Grab a FREE copy of Lisa Buyer's Book Here

The Instagram Conundrum

Is Instagram the Right Place for Financial Advice?

We address the burning question: Why is financial advice on Instagram not always as savvy as it seems? Dive into the potential pitfalls of seeking financial guidance on social media platforms and the lack of IRS guidance.

Relying on Expertise

Discover why it's crucial to rely on intuition and seek advice from reputable CPAs and consultants for making sound financial decisions in a digital age.

Grab a FREE copy of Lisa Buyer's Book Here

Navigating Financial Waters

Deductibility of Expenses

We leave no stone unturned when discussing the deductibility of expenses and how it impacts your financial strategy.

Building the Right Team

Explore the key considerations for hiring the right people to manage your finances effectively.

The Path to Success

The Importance of Financial Literacy

Learn why financial literacy is the cornerstone of success, especially for immigrants chasing the American Dream.

Adding Some Fun

Light-Hearted Anecdotes

Amidst all the serious talk, we sprinkle in some fun anecdotes and stories to keep things engaging.

ASK Sherron the Savvy CPA, Anything! Click here.

Conclusion

Whether you're an entrepreneur, PR professional, or just starting out in your career, this episode is a must-listen. Get ready to level up your financial game and make those smart money moves. Tune in now to our latest episode of Lisa Buyer SPS - SHARED: "Smart Money Matters for Marketers with Savvy CPA Sherron and Lisa - Why Financial Advice Instagram Is Not Always Savvy Do Your Own Research." Let's do this!

ASK Sherron the Savvy CPA, Anything! Click here.

In this episode of The Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer welcomes her friend Hustle and Flowchart host Joe Fier as a guest. They discuss their experiences with podcasting and how it intersects with PR and marketing. Joe shares insights about his podcast, Hustle and Flowchart, and how it has evolved.

Grab a FREE copy of Lisa Buyer's Book Here

They also explore the importance of networking, the role of technology in podcasting, and their detour into the world of Web Three and cryptocurrency. This behind-the-scenes conversation provides valuable insights and takeaways for anyone interested in podcasting and PR.

• The Power of Podcasting as a Networking Tool

• Evolution of Hustle and Flowchart and Monetization Strategies

• The Detour into Web Three and Crypto4. Challenges and Successes of Pivoting the Podcast

• Embracing Technology and Innovation in Podcasting

• Grab a FREE copy of Lisa Buyer's Book Here

In this behind-the-scenes episode, Joe Fier and Lisa Buyer provide valuable insights into podcasting and its intersection with PR. They share their experiences, challenges, and successes, highlighting the power of networking, the importance of experimentation, and the role of technology in podcasting and marketing. Whether you're a seasoned podcaster or just starting, this episode offers valuable lessons for maximizing the impact and potential of your podcast.

Resources:

Future Tools - AI tools and resources from Joe Fier's former co-host, Matt Wolf

16-Step Checklist For Harnessing Podcasting To Capture Qualified Leads & Grow Your Sales

Connect with Joe Fier: 

Website - https://hustleandflowchart.com/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joefier/

Connect with Lisa Buyer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabuyer/

Grab a FREE copy of Lisa Buyer's Book Here

Grab a FREE copy of Lisa Buyer's Book Here

Together, they dive into embracing imperfections and focusing on becoming your best, true self. Lisa and Navah highlight the idea of continuous improvement and learning from past experiences.

They emphasize that nobody is perfect, but we can all strive to become better versions of ourselves. Acknowledging our imperfections can shed light on areas where we can grow and develop. Throughout the episode, Lisa and Navah delve into the role of personal growth in various aspects of life, including public relations, branding, marketing, entrepreneurship, and professional growth.

They emphasize that taking care of oneself should be a priority in order to achieve success in these areas.

- 5 Key Lessons:

1. Take care of yourself and make it a priority.

2. Consider different realities and practice empathy towards others.

3. Create space, both physically and mentally, for personal and professional growth.

4. Manage communication effectively by taking a breath before responding or sending a message.

5. Embrace continuous improvement and learn from personal growth experiences.

Grab a FREE copy of Lisa Buyer's Book Here

Follow Navah Berg on LinkedIn and Instagram

1. Have you ever struggled with detaching from negative energy and attaching to positive energy? How did you handle it?

2. What are some ways you can practice the law of detachment in your personal and professional life?

3. How do you feel about the idea of using art, such as painting, as a practice of detachment? Have you ever tried it?

4. Have you ever used journaling as a way to detach from negative thoughts and emotions? If so, did you find it helpful?

5. What are some boundaries you have set for yourself or others to maintain a positive mindset and detach from negativity?

Lisa Buyer's Introduction

Lisa starts the episode by discussing the importance of detachment and shares a thought-provoking quote: "By detaching from the outcome, you can be certain of its manifestation." She acknowledges the difficulty of not being attached to outcomes in the PR and marketing world, but emphasizes the need to practice detachment.

Digital Detox and Reset

Lisa reveals that she took a break from her podcast and work to reset and reinvent herself. She emphasizes the need to change direction and detach from habits that may be holding us back from happiness and growth. Lisa shares her personal journey and encourages listeners to consider detaching from negative outcomes and embracing change.

Grab a FREE copy of Lisa Buyer's Book Here

 
The Art of Detachment

Lisa discusses various practices she has adopted to detach from negative energy. One method she shares is the creative act of painting. Without overthinking, she encourages listeners to take a blank canvas and experiment with different colors and layers. Emphasizing the importance of creativity and productivity, Lisa explains how this practice can help relax the brain and stimulate positive energy.

Grab a FREE copy of Lisa Buyer's Book Here

Journaling for Detachment

Lisa introduces the practice of journaling as another effective tool for detaching from negative energy. She shares how she uses list-making as a form of journaling to sort out positive and negative energies in her life. By identifying the people, activities, and experiences that bring joy or negativity, listeners can gain clarity and detach from negative influences.

Setting Boundaries for Self-Care

Lisa urges listeners to set boundaries in their personal and professional lives. She emphasizes that setting boundaries is not about cutting people out of your life, but rather about prioritizing self-care and creating a positive environment. Lisa advises listeners to take time for themselves and establish healthy boundaries with family members and other close relationships.

Conclusion
Detaching from negative energy and attaching to positive energy is a practice that requires conscious effort. Lisa encourages listeners to embrace change, explore creative outlets, and prioritize self-care. By doing so, we can detach from negative outcomes and create a more positive and fulfilling life.

Grab a FREE copy of Lisa Buyer's Book Here

Tune in to this episode of Social PR Secrets for more insights on detaching from negative energy and attaching to positive energy in both your personal and professional life. Don't miss Lisa Buyer's secrets for embracing positivity.

Grab a FREE copy of Lisa Buyer's Book Here

 Get on Lisa Buyer's List Today - Subscribe to All Her Favorite Secrets

Here is a quick skim of what to expect in this snackable and actionable episode

Introduction

- Welcome back to Social PR Secrets after a year-long hiatus.

- Lisa Buyer, the host, took time off to reset, reinvent, and learn.

Why the Break? Lisa Buyer Explains.

- The importance of slowing down to move forward.

- Transition from agency life to sharing knowledge with the masses.

- Creation of the online course "Modern PR Secrets."

---

Modern PR Secrets Course

- Focus on trending topics in emerging technology related to PR.

- Leveraging SEO, social media, AR, VR, and AI.

- The need to stay updated in the fast-evolving world of PR and marketing.

Get on Lisa Buyer's List Today - Subscribe to All Her Favorite Secrets

---

Evolution of PR and Marketing

- Comparison of the static nature of PR & marketing in the past vs. its rapid evolution now.

- Introduction of search engines and social media platforms changed the game.

- The importance of adapting to earn media using emerging technologies.

---

Lisa's Journey in the Past Year

- Reinventing oneself is crucial, using Madonna as an example.

- Introduction to Lisa's side brand, "Female Disruptors."

  - A platform to feature women disrupting their industries.

  - Virtual summits, themed events, and more to help women achieve their goals.

  - Transitioning focus to women in PR, marketing, and branding.

---

Continuous Learning and Evolution

- Lisa's experience becoming a meta-certified lead trainer for small businesses.

- The importance of certifications and continuous learning.

- Encouragement to explore certifications outside one's primary field.

---

Podcasting and Social PR Secrets

- The podcast's origin from Lisa's book "Social PR Secrets."

- The power of podcasting for earned media and brand journalism.

- Collaboration with Joe Fier on the power of podcasting.

---

Meta Business Suite

- A time-saving dashboard to manage Facebook and Instagram.

- Features: scheduling, drafting content, team collaboration, and more.

Get on Lisa Buyer's List Today - Subscribe to All Her Favorite Secrets

---

Digital Asset Management

- Lisa's experience with getting locked out of her Meta accounts.

- The importance of monitoring accounts and responding to verification requests.

- Tips for non-profits and organizations to manage digital assets.

---

Digital Detox and Staying Informed

- Importance of staying vigilant and recognizing fraudulent communications.

- The value of taking breaks and resets.

---

Conclusion

- Emphasis on growth, evolution, and optimization.

- Life's ups and downs are part of the journey.

- Invitation for listeners to join Lisa's email list for exclusive workshops.

In wrapping up this enlightening episode, it's evident that the PR world is ever-evolving, demanding adaptability, continuous learning, and a keen sense of the digital landscape. 

Lisa Buyer's insights serve as a beacon for professionals navigating these waters, emphasizing the importance of reinvention, staying updated, and harnessing emerging technologies. 

As we anticipate more from "Social PR Secrets," this episode sets the tone for a season filled with invaluable takeaways and industry secrets. Stay tuned and stay informed! 

Get on Lisa Buyer's List Today - Subscribe to All Her Favorite Secrets

In this episode Lisa Buyer talks about

• Why I’m taking a hiatus from podcast recordings 
• The successful outcome of the Female Disruptors Virtual Summit
• More on journals and writing sh*t down- work flow success and especially relationship journals, celebrating Valentine’s Day and beyond
• Collaborations and community is the new PR 3.0
• Boss Beauties NFT collection reveal
• Female Disruptors NFT collection is in production
• Defi and how you can learn https://www.littlemight.com/articles/2021-review
• Whitney Freya Creativity Coaching Program
• Clickz Collectives
• Apprentice, Internship and positions available to work with me - email lbuyer@thebuyergroup with subject line Apprentice with Passion
• Discord Community Manager opportunity -  email lbuyer@thebuyergroup with subject line Community Manager 3.0 is my calling
• Why passion and happiness matter most in what you do and your job

Added bonus - explanation 

Question: Why is Lisa's left brain taking a break? 

Answer: Because my right brain has been on 90% “on hold” since I was 21 years old 

Left brain and right brain background

The theory is that people are either left-brained or right-brained, meaning that one side of their brain is dominant. If you’re mostly analytical and methodical in your thinking, you’re said to be left-brained. If you tend to be more creative or artistic, you’re thought to be right-brained.

This theory is based on the fact that the brain’s two hemispheres function differently. This first came to light in the 1960s, thanks to the research of psychobiologist and Nobel Prize winner Roger W. Sperry.

The left brain is more verbal, analytical, and orderly than the right brain. It’s sometimes called the digital brain. It’s better at things like reading, writing, and computations.

According to Sperry’s dated research, the left brain is also connected to:

• logic
• sequencing
• linear thinking
• mathematics
• facts
• thinking in words

The right brain is more visual and intuitive. It’s sometimes referred to as the analog brain. It has a more creative and less organized way of thinking.

Sperry’s dated research suggests the right brain is also connected to:

• imagination
• holistic thinking
• intuition
• arts
• rhythm
• nonverbal cues
• feelings visualization
• daydreaming

Source https://www.healthline.com/health/left-brain-vs-right-brain#left-brainright-brain-theory

What does your 2022 plan look like? Do you even have a written plan?

Whether you are a personal or business brand, we all need a plan. 

This ‘plan’ is specifically designed for not just the year -  it is your plan for each month, week, day, and hour.

It needs to be in writing.

A plan is on a real piece of paper, using a pen or pencil, one that you love.

The paper is part of a notebook you open up each day and write in like it’s your job (because it is).

There is an art and science of keeping a notebook, journal, planner. In this episode, I talk about my method to my madness of keeping a daily notebook, my past year in review, and how I am planning for 2022.

What does your planner look like? Is it digital or physical?

Topics in this PR Disruptor episode

• Why a planner?
• Extra encouragement
• Can’t rely on digital 
• Pens
• Improve daily habits and success
• Accountability

PR Disruptor Mantras

Getting it done is always better than getting it perfect 

Invest in good tools that can save your time and money 

What I like about my daily journal 

• Every sheet is a new day - it’s like a diary
• It makes me feel accomplished
• It helps me remember 
• Writing things down helps
• I add goals and notes
• I use colored pens

What I don’t like about it

It’s a mix of personal and business

I have to leaf through pages to find things

Types of PR Disruptors Journals

• Disruptor’s Planner
• Notebooks
• Journals
• Notes in Notes 

Styles of PR Disruptor Journals

• Lined
• Dots
• Blank pages 
• Spiral
• Bound
• I like my journal spiral to lay flat
• Before The Disruptor’s Planner, I loved the Ban.do journals

PR Disruptor Lessons by Ai Addyson

Try to not get overwhelmed by even the simplest of tasks, don't force yourself to do it any way but ask yourself what's the root cause so you can address the elephant in the room.

Example Affirmations

• I am exactly where I am supposed to be 
• Feeling so thankful

Analysis Paralysis to Avoid 

• Don’t want to write something and mess it up 
• Need to just do it
• If you write it down you might actually make it happen - you are afraid of success - this is called self-sabotage.

What you can do RIGHT NOW to successfully disrupt 2022?

1. Go back the last 12 months and for each month write out the top three positive things and top three negative things that sum up each event
2. Sign up for Elliot Roe’s The 10 Days To A Primed 2022 Challenge 

Hosted by Elliot Roe, the world-renowned performance coach and voice of Primed Mind, 10 Days To A Primed 2022 gives you the tools to take back control of the trajectory of your life. 

It creates massive momentum to start the year and gives you confidence that you'll wake up each morning and make progress on becoming the best version of yourself. 

When you join the challenge, you decide that 2022 is the year you do things differently. You decide to take your success and happiness into your own hands. You decide to live the life and become the person you know you're capable of becoming.

What does your 2022 look like - review your 2021 first.

'Accomplished' and

'Destructive'

Those were my 2 words for 2020 - I am working on my 2021 In Review and will share more next week.

Sources - https://thestrive.co/write-down-your-goals/

Well as I recorded this episode I am quarantined with my husband and daughter in Jupiter, Fl - things did not quite turn out like we thought this week - just like 2021. 

In survival mode, raw and a little shaken and stirred.

All ready to move forward - then sideways, then backward, we had blinders on (at least some of), then we had our head in the sand (or some of us), then we wanted to rip our masks off (most of us), we wanted to travel (I think all of us), to hug, and then we all seemed to suffer burnout and fatigue. 

Here’s a recap of the most popular Social PR Secrets in 2021 according to analytics and the ones YOU liked the best and then I added a few of my favorites to prepare you for 2022.

2021 Episodes

Megan Foster: How to Pitch E-Commerce Editors

Tips on Pitching to a Publication

Megan Foster says you can pitch to any type of writer or editor, no matter how influential. She used to receive over 200 pitches a day. How do you make your pitch stand out? Here are Megan’s top tips.

#1. Your subject line needs to be on point

The header of your pitch email should grab the editor or writer’s attention. Words like best, new, trendy hold no meaning. Instead, be specific or use numbers.

#2. Use images

Images of the product will tell the editor what you’re about right away. It also gives them a better understanding of their audience’s reaction to ie, explains Megan.

#3. The 20-second rule

All the important information in your pitch needs to be at the top.

#4. Include some details

If an editor picks your product, they’ll appreciate having details already researched for them.

#5. If you are going to personalize the pitch, get the name right

Yes, really. Don’t forget to remove [Insert Editor’s Name Here].

#6. Get to know the person you’re pitching to

It’s essential to tell the writer you have read their articles. But don’t pitch something they’ve already written about! 

These are all crucial tips, and this episode contains way more. You don’t want to miss it from pitching CBD products to upcoming social media trends and Megan’s take on influencer culture!

“When you’re pitching editors, make sure there’s a story component.” – Megan Foster. i.e.

Modern PR Myths, Musts, and Mantras

Digital PR vs. Digital Advertising

While almost all companies are willing to splurge on advertising, few understand that digital PR is another central element of a successful business. However, for digital PR to work, brands need more than money. They need to understand the process takes time; they should communicate and cooperate with their agency and keep their expectations realistic.

Once you’ve understood that, digital PR will surprise you in more ways than one. Unlike advertising, PR positively affects every part of the funnel. And unlike advertising, PR offers sustained rewards over time. In short, PR gives brands what they can’t buy in ads. This includes:

• Thought leadership
• Credibility
• Third-party endorsements
• Community
• Relationships
• Impact
• Low budget/no budget is needed. 

Top 3 PR Myths, Busted

Myth #1. PR is only measured in numbers

Myth #2. Only big companies do social listening 

Myth #3. The best PR pros live in LA and New York

Brands should keep in mind they’re looking for talent, not location. The best professionals can now be found all over the country – and the world!

Want to know what other myths are the most common? Listen to the episode to find out!

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• Digital PR
• Pitching journalists 
• SEO
• PR strategy
• Intelligence tools
• Mantras

“Publicity is absolutely critical. A good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front-page ad.” – Richard Branson, British business magnate and founder of the Virgin Group.

“If I only had two dollars left, I would spend one dollar on PR.” — Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft.

Lisa Buyer on Life Lessons, Transitions and Resets

Some Topics Discussed In This 2021 Episode Include:

• Replace Survival Mode with a Digital Detox
• Entrepreneurial Burnout Relief
• #DumbestDecisionEver
• Life Lessons
• Highlights and Lowlights of Business and Personal Life
• Mental Health Awareness
• Red Flags for Business Owners to Consider
• Cutting Ties with the Negative
• The Key To Happiness: Authentic Self-Expression
• Connect with Lisa Buyer:

Jeanne Jennings: Email Should Be Part of Your Strategy

“Email is dead.” Or, “Email is making a comeback.” Whatever your opinion, email has always been a crucial part of any PR and marketing strategy. Learn all about using email for your business, agency, or clients from Email Optimization Shop’s Jeanne Jennings.

Mandy McEwen’s LinkedIn PR Secrets For Brands of Any Size

Did the LinkedIn bubble burst? Not a chance. Mandy McEwen is the secret weapon for mastering the LinkedIn algorithm, optimizing your area of specialization, and maximizing exposure, engagement, and content strategy.

Bruce Clay on Hiring SEO Specialists, Link Mentions, and How You Attribute to Google's Success

Some Topics Discussed in this episode include:

• The Father of SEO
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Experts
• Bruce Clay SEO Training Classes
• How Press Releases Work
• Authoritative Links
• Organic/Blue Links
• No-Follow Links
• Google Search Engine
• Pay Per Click
• Google Ads

10 PR Secrets to Boost Exposure, Energy, Sleep and Save Time by Lisa Buyer

Lisa’s Favorite Things on the Metaverse:

• AI for designers. Improve low-quality images with one click using AI. Let’s Enhance or Remove backgrounds and photobombs from any image or Turn any image into a website.
• Repurpose Secret Tool. Turn your podcast into an EBook or Newsletter. 
• Adweek’s #Metaverse Marketing podcast dropped hosted by Cathy Hackl! She dives into Metaverse tips brands need to know when it comes to advertising, marketing, and also public relations.
• A Brand’s Guide to the Metaverse by Alan Smithson

Public Relations Secret #2: Digital Detox Secrets for Energy and Women.

