MAP IT Marketing

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Are you a thought leader? Do you think you should be? Do you have to be a thought leader in business these days? If you want to be one, is it as simple as just calling yourself one? What’s the difference between calling your self one, and being one? I had so many questions! Verity Craft is a speaker, coach, writer and self-described thought leadership nerd (with her love of thought leadership possibly matched only by her obsession with musical theatre). Together with Christina Wedgwood, she's built Intelligent Ink into the go-to for thought leadership here in Aotearoa New Zealand (they like to say they were doing thought leadership before it was cool – who would have thought at school that they'd be trendsetters?) They've worked with hundreds of big thinking, purpose-driven experts to maximize their impact, build their reputations, and grow their businesses as thought leaders and authors. Verity joins me on MAP IT Marketing this week to explain why it’s ok to not love the term and STILL act like one, how to use different thinking skills to stand out from everyone else and why sharing your thoughts might not be the ticket to getting new clients. (It’s not all you need.) This podcast is FILLED with great nuggets and information - quite frankly I didn’t want the interview to end! In this episode we cover: Important Links Find out more about YOUR SUCCESS TEAM Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download the free workbook Become a part of the MAP IT Marketing facebook group Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the best parts of being a content marketing veteran (aka, in my 50’s and having been involved in content marketing in one way or the other for over twenty years) is seeing patterns show up in how technology impacts our content and our marketing. The ebb and flow of “too much info” has been one that we’ve struggled with as humans since the internet became an integral part of our lives. 20 years ago I was writing keyword stuffed four-hundred word blogs for companies that had no consideration for the reader and were all about getting google to notice us. It worked for a bit. But then our human need for good content that actually informed us took over and the algorithms adjusted for us. AI is creating a flood. People who've been paralysed in content creation or even content creators who just want to pour out as much as possible now have technology to help it. There’s AI everywhere. And yes. I’m using it. But I’m also excited about the opportunities other business owners are creating for me - because the more others create AI generic work, the more my “thinks” - what I call my own ideas, will stand out and be noticed. They’ll have a different cadence, they’ll feel very human (and possibly even a bit flawed) and my people will find them In this episode we go over why content marketing is even more of an opportunity for your small business than ever before, why you need to be creating “Confident content” and what I’m doing to help you do just that In this episode we cover: Important Links Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s SUBSTACK Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School Become a part of our Facebook group Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download OUR free Face of your Business checklist Download the free workbook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When someone says that social media marketing is a waste of time, email is a waste of time, any part of marketing is a waste of time my response (at the very least in my head!) is “No, you just didn’t take the time to fix the problems to make it successful” There are two really big reasons when content marketing can fail so miserably. The first one is you haven’t taken time to develop a plan AND stick to it, and the second is you haven’t taking time to learn how to present it in the way that best fits that platform, I see people say “email is a waste of time” but they only email once a quarter. I agree. Doing it only once every three months IS a waste of time, I see people say “Instagram doesn’t work” but they aren’t using reels, stories and only do promotional type posts. It’s not Instagram. It’s the business owner. Learning to change what we do, in order to get results is a key part of marketing. There are 15 areas I tend to look at with my clients, and these areas help us work out what we can fix. Let’s be clear. Content marketing is an extremely effective method of building out a long term, resilient sales funnel for your business. But - you need to understand how to make the bits that aren’t working work. In this episode we walk through 15 key areas you can look at. As you work through them, make a list of actions you can take to improve your content marketing strategy. Let’s dig deep, find the problems, fix them and then… get the results you’ve been looking for. In this episode we cover: Important Links Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s SUBSTACK Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School Become a part of our Facebook group Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download OUR free Face of your Business checklist Download the free workbook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Alana rocked up to our group coaching day with her young daughter in tow she instantly reminded me of.. Me. Those days of taking my baby with me places is long past and I’m now looking at a completely empty nest next year, in part because I’m flinging my youngest out a little bit before we’re both ready Alana is a corporate escapee and the cofounder of Your Success Team, a collective of business experts who have created a business coaching model that places multiple brains on your business, giving a giant hell no to "my way or the highway" advice and dated formulas. And