The Truth about Conferences

Someone—who hosted his own conference—once warned me:

Doing your own conference is going to be one of the hardest and most rewarding experiences you’ll ever do. You’ll lose money, but you’ll also gain a community.

While there could be some truth to that comment, I disagree with several points:

• It doesn’t have to be hard. (If you assemble the right team.)
• It might not be rewarding. (If you don’t include certain essential elements.)
• You don’t have to lose money. (And making money doesn’t mean you need to score sponsors or settle for a pitch-fest.)
• You might not gain a community. (If the “main show” is on the stage, then community is much harder to build.)

After doing more than 100 live events over the past decade, I’ve discovered the good, the bad, and the beautiful of hosting your own conference. This post and podcast is dedicated to save you time and money and increase your chance of successfully hosting your own conference that is both memorable and profitable.

(Listen to this episode via itunes, audioboom, or stitcher)

The Good about Conferences

=> Clear Theme:

I’ve said it a ton of times. Clarity attracts. Confusion Repels. This year we picked a clear theme: set fire to your business and brand.

Here’s what it meant for our conference and context:

FEEL THE FIRE: In the beginning all we see is ourselves. We feel the heat from our own fiery trials. The majority stays here forever. But our breakthrough is just on the other side of awareness—when we realize the obstacle is the way.

SEE THE FIRE: Looking outward, we now see others in need. Their struggle feels strangely familiar. Our former pain will become their future cure. With courage and clarity we do deep work so we can create deep impact.

BE THE FIRE: By leveraging our hurts into a helpful framework, we open a new way and a new world. Through serving and storytelling, people embrace the solution and experience success. As we show up filled up, we set fire to our business and brand.

As the conference host it’s your responsibility to set the theme. This is often the most important step. It’s something I do first and foremost before anything else.

=> Intentional Takeaways:

Don’t make your attendees guess what they’re going to get. We tell our people exactly what to expect. If they’re going to hop on a plane or into a car it’s up to you to create a culture of intentional takeaways. We told our people:

=> Dynamic Community:

We could have packed more people in the room—the business center told us so. They said if we put people in rows and not round tables we’d fit at least 100 more. It took us 2 seconds to come to a clear decision. Our answer? “No thank you.” Although we could have scored more cash, community is king at our event—not the other way around.

We call it the Igniting Souls Conference, but around each table of 8 people, a spark began to appear on day one. At the end of day 2 that spark was a fiery blaze. Friendships were forged. Collaborations were created. And in some cases partnerships were primed.

The Bad about Conferences

=> Confusing Benefits:

Too many times conferences brand themselves with unclear benefits. People don’t know why they’re showing up or what they’re going to get from attending. The reason why we have sold out events—year-after-year—is because we let people know ahead of time why coming will help them personally and professionally.

=> Disjointed Speakers:

Ever been to a conference that had zero alignment? Each session felt completely random and disconnected from the previous one? This type of conference is a liability, not an asset.

At igniting souls conference each speaker is completely aligned with the other speakers.

* We didn’t contradict each other. We built upon each other’s content.

* We didn’t compete with one another. We edified each other on and off stage.

* We didn’t sell the crowd. We served the attendees. 

=> Wasting Time:

I’m not a fan of wasting time. I don’t want to attend a conference to massage someone’s back, dance in the aisle, or listen to a 2-day pitch-fest. At our conference we don’t waste time in any of these obvious ways. But, we also don’t waste time in subtle ways too—like doing irrelevant exercises, prolonged table times, or even waiting in food lines. (Listen to the podcast above if you want more insider tips and tools.)

The Beautiful about Conferences

=> Life Change:

The stories of life change keep rolling in. Just when we think we’ve heard them all another one pops up. Besides the 20+ linked below, here’s an entire page of two dozen more recorded long after the conference ended.

If you’re looking for hype you won’t find it. Rather, you’ll find true transformation via our attendees and their new courses launched, retreats planned, books outlined, websites built, and businesses started. Watch them here.

=> Beautiful = Unplanned Magic:

We love to include a few surprises each conference. This year we invited Olympic Gold medalist and World Champion wrestler Kyle Synder. Besides being the best wrestler in the world, it turns out he’s an amazing speaker too. He shared what it takes to become a champion. He was joined by Tom Ryan the NCAA national champion coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Both men added a ton of value and our attendees enjoyed getting pictures with them.

