Announcing Summer Business Break with The Rise To The Top + Anna Kournikova + You

A few months ago I sat down with Elizabeth Erickson (Designer/Event Rock Star Planner you can check out her interview on The Rise To The Top here) and Dani Apted Schlottman (GM/Co-Owner St. Louis Aces Professional Tennis you can check out her interview on The Rise To The Top here) about creating THE most fun and entertaining event in St. Louis this summer.

We wanted to create something to get everyone away from the office and have a great time with an amazing crowd of like-minded young and young-at-heart entrepreneurs, business owners and simply those who just want to enjoy a great night this July all while offering some GREAT value and an unforgettable experience. Mix our private tent, some networking, complimentary open bar and Hors d’oeuvres (courtesy of our sponsors Grey Goose, Fiji Water, Heineken and Sub Zero Vodka Bar) gift bag of some GREAT items, box seats to take in high-energy professional tennis (this isn’t your grandfather’s tennis match…trust me), helping the community through our charity raffle supporting Lift For Life and you have Summer Business Break coming up on July 11th.

Oh…and Anna Kournikova is going to be there and will be stopping by our private tent for a meet + greet with all of you and you will have a chance to nab a picture with her as well. There will also be some other very special guests we will let you know about as we get closer to the event.

Tickets are now on sale right here and are very limited. We want to make sure it is an incredible experience for everyone, so once they are gone, they are gone.

Here are the details:
When is Summer Business Break? July 11th, 2009 at 5:30 PM (Private tent 5:30, tennis action begins at 7:15 PM)

Where is the event located? Dwight Davis Tennis Center in Forest Park (St. Louis, Missouri)

How much does my ticket cost? $100 (per ticket)

Where can I purchase my ticket? Tickets can be found exclusive through our website.

What do I get for my ticket price? Everything you ever dreamed of, or close at least
-Private Tent Party Entry
-Complimentary Open Bar & Hors d’oeuvre
-Box Seat to take in professional high-energy tennis
-Meet and Greet with Anna Kournikova
-A fantastic gift bag to take home
-Networking with our ALWAYS high-energy crowd
+ some surprises

Who is going to be there? Entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship-supporters, young professionals, CEOs, forward-thinkers. For the young and young-at-heart. A great event to bring a significant other or friend to as well!

Are there sponsorship opportunities? Absolutely! We have some great sponsors for the event including Grey Goose, Fiji Water, Heineken, Sub Zero Vodka Bar, We Make It Happen Concierge Services and Creative Entourage. To check out our sponsorship packet, click here.

I’m a small business own or entrepreneur looking to get my name out there at the event. Are there any special options for me?
Yes! We realize entrepreneurs and small business owners may not have zillion dollar budgets quite yet and being entrepreneurs ourselves, we understand. We have created a special package for you under our “Sponsor Ticket” package.

With a $175 (per ticket) sponsorship ticket you receive EVERYTHING you get with a regular ticket: (Private Tent Party Entry, Complimentary Open Bar & Hors d’oeuvre, Box Seat to take in professional high-energy tennis, Meet and Greet with Anna Kournikova, A fantastic gift bag to take home, Networking with our ALWAYS high-energy crowd + some surprises) and you get the following:
* Company Name Listed on Highly Visited therisetothetop.com
* Company Name Listed on Event Sponsorship Banner
* Rights to Place an Item in Event Gift Bag

Sponsor Tickets can be purchased on our special ticket website right here. If you have any questions, feel free to email me (David AT DSGagency.com)

Time to get out the sunscreen, put away the pleated pants and come out for Summer Business Break!

See you there! Will Ron Ballsiak make an appearance or is he banned?! Find out soon.

PS: If you want to stay updated on other special guests attending and occasional event announcements leading up to the event, simply enter your email in the upper-right corner of the website and subscribe to our Rise Blast.

The Rise To The Top: Entertaining, Energizing and Empowering Entrepreneurs

A brand spanking new edition of The Rise To The Top is now live and in color (I’ve always wanted to say that). Marketing expert David Newman reveals secrets to help your business, a lesson from The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur Mike Michalowicz, ideas to spark your business from Bounce U and much more.

Let us know what you think by commenting here or on the show page.

