More than a Few Words Lorraine Ball

If you had told me fifteen years ago, when I was running around recording conversations on my iphone that I would still be doing it a thousand episodes later, I would have told you you were crazy.
But here I am, celebrating 1,000 episodes. I have had an amazing ride meeting interesting people from all over the world. I have learned so much from them about marketing and marketing trends and I have enjoyed sharing that information with you, my audience.
So instead of asking for anniversary presents, I want to give you one.  I have a special thank you offer.  If you comment on post and tag me, anywhere on social media, share a screen grab of a review, or simply drop me a note, I'll send you a code for unlimited, free access the toolbox.
That is a lifetime membership so you'll have the ability to access all of the training programs, all the workbooks, all the content, forever.
So drop a review, send me a note or leave a comment and you're in.
And, if you're curious about any of the conversations you've missed  you'll find them in the archive
Subscribe now, so you never miss another episode.  

Like it or not, short form video needs to be a part of your overall plan.  So Jennifer Denney and I chatted about some of the things you can do to make better looking, short form content, with minimal effort.
1) Remember it is disposable content, so it doesn't need to be perfect. 
2) Record longer content and break it up into smaller bites (under a minute in length). That is much easier than trying to record one short tip every day. 
3) Use AI to create shorts with captions. 
4) Keep the main image in the frame.  Different platforms will crop; the video in different ways. 
5) Mix up the style so the content looks fresh in the feed, but still looks like your brand
6) Don't be afraid to reshare videos that your audience may not have seen. 
 
More on this topic
FREE TRIAL OF OPUS CLIPS TO START CREATING YOUR SHORT VIDEOS. 

If you are like most business owners there is a lot of chaos and stress in your day.  So sometimes you just need to take a breath.  I have talked with other stress reduction experts in the past, so it was fun to revisit the topic with Ann Swanson, a best-selling author whose book on yoga practices has been translated into 15 languages.
In this conversation we talk about how  a few minutes of yoga or meditation can completely reset your day. These simple techniques provide immediate stress reduction and improvement in your ability to focus.  A short pause can also lower blood pressure and heart rate. 
Ann shared some simple techniques such as focusing on breath and body sensations.  Shifting your attention to relaxing just one part of your body. Integrating mindfulness cues into your daily activities,  
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These days, every content marketer is experimenting with AI.  And it is a wonderful tool if you use it well. For example, you can ask it to create 10 or 12 social media posts that refer back to one blog post.
However, you need to review those updates and make sure they actually sound like you because left to its own devices, artificial intelligence has essentially two voices. Stuffy Professional and College Frat Boy.
If neither of those tones are you, you need to go in and tweak the tone so the content content sounds like it's coming from you.
I've had a lot of great conversations about AI lately with some really smart people.  Be sure to look for them in the feed and subscribe, so you never miss another episode. 

If you’re like most business owners you don’t have all the answers. There’s so many skills you need to master, and tasks you need to accomplish that you may need to turn to the experts to get your questions answered. Hiring an army of consultants can be overwhelming and expensive so that’s when belonging to a mastermind group can be so beneficial
Zachary Parker Harris joined me to discuss the benefits of mastermind groups for business owners. As the leader of Junto Global, he helps entrepreneurs connect and build relationships for business success.
Parker explained how a mastermind group creates the space for continuous learning and relationship building. To be effective, there needs to be open and authentic communication where members can bring both their strengths and weaknesses to the table. They discuss the value of exploring high-leverage questions and how masterminds can uncover deeper issues than initially apparent.
Comparing mastermind groups to consulting, Parker explains the unique advantage is having multiple perspectives simultaneously, offering both support and challenge to entrepreneurs.

If you're like me, you're cranking out a ton of marketing content and your wishing you could get way more bang for every minute you put into it. Well, according to Greg Wasserman, head of growth partnerships and community for Cast Magic, if you're willing to enlist the aid of a little AI your can make the time you spend much more effective.
Greg really believes in the importance of recording everything, whether it's thoughts, meetings, or conversations, as potential content sources. With the help of AI tools you can transform these recordings into various resources, such as blog posts, social media clips, and LinkedIn posts, giving you a consistent content presence without spending hours and hours to create the content. .
Think about content as a volume play, as you try to increase your brand visibility and engagement. Greg suggests using AI to repurpose content not only saves time but also allows you to cater to the evolving algorithms of search platforms.  For example, Google prioritizes content that answers customers' questions. So lean on AI to help your rewrite existing blog posts in a Q &A format.
One important side note, AI will not replace you completely.  Greg reminds the audience that It is critical to maintain authenticity in content creation.  AI tools should complement your unique voice and brand rather than replace it entirely.
Throughout the interview, Greg provides practical insights and examples, demonstrating how AI can streamline content creation processes and enhance brand presence across various digital platforms.