The Thrill is Gone: 5 Tips to Convert List Subscribers into Buyers.

Lavada Thompson

When I first started building my list online, I just went crazy. I facilitated webinars and tele-classes. I hosted a few round table discussions and recorded video tutorials. I even held contests and gave some stuff away. I can't tell you how thrilling it was to see my list growing so quickly. Then, a few months down the line, I noticed something disturbing. It seemed like the more my list grew, the more my email open rates declined! So, I put on my research hat, did some investigating and discovered a pattern. As subscribers were added to my list, most of them would open the first few emails and then... nothing. It reminded me of BB King's song “The Thrill is Gone”. Yep, the thrill was gone away baby.



What is lead nurturing?


We’ve all heard a million times that people have to know, like and trust before they will buy. Lead nurturing is the process of developing a relationship with your leads and prospects, over time, until they are ready to invest in your products and services. At the time I discovered my email open rates were declining, I was sending out an e-newsletter. It was not targeted at all and went to everyone on my list. Basically, it was an email blast.


Email blasts aren’t as effective as lead nurturing campaigns.


Email blasts tend to be very general in order to appeal to a larger audience. When a person subscribes to your list, typically, it is in exchange for something they deem valuable: an ebook, tele-class, tutorial, etc. They have explicitly expressed interest in the topic of that content. So, if they download your e-guide on improving the effectiveness of your Facebook campaigns, do you think they care to start receiving information about twitter? Maybe. But, probably not. It is better to create lead nurturing campaigns in which you send targeted information to smaller groups of subscribers. HubSpot has a great post on why lead nurturing is better than sending email blasts.


Tip #1 – Follow up with new subscribers in a timely manner.

Within a few days of receiving a new list subscriber, follow up with them to start building a relationship. You just might get a sale because this lead is hot! It’s happened to me on many occasions. I’ll reach out to someone to get their feedback on the event they attended or content they accessed and they’ll say something like “I’ve been meaning to contact you…” And, the rest is history.


Tip #2 – Segment your list into groups, by interests.

If you’re going to put all of your subscribers into one huge list, also be sure to segment them into groups. Remember niche marketing? Apply this to your emails as well. And, I guarantee you will get better email response rates. Another reason I like this approach is because it allows me to see which groups are more responsive and tweak my campaigns accordingly.


Tip #3 – Send short, targeted emails to subscriber groups.

Ensure that you are sending your subscribers information they want to receive. We all get way too many emails that are not relevant or interesting to us. And, what do we do? That’s right. DELETE. And, you don’t have to be long-winded to be effective. I prefer to send out short bursts more frequently as opposed to long, drawn out emails less frequently.


Tip #4 – Use autoresponders to automate your lead nurturing process.

As your list starts to grow, it’s going to be pretty difficult to manually follow up and execute your lead nurturing campaigns. And, you just don’t have to. Spend your time wisely by using an email marketing provider or crm (customer relationship management) system that allows you to automatically distribute pre-written emails. I use Zoho CRM. I pay approximately $30/mo which is a steal for all of the features provided.


Tip #5 – Use trigger marketing techniques to re-engage your subscribers.

No matter what you do in the beginning, some people on your list are going to ignore you. So, just accept it. Continue to share and produce great content. After months of not opening any of your emails or responding to anything you put out, they may sign up for something: a workshop, tele-class, etc. Be ready! With Zoho CRM, I am able to attach different lead nurturing campaigns to different lists. If someone signs up for a webinar via a form on my landing page, they automatically start receiving the emails from that lead generation campaign associated with the webinar.


Put the thrill back into your email marketing campaigns.


If your list subscribers have lost interest in what you’re sending out, try some of the tips above to re-engage. Your audience has to want to hear from and connect with you. If this is not the case, it will be nearly impossible to successfully market and sell your products and services via this mechanism.


So, go on now and convert those list subscribers into buyers!

About the Author
Laid off, broke and a baby on the way. Sounds like a catchy title for a book. It's the story of a software developer, named Lavada Thompson, who now defines her own success by partnering with women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses online. As Owner of Gems Shine Consulting, Lavada's products and services include landing pages, web analytics training and consulting, search engine optimization and custom web development. She also authors the My Success Depends on IT blog which regularly provides actionable tips for increasing online leads and sales.

Experts Week Panel Revealed!