• Reported in 2020 Stress in AmericaTM surveys since April, “84% of adults reported feeling at least one emotion associated with prolonged stress in the prior two weeks. 
• Start your day with the best possible brain from mind, body, and spirit!
• Improve life force energy and relieve stress. I was honored to meet Lee Holden last week and took two Qi Gong classes taught by him. Subscribe to his YouTube channel.
• New Book: Crushing My Beast – Sober since February 12, 2021, and more than 18,000 followers on LinkedIn, Founder of Sober Stitch Chris Moran publishes ‘Crushing My Beast.’ to Follow him and watch how he used LinkedIn to spread sobriety.

Kassie Meiler on Pubcon Florida 2021, Brilliant Marketing Tips, E-A-Ts and Vibes

Pubcon 2021

• Expertise Authority Trust (EAT)
• Neuroscience Marketing and Ad Copy
• Liking and Unity Principle
• How PR and Ad Budget Has Changed During COVID-19
• The Chain of Communication
• Utilizing Influencers During a Crisis
• Keywords and Hashtags for Organic Exposure
• Subscribing to Google Alerts
• The iOS14 Update and Facebook Marketing
• Social Proof and Testimonials
• The Ultimate Brief Template

Former Facebook Employee, Adam Risbridger, Reveals How to Beat the Ads Algorithm

Some topics Adam discusses in this episode include:

• Facebook ads
• Facebook pixel
• Video ads
• Website optimization

The Art of Persuasion, the Offer and the Experience With Brandon Smits

In this episode, Brandon talks about:

• Develop Content that Creates Emotion
• Organic / Paid Search
• Social Media as an Organic Approach
• The Art of Persuasion
• Marketing Sauce
• Understanding Whether Your Content is Working
• Data v. Gut Piece
• Automation and SMS Marketing
• Tips on Generating Conversions
• Brandon’s Business Model
• Creating the Best B2B & Agency Experience
• Advice on Bottlenecks
• Marketing Accessibility Interface Platform
• What’s Working with Paid Seach
• Nurturing the Sales Process
• Timing is Everything
• SEO

Bonus 2021 Faves 

Cathy Hackl Live From NFT BZL

In this episode, Cathy and Lisa talk about

• The first Metaverse agency of record- Cathy Hackl closed the deal – learn what that means
• Creating a Metaverse strategy and what this looks like today!
• The PR Metaverse – what brands and PR pros need to know and grow
• Decentralization and what that means as why it’s important
• Women and NFTs, the opportunities, and why now is the time
• Steps to take now even if you know nothing
• How purchasing an NFT is just the beginning – what does Cathy Hackl think?

Female Disruptors Virtual Summit Announces Speakers, NFTs, and Early Registration Perks

The Female Disruptors Virtual Summit

Unlike physical conferences where you can end up sitting through the content you just don’t need, Female Disruptors Virtual Summit is delivered entirely online. Dip in and watch the specific talks you need to transform your business or catch them all. It’s up to you!

Our experts will be sharing their years of knowledge, strategies, and tactics. If you’re focused on launching or growing your business, we’ve got you covered.

Female Disruptors Featured Keynotes

Rhonda Britten – Emmy Award-winner, repeat Oprah guest, TedX speaker – Rhonda has devoted her life to one thing: to teach you how to master fear.

Katie Wells – Bestselling Author of The Wellness Mama Cookbook. Host of the award-winning Wellness Mama Podcast Named by greatist.com as one of the 100 most influential people in health and wellness along with Dr. Oz, Dr. Mercola, Food Babe, and Tim Ferriss

Cathy Hackl – As seen on 60 Minutes, Time, Vogue, Bloomberg, and More. Chief Metaverse Officer/Strategist | Dean of Republic Realm Academy |Thinkers50 Radar|Linkedin Top Voice| Keynote Speaker| NFTs Virtual Worlds & Fashion AR VR Holograms| Media Personality |

Ai Addyson – Education disruptor and founder of the Disruptor’s Planner.

Whitney Freya  – Inspired Living Expert, Artist, Author. She helps businesswomen discover their Magic.

Grab the hottest ticket in town here!

We call all genders and ages looking to give, share, coach, inspire and cultivate. We want to pay it forward and tap into women’s wisdom regardless of age, status, race, and gender. 

 “I want to help generations cross over and learn from each other.” -Lisa Buyer

Pascale Dube’s Communication Secrets to Coach Parents with Teens

Some topics in this episode include:

• Pascale’s Journey to Communications Coaching 
• Growing Up at an Early Age
• Working For a Narcissist
• Shifting From Corporate Coaching to Family Coaching
• Being a Teenager in this Digital Age
• Social Media Has Caused a Disconnect
• Human History is a Pendulum
• Targeting an Untapped Niche
• How to Be Authentic on Social Media
• Takeaways From JVology: A Community of Networking Professionals
• Creating a Facebook Page
• Hosting Facebook Lives  
• Writing a Supplemental Book For Your Business
• Communications Coaching Services
• Pascale’s Event Services

Mike Toner with a PR Forecast: Web 3.0 is in the Air!

In this episode, Mike Toner talks about

• How he left his PR 2.0 life at Business Week  after ten years and took a leap of faith out of the corporate world and to the startup world and Web 3.0
• Search and Social
• Digital Marketing
• Buying and selling NFTs
• CryptoCurrency
• Blockchain technology 
• Building a community and incentivizing the community through rewards
• Bored Apes
• Adidas and Nike NFT collaborations
• Farfetch platform solutions: Virtual Try-on campaign
• Alt Space VR
• Immersive shopping experiences
• Tips on Discord: getting started
• User experience on Web 3

Well, that’s a wrap to the most popular podcast episodes and my faves in 2021. What will 2022 bring? Indeed the metaverse continues to develop, and so should your brand’s metaverse strategy. I hope for less burnout and more opportunities to connect us with joy. You can be sure I am voting for equal pay, reversing ageism, being a change agent, and tapping into positive energy and the wealth of health and happiness. 

Today Mike Toner and Lisa Buyer discuss what brands, marketers, PR pros, and entrepreneurs need to brace themselves and future-proof the fashion of community, collaboration, creativity, and merging our digital world with physical worlds.

Mike Toner is the Chief Marketing Officer at Threedium, a 3D/ AR. 

The global platform for the luxury fashion industry, FARFETCH, has released a 3D digital fashion editorial series for Burberry-powered Threedium. The campaign uses Threedium’s 3D & AR engine to deliver an innovative and immersive experience that drives engagement.

“We are bringing a web 2.0 experience to a 3D world; you are able to swirl around, zoom in, and see the fibers on the fabric.  That’s the kind of work that we are doing, bridging the gap between web 2.0 and web 3D.” 

In this episode, Mike Toner talks about

• Search and Social
• Digital Marketing
• Buying and selling NFTs
• CryptoCurrency
• Blockchain technology 
• Building a community and incentivizing the community through rewards
• Bored Apes
• Adidas and Nike NFT collaborations
• Farfetch platform solutions: Virtual Try-on campaign
• Alt Space VR
• Immersive shopping experiences
• Tips on Discord: getting started
• User experience on Web 3

“There’s no faking it in this web 3.0 world; everything is transparent…share your work, and if it’s good, people will see it.” 

As mentioned in this interview

Build the 3D internet now

Burberry x Farfetch x Threedium

Mike Toner Twitter 

Mike Toner LinkedIn

Threedium LinkedIn

FarFetch 

In this solo episode of Social PR Secrets, Lisa dives into her 21 favorite things of December from Web 3.0, NFTs, Crypto Coins, Designs by Lisa, to Female Disruptor Summit News, and more.

Lisa’s Favorite Female Focused NFT’s:

World of Women. A collection of unique, cool, and diverse women, ready to leave a mark in the NFT space!

Desperate Ape Wives. The Desperate Housewives”, DAW is a collection of 10,000 Desperate ApeWives NFTs. With signature red lips, each Ape Wife is not only a fantastic fine art but also an exclusive DAW membership card. 

Boss Beauties. Mission to educate and empower the next generation of Women and Girls. 

Let Her Speak NFT Series of 40, with at least half being given to women who are passionately speaking up on Clubhouse. This one is for you!

Female Disruptors News

Wanna hear from Cathy Hackl on The Female Metaverse? Find out what you need to know and what to wear here.

Don’t forget to grab your Female Disruptors Virtual Summit VIP ticket here! 

Once you get this ticket you'll receive forever access to the replays of the event, access to networking sessions, community opportunities, exclusive encore events, and early access to the Female Disruptors NFT collection! You'll also be entered into a grand prize giveaway. Early Bird Special - November VIP tickets include a free download of the book, Digital Detox Secrets by Lisa Buyer.

Want More?

In this episode, Gary Henderson talks about

• Just released! The Clubhouse Creator Book: Growing an audience, building a relationship, and monetizing that audience. 
• How he discovered Clubhouse less than a year ago and its impact
• Discord Do’s and Don’ts
• Gary’s Marketing Conference and his Creative Moments in South Beach 
• Social Networks and Communities
• NFTs: the mainstream world loves the Metaverse and Centralization
• Gary.Club
• $Gary Coins
• Funding Business through Crypto Coins
• Giraffe Tower for Creators: NFT
• TIKTOK Lives: creators making money via coins

Gary Henderson on Discord and Gamifying Business

“So Discord is nothing but a Facebook Group that has a couple of extra bells and whistles, but it's kind of the same. It's a social network.

It streamlines a community build, and it gives you some velvet ropes that you can hold things behind. So like in my community, for example, I have coffee every single morning, but you have to have one of my Gary coins, a cryptocurrency in order to get it. So you, you can get in the community, you can hang out there, but you can't get coffee without having a Garry coin.”

The Key to Creator Coins like $Gary Coins

• Have a steady stream of new people interested in you
• Find people who want to hold that token
• Make a reason for someone to give the token back to you

Tips from Gary’s “The Clubhouse Community” 

• Build a 1:many relationship with your audience.
• Create your own rooms in Clubhouse: this eliminates the intimidation, you can create your own vibe and voice.
• Spend 90% of your clubhouse time with the microphone. Social Audio is key. 

As mentioned in this interview

Gary’s Discord Community

Gary’s Book The Clubhouse Community

Follow Gary on LinkedIn 

GARY CLUB

In this episode Cathy Hackl talks about

• The first Metaverse agency of record- Cathy Hackl closed the deal - learn what that means
• Creating a Metaverse strategy and what this looks like today!
• The PR Metaverse - what brands and PR pros need to know and grow
• Decentralization and what that means ams why it’s important
• Women in the metaverse, the opportunities and why now is the time
• Steps to take now even if you know nothing
• How purchasing of an NFT is just the beginning

Titles of the today and future

Terms and Words to Think about

Lisa dreamt up the name “Female Disruptors” while amidst a yoga session. 

Instantly she had to see if the domain name was available for purchase. 

She fled her yoga class and actually purchased the domain name in the parking lot in front of her yoga studio... The rest is history! 

Female Disruptors is a passion project that Lisa started a couple years ago during the MeToo Movement. 

She launched the online publication in March 2019 featuring the first ever Female Disruptor, Charlene Li. 

“Females don't get the spotlight in a positive way as much as we should. We are underserved when it comes to positive exposure and lifting us up compared to men.” -Lisa Buyer

Fast forward to present time Lisa has interviewed over 60 Female Disruptors in her Female Disruptor Online Magazinewhether its in marketing, technology, their industry, mental health or parent hood. 

Lisa is NOW ready to host speakers, brands, and attendees to cultivate and create a new beginning through the First official Female Disruptors Virtual Summit on January 19, 2021. 

AND SO the countdown begins…

ABOUT Female Disruptors

Lisa Buyer curates the 25+ top female disruptors across every generation to share advice, success, and failure. Keynotes include Cathy Hackl and Katie Wells. 

GenZ can teach Boomers a thing or two. Millennials can reach down and up to learn and share experiences and pitfalls. Boomers have priceless wisdom.

The Female Disruptors Virtual Summit

Unlike physical conferences where you can end up sitting through the content you just don't need, Female Disruptors Virtual Summit is delivered entirely online. Dip in and watch the specific talks you need to transform your business or catch them all. It’s up to you!

Our experts will be sharing their years of knowledge, strategies, and tactics. If you’re focused on launching or growing your business we've got you covered.

Female Disruptors Featured Keynotes

Rhonda Britten - Emmy Award-winner, repeat Oprah guest, TedX speaker – Rhonda has devoted her life to one thing: to teach you how to master fear.

Katie Wells - Bestselling Author of The Wellness Mama Cookbook. Host of the award-winning Wellness Mama Podcast Named by greatist.com as one of the 100 most influential people in health and wellness along with Dr. Oz, Dr. Mercola, Food Babe, and Tim Ferriss

Cathy Hackl - As seen on 60 Minutes, Time, Vogue, Bloomberg, and More. Chief Metaverse Officer/Strategist | Dean of Republic Realm Academy |Thinkers50 Radar|Linkedin Top Voice| Keynote Speaker| NFTs Virtual Worlds & Fashion AR VR Holograms| Media Personality |

Ai Addyson - Education disruptor and founder of the Disruptor’s Planner.

Whitney Freya  - Inspired Living Expert, Artist, Author. She helps business women discover their Personal Magic.

Grab the hottest ticket in town here!

We are calling all genders and ages looking to give, share, coach, inspire and cultivate. We want to pay it forward and tap into the wisdom of women regardless of age, status, race, and gender. 

 “I want to help generations cross over and learn from each other.” -Lisa Buyer

Say Hello to our Official Sponsors!

Goat Social Media, The Buyer Group, Story Time. 

Become a sponsor and get in front of this amazing audience!  Click here!

PR  reporting like it’s 1999? Proving the public relations ROI has always been a challenge, until now. Say hello to CoverageBook 2 and goodbye to wasting time and energy with boring power points, reporting with manual screenshotting, and creating excel sheets that nobody opens. 

Two SEO-PR geeks talk publicity, search behavior, and media coverage like it’s the beginning of a new era of PR reporting and metrics. Domain authority? Yes, please. Social shares? Hit the like button. Online readership and estimated coverage news? High five. 

CoverageBook Stella Bayles on PR Reporting News

Lisa Buyer met up with Stella Bayles, Director at @coveragebook & @answerthepublic, and Host of the #PRresolutionPodcast to share the breaking news about the latest new and improved CoverageBook 

The PR  past

The unfortunate truth is PR, SEO, and digital marketing teams typically don’t speak the same language and tend to gravitate to silos. This makes reporting on the impact of public relations campaigns a challenge, especially awareness campaigns. It seems everyone gets the attribution except public relations. 

The PR present with CoverageBook

 “What I love about CoverageBook is it's letting us actually use real data to report public relations results, with the drop of a link” said Buyer. 

More time for happy hour!

In this Social PR Secrets podcast episode, you will learn

• Search behavior and PR - what’s the big deal?
• PR reporting views with every stakeholder in mind including the CEO, sales, marketing and more.
• Which credible metric sources we should be using 
• What metrics and innovations you’re using to communicate with clients and partners
• Build leadership messaging with the potential to influence our industry publicly 
• New sources of data for target audience insights
• Digital marketing measurement PR needs to know about (& compare with) 
• Think discussions on how to measure “share of search,”
• New ways to visualize and communicate data & PR success

Sources Discussed in the Episode

• CoverageBook 30-day Free trial
• AnswerThePublic 
• PR Resolution Podcast 

The PR future - Stella Bayles Advice to Brands and PR Pros

“I just want more PR people to be confident in measurement. the unknown can be scary and sometimes it puts people off. I was there! But, I put my hand up and asked ppl in the know to simplify -  so I (and probably others in the room) could understand better. Those small movements forward in learning measurement in other areas of marketing really propel your work and offering. If nothing changes, nothing changes. We have to take the leap of faith to take our measurement and business to the next level”

Prediction from Gary Preston CoverageBook Founder 

“In 2023 digital marketing teams will be coming to PR to learn how to showcase and measure their work in a credible way.”

If your brand is being mentioned in the news, social media, blogs, podcasts, newsletters, webinars, workshops, or conferences - there is a good chance people are searching your brand name. What comes up in the search results can make a clickable (and measurable)  difference. In this episode, Lisa Buyer shares the SEO PR audio version of her just-launched digital PR course Modern PR Secrets. 

In this episode, you will learn:

• How does SEO PR help influence backlinks
• Why your website should have its own online newsroom
• Inferred links
• Earned links
• Google My Business
• Google News and how to get in it
• Researching your audience

Souces mentioned 

• Coverage Book 
• Google My Business 
• Google News 
• Spark Toro
• Google Analytics 

If you like this episode and want to learn more - check out Lisa Buyer’s Digital PR courses here - discover the superpowers of PR, SEO, social media, and technology.

What does it mean to say meta? Meta is a prefix — a word put before another — that means after or beyond, to operate at a higher level, or change. 

Last night in Facebook Horizon World, I was hanging out, checking out the plaza, taking selfies, wondering who I could get to help me build my first world, and trying out the emoticons. It was kind of cool, surreal, and still very clunky and not perfect. But another $10 billion should do the trick.

META and Health?

Mark Zuckerberg is a hands-on dad. His wife Priscilla Chan told The Times of London that a part of his bedtime routine with his two daughters, aged 5 and 4, is coding. 

What will Mark and Priscilla think of FB and OG when their daughters are teenagers? What will the effects of the metaverse be on the brain?

Besides All the Meta Hype:

My course Modern PR Secrets is launching and is secretly available at BuyerPR.com at an insider offering of $699 - everyone tells me it is drastically low. It’s action-packed with 7 modules. One being focused on the PR avatar of the present and future as well as all my PR action-packed insights to get the most earned media possible across all channels - stop paying stupid agency fees from people that spend an hour a day writing emails and reports and annoying the journalists. 

Female Disruptors - I started this two years ago - it’s a magazine, a movement, and I’m dedicated to spotlighting and listing the future females. 

We are hosting the first Female Disruptors summit and have 15 speakers committed to sharing how they rose to the top and broke the glass ceilings. 

Next up in my mind and to your ear!

My next course is Parents Survival Guide to Teens and Your Adults Post Pandemic - the struggle is real!

13 to 25-year-olds have been hit the hardest - parents need to be aware of what’s happening - suicide is the second-highest cause of death, and the numbers are rising - suicide ideation is a thing. We all need to open our eyes and hearts to making a change and reversing the digits. 

Something that is annoying me lately is what I am calling follow-up harassment - or customer service harassment. People are more sensitive, toxic and get triggered - they are on overload - we don’t need 5 reminders about a meeting, we don’t need so many text messages and if we don’t answer - it might mean we are just not having a good day, something hijacked us and we just don’t have the bandwidth to answer! Sales and marketing and customer service need to get this reminder - we are never going to pre-pandemic times - follow-up tactics, tone, frequency, and style need a makeover.

Excessive and aggressive follow-ups can be intrusive and distracting. They become a blur. I get them from B2B companies after I download an ebook, my dentist, hair salon, and potential collaborators, and even cold calls. 

Yes, we realize you are doing your job or trying to secure a time slot and not lose business.

I get it you want an answer but remember what’s happening on the other end - you never know - be sensitive, spread out the follow-up - people don’t respond for a reason. 

Lastly - Policies that Put Profits First 

Facebook is notorious for this  - so is meta. When Psychiatrists who treat teens have a 48-hour cancel policy - no refunds no reschedule start to question humanity - this is putting profits over patients. So these same doctors advocate for accommodation where teens get extra time on tests and excused absences for having a bad - but if the teen patient wakes up sick - there is no flexibility in rescheduling and doctors penalize the patients not to lose the nonbillable hour. The answer is Zoom calls. This allows sick patients to make the appointment - no excuses - sounds very rigid and maybe the psychiatrist needs the therapist - everyone needs to be a little more patient and less rigid and understand that we are living in different realities with unprecedented challenges.

Back to Mark Zuckerberg - check out his interview with Matthew Ball - I thought it was interesting how Mark seemed to fan over Matthew, endorsing his book yet Matthew seemed unphased and unimpressed by Mark’s Metaverse propaganda. In my opinion, Mark never gave a straight answer to anything. 

I’m off to Chicago this week to visit my family - message me if you are interested in my ModernPR Secrets course, Female Disruptors event or if you are a parent with teens or young adults!

