Your Network is Powerful… You Already Know This!

power of whoThe Power of Who… WOW! I can’t even begin to express to you the power of the message within this book. It’s simple, right? I’ll mail you my copy if you want read it… that’s how serious I am about the value this book has to offer. Bob Beaudine does an incredible job walking you through The life cycle of the Power of Who. First and foremost;

“Just Begin. If you have a dream, it’s going to take some creative thinking, strategizing, and good, old-fashioned hard work to bring it into reality. Set your course then stick to it even in the face of adversity or setback. Don’t wait for some great benefactor to reorganize your genius or talent and being to to fund and promote you. If you do, you’ll likely be waiting your entire life.”[note]Page 77[/note]

I love it man! Just do it…. just go. Look what I did. It’s been exactly 7 months since I’ve started this journey and I can’t even begin to tell you the success that has come from this. You wouldn’t believe the opportunities that have presented themselves. ‘Hip Hip Hooray Jordan… Look at you… What about me?’

You gotta start! I have some friends, which are apart of my ‘who’ network that weren’t last year, that have DONE the exact same thing as myself. When we talk… we always laugh because we’re blown away by how far we’ve come. Gives me chills. It’s so simple! As you develop these relationship and people see you growing, they want to join in and be apart of the success. We often surround ourselves with other like ourselves. I truly believe that if you put good energy out, you’ll get good energy back.

“It’s almost tribal. All of the sudden you have access and favor that you haven’t had in other streams with other people. You have friends and friends of friends who will help you simple because the feel you’re part of them they are part of you, and you like each other. There exists a natural preference. Pay attention. Stay alert.”[note]Page 89[/note]

You HAVE to be self aware of these things. If you’re just cruising through life doing stuff at your own pace, you won’t get far. You’re going to need something from someone, somewhere. Find those people that will help build you up… Obviously, you’ve got to give to receive. It’s an incredible feeling when you know who’s in your tribe! Don’t take that lightly.

Living in the age of social networking, texting, emailing… and however you can remove the personal interaction to get more done, people forget about the personal side of life. If we don’t take the time to have ‘friend’ conversations with our ‘who’, how are we ever supposed to help them get to where they want to go?

“When we allow others access to our personal world, we give them the opportunity to see into us in ways we’re not able to see ourselves. Help other see the potential you see in them and allow others to give you clues about what they see in you. Everyone involved will enjoy the view.”[note]Page 100[/note]

Recently, I befriended some people that are rock stars in my network. Now that we get to see into one another’s personal lives, the power of who becomes even greater. Instead of having conversation all of the time about work/business, we have conversation around family and events. We talk about goals and how we can help one another. We bounce ideas off of each other and look for honest feedback.

It doesn’t take a lot of effort and time… you just gotta do it. These people I talk about, these ‘who’ have someway helped me; as I’ve helped them. It’s a mutual relationship where both parties WANT to help each other. These ‘who’ have been my ‘bridges’.

“The ‘what‘ in life will take you only so far. Sooner or later you’ll come to a chasm you can’t cross without someone’s help. That’s the ‘who‘ I’m talking about. People are ‘bridges‘ you must cross to get where you want to go. You can stay on the other side if you choose, but you need to understand that your ‘what‘ will never come into play until your ‘who‘ brings you across.”[note]Page 124[/note]

You can’t go at this stuff all alone. There’s that old say, ‘It takes a village to raise a kid’… It takes a ‘who’ network to help build you up. Within that network, you’ll find some people that you watch from afar. You want to learn from them, or be like them or do something similar to them. Right? You’re just figuring out how you can do that.

I’m always looking at ‘the best’ and trying to figure out how I can do what they’re doing but better. They’ve got these processes in place and they’re successful, so how can I do something similar with my own flare. Why recreate the wheel if someone else already had a blueprint?

“It takes study and practice to become skilled in the dream you’re pursuing. When you find that job you love and are willing to pay the price to become the absolute best at it, then your own unique style and genius will begin to take over and create a new story line that’s even better than the one you mirrored. So, be clear about what you want, and mirror the best!”[note]Page 137[/note]

How often do you pitch yourself in the mirror? How often do you do presentations out loud mimicking successful speakers? Continuously being self aware and critiquing yourself will make you better. When you’ve got someone to look up to, that’s already successful, take tidbits from them. I think it’s a compliment!