Each year we have a photo booth. In the past attendees became boxers, swimmers, and this year firefighters. Besides creating laughs, this element also created a bonding experience for each of the tables.

=> Beautiful = Souls on Fire:

This year we launched 46 of our authors into the world. Each of them are graduates of Author Academy Elite. Not only do we help them write, publish, and market their books, but we also let them speak and sell their books in our bookstores. This is the program I wish I had when I first became an author back in 2004.

The authors did an amazing job on stage. Each talk literally blew me away. And their books are each a beautiful work of art—inside and out.

We’re looking for our next authors to publish. Although thousands will express interest and hundreds will apply, we can only accept 25. If you’d like to be considered please register for our live webinar on November 8th. When you do you’ll get my new e-book immediately: How to Turn your Book into 18 Streams Income.

This year over two dozen attendees wrote about their experience at the Igniting Souls Conference. I’ve included their unedited thoughts below. (A few of them settled for provocative titles and headlines—Thanks Mike Kim.)

Some were written with tears and others contain a ton of humor. Some include pics and others are text heavy or video based (some could load and some could not and need to be clicked).

All in all I think you’ll enjoy the variety and a 360 degree view of the event. If this post or podcast sounded intriguing, we’d love to have you join us at our next Igniting Souls Conference.

Attendee Reviews: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_5rkwgCC5Q&feature=youtu.be

• Comparison Can be Good (by Renee Vidor)
• Kary Oberbrunner, Exposed! Behind the scenes at the Igniting Souls Conference 2017 (by Karen Creamer)
• 3 Reasons Why Most First-Time Authors Will Fail (by Chris Borja)
• Kary Oberbrunner Revealed! (by Nanette O’Neal)
• The One Thing that Will Make the Difference in Your Affair Recovery (by Becky Hadaway)
• 5 things you need to know about Igniting Souls Conference 2017 (by Dennis Riley)
• Igniting Souls Conference (by Kathy Binner) {VIDEO}
• What to do when your dream has lost its fire…. (by Tony Colson)
• KARY OBERBRUNNER AND THE IGNITING SOULS TRIBE EXPOSED A BEHIND THE SCENES TELL ALL (by Daphne V. Smith)

• #Igniting Souls 17 (by Donna Reiners)
• Believing In Your Dream Changes the World: Don’t Hold Back (by Kirsten Samuel)
• Igniting Souls (by Joni Wolf)
• A Tribe is More than a Buzzword (by Brenda Haire)
• The Igniting Souls Conference: Go Again for Same Old—Same Old? (by Dvora Elisheva)
• Kary Oberbrunner Exposed! A Behind The Scenes Tell-All From His Igniting Souls 2017 Conference (by Becca Brinkman)
• IGNITING SOULS: MOVING FORWARD (by Angela Bonfante)
• Kary Oberbrunner’s Tribe Exposed (by Donna Shepherd) {Linkedin}
• Can We Really Trust Attending Conferences? – Like Igniting Souls Conference? (by Cardiff D. Hall)
• I struck gold (by Kelly Renee Baker)
• What Difference Can a Day Make? Try Adding Fire to Your Next Run (by Brian Wagner)
• Kary Oberbrunner Exposed (by Michelle Weidenbenner)
• BE THE FIRE (by Michele Stanford)
• How to shrivel up and die after a traumatic life event (by Laura J. Diehl) {VIDEO}
• What If Your Spouse Doesn’t Support Your Dreams? (by Tiffany Godfrey)
• My top 6 takeaways at the igniting souls conference (by Allison Kraft)
• 5 Healthy Benefits of a Soul On Fire (by Frances Capoccia)
• How to Ignite your Soul (by Catharine Freeman)
• Time to Fly (by Ruth Peirce)
• An Inspiring, Informative, Fun, and Fulfilling Igniting Souls Conference (by Trish Benedict)
• Igniting Souls Conference (by Debra Hayes)
• Igniting Souls Conference (by Lisa Moser)

View Conference Photo Album Here

Why a 6-Figure Author?

Trust me. It’s not about the money. Here’s what I mean…

I published my first book in 2004, The Journey Toward Relevance. The truth is, I didn’t know what I was doing. No one was mentoring me on the finer details of writing, publishing, or marketing. Naively, I thought I’d sell a million books and make a million dollars.