Hello Ladies! I am so thrilled to introduce you our next Experts week panel!
Experts week begins February 28th and runs through March 4th. This weeks topic is

"Strategies for Converting Leads into Sales"

Our Next Panel of Experts are:

1. Lavada Thompson - Founder and Creator of My Success Depends on it

2. Amity Quist Jones - Successful Work at Home Mom and home based business owner for 20 years.

3. Janice Clark - Founder and Creator of BizMSolutions

4. Mimi Zelman - Publisher and President of Women with Know How

5. Special Guest to be Announced

Blessings everyone! This is going to be an Amazing Experts Week!

Kari and Stephanie

Are You Our Next Expert?

Good Afternoon Allied Women! It's almost time for our Next Experts Week!


We are seeking our Next panel of experts to write on the topic of "Strategies for converting Leads into Sales!" This topic was suggested by YOU, our members, and we are very excited about it.

Topics on this subject could be various, from how to talk to leads, attracting leads with products, Sales funnels, or even targeted lead generation. It is up to you and what YOU think is important about this subject.


**We need 5 women to write an article on this topic. Experts are featured during Experts week (February 28th- March 4th) on Allied Women in Business and multiple other sites including other blogs, facebook pages, twitter, etc.


Requirements:

1. Submit an email to Alliedwomeninbusiness@gmail.com requesting to be considered.

2. Include a brief synopsis of what you are going to say about our topic "Strategies for converting Leads into Sales!
 
3. Include why you would like to be considered.


We will be accepting requests this week and announcing our Experts panel next week. We look forward to hearing from you!

Blessings!

Kari and Stephanie

Experts on Branding-Be Inspired and Encouraged!

I am still reeling from the overflow of information that we were privileged to receive from our experts last week. If you were away, or missed one of the articles here at Allied Women in Business , I hope you take a minute to click on some links and do some reading.

Emily Stoik, Danielle Elliott Smith, Jennifer Ransaw Smith, Kristiauna Magnum and Natalie Sisson shared crucial information when looking at how to brand yourself and your business online. As an entrepreneur I was inspired and encouraged by these women and am thankful for the time they took to share their experience with us.


Don't just take my word for it, head on over there and learn for yourself!

"Brand Marketing Online: The Top 5 Secrets to Building Brand Visibility and Positively Enhancing Your Online Brand" - Emily Stoik

Brand marketing online is probably one of the most important methods of enhancing the success and reputation of your business.  Whether you like it or not, everything that you do online will either help or hurt your Online Brand.  But what is your Online Brand anyways and how do you go about building brand visibility?  Your "brand" is the identity or personality of your business.  Your brand should help define your business, what it stands for and what your customers will think of when they think of your business.

"How You Can Create a Remarkable and Influential Brand" - Natalie Sisson

 What’s important in terms of a remarkable personal brand is knowing who you are, what you stand for, who your target market is, and then what it is that you do, what you deliver, what your value is and how you do that.

"Discovering your own “it” Factor!: In just 5 effective Steps!" -Kristiauna Magnum

Has anyone every told you that you have that "it" factor? Well whether your answers is yes or no, you have come to the right place, because today you are going to learn 5 steps on how to Discover your very own "it" factor that will make you irresistible and attract the exact customer base and overall relationships that you are suppose to have in your life! But in order to discover 'it" you must first know exactly, who and what you really are. In order to discover who you really are it takes a willingness to receive the proper help and coaching to tap into your “it” factor. Listed Below are the 5 effective steps that one must take if they want to know and market their very own “it” factor for mind blowing results and presence in their business.

"Position Yourself as a Leader" - Jennifer Ransaw Smith

There are some who believe that if you don't exist online, you don't exist at all. Now that may be kind of extreme, but I want you to think about it for a moment. What is the first thing you do when you want to find out more about something, you Google it. Am I right? It doesn't matter if you are interested in a new singer, new restaurant or checking out a new service at your neighborhood spa.

"Authenticity - Building your Brand Around YOU - 5 Tips to make it happen."- Danielle Elliott Smith

An idea has wrapped itself around your heart and you are just dying to shout it from the mountaintops. YOU are uniquely woven into the core of that idea. Now, how do you take that kernel of magic and dust it with your own personal brand and make it a success?

Authenticity - Building your Brand Around YOU - 5 Tips to make it happen.

Danielle Elliot Smith

It is time.

An idea has wrapped itself around your heart and you are just dying to shout it from the mountaintops. YOU are uniquely woven into the core of that idea. Now, how do you take that kernel of magic and dust it with your own personal brand and make it a success?