In this episode, Biz Coach, Steve Feld discusses the importance of hiring a business coach for your business, brand, or personal life and helps us recognize the common mistakes that small business owners make. 

About Steve Feld 

Steve is a Certified Business Coach, Speaker, award-winning Business Management Executive, and Author. Steve has dealt with over 300 businesses where he has implemented his coaching strategies to achieve positive growth results. Today, Biz Coach Steve focuses on 1-on-1 group coaching and an E-learning Academy to help businesses skyrocket their profits. 

Topics Discussed with Steve Feld

• How to Find the Right Business Coach
• The State of Mental Health with Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs
• Steve Feld’s Advice on Mental Health During the Pandemic (Zoom, Digital, and Working from Home)
• Ways to De-Stress and Free Your State of Mind
• Steve’s 5-Day Challenge: Attract More Prospects and Clients
• Honing in Your Message and Booking the Right Target Market
• Tips from Steve’s Book Financial Formula Breakthroughs: All businesses should know for success
• Automated Programs, Workshops, Focus Groups, and Phone Calls for Business Owners to Understand their Business
• Using Joint Ventures to Expand Your Business

Steve Feld: Words of Wisdom

“ You're not in it by yourself. You can always get help, and if you ever need someone to talk to, reach out. Being an entrepreneur, you are on an island many times, and you just want someone to talk to. Get some help.” 

Links Mentioned:

• Join Steve Helds 5-Day Challenge

• Financial Formula Breakthroughs: All businesses should know for success

Connect with Steve Feld:

• LinkedIn
• Website

Public Relations Secret #1: The Metaverse and Augmented Reality.

What businesses really need are high quality photos. Fortunately there is an app called “AI Let's Enhance” which can turn your low quality photos into high-res images to be used across all social media platforms or for your website. 

Lisa’s Favorite Things on the Metaverse:

• AI for designers. Improve low-quality images with one click using AI Let’s Enhance or Remove backgrounds and photobombs from any image or Turn any image into a website.
• Repurpose Secret Tool. Turn your podcast into an EBook or Newsletter. 
• Adweek's #Metaverse Marketing podcast dropped hosted by Cathy Hackl! She dives into Metaverse tips brands need to know when it comes to advertising, marketing, and also public relations.
• A Brand’s Guide to the Metaverse by Alan Smithson

Public Relations Secret #2: Digital Detox Secrets for Energy and Women.

Reported in 2020 Stress in AmericaTM surveys since April, “84% of adults reported feeling at least one emotion associated with prolonged stress in the prior two weeks. 

Start your day with the best possible brain from mind, body, and spirit!

• Improve life force energy and relieve stress. I was honored to meet Lee Holden last week and took two Qi Gong classes taught by him. Subscribe to his YouTube channel.
• New Book: Crushing My Beast - Sober since February 12, 2021 and more than 18,000 followers on LInkedIn, Founder of Sober Stitch Chris Moran publishes ‘Crushing My Beast’. Follow him and watch how he used LinkedIn to spread sobriety.

Social PR Secret #3: Events to Thrive and Grow.

• Female Disruptors First Virtual Summit coming in January 2022. We want our virtual summit to help unite women and give sparks of ambition and courage to the women who need it. We want the future female disruptors to have a better path, one that is without adversity, one that is equal, balanced, and fair without fear, discrimination or harassment. If you want to be a speaker or, you know, somebody that wants, that should be featured: CLICK HERE!
• Digital Marketing (and more) Office Hours! Direct advice by Dennis Yu for $100 a month.
• Creepy or culture? OMG my boss follows me on Insta!
• Storytelling using virtual beings. Don’t have the money to hire a model? Bring portraits to life or turn it into an avatar.

That’s a wrap! If you want to learn all of Lisa’s 21 Things of October Edition on Public Relations: Click here! 

Want more?

Enroll in Modern PR Secrets - an online course designed to help brands get famous in the media!

Unyielding parents. Her sister’s cancer diagnosis. A narcissistic boss. This triple threat of hardships, and a culmination of learned lessons, compelled Communications Specialist Pascale Dube to shift her business model and career. Instead of hosting corporate training programs and executive “therapy,” she now coaches communication skills to parents with teenagers. 

Parent Lead Coaching helps parents invest in the depth of communication. By targeting one of the hardest jobs in the world and an untapped niche market, Pascale coaches parents to become the leaders their teenagers desperately need.

Parenting is a never-ending job. It’s full of opportunity and learning experiences, regardless of whether your kids are transitioning into teenhood or married with their own babies.

In this episode of Lisa Buyer’s Social PR Secrets podcast, Founder of Parent Lead Coaching, Pascale Dube, shares the story behind her inspiring career change, how she reached her audience through JVology, and what she can do for you as a Communications Coach.

Parent Coach: Thriving in the Face of Conflict is Pascale Dube’s Speciality

At just ten years old, Pascale landed her very first client as a Communications Specialist: her family of five. She initially acted as a buffer for her parents, who always struggled to find common ground. Her services later excelled when her older sister, who was only 16 at the time, was diagnosed with brain cancer. 

Unlike her 14-year-old sister, who suffered amid chaos, Pascale thrived when faced with conflict. And once she realized her passion for smoothing things over, she officially assumed the role of a family mediator.

After spending more than two decades dissecting and improving how people communicate and understand each other, Pascale ditched the corporate approach and developed a more personal method to coaching and leadership: serving families.

Pascale’s Social PR Secret: Joint Ventures and JVology: A Network of Referrals and Marketing Tips

Host Lisa Buyer first connected with Pascale at JVology, a live event that delivers coaching, training, and consulting in various manners, including live events, group coaching, and one-on-one consulting. From start-up business owners to seasoned entrepreneurs, JV’s mission is to network and provide a helping hand when it comes to growing and marketing enterprises.

Pascale’s Takeaways from JVology:

1. Creating a Facebook Page is a great way to target and communicate directly with your audience. 
2. Host Facebook Lives puts a face and personality to your brand, provides information in real-time, and allows you to increase follower engagement and interaction.
3. Co-Hosting Facebook Lives with Partners and Friends introduces new followers and audiences to the likes of your own.
4. Designing a Free Online Course at a limited time offer gives people a taste of your full-fledged services and hooks them into opting in.
5. Developing Supplementary Content like writing a book or another source of material rounds up new prospects and generates leads and website subscribers.

What To Expect from Pascale’s Parent Coaching

Pascale offers a resource that lets parents know that they are not alone and won’t be left to drown in their own devices and anxieties. She draws on decades of personal and professional experience, curing poor communication between parent and child from a fresh, outsider’s perspective.

As JVology helped her establish and market Parent Lead Coaching, Pascale pays it forward by helping to strengthen the bond between parent and child. 

Pascale Dube Provides:

• A safe space – free of judgment – for you to share your hopes, dreams, and concerns.
• A tailored approach based on experience, intuition, and science will empower you in your journey with your teenager.
• A fun and creative way to get to know yourself better and decipher the many aspects of your relationship with your kid.
• Friendly guidance through the many hurdles you face as a parent, human, and soul.
• A support group, where you will be joined by many other parents who face the same challenges.
• Tangible improvements in your individual quality of life, family dynamics, and general peace of mind.

What Does Pascale Expect from Parents

• An open mind.
• An open heart.
• The will to become the best parent you can be for your teenager!

Have a Heart-to-Heart with Pascale Dube

Pascale is also a guest on the Digital Detox Secrets podcast scheduled to air on October 14, 2021. In this new episode, parents will learn the 5 Pillars of Good Communication, the most important currency between you and your teenager, and the best ways to protect them from social media’s toxic traits. 

Want to explore solutions for the challenges you are facing with your teenager? Book a free strategy session with Pascale now!

Don’t want to miss out on Pascale’s December Summit, which is dedicated to entrepreneurial parents! To be added to the list, simply send her an email stating your interest here.

Some topics in this episode include:

• Pascale’s Journey to Communications Coaching 
• Growing Up at an Early Age
• Working For a Narcissist
• Shifting From Corporate Coaching to Family Coaching
• Being a Teenager in this Digital Age
• Social Media Has Caused a Disconnect
• Human History is a Pendulum
• Targeting an Untapped Niche
• How to Be Authentic on Social Media
• Takeaways From JVology: A Community of Networking Professionals
• Creating a Facebook Page
• Hosting Facebook Lives  
• Writing a Supplemental Book For Your Business
• Communications Coaching Services
• Pascale’s Event Services

Links Mentioned:

• Parent Lead Coaching Website
• Parent Lead Coaching Facebook
• Digital Detox Secrets Podcast
• Upcoming Events
• JVology

Connect with Pascale Dube:

• Pascale Dube LinkedIn
• Parent Lead Coaching Twitter
• Healing Your Families Podcast

The annual Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey and Company found that the gap between women and men who say they are burned out has nearly doubled in the last year. 42% of women and 35% of men reported feeling burned out often, or almost always in 2021 compared to 32% of women and 28% of men. 

Lisa Buyer can relate to this as she reached a point of burnout earlier this year. In this episode, Lisa highlights her past agency and personal life and how it has led her to burnout. 

“I did recognize that I was burning out. I just was. I wasn't really sure what it was like. I didn't have the clarification of, okay, this is burnout. Now looking back and now having more information, the information that I'm going to go over with you today that I want to share with you, it's easier to recognize burnout and possibly recognize it earlier and figure out what to do about it.” - Lisa Buyer

CURE the BURN: 

Active Recovery Protocols For Burnout from Lisa Buyer

• Cold showers/ Hot showers
• Ice Baths
• Saunas / Infrared saunas
• Yoga
• HotWorx workout class
• Steam room
• Breathwork
• Quick walks
• Get a massage
• Stretching
• Kundalini yoga
• Belly laughing
• SLEEP, SLEEP, SLEEP

Ashleigh Rennie, expert copywriter, brand voice specialist, and founder of The Story Team created a phenomenal quiz that offers insight into your brand voice. ‘Which Grammy-Winning Superstar is your business?’ shows you how to use your authentic voice to grow a client base that is genuinely interested in what you have to offer. 

So, what is a brand voice anyway? Well, it helps your audience know exactly who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. It is what drives your target client to keep coming back for more!

In this exclusive episode of Lisa Buyer’s Social PR Secrets podcast, storytelling genius Ashleigh Rennie reveals all the copywriting secrets that she shares with her own clients. Her marketing strategy tips on how to craft engaging email subject lines, orchestrate social media copy, and design your own powerful quiz will make all your clients dance to the rocking tune that is your voice!

Hi, I’m Ashleigh Rennie and My Brand Voice is Beyonce!

One attribute that host Lisa Buyer shares with this week’s guest is a fierce mindset, gallant demeanor, and female-empowering vibe! As female entrepreneurs, it’s not surprising that Lisa and Ashleigh would receive Beyonce as their brand voice and IT factor. But it doesn’t stop there!

Ashleigh’s quiz compiles your answers, formulates the results, and solidifies your branded voice with a helpful breakdown, including:

• 3 Reasons Why (insert superstar) is Your Brand Voice
• Branding Attributes that Describe Your Voice
• How to Target Your Ideal Client with Your Brand Voice 
• Your Brand Voice Composition Strategy

In the end, you must ask yourself: Is your authentic voice pulling through into your business’s branding? If the answer is a tentative yes or an immediate no, then it’s time to get jiggy and create a harmonious tune that tells a story to the beat of your drum.

Storytelling on Social Media: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Last night, I was surrounded by three men on a train.

This was the social media caption Ashleigh used that enticed people to keep reading. This goes to show that sometimes the most engaging content is one line, less than 15 words, and has no buzzwords surrounding it. Try it for yourself! Sum up a personal experience that you’d like to share, publish, and don’t look back!

Ashleigh says that putting out uncomfortable or unsettling content can be terrifying, but just remember this: Your experience has been endured by so many others. By sharing your story, not only does your reader know that they are not alone but it lets yourself know, too.

Lisa agreed that when she opened up about her own suicidal thoughts and entrepreneurial burnout on her solo Social PR Secrets episode, many listeners reached out expressing their gratitude for her authenticity. Episode 141 is Lisa’s most popular episode to date.

3 Secrets to Converting Subject Lines into Leads

“I think I wrote a subject line the other day that said, ‘if you don't love this, I'll eat my face.’” -Ashleigh Rennie

Your brand voice tells your business’s story. But you’re not just telling it to anyone, you’re telling it to that ONE person. The ONE client that is passionate about your offerings and is looking to you for guidance. 

Here are 3 copywriting secrets Ashleigh reveals:

1. YOU: When writing email marketing copy, it’s important to remember that if you are writing to everyone, then you will reach no one. The #1 key to follow is to speak to ONE person. How? By writing YOU rather than ALL.
2. Be conversational: Ashleigh writes her emails as if she is writing to her best friend. This makes the copy feel less like a sales pitch at a car dealership and more like a conversation with a friend at your local coffee shop.
3. Outlandish Subject Lines: Consider including your client’s name in the subject line. It will probably make a client more inclined to open their email, and one step closer to buying what you’re selling. 

BONUS TIP: 

• Length doesn’t matter if the email content is juicy enough. It also may be beneficial to break up chunks of text into briefer paragraphs. 

Quizzes are Powerful. And Ashleigh Rennie Knows How to Build Them

The foundation of your business is YOU. Ashleigh and her team of copywriting experts get your clients as hyped about your brand as you are by:

Emulating your copywriting vision, voice, and branding through emails, websites, sales pages, email sequences, funnels...you name it! 

Designing quizzes that grow your email list with quality subscribers that want to work with you. Hop on a 30-minute call with Ashleigh to discover your options!

Taking one hour to transform your OK text into attractive content that caters to your client base.

Creating captivating video content to reel your clients in and keep them coming back for more. If a picture can tell a thousand words, what do you think a video can do?

Why Ashleigh Rennie?

Words are powerful tools. They evoke emotion and persuasion. We can tell vibrant stories with words and cautionary tales, too. Ashleigh says that in any industry, you want to write delicious stories that whet the appetites of your readers, clients, and followers. 

Some topics in this episode include:

• Creative Copywriting Secrets
• Storytelling
• Fun Quizzes
• Market Research: Facebook Groups
• Italicize, Bold, and All Caps
• Telling a Story on Social Media
• Selling a Product or Service on Social Media
• Email Copywriting
• Writing the Best Subject Lines
• Words to Omit in Copy
• Using a Thesaurus 
• Copy that Converts

Links Mentioned:

• The Story Team Website
• Ashleigh Rennie Portfolio
• Which Grammy Winning Superstar is Your Business? Quiz

Connect with Ashleigh Rennie:

• Personal LinkedIn
• The Story Team LinkedIn
• Instagram

Did you know that more than 75 percent of ALL classes and courses will be online by the end of 2022? Here’s your opportunity to use your skills, expertise and passion to create and teach a course of your own. 

Wine experts, real estate pros, attorneys, teachers, accountants, artists, athletes, entrepreneurs. Who would you like to learn from? And on the flipside, who would like to learn from you? Everyone is well-versed in something that others would love to gain knowledge in. So, what are you waiting for? Visualize your success, rid away imposter syndrome and get ready to create and launch an "A-Level" online course successfully.

In this episode of Lisa Buyer’s Social PR Secrets podcast, Chris Kyle, elearning expert and CEO of Launch Academy, reveals how to create a successful online course and the traps to avoid along the way.  Add to your brand’s public relations strategy and find out how an online training program might be your ticket to financial freedom!

Chris Kyle’s Origin Story

As a coaching consultant for many years, Chris Kyle worked with startup companies, both pre-funded and entirely from scratch. He was then offered a full-time position in a career path tailored toward learning. An area of opportunity widened, along with his passion for educating. Eventually, he said goodbye to corporate life and hello to entrepreneurship with Launch Academy.

Chris’ 11 years of experience coaching on how to create and launch an online course, has resulted in over $4.5 million dollars in course launch revenue, with many earning $60,000 or more from his clients’ and students’ first course launch. His mission is to guide aspiring ‘global messengers’ to create highly successful and engaging online learning programs while expanding their reach worldwide.

What is Launch Academy & The Four Essential Elements Model?

Launch Academy is the blueprint for creating and designing a transformative and lucrative online course. Taught by Chris Kyle himself, he uses his Four Essential Elements Model to help expand your reach and engagement, increase income and you become a global messenger in your space.

The elements, which will also be discussed in-depth throughout the webinar, include:

• Transformative Content for a better student learning experience

• Enrolling Messaging that attracts lots of the “right” students

• Effective & Converting Marketing for FILLING UP your course
• Engagement-oriented Technology to increase connection and motivation

From Snoozie Teleseminars to Interactive Gamified Courses

From school and work to happy hours and concerts, the COVID-19 pandemic launched almost every aspect of our lives into virtual environments. But the idea of e-learning and online courses actually came to fruition decades ago and even rose to popularity no more than a few years before the virus even hit. 

Today, many schools offer complimentary laptops to students. Ten years and maybe even 5 years ago, this seemed like a ludicrous concept. Chris says that in 2009, online courses consisted of listening to videos either through the phone or on the computer. Teleseminars lacked interaction or any sort of frills. For lack of a better word, they were boring and ultimately gave online a bad rep. 

With the development of technology and innovative platforms, you can now create an experience that replicates that of a real-life classroom environment. So, what is the secret ingredient to creating a fantastic online course? How do you make your audience feel as if they are touching knee-to-knee when in reality they are really miles, states and even countries apart?

Secrets Revealed: How To Create a Transformative Learning Experience

Chris says there is no cookie-cutter way to go about teaching your own online course, as the creative process is non-linear. But there are ways to kickstart your creative juices. Chris shares how he takes learning to the next level!

Tip 1: Filming Location: Bring a level of creativity and play to the development of your course by recording your sessions, modules, or a few videos at a fun venue that may or may not need to even relate to the content you’re teaching. Remember, you don’t have to be at a desk talking to a camera to embody the professional essence of an educator. 

Tip 2: Create a Demo: Actions speak louder and translate better than words. Make your modules and lessons hands-on, by bringing in guest speakers and real-life case studies. 

Tip 3: Zoom Breakout Groups, sharing screens: Human beings love feeding off of others’ energies. In many scenarios, students get the most out of learning when bouncing ideas off of one another. Remember, two minds are always better than one. 

Tip 4: Embedded Learning: Get creative with the assignments that you want your students to take part in. This can look like guided visuals, journaling, taking a walk or listening to a specific podcast every morning.

MYTH OR FACT: The Truth About Creating Facebook Groups for Your Online Course

Myth or Fact? If you do not have a steady following before creating a course, then your project will never gain traction…MYTH!

Myth or Fact? Aspiring course creators should focus on the marketing aspect before outlining their course… MYTH!

Myth or Fact? Growing a Facebook group or community is difficult without the support of a tangible, completed product… FACT!

“Create the product and the program first. You will build your audience by launching your course.” -Chris Kyle

Consider these online course stats:

• e-Learning is the fastest growing segment in the learning arena (any area of learning) and it’s accelerating due to the global pandemic.
• Over 75% of ALL classes and courses will be online by the end of 2022.
• Your potential students and clients are now expecting their teachers or guides (you) to offer online programs as a way to work with them from wherever they live on the planet.

If you felt all the good vibes from this episode, be sure to register for the free online training happening tomorrow, to discover the PROVEN system for creating and launching your lucrative online course!

Some online course topics in this episode include:

• How to make money from online courses and e-learning
• The biggest mistakes brands make when launching an online course
• Online course creation do’s and don’ts
• Credentials and experience needed to create online courses
• Facebook Groups for online courses – thumbs up or down?
• Creating your online course and having a PROVEN process
• Upcoming free webinar hosted by Lisa Buyer with Chris Kyle

Links Mentioned:

• Launch Academy Course
• 5 Things You Need to Know to Create a Successful Online Course by Chris Kyle
• 22 Day Tara Painting with Whitney Freya
• Modern PR Secrets Course with Lisa Buyer

Connect with Chris Kyle:

• LinkedIn
• Launch Academy LinkedIn

Professionals are often misguided when it comes to the connection between success and happiness. Gi Gi O’Brien, CEO at Global Intelligence Initiative, author of The Self Quarantine Handbook, The Trauma Handbook, and The Intelligence of Happiness as well as the Founder of 111 Entertainment and Nathazelis, says that nothing should ever come at the expense of happiness. Not for your job, not for your clients, not anyone. 

