ASTERI PURSUIT ™
  • Home
  • About
  • Store
    • Digital Products >
      • Free Time-Saving Email Campaign Templates
      • Magnetic Power Words: Free Swipe File
      • Website Self-Audit Checklist
      • FREE Lead with Core Values E-Book
    • Copywriting >
      • Asteri Brand Story ™
      • Asteri Website Audit ™
      • Asteri Email Series ™
      • The Asteri CMO ™
      • A Là Carte Copywriting
    • Consulting Services
  • Library
    • FREE Class: The Human Side of Marketing
    • Asteri Affiliates
    • Empowered Entrepreneur Reading List
    • Exclusive Resources in your Inbox
    • The Blog
  • START NOW
THE ASTERI PURSUIT BLOG
LEADERSHIP, PSYCHOLOGY, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, LIFE

social media vs email marketing

1/21/2021

0 Comments

 
"You can do it all - but not all at once."
That’s been my mantra for the past few years, and it’s served me well, especially in my writing. 

Over time, in life and business, and with some wisdom, we all eventually learn that you can’t expect anyone or anything to do it all. 
Social media is no exception.  

Yes, social media is powerful - but it can’t do it ALL. 

You can sure as heck try to make it your one-stop-shop to build an audience, drive sales, get referrals, and grow your business. It might even work for a while too!

The challenge with using social media for EVERYTHING is that you end up setting many different goals all at once and all in the same space. 

If your social media goals and strategy include sales, growth, connection, retention, referrals, and everything in between - you’re going to exhaust yourself.

In social media, you have zero control over when new followers join, what they see (if they see you at all), and in what order. 

How can you strategically bring your readers through a customized buyer’s journey of connection and content?

EMAIL.


Now, before you hit me back with the “I don’t have time to add emails to my marketing - social media already takes up so much time,” STOP.

Email marketing does not have to be a time thief.
Email marketing does not have to be complicated.
Email marketing does not have to reinvent the wheel. 

You have tons and tons of content that you’ve created and shared on social media. You can reuse it - with a few minor tweaks - and create an incredible email series that strategically brings your readers through your buyer’s journey!

Think about it this way - if you could control exactly what posts a new follower should see, and in what order, what would those be?

That is where you start. 

Next step - why the heck should they give you their email address in the first place? 

Inboxes are sacred, and no one wants to join another newsletter. 

Offer something of incredible value in exchange for your reader’s precious email, and then take them on a journey (strategically) without the noise or distractions of social media. 

Before you jump ship and sign-up for an email marketing platform, stop for a second and set some goals. 

  1. What is the ONE goal you have for social media?
 Is it to introduce yourself, learn more about your audience, get them to join your email list (wink wink), build a following, gain exposure, build authority, generate sales? No wrong answer here - but pick ONE.

  1. What is the ONE goal you have for your email marketing series?
Lead them to want a specific product, build a personal connection, remind them you exist regularly, remind them when to book an appointment? Again, no wrong answer - but pick ONE for this series. 

You can have a different goal for each email series - and you can create an infinite number of other email series’. 

Take the pressure off your social media content and take control of your reader’s journey through your content with email! 

Do you use email for your marketing? Let me know below in the comments!
0 Comments

EMPOWERING SALES

1/13/2021

0 Comments

 
 Wanting to be a better salesperson does not make you:
  • Less Relationship Focused.
  • Less Compassionate.
  • Less Amazing.
  • Less of ANYTHING.

We all know that No sales = No business. 

Fostering strong relationships will absolutely grow your business, but NOT if you altogether avoid sales. My last post was about how relationship building is more important than a quick sale, but NOT an effort to label sales as bad. 

If you can’t or won’t sell yourself and your business, you’ll end up with a lot of friends, you’ll give away a ton of free value, but you won’t be able to pay your bills. 

I like to think of sales like food. 

We need it to survive. It’s not inherently bad or good. Almost all of us have a complicated relationship with it. 

Some food we eat a lot, some we only eat once in a while or on special occasions. 
 
It can taste delicious and makes you feel instant gratification. You look forward to it, savour it, and when it’s over, you can’t stop yourself from wondering when you’ll have it again. 

Or, it can taste terrible, leave you with a stomach ache and feeling sick. 
 
Sales aren’t bad. 
Selling isn’t bad. 
It’s an essential component of building a healthy, balanced business. ;-)

So why do sales feel so icky sometimes?
Because we don’t know if the person selling us cares beyond the sale. 