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist – www.therisetothetop.com

PS: In St. Louis? We will see you Wednesday at Sub Zero Vodka Bar in the Central West End beginning at 6 PM for our End of Season #1 BLOWOUT Party. We have a HUGE group of entrepreneurs, experts, fans and cast/crew of the show coming out. You can RSVP to RSVP@DSGagency.com (we appreciate it!) or just show up Weds.

PPS: Summer Business Break with Anna Kournikova and The Rise To The Top – details are now online! (click the blue Summer Business Break tab). Tickets will go on sale Thursday and will go FAST. Don’t miss the premier summer event in St. Louis. We will have everything from food/drink, meet+greet with Anna Kournikova, charity raffle, give-a-ways for EVERYONE, box seats to watch Anna play and 150+ young and young-at-heart entrepreneurs, forward-thinkers, young professionals and much more.

The Rise To The Top: Entertaining, Energizing and Empowering Entrepreneurs

Have you ever thought of yourself as a content producer? Are you a solid writer? Have great speaking voice? Love to tell

stories? Are passionate about something?

The bottom line is you, yes you, can become a content producer no matter what your experience level. There are usually two major reasons why folks do not take the content plunge:

1. Fear: Fear you won’t be good. Fear no one will listen/read/watch. Fear you can’t do it.  Fear of understanding the technology.
2. Time: When am I going to find time to do this?! How often do I have to update my content? This is going to take FOREVER to produce.

Taking these one at a time. Fear of getting started is extremely common but what is the worst thing that happens? You put something out there and you learned how to content produce. Hooray, learning. And you have a good story to tell. On the other hand, imagine people DO like it and YOU like it. After some hard work you have a group of raving fans and are seen as an authority figure in your niche. Oh, and advertisers love you and come knocking at your door. Cool!

In terms of time, sure it takes time. Perhaps one less rerun on TV (unless you are watching The Rise To The Top and in that case, keep watching!), getting up 30-40 mins earlier or staying up 30-40 mins later. Sure you can spend hours on each blog post, podcast or video but pumping out quality content takes less time than you think with today’s technology.

The barrier of entry for content producing is so low it is not even funny and the benefits are extremely high. You don’t need a broadcast degree or journalism diploma or massive TV network behind you to establish a following anymore. Nor do you need a $10,000 camera, expensive software and a massive studio.

So without further ado, here are 7 tips for young entrepreneurs (or young-at-heart) on content producing:

1. Free Blogging Software. Free is always good. Make sure to check out all the options. Personally, I used Typepad for awhile but switched to WordPress and I really like it. You can blog for free or you can purchase/create a template. You can always get fancier over time, but the bottom line is the software is painfully EASY to use and you don’t need a second mortgage.

2. Quality Cameras and Dropping Price Tags. You don’t have to spend $10,000, $5,000 or even $1,000 on a quality camera anymore (unless you are shooting for broadcast television like we have to do for The Rise To The Top…oy). From the $200 Flip Camera to webcams, you can create your online video blog or podcast without breaking the bank. And like everything else, you can always upgrade over time!

3. You Don’t Need To Be A Techie. Technology for everyone. Remember the Internet is a teenager (14 years old) and software and other goodies are being designed for the AVERAGE consumer in mind. Sure there is tech-crazy-cool-fancy stuff for the techies out there, but there is quality technology that EVERYONE can use and enjoy. WordPress is quite simple to use and so is a platform like Tumblr. My step-dad is 69 years old and on Facebook. Case closed.

4. No Advertising Budget? No Problem! It used to be you could spend millions and sure enough SOMEONE would listen to you. Not anymore. Let the world decide by making sure you get your content onto social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) and let the communities decide how they like it. Some great benefits include getting instant feedback and becoming a part of a cool community. REMEMBER don’t be overly self-promoting and end up being “that guy/girl” and instead focus on giving first.

5. You Become The Authority: When you are a content producer, your authority status goes through the roof. Of course personally you will continue to learn more about your niche and this could land you some great coverage. For example, my friend Ria Sharon is a great Mommy blogger with her site mymommymanual.com. Her blogging led to a recent TV show appearance where she was talking about new baby items just hitting the market. Cool!

6. Age and Personality Doesn’t Matter: More introverted? Perhaps you are better suited for writing. More extroverted? Perhaps video. The bottom line is by becoming a content producer you can focus on your STRENGTHS! Nobody is telling you what to do so go ahead and do what YOU are comfortable with. Old or young, there are no preconceived notions as to who can be a content producer. You don’t have to be an outdated hair-blowing-in-the-wind newscaster to rock.

