Marketing is hard.
Marketing is hard because of the dichotomy between the natural tendency of the inexperienced Marketer and what actually makes Marketing successful.
That was a mouthful… Let me explain.
Marketing is Hard when it’s about Reach
When Marketing a product or service our first instinct is Reach.
How many people can we get our message in front of and how do we tailor that message to attract the attention (Think Content Warfare) of as many of those people as possible?
Reach. Reach. Reach.
In the Digital Marketing world that means:
- Writing blog posts every day
- Creating YouTube videos
- Posting to Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest
- Joining LinkedIn Groups and creating discussions
- Submitting our content to StumbleUpon and Digg and Reddit and Delicious and BizSugar
- Guest Posting
- Putting coupons on Foursquare and Groupon and Klout
- Sending Press Releases to Online Services like PRWeb
- and I’m sure there is more…
Success in Marketing means getting your message (Or your client’s message) in front of as many people as possible… Or at least that’s what we’d like to believe.
Reach.
Marketing is Easy when it’s about Focus
Maybe not easy… But instead of thinking Reach… Trying thinking Focus.
Marketing is Hard when we try to Reach anyone and everyone with our message which means we have no idea what triggers anyone to purchase from us.
Let’s focus instead on what makes us great and the specific people that appreciate our greatness.
Marketing is Easy when you focus on what makes you great and the specific people that appreciate your greatness.
Focus. Focus. Focus.
In a Digital Marketing sense this means:
- A concise grouping of topics on your blog
- YouTube videos done in a series that compliments blog topics
- Whittling down Social Networks to two or three at most
- Researching where your ideal client hangouts and spending time, effort and money there
- Maintaining a consistent brand throughout content
- you get the point…
Success in Marketing comes from doing YOUR thing Awesomely… Not doing 100 things OK.
The Social Tools Book
So what does all this have to do with my amazing eBook… The Social Tools Book?
Well… Over the course of the next couple months (My goal is to have all this done by September) I’m going to refocus what I do here at RyanHanleydotcom.
Creating eBooks, (like The Social Tools Book and the currently in production Content Warfare), is going to be a big part of that focus.
Ebooks allow me to neatly package content in a format more conducive to deep diving than a blog post.
More Value
I want to be able to deliver more value, more often…
For a while now I’ve been trying to be a lot of different things at once… And I believe that is keeping me from doing my best work.
My best work is all I’ve every wanted to produce because that’s how I Deliver the most Value to you.
My so-so work doesn’t do anything for you.
You come here for whatever reason you do… Hopefully it’s because you think I’m a super awesome dude that helps you with your Digital Marketing… But if it’s simply to refine your copy editing skills on my less than amazing grammar… So be it.
Either way you always deserve my best…
On that vein The Social Tools Book got a new cover (see image above) and is now available in PDF form at the same ridiculously low price of $7.99. If you have question about using Social Tools in your business, I encourage you to pick up a copy by Clicking Here.
Podcasting
So if writing more eBooks is one piece of my re-focus what are the others?
I’m going to be launching a podcast soon titled:
Ryan Hanley Radio – How-to Blog Your Business and Market Online (tagline not final… taking suggestions)
What do you think of the name?
Would you listen to a Podcast I produced?
Do you find value in Podcasts?
Please let me know in the comments…
“But Ryan… Your newsletter is already called How-to Blog Your Business?”
Ummmmm… Errrrr… I’ve been meaning to talk to you about this… I mean… I’m not going to be doing the newsletter in it’s current form anymore… aaahhhhh… It’s not you, it’s me… I promise.
I’m not going to be writing a separate newsletter anymore.
The reason for this simple, the newsletter content is very similar to my Blog content and I feel like I’m short-changing my newsletter subscribers by not digging deep on topics because I don’t want to overwhelm their inbox.
So… What I’m going to do is use the email service I have as a way to notify readers by email of new Blog and Podcast content.
The emails will be a solid way to keep in touch versus an original content deliver mechanism.
Another reason for the Podcast is I want to build up my Speaking Services client base and I don’t think the newsletter helps me do that… However I think the Podcast will. That’s a big driver in my decision.
The Rub
The first part of this post was some good content that hopefully you’ll find value in.
The second part was a lot about me. You may not care what I’m doing with this blog and if that’s the case than I apologize for talking so much about ME. If I took my own advice I wouldn’t do that.
Unfortunately, just to clear my head of these thoughts, here is a bit more on the re-focus…
I’m doing some mild redesign stuff on the blog as well. Nothing major. I love my theme but there are a couple pieces I want to add.
Moving forward my focus Online, technically speaking, will revolve around four pieces:
- Blogging 3 times a week (including Content Curation Creation)
- Podcast once a month to start
- Finishing Content Warfare and using this Blog and Podcast as marketing tools for my eBooks
- Booking more speaking engagements to both my niche (Insurance Industry) and other business organizations that can benefit from unique experience.