she’s doing it all with three children under the age of five. The week I’m recording this, work was put on hold when gastro swept through her house. The juggle is one her clients know all too well too. Alana’s developed some excellent tools to deal with overwhelm, learned from hard experience. In this podcast we talk through the juggle, the need to be kind to ourselves and have more reasonable expectations of what is actually possible and why it’s ok to take time out and carve your business around your life, and not the other way round. As she says “Because, at the end of the day, business owners want to make money from their talents while living life on their (very unique) terms. Which is why when you bring your talents, experience, and grit to the table, and they bring theirs, you'll be amazed at what they'll create together. In this episode we cover: Important Links Find out more about YOUR SUCCESS TEAM Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download the free workbook Become a part of the MAP IT Marketing facebook group Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We spend a lot of time looking at our ideal clients and what they “look like” but what if we spent more time looking at what they are experiencing, what they are being influenced by, and what they are needing from us more. Using empathy in our marketing strategy can help us identify the core needs of our ideal clients, so we can talk to them better. We can show we have grace for the sticking points that are making life harder, be aware of the blocks they might have in the way of assessing success, and use their own words, and voiced thoughts in our marketing messages In this episode of MAP IT Marketing we cover the seven steps to using empathy in our strategic thinking, and how it can then be applied to our marketing and to our sales. If you know you want to connect with your customers in a deeper and more authentic way, then THIS is for you. In this episode we cover: Important Links Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s SUBSTACK Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School Become a part of our Facebook group Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download OUR free Face of your Business checklist Download the free workbook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s nothing like having your entire world turned upside down to discover holes in your business. And this year that’s exactly what happened to Kat Corbett Kat’s been a freelancer, a consultant, and an agency owner. When she started her copywriting agency 3 years ago, she needed a consistent flow of clients to be viable. So she learnt how to make this happen - even with a small audience and an introverted personality. Her primary platform is Linkedin and she’s used it effectively to grow her audience and client base. One of the biggest lessons in this process was realising that when she was so close to what she did, the 'curse of knowledge' prevailed. She couldn't have an objective view of the true value she offered to the marketplace. This close proximity could create a lot of frustration when it came to marketing her business. She didn't have clarity on how to articulate the transformation she created, and that impacted her confidence. So she didn't put herself out into the marketplace. When unexpected change appeared overnight, Kat had to step back and look at her business, what she wanted as a business owner and what her core benefit really was to her ideal client (and- who her ideal client actually was!) As a messaging strategist, she now works with her clients to help them identify and express the value they create for their ideal clients. Her Peaceful Pipeline process takes clients through a framework that builds confidence and transforms how they show up in their marketing - in a way that aligns with them. In this episode we cover: Important Links Find out more about The Peaceful Pipeline Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download the free workbook Become a part of the MAP IT Marketing facebook group Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ve only ever talked about buyer profiles before in a retail environment but we’re all talking to people and selling to them (even if we are selling to a business we are still selling to a person IN the business) So the nine buyer profiles are still worth looking at. There are some buyers who come in hot. Is this a good thing or a warning sign? How can you tell the difference? What can you do to warm up someone and are any of them timewasters or are they just misunderstood? I’m covering what each one is, what they need and also letting you know which ones I personally find the most challenging in this episode of MAP IT Marketing In this episode we cover: Important Links Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s SUBSTACK Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School Become a part of our Facebook group Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download OUR free Face of your Business checklist Download the free workbook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Janet Stott started Homegrown Primal she had no intention of being the face of the business. In fact she and her husband weren’t totally sure the business was going to work. At the very least they would have made a bunch of supplements for themselves! That was back in 2019 and the business is in a very different place today. They now ship across New Zealand and Australia, and are buying ingredients by the tonne. They also now have a team to help support her marketing work, helping her stay as the ‘captain” and allowing her to ensure the messaging stays true to their ethos, without getting stuck in the admin side of marketing Showing her face was not something she expected to do, especially working in an industry that mainly uses young muscled bodies to market