Relationship focused business is NOT about avoiding sales. 
It’s about fostering strong relationships, seeing the human behind the sale, and creating a safe, trusting and open space where sales happen naturally without the icky feeling.

When you care about the person behind the sale, you care beyond a yes or a no. You want to help, offer your services, and see them succeed. But you also see and nurture the strength and resilience in the other person, knowing that your relationship is essential regardless of the sale.

0 Comments

Company core values.

1/12/2021

0 Comments

 
Bullet lists of words are not what inspires or maintains company culture.

How can you choose the right values and then get your team and clients to buy into your values and culture?
Story.

​In this video, I take you through the difference between core values and other common business values, as well as the simple process of creating a value story that inspires!
0 Comments

Relationship > Sales.

1/12/2021

0 Comments

 
Relationships > Sales.
There I said it. 

Yes, to run any sort of a successful business you need sales. Although fast or immediate sales sound like a dream - they often come at the cost of establishing any consumer trust or brand loyalty. 

Relationship-building sounds tedious and time-consuming, but the truth is - business is about the long game. 

One sale today is not more important than:
  • Gaining brand loyalty.
  • Developing Trust.
  • Having Integrity.
  • Being Transparent.
 
All relationships are different. Sometimes we connect instantly and know we’re a guacamole and salty tortilla chip kinda match. 
Sometimes they take time and need a lot of nurturing and growth. 
Sometimes they just don’t work. 
Welcome back to being human. 

Business is about serving humans, not selling humans. When we come from a place of service and focus on relationships instead of sales, we get benefits far beyond a sale today. 

  • Brand loyalty and long term sales
  • Word of mouth and referrals
  • Consumer trust 
  • Differentiation in a consumer culture where the majority of consumers actually want connection.

So how do you start building relationships and honouring the human behind the screen? 

Listen. Care. Serve. 

Can I get an amen?
​
0 Comments

i'll take an attitude adjustment with a side of new winter gear

1/10/2021

0 Comments

 
After ten years in Ottawa, I’m still not used to these harsh winters. I grew up in pretty mild climates, and through most of 20’s I spend winters in the South training for swimming. 

I find myself craving trips to the sun and sand. I’ll be sitting on the couch wrapped in my flannel snuggie in front of the fire, writing an email sequence for a client and all of a sudden drift off in my mind imagining a tart margarita and the feeling of hot sand burning my feet. 

This year I decided I didn’t want to hate winter anymore. My trips to the south were all put on hold, and I didn’t want to be miserable for seven months (damn Ottawa). 

I got some new gear, and I can confidently say that winter doesn’t have to suck, IF you prepare, dress appropriately, and TRY to like it. For Real.

Picture
Here are a few things that made a big difference for me. None of these are sponsored or paid in any way - they are just my honest favourites: 

AKU Boots - These ‘hiking’ looking boots are fitted just right, not too tight, fully Gortex (waterproof), and are incredible for keeping my feet dry and warm. 

Fjallraven Parka - Ok. I spent the extra money, and it was worth every penny. Warm (verging on HOT), comfortable, and looks good. What’s not to love. 

Columbia Mittens - Screw gloves; my fingers always end up cold. I got these fantastic mittens, and I will never go back. My fingers stay toasty, and I don’t care if I can’t open my phone because it’s too cold to text anyway. 

New Attitude - I’ve committed to trying to enjoy winter. I used to get distracted by how cold and uncomfortable I was and never really give it a chance. Now that I’m geared up and prepared, I have no excuse and find I can be more present and open to the fun around me. 

You can take this as a simple gear recommendation post or look at it as a metaphor for most things in life. Preparation, spending a bit more for better quality on the things that matter most, and committing to a new attitude can make pretty much anything more enjoyable. 

Here’s to making the most of even the coldest winters! Hit LIKE if you are ready to have some fun in the cold this year too!

Sincerely, 
​Mickey
PS - If you are looking for more than just gear and want some incredible winter hiking and outdoor recommendations, head on over to www.girlgonegood.com for everything wellness and wilderness! She’s my go-to for pretty much anything outdoors. 
0 Comments

EVERY BUSINESS SAYS THEY HAVE ‘COMMUNITY’ -  SO, HOW IS YOURS DIFFERENT?

1/5/2021

0 Comments

 
We all want to be a part of a community that is a positive space and filled space with people who embody the qualities we believe in and bring out the best in us. 

As a business, having a strong community is an incredible tool for building and maintaining culture, improving brand reputation, increasing brand awareness and visibility, and attracting and retaining clients and employees who embody your company values. 