The key is I’m only creating content in two places… Blog and Podcast. That’s it. It’s cleaner… Both are branded with my name. It makes sense.
What I hope you take from this post is NOT that I talk too much about ME, I promise this is a rarity, but that to do our best work we need to be FOCUSED on content mediums that allow us to deliver the most value to our customers.
I think having only one written medium and one audio medium I can deliver the most Focused Value. How will you?
Thank you and Good luck,
I am Ryan Hanley and this is Content Warfare.
SPEAK YOUR MIND: What do you think of Podcasts? Would you give my Podcast a try? How to you Focus your Value? What do you think of my Podcast tagline?
Hi Ryan,
I don’t mind the post being a bit “me” centric, it still delivered value
What will the podcast be about? The current tagline idea lets me assume it’s about blogging advice for businesses and online marketing in general. (What about “Online Marketing and Blogging for Small/Serious/Successful Business”? Pick one of the three s-words.)
And a editorial note (sorry, dude I couldn’t resist the temptation when you brought it up
): your videos complement your blog posts, they don’t compliment them. 
Anyway, I thought this was yet another great article. And can’t wait to see how the site will look after the changes
Peter,
The podcast is going to be a format to dive deeper in Online marketing, blogging and social media efforts than what I am able to do with blog. I’m going to try and line up some good interviewees for the show (I have in mind for Landing Pages you may know). The goal is take what I write to the next level of being able to help people.
Thanks for the editorial note that’s a great catch and I’m so excited to start making some of the changes we discussed.
Thank You again!!
Ryan H.
Sounds like a good plan and you’ll probably be able to connect your blog and podcast together quite easily
It was great to talk with you
Ryan,
I think Podcasting is a great medium to find a niche audience. Do you have any recommendations for other marketing podcasts to follow?
Matt,
Try Mad Marketing by Marcus Sheridan
Social Triggers Insider by Derek Halpern
Smart Passive Income Podcast by Pat Flynn.
Those three will get you started…
Hey Ryan, I don’t like them that much. What I do like is the watch/listen/ or read so I have a choice. But when I’m forced to listen to 23 minutes as the writer has just written a quick intro but the ‘meat’ is the podcast, not for me. 2/3 minutes great. Video, different matter, I love video. Our attention spans are down to, what, 7-8 minutes now? But yours could rock, and you may change my mind.
But it’s an individual choice, some love podcasts. A mix?
Dawn Barclay wants you to check out… The Benefits of Creating and Starting Mastermind Group (For Any Area of Life)
I get that Dawn… I definitely do. I probably wouldn’t listen to Podcasts if I had to take time out of my day to listen to them but what I do is listen while traveling or commuting.
Some of the best Podcasts you learn so great stuff…
Thanks for taking us on the journey with what you’re doing. Fun stuff.
That said, I’m going to old school here in a moment and make a few straight up cold calls. Before that, I’m going to go read Brent’s post on ‘Declaring War on Fear’ .
Brett…
There’s no school like the Old School right? I think that’s the school you walk to up hill both ways barefoot in the snow… haha… Cold calling definitely works. Good Luck!
And Brent is Killing it right now!
Thanks for stopping by…
“For a while now I’ve been trying to be a lot of different things at once”
This is the key to success.
But you can’t figure out the best things until you have done all those different things. Isn’t ?
So big congratulations for shortlisting your focus points and I wish you luck for the books
Rana Shahbaz wants you to check out… Kristi Hines Shared Her Best Formula to Build High PR Backlinks
Thanks Rana! Focus Focus Focus brother… It’s all about delivering more value.
Value towards a “focus” point not every where
Rana Shahbaz wants you to check out… Kristi Hines Shared Her Best Formula to Build High PR Backlinks
I totally agree, Ryan.
Focus basically EQUALS reach, in my view. Look at every celeb, they focused very tightly on who they shine with, and their fame + success grows.
And I love how you’re applying it to RH
I love your best work too, and I’m psyched for the podcast. Speaking of podcasts, I was interviewed on one recently, wanna see how good a guest I make? 
http://sexyfocusedambitious.com/jason-fonceca-talks-creating-happiness-passion-purpose-digital-age-of-lost-wisdom/
Jason “J-Ryze” Fonceca wants you to check out… No Posts Were Found!
Bro… You are at the very top of my list of guests… I’m so into Ryze and no doubt what that voice as part of Ryan Hanley Radio… Ryze Radio… Now there’s a catchy name. Trademark that…
I’ll listen to your interview tonight. I’m sure it will be Gangster.
As always love when you stop by dude.
Hanley
Hi Ryan…really influential and very well explained. Actually I did not know how marketing becomes hard. There is a basic notion in my mind that when the things are not done properly, I think they become hard to me. But now I came to know with those things that make marketing hard and easy. I liked your idea of podcast and eagerly waiting for it. Thanks for useful sharing.