Drawing from mental health struggles and her fusion of skills in journalism, business, and various sciences, Gi Gi thrives as a consultant, social entrepreneur, and visionary.

In this episode of Lisa Buyer’s Social PR Secrets podcast, Gi Gi O’Brien discusses her new book, The Intelligence of Happiness: How to Thrive Using Authenticity, Self-Alignment, and Simple Neuropsychology, how to apply the five C’s to your personal and business life and the best ways to eliminate imposter syndrome. 

How the Worst Life Moments Became Gi Gi’s Biggest Assets

While sitting in a hospital bed after a severe mental breakdown, Gi Gi transcended her suffering. She tapped into many years of emotional neglect and made the ultimate promise: to live a life of authenticity, ambition, and happiness.  Years later, during the COVID-19 lockdown, similar darkness seeped into her space once more, where feelings of shame and pain served as catalysts to continue writing her book. 

The Intelligence of Happiness ensures a more abundant life. It opens doors to new opportunities, re-instills confidence, and unlocks brilliance. Gi Gi is an expert in turning pain into power. Her decades-long mental health and entrepreneurial journey have ultimately led to a deeper understanding of true happiness. And by applying the principles of neuropsychology to the art of authenticity as well as aligning your emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and behavior, you can master it, too.

The Power of Networking

Big breaks don’t magically fall into laps, no matter how hard we wish they did. Really, it takes a lot of persistence, networking, and authenticity to achieve any goal. Gi Gi says that connecting with others brings her the utmost joy. By joining Facebook groups, creating social media accounts, and putting yourself out there, you will establish genuine and substantial lifelong bonds. But it’s not just about gaining an endorsement. It’s about adding value to your life and theirs. 

If you look at the inside cover of her book, you’ll find incredible testimonials, including one from Nelson Mandel’s grandson. How did this happen? Through the power of confidence, influence, and passion. If you simply sit back, the greatest of opportunities will end up passing you by. And if you’re looking for motivation, reliance on others is not the path to take because they’re probably looking for it, too. Here’s the problem: neither of you is looking in the right place. For motivation ultimately comes from within. 

"This is a book the world needs in these times, for both relief and great inspiration." —Ndaba Mandela, Chairman of Mandela Institute for Humanity, author, mentor, spokesperson, entrepreneur, political consultant, and the grandson of Nelson Mandela.

The Five C’s

Regardless of whether you're an entrepreneur, public relations professional, digital marketer, or starting a new business, it’s important to apply Gi Gi’s five C’s to your personal and business life for self-help and high-performance.

1. Control your emotions
2. Be Conscious of your thoughts
3. Commit to beliefs that serve you
4. Be Continuous with your behaviors
5. Be Consistent with what you believe

Gi Gi used these tips as well as surrounding knowledge to write her book on neurology. By leveraging information and taking a course in neuroscience, she was able to eliminate her imposter syndrome and write the #1 newly released Amazon book on neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience.

Using Motivational Magic to Eliminate Imposter Syndrome

“If you have a vision and you're clear, you don't need to wait for someone to validate you.”  —Gi Gi O’Brien

Without carrying a victim’s complex, Gi Gi turns tragedy into triumph. By focusing on vibrational blockage and detaching from the outcome, she finds viable solutions to eliminate imposter syndrome, procrastination, and self-doubt.

This motivational magic happens when you feel the most unmagical; when you want to push the snooze button 10 more times; when you feel uninspired and helpless. 

Here are some tips Gi Gi shares on how to stay motivated and break away from self-inflicted, negative thoughts:

1. Game-ify It: make a challenge out of your daily, weekly, or monthly goals
2. Get a streak going that you won’t be inclined to break
3. Involve other people; develop a community around your set goals
4. Hold yourself accountable 

What’s Next For Gi Gi O’Brien

The Intelligence of Happiness: How to Thrive Using Authenticity, Self-Alignment and Simple NeroPsychology is available on Amazon now! 

Gi Gi also has several books in the works, is thrilled to launch global intelligence initiative workshops and online courses, and hopes to host a TED Talk in the near future.

Some topics in this episode include:

• The Five C’s
• The Connection Between High-Performance and Happiness
• Book Writing
• The Power of Networking
• Solutions for Imposter Syndrome
• Eliminating Procrastination
• Tips on Staying Motivated
• The Importance of Accountability
• Happiness, pleasure, and holistic life satisfaction
• Leveraging Knowledge
• Marketing Tips and Facebook Groups
• Creating Instagram Accounts to Build Relationships
• The Vibrational Blockage

Links Mentioned:

• The Intelligence of Happiness
• The Quarantine Handbook: A positive, humorous, and life-changing approach to self-isolation during the Covid19 pandemic
• Global Intelligence Initiative
• 111 Entertainment
• Nathazel

Connect with Gi Gi O’Brien:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook

Emotion is a powerful acceleration of one’s brand. What does this look like? Conversion expert Brandon Smits says you need to cultivate a connection, stay relevant and ask yourself: Is my motive or call to action, reflecting myself or my prospective client? 

When you master the art of channeling emotion through your content’s beating heart, then you will start to generate sponsorships, partnerships, credibility, and a profitable business model. 

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets podcast with Lisa Buyer, Brandon Smits, CMO at Solar Cheat Code and Partner at Eight Loop Marketing Agency, dives into the do’s and don’ts of persuasion, shares tips on conversion, and lays out the best action plan when it comes to connecting with potential clients. And he answers every entrepreneur’s million-dollar question: “How can I tell if my content is working?” 

Brandon Smits: Pinpoint the Problem, Test Solutions & Generate Results

After beginning his career in the field of SEO nearly 10 years ago, Brandon climbed his way up the marketing ladder. With a specialization in optimization conversion strategies, he used this melting pot of marketing knowledge to start his own agency, Solar Cheat Code. His team helps residential solar companies generate leads by identifying the client’s problem and testing appropriate solutions.

At both Solar Cheat Code and Eight Loop Social, Brandon coaches marketers and entrepreneurs on how to create the perfect ‘marketing sauce’. What is marketing sauce and how is it made? Well, the ingredients vary on a business-to-business basis but what remains consistent is the basic need to persuade.

How to Optimize the Power of Organic Search

Social media is the face of organic search, whether your Instagram is a personal or business account. Brandon says that if your posts follow a relatable and natural approach, then you have a high chance of developing a profitable brand. And once your followers, who have never met you before, feel as if they know you and what you stand for, then you have mastered the art of persuasion in the organic social realm.

How to Authentically and Emotionally Connect with Your Audience

1. Determine your target audience.
2. Analyze the various versions of marketing personas among brands. What are their goals? How do they successfully market this persona? Which persona works best for your brand?
3. Make sure your content meets your followers’ best interests: It’s about them, not you! 

Once you’ve added these 3 ingredients to your ‘sauce’, it’s time to see whether your output of content is creating conversions.

Using Persuasion to Get Conversions

A basic rule of thumb when it comes to paid search is: If your brand is nothing without it, then your business model needs a revamp. Here’s the starting point to getting conversions. Ask yourself: Can I get a stranger to book a call with my sales team or make a purchase without ad influence? With Brandon’s applicable guidance and tips, the answer will eventually be, yes!

Where to Start & What To Say When On the Marketing Call

Brandon says that the strategy call has its own intrinsic value. You want your prospective client to be excited about jumping on this call, open to learning what they need to do to solve their problem and believe that they will benefit from your team.

• Get a stranger to book a call with your sales team.
• Validate your mechanism to get them over the fence.
• Nurture your prospect’s needs. Instead of framing the booking like a chore, make the call-to-action very clear. Say this, “use our five-step evaluation tool that will put you on track to get desired results” rather than, “schedule a call today”. 
• Make the client/customer feel happy!
• Tell the client that you look forward to working with them in the future if everything checks out.

Timing is Everything

“Timing is so critical… I feel like most of the leads of the world happened during the bathroom.” -- Brandon Smits

On average, it takes 23 call attempts to reach a homeowner. How do you decrease this number? Try double dialing, or calling the number twice in a row to enable urgency. Or perhaps try a less intimidating and more inviting angle. Send a text to your prospective client. Even though they opted into the call less than 24 hours ago, they may not be prone to answering calls from unknown numbers. 

Many people say that if someone calls and they don’t leave a message, then it probably wasn’t important. Playoff of this mindset by implementing a voicemail drop. This immediately sends the homeowner a voice message after one or two rings.

Want More Tips from Brandon?

Check out Part one of his Social PR Secrets: The Art of Persuasion, the Offer and the Experience With Brandon Smits

Some topics in this episode include:

• Develop Content that Creates Emotion
• Organic / Paid Search
• Social Media as an Organic Approach
• The Art of Persuasion
• Marketing Sauce
• Understanding Whether Your Content is Working
• Data v. Gut Piece
• Automation and SMS Marketing
• Tips on Generating Conversions
• Brandon’s Business Model
• Creating the Best B2B & Agency Experience
• Advice on Bottlenecks
• Marketing Accessibility Interface Platform
• What’s Working with Paid Seach
• Nurturing the Sales Process
• Timing is Everything
• SEO

Links Mentioned:

• Solar Cheat Code Website
• Eight Loop Marketing Agency Website

Connect with Brandon Smits

• Personal LinkedIn
• Solar Cheat Code LinkedIn
• Eight Loop Social LinkedIn
• Eight Loop Social Instagram

He answers the questions, “Do we have the right message at the right stage?” 

“And how to tell if we do or don’t?” 

Brandon’s career started in marketing 10 years ago in SEO, and over time he got closer and closer to optimizing conversion from paid and organic traffic. Brandon soon climbed the marketing ladder and opened his own marketing agency. He is now partnered with fellow Marketing Agency, Eight Loop to help marketers and entrepreneurs find the right sauce! 

Organic Search in Brandon Smits’s Brain?

Organic has changed in the past few years and social media organic is on the rise whether, it is a personal or business account. Brandon explains that organic has become a very, very powerful, acceleration, experience that people get when they find a brand who really just sort of knows them without ever having met them before. 

Importance of Marketing and Persuasion

Brandon says the awareness piece of marketing is still as important as it ever was. 

“If you're in the coaching or the marketing space, looking to attract new clients, it's even more important because there's so many people out there doing what you do.”

It is crucial for brands to take the time to resonate with people and give them emotion. Getting people to feel something when they see your content is KEY when it comes to the persuasion process of working with your brand in the future.

Do’s of persuasion:

Ask yourself how does what we do get people to get what they want?

Is our content about us or is it about our audience?

In order to persuade somebody to do anything really, you need to make sure that it meets their best interests to get what they want, Brandon believes. 

“I feel the people who struggle the most to get the ball rolling on this type of thing often have not gone back to the basics of understanding what, who their audience is. What are the various versions of the marketing persona that are out there? And what is it that they want?”

STARTING POINT: Get a stranger to book a call with your sales team and validate your mechanism to get them over the fence.

Showing up to the call: 

• Make it very clear to your prospect what they're going to get in that time.
• Use our five step evaluation tool that will put you on track to get desired results. 
• Make the client/customer feel happy!
• If everything checks out, maybe you'll even work together in the future.

“The strategy call has its own intrinsic value. You want to do this? This is the psychology that you want to put inside of your marketing so that they feel it's a benefit and it should honestly be a benefit to them to sit on a call with your team,” said Brandon.

 “You're qualifying them, but they're learning what they need to do to solve their problem at the same time.”  

Social media is addictive. We experience fleeting moments of joy, twitching withdrawals, and then endure the vicious cycle again and again until eventually we are left feeling insecure, anxious, and depressed. 

Digital is an interruption of energy and an invasive creation of space that leaves us in a vulnerable mental state. Wellness coach and podcast host Jessica Schiller Silverman says that when you shift your source of escape to a positive facilitator, hold yourself accountable and make time for creativity, you will find your way back to a vibrant life.

In this episode of Lisa Buyer’s Social PR Secrets podcast, Jessica Schiller Silverman, creator of Mo’Zen Wellness and A-L-I-V-E podcast, shares how to break free from a soul-sucking job, the importance of setting social media boundaries, and the tools needed to live vibrantly.

Where Wellness & Business Come to Life

On paper, Jessica’s life looked perfect: Bachelor of Science in Finance, a 6-figure salary as a Senior Finance Manager, and living the San Francisco life with her fiance. But in reality, her life looked a little something like this: tiresome commutes, a suffocating Monday through Friday schedule, 12-hour workdays, sleepless nights. And repeat. Jessica refers back to her 15-year finance career as a glorified prison.  

So, she decided to commit corporate jailbreak and ended up finding a deeper purpose along the way.

The Shift from Corporate Life to Wellness Coach

Jessica is living proof that there is a way out of an unhappy career and light at the end of that ominous tunnel. She says it’s important to understand that career shifts are not linear. They are gradual transitions. For some, this process takes one month. For others, it may take several years. 

After a two-week Christmas vacation, she began suffering from massive panic attacks and depression. Hoping to seek relief, she listened to podcasts about people who were happily living their lives, not tied down to a job, and actually making good money doing what they enjoyed. 

Two months after her mental breakdown, she left her job and never looked back.

Social Media Detox in 3 Steps

“People think some of these things take so much time and energy, but it's really all (about those) micro-moments that I think collectively can create something beautiful.” -- Jessica Schiller Silverman

Step 1: Find a platform that lifts you up and speaks your language. As entrepreneurs, social media is part of the job, but there are ways to balance digital work and pleasure. 

Step 2: Set a timer on your phone to record how many hours you spend on certain platforms. Jessica says that time spent scrolling can be allotted elsewhere in a healthy and productive manner. 

Step 3: Give yourself a new pattern to form in your psyche. Jessica uses the Daybreaker app for workouts, sound healing, and meditation. 

Alignment of Love Inspiration Vitality and Energy

Jessica’s podcast, A.L.I.V.E., debunks the “starving artist” myth. Each episode is full of golden nuggets that help you learn how to come ALIVE in your creative progress while creating financial and energetic flow. 

This show is for anyone with an open heart and mind who wants to find joy in a joyless world. She discusses everything under the sun, from dealing with residual trauma to helping you cultivate creativity. 

What’s Next for Jessica?!

Release the all-consuming mental chatter, simplify social and live vibrantly! On Aug. 30, 2021, Jessica is launching an 8-week live program called Live Vibrant. This course is your escape from the vicious cycle that is life. Jessica says that through the power of the collective, you will feel supported, seen, and loved.

If you desire to live in alignment with your core values, stop spending so much time online and balance life’s commitments, then it’s time to say yes to LYVF and fall in love with life again!

Some topics in this episode include:

• Mental Health & Social Media
• The Shift from Corporate to Entrepreneurship
• Wellness Coaching
• Billable Time
• The Impact of Digital’s Energetic Pull
• How to Live a Vibrant Life

Links Mentioned:

• The Silva Mind Control Method by Jose Silva
• A.L.I.V.E Podcast
• Live Vibrant Program
• Mo’Zen Wellness Website
• Daybreaker App

Connect with Jessica Schiller Silverman

• Personal LinkedIn
• Mo’Zen LinkedIn
• Personal Website
• Personal Facebook
• Mo’Zen Wellness Facebook
• Mo’Zen Wellness Instagram

While the pandemic kept us home, Pubcon showed us how digital marketing, brands, and audiences have changed.

Digital marketing does not occur in a vacuum. It is a web of constantly evolving components, assets, and influences. For marketers, learning is at the forefront of every role and class is always in session. So it’s a good thing we have Pubcon, a digital marketing conference where consultants and businesses build relationships and learn the latest SEO and PR strategies.

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets podcast, Kassie Meiler and Lisa Buyer exchange Pubcon 2021 takeaways. From neuroscience in ad copy to conquering Facebook updates, this year’s keynote speakers expertly tackled all things relating to SEO, content, and Google, and the G.O.A.T. has 13 pages worth of notes ready to be implemented!

Meet the G.O.A.T, Kassie Meiler

Kassie Meiler’s passion for social media and digital marketing began in high school when she held the webmaster position for her drama club. After completing undergrad at Florida State University, she furthered her education at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications, where she earned a Master of Arts in Mass Communication. 

Prior to starting the program, she had already founded Goat Social Media, LLC. In a way, the classes were similar to a practicum course. Kassie readily applied in-class skills to her very own business to increase leads and create engaging content for clients.

Kassie’s Pubcon Takeaways

Kassie got to soak up a little bit of everything social-related during the three-day conference. And she even reconnected with Lisa who was actually one of her graduate professors at UF.

One takeaway made a deep-rooted impression on Kassie. So much so that she implemented the tip to her website almost immediately. 

Social PR Secret

Add media logos on your homepage to indicate publications that you’ve been featured in. 

Kassie said that many marketers and brand owners don’t realize the amount of content they have in their toolbox. Lisa agreed, adding that when she posted her first 50 SPS episodes it was much easier than expected, having pulled valuable content from previous lectures and media she already had in her back pocket.

• Roger Dooley on Neuroscience in Ad Copy: Roger explained the liking and unity principle. An example of the Liking Principle would be Tito’s Vodka for Dog People, where they include dogs in ads to appeal specifically to dog owners. The Unity Principle is "liking on steroids." It moves beyond surface-level similarities, promoting the human nature of wanting to belong. Kassie related this to being a Florida State University Seminole and acquiring an attachment to specific on-campus bars or restaurants. Knowing this and applying a sense of familiarity and belonging to campaigns can create substantial success.
• Alex Houg on Facebook Advertising: Alex’s session tackled the daunting iOS14 update and what it means for Facebook ads. From this session, Kassie’s biggest takeaway was to optimize for on-platform events. If the data is restricted, collect leads right on Facebook and Instagram as well as encourage actions directly in the platform, such as the Instagram Shopping feature.
• John Lawson on the COVID Consumer: John’s session covered how the consumer has evolved drastically since lockdown. Kassie said that marketing budgets during COVID are not as profitable or necessary and your customer has probably changed in the last three years. She shared that Airbnb realized that they didn’t have to funnel so much of their money into marketing in order to succeed. Pulling back on the ad budget ended up resulting in their best year ever.

Lisa’s Pubcon Takeaways

PR and SEO go hand-in-hand to ensure brand visibility and success. This was Lisa’s 12th year attending and speaking at Pubcon and her first social media conference since the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020. She hopes to attend Pubcon’s Las Vegas convention if it permits.

• Lily Ray on E-A-T (Expertise Authority Trust) - Lily tied in PR with EAT content on websites, explaining the importance of linking the author’s name on a blog to its own author page. This allows Google to give credit where credit is due. If your blogger is an authoritative expert in the topic that they are writing about, then that should be disclosed on their separate information page. Kassie says that simply adding a bio, link and headshot goes a long way in the search engine world.
• Michael King on the Ultimate Brief Template: The founder of iPullRank discussed creating an optimal stream of content. He showcased templates and guides for businesses of any size, whether you have a marketing team of two or 50 people. 
• Stephan Spencer on Social Proofing: Stephan explained the need for social proof and how to apply it to your website. Social Proof includes highlighting interviews, videos, links, publications, and testimonials in your digital media. This authentic proof can make the difference between gaining and losing clients.