It starts with one word - Authenticity. Overused, perhaps? Maybe. But still powerful. Powerful because people will buy into your brand because they believe in YOU, not just what you are doing. So, the real question becomes, "How do you develop an AUTHENTIC online brand?"

These are my suggestions:

Know You: Clearly YOU are the expert on YOU. Understand what makes you tick and where you are going. Set goals. And not 25 of them. You will need to clarify what you are trying to accomplish, WHY you are trying, HOW you would like to get there and WHAT you expect to happen when you do. This requires focus. And honesty. It isn't easy, but I promise - it is impossible to move forward unless you really know where you are going.

Take your online brand offline - So, you are clear on your focus and you've begun to establish an online presence. You are showing up online - yesterday Jennifer Ransaw Smith brilliantly described the steps you need to build your online presence. Read her thoughts and then come back to me. I'll be waiting. *whistles* You good? I'm hoping you took notes. Now, consider that 'brand' you have created online. And take it offline. Go to conferences. Go to 'Tweetups' in your city. Get out there and meet the people you've been connecting with. While connecting online is fantastic, actually making eye contact? It is invaluable.

Online and Offline Must Match Most importantly - here is that word again - be authentic. The 'YOU' that you have created online MUST BE the same YOU that shows up in person. Your online brand is your first impression -allow the 'in person' to solidify YOU in some one's mind. And remember your 'brand' never sleeps. If you are genuine and pay attention during conversations - that is your brand. If you misbehave, interrupt, or dance on tables THAT becomes your brand.

Danielle and her Small People

Be kind - I know, I know. You're concerned I'm going to launch into one of those 'things you learned in kindergarten' lectures. But I'm not. I'm just going to tiptoe up to your ear and whisper, 'be kind'. This means share your knowledge, be willing to promote others, believe the good in those around you, and don't spend time looking around at what everyone else is doing.... focus on your own goals. This falls into the 'give good, get good' category - when you are giving, the 'getting' is good.

Harness the power of YES and NO. Only five little letters in total, but these two words have the power to shape your brand and control the trajectory of your upward mobility. Say 'yes' to the things that make your heart sing. Say 'yes' to everything that moves you toward your goals. But say 'no' when the fit isn't right. Say 'no' if the opportunity doesn't align with your priorities. A fabulous opportunity may drop into your lap, but if it isn't fabulous for YOU, then your answer needs to be 'no'. You will find that often, your ability to recognize the "No's", will coincide with more 'Yes' moments falling at your feet.

I saw a friend online say today, "Do Less. Do it Better." And she is right. In order for you to harness the power of your brand - you need to know what is a right fit for you, you need to embrace it, share it online and off and always - be authentic.

******************

Danielle Smith is a former award winning Television News Anchor and reporter who has turned her attention to the online world. As the founder of ExtraordinaryMommy.com, Danielle has been seen and heard on The CBS Early Show, Fox News, CNN, and NPR as well as many local stations. Her ability to connect with people via video has made her a popular 'go-to' for Video and Vlogging Tips. She is a speaker, a story-teller, author, the Producer and Host of Bliss TV and has been hired just this year as a correspondent for P&G at both the Winter Olympics in Vancouver and, most recently, the ProBowl in Hawaii. Danielle is also Mommy to two sweet and sassy small people.

Position Yourself as a Leader

Jennifer Ransaw Smith

There are some who believe that if you don't exist online, you don't exist at all. Now that may be kind of extreme, but I want you to think about it for a moment. What is the first thing you do when you want to find out more about something, you Google it. Am I right? It doesn't matter if you are interested in a new singer, new restaurant or checking out a new service at your neighborhood spa.

Don't you think people are doing the same with you? If you are going to become a breakout star in your industry, you must be cognizant of how you are positioned online.

If someone types your name and/or the name of your company in a search engine, what are the results? Will they be blown away by the amount of high-value content that reinforces your position as an industry leader? Will they discover great articles you have contributed to your industry publications? Will they discover that you sit on local and national boards contributing your skills and talents to make the world a better place? Will they stumble upon your thought-provoking blog that engages your target audience, on a weekly basis or more, by keeping them informed about some of the latest industry news?

Here's the bottom line; if you want others, mainly your niche audience, to consider you an Industry Rock Star, you must first consider yourself one. And there is no better place to start than branding online. One of the greatest things about the Internet is that it literally levels the playing field. You, a solopreneur, with a small operation consisting of your laptop and living room couch, can compete with the big agencies/companies with million dollar budgets. For the first time in history, you have the ability to reach an audience world-wide with the click of a mouse.

