When McKenzie and I started Shine Insurance I had very little knowledge of how to run a business and even less about how to sell something. I had been a teacher for 13 years. People brought their kids to my classroom and if I boomed, the immediate consequences were limited. I also knew that people don’t particularly like insurance and insurance agents, maybe next to used car guys, are the basic definition of slimy sales people.
We knew we where setting out to change that perception to literally change the way people feel about insurance, but besides just being ourselves, we didn’t really know how.
So we did what so many new business owners do, we asked around about good resources for starting a business. Fortunately, we came across two particular resources that would define our trajectory. The first was an online course by Marie Forleo called B-school. This course, directed at female business owners was chalk full of good advice from brand strategies, to launching a product, and beyond.
The second was a book called Youtility by Jay Baer. This book laid out a basic premise: First you define your ideal client. Then you figure out ways to do good things for them. Things that are useful and helpful in their lives. Those things do not have to be connected with the product you sell at all. They simply have to help the people you envision being able to help someday.
That book solved a conflict inside myself. I loved helping people and, as a teacher, helping kids grow was my primary purpose. I knew that leaving teaching and starting a business was the right choice but the whole insurance thing was kind of a struggle, was I really going to meaningfully help people? Jay gave me permission to add another layer and simply think of how I could help period.
This podcast is actually a result of Jay’s book. It is an attempt to help entrepreneurs big and small. To offer one conversation a week where you hear another business owner like yourself tell their story and connect with a greater community of business owners in a meaningful way.
So it is with great honor that I present this weeks guest. Jay Baer is the founder of the internationally renowned marketing firm Convince and Convert, a Hall of Fame keynote speaker, and the author of six books including Youtility, Hug Your Haters, and his most recent booming success Talk Triggers. This is a conversation you’ll want a pen and paper for. Jay lays our smart, basic concepts about word of mouth marketing, how to create a Talk Trigger, why he loves research, and what the future of social media holds. We’re glad you joined us.
Topics discussed include:
- Storytelling in Marketing (6:30)
- Saying “No” and knowing your competition (17:20)
- Talk Triggers - Word of Mouth (22:00)
- Trends in Social Media (33:45)
- Are we focusing too much on Social Media? (44:15)
- Getting reviews (48:00)
Mentioned in the episode:
Special thanks to Jay Baer for taking the time to share his story with us
Contributors to this episode include:
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