Some Topics Discussed in this episode include:

• Pubcon 2021
• Expertise Authority Trust (EAT)
• Neuroscience Marketing and Ad Copy
• Liking and Unity Principle
• How PR and Ad Budget Has Changed During COVID-19
• The Chain of Communication
• Utilizing Influencers During a Crisis
• Keywords and Hashtags for Organic Exposure
• Subscribing to Google Alerts
• The iOS14 Update and Facebook Marketing
• Social Proof and Testimonials
• The Ultimate Brief Template

Connect with Kassie Meiler

• Personal LinkedIn
• Kassie’s 10 takeaways from Pubcon 2021
• Goat Social Media LinkedIn
• Personal Instagram
• Goat Social Media Instagram

Links Mentioned

• Goat Social Media Website
• Pubcon 2021
• Michael King
• Stephan Spencer 
• Lily Ray
• John Lawson
• Alex Houg
• Roger Dooly

LinkedIn can be like speed dating for entrepreneurs, where individuals and businesses alike hope to find a requited LinkedIn “love” connection! Or it can be a forum where health professional relationships are cultivated and nurtured.

In this new episode of Lisa Buyer’s Social PR Secrets podcast, Mandy McEwen, official LinkedIn trainer, founder of Luminetics LinkedIn Training and the B2B Mod Girl Marketing Agency, dishes out the same inside scoop that she slings for her own corporate clients: how to leverage the ultimate corporate networking platform.

LinkedIn’s Law of Reciprocation

Human connection is valued in one’s personal and online networking life. Mandy says that the LinkedIn algorithm loves engagement. And guess what? All it takes is just one comment to gain hundreds of new connections. But the tricks and hacks don’t stop there!

Inside Scoop #1: All LinkedIn company pages are issued 100 FREE “credits” per month, allowing you to send personal invitation requests explicitly to your target audience.

Inside Scoop #2: Always tag your LinkedIn company page in posts.

Inside Scoop #3: There are over 55 million companies active on LinkedIn. Labeling yourself as a ‘jack of all trades’ actually hurts your chances of standing out among the rest. Consider branding yourself as a specific subject matter or industry expert. It pays off to be hyper-focused!

Organic Tactics to Humanize Your Brand

Fun LinkedIn Fact: Employees are 14x more likely to share their employer’s content on LinkedIn than any other brands. Shared posts, comments, updates, and likes from staff members are the most important assets needed to illuminate and humanize your brand. It’s important for team leaders to offer work-related incentives to better encourage and elevate such productivity efforts.

It’s better to network in a way that doesn’t feel like a chore. Mandy suggests connecting and engaging with people who share interests similar to your own. That way when you’re genuinely captivated by the content or post, your response will come across as credible.

To let others know that your brand is a reliable and real resource to utilize, you should consider: Commenting on at least one to three posts of interest and waiting for 3 to 5 days to send a connection request. After requesting, be sure to leave a brief message explaining that you enjoyed their post and why.

Mandt McEwan on Your Impact with LinkedIn and Luminetics 

“Your (LinkedIn) profile shouldn't be a glorified resume. It should (showcase) how you help people.” - Mandy McEwen

How can people benefit from your impactful services? Mandy’s golden trio listed below will empower your message, maximize brand exposure and generate transformative results.

1. To optimize your profile include:

   1. Brand-related employee content
   2. Client Testimonials
   3. Stats/data
   4. Social Proof
   5. Behind the Scenes Video on feed or LinkedIn Story

2. Become an active member of the community by:

   1. Commenting on posts and engaging with people who are within your target audience, prospective partners, current clients, etc.
   2. Writing 5 meaningful comments a day
   3. Turning a comment into an actual post on your feed

3. Repurposed Content

   1. Mandy posts daily on LinkedIn and repurposes it to create Facebook and Instagram posts (tip: wait a few hours in-between posting on each channel; tweak the content to relate it to that specific social network)
   2. Repost your long, in-depth LinkedIn posts and/or videos to your blog. This will optimize your website for search engines (SEO) and conversions.

Some Topics Discussed in this episode include:

• The Law of Reciprocation
• Luminetics LinkedIn Training
• Benefits of Hyper-Focused Specializations
• Mastering the LinkedIn Algorithm 
• Engaging in Content
• Speed Dating for Entrepreneurs
• LinkedIn Stories

Connect with Mandy McEwen

• LinkedIn
• Personal Instagram
• Mod Girl Marketing Facebook Group
• Mod Girl Marketing Facebook
• Mod Girl Marketing Twitter

Links Mentioned

• Luminetics Website
• Mod Girl Marketing Website

Bruce Clay coined the term SEO in 1996, two years before Google even existed. So, if you’re looking to give your website a competitive edge, why not learn from the Father of SEO himself?

Some requirements needed to even be considered an SEO expert working at Bruce Clay, Inc. include 10+ years experience, on-the-job training forever, and a career-driven mindset.  This is how world-renowned expert Bruce Clay procures the best-of-the-best for his consulting agency.

In Lisa Buyer’s newest episode of the Social PR Secrets podcast, Bruce Clay, SEO expert and founder of Bruce Clay, Inc., shares some of the strategies he uses to spot the scammers and dabblers from the 100% real-deal SEO experts. 

Tips on How to Hire an SEO Specialist 

“Google is changing their algorithm eight times a day… every Monday it’s a new industry.” --Bruce Clay

SEO is a living, breathing creature. Much like the human body, it must be fed day in and day out, multiple times, 7 days a week. Since the SEO ecosystem is evolving daily, no one can truly know it all. But there are ways to keep up with the trends. 

Bruce says that he stays current by allotting 2 hours a day to reading. He advises that if you are or aspire to be an SEO specialist, you need to do your own research and be open to learning even off the clock.

Before starting the interview process, all business owners looking to hire a consultant should consider taking Bruce’s training SEO classes. This will help you ask the right questions as well as understand the role you’re hiring for and the proper approach and methodology of SEO. 

Taught by Bruce Clay himself, this is for anyone -- IT specialists, content strategists, new hires, even the CEO or CMO can learn a thing or two about what to look for when hiring and asking the right questions You will learn organic, effective, and ethical methodologies for on-page and off-page optimization, user experience, SEO web design, content ranking factors, mobile best practices and soiling site architecture.  

SEO Common Misconception About Press Releases

Before we start debunking press release theories, let’s break down some PR Marketing vocab talked about in this episode:

• Press Release: a short, compelling article that stirs up publicity, and in the long run, advances your company and brand through additional collateral like podcasts, features, and links.
• Authoritative Links: Found typically on highly regarded and esteemed sites like education (.edu) or government (.gov). This type of link is a helpful and valuable way to promote your website. 
• Organic or Blue Links: Not offering monetary compensation or asking for a media source to include a link to your site onto theirs.
• No-Follow Link: This does not positively or negatively influence lab scores. These types of links are desultory.

There is some gray area when it comes to navigating SEO. One prime example is how press releases actually serve your brand. Bruce says that getting a link back to your website from a media outlet that publishes your article announcement is not necessarily an authoritative link. 

Fundamentally, a vast majority of publications are almost always considered to have no-follow links, however, every link in a publication is considered to be authoritative. How to meet the authoritative credential? The goal is to get the public buzzing about you! Make sure your campaign has a constant flow of mentions.

Your Website Content Plays a Significant Role in Google’s Success

Google needs you just as much as you need them. The relationship between the search engine and its websites is symbiotic. Nearly 700 experts represent 18+ Google technologies worldwide, and it’s still not enough to function on its own. Why? Because there’s no way for Google to keep up with every single topic in the world without help. That’s where website content comes into play. If you’ve ever posted an article, then give yourself a pat on the back. You are among the many reasons that Google reigns as the #1 search engine in the world. 

Some Topics Discussed in this episode include:

• The Father of SEO
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Experts
• Bruce Clay SEO Training Classes
• How Press Releases Work
• Authoritative Links
• Organic/Blue Links
• No-Follow Links
• Google Search Engine
• Pay Per Click
• Google Ads

Connect with Bruce Clay:

• Personal LinkedIn
• SEO Agency LinkedIn
• Bruce Clay, Inc. Instagram

Links Mentioned

• Bruce Clay, Inc. Website
• Seo Training Website
• Bruce Clay SEO Training Description
• Search Engine Optimization All-in-One for Dummies

Crisis management is a frequent marker on the agenda for Jeff Hahn who has spent 30 years as a Public Relations and Crisis Communications Expert. When a brand’s reputation is at risk, Jeff educates PR reps, marketers, and CEOs on how to successfully navigate any bad news break. 

In this new episode of the Social PR Secrets podcast, host Lisa Buyer sits down with crisis communication veteran and Principal at TexHahn Media, Jeff Hahn, where he reveals what to do when your company’s reputation is on the line. His Cassandra Calculator™ diagnostic, Reputation Dissonance™ models model is proven to transform frenzied, head-scratching executives into damage control professionals.

Prepare, Prepare and Prepare Some More

Financial, personnel, technological. These are several types of crises that your company may face in the future. If you have the mindset that ‘this could never happen to me,’ then you are already one step closer to making the

 #1 PR Mistake: Failing to assemble a Rapid Response Team.

In a steady atmosphere, where spaghetti hitting the fan is a distant scenario, you probably wouldn’t think that pre-determining where to meet and who to call during a high-stress situation is valuable. In reality, leaving these “trivial” boxes unchecked can very well make or break your brand. Ignorance is not bliss; it is harmful.

The Rapid Response Team: 5 Simple Steps

Jeff’s book, Breaking Bad News: 12 Essential Crisis Communication Tools, describes how to construct a Rapid Response Team and the method to implement when undergoing a crisis. 

His model makes a big promise: If brands effectively perform the five actions below, they will recover from any strenuous affair:

1. Speed: Assembling a team in a timely manner is especially important in this rapidly-moving digital world.
2. Speak Early but Ambiguously: Prepare a holding statement so your stakeholders know that you understand the severity, have examined the issues, and are making efforts to mitigate the situation.
3. Message: Are you accepting blame or not?
4. Messenger: Who is the spokesperson? Oftentimes, companies urge the CEO to issue an apology. Jeff says that this is one of the worst mistakes to make, as CEOs should solely be in management mode.
5. Method of Outreach: Responding to a reporter with “no comment” is an example of having high control but low authenticity. On the flip side, speaking at a press conference is an example of having high authenticity but low control. This is an obsolete and outdated method that leaves your company vulnerable. Reporters are able to rampantly shout questions that you are unprepared for. All in all, it’s important for you to control the narrative through various methods of outreach. All 12 options are detailed in Jeff’s book, which is free for a limited time.

Controlling the Narrative

“If a brand can establish its own digital newsroom, it can control the narrative. That is a great and very effective method of maintaining both control and authenticity.” --Jeff Hahn

Lisa and Jeff both agree that since adding SEO and social media to the wheelhouse, brands and modern public relations pros can now act as the journalist rather than rely on them. This is a game-changing capability that can be accomplished by recruiting influencers to promote content, posting carefully crafted written/visual statements on digital platforms or using your degree like a swiss army knife (meaning to become an expert in more than one component of crisis PR management).

Jeff says that fewer than 1% of companies use influencers to control the narrative. While a powerful entity to introduce, you should never pull them into the crisis control crossfire. He advises steering away from assigning the influencer as the spokesperson but if that is your best and the only option, the Rapid Response Team should always be controlling the reins. Crisis communication is all about the fundamentals. Tell them what to say, how to say it, and of course, when to say it, too. 

Some Topics Discussed In This Episode Include:

• The Craft of Crisis Communication
• Risk Exposure is Overlooked
• Rapid Response Team
• The Dissonance Model
• The 3 M’s
• Digital Newsrooms
• Mistakes to Avoid During a Crisis
• Control v. Authenticity
• Pros and Cons of Using Influencers During a Crisis
• Paid Crisis Communication v. Organic Crisis Communication

Connect with Jeff Hahn

• Jeff Hahn’s LinkedIn
• Hahn Public LinkedIn
• Apron Food and Beverage PR LinkedIn
• Predictive Media Network LinkedIn
• White Lion Interactive LinkedIn

Links Mentioned

• • Breaking Bad News: 12 Essential Crisis Communication Tools
  • Hahn Public - Texhan Media
  • Apron Food and Beverage PR
  • Predictive Media Network
  • White Lion Interactive

In this special solo episode of the Social PR Secrets podcast, Lisa Buyer opens up about her struggles with entrepreneurial burnout, where she sought relief, and how she shifted The Buyer Group Public Relations Agency into a non-client-based business model. 

#TheDumbestDecisionEver: Reinventing Your Business Based on Feelings and not Facts

July marks the first time in two decades that Lisa has no clients. And while this new shift from consultancy to scaling an agency allowed her to cut ties with the negative and create space for the positive, the idea was originally pursued all the wrong reasons.

Life Lesson #1: Free yourself from making decisions for the benefit of others. In Lisa’s case, she wanted to create a legacy business for her children to take over one day eventually. This selfless mindset, while admirable, was #TheDumbestDecisionEver. Her kid’s interests and passions did not align with the entrepreneurial and digital PR world.

Life Lesson #2: Digital boundaries are nonexistent. Similar to traditional news media, PR is neverending. There is always a hot story to write, a client to consult, and a deadline to meet. Lisa learned that caring about a project/campaign more than your own client does is a blaring red flag. 

Life Lesson #3: Client contracts and commitments mean zilch. Every entrepreneur has lost a client or two… even dozens along the way. Not every individual or company will mesh well with your PR approach, and unfortunately, that may be discovered much later than expected. There is no room for naivety when it comes to agencies serving clients. Lisa says that this system is broken. Clients can take a pause or leave at any moment, and without penalty, so it’s important to account for such setbacks when establishing your client base and business model.

Entrepreneur Burnout Camp: 10 Days at Canyon Ranch

Fed up with intrusive clients, manning the front line of her agency, and after experiencing a glimpse of suicidal thoughts, Lisa knew it was time for a digital detox. 

Canyon Ranch is a wellness resort and spa where people go to unplug, recharge and escape. Its mission is to inspire healthy living while turning hopes and intentions into the highest enjoyment of life. 

Thirty days after returning, Lisa made a bold and triumphant detox decision: to inform her clients that in about two months, she was hitting the reset button and ending all client and consulting services… sort of. 

Today, Lisa’s new and improved TBG focuses on:

• Teaching specialized online and in-person courses to thousands of individuals and teams.
• Connecting credible experts with brands, collaborators, and joint ventures.
• Writing more books in addition to the ones that she has already published (Social PR Secrets: How to Optimize, Socialize, and Publicize Your Brand; Digital Detox Secrets: How to Create Space in Your Life for Health, Happiness, Opportunity, and Productivity).
• Continuing to develop her online magazine and movement - Female Disruptors and monetize her two podcasts: Social PR Secrets and Digital Detox Secrets.

The Four Skills of Successful People

“Authentic self-expression is the key to happiness.” --Lisa Buyer

A valuable takeaway from Canyon Reach that has greatly contributed to Lisa’s newfound outlook on tapping into your creative superpower was listening to guest speaker Dr. Robert Mauer. As the founder of the Science of Excellence consulting firm, he instills the powerful mantra that small steps lead to big changes.

For those who are following a similar transitional journey to Lisa’s, feel free to jot down these essential skills, researched by Mauer:

1. An awareness and acceptance of fear in yourself and others. When afraid, there is an inclination to reach out for support, both emotional and technical.
2. This fear welcomes a built-in nurturing voice that gently reassures you that it is okay to make mistakes, be afraid and ask for help. 
3. An awareness of the need for attention as well as generosity in giving and receiving appreciation.
4. A sense of mission and vision emphasizes the emotional state that one strives for when pursuing goals.

What’s Next on Lisa Buyer’s Agenda:

• Free Webinar: The Biggest PR Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make with Lisa Buyer
• 22 Day Tara Painting and Meditation Challenge with Whitney Freya 
• Modern PR Secrets Course: Take the mystery out of the ever-shifting, real-time landscape of Digital Public Relations
• New Podcast Episodes for Social PR Secrets Every Tuesday
• Innovative Female Disruptors Sharing Defining Stories

Some Topics Discussed In This Episode Include:

• Replace Survival Mode with a Digital Detox
• Entrepreneurial Burnout Relief
• #DumbestDecisionEver
• Life Lessons
• Highlights and Lowlights of Business and Personal Life
• Mental Health Awareness
• Red Flags for Business Owners to Consider
• Cutting Ties with the Negative
• The Key To Happiness: Authentic Self-Expression

Connect with Lisa Buyer:

• Lisa’s LinkedIn
• Lisa’s Instagram
• TBG LinkedIn
• TBG Instagram
• Female Disruptors Instagram

Links Mentioned:

• TBG Website
• Female Disruptors Magazine Website
• Social PR Secrets: How to Optimize, Socialize, and Publicize Your Brand on Amazon
• Digital Detox Secrets: How to Create Space in Your Life for Health, Happiness, Opportunity, and Productivity on Amazon
• Canyon Ranch Website
• Dr. Robert Mauer Website
• Elliot Roe

The Secret Ingredient to Helping You Thrive

The human body is not designed to be slouched over a keyboard for 40 hours a week. Think about your sit-to-stand ratio during a typical 9-to-5 workday. If you find yourself wincing just at the thought, then it’s time to prioritize wellness in the workplace.

With Yoga at My Desk, you will learn to calm that busy mind of yours, improve flexibility and strengthen your muscles. Implementing these workouts at 25- to 45- minutes intervals will lower your stress levels, minimize any body pain and spark creativity.

Facebook Group Tips to Grow and Monetize a Community

A quick look into Megan’s marketing plan is focusing 50% on Facebook Groups. 

It is super important to build an online community and to stay authentic and transparent while promoting a business online. 

FB Group Tips:

Tip #1: Consolidation is key! 

Make sure to create one FB Group and focus on just that to grow a targeted community.  “Focus on one bridge at a time until you get really dialed in, because if you've got like a hundred bridges, everything only gets a little trickle,” said Megan. 

Tip #2: Events!

It is always a fun idea to host events that are no pitch! Bring in other experts to share their magic and add value to your FB Group while growing your audience.

Tip #3 Stay Authentic!

Always stay involved with your business and use your OWN voice and personality! This will create authenticity for your business and that way the connections you make with people will turn into ongoing relationships. 

Marketing and PR with Megan Nolan

A slice of Megan's marketing pie chart is Joint ventures and collaborations.  

“Bringing other guests experts into my community kind of fits under that empowerment piece.. You get to see others' creative outlets and their magic and what they are sharing.” 

It is important to stay open to sharing your ideas with others to find alignment and establish a working relationship with experts who share the same community as you.

A Glimpse into Megan’s Office at Your Desk Course

Lisa Buyer says that you are the entrepreneur of your own life. It is up to you whether to wake the warrior within and become the next-level version of yourself or not. With Megan’s meditative yoga practices, she makes it easy to take control and start moving. Launching this Fall is her 90-day Elevate experience; signup access is available now. But if you’re looking to start today, you can enjoy the Thrive in Five, an innovative series with 24/7 lifetime access to 5-minute workouts and yoga sessions that easily fit into your busy schedule!

Session #1 - Full Body Workout: Energize your whole body, strengthen your core and feel replenished with this full-body workout session.

Session #2 - Full Body Workout: Movement comes from all directions in this session, keeping you strong, fit and agile!

Session #3 - Sleeping Booty Wake Up: It may sound silly but sleeping booty is a modern-day reality that happens from too much sitting! Strengthen your glutes, legs and core with this booty-building session.

Session #4 - Energizing Yoga: This fun practice embodies confidence, power and balance through standing poses that help you feel centered and grounded.

Session #5 - Relaxing Yoga: Need a time out? This session is perfect to help you de-stress, unwinding any neck, shoulder and back tension!

Nurtured Mind + Nurtured Body = Successful Business

“(Yoga At My Desk) is a program that's specifically customized for entrepreneurs using the tools of yoga, meditation and brain science to really become the version of you that your business needs you to be.” --Megan Nolan

Three slow, steady and substantial breaths. That’s all it takes to shift into a calm state, which then signals to your body that the day is done. Megan says that entrepreneurs must be mindful of the energy and presence that they give off, for these components impact every ounce of life, from personal relationships to company sales.

Behind a business’s profit, success and celebrity is a driven person who used that passion to build the empire. Oftentimes, CEOs lose sight of the initial purpose and voice that once connected their brand to its audience. Instead of speaking directly to the public through press releases, social media and campaigns, they place such invaluable decisions into the hands of others, like their marketing department. This, unfortunately, leads you away from a humanized brand. 