But, in order to be truly successful, you must operate from a plan. You must be strategic and consistent, and you must be extremely clear about your intension (and the end result you are seeking).

Here are five strategies to help you elevate your online brand image:

1. Have a professional head shot made. This image is called your Avatar and should be used consistently across all mediums (facebook, twitter, you tube, blogs, etc). Don't use a picture of yourself relaxing in a garden in one place, a group photo with your children in another place and a solo picture somewhere else. Your picture helps build brand awareness, especially if you are a solopreneur in a service-based industry. You want project an image of success. Even if you are a "less formal" person, you can have professional shots made that are called "lifestyle" shots that convey who you are in an authentic way.
2. Be clear about your end game: What is your big goal? If you want to be considered one of the best VA's, CPA's or life coaches, then begin to act the part. What does that mean? It means industry leaders contribute to their industry. Set your Google Alert alarm so that you will be kept abreast of the latest trends, research and happenings in your industry. In turn, you keep your community up to date in what is going on. Industry leaders realize it isn't just about them. They know to connect their "tribe" to other people and information in an effort to empower.
   
3. Leave a long interactive tail. Take a moment to identify top-industry blogs; at least three or four. Subscribe to the feed so you can stay abreast of the latest content and then make a habit of commenting and leaving your opinion. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to dive right into a discussion with the players/elite of your industry and you can showcase your level of expertise. Always leave your website. This is going to help tremendously in building your profile online.
4. Build a tribe: If you are extremely clear about who your target audience is and what their pains are, this is the fun part. Because now you are simply fulfilling a need. You want to position yourself as someone who is always giving away high value content. You want people to want to check in with you on a daily basis, whether through facebook, twitter or your blog. You want them to feel as though they may be missing something if they don't. How do you do that? You always ask yourself, what do my people need? What is going to benefit them or enhance their lives. Then deliver at that level.
5. Be yourself: Stay in your own lane. Stop looking around to see what everyone else is doing. Be yourself. Let people into your world. Be transparent. If you make mistakes, own them and let people know the lessons you have learned. People love to hear the truth and they want to be able to relate. Even as you start building and becoming more successful, never forget the journey because it will make you more attractive and better able to relate to your audience.
   
   

Jennifer Ransaw Smith is a personal brand strategist and marketing success coach. She spent more than a decade helping some of the nation's most recognizable brands (Clairol, Burger King, Texaco, Kraft and AT&T) position and differentiate themselves in the marketplace through advertising, marketing and branding at agencies in LA, New York, Atlanta and DC before launching Roar Coaching and Consulting. Today, she works one-on-one with women entrepreneurs who are ready to stop playing small and want to position themselves as Industry Rock Stars. Her clients gain higher visibility, attract more clients and command higher fees. Visit her at http://www.womenwhoroar.net/

Discovering your own “it” Factor!: In just 5 effective Steps!

Kristiauna Mangum

Has anyone every told you that you have that "it" factor? Well whether your answers is yes or no, you have come to the right place, because today you are going to learn 5 steps on how to Discover your very own "it" factor that will make you irresistible and attract the exact customer base and overall relationships that you are suppose to have in your life! But in order to discover 'it" you must first know exactly, who and what you really are.

In order to discover who you really are it takes a willingness to receive the proper help and coaching to tap into your “it” factor. Listed Below are the 5 effective steps that one must take if they want to know and market their very own “it” factor for mind blowing results and presence in their business.

#1 THE FOUNDATION: Discovering your PURPOSE!
What are you? We are all a Body, Soul and Spirit, and each part of us has a voice. The question is which voice are you listening to? 

The 3 voices:
Body-Your senses (what you see, feel, taste etc)
Soul-Your reasoning, your intellect and your emotions
Spirit-Your conscious (God's will, God thoughts, and God’s emotions inside of you!)

Prayer and meditation: Jeremiah 29:11-14 states: 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the Lord. What an awesome thing to know. that God himself thinks about you and has a perfect plan for your life! The secret is that he has already copied and pasted that plan down into your Spirit! by practicing prayer and meditation you are able to copy and paste that information out of your Spirit into your soul!
Proverbs 16:1-3   1 We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.  2 People may be pure in their own eyes   but the Lord examines their motives.  3 Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.