Why?

So I could do this writing thing as a full-time gig. Sure I loved being a pastor and serving in a church, but even back then I felt the pull between my day job and my dream job. Every once in a while I’d get a phone call or an email to go speak somewhere about my book. I’d literally have to tell the caller or sender, “Hold on. I’ll have to get back with you. I need to check with my boss.”

Then I’d bring up the request in my next weekly meeting with my Senior Pastor. He was a very generous leader, but rightfully so, I’d have to “sell” him on the idea. I’d explain why it was a good thing to leave my “job” for a couple days to go and talk to groups of people who needed to hear the message behind my book.

Sometimes he let me. Sometimes he didn’t. Sometimes I’d have to “sell” other people on the idea too like my director, other staff members, ministry leaders, elders, etc.

We feel imprisoned when we need permission to do our passion. (Tweet This)

I Needed Permission to do my Passion

When I didn’t get permission, I’d squeeze in a speaking gig here or there on the front end or back end of a vacation. In those days our vacations weren’t that glorious. It probably meant Kelly and I visiting her family in Michigan or my family in Wisconsin. Still, it always felt like speaking invitations were a stressful experience because I had to defend my rationale for wanting to take them.

And then there was the actual writing of the books.

I am a father of three kids. They are each two years apart. Imagine having a 5 yr. old, 3 yr. old, and 1 yr. old and trying to write as well. Since I was absolutely committed to be the best employee and father and husband, that meant writing a total of 4 books in the “margins” of life. These books were written at 12 am or 2 am or sometimes even 4 am, in between feeding the babies.

I’m not complaining.

I loved those moments of bonding with my son and daughters. And since I was up anyways, I thought rather then go back to bed I’d crank out a thousand words of the next book that loomed over my head. After all, my traditional publishers weren’t about to let me miss a deadline.

I Needed to Find a Better Way

Needless to say, the pressure of being a pastor, a daddy, a husband, a doctoral candidate, an author, and a speaker wore on me.

I tried to do it all…AND because I wasn’t a 6-Figure Author I needed to do it all.

Writing books was only a part-time job. It paid some bills, but it certainly didn’t pay ALL the bills. And because it didn’t, I needed to keep my day job. This reality created a growing internal tension.

I found a way to make it work, until the day they asked me to be the next Senior Pastor. Don’t get me wrong, I worked for an amazing church on so many levels. The people were unbelievable and the elders were extremely kind. I seriously considered being the next Senior Leader.

He was the catch. The church wanted to identify me as the next Senior Pastor and then begin a 10-year succession plan. As a young man in my mid 30’s I knew this wasn’t in the cards for me.

Although I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, I knew I didn’t want to sit on the bench for 10 years while in the prime of my life. And so I got incredibly focused. I told myself, I’d find a way to become a 6-Figure Author more out of necessity than out of desire.

 Becoming a 6-Figure Author isn’t about the money; it’s about the freedom. 

If I wanted to do what I loved full-time then I needed to provide for my family. I knew this meant replacing my income so I could pay for health insurance, mortgage, school, vehicles, food, clothing and the money required to start a business.

How a 6-Figure Author?

It’s been 5 years since I left my day job. Looking back, I wish I had a map or even a model. But I didn’t. Prior to leaving the church I had a ton of fear and it all centered around not being able to pay the bills and provide for my family.

David Branderhorst, my business partner today, told me I was a like a bird in a cage. The door finally swung open and I sat in the cage staring at freedom, wondering if I really wanted it after all.

I finally found my wings and a way to become a 6-Figure Author right out of the gate. I made three critical mental shifts. I also turned my books into 18 streams of income. We did this with Your Secret Name, then The Deeper Path, Day Job to Dream Job, and even my last book, a fiction one called Elixir Project.

This model worked so well, I began sharing it with other authors who also became 6-Figure Authors too. Fast-forward five years and today we have a Global 7-Figure Business. We’re helping hundreds of other authors achieve their financial goals so that they can have the freedom to do their passion full-time too.

You have a choice

What about you? Are you an author? Are you an aspiring author? Have you bought into the myth that you need to be a starving artist? Or do you believe it’s possible to write full-time?