7. Forget Perfection: So, your grammar isn’t perfect? You have a weird shadow in the background of your video blog? Audio drops on your Podcast? Who cares. Just get the darn thing out there and tell your friends, colleagues and anyone that will listen. Quality content mixed with great marketing is always going to be a winner. Get over whether you use a semi-colon or colon.

The Internet is still the wild, wild west and the opportunity to stake your ground is plentiful but like many opportunities, it is getting slimmer by the day. NOW is the time to become a content producer and claim your space and don’t worry about it if your dog walks in front of your camera when shooting.

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist – www.therisetothetop.com

PS: Make sure to stay tuned this weekend online for our end of Season #1 BLOW OUT featuring David Newman from Do It! Marketing and much more going live this Sunday at 11 AM (CST).

The Rise To The Top: Entertaining, Energizing and Empowering Entrepreneurs

Your time is valuable. I get it! Now here are some sites, people, destinations that are WELL WORTH spending a few minutes getting to know. I visit these sites every day and I would highly recommend checking them out!
In no order whatsoever:

Technology:
1. Geek Brief: Cali Lewis with a 3-minute-or-so myriad of tech tips each day.
2. CommandN: A little longer than Geek Brief (around 10 minutes per episode) but fantastic tech information to keep up with the trends hosted by Will Pate and Amber Macarthur
3. Stardust Global Ventures:  The first couple of technology and new media Sheryl Breuker and Ken Camp. Great ideas and great people.

Motivation:
4. Gary Vaynerchuk: A hero and a mentor to me personally and a fantastic model on how to dominate the new business world. His content is fantastic.
5. MyWifeQuitHerJob: Steve Chou’s Blog with tips, motivational stories, big mistakes and more.

Thought-Provoking:
6. Hello, My Name Is Blog by Scott Ginsberg.  Marketing tips and killer questions from “The Nametag Guy”.
7. Four Hour Work Week Blog: Grab a cup of coffee, open your mind and check out Tim Ferriss’ blog posts on saving time, energizing your life and more.

Social Media:
8. Chris Brogan: A humble, social media rock star. He really gets “it” and understands the value of spending time on social media.
9. Linked Working: Thoughts from Lewis Howes, the self-taught LinkedIn expert with a great book. Fun fact: Lewis is really tall. End fun fact.
10. A Twenty-Somethings Digital Strategy : Susan Iskiwitch has great thoughts and ideas coming from a twenty-something who knows what she is talking about.

Entrepreneurship:
11. How To Change The World:  The famous Guy Kawasaki with stories, tips and chronicles of entrepreneurship.
12. Toilet Paper Entrepreneur: Mike Michalowicz is awesome and he has tons of resources for entrepreneurs. Funny thing is one day I ran out of toilet paper and I thought it would be a funny name for a book. So I googled it and boom up pops Mike (this is before I learned we had TONS of people in common)!
13. StartUp Nation: Rich and Jeff Sloan. All kinds of How-To tips for start-ups by Jeff and Rich Sloan.
14. Club E: No, not that kind of “E”.  A great entrepreneurial destination created by Lyn Graft and Ingrid Vanderveldt.

Marketing:
15. Seth Godin: The man that really doesn’t need an introduction and you don’t have to make a huge time investment to read his short bursts of marketing glory.
16. Do It Marketing: Thoughts you can use today with a great marketing expert David Newman who is also my guest on next week’s episode of The Rise To The Top.
17. Strategy Stew with Ivana Taylor. Great ideas and observations from someone who has seen it all from big corporate marketing to entrepreneurial all stars.
Business:
18. Small Biz Trends : By Anita Campbell. A big dog with small business news.
19. Business Pundit:  Looking for opinions? You will get them with Drea Knufken…awesome insight.

Saving You Time Online:
20. Ping FM: Update all your social networks with one click of the button. Like magic or something.
21. Tube Mogul: Upload videos to tons of sites with just one measly click.
22. Help A Reporter: Peter Shankman’s genius coming to play on this one. Sign up and receive three emails a day of reporters looking for stories. See one that fits you? You can instantly reply and possibly be interviewed!

Get Involved:
23. Go! Network St. Louis: A great organization helping professionals get back on their feet after a tough layoff.
24. Yellow Tie International:  A non-profit trade organization which helps get you referrals and make connections with a give-first attitude.
25. Lift For Life Gym/Academy: Revolutionary way of improving lives for the underprivileged.