Many challenges can arise when both building and maintaining a community for your business. Toxic members, miscommunication, ignored boundaries, awkward silence. 

One challenge that is SO common and yet rarely discussed is how you can stand out from the mass of other ‘communities’? 
How can you define and differentiate your community from every other community out there? 

The most common strategy business owners and marketers use is to ask their members to describe it in their own words.

“I love this community because it’s so positive and welcoming; everyone is awesome!”
Not super helpful - everyone says that about their community. 

So, how do you explain your culture with enough context that outsiders can see how it’s different? 

The same way you go about describing how your business is different from the rest of the competition. 

Picture

ASK MORE QUESTIONS.

  • What problems do your competitor’s businesses solve, and where does their community come into the process?
  • Ask prospective clients what it is that they are looking for in a community? 
  • Ask current and past clients what it was that made yours different?
  • What problem do you solve in the market, and what role does your community play in solving it that others on the market do not? AKA What gap does your community fill in the market. 

This isn’t a 5-minute project. 
Learning the right words to describe your community and the culture it upholds takes TIME.
BUT, if your community is a crucial aspect of your business, you can and should use it to market your business.


Community is something we all crave and is a MASSIVELY powerful marketing tool when used correctly. 

If you’d like an audit of your community ‘pitch,’ post it in the comments, and I’ll help you nail it! 

​
0 Comments

our neurobiological wiring is relational.

1/5/2021

0 Comments

 
We, and our businesses, grow and flourish in connection ⚡️.

The word connected has taken on a different meaning in recent history. Phones, social media, and a constant need to be “connected” is NOT what I am talking about🙅‍♀️. Often, we are so attached to our phones and social media when we feel the most disconnected.
Picture
Genuine connection, brought forward through mutually meaningful relationships, has four specific components.

1. Mutual engagement and empathy: mutually involved, committed, and sensitive to the relationship with a willingness to impact AND be impacted by another.

2. Authenticity: the freedom and capacity to be ourselves with an awareness of how we impact others.

3. Empowerment: The sense of personal strength that emerges from the relationship.

4. The ability to express, receive, and process diversity, difference, and CONFLICT in the relationship in a way that fosters mutual empowerment and empathy.

If I’ve learned anything through this time of global crisis, it is that mutually meaningful relationships directly impact: the healthy development of our sense of self, our resilience, AND the success of our businesses.

We are wired to connect 🧠.

“We do not use nurturing or loving people to fill us up or prepare us to separate and then stand strong alone. There is not a cutoff on our need for connection - ever!” (Jordan, 2017).

🚫 It’s time to stop the cold DM’s, generic email campaigns, and manic feast-or-famine social media marketing strategies.

✅ It’s time to step up and take ownership of our communications authentically and take back REAL connection.

I’m here to help. 🙋‍♀️

If you are ready to build real connections and foster mutually meaningful relationships that empower, influence and lead, I’ve got news for YOU!

Strategic Communications & Marketing Consulting.
Connective Communications Coaching.
Done-for-you Marketing Services.

2021 HERE WE COME!

Get to the heart of what matters most to your clients and team so you can empower, influence and LEAD 💕.

Interested in learning more?
Click the link in my bio or send me a DM.
0 Comments

The loaded question

1/5/2021

0 Comments

 

Yes. Some questions are loaded.
No. It's not always the other person doing the loading.

The loaded question 🙅‍♀️.

Has anyone ever asked you a question that you think they already know the answer to?
They ask anyway.
You feel triggered.
The internal battle begins 🧠.

Why are they asking? Shouldn't they know? Do they want me to justify myself? I shouldn't have to answer this! 🙇‍♀️

No matter what is said, it feels...disappointing.
You feel misunderstood.

You go home and recite different ways you could have ’won’ the conversation in front of the mirror 🤦‍♀️.

Yes. Some questions are loaded.

No. It's not always the other person doing the loading.
Picture
If you notice a particular person, topic or question that continually feels loaded, it may be time to start doing some ’unloading.’

🙋‍♀️ “I need to take a pause real quick; I’ll be right back.”

*shuts the door, takes deep breaths, looks in the mirror and asks - what unwanted thoughts or assumptions did I bring to that conversation?

...minutes pass more deep breaths, feel a bit better, return to the conversation.

”I have to admit I started to feel _______ when we were talking; I feel ______ now and can see how I was bringing _________ to the conversation. I'd like to [start over/talk about something else/ whatever you want to do at that moment].”

