Boy Was I Surprised!

A few weeks ago I wrote my list about a project I was considering.  When I first started out in business and finding my way, I did a series of recorded interviews.  Not with the "hot" gurus everyone else was talking to, but with people I found interesting.  People whose advice had been helpful to me.  They were a lot of fun and people seemed to enjoy them. 


But I was still struggling to figure out who I was in the business world and "the gurus" did not seem too impressed with my little recordings.  I wasn't secure enough then in my own "entrepreneurial self" to say "Tough *&%(!  I enjoy them and the people listening enjoy them and the people doing them enjoy them and so I will continue."  No, I caved completely and stopped and tried to model myself after all the other people I saw.


Thankfully I have a habit of cleaning things out at the beginning of a new year.  That includes computer files.  And this year while doing so, I found a couple of the original recordings.  I posted them on my website and once again received lots of positive feedback.  And it reminded me of how much fun they were!  And so I asked my list to weigh in.  Would they like to see something similar done again?  And the response was overwhelming and surprising!


The answer was a resounding - maybe.  Why?  Well with the advent of things like Facebook Live and Zoom and YouTube, recorded interviews are popping up everywhere, apparently.  And there are lots of people calling themselves "gurus" that shouldn't.  And that when many of these "experts" do an interview, it is with the purpose of selling you something, not actually teaching you something.  If I could bring people that were actually knowledgeable, that would share what they knew, and not be just one big infomercial, then perhaps they would be interested.  Otherwise - well they might tune in if they weren't busy.


I can definitely meet everyone of those requirements.  So based on this feedback, I think I will move forward with this.  But in the meantime, I thought I would provide a little info of my own.  How to find the right "guru" for you.  Because the wrong one can do tremendous damage to your business.  But the RIGHT one can help you reach heights you never imagined.  These are the guidelines I will be using when I'm looking for interview subjects. 


1.  Do they actually provide good information?  As I stated earlier, I get hundreds of emails every day and many of them are from the latest expert "sharing" the latest tip, trick, or trend to grow my business.  But many times, further reading of their email or website reveals very little useful information and lots of self-promotion.  I realize that we are all in business to make money but the best gurus aren't afraid to provide useful information to anyone - for free!  Think Diane Hochman.

 2.  Do they tell the truth?  If you are being promised riches overnight (or in a week or even a month) with no effort, no investment, no skills, and no knowledge. you are being lied to.  There are many ways to make money online.  But they all require work or the money to hire someone to do it for you.  They require the skill and knowledge to create a business plan - or the money to hire someone to do it for you.  You will need to build websites, market your products or services, deliver your goods to your customers - or find someone to do it for you.  And beware the gurus who spend all their time "proving" how much money they made.  Anyone can photoshop bank statements or checks showing millions in income - even me (and I'm technologically challenged!).  The real experts don't have to convince you they make money.  They are to busy running their businesses and showing others how to build theirs.

 3.  Can you do what they do?  A multi-level marketing expert I used to follow suggested the way to build my network marketing business was by purchasing leads and then calling these people every day and making my pitch.  She sure was successful, but I hate cold-calling with a passion!  Although these were "qualified" leads, the thought of calling someone I didn't know and trying to interest them in my business made me absolutely nauseous.  Needless to say, we soon parted professional company. 

4.  Can they teach?  Just because someone is an expert in their field does not mean they know how to share that knowledge with others in a way that is understandable to you.

5.  Do they run in the right circles?  And by that I don't necessarily mean the "in" crowd.  I mean do they know other experts they can introduce you to.  The best example I can give of this is Ken McArthur and his Impact Events or Brian Fanale and the MLSP Live the Dream events.  I've had the pleasure of attending a couple of these and it's a veritable "who's who" of marketing experts.  Ken and Brian may not have all the answers, but if they don't they know the people who do.   

6.  Are you comfortable with them?  This is an important consideration.  Recently, I was going to start working with a new coach.  I liked his program.  He was recommended by many of my friends.  But after talking to him on the phone, I realized I didn't like him!  He had a way of speaking that made me feel like I was just the latest check mark towards his quota of new clients for the week.  Perhaps it would have changed if I had actually started working with him.  But I just couldn't get past that first impression.  You must be comfortable with your coach or mentor or you will just be wasting your time.

Finding your guru can take some time and effort, but it is worth it.  Do your homework.  Ask for recommendations.  Check them out.  Choose the one that's right for you.