their products. But Janet’s authentic and real way of communicating, her complete passion for not only the products they sell but the carnivore lifestyle that she’s chosen alongside it has helped her build an engaged and thriving community of customers and fans In this episode Janet shares her beliefs about the importance of women over the age of fifty to show up with confidence, why we all have a “note that’s meant to add to the world’s symphony” and how to celebrate ‘the crone” If you’re hiding your face, worried you won’t find your audience if you show up, this is a powerful and encouraging episode. I’d love you to join us. In this episode we cover: Important Links Find Home Grown Primal’s products here Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download the free workbook Become a part of the MAP IT Marketing Facebook group Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you are a small business owner who’s the face of your business, and wanting to build a profile using podcasts and media coverage, taking the time to create a media kit can help you do just that. In today’s podcast, we explore how to articulate your unique selling proposition, values, and mission within the media kit. We also cover what visual branding elements you need to include to help build your brand identity, and what other accompanying images and logos you need to have to accompany it. We’ll also talk about how to tailor your media kit to fit different purposes and make it work with different audiences. We’ll also talk about the most important demographic information, statistics, testimonials and social proof you need to include. You’ll need to think about what you want to be known for before you start creating your media kit. Once that’s worked out and you’ve got your kit created you’ll be ready to pitch, guest and speak on both virtual and actual stages anywhere. In this episode we cover: Important Links Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s SUBSTACK Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School Become a part of our Facebook group Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download OUR free Face of your Business checklist Download the free workbook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I can’t believe that I had no idea ChatGPT was on the horizon a year ago. Now I use it everyday for our business and with my coaching and strategy clients to help them create compelling content What I don’t want them (or you) to do is create crappy generic content. I’ve lost touch of how many landing pages, blogs, websites and posts I’m seeing written with a distinctly AI feel to them. I WELCOME it. The more a small business owner pushes out generic AI content, the more our stuff will shine out. They are making it easier for us! There are some super clever ways to use ChatGPT and still use your own words, voice and feel. I reckon I’ve got a great working knowledge on them but I know that my guest today, Michelle Lange is the master of getting the goodness from ChatGPT and is using it super creatively. We’re going to take a look at the wide array of different posts and content she creates. You’ll be able to pick up and use her ideas with your content and it won’t look AI generated. Which is amazing right?! As marketers we both see it’s not necessarily a time saver as it’s a brain saver. It helps you use your brain more creatively and removes some of the adminly content planning side that saps our energy. So grab some headphones and start listening. Michelle’s definitely got some clever tips in store for you today. In this episode we cover: Important Links Connect with Michelle on Instagram Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download the free workbook Become a part of the MAP IT Marketing Facebook group Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Things are hard out there for many small business owners right now. And I’m finding more and more small business owners are freezing, and spending more time freaking out than actively taking action to generate sales. If that’s you, or you don’t want that to ever be you, this episode is for you. I want you to be doing two core things at all times in your marketing. While we have also noticed we need to market a “little harder” at the moment, we’re still getting regular leads and sales coming in from the marketing work we laid down before we had to So today we’re talking reactive and proactive marketing, I’m going to give you things you can do now to react against the need for sales and get some growth now. And give you some ideas to lay down some insurance to make it easier next time there’s a tricky bit We also cover what ratio this should be in different seasons of your business. So… let’s get the emergency marketing sorted AND build something for a more relaxed and less stressful future in business In this episode we cover: Important Links Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s SUBSTACK Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School Become a part of our Facebook group Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download OUR free Face of your Business checklist Download the free workbook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you are the face of your brand, you suddenly find there’s a whole lot of other things you need to think about. And one of them is your wardrobe. We’ve talked before about home. It is important to have a brand shoot, and wear clothing that reflects your brand in shots. But to really make your brand zing, it will go deeper than that. Developing (or even just identifying) what your style is, and then how to show that in your clothing can help you send a powerful message about who you are, what you love and how you choose to express that. Emma John aka EJ is a trained personal stylist who’s passionate about helping women unleash their confidence in themselves through