Don’t you think its better to be on God's Agenda than your own? Where God Guides, God provides!
In order discover your "it" factor you must first know what is your point!! Why are you here? So many of us live life never really knowing what really our purpose is!  The only way to discover your purpose is to ask the one who made you! You don't ask a table or chair what is its function; you read the manual or ask the manufacture.
Same thing applies to us! Make a commit to yourself that you will seek God first before any of your plans. To many times we want to do things our way. Sometimes our way is not the best way! But as you seek him you will begin to pull out your spirit and let her take the lead! Your spirit knows all truth!
Resource: In pursuit of Purpose by Myles Munroe, join my online journaling workshops on how to discover your purpose! For more info contact me via facebook!

Kristiauna on The Set Of Inside Edition

#2  Visit AuthenticHappiness.com: Discover your top 5 character strengths!
Now that your ground work is laid out it's time to discover your 5 top character strengths. Your top 5 characters strengths should become the 5 keys of your life (business and personal) they are the strengths that you operate in naturally. Instead of always seeking ways to improve your “areas of opportunity” focus on what you are already awesome at! That way you are building your confidence and self-esteem. People will begin to know and love you for your strengths, and your weakness will become  irrelevant.
Resource: www.authentichappiness.com and take the VIA Survey of Character Strengths test You just might be surprised on what your natural character strengths are.

Kristiauna Mangum

#3 Time to call an Expert on Personal Branding: Discovering the usefulness of a COACH!
Now it's time to seek advice from someone who is a personal branding coach! Even if your a coach yourself it is important that you find someone to share your ideas with and get their help and prospective on the best way to build your personal brand. There are tons of coaches out their and they are well worth the investment. Sometimes you can just pick their brains or check out info they have on their web pages. A personal branding coach will also begin to help you with your focus and help pull out answers that come from your spirit and not just your soul! Remember the key to all of us this is getting down to the heart of the matter and listening to what your spirit has to say!


#4 Now its time to start building the business! “Discover how to get all the clients your heart Desires”!(Michael port)
An awesome resource is the book and website Book Your Self Solid! http://www.bookyourselfsolid.com/   Michael Port is AMAZING!! He really adds so much value into your life and nurtures both your soul and Spirit while helping you build an authentic brand for your business and get so many clients that you truly will be Booked SOLID!! Mark-“it” your services on websites like thewomensbook.com, herfuture.com , and http://www.womencertified.com/index.aspx they are online communities that support women business owners and great sources of support.



#5 You need to have a ONLINE MENTORING COACH!
After you have done so much work on discovering your own “it” factor you really need to have an online mentoring coach help you mark-“it” what you have found. You will drive your self nuts trying to learn all the online techniques out there on your own. It's okay to work for yourself but, don’t do it by your self! Having a mentor in the online field is one of the most valuable tools that you can have while trying to build your brand. Your online coach can always help you take what you have discovered about yourself and tailor the “it”-factor you now have to a perfect fit for the online world!

THAT'S "IT"

if you follow these 5 simple but, effective steps!

You will be not just a successful business owner but, a person who is living out the FULL power of their purpose and calling in life...In order to discover YOUR "It" factor you have to learn how to merge your life and stop living with everything, home, business and personal separate! One of the reasons I have seen such personal success is because I invite people to really to get to know me on all levels Spiritually, mentally and physically and in that particular order! Placing your spirit in front of everything that you do, means you’re living your life with truth and integrity on the front stage and that pulls out others truth and integrity when they are connecting with you!

Your Spirit is not restricted by time, space or the internet! Let "IT" be your guide! And you will build a life, network and presence that are unstoppable!! And knows No limits!

NOW go and DISCOVER the “IT” factor (you already know where it’s at! It’s in YOU)!!