🚫 There's no need to fake it, hide it, or bury it.
🚫 There's also no need to shame it, discredit it, or judge it.

Acknowledging how you feel without judgement is a crucial part of developing self-empathy ✨.

Mutually growth-enhancing, healthy relationships require both empathy AND self-empathy.
No shame. No self-judgement. AUTHENTICITY.

Let me know if you've ever felt this way in the comments and what's been working or not working for you!
0 Comments

'why questions' and why they suck

1/5/2021

0 Comments

 

stop asking 'why questions.'

Why did you do that❓
Why do you think that❓
Why did you say that❓
Why do you feel like that?❓
Ugh.

’Why questions’ assume two things, 1) that the ’why’ will somehow be helpful, and 2) that they know why in the first place.

What do ’why questions’ almost guarantee:
🚫 Over-intellectualization and rationalization instead of meaningful and open observation;
🚫 A defensive internal dialogue;
🚫 A ”I did what I thought was right at the time” response.

So why do so many rely on ’why questions’?
They seem deep 🧠. They sound psychological. We've seen it in the movies.
Picture
Instead of asking why, here's what you can do:
​
✅ Listen attentively and get the whole story;
✅ Ask open and inviting questions;
✅ Allow them to get to why on their own;
✅ Extract their motivations from what you see and hear;
✅ Reflect your observations to them; and
✅ Ask if you are on the right track.

Whether you are a trainer, coach, physician or clinical practitioner, avoiding ’why questions’ will show that you are listening, and you are empathetic. You will also prevent harsh and defensive internal dialogues.

Getting to why can be important, but asking why questions isn't the best way to get there. ✨

Have you ever been asked ’why questions’ and felt defensive or therapized?
Let me know in the comments!


0 Comments

Lost in Translation

1/5/2021

0 Comments

 

Challenges of Digital Communication

Tone, body language, facial gestures, and personality can be easily lost in written communication. 

Have you ever read an email or message and wondered: 
Are they mad? 
Do they care? 
Do they have any idea what I’m going through? 
How can they expect me to understand this?

The reality is, life is only getting more digital, and our ability to lead is directly impacted by our ability to communicate both verbally AND in writing. 

So what can you do to ensure your written communications are working in your favour?

Picture
  1. Be CLEAR - Ambiguity is the killer of effective communication. It turns on our internal dialogue and stops us from listening or absorbing what is actually being said or written. Read your text out loud and take your time.
  2. Give Specific Directions - What do you want? Be specific, and don’t ever assume someone knows what you want. They cannot read your mind. 
  3. Be Concise - No one wants to read an unnecessarily long message. The longer it goes, the less reading actually happens. Keep it concise. Time is precious. 
  4. Empathy is EVERYTHING - Always make a point to lead with empathy. Put yourself in their shoes, and then ask for confirmation that you understand what they are going through, need and feel. The more the other person feels heard and understood, the more open they will be to the rest of the conversation.   

These four simple steps can massively improve your written communication and help you genuinely connect with your reader. 

Bonus Tip: Use the newbie test - if you were sending this to a brand new team member on their very first day, would they understand it, feel empowered by it, and be able to list exactly what you are asking of them?  

Let me know if you found this helpful!
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Categories

    All
    Adaptability
    Business
    Communications
    Community
    Company Culture
    Connections
    Content Marketing
    Core Values
    Direct Communications
    Discomfort
    Email
    Email Marketing
    Free Training
    Indirect Communications
    Leadership
    Marketing
    Motherhood
    Outdoors
    Poetry
    Psychology
    Recommendations
    Relationships
    Sales
    Social Media
    Social Media Marketing

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    November 2018

    RSS Feed

Picture
Website Privacy Policy & Terms of Use
Copyright  © 2018
  • Home
  • About
  • Store
    • Digital Products >
      • Free Time-Saving Email Campaign Templates
      • Magnetic Power Words: Free Swipe File
      • Website Self-Audit Checklist
      • FREE Lead with Core Values E-Book
    • Copywriting >
      • Asteri Brand Story ™
      • Asteri Website Audit ™
      • Asteri Email Series ™
      • The Asteri CMO ™
      • A Là Carte Copywriting
    • Consulting Services
  • Library
    • FREE Class: The Human Side of Marketing
    • Asteri Affiliates
    • Empowered Entrepreneur Reading List
    • Exclusive Resources in your Inbox
    • The Blog
  • START NOW