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The Secret to Making Money Online — or Anywhere!

August 13, 2008 by Liz 27 Comments

The Secret to Making Money Online — or Anywhere!

Working Plans logo

It works like this, and you don’t need to be famous.

1. If,

you have a product or service
that people with money actually want to buy

2. and . . .

you’re willing to do what it takes you to engage that group’s attention

3. and . . .

you can offer that group irresistible buying opportunities

4. and . . .

for which they are willing to pay more than it costs you to
research, make, build, buy, offer, advertise, sell, serve, and otherwise deliver
what they buy

then,

you will make money.

BONUS:

If you want to make more money:
Follow the above formula with more things they want to buy and more opportunities to buy them.

That’s the secret of how to make money anywhere.

Which step do you see people leave out most frequently?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!! SOBCon08 is May 2,3,4 in Chicago. Have a plan!! Register now!

Filed Under: Business Life, Strategy/Analysis, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, Biz School for Bloggers, make money online, sobcon08

The Beam Global Interview with Jason Falls Continues

June 11, 2008 by Liz Leave a Comment

A SERIES in the quest to know more about the offline world

Part 2 in A 2-Part Interview with Jason Falls

Recently, I asked Jason Falls, Social Media Explorer. if he’d check in with with Beam Global. to see whether we might share the story of their cultural switch to a social media relationship with their customers — as it started and as it goes through it’s life cycle. I’m delighted to say that everyone thought the idea was great way to let folks see how things are working — this is part two of the first of those interviews.

Hi Jason! Can you share some of the growth of the social media ideas from conception to final version, you’re calling “The Stuff Inside”?

The great thing about “The Stuff Inside” is that the concept about who we are and what we stand for was already in place before we fully developed the social media strategy. And, as you can tell, the concept is tailor made for the social media audience. Our research told us that the adult, male consumer of legal drinking age is tired of a fake world – he is looking for something genuine and authentic to hold on to. This parallels the same quest many social media users are on and why they’ve flocked to the web to get away from the mainstream media experience. So drafting some tactical compliments to “The Stuff Inside,” which allows people to be authentic, genuine and engage with one another and the brand, was almost easy.

I can’t say how impressed I am that you offered to have your work critiqued in an focus group of social media pros at SOBCon. Were you anxious to hear what they had to say? Did they say what you thought they would?

I was not only anxious, but nervous. The folks in that focus group are my peers. They do many of the same things I do and even one in particular (Chris Brogan) is a friend and professional hero of mine. To have them look at the campaign with constructive criticism was nerve racking. To make it worse, I couldn’t be there to hear the feedback first hand since my daughter was born the week before. Needless to say, I was a wreck that weekend down in Kentucky wondering what they had to say.

The good thing is that they said what I thought they would. They had positive feedback, a few minor criticisms here and there, but generally embraced it as well thought out. Perhaps an even better result of the weekend was that, by not being able to attend, J.J. Betts and Scott Kolbe from the Beam Team went in my stead and got to hear that feedback about our social media efforts from third party folks and not just me. It allowed them to verify that my ideas weren’t crazy and know that we were on the right track from a strategic standpoint. Shashi Bellamkonda’s video with J.J. bounced around the web a few days later and literally helped the Beam Team see that just participating in the conversation is a powerful act.

Is there more that you think we should know about the story of this social media endeavor and the Beam Global sponsorship at SOBCon?

We don’t think of “The Stuff Inside” as a campaign. This really is a change in how we behave as a brand and how we market our product. Instead of pushing bourbon, we’re helping people identify the qualities of our brand in themselves and others. Instigating and facilitating a greater conversation about character, integrity is our ultimate goal. This is a journey, not so much a destination. The community that participates at www.theTheStuffInside.com will have a lot of say in where we go next.

That, and we think Liz is fabulous. Thanks for welcoming us both at SOBCon and here.

—-
More to come as we report what happened when we shared the Beam Global social media plans with a few select folks at SOBCon08.

Thanks, Jason and Thanks, Beam!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Get your voice into the conversation!

You can read the first Beam Global Cultural Shift Interview here:
The Beam Global Cultural Switch to Social Media: How It Began

Filed Under: Interviews, Marketing /Sales / Social Media, Strategy/Analysis, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, Beam Global, Jason Falls, JJ Betts, sobcon08, social-media

The Beam Global Cultural Switch to Social Media: How It Began

June 9, 2008 by Liz Leave a Comment

A SERIES in the quest to know more about the offline world

A 2-Part Interview with Jason Falls

It was at SxSW that I finally metJason Falls, Social Media Explorer. It wasn’t hard to see that our ideas about business and relationships were of the same vintage. Not a surprise, I suppose that a saloonkeeper’s daughter would get along well with the guy who manages social media for the most prestigious international spirits distiller — Beam Global.

Beam Global Logo

Conversation turned to video — a video about SOBCon08, Biz School for Bloggers. Soon enough we were talking the places that SOBCon and Beam Global had mutual interests and goals — our conference on social media and business; their business and their new social media campaign. Jason proposed the idea to his clients, JJ Betts and Scott Kolbe. Beam Global became a SOBCon a fully participating sponsor/partner, just weeks before the soft launch of their first social media campaign.