Thanks Allen… The first episode of the podcast is in production now…
Wow, that’s a lot of things to get done.
You are right, Ryan. We shouldn’t try to change ourselves to fit others’ taste, we should try to be good at what we do (of course, we should also venture out and try new things and see how they work).
I am glad you are trying to get more value across through eBooks. I have been thinking about writing an eBook, but I decided to go for a Kindle Book (it is the same thing as an eBook, but the “perceived” value is greater, because you don’t see a lot of useless Kindle books out there. In the case of eBooks, we have a lot of them, that causes our readers to set their expectations low when opening an eBook. But, of course our loyal readers will expect us to provide true value through). Have you considered the option of Kindle Book, Ryan? (Not only would it allow us to set the perceived value high, but also get more exposure through Amazon).
Also glad that you are starting a podcast. I did 2 podcasts in March, but didn’t continue with it (I guess, I need to be more consistent that that).
I hope you have success with all your ventures, Ryan. Good luck!
Jeevan Jacob John
Jeevanjacobjohn wants you to check out… Why You Shouldn’t Guest Post Here?
Jeevan,
So glad to see you here my man!
Actually my current eBook The Social Tools Book is on Amazon Kindle and I just added the PDF version… The Landing Page needs work but I wanted to make it available to people that didn’t have a Kindle.
As for the Podcast… I’m in full prep mode for that right now. I’m hoping to do my first episode some time this week and if I can get it packaged and everything by next week release it then… I Love the Podcast format…
Hopefully it loves me back!
Ryan H.
Hi Ryan,
I love that you are leading by example, so many online marketing ‘guru’s’ talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. The fact that you do and that you are not scared to experiment and improve your own marketing deserves special kudos!
I look forward to your podcasts, whatever you call them!
Gemma,
Thank you so much! The strategies that govern success Online are constantly changing and different for every user so I think the only way we can truly succeed is to try and fail and learn and try and fail and learn…
Very much appreciate you stopping by!
Ryan H.
You’re right – marketing is hard and it takes commitment too. I think you have that down to a science. I only have one question – how come you don’t listen to my podcast in the car?
Ileane wants you to check out… How To Get Thousands of Subscribers Using Content Syndication
Haha… You are next up on my list… There are ten total that I want to listen to… But I’m definitely going to have Ms. Ileane on the iPod soon!!!
Thanks!
Hi Ryan, I agree with you. Marketing, Blogging and podcasting is really easy if we try to find the way where our clients are stopping by and spending money.
I will be looking for your podcast bro. BTW I’m looking a little changing on your your, Keep up the good work Ryan bro.
Ehsan wants you to check out… 3 Best Travel Apps For New iPad Users
Thanks Ehsan!
As always I very much appreciate you stopping by my man!
It takes personal stories to really make people understand. Always generalizing and speaking in the third person gets boring! Look at what’s happened to news outlets over the years! My point is don’t be afraid to talk about yourself. I mean, the website IS called Ryan Hanley! lol
Anyways, good luck and great ideas! Will look into them for myself.
Thanks Charity!!
It’s good to hear that you don’t mind that occasionally I use the word “I”. This blog is a dialogue with readers and sometimes “I” is part of a dialogue.
All the best!
I will probably not listen to podcasts. I don’t have enough attention span to just sit and listen. More importantly, I am the youngest person in my 4 person office by nearly 30 years. They see very little value in things like social media or podcasts etc. Rather than irritate our secretary (who can make my life incredibly stressful when she is annoyed with me) by listening to a podcast, I will just read posts and not listen to things. She sits 8 feet from me and would unintentionally be forced to listen to it as well. Plus, the way our office is laid out it is just not conducive for me to participate in interactive things. I am the first person people see when they walk into our office; so, the odds of my being interrupted are quite high.
Kristine,
That is awesome feedback Thank You!
One thing I will say is Podcasts are excellent to listen to in the Car. I listen to four right now… Marcus Sheridan (www.thesaleslion.com), Pat Flynn (www.smartpassiveincome.com), Derek Halpern (www.socialtriggers.com) and Michael Hyatt (www.michaelhyatt.com)… I download them free from iTunes onto my ipod and listen in the car.
I wasn’t sure if I would like it but now I’m hooked. Plus I hate most new music these days so it works out perfectly and I get some great tips to impliment when I get to the office.
Just a thought… But I’m definitely going to keep cranking out the words here…
Thank you so much for reading!!!!!
Ryan,
I love the podcasting idea and where you are going with this blog. Find what you excel at and knock it out of the park.
Brent Kelly wants you to check out… Declaring War on Fear
Thanks Brent… That’s the goal brother try to pair the content down to where you’re really adding the most Value.
Be good dude!