In the next list: 25 People Worth Paying Attention To

Like this list? We would LOVE it if you re-tweeted it, sent it to Stumbleupon or any other way you would like to share it!

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist – www.therisetothetop.com

PS: Looking for not your grandfather’s business show? Make sure to click Watch Now and check out The Rise To The Top designed for young and young-at-heart entrepreneurs and forward-thinkers like you.

Season #1 of The Rise To The Top is coming to a close with a massive explosion. A concept dreamed up in a coffee shop has drawn over 600,000 viewers injected with entrepreneurial energy with a bright future ahead.

The final episode of the first season will focus on one of the most important aspects of entrepreneurship: Making mistakes. Special guest, marketing expert and founder of Do It Marketing! David Newman joins David on the show along with a whole slew of experts and interesting stories. Look for a surprise or two as well.

Just because the season is complete, does not mean the fun is done. Join The Rise To The Top on May 27th at 6 PM at Sub Zero Vodka Bar for a season-ending blowout featuring cast+crew, entrepreneurs, experts, fans, and much more. This will also be the first chance for the purchasing of Summer Business Break tickets which will be THE summer event in St. Louis to get away from the office. Information for Summer Business Break will available soon.

Over the summer, keep a close eye on therisetothetop.com for big announcements, summer-only specials, exclusive interviews, Rise at Nite bonus episodes and much more. Season #2 will begin in September 2009.

The Rise To The Top: Entertaining, Energizing and Empowering Entrepreneurs

Friday At 5 PM: The Entrepreneurial Test

Urban legend (or is it Silicon Valley legend?) states that venture capitalists after investing in a company would regularly check in around 5 PM on Friday to see what the entrepreneurs were up to. This sometimes came in the form of a random phone call or the dreaded drop by when the people who bankrolled your company come rolling up (I’m picturing three venture capitalists on a Segway with huge helmets..picture it…smile).

Why? They wanted to see if the entrepreneurs were busting their butt instead of packing things in early for the weekend.

When you are an entrepreneur, you are your boss. And driven by passion, a need to get things done, and huge goals sometimes sacrifices need to be made and it may be your precious Friday nights. It may not be glamorous work that needs to be done, but in the end it will all be worth it.

I’m writing this currently at 10 PM on a Friday night. Most people my age are probably out having some drinks, but I’m getting a bit of work done. Do I have to? Nope. Do I do work on Friday nights often? Nope. Do I want to? Absolutely.

A few Friday nights sacrificed now and then seems like a small price to pay for a lifetime of infinite entrepreneurial possibilities and truly following your passion.

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist – www.therisetothetop.com

Make sure to check out “Attracting Fans and Goofing Around With Dani Apted Schlottman” on our exclusive after hours show for entrepreneurs like you: Rise at Nite

Rise Underground: The Rise To The Top Entrepreneur Blog
The Rise To The Top: Entertaining, Energizing and Empowering Entrepreneurs

Increase Your Sales By Paying Attention To Prospect’s Voicemail

A few weeks ago I had the fantastic opportunity to join a group of entrepreneurs at Jim Ryerson’s Sales Octane event. I was expecting one of the those run-of-the-mill-this-is- how-you-increase-your-sales, blah blah blah…but instead I was absolutely blown away by some of the ideas and tips and I think it could be extremely helpful your business as it definitely has been for mine.

In one of my previous entrepreneur tips, I talked about juicing up your voicemail. Making it exciting and reflecting you; however, Jim Ryerson mentioned that you learn a LOT about a person from THEIR voicemail and for those making sales (like almost every entrepreneur), this is vital information.

In fact, getting the person’s voicemail the first time you call him or her is a powerful research tool and you can learn quite a lot about the psychology of the person and adjust your sales strategy accordingly.

For Example:

1. Emotion: Is this person overly excited? Are they calm, cool, collected? Call my cell phone guess which one you will get (insert smily face here). Overly excited people tend to of course make more impulse decisions. Calm, cool and collected tend to really analyze.

2. Speed: Do they talk really fast? Really slow and steady? If they talk fast, they probably make decisions fast; slow talkers could cause much more work in your sales cycle and lots of additional information will be needed.

3. Creativity. Are they reading off a script forced by their office? Do they have an inspirational quote? If you have an outside-the-box or very innovative product and the person lacks imagination on their voicemail, you may have to change you sales presentation to more practical.