You have a choice and the choice you make will make you. In today’s podcast I share more on this topic. (Listen to this episode via itunes, audioboom, or stitcher)

I also invite you to join me in the FREE 6-Figure Author 5-Day Challenge. Here’s why…

Writing as a hobby or a part-time passion is a tough gig. I tried it for 8 years with my first 3 books. Then I discovered a system that helped me turn my passion into a full-time gig. I turned each of my next 4 books into 18 Streams of Income and 6-Figure Businesses. Join our FREE 6-Figure Author 5-Day Challenge facebook community and I’ll show you how.

You have a challenge

You can think about becoming a 6-Figure Author or you can take the first step toward becoming one. All it takes is one simple click. It’s FREE and it will connect you to a community, just like you.

Life change can happen in a moment. And when you prepare the for the moment, the moment is prepared for you.

People will attack

The truth is if you choose to shine brightly, inevitably the darkness will try to extinguish your light. Your growth and progress makes some people feel uncomfortable because it forces them to reflect upon their own lives. But the majority of these people aren’t pleased with what they find.

Rather than making adjustments, these same people settle for an easier strategy. They prefer to attack you instead.

This tactic enables them to reject change and stay the same. Subconsciously they hope their attacks illicit an emotionally charged response. If they succeed, this provides them with a sense of achievement—albeit a negative one.

Although you can’t control whether or not people will attack you, the one thing you can control is your response.

In this episode, I unpack the 3 reasons why defending yourself can destroy you and your business. (Listen to this episode via itunes, audioboom, or stitcher)

You will respond

Human nature tempts us to meet their attack with a counterattack. After all, we have a right to exert our power—don’t we? Although such rationalizations may seem justified, when we succumb to their subpar strategies, we exchange our larger vision for a small story instead.

Weak people defend, but strong people exercise restraint.

Consider Jesus’ trial, as he stood before Pontius Pilate. Rather than defending himself, he chose silence instead. This response only angered the official.

He asked, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you realize I have the power either to free you or to crucify you?”

Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.”

His response ripped through Pilate and even changed his behavior. The Gospel says, “From then on Pilate tried to set Jesus free.”

Defending will destroy

Remember, you have a mission. Achieving this mission requires your full focus. When you defend yourself it produces three negative outcomes that threatens to destroy you and your business:

• (1) Distractions

Defending distracts you from your mission. Rather than advancing, you settle for sideways energy instead. You clog up your creativity and pause your productivity. This only bolters your haters and equips your critics. Your opponents inflict a serious blow by distracting you from the work in front of you.

• (2) Discouragement

Defending discourages you. Rather than spending time serving your clients, you spend time battling your enemies. As someone who enjoys helping others, instead you end up hoping to hurt your opponents. This exchange takes a toll, wearing down your stamina and morale.

• (3) Defeat

Defending defeats you. Although it typically won’t happen overnight, the cumulative effect of defending yourself will eventually weaken you. It will weaken your resolve or your results. At first you won’t notice it. But after time you’ll stop pursuing how to achieve your mission and start pursuing how to debate your adversaries.

When this takes place you and your legacy are done. Instead of functioning as a servant who spreads a message you function as a soldier who shoots down his or her enemies.

You’re more than attacks designed to destroy you. Therefore, don’t defend and stay focused. You have a mission to achieve.

Need Clarity? 

Clarity is an amazing gift. It’s the first step in what we call The Deeper Path Payoff. Notice the process:

Clarity => Competence => Confidence => Influence => Impact => Income

If you want your time to count then you must count your time. You must wake up to the fact that life is too short to waste time defending yourself.

Over a decade ago, I sought out distractions on a regular basis, including the need to defend myself.. Truth be told, I used them to numb my pain. Thankfully, I woke up to the fact that numbing my pain was also numbing my potential.

At that same time, I met a man named Chet Scott who helped me break free from my addiction to distractions. He showed me a process in which I authored my OPUS.

O = Over-arching Vision

P = Purpose

U = Unifying Strategies

S = Scorecard for Significance

I took that Deeper Path and put pen to paper. I emerged with clarity for the first time in my life. (Read my OPUS by clicking the image.)

Clarity keeps you from needing to defend yourself

Set Fire to your Business and Brand

==> 1. Feel the fire

In the beginning all we see is ourselves. We feel the heat from our own fiery trials. The majority stays here forever. But our breakthrough is just on the other side of awareness—when we realize the obstacle is the way.