I'm in the process of deciding which platform I will use and starting a list of prospective subjects.  Is there someone you would love to hear from?  Pick their brain for a bit?  Ask questions and get answers?  Write their name in the comments and I'll see what I can do!

Interviews Make Engaging and Informative Video Blogs

People buy from those they know, like and trust. And when it comes to working online, this is even more important. So, how do you get people to know, like and trust you? You do this by providing your target market with opportunities to get to know you better. One of the best ways to do that is through video blogging.

With as much as technology has changed and things have become simpler, there's no excuse for you to not be video blogging. Just sharing written content on your site or in other avenues (guest blogging, writing articles, etc) isn't enough. People want to see a face and hear a voice. People have begun to expect it.

If you don't want to put just your face in front of the camera for 3-4 minutes (remember, keep a video short and sweet - anything longer than 3 minutes and people generally begin to lose focus and get bored), doing a video interview is a great way to get around this. Having someone else on screen with you will help take the focus off of you.
Here are some easy tips for video blogging using interviews.

The first thing you need to decide is what software you're going to conduct the interview with. Skype is easy to use and a free option. Then there's always the newer option of doing a Google Hangout and recording the interview that way. These options are great if you're interviewing someone that isn't with you in person. If you're doing an in person interview, you can use your smartphone, a little handheld video recorder, an iPad, etc.
 
Once you know how you're going to conduct the interview, think about creating an outline or preparing some questions for your interviewee so they are prepared ahead of time. Keep it simple. Just jot down a few keywords or something that will help you stay on track and remind you of everything you wanted to cover.

That's all there is in terms of preparation. Then it's just a matter of finding a time that both you and the person doing the interview with you can meet to do it. It's always a good idea to do a quick test beforehand to make sure that audio and video on both ends is working and that recording is clear. There's nothing worse than having a great chat full of awesome information only to realize once it's over that there were technical issues and you didn't get the recording or the audio is messed up.
 
You can make a video interview even more interesting by conducting a roundtable where you bring several people together for a discussion. Again, Skype is an option or Google Hangouts. Of course, the more people you have you'll have to try as hard as possible to stay on track and keep time limited.

If you want your community to get to know, like and trust you more, it's time to start showing them who you are. Put yourself out there on video and let them see the real you. If you're just starting, interview video blogging can help you get more comfortable being in front of the camera because there will be somebody else with you.

A Question for My Readers

I have finished with the interview series. I may still post an interview occasionally if I meet someone who has information to share that will benefit YOU. But the regular weekly posts are finished. And while I work on my next series of posts, I'm also thinking about which direction to take my business in the coming year. It IS November after all and a new year will soon be upon us. Time to review what I've done and where I'm going.

Two projects keep coming back to me as I look ahead. I have prayed about them and talked to my husband about them and now I'm going to ask for your input. Both will take a lot of work but I don't mind that. I just wish to be sure that anything I do will ultimately prove to be of value to all of my readers.

First project - everyone seemed to enjoy the interviews. But they were rather limited in scope since I don't like my blog posts to be too long. I have been considering taking the concept and expanding it into a book where I could really sit down with these woman - and hopefully a few others who I know would make excellent subjects - and get to the heart of what they have done to become successful. I want to put all of their knowledge and experience into one place where other woman who are trying to build a business can access it whenever they wish. I have read the book "Conversations with Millionaires" by Mike Litman. It is based on the same sort of concept and it is an excellent book. I highly recommend it. But I wonder how many woman don't bother to read it because they feel they have nothing in common with these mega-success stories. I'm wondering if the stories of women who might live down the street or around the corner from you and are building successful businesses on their own might have a bigger impact.

Second project - every day I get emails from the latest internet marketing guru or business building expert wanting to sell me his plan to make money online or at home. I actually bought some of these until I realized that all they want to do is sell me their system and then teach me to sell their system to others.

I am a trainer. A certified master trainer in fact. I worked and studied hard for that certification and I really don't use it much right now. But I am being drawn more and more toward the idea of designing a course on building a business from home. Not my business. Not some "get rich quick" system by the latest internet hotshot. ANY business. Because just like anything else, building a business requires certain steps and skills and these can be learned. But once again I am wondering - would it have much impact on the lives of fellow woman would-be entrepreneurs?

And so, I ask for your input. You are my audience and it's for you that I do what I do. Would you find either of these of value? Do you have an idea to add to the concept? Or would you be interested in a new concept I've been learning about from my friend and mentor, Ken McArthur - a joint venture? Let me know your thoughts. You may be deciding my future for the next year!