Megan shares body nourishment tips that will benefit your professional persona on a daily basis:

1. Get those steps in: Drinking more water will not only replenish your bodily fluids but also force you to move away from the computer and walk to the bathroom.
2. Pomodoro Technique: set a timer whenever you sit at your desk. When the alarm goes off, make yourself get up and move around.
3. Take a break: Walk away from the computer screen for 5 minutes; this is when the creative juices start flowing!
4. Spruce up that posture: A slouched position causes sleepy muscles. Wake them up by placing your feet firmly on the group and straightening out your spine.

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• Yoga At My Desk
• Pomodoro Technique
• Healthy Mind & Body
• Desk Job Tips
• JVology
• Thrive in Five
• Social Media Marketing
• Growing Facebook Groups

Connect with Megan Nolan:

• Yoga At My Desk Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/yogaatmydesk/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iammegannolan/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yogaatmydesk/

Links Mentioned:

• Yoga at My Desk Website: https://www.yogaatmydesk.yoga/
• Thrive in Five Signup List: https://www.yogaatmydesk.yoga/thrive
• JVology: https://jvology.com/

In this new episode of the Social PR Podcast, host Lisa Buyer invites the founder of Tandem Interactive and author of the SEO Diet, Joe Laratro, to discuss how to avoid make-or-break your brand’s website redesign mistakes.

The #1 Mistake - User Experience First, SEO Second

The biggest mistake when redesigning a website is acquiring tunnel vision for only user experience. While this is an important detail to factor in, SEO should be your main focal point. 

Your website might be beautiful, but if it has “thin” content chances are you will not get found in Google searches.

Now, if your business is on the scale of Nike or Coca-Cola, then you may be the exception to the mandatory SEO rule. But if not, then there's really no use fighting it. After all, SEO is the long-term growth strategy for your brand’s website. 

SEO v. Paid Search

There’s a lot to unpack when it comes to SEO, especially if you’re unsure where to begin, so here’s the core difference between the two:

• SEO is a mandatory business process.
• Paid Search is an optional marketing task. 

Oftentimes, people will just throw their money at paid advertising because it’s a simple plug-and-chug arrangement. And while it does guarantee high engagement and website visits, it is ultimately a fleeting investment win.

“(SEO is) an investment in the business. It's not an investment in marketing.” -- Joe Laratro

Optimizing Website Images

If you’ve ever used WordPress or Squarespace, you probably noticed optional boxes that read alt-text and/or alt-tags. These are often underutilized image elements that can only improve your website’s SEO if put to use. Even inputting the simplest description can greatly improve optimization and accessibility. 

Here’s a friendly reminder to jot down:

Visuals without words > Words without visuals 

BUT 

Visuals + Words = Ultimate SEO Powerhouse

Joe’s SEO Masterclass at PubCon Florida

Pubcon Florida 2021 is a digital marketing conference where consultants and businesses build relationships and learn the latest SEO and PR strategies. At this year’s event, which takes place at the Kovens Conference Center in Miami from Aug. 3 to 5, Joe is teaching an exclusive workshop on all things SEO.

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
• Website Design
• User Experience Mistakes
• SEO v. Paid Search
• On-Page SEO
• Image Optimization
• Alt-Text & Alt-Tags
• PubCon Florida 2021
• Entity SEO
• Media Mentions & Link Mentions

Connect with Joe Laratro

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Facebook 
• Instagram 

Links Mentioned

• Tandem Interactive Website
• PubCon Florida 2021 Website
• SEO Diet

After waking up face down in his garage with a bloody nose and to the nearby smell of his car engine running, Heath adopted a more natural lifestyle that soon evolved into an entrepreneurial breakthrough. 

In this new episode of the Social PR Podcast, Heath Armstrong, founder of Rage Create, exchanges visionary digital detox tips with host Lisa Buyer.

Cleanse the Gremlins

While navigating through depression and imposter syndrome, Heath sought purpose and clarity from hundreds of inspiring strangers. Their worldly wisdom and shared ideas became Heath’s recipe for creative motivation. His Sweet-Ass Journals, Affirmation Decks, and Never Stop Peaking podcast help to remind us that we are power-packed with magic.

Heath says that the best way to deal with life’s many gremlins is by learning how to react to them. Some helpful methods include taking action with affirmations, writing/drawing in journals, and befriending nature.

Lay the Groundwork for Digital Detox 

“Going outside is a digital detox secret.” --Heath Armstrong

Nature is at the core of who we are, which is why Heath encourages us to connect with Earth’s elements.

1. Switch out your tap water for the ultimate mineral cocktail, complete with lemon and Selina Naturally Celtic Sea Salt. 
2. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, or try to use them in moderation.
3. Place earthing mats under your bed to enhance sleep.
4. Read Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to a Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Success by Shawn Stevenson
5. Live with Earth’s cycles by keeping potted plants in the house, standing in the grass barefoot, lighting a candle and drinking 16 oz. of lukewarm water.
6. Go outside to reduce inflammation and stress levels.

No Such Thing as a Perfect Life

Living a seemingly perfect life does not mean that you will not experience depression, anxiety, or sadness. And the same goes for living a seemingly hard life. The path to destruction or happiness is not linear. All we can do is learn from ourselves and others while trying to trudge past the layers of muck accumulated throughout the many lives that we live. 

Heath’s good and bad days probably look different than yours, and his detox tips may not resonate with you. But if you lead with an open heart, you’ll end up discovering your own recipe for creative motivation, just as Heath did.

Some topics in this episode include:

• Affirmation Cards
• Podcast
• Rage Create
• Digital Detox Secrets
• Benefits of Nature
• Healthy Living Choices

Connect with Heath Armstrong

• LinkedIn
• Instagram 
• Facebook
• Personal Website

Links Mentioned

• Never Stop Peaking Podcast on Apple
• Rage Create Website
• Sweet-Ass Affirmation Cards
• Selina Naturally®

Are you good enough, certified enough, smart enough, worthy enough? 

It’s all about authenticity and escaping the voice of our ego.

“At the heart of any true change is the individual creative spark. You are being called right now to nurture that light within and create the inspired life that is waiting for you.”

Whitney is a modern-day mystic and an expert in Inspired Living, providing practical tools and practices that free your mind from limitations and scarcity to create more in your life that lights you up from the inside out. 

In this episode, we talk about 

• Finding your PR superpower
• Eliminating imposter syndrome
• Painting, meditation and mantras to relieve stress and breakthrough limitations
• Creating space in your brain to make room for breakthrough ideas
• Fearless living and dealing with rejection
• The art of creative journaling 

Whitney Freya is the author of three books on personal creativity and leads online courses that teach you a personal painting practice that will dramatically expand your sense of possibility and overall wellness. She lives her own inspired life in NE Oregon and is either flying her paraglider or skiing around the mountains there, if she is not in her studio.

Check out these resources

21 Day painting Meditation Challenge

Whitney Freya on Instagram

Her book! 30 Days to Unstoppable

In this new episode of the Social PR Podcast, host Lisa Buyer sits down with expert press release distributor and strategist, Mickie Kennedy, where he reveals how just one article can generate massive traffic and booming sales for your business.

The Idea

Mickie founded eReleases 22 years ago with the mission to provide accessible media exposure to start-up companies. What began as a small-scale service developed into a widespread resource and partnership with US National PR Newswire, the oldest authentic press release outlet.

eReleases is a win-win system, not only helping businesses flourish but journalists as well. 

Dead or Alive?

For the past decade, people have wondered whether print, SEO and press releases are dead or alive. Mickie puts this long-lasted debate to rest.

He says that the way press releases were syndicated two decades ago is outdated and tedious, and the goal has changed entirely. While the motive to replicate is very much dead, the new purpose of a press release is alive and well.

“(SEO and press releases) continue to have a life as long as it works.” -- Mickie Kennedy

The Purpose of a Press Release

Mickie says that a blend of subscribing journalists, substantial google searches and a personal touch sets eReleases apart from its competitors. His team of writers, editors and strategizers distribute their clients' press releases to journalists who turn those releases into news articles.

Now, before we get ahead of ourselves, let's break down the levels of a press release:

• • The intent: to write a compelling announcement that will stir up publicity.

• The next step: to have journalists write articles about your company’s announcement.
• The end goal: to further advance your brand through additional media collateral like podcasts, features and links.

Creative PR Tactics

Mickie uses his creative writing background to come up with some of the most engaging and powerful PR hacks.

For one of his clients in the auto repair industry, he built a survey for them to distribute to local and independent auto trade associations. But this survey was far from mundane. He included the question, What is the strangest item someone left in a car while being repaired in your shop? The answers are unbelievable and so was the company’s engagement yield. Have a listen and find out for yourself!

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• Press Release Strategy and Distribution
• eReleases
• PR Newswire
• Press Release and SEO efforts
• Creative and Newsworthy Angles

Connect with Mickie Kennedy

• LinkedIn
• eReleases’ LinkedIn

Links Mentioned

• eReleases’ Website
• PR Newswire Website

Examples of surveys using surveys quite effectively in press releases:

•  https://www.prnewswire.com/news/clutch/
•  https://www.prnewswire.com/search/news/?keyword=park%20associates

In this new episode of the Social PR Podcast, host Lisa Buyer chats with fellow Gemini and female disruptor, Cordelia Henry. As the founder of Pearlescence, a community dedicated to empowering women, she believes that all women have the power to reach their desired potential once they realize that they deserve and can achieve that success. 

Tapping into Your Female Intuition

Cordelia says that every woman is born with the natural ability to build relationships which, after all, is the foundation for becoming a successful entrepreneur. Pearlescence, established in 2017, guides women to build their tribe of women influencers and allies.

On any path that you take, you’ll come across a woman to learn from; a sisterpreneur offering a helping hand. This is the Pearlescence community in a nutshell. A safe and beneficial space for women of all stages in their career and all walks of life to lift each other up and celebrate the many successes and hardships that come with building a brand and business.

“Pearlescence is celebrating the beauty and the uniqueness of each of us as women.” -- Cordelia Henry

Balancing Work and Family

Lisa says that as women, we are expected to work like we don’t have a family and have a family like we don’t work. Cordelia offers tips on balancing work and family life in a productive and practical way.

• Stay Organized: Create a daily checklist.
• Manage Your Expectations: Determine a realistic input and output for the day.
• You are Enough: Leaving several boxes unchecked does not mean that you were unsuccessful and did not do enough for the day. Simply, place those items at the top of the priority list tomorrow.

The Bright Side of the Pandemic

Before COVID-19, Cordelia solely relied on organic, face-to-face interaction to PR network and build relationships. The pandemic forced her into the trenches of social media. And even though hosting and creating digital events was unfamiliar to Cordelia, she channeled her love for people and learned to adapt. Today, she has nearly 3,000 followers on the Pearlescence Facebook page and strives to grow the community every day.

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• Building Relationships
• Female Entrepreneurs
• Pearlescence
• Sisterpreneurs
• Working Mothers
• Adapting to Social Media 

Connect with Cordelia Henry

Instagram: @sowsowreap

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cordelia-henry-0035b625/

Twitter: @sowsowreap

Online community: Sisterhood 4 Influence & Impact

In this new episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer talks to Paige Dansinger about her virtual museums and efforts to bring communities together through art and technology. They also explore how PR can disseminate these efforts into the world. 

From games to virtual museums

Paige started her career in the art industry, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. When she quit her job, she knew she wanted to work with creative technologies, reaching new museum audiences through her phone. She didn’t know what that would look like but she embraced the challenge. Inspired by the popular mobile phone game Draw Something, she started posting re-creation of artworks on social media. As big museums noticed and invited her to speak at big-name events, she knew she had a concept.

Yet, she was still unable to tackle hard subjects such as war or social justice. For that, she needed a community. Slowly, through various opportunities, she got to understand the potential of art, social media, and VR to build connections. 

What even is a virtual museum?

She founded Better World Museum to create resilient individuals, groups, & communities. For example, when she brought the museum to domestic abuse survivors, the victims bonded and connected through drawing. The shared experience of creating together creates a connection, she says. Eventually, Paige took the museum around the world. 

As she discovered VR technology, she also understood she could use it to bring people from all around the world together. She created a flower garden people could add to from anywhere. As she traveled around the world, over 4,000 people drew in the garden in the span of 3 months. The pop-up format allowed her to create a mini-moving museum. But thankfully, as the COVID-19 pandemic started, Paige had already experimented with VR enough that she was able to thrive on virtual-only. 

Creating community 

Paige Dansinger also created the Horizon Museum, where people recreate artworks in VR. Visitors (who thus become artists) can perform via audio sharing buttons and are integral parts of the museum. They even get compensated for their participation. Paige also hosted a pizza party, which brought an intergenerational crowd for a night of fun and connection. Her two museums allowed Paige to bring communities together during a time of crisis. 

Interestingly enough, Paige’s PR efforts are directly reliant on her community. While she spends significant efforts on creating her brand, she lets the community share her work while exemplifying their voices. Her main visibility strategy? Creativity.

“My mission is to build creative technologies to build resilience” - Paige Dansinger

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• Virtual Reality 
• Community
• Oculus 
• Facebook Horizon 
• Art

Contact Paige Dansinger: 

• Paige’s Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigedansinger
• Paige’s Twitter https://twitter.com/museumpaige?lang=en
• Paige’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/paigedansinger/?hl=en
• Paige’s Website http://paigedansinger.com/

References and Links Mentioned

• Better World Museum http://betterworldmuseum.com/
• Horizon Museum https://www.facebook.com/horizonartmuseum/
• Oculus https://www.oculus.com/

In this new episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer sits down with Bryan Clayton, co-founder, and CEO of GreenPal, an online marketplace that connects homeowners with local lawn care professionals. Also called the “Uber of lawn care,” Greenpal was started from nothing over eight years ago. Today, Bryan and his associate grew it to over 200,000 active users completing thousands of transactions a day. 

From idea to revenue

Bryan and his co-founders had a simple but genius idea: allowing homeowners to find a lawn care professional, hiring them, approving their work, and potentially hiring them for the whole system. Like Uber, it made a service easily available. But unlike Uber, the model allows all actors to win from it. Not only are customers satisfied. But the app also allows small companies with no marketing to find customers effectively.

Once the idea was there and the first app prototype was built, all that was needed were customers. So Bryan went old school and went door to door to hand out flyers and get his first users for feedback. 

Grow your business with SEO

Of course, in the digital age, flyers weren’t going to be the long-term solution. So Bryan focused all his marketing efforts on organic search. By optimizing SEO, he was able to slowly build his presence on Google. The best way to do that? Start local! In the beginning, Bryan and his associates only operated in Nashville, TN. That enabled them to figure out how to rank on search terms. Once the strategy was done, they were able to expand.

But the first two years of SEO barely yielded any results. In the first two years, you will be doing so much but not getting immediate results, said Bryan. Just stick with it and it will end up working out. Another one of Bryan’s tips is to create content that might not create conversion but that will put you on customers’, media, and search engines’ radar.

How to use social with no budget

Bryan admitted to barely using social media to promote his app. One thing he does love about social media is Facebook groups. All the 10,000+ suppliers using his platform are on a Facebook group where they share advice and tips, building a community around the service. On Instagram, Bryan has no sales objective but uses the fun content he produces to improve his branding. 

For more tips about growing your sprouting business, make sure to listen to this episode. Lisa and Bryan also cover how to stay fit while running a business, using meditation to release stress, and book recommendations!

“SEO is like marathon training: you only get results if you stick with it” - Bryan Clayton

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• SEO
• Marketing 
• Organic marketing 
• Entrepreneurship

Contact Bryan Clayton: 

• Bryan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-clayton/

References and Links Mentioned

• GreenPal: https://www.yourgreenpal.com
• Class Pass: https://classpass.co

In this episode of the Social PR Podcast, host Lisa Buyer chats with powerhouse entrepreneur Jayson Waller. From being kicked out of his high school to venturing into fatherhood as a teenager, Jayson has dedicated his career to guiding others to be bold and take control of their lives.

Where To Begin

Amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, Jayson earned $350 million in revenue for Powerhome Solar, which he founded in 2015. But this rocketing success didn't happen overnight. It was a collection of triumphs and failures that molded his solar energy company into the largest American Made panel installation business in the U.S.

Jayson says that you should start off by setting small goals for yourself.

• Each day, write down two things that you would like to accomplish. At first, try to check off just one goal from your list. Then, work your way up to achieving both.
• Strive to be 1% better every single day so by the end of the year, you'll be 365% better than you once were.
• You don't have to be great today, just a little bit better than you were yesterday.
• Every "no" will strengthen and prepare you for that "yes" moment.
• There is always room to grow and learn from others no matter how accomplished and successful you become.

No Excuses. No BS.

Jayson's first book, "Own Your Power. No Excuses. No BS. Yes. The Time is Now," (coming out this July) details how he built three multimillion-dollar enterprises from the ground up through perseverance and dedication.

Even writing the book exemplifies his belief in setting goals and taking action. He was actually challenged by author and social media expert Heather Monahan to write it. And, of course, Jayson accepted the task. Despite being out of his comfort zone having never written a book before, he took it day by day and month by month until the product was complete. No excuses necessary. 

Raw PR & Marketing

"You're building a brand out there that they can trust and that they can (relate to)."

Here are Jayson's Do's and Don'ts when it comes to building your brand:

• DO build strong relationships with credible partners. After all, trust and authenticity are the backbones of your company.
• DON'T forget to show appreciation for your team. Workaround your budget and find a way to give back to them. This will ultimately help you recruit and build your brand.
• DO share positive stories both internally and externally in order to broaden your media reach.
• DON'T get sucked into constantly covering negative news stories. Your angle is a direct reflection of your brand.

Family Ties in Business

In Jayson's podcast, True Underdog, he hosts several episodes with his kids. He says that when you remove the barrier between business and family, this creates quality moments with your children. Each episode of #FamilyTalk tackles important conversations like social media, mental health, and more.

Some topics in this episode include:

• Tips on Setting Achievable Goals
• Solar Energy
• Taking Action
• Credibility and Trust
• Podcast

Contact Jayson Waller

• Jayson's Website: jaysonwaller.com
• Jayon’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayson-waller-/
• Powerhome Solar Website: powerhome.com

References and Links Mentioned

• True Underdog Podcast 
• #FamilyTalk with Mackenzie Waller
• #FamilyTalk with Hannah Waller

In this new episode of the Social PR Podcast, host Lisa Buyer dives into the possibilities of VR with Navah Berg. Navah is a specialist in both marketing and social PR. She was one of the first women to see the true potential of VR for PR and has dedicated her career to developing more ways to include the technology in our professional lives.

What is Social VR?

So far, most people have been using VR for gaming. So how do you use virtual reality for marketing? According to Navah, the real perf is being able to create a world or platform to bring people together. People can go inside a space, and walk around it. If you’re hosting, you are able to create and build wolds, create avatars and meet up spots. You can tell stories and develop narratives. 

For example, Navah created a world for International Women’s Day. She built a meet-up spot full of quotes from women where people were able to come in and come together to celebrate. 

Advantages of VR

To some, VR might seem like a gadget. But the advantages are real, says Navah. Here are some of them:

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer dives into the world of Facebook ads with Adam Risbridger. A former Facebook employee, Adam knows all there is to know about making ads stand out on the social network.

Shorter, faster, smarter

When it comes to Facebook ads, Adam says there are three main things businesses and PR pros should focus on.

#1. Shorter

With so many people promoting their product on Facebook, you need to make your message shorter and simpler. Simplify your message and make sure the call the action is included in the first few seconds of any video you post. People’s attention spans are so short that most of them never watch more than a few seconds of a video.

#2. Faster

Your website needs to be optimized and fast. If you have a slow website, your page bounce backs will increase and your conversion rate will be lower. This information is then going back to the Facebook algorithm and will penalize you.

