Digital Engagement Team also helps you distribute your videos on YouTube and the major social media networks. We are trying to make the whole process as easy and powerful as possible for you. Please click here to learn more.
Edited Transcript:
3 Ways Video Can Build Trust & Meaningful Digital Connections
Hi there and welcome. My name is Jon Leland and I’m a Video Marketing Explorer. I really like to get involved with what’s going on with video and how video can enhance our human connections.
Yes, I play a Digital Marketing Strategist by day but really, what I’m here doing is playing, experimenting and exploring the dimensions of online video that matter.
The ones that matter have to do with human connection and build trust. So, that’s why this video is about 3 Ways to Build Trust in Digital Video & online communications.
Make Marketing Communications More Human
One of them is the most important and that’s making marketing communications (or just communications in general), more human. We do that with this kind of virtual eye contact. Once you make virtual eye contact, someone can experience who you are and what it is you have to offer in a way that print or even photographs can’t do. And because we’re dealing with filtering out the hucksters and the salespeople and the profit-oriented whatever’s, we want to make connection, and we want to give real value.
Making a “human presence” is number one in terms of building trust.
Be Consistent
Number two is being consistent, showing up regularly, and I think weekly is probably a minimum requirement. That’s what I’ve been really striving for with these video blog posts, because when you show up consistently, you build trust by being present, by people knowing that they can count on you.
Cultivate Connection
The third way is really cultivating connection. So, showing up consistently, being human, and authentic are making a real connection. That enables you to build a real community, tribe, client base, or whatever your goal is. That is something I know that shifts the equilibrium of the world – when we make real human connections, cultivate community, especially in ways where we can relate to each other as we do on video… Then something changes.
That’s what I’m about and that’s why I’m doing all this. I want a better world with more human connections, with real communities, and people who support each other.
So there’s the three reasons how online video can cultivate trust, and I hope you will consider them as you decide to do your own outreach.
I’m going to follow up next week with more information. I’m going to The Patreon headquarters in San Francisco this weekend. They’re having a gathering about building community online. For those of you who may not know Patreon, Patreon is a crowdfunding way to do subscription support of your content. And I’ll be reporting back on that kind of video community building next week.
So thanks again for watching. I really appreciate you being here and I’ll see you next week!
https://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/579085_-ResizeWeek13attached_110619.png300640JonLelandhttps://www.combridges.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ComBridges-Logo-300x60-300x60.jpgJonLeland2019-11-13 18:28:482019-11-13 18:32:593 Ways Video Can Build Trust & Meaningful Digital Connections