 

There’s more to come from me about:

The Power of Who: You Already Know Everyone You Need to Know | Bob Beaudine

One Piece Of Content Can Change Your Life

Did you read my last post from #AskGary Vee? If you didn’t… you better! Here, I’ll remind you what the last quote was…

“Here’s what you must remember: No matter who your audience is, you’re always one great piece of content away from changing your life. Everyone you know started off as an unknown until they did the thing that made them know.”[note]Page 142[/note]

BOOM! I wrote a piece of content on LinkedIn and sh*t got real! As of right now, 3/31/16, I have had 8,454 views, 422 Likes, 63 Comments and 94 Shares… It hasn’t even been 7 days since I posted it. Just like that, my voice has been heard around the world. Before you say, “Oh… wow Jordan, good for you. Pfft.”, you could be in my shoes! You can read the post I published on LinkedIn or on my site, The Ah-Ha Moment, between this post and the last #AskGaryVee post.

My motivation is at an all time high and I feel like I’m on fire. 

I’ve connected with so many new people from all over the world. All different walks of life. It’s absolutely amazing! Without my network, that wouldn’t have been possible…

“With one click – or tweet or share or favorite or any number of other social digital acts – consumers’ messages can be spread and their voice amplified well beyond the boundaries of their neighborhoods or even the industries where they work.”[note]Page 185[/note]

Do I have to say it again? Literally… ONE piece of content changed the playing field. I was averaging 30 profile views a day… now, I’m averaging 150. Nobody ever thinks it can happen to them… but I’m here to tell you it CAN. My friend Kristina Evans (@TheKristinaShow) recently had the same thing happen to her too. Her LinkedIn share BLEW up and she got over 15,000 profile views in five days. Not to mention the 1000+ comments and 3,000+ likes. Share something that’s relevant to your audience, it can provide value and leaves room for conversation.

Don’t forget though, content can bring the haters. It’s inevitable… Keep an open mind and try not to get offended. We’re living in the information age… people don’t stay mad for very long.

After reading more from Gary Vee, I now understand that it isn’t necessarily about the amount of views someone gets on their content. It’s more about the engagement and the ability people are willing to share. Anybody can view something for a second and then click out of it… It’s about the depth you’re able to reach.

“This is when I realized it wasn’t about width, it was all about depth. It’s about how many people care, not how many people you have.”[note]Page 192[/note]

Don’t get me wrong, I love having over 50 views on my content and posts. What’s really sweet is the reach a share can have. One person shares with their network of 5,000 people… Now my face has been shown to their network. That is 5,000 more people than me just posting it. I’m connecting with people in Ireland, Australia and everywhere you can think of. It’s the domino effect and it’s absolutely amazing. You know how it happened?! I posted content!

“It’s stunning how many remarkable reasons and circumstances people can come up with to explain why they haven’t met with success. Or course, the problem doesn’t usually lie with the type of industry or job. The problem lies with the individual who can’t see opportunities when they’re right in front of his or her face.”[note]Page 199[/note]

Nobody ever got anywhere in life by making excuses for themselves. Like Gary Vee says, “Nobody gives a f*ck about your feelings, bro“. It’s the harsh reality, but it’s so true. If you want success, it’s time to go get it. I’m a great example of grabbing an opportunity by the horns and running with it. “Well Jordan, what if I fail?” WHO CARES! You learned something from your experience. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back out there. Nobody’s gonna give you the golden ticket. You gotta create it.

“Think completely left field. The best way to stagnate is to pay attention to everyone else because they’re doing the same crap over and over. And guess what? The same old crap sucks. Taking an open, optimistic attitude will keep your content fresh and exciting, and allow you to change the world’s perception of your ‘boring’ product.”[note]Page 201[/note]

Like the cliche saying, “Think outside the box”. Seriously though. The same old sales approaches don’t work like they used to… Always be closing is nearing its death and some would say it’s dead. Social selling is the way to sell… Instagram and Snapchat are now ‘the’ way to engage with your audience and market products. Who would have ever thought that would happen? Guess what.. it’s here. Stop getting in line with the rest of the people out there and start making your own waves. Taking that first step to post content will change your life.