Kristiauna Mangum - National Sales Mentor

Kristiauna Mangum is a 24 year old graduate of  The Ohio State University, who excelled not only scholastically but in business as well through the mark. beauty and fashion a subdivision of the fortune 300 company Avon. Mangum, who was recently promoted to the position of mark. national sales mentor also managed 350 independent mark. representatives for the mid-Atlantic region mark sales team After spending a summer working in NYC. She has been a make-up artist for 5 years working events like Cincinnati fashion week and local fashion shows, house make-up artist for Dress for Success Columbus chapter and serves as a beauty advisor and the go to person on how to grow your own business. She has been featured in commercials and nationwide advertisements for the brand in high profile magazines such as Allure, Cosmo and Elle. There have been countless interviews with literary magazines, newspapers and news broadcast shows (including Oprah radio and the NY Times) and the syndicated  tv show inside edition, that have all been greatly appreciated by the Columbus, OH native. However none of these are what she considers her greatest accomplishments. Kristiauna is a true Mark. girl, always taking time to help another girl "make her mark on the world", this is what truly brings her joy. Today, Kristiauna dedicates her time to leading fundraising efforts for various groups and charitable organizations. She is also the co-founder of Self-Esteem Boot camp. Her call is help people learn how to live their life through their Spirit and show their true beauty from the inside out and give them tangible resources on how to discover their own “it” factor.
Visit  Kristiauna on Facebook
Love, lipgloss and blessings!
Kristiauna

How You Can Create a Remarkable and Influential Brand

Natalie Sisson - Social Media Personal Trainer

Create a Remarkable Brand With Purpose

 

                                   What’s important in terms of a remarkable personal brand is knowing who you are, what you stand for, who your target market is, and then what it is that you do, what you deliver, what your value is and how you do that.

It’s working out: Your who, your what, your why and your how. Once you have a connection to that, once you are really sure about your about that, then you will absolutely have a confident brand that attracts more of your clients.

                                   A personal brand is actually the emotional connection that you make to your potential target market. It’s the feelings that you evoke when someone experiences you or experiences a piece of you such as your website or your    marketing materials.

So how do you go about doing that?

Define your brand and own it!

Dare I say Sarah Palin, love her or hate her, is a true brand. She made some savvy business moves during her political campaign that have led to her publishing a book, becoming a keynote speaker and now a TV program on the life of the Palins!

Ali Brown, millionaire and Fortune 500 coach has built herself an empire through clever personal branding. Starting out as the Ezine Queen she mastered her niche of email newsletters and how to do them to attract a strong client list to sell too.

From there she went on to coach people on how to use that list to sell products to and even better how to create and launch those products. As her brand grew so did her power.

Now she offers four tiers of coaching from $9.95 a month to $100,000 for platinum members. She is not only a talented and driven business woman but an idol to many other women who wish to BE Ali. From her dynamic business prowess to her good looks, fashionable clothes and personal glamour.

Make yourself memorable

Successful people find their style, build a brand based on it, and boldly express themselves through that brand. It’s powerful and it makes you memorable.

Maria Andros branded herself the Video Marketing Queen leaving behind a dull job to launch a product using video. Now she makes 6 figures a year selling programs on how to become a master at using video to sell your products and services. She’s chosen her niche and aimed to dominate it.

It helps that she’s attractive and communicates well and gets the psychological art of selling.

A personal brand will help clearly and consistently define, express, and communicate who you are. Even more than that it tells people who you want as your ideal client and who you don’t want to appeal to.

Be uniquely you.

I love the quote: “Just be yourself. Everyone else is taken”.

Personal branding is you—uniquely you. It allows you to distinguish yourself and what is unique about who you are and what you do from everyone else.


Fortune favours the bold
The more bold, authentic, and concise your personal brand is, the more easily you’ll attract those
red carpet clients you really want to work with.

A personal brand works when you first define it, and then it defines you. It will give you the ability to attract fun and exciting clients who understand and get you and your remarkable talents.


Become an Influencer
There’s no denying if you have a strong brand you will build a strong following and  network, with that you can start wielding more influence.

By this I mean you have a certain type of status, credibility and expertise. You have something others want or like and that’s why they engage with you.

People look to you as the authority on certain matters, as a result others come to see why that is and check you out, before you know it people recommend and refer you based on your level of influence.

Key examples of influence can be seen everywhere. Some of my favourites in the social media niche are Laura Roeder, Lewis Howes and Mari Smith.

Lady Gaga has created an entire universe of fans around her shocking and surprising brand image, personality and natural talents. She wields immense influence now in the music and fashion industry and beyond.

How do you become a remarkable and influential brand?
Define your unique value proposition.
Develop a laser like focus on it
Deliver on it consistently and with integrity

Now go take action!

Natalie Sisson -Social Media Personal Trainor

Natalie Sisson helps you create freedom in business and adventure in life. She offers creative ways to run your business from anywhere in the world using online tools, social media and outsourcing.

She’s a Social Media Personal Trainer and a Business Design Coach. You can find her and other top tips, tools and resources at TheSuitcaseEntrepreneur.com and say hi on Twitter @nataliesisson