==> 2. See the fire

Looking outward, we now see others in need. Their struggle feels strangely familiar. Our former pain will become their future cure. With courage and clarity we do deep work so we can create deep impact.

==> 3. Be the fire

By leveraging our hurts into a helpful framework, we open a new way and a new world. Through serving and storytelling, people embrace the solution and experience success. As we show up filled up, we set fire to our business and brand.

Does it work?

Do I want you to come too? Of course!

In fact, I believe if you don’t come you’ll waste years of your life and tens of thousands of dollars. Don’t take my word for it though. Listen to the podcast  you’ll see what I mean.

• Learn cutting edge tips, tools, and tactics from industry-leading experts getting real-time results.
• Connect and collaborate with a global community of authors, speakers, coaches, and entrepreneurs committed to your success.
• Discover the clarity and courage you crave to craft an action-oriented plan that achieves your ultimate dream.

“The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire.”
—Ferdinand Foch

Should you Start a Coaching Business?

Better face the facts. It’s highly unlikely you’re going to retire at your current place of employment. This means your current day job is temporary. Some employees hear this and “go ostrich.” Fearfully, they stick their heads the ground and ignore this truth. Other employees wake up to the fact it’s their responsibility to create a side hustle now, before their jobs are eliminated or outsourced.

I meet people nearly everyday who weren’t ready for this harsh reality.

Their jobs were secure one day and suddenly non-existent the next. Understandably, this creates panic in people that have what I call a “long-term contractor” mindset. Contrast that with what I call a “functional freelancer” mindset. These people don’t worry at all. Notice the differences below displayed in the chart I pulled from my book Day Job to Dream Job.

In today’s podcast episode I share 9 reasons why now is the best time to start a coaching business as your side-hustle. (Listen to this episode via itunes, audioboom, or stitcher).

How to Create a Successful Side-Hustle

Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not suggesting you go and quit your day job today. Quite the opposite. Actually, I’m encouraging you to keep your day job while you start your side-hustle. The odds of succeeding are actually in your favor. In fact, according to an extensive study, you’re 33% more likely to succeed in your start up if you don’t quit your day job cold turkey.

Check out this excerpt from the Harvard Business Review:

Entrepreneurs who give up their day jobs in stages are 33% less likely to fail in their start-ups than those who leave their jobs precipitously to run their new businesses full-time, according to a study of thousands of Americans by Joseph Raffiee and Jie Feng of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The staged approach, which allows entrepreneurs to gain important knowledge about their new businesses while phasing out their paying jobs, has become much easier with the rise of digital technologies that reduce the cost and time commitments of starting new companies, the authors say.

Earn Extra Income while in your Day Job

In 2011, while still in my day job, I saw the writing on the wall. Although I loved the people I worked with and the organization I worked for, I also knew I had untapped potential and unrealized dreams.

I began coaching a few clients on the side. After a few months of seeing clients become souls on fire, I knew I was hooked. The extra income helped me realize I could scale this side business and eventually leave my day job.

The model was so successful people began asking if I could teach them how to start a coaching business on the side. I took their requests seriously. I showed them how to use content from my book Your Secret Name content with their clients. In a short time, we certified over a dozen speakers, coaches, and trainers from all over the world. Today we have well over a hundred team members certified on 3 different programs:

* Your Secret Name

* The Deeper Path

* Dream Job

9 Reasons Why Now is the Best Time to Start a Coaching Business

These are the 9 benefits we provide for each of our coaches:

1. Worldwide Certification: The ability to speak, coach, and train, any individual or group anywhere in the world utilizing the curriculum (Your Secret Name OR Deeper Path OR Dream Job Coach), products, and content.
2. Total Profit: You keep 100% of the proceeds, honorariums, and income you receive from your services.
3. Daily Support: As a member of my private on-line coaching group, you are encouraged to ask questions about your business and brand. I’ll respond back with tips, tools, and tactics to help you create quantifiable success and significance as a team member.
4. Video Training: Take a front row seat and we’ll show you exactly how we run our own live events, coaching sessions, and programs. You’ll also receive videos of my keynote speeches. You’re welcome to customize these for your own speaking gigs.
5. Audio Training: Listen to over one hundred hours of coaching calls, each categorized for an ultimate audio educational experience.
6. Transformational Resources: I give you the exact same resources I use when I speak, train, and coach. This includes bumper videos, exercises, object lessons, slides, handouts, workbooks, and leader guides.
7. Marketing Tools: Digital downloads customizable for your own event.
8. Promotional Partnership: We list you and your bio on our website. Visitors are encouraged to contact and hire you through your branded email address we provide you.
9. Global Community: Lifetime access to the Igniting Souls Tribe, our global community committed to each other’s personal and professional success.