#3. Smarter

All brands promoting on Facebook need to have Facebook Pixel. The tool classifies every user and automatically optimizes campaigns for you, based on their data. Without the tool, your campaigns will be much less effective.

Do’s and Don’ts of Facebook Ads

✅ DO use loop animations

If your product is complex, using loop animations or carousel ads is a great way to simplify your messaging.

❌ DON’T be too caught up in the funnel model

Have realistic expectations and mostly focus on converting new users and retargeting constantly

✅ DO respond very fast on your Facebook page

Facebook wants to know you’re human, and the faster you answer customers, the more it’ll reward you with ad reach.

❌ DON’T create a different website for mobile

Your website should work perfectly on both mobile and desktop. Using a second website will divide your conversions by two and you’ll get less out of your Facebook ads.

What’s Next?

If you know a few things about Facebook ads, you’ll know that an upcoming Apple update is shaking the online ad world. But what is happening, exactly? Currently, Facebook uses a sort of Pixel for mobile. But Apple is soon going to get rid of that and come up with its own. Unfortunately, that will make it so much easier to match Apple users to Facebook users. But professionals are hopeful that the system will better quickly after its launch.

Want to know more about Facebook ads? Make sure to listen to this episode and get in touch with Adam.

“People have no patience, so tweak your creative based on that” - Adam Risbridger

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• Facebook ads
• Facebook pixel
• Video ads
• Website optimization

Contact Adam Risbridger

• Adam’s website https://www.adamrisbridger.com/
• Adam’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamrisbridger/?originalSubdomain=ca

References and Links Mentioned

• Facebook Blueprint https://www.facebook.com/business/learn

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer dives into the world of SEO with Brett Lane. Brett is an SEO consultant who has managed over 1,000 projects and ranked tens of thousands of keywords on Google. His work focuses on both onsite and offsite SEO (more on that later) and he has almost two decades of experience in the field. There’s no one better to learn the ins and outs of SEO from!

Onsite vs Offsite SEO

Onsite SEO is what most people think of when they hear search engine optimization. It’s all about making sure your own website is both friendly to Google and your users. It involves writing good data descriptions, having relevant content that will please both the algorithm and your audience. To master onsite SEO, you need to know (or hire someone who knows) all the odds and ends of communicating effectively with Google. That being said, being a PR professional will also help you in optimizing your SEO strategy because your site needs to be user-friendly, otherwise the lack of interaction with your content will kill all your Google-related SEO efforts.

On the other hand, offsite SEO focuses on getting as many outside websites as possible to link to your website. It’s the hard part of SEO because you need a small army of people reaching out to content creators and getting them to link to your website. But be careful here! These efforts should not activate Google’s triggers and make the algorithm believe you are spamming. The links need to come from the right websites, with the right content and they shouldn’t be replicated on too many outside platforms. Everything needs to look and feel organic. 

Do’s and Don’ts of Press Releases for SEO

You might not realize it, but your press releases are a great tool to use as part of your SEO strategy. Unfortunately, they could also be your worst enemy. Here are the do’s and don’t of press releases when it comes to SEO.

❌ DON’T include too many links to your site in your press release. Especially not with the same tags. Google will think it’s spam.

✅ DO include a link to your website (the full link) at the end of your press release. It’s good to have a link but you don’t want Google to think you are spamming by having too many links.

❌ DON’T forget to add images and videos to your press release. And make sure you add metadata information.

✅ DO add your business information including phone number, address, email address along with the link to your website at the end of your press release. This shows Google you’re legit.

Other Strategies for Better SEO

Brett shared so much knowledge with us. Here are a few techniques to get better SEO:

• Think about EXIF data, that is the metadata sitting behind videos and images in all the content you put out. You should tweak the title, description, and localization to fit your strategy.
• Use a free EXIF data editor to automate the process. A good one is Mass Optimizer Pro.
• Think about domain authority. Google has a scale from 1 to 100 depending on how authoritative a website is. For example, Forbes is a 95. Getting a link to your website from one of those sites is great for SEO.
• Don’t sleep on .edu websites. College websites have high domain authority. Try to pitch to college students who have access to their school’s blog. Make sure the content is relevant and you might get a mention from a website that will please Google.
• Use your Google My Business to your advantage. Add as much as possible to it and use a service like GMB Briefcase to post content to your GMB strategically.

That was a lot! Make sure to listen to the episodes for even more tips and insights from Brett. If you think your company could benefit from his services, check out his website: http://brettslane.com/.

“Don’t forget: Google wants your content to look natural” - Brett Lane

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• SEO
• Google My Business
• Metadata
• Press Release
• Google

Contact Brett Lane

• Brett’s Website: http://brettslane.com/
• Brett’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettslane 

References and Links Mentioned

• Mass Optimizer Pro
• GMB Briefcase

Here are 21 things I’m slightly obsessed with this month.

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer talks to agency owner and all-around icon Cat Howell. Cat is the founder and CEO of Eight Loop Social as well as the biggest Facebook advertising group in the world, FB Ads Academy. After founding Eight Loop Social in 2015 and growing it to new heights, Cat recently welcomed two new partners. The new additions changed her life. Here is how. 

When it All Gets Too Much

Two years ago, Cat realized her business, which managers over $250,000 in Facebook ad spend per month, was reliant on her. If she made a mistake, it affected the entire business disproportionately. She felt trapped and almost went bankrupt. Last year, her mental health started deteriorating so badly she couldn’t even function. That’s when she realized she needed a change. 

Cat is all about processes. When implementing changes within her agency, she started with getting rid of anything they did that couldn’t be replicated for most clients. Indeed, if you cannot replicate the service and outcomes a client is getting, you are outside the scope of your core operations. That is putting yourself and your team on a constant learning curve that will either lead to costly business consequences or burnouts for yourself and your employees. 

It’s All About Streamlining the Process

So where do you go from that realization? You refocus, says Cat. Think about the core thing people are paying you to do, and focus on that. Once that becomes systematic, you will have access to scalability. In turn, dealing with a large book of clients will be effective and won’t cost you your mental health. 

When it comes to agency management, Cat advises starting by being clear on what you want your business to do for you and what that looks like. If you don’t make that vision clear from the start, you will get stuck. Additionally, surround yourself with people who will help you get where you want. Agency owners can’t wear all the hats, that’s just not humanly possible. Not only will a good staff and mentors alleviate some of your workloads, but it will also shift your entire perception of the industry and will introduce you to a plethora of new possibilities. 

Taking Care of Yourself as an Agency Owner

Cat says depression and burnout were a long time coming for her. But when she experienced a mental breakdown and couldn’t even leave the bed, she knew she had to do something about it. She tried everything from therapy to mindfulness but what really worked was a change in perspective. It was owning what was happening to her and realizing she had the power to change it. “Most successful people face just as many challenges, but it’s all about they shift their perspective,” she said.

Healing also requires firing yourself from most of the roles you’re taking at your agency. You should focus on the tasks that bring you joy and delegate everything else to people you trust. Additionally, you should set boundaries for yourself, your team, and your clients. 

To learn more about what Cat does, follow her on Instagram, join her Facebook advertising group and check out her new side business, Theory of Her.

“Take radical responsibility for the sh**  that’s happening to you”- Cat Howell

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• Agency ownership
• Mental health
• Depression
• Mindfulness
• Processes
• Facebook advertising 

Contact Cat Howell

• Cat’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathowell/
• Cat’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cathowell/?hl=en

References and Links Mentioned

• Digital Distillery https://digitaldistillery.com/
• Eight Loop Social https://eightloopsocial.com/
• Modern PR Secrets Online Course https://lisabuyer.teachable.com/

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer talked to Ryan O’Connor for the first-ever SPS episode on SMS marketing! Ryan is the founder of Worth eCommerce, a Portland-based email and SMS marketing agency helping businesses scale their customer relationships with email and SMS Marketing. 

Why Use Email and SMS?

For the first half of his career in eCommerce, Ryan was focused on getting new commerce. He only thought about conversion rates and user experience. But quickly, he realized he was only looking at surface level. Instead, he started working on creating a brand with supportive customers he could turn into VIPs who would be loyal for life. And now, he helps businesses do the same thing. 

Emails and SMS allow businesses to develop longer relationships with customers. To do so, companies should focus on communication and content rather than the actual user experience and design of the email. Indeed, Ryan has found that high repeat customer rates are usually due to great content. Emails and SMS will expose your customers to your brand in a way nothing else will

Turn Customers Into VIPs

The first step to any email or SMS strategy is to grow your lists. A good way to do that is popups on your website offering a discount or another offer against their contact information. With this strategy successfully implemented, Ryan is able to collect 10 to 15% of website visitors not ready to buy and turn them into first-time customers. Ryan advises businesses to start with one channel first, usually email. Email is a richer experience. It’s longer, has more designs and customers invest more of their attention in it. Conversely, SMS is a very small touchpoint and people are less willing to give their phone number.

Once you’ve built a list of about 3,000 emails, you can start thinking about SMS. You will only need a few hundred SMS subscribers for the strategy to be profitable. Indeed, it requires little time and effort and it will have a high engagement rate. Why? Well, if someone is willing to give you their phone number it means they like your brand and are loyal. In short: they want to hear from you. So give them the VIP treatment: send them the best discounts, first access to products, podcasts, and more!

SMS Tips

So what should you do and not do when using SMS to market your brand? Ryan has the answers!

DO: Use the right SMS sending tools. If you use Shopify, PostScript is the most robust option. For other eCommerce platforms, you can use SMSBump. And if you are a bigger company, Attentive Mobile will be perfect for you.

DON’T: Send too many SMS. That list is your goldmine, you don’t want to draw resources from it too fast. Save your best content and promotions for SMS. 4-8 times a month is a good start point. Once your list grows, you can send more or even segment your audience.

DO: Use gifs to make the text stand out. Some kind of fun image will trigger an emotional response within your customers. 

DON’T: Focus on SMS only. SMS should be supplemented by email. They both serve a different purpose and should be considered with two different strategies in mind.

This episode is a great starting point for anyone wanting to learn more about SMS for their business. For more, make sure to check out Ryan’s podcast, the Relationship Commerce podcast. He will also start an eCommerce mastermind soon, so be sure to keep an eye out for that!

“One sale won’t create a memory structure, but content marketing and exposure to your brand will.”- Ryan O’Connor

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• SMS marketing
• Email marketing
• VIP customers
• User experience
• eCommerce 

Contact Ryan O’Connor

• Ryan’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-o-connor-b265b749 
• Ryan’s Website https://worthecommerce.com/
• Ryan’s Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-relationship-commerce-podcast/id1516508445

References and Links Mentioned

• PostScript
• SMSBump
• Attentive Mobile 

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer chats with Jeanne Jennings, CEO of Email Optimization Shop and General Manager of Only Influencers to discuss everything email-related. Jeanne is a recognized expert in the email marketing industry and a consultant who helps organizations make their email marketing efforts more effective and more profitable. So what are the current email marketing trends? Should you use emojis in your subject line? How many pictures should you include in an email? Look no further to find out!

Latest Trends in E-mail Marketing

Why has email always been such a reliable source of revenue? The answer is simple. It’s cheap and effective. But, Jeanne says, if you start putting resources behind your email efforts, it will become an incredibly profitable marketing method.  But what are the latest trends?

Jeanne recommends taking advantage of automation tools. Create trigger emails based on the behavior of the people on your list. For example, create browser reminder emails for potential customers who visited your website but didn’t make a purchase. Sending them an email could be the push they need to buy something. Or set up reminder emails sent to people who added something in their cart but left the website without buying it.

It’s All About Your Website

When it comes to emails, the key is to make sure people want to get updates from you in their inbox. As such, you should always allow people to opt-in for newsletters and all other emails. The best way to do this is within your website, following these 3 rules:

#1. Include a value proposition, offer people something so they feel like they will gain from being added to your email list.

#2. Add your call to action above the fold on your website, not in the footer. The sign-up box should appear on every page, either on the right column or at the very top, next to your logo.

#3. Experiment with popups. While popups can be annoying for us marketing pros, they yield incredible results. Jeanne recommends including them on the second or third page so that website visitors can get to know your business before opting in. 

Email Newsletters 101

Jeanne recommends sending a newsletter out at least once a month. However, make sure it’s not all about your company updates but rather provides real value to your subscribers. Jeanne also advises against dividing your newsletter into types of medium. Instead, make sure your categories focus on the types of messages.

Visually, your mission will determine how many images you should include. If you’re a retailer, visuals will drive your newsletter. If working for a B2B or PR agency, your message is your copy. The visuals will need to support the copy and engage your audience. 

This episode covers so much more, from subject line best practices to hosting events to build your email list. Jeanne and LIsa also discuss the biggest mistakes brands can make when analyzing their email results and how to leverage video in emails. Listen to become a true email pro!

“Let the content drive your newsletter” - Jeanne Jennings

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• Email lists
• Email marketing
• Newsletters
• Google analytics 
• Subject lines

Contact Jeanne Jennings

• Jeanne’s Website www.EmailOpShop.com 

References and Links Mentioned

• Only Influencer swww.OnlyInfluencers.com 
• Email Innovations Summit www.EmailInnovationsSummit.com 

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer sits down with Mitchell Colbert, Executive Director of the Ethical Data Alliance (EDA), journalist, and cannabis researcher. From trusted sources to best pitches, Mitchell shares his top tips for PR professionals with clients in the cannabis, CBD, or Hemp Industry. 

What Does a Career in Cannabis Look Like?

Mitchell grew up in California, very much surrounded by cannabis. He started to medicate manic depression with cannabis when he was younger and still uses it to fight stress and injuries. Fast forward to now, Mitchell is the Executive Director of the Ethical Data Alliance (EDA), a new project of Ed Rosenthal's 501c3 non-profit, Green Aid, focused on improving data privacy and supporting the cannabis industry through the use of blockchain technology and smart contracts. 

Before he ran his own lobbying firm, Full Spectrum Strategy, where he advocated in California, Colorado, and Canada for cannabis waste (specifically vape waste) to be easier to recycle. His efforts resulted in regulatory and statutory changes in Colorado which allow for legal “marijuana consumer waste” recycling for the first time since legalization. He started out in the industry working for the world-famous Harborside dispensary and for two campaigns to legalize cannabis in California. He is a prolific journalist with over a hundred articles in over a dozen outlets and is a published cannabis researcher. Needless to say, you can trust him on all things cannabis-related.

The Cannabis Basics

If you’re well-versed in cannabis terminology, skip to the next paragraph. But because so many different words are thrown around, Mitchell clarified it all for us.

Cannabis is the species name, also known as marijuana. However, Mitchell recommends using cannabis, as the word marijuana carries a lot of weight. Cannabis is high in THC and has euphoric qualities.

Hemp is a type of cannabis plant that has always grown and is found in many variations. It’s lower in THC.

CBD is a cannabinoid, one of the two most common ones, with THC. Both start from CBG but become their own cannabinoids when combined with the right synthase. CBD provides no euphoric effect.

Top PR Tips for Cannabis Clients

If you are a PR professional representing a CBD or cannabis brand, you need to recognize you are both an educator and mediator, says Mitchell. So what should you keep in mind?

#1. Educate the public and the media

The media is an intermediary to reaching the public, and they need to be educated too. They often have no clue what follow-up questions to ask or even miss the bigger picture story when reporting on the industry.

#2. Do. Your. Research.

As a PR pro, you have a responsibility to only disseminate researched-backed information. The best sources on the topic are NCBI, PubMed, and ProjectCBD.org.

#3. Include sources

When emailing the press, especially specialized outlets, always include details on sourcing. Document your claims and really show proof of what your client is all about. 

#4. Add visuals to your pitches

Journalists lack good imagery to illustrate stories on cannabis, they’ll be appreciative of a free-to-use image.

#5. Be ready for the hard questions

When pitching to a specialized journalist, expect hard follow-up questions. But also make sure you’re prepared to face the general public on social media. Have sources, studies, and data on hand. 

That was a lot! The industry landscape is always changing but these tips from Mitchell will always help you. One last thing from him: how exactly is the industry going to change? His guess? CBG will be the next big thing. Costs will go down, quality and diversity will go up. CBD won’t keep dominating the industry for much longer. Need more tips and insights? Listen to the episode to learn more!

“If you’re representing a CBD or cannabis brand, recognize that you are an educator and a mediator” – Mitchell Colbert

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• Cannabis
• CBD
• Hemp
• Academic research
• PR pitch 

Contact Mitchell Colbert

• Mitchell’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchellrcolbert
• Mitchell’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mitchellrcolbert/?hl=en
• Mitchell’s Twitter https://twitter.com/MitchellColbert
• Mitchell’s MuckRack https://muckrack.com/mitchellcolbert 

References and Links Mentioned

• Rolling Stones article https://www.rollingstone.com/culture-council/articles/pr-professionals-cannabis-1135732/
• NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
• PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
• ProjectCBD.org https://www.projectcbd.org/

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer listens to Holly Gillen’s top tips for creating business videos. Holly runs Holly G Studios, where she helps with strategic video content development to increase her customers’ impact and income. If you’re making videos but want to do better, or have never touched a camera in your life, this episode is for you! As Holly says, “videos that are fun, fast, and easy to make increase your impact and income.”

You Need Good Videos

Holly started her career in New York City, as a professional videographer. She worked on important projects with big-name celebrities. But after a while in the industry, she realized she didn’t want to work for huge corporations anymore. She knew video could be a game-changer for small businesses, so she set herself to help them. She started a company to work with business owners and entrepreneurs and make videos for them.

But quickly, she found out they all had the same questions. What should my strategy be? Do I really have to be on camera? Do I have to spend that much money on a video? So she started Holly G Studios to prepare business owners so they could make their videos themselves. Holly leads live video challenges tailored to each business owner. 

The Professional Triangle

According to Holly, when it comes to videos, it’s all about the professional triangle: light, audio, and graphics. 

Female Disruptors Turned Two! 

It was two years ago today Lisa Buyer launched the online publication FemaleDisruptors.com with the goal to highlight women disrupting in their space. From the most influential women in tech to professional surfers to Social VR disruptors to yoga queens to poetry princesses, Female Disruptors shines a light on 39 women and counting. 

Women in VR - Enter Facebook Horizons

VR Women in Horizon Facebook Group hosts the event in the “Women VR Creators” Facebook Horizon World for community activities celebrating the women creators. Social VR expert Navah Berg managed and coordinated the event on Facebook Horizons in honor of International Women’s Day. 

Here’s is what the day looked like:

Grab your Oculus Quest headset and start the day meditating in Virtual Reality. The line-up speakers include Female Disruptor Lisa Buyer, Futurist Cathy Hackl,  an interview with Lisa Kotecki, AR/VR Community Lead at Facebook

Join a LIVE Interview, Network, play Icebreaker Games, participate in a Meditation Circle // Wellness Chat, “Party-Up” and travel to Worlds Created by Women, and much more! We would love to see you there for an exclusive evening celebrating women all around the world in Facebook Horizon.

The Women of Hustle and Flow Chart Podcast

Thirteen women made the featured episode of Hustle and Flowchart podcast. Matt Wolfe and Joe Fier pay tribute to the badass women interviewed in 2020. The list included:

1. Sue Rice
2. Molly Mahoney
3. Lisa Cherney
4. Sara Christensen
5. Ilana Wechsler
6. Susie Moore
7. Lisa Buyer
8. Felicia Pagesh
9. Erin Pheil
10. Gabby Bernstein
11. Kim Krause Schwalm
12. Laura Gale
13. Melanie Benson

“21 Things” Girl Power Highlights 

This month’s email focused on Women, AI, and Tech. Some of Lisa Buyer’s favorite things from: 

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer sits down with Robyn Lindars, founder of GrillGirl, a website where she shares tips, recipes, classes, and more. Like many of us PR pros, Robyn went to journalism school before starting her career at Marketwire where she learned the art of digital PR, SEO, and distribution. 