I asked Jason Falls to check in with Beam last week to see whether we might tell the story of the campaign, both as it started and as it goes through it’s launch and life cycle. I’m delighted to say that Jason and JJ Betts both thought the idea was great way to open the curtain a bit and let folks see how things are working — with that I begin this series of interviews.

Hi Jason! How did your relationship with Beam Global begin? What sort of advertising and promotion were they doing? Why did they come to you and Doe Anderson?

I was a public relations account manager at Doe-Anderson for a while, but one who was constantly jumping up and down, yelling that more needed to be done in terms of social media strategy for our clients – blogging included. We offered social media programming from a PR perspective, but like a lot of agencies at the time, we didn’t have a great deal of takers.

Beam Global, which is the parent company for two of Doe’s signature clients — Maker’s Mark and Knob Creek (& Small Batch) bourbons — came to Todd Spencer, our CEO, and asked him to help them find what they were calling at the time an, “Internet Trends Analyst.” After a couple months of not really knowing who they were looking for, Todd finally put two and two together and realized that what I was yelling about was what Beam Global was asking for. After a quick meeting with Sam Seiller, the director of whiskeys for Beam, I had a new role.

Prior to my counsel on a number of the brands in the Beam Global portfolio, there were some small steps Beam needed to take in order to dive into the social media space. The brands were all playing in traditional advertising, both above and below the line, fostering a sense of community around their customer relationship management programs. My job was, and still is, to see to it that each brand gathers a group of brand enthusiasts through their social media efforts as well as open the lines of communications between the brands and their consumers.

I’ve always said that spirits companies are the most social, which would make the move into the social media space seem relatively easy. However, there are the always important legal restrictions for alcohol, wine and spirits advertising that make social media more of a challenge than one would expect. The good news is that the company is completely committed to new ways of thinking, particularly with this new Jim Beam effort.

How long had you worked together before you started to talk about the opportunities of social media? What was Beam Global’s initial reaction?

Since they came looking for them, right away. The folks at Beam knew they needed to play in the social media space in order to continue their 200-plus year heritage of being leaders in the spirits industry. “The Stuff Inside” effort is one of the first major social media efforts for the spirits industry

Were there long lists of ROI questions? What was the tipping point that made social media a positive direction?

ROI was, is and will forever be a huge question for brands in everything they do. However, Tom Flocco (Beam Global’s CEO) and Rory Finlay (Beam Global’s CMO) changed the way of thinking within Beam Global a little over a year ago when they launched the Beam Global Vision – To build brands people want to talk about. That opened the door for what we’re doing now with social media. While Beam Global is a big company and is used to many of the traditional measures and reporting that determine success, this new way of acting is from the top down. We want people talking about our brands, we want to listen to what they’re saying and respond and we want that activity to positively effect sales.

Jason, can you share some of the growth of the social media campaign from conception to final version?

The great thing about “The Stuff Inside” is that the concept about who we are and what we stand for was already in place before we fully developed the social media strategy. And, as you can tell, the concept is tailor made for the social media audience. Our research told us that the adult, male consumer of legal drinking age is tired of a fake world – he is looking for something genuine and authentic to hold on to. This parallels the same quest many social media users are on and why they’ve flocked to the web to get away from the mainstream media experience. So drafting some tactical compliments to “The Stuff Inside,” which allows people to be authentic, genuine and engage with one another and the brand, was almost easy.

—-
More from Jason on Wednesday, as we report what happened when we shared the Beam Global social media plans with a few select folks at SOBCon08.

Thanks, Jason and Thanks, Beam!

–ME “Liz”Strauss

Filed Under: Interviews, Marketing /Sales / Social Media, Strategy/Analysis, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, Beam Global, Jason Falls, JJ Betts, sobcon08, social-media

Seth's Book and Reaching the Reachable

May 29, 2008 by Liz Leave a Comment

Reaching You

The Living Web

During my trip to the UK, I was rereading “Meatball Sundae,” Seth’s book about the New Marketing. Certain pages have become thoughts that I like to share with folks who are new to the blogosphere. Seth’s book is one that folks helps bridge the gap to the blogosphere through a lens they understand.

Of course, I was rereading Seth’s book for me too. I find every time I revisit a favorite book with a new problem on my mind, something I hadn’t seen before shows itself to me there. Once again, that proved true. . . .

My thoughts were on how easy it is to have ideas and build products without knowing how to reach the customers those products will serve. My instinct kept pointing to the folks who sit right at our doors.

Do we overlook the customers we already know? Or do we surround ourselves with people doing the same things that we do?

My memory kept returning to Dave Bullock’s declaration at SOBCon08, “You have the community and the relationships . . . I want what you have.”

While reading, I stopped at a passage from Seth’s book (also on his blog)that shone brightly like it was brand new.