 

There’s more to come from me about:

#AskGaryVee | Gary Vaynerchuk

Get “#AskGaryVee” on Amazon

Content Creates Opportunity | #AskGaryVee

 Where did all the good storytellers go? Stories paint great pictures and people love putting themselves in the shoes of the characters. Remember “The Great Gatsby”? That’s an incredible story… Who wouldn’t want to be Gatsby for an evening. Hell, they have parties named after the guy because they’re so epic. Now take storytelling and relate it to sales!

“People buy with with their hearts, not their heads, and the way to every consumer’s heart is through a good story.”[note]Page 97[/note]

Tell them a story about you. Tell a story about the success of another client. Tell a story relating to the prospects pain point and how you can help them overcome their issue. Don’t just tell them, help them visualize. You’ll create some type of relationship and that will go a long ways.

If you’re already connected with them via LinkedIn or Twitter, you can use those platforms to help tell stories. Send them a YouTube video, whitepaper, data sheet or even a Twitter video. Personalize your approach and that will build rapport.

Gary talks about content and he creates a lot of Ah-Ha Moments for me. If you’re creating good content and sharing it with people, you’re creating great opportunity to reach a lot of people. But what about curated content? Taking someone else’s content, adding your personal touch and then sending it out onto the web. It’s kinda like how I post some material on LinkedIn or Twitter which was originally created by Paychex. I’m not taking any credit for it… I’m just changing the titles to attract to my network, adding some hashtags and giving Paychex credit.

“…if I added curated content to my original material, it would bring me even more exposure and create more opportunity.”[note]Page 112[/note]

It works! You never know what’s going to attract certain people. The internet is ALWAYS changing and there is always new information. Content at 11am could result in a bunch of likes and shares, however, content around 5pm could only get a few. The more content you’re able to spit out there, the more opportunity you can achieve.

I’ll be honest. It’s hard to create a lot of content and post everyday. I’m able to post about 3 days a week… I take roughly 5 Ah-Ha Moments I love from the current book I’m reading and then write about it. It can take me anywhere from 30-60 pages to find those 5 Ah-Ha Moments. Sometimes I’ll find a few Ah-Ha Moments in a row, but they all reinforce the previous moment. I’m trying to give the reader, you, what I think you’ll find valuable.

“Content Creates opportunity, and if you can’t produce the content at the rate your audience wants it or that benefits you, your business won’t survive.”[note]Page 119[/note]

Ain’t that the truth. In the information age, content is always being published. So much, all the time. There are so many different platforms to post on. Posting content is better than not posting content… so you just gotta do it! Alongside prospecting, content can help greatly. Why do you think so many companies hold webinars, offer free trials, give away stuff to engage their audience? It’s so they can create some type of connection, present some type of value and then sell you on it. But, you have to make sure that the value created is worthy of the prospect buying. Just because YOU think it’s value… does your prospects??

“Most people don’t jab – bring value – enough before pulling back for that right hook – going in for the sale. They’re less concerned with providing value than with making the sale, and it backfires every time.”[note]Page 132[/note]

It’s pretty true. There are all sorts of different ways to look at this too. It really depends on your job, your industry, your sales strategy… the list goes on. People want value… so you need to find a way to give it to them. There’s been a phenomenon online since SEO became important. CONTENT IS KING. Do it and don’t stop.