At the same time she discovered grilling, she started a small blog that then morphed into GrillGirl. She realized: why do the guys get to have all the fun? She used the website as an opportunity to share her growing passion for grilling. Along the way, she has learned how to build a social presence and run a widely successful website. Want to know how she did it? Listen to this episode to find out!

Creating Content to Get Press

Robyn has appeared on the Today Show, the Food Network, and featured in USA Today, The Miami Herald, and more. Despite what most people think, high-end produced videos aren’t necessarily what catches people’s attention, she says. Instead, home-grown content can get you the best press opportunities. For example, the Today Show found her through videos of herself grilling lamb in her backyard. She also started her Women’s Grilling Clinics, understanding that events are a great way to get press.

Robyn also explains that finding a niche that sets you apart makes it much easier to get featured in a story. For her, being a woman in a male-dominated field allowed her to cut through a lot of noise. To that, Lisa adds that entrepreneurs shouldn’t be afraid of starting with local media mentions to start the momentum before aiming at bigger publications. She also recommends doing paid distribution of your news releases to make sure journalists find you when they research-related topics. In short, “take the extra step and think outside the box,” says Robyn.

Top 3 Social Listening Tips

#1. Social listening is for everyone 

You don’t need a big budget to use social listening to your advantage. While paid tools like NetBase are great, a simple look at Google Trends can help you. Robyn even sets Google alerts for topics she wants to keep a pulse on.  

#2. Any brand, big or small can benefit from social listening 

Small companies can actually be more nimble, they can implement changes based on social listening more quickly. 

#3. Don’t focus on your brand only 

Businesses should look at their brand as well as the larger universe around it. You shouldn’t have a me-centric perspective when doing social listening, explains Robyn.

The Hidden Power of Pinterest

Pinterest is an often overlooked social media. But while Instagram isn’t searchable and doesn’t direct much traffic to your website, Pinterest is a search engine of its own. And it works for every industry. Robyn suggests you make your website content Pinterest-friendly using tools such as Adobe Spark. She explains that, on Pinterest, people save things for later and then get back to it, creating a sustainable flow to her website. 

In a similar fashion, Robyn recommends business owners keep SEO in mind as they build their website to avoid having to do the work afterward. Most website developers aren’t SEO-savvy, she warns, so try to find that special person from the beginning!

Robyn has already built a GrillGirl empire - and she’s not stopping. Keep an eye out for her upcoming podcast and magazine. And make sure to try out all of her recipes, we guarantee you you’ll be hungry after listening to this episode.

“Being a woman in a male-dominated field allowed me to cut through a lot of noise” - Robyn Lindars

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• Getting Press
• PR
• Pinterest
• SEO
• Wordpress

Contact Robyn Lindars

• Robyn’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/grillgirlrobyn/?hl=en
• Robyn’s website https://grillgirl.com/
• Robyn’s Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.fr/grillgirlrobyn/

References and Links Mentioned

• NetBase https://netbasequid.com/
• GoogleTrends https://trends.google.com/trends/?geo=US
• Turkey Recipe: https://grillgirl.com/2020/11/pickle-juice-brine-smoked-spatchcocked-turkey/

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host and digital PR expert Lisa Buyer walks through some of the highlights of her latest Search Engine Journal article talking about her favorite and least favorite myths, musts, and mantras when it comes to digital public relations.

Digital PR vs Digital Advertising

While almost all companies are willing to splurge on advertising, few understand that digital PR is another central element of a successful business. However, for digital PR to work, brands need more than money. They need to understand the process takes time, they should communicate and cooperate with their agency, and keep their expectations realistic.

Once you’ve understood that, digital PR will surprise you in more ways than one. Unlike advertising, PR positively affects every part of the funnel. And unlike advertising, PR offers sustained rewards overtime. In short, PR gives brands what they can’t buy in ads. This includes:

✅ Thought leadership

✅ Credibility

✅ Third-party endorsements

✅ Community

✅ Relationships

✅ Impact

✅ Low budget/no budget is needed. 

Top 3 PR Myths, Busted

#1. PR is only measured in numbers

“At the end of the day, it’s about forging lasting connections. Not just with news media, but with consumers, employees, and the community,” said PR Consultant Tanya Pinsoneault.

#2. Only big companies do social listening 

Robyn Linders, social analytics expert and founder of Grill Girl said, “all companies, big and small, B2C and B2B need to understand the environment they are competing in. Social analytics is the best way to understand this quickly and honestly from regular people’s mouths.”

#3. The best PR pros live in LA and New York

Brands should keep in mind they’re looking for talent, not location. The best professionals can now be found all over the country - and the world!

Want to know what other myths are the most common? Listen to the episode to find out!

3 Steps to a Successful Digital PR Strategy

This episode also includes lots of tips for brands to ensure their digital PR work yields the best results. Here are three of them:

21 things I'm doing for February that you can too.

1. Get them to open your emails with Subjectline.com

2. Own it. Use this email marketing strategy for an 87% open rate! George Bryant's email secrets in this episode are the best advice you will ever hear. Period.

3. LinkedIn Lies. Exaggerating on your LinkedIn profile is called lying.

4. Eyes wide shut. Give your eyes a massage and IHELOL.

5. Headline Hell. Titlecase? ALL CAPS? Stop the headline formatting hell with this lifesaver CapitalizeMyTitle.

6. Just another tool? Notion helps you get organized, focus, and even keep a daily journal or home page - listen to Katie Wells interview as she unpacks notion.

7. FB and Google busted. Rand Fishkin’s interview on Hustle and Flow Chart is a must! “What does the future of SEO look like in 2021 and beyond? Digital PR” Rand Fishkin

8. Overused word and underused act. Selfcare. It’s the new healthcare.

9. Smokin’. Follow the intersection of cannabis, culture, and wellness with Emily Earlenbaugh in her Forbes column.

10. Latte love. My fave CBD, coffee, and flow recipes.

11. Raise your vibration for Black History month - Meet Lalah Delia, a spiritual writer, wellness educator, certified spiritual practitioner, founder of VibrateHigherDaily.com, and bestselling author Vibrate Higher Daily: Live Your Power.

12. Listen up. Podfest - Mark your calendar for March 1-5, 2021.

13. Partner with me. I’m leveraging the power of collaboration, meet me at JVOLOGY.

14. Extra special tip: Send your Valentine’s or birthday gifts one week early.

15. TOF alert: How to Properly Use PR and SEO.

16. My inbox VIP is Christopher Penn. Check out his video/audio equipment list.

17. Honey, what's for dinner? Worst question ever. I'm saving time using Freshly for fit and healthy dinners this month.

18. Social bonding and love at work. It’s a thing! The science of love and trust. Flow Research Collective Radio with Steven Kotler.

19. “Lists” and “How To” headlines get the most page views. Read the anatomy of top-performing articles.

20. Best looking background. Love it.

21. Three C’s in life. You must make the choice, to take a chance, if you want anything in your life to change.

Want to add to my future 21 things? Enter it here!

Want more info on my new course, Modern PR Secrets? Or to be the first to know when it is released? Check it out here!

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer talked to Bob Regnerus and did a deep dive into the world of Facebook advertising. Bob is the Co-Founder of FeedStories, a Facebook and video advertising agency. A Facebook expert, he has worked in the digital world since 1998. He is also the other of the Facebook advertising bible, the Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising that was just released in its fourth edition.

Focus on Top of Funnel Advertising

You should always keep in mind that most people have never heard of your brand or haven’t heard of you in a long time. On Facebook, one of your main jobs is getting their attention. Unfortunately, too many people dive in and focus on the bottom of the funnel only, says Bob. In turn, they’re showing the wrong ads to people who have no clue what the brand does.

When advertising to an audience that doesn’t know you, Bob advises you to highlight a problem your product can solve for them. Indeed, in this situation, selling is not the end goal. Instead, you should focus on getting people’s attention. Fortunately, Facebook is great for the top of funnel advertising and is still relatively cheap. 

What Can My Brand Do for You?

When e-commerce companies advertise on Facebook, they shouldn’t necessarily be trying to drive people to buy, says Bob. Instead, your content should focus on what your products do and what need they meet. Your Facebook ad campaign should signal to your audience that you understand their problems and can solve them.

You should promote articles and videos to showcase your expertise. While lots of e-commerce businesses don’t invest in content, having a blog could be extremely beneficial for companies who want to build a brand. Your content should focus on the brand’s story. That story comes down to the personal reason why you do what you do. A tip from Bob Regnerus: put the business owner on video. It makes the business and ads more personable.

3 Ways to Make Your Ads Stand Out 

Bob always focuses on 3 factors to make a Facebook ad stand out:

1. Budget - That one is obvious. Money helps. But if you don’t have a huge budget, worry not! There are two other ways you can get a successful ad.
2. Clickthrough Rate - If your clickthrough rate is higher than the one of your competitors, Facebook will show it more - and you’ll get a lot out of your money. As such, you should focus on the quality of your ad to make sure people click on it. 
3. Conversion rate - If your website conversion rate is good, Facebook will also reward you with more ads, giving you an additional discount.

In short, Facebook rewards creativity. If you want to learn more about the complexities of Facebook advertisement, buy Bob’s book and listen to the podcast. This episode also tackles Facebook strategies for restaurants, small businesses, how to use Facebook stories, and more!

“My mantra is the right content to the right audience at the right time” - Bob Regnerus

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• Facebook advertising
• Marketing
• Video advertising
• Small businesses 
• Facebook stories 
• Testimonials 

Contact Bob Regnerus

• Bob’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobregnerus/
• Bob’s Website https://bobregnerus.com/
• Bob’s Twitter https://twitter.com/bobregnerus?lang=en

References and Links Mentioned

• Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek: https://www.amazon.com/Start-Why-Leaders-Inspire-Everyone/dp/1591846447
• Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller: https://www.amazon.com/Building-StoryBrand-Clarify-Message-Customers/dp/0718033329

Whether you are a hair salon, lawyer, plumber, restaurant, or any other local service that live-n-thrives on the map, this multi-day conference was a virtual hot for local brands looking for the latest secrets to digital marketing success.

Pubcon’s conference covered topics ranging from Google My Business to local link building, content marketing, local search advertising, and local public relation. 

Lisa Buyer walks you through highlights of her session including 

Local Press/Publicity by definition and point of view

• Earned media
• More credibility than advertising 
• 3rd party endorsement
• Social proof
• Brand awareness
• Editorial coverage

Steps to DIY Public Relations

• Identify your audience
• List 3-5 media outlets they read
• Brainstorm angles
• Find the right editor/producer
• Follow them on social
• Create a short + personalized pitch
• Offer your expertise/POV
• Rinse and Repeat 2x a month

The Anatomy of a PR Media Kit

• Bios
• Headshots
• Fact Sheet
• Video
• Topics of expertise
• Website/newsroom
• Media contact 
• Strong Visuals

How can you launch a podcast with 50 episodes?

1. Look in your archives
2. If you are writing a book - do all interviews via a Facebook Group - start building an audience early
3. No book? No archives? No problem.
4. Record batches of interviews and launch backdated
5. Announce podcast with 20 (XX) episodes

This episode also covers how and why to use Google My Business for PR, the power of social media to get exposure, and the way to get more publicity in Google News! 

Want more? Check out the Pubcon schedule or join the Facebook Group and be part of the community every day. 

Here are 21 things for 2021 I am doing, that you can too.

1. Mindset is a 2021 secret weapon. Join me for this challenge - the deadline to join is Jan 6.

2. Snapchat advertising - Ask me about it, experts on board.

3. Exploring Clubhouse - drop in audio app, feel better, not worse, and have meaningful conversations. Check it out Clubhouse — Check 1, 2, 3... Is this thing on? What I learned today: HOPE; Help One Person Each day - Chris Whinfield 

4. Go beyond New Year’s resolutions, look at Sankalpa - a  practice that starts from the radical premise that you already are who you need to be to fulfill your life’s dharma (purpose) Read about it here.

5. Cathy Hackl’s Forbes Best Marketing Stories. Is Direct-To-Avatar The Next Direct-To-Consumer?

6. Profit First - Business changing book for Entrepreneurs to transform your business. I started during the pandemic.

7. Crystal Knows - Like a mindreader and personality test for business connections. The perfect way to research before a prospect meeting or podcast interview.

8. Rate My Skype Room - Zoom and Skype backgrounds are now a public relations strategy. If you get reviewed - make sure it is a good one.

9. PR myths you can’t deny and I need you to know. My rants of the year. 

10. Female Disruptors to follow in 2021 and some alarming stats on the progress of female equality.

11. Most popular SPS episodes - Somehow I recorded more than 100 podcasts in 2020.

12. Pubcon - Join me January 20-21, I’ll be speaking with my fave crowd about local marketing and PR.

13. Community - A new category of connection: Social Messaging. It's the ability to pair the simplicity of a text message with the scale of a social network. Meet me here? 

14. 24 Hour Course launching soon - My new friend, Julie Hood, is hosting the 24 Hour Course Creator DAILY Event virtually from January 11 - February 15, 2021. Jump in today and get your course going here. 

15. Videos will overtake the importance of websites. Think explainer videos and quick videos for short attention spans. Production time is low and quality is high! Read more here.

16. Watch Shark Tank Friday, January 8th, and see if ALL33 wins over the Shark Team.

17. Ready for detox to reboot? This is the program I did. Use code Reboot25 - today is the last day.

18. Pre-order Steven Kotler’s The Art of Impossible if you are ready to achieve peak performance.

19. Why guess who your audience is? SparkToro can help you discover any audience's sources of influence: who and what they follow, visit, read, watch, and listen to.

20. First. Solutions. Leading. Future. Most overused words in a press release. See more.

21. Strike - My daughter made the second cut to be a model or stylist for FAU’s student-run magazine, Strike.

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer sat down with Dennis Yu, a digital marketer, speaker, and agency builder who is the Chief Technical Officer of ChiroRevenue, a digital marketing company that helps chiropractors with their online marketing efforts. Dennis started 2021 on clubhouse. At first, he thought he didn’t need yet another social media platform. But like many others, he found himself fascinated by the content and addicted to his follower increase. Listen to this episode to find out how you can grow your following on clubhouse (if you’re lucky enough to be invited!)

Why Is Clubhouse So Successful?

Clubhouse is only in beta testing, yet it’s already talked about by everyone who matters in the field. According to Dennis, Clubhouse is a place for people to be public speakers. Because of COVID-19, public speaking engagements have been canceled and people are isolated. Instead, they’re turning to Clubhouse to fill that need and share their knowledge or build their brand.

In beta testing, Clubhouse only allows a million people, via invite-only. That exclusivity is part of the appeal. In turn, it attracts people who want to be successful through sharing their knowledge and learning from others. Clubhouse is audio-only and sessions cannot be recorded. That, too, adds to the feeling of exclusivity and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

How To Build a Following on Clubhouse

After spending only a couple of weeks on the app, Dennis has already built thousands of valuable connections. Here are his tips for you to do the same:

• Advance notice

If you’re trying to promote your Clubhouse room, ping people who have lots of followers. 

Indeed, when they join your room, their followers will get a notification, bringing new people to you. 

• Make people moderators. 

When someone is a moderator, they almost always gain new followers, incentivizing them to stay in your room for as long as possible. For example, Dennis gained 650 followers in a couple of hours, by just being a moderator in a room.

• Optimize your bio and profile.

There are two bios on Clubhouse. One of them is short and should only be a couple of sentences. The long one is where you want to add details about why you’re worth talking to, your accomplishments, who you know, where you’ve been featured, and your usual bio items. Doing this will let people know who you are and they will immediately know if they want to follow you.

Optimize Your Clubhouse Experience

Your Clubhouse experience is defined by two things: who you are and who you know.  When joining, ask yourself two questions:

❓ What do you want? When joining a room, people will ask you what you want to know, what questions you have. When being a moderator, they’ll ask you what you want from the audience.

❓ What can you do to help? Clubhouse is a great opportunity to share connections and knowledge so make sure you know what you want to share with people.

Additionally, Lisa recommends being super clear on who you follow and the topics you’re interested in when you sign up. Don’t be too scattered in your interests. Another tip from Dennis is to share you’re on Clubhouse on other social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram.

That’s a lot of advice, we know, and the episode has even more! Lisa and Dennis also discuss why old school SEO will be back in 2021, so make sure to tune it for that as well!

“I think of Clubhouse as a mirror” - Dennis Yu

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• Clubhouse
• SEO
• Snapchat
• Audio media
• Podcasting

Contact Dennis Yu

• Dennis’ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisyu
• Dennis’ Twitter https://twitter.com/dennisyu?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
• Dennis’ Website https://dennis-yu.com/

References and Links Mentioned

• Clubhouse https://www.joinclubhouse.com/

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer had an insightful conversation with Brianne Fleming, marketing consultant, blogger, course creator, and podcast host of Making the Brand where she discusses marketing lessons inspired by pop culture. She is also an instructor of branding and social media at the University of Florida, teaching students how to build strong online communities. Brianne is all about incorporating pop culture into her marketing classes and her social media presence. She even hosts a Twitter chat called PopChat every Friday!

Social Media Trends for 2021

When asked what she believed 2021 would bring in terms of social media trends, Brianne immediately answered “nostalgia.” She says a lot of industries, like sports, have very little to promote because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, they’re turning to nostalgia to recycle old content that has proven to work. With everyone turning to the “before times,” this is a winning strategy!

Brianne also expects to see more brand collaborations, especially between personal brands and businesses. With little to share with the world, it is vital for brands to join forces if they want to create momentum around their social media content.

Pop Culture and Social Media 

Another trend Brianne is expecting for 2021 is the rise of pop culture references. Again, when there is very little to talk about and share about your businesses, inserting yourself in the global discourses and referencing pop culture is a way to engage your community. 

To Brianne, pop culture is a way to make everything more interesting. When she teaches at the University of Florida, she incorporates pop culture into her syllabus. Indeed, she realized that teaching her students about marketing using things they already love was the best way to get them engaged. 

How to Keep Up With Innovations

We all know innovations, new platforms and overall changes in the industry are coming at us fast. So how do we adapt? According to Brianne, it’s all about being ready. She says that we cannot predict what the future will hold but no matter what types of innovations or platforms appear, we need to remember that it will always be about making content for real people. No matter the platform, a human being is using it so incorporate empathy and you will be prepared for what’s to come. 

Brianne is fascinating. Her work is at the nexus of pop culture, marketing, and teaching so we can never learn enough from her! Listen to this episode for more social media, marketing, and digital communication tips.

“I realized I could teach my students about marketing using things they already loved” - Brianne Fleming

Some topics discussed in this episode include:

• Marketing
• Social media
• Pop culture
• Online teaching

Contact Brianne Fleming

• Brianne’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannefleming/
• Brianne’s Twitter https://twitter.com/brianne2k?lang=en
• Brianne’s Website https://briannefleming.com/

References and Links Mentioned

• Making the Brand https://open.spotify.com/show/1xJGK3OmAGmkkGg08JAeK1
• The Lost Generation article

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer delved into the basics and specifics of e-commerce content with Megan Foster. Megan served as a commerce editor for well-known media like The Today Show and Business Insider. She understands the e-commerce world from all perspectives: PR agencies, editors, and shopping content writers. Make sure to listen to set up your own e-commerce affiliation strategy in 2021!

E-commerce Media 101

When thinking about getting your product featured through an affiliate program, Megan says you have to first and foremost look at who your audience is. We all know that’s central to any content creation but it’s especially important when it comes to commerce. Not only should you take your audience’s age, gender, interests into account, you also need to focus on their socio-economic status, their buying habits, and what their budget is. 

From a PR perspective, you need to do your research and pitch things you are used to seeing on that publisher’s website. Make sure your product is in their usual price range and fits their habits. Indeed, publications don’t want to lose the audience they already have because they’re focusing too much on the sales. 

But What Are Affiliates Exactly? 

Affiliates are the middlemen between the brand and the publisher. They help create the commission rate so that publishers earn a portion of the sales generated by their feature. If you’re getting started, 

Megan recommends platforms like 

• Shop Your Likes and 
• LikeToKnowIt. 

If you’re a bit more experienced,