Apply to Join our Global Team of Speakers, Coaches, and Trainers

A few times per year we receive applications from quality candidates who have an interest in joining the Igniting Souls Team. We’ll open our teams on June 20th and close them on June 27th. If you’re interested in applying please click on the respective link below. And if you’d like to apply for all 3 simply fill out an application for one and we will consider you for all three.

* Your Secret Name

* The Deeper Path

* Dream Job

I look forward to helping you start your coaching business NOW.

Dreams aren’t given to you; they’re given through you.
Your dream is a temporary trust and unless you take action, it will flee you as quickly as it found you.

Start Dreaming. Stop Doing

I want you to imagine a life you love. If you’re like most people then this isn’t your current reality…at least not yet. But turning points happen in an instant and this could be your defining moment. Change happens when we decide to think differently and then back that new thinking with new acting.

I just recently returned from a trip where I wrote, spoke, and coached some amazing men and women from all over the world. I taught 4 different times. I also connected with many industry leading colleagues at something called the Epic Breakfast Club. I didn’t pay for my housing, my travel, or my food on this trip. Every single place I went, my ticket in the door was simply my books.

Reflecting over this past week and over my last 15 years, I’ve discovered how to turn my books into a dream business.

Turn your Book into your Dream Business

Books are somewhat magic. They open doors you didn’t even know existed. Here’s what I mean.

D – Demystify: Books help you clarify your message.

R – Refortify: Books help you strengthen your brand.

E – Edify: Books help you build your business.

A – Amplify: Books help you increase your impact.

M – Magnify: Books help you expand your reach.

In today’s podcast episode I share how to turn your book into a business. (Listen to this episode via itunes, audioboom, or stitcher)

Stop Dreaming. Start doing.

If this sounds interesting, I want to show you how to do the same. I want to teach you how to turn a Book into a Dream Business. This week I have a FREE webinar where you can discover:

—> 5 Reasons why your Book ISN’T a Business Card
Business cards don’t change lives. Books do! I’ll show you 5 reasons why your book is actually a business. Better yet, I’ll show you 1 simple step for turning your book into a dream business.

—> 3 Differences between Poor Authors and Smart Authors
Although I was traditionally published, I made 3 major mistakes with my first 3 books. As a result, I kept my day job. I’ll show you how I made the switch and turned my next 4 books into 4 separate 6-figure businesses.

—> How to Turn your Book into 18 Streams of Income
No hype…just hope. I’ll give you a roadmap for turning your current and future book into 18 streams of income. Sink your teeth into a proven model that gets results. I’ll unpack each model and give you one simple step to start your dream business today.

The webinar is free, but our spots are almost full.

Register now and get your free ebook immediately.

Some coaches, speakers, and authors give away everything. As a result, they cheapen their brand; they burn out too. Others never give away anything. They come off as greedy and stingy; they repel people too.

FREE is a tool.

It can catapult or cannibalize your business. The difference depends upon how you use it.

So what’s the balance?

Are there guidelines for using FREE effectively?

In today’s podcast episode I share a proven strategy to help speakers, coaches, and authors level up. (Listen to this episode via itunes, audioboom, or stitcher)

Using FREE Too Much

Many authors, coaches, and speakers struggle charging money for their products and services. Maybe they don’t believe in themselves? Maybe they worry about others rejecting their prices? Regardless, giving everything away will put you out of business quickly.

Even if you could afford not charging for anything, your customers would soon devalue your products and services. An ancient saying goes:

“Where your treasure is, so is your heart.”

In other words, if you don’t invest any money, you’ll probably never invest your heart either. Commitment follows cash. (Tweet This)

Think about your own life. Have you ever failed to read a FREE book, attend a FREE webinar, or show up at a FREE event? If so, you’re not alone. When something is always FREE then it’s not usually taken seriously.

Using FREE Too Little

But never using FREE is a mistake too. If you never use FREE then the barrier of entry is often too high. Some people will never sample your products or services. Brands and businesses know this.

iTunes let’s your sample a song via an excerpt.