style and specializes working with women in midlife. Her focus is working with women both face-to-face and in an online setting to help them find their style, make the most of their wardrobe and most importantly - BE THEMSELVES. If it’s helping you feel good, makes you feel happy and good - it’s good for you. And yes, it is possible to do that even without a massive budget! One of her pet peeves is people having to try and live up to fashion rules. If it’s something you love and feel good in it, then ignore the rule! What’s Emma’s style? Well she calls it “Maximalist Chic with a Hint of Head Librarian on Acid style” This means no day is the same and colour is ever present! In this episode we talk through creating your own style, why it’s so important to use as small business owners who face our brands, the power of feeling good in the clothes you are in, and why it can help you feel better even on the hard days. Two days before we recorded this podcast two people told me they’d chosen to work with me after learning from me BUT they first started listening and wanting to engage when they noticed my dress first - it told them “This person is my kind of person” Our brand story can be enhanced by the clothes we wear… So let’s talk about how you can develop a style that complements your business story. In this episode we cover: Important Links Get Emma-Jane John’s free 50 before 50 checklist Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download the free workbook Become a part of the MAP IT Marketing facebook group Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pricing right isn’t just about making sure we make some money (that’s the bare minimum expectation). It’s also about sending a message that you’ll marketing will build out about who you are selling to, what you are selling and why you’re the best option at that level of pricing Setting yourself too low and providing a high value product or offer may mean people don’t trust you enough to buy it. Or setting your price high, and now having a brand that can carry your pricing might also become a problem We walk though my pricing triangle model to help work out what you need to consider at the three core levels of pricing. Then we take a look at service based businesses and whether you fit a done for you, done with you, or You do, I guide, model and what that means for your pricing too. If you struggle to work out how to place yourself in the marketplace, this podcast will help you clarify your pricing, your value and your positioning. In this episode we cover: Important Links Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s SUBSTACK Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School Become a part of our Facebook group Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download OUR free Face of your Business checklist Download the free workbook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shifting the needle in your business -with Sarah Greener If you feel like your business is taking over your life, the “I’m too busy” refrain is living in your head and you just need to get some peace to sort out your head, this podcast is for you. Sarah Greener works with women (and men who are comfortable in women’s spaces) who are business owners but also managing what she calls the "second shift” of running a home, raising a family, caring for others. Sarah helps these business owners find space in their life for their own wellbeing, helps them work out how to say yes to what is really important, and helps them stop being the ‘single source of truth” in their business, and their homes. In this episode we talk about why it’s so important to make an “I don’t” list, to start saying no unless it’s a big YES, and why outsourcing somewhere in your life is going to make the important parts of your life better. If you’re stuck on the treadmill of busy, or being all to everyone, and you don’t know how to stop, then Sarah’s story and journey will make you start to think about how you can start pulling the right levers to make positive change and grow a business that’s not taking over every moment of you life and mind. In this episode we cover: Important Links Work with Sarah Greener Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download the free workbook Become a part of the MAP IT Marketing facebook group Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most regular listeners will know I love talking content marketing, and while I know just how important analytics are, we don’t spend a huge amount of time talking about them However the change from Google Analytics to G4 is a huge move, which requires a little work from your end, and some massive changes to your reporting G4 will help you have greater visibility on how people are seeing your website, and allow you to make changed based on the learning G4 is making all the time around best practice and improving conversions In this episode we go through the key ways G4 will help your business, how often you should be looking at improving your website, and how to get G4 measuring actions on your website. This is a huge analytics update, and this episode will help you understand it better. In this episode we cover: Important Links Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s SUBSTACK Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School Become a part of our Facebook group Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download OUR free Face of your Business checklist Download the free workbook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After four people told me about the billboards that Viv Conway’s business Girls Get Off use to market their business, I knew I had to have her on the podcast. Girls Get Off is a beautifully branded and designed female focussed sex toy brand, designed to provide a range of toys that are more appealing to the female gaze, than to a mans. It can be tricky