Bonus Tip: If they have a really generic office message, they may not be the proper decision maker that you need to get to.Most of the time (not always) decision makers have pretty much whatever they want on the voicemail.
Imagine these incredible research tools are RIGHT at your fingertips just by NOT reaching your potential client. I know I surely use this information to my advantage and I hope you do to.

And speaking of voicemail, here are some of my favorites:

On the cell phone: Generic, boring, half-dead not the person you are trying to reach’s voice: “You have reached 555-2324 the wireless called you have reached is not available. Please leave a message.”

What that sounds like to me: “I have yet to figure out how to program my phone. Please punch me.”

At the office: The classic seemingly five-minute corporate voicemails:

“You have reached the desk of Mr. Super Important. I’m in the office today but away from my desk right now. For immediate assistance please contact my assistant or dial “1” for the operator. I will be checking voicemail periodically throughout the day and will get back to you shortly.”

What that sounds like to me: “I’m important. You are not important. I will tell you about my whereabouts to confirm I’m not skipping work today. I have assistants. You probably don’t. I will check this voicemail you are leaving me…and delete it.”

In all fairness, some people at corporations HAVE to have those type of voicemails..but I’m poking fun anyway.

What is your voicemail sound like and what does it say about you? What does your prospect’s voicemail sound like and what does it say about them?

Let me know your thoughts below. Do you have a favorite/least favorite voicemail greeting you have heard?

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist and Entrepreneurial Chameleon – www.therisetothetop.com

PS: Have you checked out our TV show The Rise To The Top featuring more tips and stories/lessons from successful folks? You can catch our brand new episode online right here or click below:

Rise Underground: The Rise To The Top Entrepreneur Blog
The Rise To The Top: Entertaining, Energizing and Empowering Entrepreneurs

Episode #11: Attracting Passionate Customers

Ahhh…customers. And we aren’t just talking run-of-the-mill one-time-buying customers and clients. How do you attract a passionate following for you and your business? I will be joined by expert guest, Co-Owner, and General Manager of the St. Louis Aces Dani Apted Schlottman to answer these questions and more.

Get ready for some education, fun, and of course a huge dose of energy to get you on the path for success!

The Rise To The Top: Entertaining, Empowering and Energizing Entrepreneurs can be viewed on ABC30 in St. Louis, Missouri at 11 AM every Sunday following “This Week With George Stephanopoulos as well as Tuesdays and Thursdays following “Jimmy Kimmel Live”. Shows are always available 24/7 in full television quality at www.therisetothetop.com

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist and Entrepreneurial Chameleon – www.therisetothetop.com

Rise Underground: The Rise To The Top Entrepreneur Blog
The Rise To The Top: Entertaining, Energizing and Empowering Entrepreneurs

Getting Chosen By Customers: 10 Questions With Ivana Taylor

1. What is your marketing philosophy?

“It’s all about getting chosen.”  That’s my marketing philosophy.   It’s not about selling stuff or getting the word out.  It’s about naturally attracting your ideal customer based on your core strengths.  It’s about identifying those ideal customers whom you love and who love you back.  And it’s about creating an offering that will make them choose YOU every time regardless of price.

2. Have you witnessed some re-occurring marketing mistakes? What are some pitfalls?

Being all things to all people is a favorite recurring marketing mistake we are all driven to make.  It just seems counter-intuitive to eliminate some people from experiencing the joys of your product or service.  But that’s what you have to do.  When you find that ideal customer and what’s important to them, then set up a system that gives it to them when they want it and at the right price, you have truly hit a sweet spot.  The biggest pitfall in being all things to all people is losing your differentiation.  That means losing profits and ultimately customers.
3. You have an interesting background especially with working with such a large company in marketing. What did you learn by working for someone else?

Working for a large company made me see how utterly dependent we were on smaller suppliers.  That showed me that every provider is important and contributes value – no matter how small the provider and how large the company.   From a marketing perspective; neither small, nor large companies can afford to be arrogant or insignificant.
4. You are quite active on Twitter. What do you use Twitter for?

I use twitter to increase my sphere of influence; to connect with seemingly inaccessible people.  I also use Twitter to learn new things and stay on top of the latest trends and tools for small business and social media.  My most recent Twitter project is running a “Tweet Chat.”  This is most like a chat room on a specific subject.  It’s a great way to meet new experts on your area of expertise.
5. How can Twitter be used as a powerful marketing tool?