Amazon let’s you sample a book via look inside feature.

Producers let you sample movie via a preview.

FREE works when it’s used the right way.

My wife (Kelly) and I now love Nature Box. They give away their products to first time customers. We found a link like this and got $20 in healthy snacks. Not only was the food FREE, it was also painless process. Although I normally wouldn’t order snacks online, since it was FREE Kelly gave it a try.

To this day, we’re Nature Box fans. The dried peaches are my favorite and I now anticipate their arrival on our doorstep. (Go ahead and give them a try by clicking on the pic below. It’s FREE.)

Using FREE Just Right

I’ve found that free done well answers these four questions:

F: Filter = Who should I invest in?

R: Repurpose = Where can I repurpose this content?

E: Expand = Will this expand my influence?

E: Engage = What is their next step to go deeper?

If you’re a speaker, author, or coach you can use FREE just the right amount. I’ve helped hundreds of thought leaders catapult their business by using FREE the correct way. Here are a few examples:

Speakers can use FREE…

I’ve seen speakers use FREE effectively by creating a speaker’s reel.

Potential customers can view past appearances via a one minute highlight video.

Also consider including a TV excerpt or audio sample from a podcast.

I do a FREE monthly event called the Igniting Souls Fellowship. (Check out our next one. It’s FREE.)

Coaches can use FREE…

Many coaches have success by offering a FREE complimentary coaching session.

This FREE coaching session could be face-to-face or virtual via skype or Zoom.

Consider doing a 3 session FREE mastermind. This is group coaching.

I like the combo of speaking FREE and then offering a coaching package at the end.

Authors can use FREE…

Most authors already use FREE on Amazon with the Look Inside Feature.

Consider doing a FREE KDP Select campaign for your Kindle. (There are pros and cons.)

Use an excerpt from your book in an article or blog post.

Do an audiobook. It’s the hottest publishing platform. Plus people can get a FREE sample.

I have something FREE for you

On October 9, 2014 I woke up in the middle of the night with an idea. I wanted to write a story that would help us see the power of our dreams and the obstacles that often prevent us from achieving them. That book—Elixir Project—took more than 2 years to research and write.

Do you have a website?

Some experts have said if you don’t have a website then you don’t exist. Although this could be taken the wrong way, if potential customers and clients can’t find you then they can’t hire you. A website done well can communicate clarity and competence. It can also increase influence, impact, and income. But a website done wrong can send people packing within seconds.

Are you making 3 common website mistakes?

In this episode you’ll discover:

(1) What NOT to do: The top 3 mistakes people make when creating their website.

(2) What TO do: 3 components essential for communicating with online visitors.

(3) How TO do it: A bulletproof plan to help you increase your online influence.

(Listen to this episode below or via itunes, audioboom, or stitcher)

Questions that help bring clarity: 

1. Essence:

What is your site about?

What emotions should the site invoke?

What is being celebrated through the site?

Who are being encouraged or who need your services or products?

What sort of advice or information is being offered and to whom is it offered?

2. Feel:

What colors will best create the feeling you desire?

What textures, effects, and theme will best reflect the essence?

What key elements communicate the values of the site and inspire the emotions you desire?

3. Features:

What features are necessary to effectively run the site?

What would your readers and customers want to see?

What other attributes must your site possess?

People who should listen:

* Business leaders who want to spread their message
* Non-profit influencers who want to propel their mission
* Aspiring authors who have a story to share
* Coaches and speakers who need more clients
* Professionals who want to increase their credibility in the marketplace
* Published authors who aren’t sure how to market their books effectively

Other Links Mentioned:

* Clearwater Counseling
* How to quit your day job and become a professional blogger
* How to become an author
* Coaching Insurance
* Business Cards
* Fresh Eyes Inc

(Listen to this episode via itunes, audioboom, or stitcher)

It’s been said that you should be choosier about picking a business partner than even picking a spouse. While I don’t necessarily agree with that I do know that business partnerships often begin on a napkin at a restaurant and end with a judge in a courtroom.

Choosing the right business partner is incredibly important. It can sink your future or solidify your present. In today’s episode I share how to pick an UNHACKABLE business partner.