“Here’s what you must remember: No matter who your audience is, you’re always one great piece of content away from changing your life. Everyone you know started off as an unknown until they did the thing that made them know.”[note]Page 142[/note]

Ask Lindsey Boggs (@lindseyboggs) about her experience. She wrote “How I get a 50% Return On InMails“. Since posting, she’s had 22,011 views, 1,327 Likes, 281 Comments… That’s insane. Because of that, she got invited to a LinkedIn conference. Then, based on her SSI, the best at the conference with 99 :-O, she got to shoot free throws with Shaq. Ya… Shaquille O’neal. That’s freaking unbelievable. That just reinforces the idea that anyone is one post away from becoming a rockstar! #AlwaysBePosting

 

There’s more to come from me about:

#AskGaryVee | Gary Vaynerchuk

Get “#AskGaryVee” on Amazon

#AskGaryVee | Gary Vaynerchuk | Part 1

Photo Mar 17, 08 29 14This isn’t Gary Vee’s first book and I sure hope it’s not his last. He writes about it all… literally everything! There is something new on every page and the book flows so smoothly. He answers so many different types of questions in this book, and it’s full of Ah-Ha Moments!

“… if there’s any advice I can offer you that will change the entire trajectory of your career, it’s to start pushing on both edges. Raise the bar on your business philosophy, dig deeper into your craft. You want to be an equally good architect as you are a mason.”[note]Page 2[/note]

This is coming from a guy that has it all figured out; literally! He took his family’s wine company and blew it out of the water. He built an empire of a brand and continues to follow through on his message. He’s on the ground digging in the dirt and he’s also up in the clouds building his empire. Honestly, the Ah-Ha Moments in this book will make you wish you’d followed his YouTube channel years ago.

While getting deeper into this book, I find myself rereading pages. The mental reinforcement Gary Vee gives the reader really show us that he knows what he’s talking about. Case in point: When I was considering leaving the country to go play football overseas… I was going to quit my job, put my stuff in storage and trust some random coach 5,500 miles away…

“Suck it up. Make the call. And remember: Be grateful if you’re lucky enough to have too many options. It’s a blessing and a half.”[note]Page 17[/note]

I made the call and boy was I right! I can honestly say… It was an incredible experience! So incredible, that I went to Germany the following year to do it again. Gary Vee takes it a step deeper though. What if the decision I made turned out to be the wrong one? Well, it’d have been a learning experience. Never walk away from a bad experience without reflecting on it. Learn from it and come back even better or stronger.

Half the struggle of making any decision in life is taking the first step!

“Taking that first step can often be the only thing standing in your way, because once you start getting shit done, the momentum just carries you forward. There’s no doubt that taking that first step can be terrifying. I get it. I really do. But I also have to wonder, would you be so afraid if you know no one was watching?”[note]Page 21[/note]

Dude! I love it! My reader… yes you… think back to January… would you ever have thought I would be writing?! Me neither. All I had to do was start!! I was worried, obviously. But once I got past that and said ‘F it’, I’m reading and writing all the time… and I love it! I hope you do too!

After reading “Not Taught” by Jim Keenan, I knew I had to do it and I’m so freaking happy I did. I took the opportunity that presented itself and ran with it. I’m still running baby!

“You don’t see obstacles – you see opportunities. Optimists accept that obstacles will be in their path, and assume they’ll figure out a way around them. Which is not to say the grind isn’t hard for optimists, too. It is. They just like it.“[note]Page 31[/note]

I was pretty good at Football; not to toot my own horn. How do you think I got good? The right mindset and hard work. I played defensive end and I weighed 205 lbs. Everytime I steped into the gym, I was going to lift more weight. Everytime I steped onto that field, I was going to whoop that kids ass in front of me. The grind is where the men separate themselves from the boys and the women separate themselves from the girls. It’s in our DNA and we absolutely thrive off it!

I’ve always been an optimist and I’ve always known that I’ll continue to do better everyday. Why do you think I started reading and writing? I want to give people the Ah-Ha Moment! I want to continue getting better and also provide value to other people!

“I provided value with the content that I relentlessly pump out. You need to do the same”[note]Page 33[/note]

There’s that word again! VALUE. Give people value and they’ll become your greatest fan. I’ve got my people that provide value for me… Do I provide value for you?!

If there’s something that sticks out about my posts, don’t hesitate to comment! I love feedback… regardless good or bad.

 

There’s more to come from me about:

#AskGaryVee | Gary Vaynerchuk

Get “#AskGaryVee” on Amazon.