Twitter can be a powerful marketing tool if it’s part of a complete communication strategy.  Twitter allows you to humanize your brand.  It’s a terrific way to let your customers inside your world, your interests and even your head.  Today’s consumers want to feel a connection with the people behind their favorite brands and Twitter way to enhance your web site, blog or catalog.
6. Does traditional advertising still work? Magazines/Newspaper/TV?

When most people think of traditional advertising, they think of mega brands like Nike  – but these campaigns cost more than a small country’s gross domestic product!  There is a place for traditional advertising but the key is identifying your ideal customer, what’s important to them, and where they go to get the info they need to decide what to choose.  That’s what makes super-niched cable and internet channels so very exciting.  It gives us pragmatic direct marketing fans an additional outlet to help customers the best offer for them.

7. Why do people confuse marketing and advertising?

Marketing is a process.  Advertising is an element in that process.  Marketing is the process of research, segmentation, targeting, positioning, developing a marketing mix (product, price, promotion and distribution) and implementation.  Advertising sits in the area of promotion.  I think people confuse them because Advertising is WAY more fun to create, experience and share than research, pricing analysis or distribution channel negotiation.  Advertising is the soul of the message and the brand.

8. Are there big companies that entrepreneurs can learn excellent marketing from?

Excellent marketing doesn’t discriminate based on company size.  My favorite marketing comes from innovative small businesses who build relationships with their customers.   Southwest Airlines is still one of my most favorite companies.  They don’t do fancy promotions, but everyone in their organization is responsible for creating a positive experience.  That’s the kind of marketing I love most; natural, organic, memorable.

9. How will marketing change over the next five years?

I keep thinking that we’re headed toward a “Vanilla Sky” marketing future.  The most memorable marketing scene in the movie is where Tom Cruise walks through a series of shops and the computer voice acknowledges him, maybe what he’s bought before and what he should buy next.  I think we’re truly headed toward one-to-one marketing and cross branding.  We’re almost there with Twitter and Facebook literally having applications where you can share your purchasing history with your community.  The biggest challenge is where and how you cross into privacy issues.

10. If you were to pick the brain of three marketing geniuses, who would it be and why?

These questions always throw me.  There are your academic marketing geniuses like Philip Kotler or Theodore Levitt, who defined the marketing function and process.  I would ask them about what kinds of things they were focusing on when they defined the marketing process as we see it today and in what ways they would make adjustments based on the flow of information we have.  Then you have the semi-academics like Al Ries and Jack Trout who got us really focused on differentiation and positioning.  I would push these guys for more “how to find positions.”  We all know we need one, it’s the practical how-to of getting there.  But my favorites are the practical guys like Guy Kawasaki or Mike Michalowicz.  I would want to know how they are able to convert the ideas they have in their heads into action and momentum so that they come to life.  We are all marketing geniuses – but most of us get lost from idea to action.  The geniuses are literally able to overcome that inertia.  I love that.

Ivana Taylor is the Founder of www.DIYMarketers.com , a place where in-house marketers go to get low-cost, high-impact marketing strategies. Her blog is called www.strategystew.com and she is also a contributing expert for Small Business Trends.

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist and Entrepreneurial Chameleon - www.therisetothetop.com

PS: Make sure to keep a look out for our next episode of The Rise To The Top THIS WEEKEND featuring how to attract passionate customers, special guest Dani Apted Sclottman Co-Owner/GM of the St. Louis Aces Professional Tennis, The Kairos Society Top Collegiate Entrepreneur, and much more. Tune in on ABC in St. Louis at 11 AM Sunday and online also on Sunday.

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The Rise To The Top: Entertaining, Energizing and Empowering Entrepreneurs

Writing Compelling Content and The Future of Marketing: 10 Questions With Lauren Berger

1. What is your background and how did you become involved in writing?

For me, it was never about BECOMING a writer – I’ve always been a writer. I actually wrote my first book at the age of four. My writing style has improved since then, but I still have that fragile little book. I started out writing for myself: diary entries, short stories, lyrics, etc. Then I graduated to articles and blog posts, as that medium became readily available. I also studied English Literature and History in college. I figured, what better way to learn about the different voices of the ages and the historical context in which they lived? Then I started STL Scene and was able to start publishing some of my stuff for mass consumption. The freelance gigs were just a natural extension of what I was already doing with that.