. . . start making products, services and stories that appeal to the reachable. Then do your best to build that group ever larger. Not by yelling at them, but by serving them.

Dave and Seth were saying the same thing. Recognize what you already have. Reach out to the folks you know. Make products and services for them.

In response to that idea, I started Models and Masterminds, and it’s getting a fine response. (woo!hoo!)

Glen Stansberry and Leo Babauta have launched an ebook publishing house for the folks they know best.

Reaching the reachable also means keeping fresh and keeping up with them . . .

Roger von Oech has published this generation’s

A Whack on the Side of the Head!

What new offer have you made to the reachable customers you already know? Go ahead. Promote it here.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Check out Models and Masterminds too

Filed Under: Business Life, Motivation, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, Models and Masterminds, sobcon08

SOBCon08: Badges, Subscriptions, Thank yous, and Biz School Mastermind Program

May 24, 2008 by Liz Leave a Comment

So Long 08, Here Comes 09!!

SOBCon08 Logo50

Now that I have a moment to reflect, I’m overwhelmed by the people who contributed to make SOBCon08, Biz School for Bloggers, the first of it’s kind. Not every moment came off without a hitch, but we were all on the same side of the table, pulling the same direction. How cool is that?!!

This weekend we’ll have finished going through the email lists and sponsor subscription offers so that we can send out the codes for you to sign up for pro accounts next week to those who attended. That email will include other news so watch for it.

Meanwhile I wanted to share a few badges with you to say “Thanks for the memories.” Feel free to “steal” one for your blog. I’ll be putting them in the SOBCon blog sidebar as well.

SOBCon08 See you in 09 badge

SOBCon08 I Was There badge

SOBCon08 I was a speaker badge

The Thank Yous

Thank you to the speakers who brought what they know without holding back. The content offer was 10 to the 23rd power higher than the price of admission. You all did that.

  • Anita Bruzzese
  • Brian Clark
  • Lorelle VanFossen
  • Chris Garrett
  • Chris Brogan
  • Dave Bullock
  • and Wendy Piersall

Thank you to our generous sponsors and partners.

  • WordPress
  • Utterz
  • Network Solutions
  • Beam Global
  • BuzzLogic logo
  • b5media
  • THC logo
  • Blog Catalog
  • Chitika
  • PlanteMoran Financial Advisers
  • Proforma logo
  • Wiley
  • Chicago Hearing Society
  • Jiffle
  • E-junkie
  • AdRefinery logo
  • Blogger & Podcaster
  • Summit Executive Center

And, of course, THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE ATTENDEES who’s ideas and participation really made the event what it was.

Introducing the Models and MasterMinds Group

Models and Masterminds

For those who couldn’t attend and for those who would like to extend the experience, I’m forming a limited mastermind group. The mastermind group program will cover the SOBCon08, Biz School for Bloggers, content in depth and extend it in detail to fit your business. This is an opportunity to learn solid business models, make an immediately actionable plan, and form deep networking relationships with a support group that will help you move your business forward.

The first Biz School for Bloggers mastermind group of five starts June 16. Other projects limit the space I can offer. Email me now if you want to participate –> lizsun2 at gmail.com.

Watch for other offers.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Focus your business like never before. Join the MasterMind Program with Liz!!

Filed Under: Inside-Out Thinking, SOB Business, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, Biz School for Bloggers, sobcon08

A Turning Point, a Realization, and Time to Take Back the Keys

May 19, 2008 by Liz Leave a Comment

The Turning Point

The Living Web

SOBCon08 had a different effect on each person who attended. It had a stunning impact on me.

A most interesting and pivotal decision came my way on Saturday, May 3rd. The conference I planned was not holding to schedule — I had planned too much to fit in too little time. It was a risk I took come to haunt me. As the day wore on, I realized something had to give. One choice presented itself as the best. I would give up my speaker’s slot. It was the only way to put the conference back on track.

At the time, I knew exactly what the choices were: choose to speak or choose for the event. I chose not to speak, knowing that people who attended for the first time would leave with an incomplete picture of who I am and what I do.

I’ve been tracking the impact of that decision. It’s been there in the blog posts and the comments about SOBCon this year.

I hit a turning point in my life.

The Realization

The part that was harder to face was the realization that had I been fully engaged as a leader, I never would have faced that choice at all. The conference would have had more of my hand behind it and more of voice in it on that day.

I knew what to do, but I didn’t do it, because ghosts from my past got in the way.

Who are ghosts to get in my way?

The clear message of SOBCon was that it’s time to step to the plate. Our blogs, our businesses have to be about serving our customers, but that can’t be at the cost of ourselves.

We each have to own our future. I’ve reflected hard on that thought these past two weeks. Today I’m taking back the keys. I’m walking my own path, shining my light on what I know worth sharing, turning off the noise that gets in the way. I’ll be bringing the most meaningful business and life conversations to this blog now — rather than keeping them behind the scenes.

It’s no longer my father’s saloon. The bar is still open. This time the drinks are on me.

What will you have?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Filed Under: SOB Business, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, Biz School for Bloggers, sobcon08

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