Successful Blog

The Mic Is On: We're Talking with Becky about Beer . . .

by

It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

The-most-marvelous-Becky-McCray
The Mic Is On

Here’s how it works.

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME.
The rules are simple — be nice.

There are always first timers and new things to talk about. It’s sort of half “Cheers” part “Friends” and part video game. You don’t know how much fun it is until you try it.

. . . Wine, and Whiskey – and a Liquor Store in Oklahoma

allens.jpg

And, whatever else comes up, including THE EVER POPULAR, Basil the code-writing donkey.

Oh, and bring related links about to share!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

Open Mic 7pm Chgo Time: Becky McCray Is Guest Host!

by

Yes the Mic Will Be on Tonight
Becky McCray Will Be Our Guest Host!

The-most-marvelous-Becky-McCray
Join Us Tonight

We’re talking about fine alcoholic beverages.

We can talk about beer, wine, whiskey, scotch, cognac, brandy, bars, saloons, taverns, liquor stores in Oklahoma, and whatever else comes up.

Oh, and bring related links to share!

The rules are simple — be nice.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

Three Steps to an Intriguing Answer to “What Do You Do?”

by

SIMPLE SALES SERIES

Still The Decision Model

insideout logo

You’re at a party, a social. Someone walks up. You introduce yourselves. She offers her card and asks, “What do you do?”

The rest of the conversation and possible future business hinges on how you answer that question. Before you start consider the outcome you’re going for.

Many folks would tell you this is the time for your “elevator pitch.” I suggest that term might not be the best way to look at a relationship. Why don’t we say that an authentic conversation is our goal? After all, if you’re looking for potential clients, we want to know them well and for them to know us too.

Let’s look at how we might talk about ourselves without getting caught in that self-promotional loop.

Three Steps to an Intriguing Answer to “What Do You Do?”

Marketing and self-promotion are only difficult when we’re not inside what we’re talking about. When we’re fully-expressed in what we’re saying, the words come out as if we’re talking over a kitchen table to a close friend. So how do we get to the answer that is ourselves fully expressed, that says what we do?

It takes these three steps.

  • First Define It. Pull all of the ideas your message needs to communicate into a one sentence. Your ideas should include: your customer, the problem you solve, your unique approach or service, and should reflect your most powerful skill. Let that sentence sit for a few days.

    My first try was something like this: I spark discussions that get thinking businesses to engage their customers in beneficial conversation. (I know. I know.)

  • Then Refine It. Return to the sentence edit it down to shortest most conversational form. Consider the sound and meaning of each individual word. Use the simpler words when you can. Avoid buzz words and don’t try to say everything that you do — leave a little room for your listener’s imagination. When you’re happy with it, let the sentence rest again. If you get frustrated, leave the task and go back later. Take your time.

    I refined it to: I teach businesses how to turn strangers into fiercely loyal customer-friends.

    Hint: You’ll know that you’re at a good one when you can hear someone replying, “How do you do that?” After all the goal we established was to get a conversation started.

  • Then Make It Part of You. When you’re sure it’s done, practice saying the sentence until it rolls off your tongue. Keep practicing your answer until it becomes as easy as saying your name.

Everytime you say the sentence in answer to the question “What do you do?” listen and watch the response. Use that feedback to adapt it even more.

The idea is to have the answer inside and thought through before the question comes up. Then the self-conscious blues won’t get in the way of you being able to show your best thinking and skills to someone new.

Try on a few answers, if you’re not sure. Having a handful is better than being caught out without one.

What do you say when someone asks you, “What do you do?”

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Is your business stuck? Check out the Start-up Strategy Package. Work with Liz!!

Related
To follow the entire series: Liz Strauss’ Inside-Out Thinking to Building a Solid Business, see the Successful Series Page.

The W-List: Gathering a List of Outstanding Women Bloggers

by

Hear the Women

PR PowerWomen-logo

Meet some spectacular women in blogging.

ToddAnd made the Marketing Power150. It was built to offer some organization and respect to the wide world of marketing blogs. The Power 150, based on an algorithm of five ratings, is now a partnership between ToddAnd and AdAge.

Yesterday, Valeria Maltoni at Conversation Agent shared the list of Women’s PR blogs that was originally pulled from Todd’s list by Kami Huyse at Communications Overtones. Valeria points out the focus on and the power of male bloggers in the blogosphere.

The statistic Kami drew out is valid pretty much all over the place. Go to Fast Company Expert blogs where I post every Thursday and count the males and female bloggers — 26 to 6.

Are there truly 5+ to 1 men bloggers to women bloggers? Why should we care?

We should care because women are great at conversation, strategy, and writing. We should care for the same reason that no one should be overlooked.

So Valeria has made a suggestion.

Maybe we can start a W-List to help us all discover great blogs authored by women.

I’ve been exploring these blogs since yesterday. I’m proud to present them. I’m surprised at the one I didn’t know were out there. With that in mind, I’m passing on the entire list with these additions:

The W-List

I’ve incorporated the above blogs in the list.

Now the list seems to be filling out nicely. What women bloggers can you add?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Is your business stuck? Check out the Start-up Strategy Package. Work with Liz!!

The Mic Is On: We're Talking About Blog History . . .

by

It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

The Mic Is On

Here’s how it works.

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME.
The rules are simple — be nice.

There are always first timers and new things to talk about. It’s sort of half “Cheers” part “Friends” and part video game. You don’t know how much fun it is until you try it.

The History of Blogging!

Here’s a few ideas to get us started:

  • How blogging started
  • Personal Stories
  • Traditions
  • Facts

And, whatever else comes up, including THE EVER POPULAR, Basil the code-writing donkey.

Oh, and bring links about the history of blogging to share!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

Open Mic 7pm Chgo Time: Let's Talk About History!

by

Yes the Mic Will Be on Tonight

Join Us Tonight

Blog History . . .

We can talk about how blogging started, personal stories, traditions, facts, and whatever else comes up.

Oh, and bring links to blog history you want to share!

The rules are simple — be nice.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?