2. There is the old adage that content is king in writing. What are some tips on writing compelling content?

I’ll answer your adage with another adage. “Write what you know.” The easiest way to write compelling content is to write what you are familiar with and passionate about. Nothing comes through in writing better than a genuine love for your topic. That kind of energy just reverberates off the page.

3. What mistakes do you see entrepreneurs and aspiring writers make when perhaps writing copy or a blog?

There are a few… I think number one is, of course, inadequate proofreading. I once read web copy where someone had misspelled the name of the product they were selling! I sent an email to the webmaster and got an offer to write and proof their content. I also see a lot of people doing what I call “putting on the Mensa mask.” They fill their copy with jargon and technical terms in the hopes that people will think of them as an authority. Instead, they confuse the average reader and inspire them to turn to other sources for information.

4. How can one improve their writing ability? Is this something that can be improved?

Writing skill can absolutely be improved! It just takes a bit of effort. Practice is key – I make sure to write something every day. It doesn’t have to be much, but with practice comes skill. I also read everything I write out loud, to make sure that it flows well.

5. You also have a background in marketing and public relations. Tell us a bit about what you have done.

I started in marketing and PR as an entrepreneur. I had just started a business (STL Scene) and needed to figure out how to get our message to as many readers as possible. That was grassroots marketing at its’ best! We’re talking stickers and flyers. We actually had a street team charged with getting the word out. I also worked at Boeing for a time, as a conference planning manager and learned the ins and outs of planning an event. Recently, I have been involved with event promotion and PR for several area businesses. I also do social media strategy and content creation for small businesses and area politicos.

6. This Sunday’s episode is all about marketing. What mistakes do you see small businesses make in marketing?

A lot of business owners seem to think that price promotions = more customers. This is appropriate at times, particularly in this economy, but it’s not always the answer. When people pay a price for a product or service, they are attaching worth to it. I love it when businesses find a way to add VALUE to their product or service, rather than slashing the price. You’re not always going to create a loyal customer with a sale. You may just find a savvy consumer who is always going to be looking for the best deal, whether you can deliver it or not.

7. You have $0 and just started a company. How would you get started marketing? Social media?

I’m probably a bit biased – but I definitely think that social media is key. You really can’t beat the bang for your buck (or in some cases, lack of buck) that you get with social media. If you have a compelling product and something to say on the subject, media placements are also a really good way to get the word out. Just make sure you understand how the various media outlets work and cultivate a relationship with key players.

8. Has social media changed the marketing game? Which sites and why?

Social media has taken advertising power out of the hands of the marketers and given it to the consumer. It is a beautiful thing to see. Staying in touch with your customers and creating brand advocates has never been easier. That being said, if you aren’t responding to your customers’ needs in an effective way, you run the risk of creating some pretty terrible word of mouth. That kind of transparency will really affect your bottom line. Twitter is one of my favorite sites. There are all kinds of strategies you can implement to start dialogue about your product and really hear and respond to what people are thinking.

9. Where do you see happening with social media in the next two years?

I think that social media sites are going to find ways to monetize what they are doing more effectively, through ad partnerships and sponsorships. I also can’t wait to see what SM sites come up with in terms of cross-platform experiences. Sites like Ping.fm are already coming out with ways to manage multiple accounts from one source.

10. What marketing trends for entrepreneurial companies do you foresee being important over the next two years?

Well, I see trends taking root now that will be incredibly important over the next two years. Pay-per-click ads are going to video. Mobile eCommerce is growing at an incredibly fast rate. Remember Miller’s “One-Second Ad” during the Superbowl? Actually, I was watching something on TiVo the other day and I was wondering when someone was going to come out with ads that would just flash across the screen when fast forwarding through commercial breaks.

Lauren Berger is a serial entrepreneur, writer, marketer, trainer and sometime radio personality from Saint Louis, MO. She started her first business, STL Scene, Inc., at the age of 19 and hasn’t looked back since. She is currently the owner of V3 Creative, LLC, a PR/Marketing and Social Media Strategy Services firm. She loves teaching people to fish, SM-style and can also make a mean Cajun gumbo. You can contact her at stlartscommunity@gmail.com and find her on Twitter at @V3Creative.

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist and Entrepreneurial Chameleon - www.therisetothetop.com

PS: Are you a passionate entrepreneur or expert who has some valuable tips for The Rise To The Top audience? Let us know below or shoot us an email and you may be our next “10 Questions”

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