to use social media to market a sex toy company. Advertising on Facebook and Google is not permitted, and saying the wrong thing in a post can get your profile zapped in a moment. Finding new ways to get the message out there, for Girls Get Off has included humour, and the occasional parade of women wearing Vulva costumes in the streets of NZ and (hopefully soon ) Australia. However the biggest part of the Girls Get Off success has been in building an engaged community that both share with each other, and also reshare the content created with others, making it a highly engaged and growing online community. Viv is a talented marketer, who’s having fun selling… fun! Plus I think I’ve never laughed so much in a podcast before - this is a great listen (but do check for young ears before you play out loud) In this episode we cover: Important Links Visit Girls Get Off Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download the free workbook Become a part of the MAP IT Marketing facebook group Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I often say “tell a story, change a mind” Storytelling helps us talk to a part of the brain that is geared towards connection. But when we think about storytelling we often think of those big, powerful life changing moments of our lives and use these as our stories. And that’s not where the magic is. In this episode we take a look at the power of storytelling. We look at how to choose the right story, why it’s not about you at all (annoying!), and how simple your story can be I also share some examples of stories, and talk about how to present them in a written form, in video and during presentations. Storytelling is a word that is so overused in marketing - and often small business owners know they need to do it but no one tells you HOW. In this podcast we aim to change that. Listen, take notes and then go write a story or two for your ideal client Who knows what brain changes you’re making! In this episode we cover: Important Links Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s SUBSTACK Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School Become a part of our Facebook group Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download OUR free Face of your Business checklist Download the free workbook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having to have our face out there building a brand can be tricky. And while there is a lot to be said for making sure we have authentic, off the cuff images and videos, having photos that show our best professional side can really help people connect with us and our business Cate Thomas is a third generation photographer who focusses on helping people create their brand photos. Based in the Manawatu, she couples her brand photography with portrait and equine. Today on the MAP IT Marketing podcast, Cate’s sharing with us what we need to think about before having a brand shoot. We talk about how to make the photos we take as authentic as possible, how to feel more relaxed on camera and how to avoid looking just like everyone else’s photos. We also talk about why having headshots, at the very least is so important and why Cate herself once fell into the trap of not having a photo ready, and had to use a photo of her dressed up as a bunny! If you’ve been thinking about whether it’s worth it, whether you should, and what it’s all going to take, this is the episode for you. In this episode we cover: Important Links Connect with Cate Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download the free workbook Become a part of the MAP IT Marketing facebook group Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After working with over a thousand of small business owners one-to-one on on their marketing strategies, I know what business owners need in their strategies and action plans and what they don’t I don’t hunt around for what other people do, but every now and again I’m sent a strategy from a business owner who has paid thousands for what amounts to a four page document, or a thick array of pretty graphs, or a spreadsheet. None of these have been able to translate into the actions a small business owner needs to take to make their marketing work So for me, a marketing strategy needs that action plan to sit alongside it. You as the small business owner needs to understand how the marketing proposition bit (all the brain stuff) works with the activity I used to apolgise for the lack of spreadsheets and pretty graphs in the strategy and action plan documents we create for and with our small business clients. I used to feel weird I gave our clients lists, and spent so much time showing how to do the things we recommended. I also knew that often our plans don’t have “razzmatazz” - and now I’m proud of it. A big idea is easy to think of, and plan. But once it’s done, what about all the basic marketing activity you needed to have to keep that growth consistent? Now I say what we do is exactly the sort of marketing strategy a small business needs. One that meets your stage of business, your goals, your budget, your capacity and your skill levels. All of which can change and adjust as you grow. In this episode I’m going to share with you what I consider are the must have elements of a marketing strategy and action plan for a small business Follow along, take notes and see if you’ve got all of these elements on hand to help you flesh out your marketing and make it work better for you over the next twelve months. In this episode we cover: Important Links Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme Rachel’s SUBSTACK Rachel’s YouTube Channel Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School Become a part of our Facebook group Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web Download OUR free Face of your Business checklist Download the free workbook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.