U = Unique
N = Noble
H = Happy
A = Adept
C = Collaborative
K = Keen
A = Achiever
B = Believable
L = Learner
E = Electric

For additional content have you and your current or future business partner take the FREE Unhackability Assessment.

Or watch the FREE Unhackability webinar.

https://elixirprojectexperience.com

“I’m going to build my platform before I become an author.”
“Just like all those other big-time authors, I need a bigger following first.”
“I don’t have enough fans to publish now.”

These statements might sound wise or even prudent, right?
And you might have said them or heard other people say them.
But these aren’t justifications for delaying your dream of becoming an author.

It’s time to label them for what they truly are.

EXCUSES!

Stop comparing. Start creating. 
We need you and your message.

As an author of 7 books—spanning the past 13 years—and as a coach to over 300 authors I’ve gotten pretty good at smelling fear. The truth is I used to believe these same lies. When I first started, before I saw my writing dreams come true, I was scared and stuck. I didn’t know whom to trust or what to believe.

An author named Max took a couple hours and invested in me way back in 1998. He helped me believe that I could one day become an author.

Seems like many aspiring authors can relate to feeling stuck. They cling to the soundbites above so they can rationalize their tendency to procrastinate. Besides, they’ve heard that unless you have a big platform they don’t have a chance in the marketplace. Focusing on getting a bigger platform gives them the illusion that they’re being productive.

The truth is it’s a delightful distraction that keeps you from making your dream come true. 

In this post we’ll separate fact from fiction. We’ll unpack the real issues one at a time. Then you can decide for yourself if you need a bigger following before you write your book.

What is a platform?

While platform is a buzzword that strikes fear into would-be authors, the truth is many people toss around the word without having an accurate definition.

Platform is the ability for you and your message to be seen and heard. 

In the old days, people would stand on “soapboxes” and communicate their message. These raised platforms were often wooden crates originally used for shipment of soap or other dry goods from a manufacturer to a retail store. “Soapboxes” functioned as inexpensive and portable temporary platforms for street corner speakers attempting to be seen and heard at improvised outdoor meetings. Today our platforms are more sophisticated.

How big should your platform be?

I get this questions all the time.

Hey Kary, I don’t have a big platform. I don’t have a big following. Should I still write a book or should I focus on building my platform first?

The answer is start NOW…wherever you are!

You’ll be building your platform for the rest of your life. It’s true for everybody. Look at the biggest celebrities. Did you know the Pope has a twitter account? And Oprah Winfrey and her team are trying to increase her reach every single day. She is focused on getting more listeners, viewers, and touching more people around the world. Why? Because there are more people around the world who do not know about her.

The Pope and Oprah are still focused on building their platforms. Therefore, you and I will be building ours for quite a while too.

If you wait until your platform is “big enough” or until you have “enough followers” before you publish then you will be waiting for the rest of your life. It’s just another excuse.

How do I know this?

Because way back when in 2004, when I published my first book, I didn’t have a platform. But I wrote it anyway. And then guess what happened?

I gained readers. Then I wrote another book and got more readers and more media gigs. And then a few years later, I published again and then again. The point is I got started.

You have a dream inside you for a reason. Don’t let your story die inside you. If you do you’ll regret it. I meet people all the time who are full of regrets.

3 Ways to get a Bigger Platform

Don’t think I’m against platforms. They certainly help you spread your message by getting you seen and heard. But from the beginning, my strategy has always been both/and NOT either/or.

The most successful authors do BOTH. They write their books AND increase their platforms.

Also, don’t think getting a bigger platform is a one size fits all. There are 3 ways to get a bigger platform. Intuitive authors know this and use it to their advantage.

1. You can BUY a Platform

Investing money to increase your platform is usually classified as Interruption Marketing. According to Seth Godin, interruption marketing is communicating messages that interrupt customers while they are doing something of their preference.

Examples include advertisements on television, radio, or social media. Most businesses prefer interruption marketing because it’s faster, easier, and cheaper. Here are a few examples:

Purchasing email lists
Spamming (illegal)
Running ads
Placing flyers on windshields
Delivering free community papers to your door

Unfortunately, this type of marketing doesn’t work in the long run. For starters, think of the internet as one big, noisy room. Over time people naturally tune out these interruptions. Secondly, it requires more and more money to get people’s attention. Consider this year’s Super Bowl. According to Forbes, the cost of a 30-second spot is a whopping $5 million dollars, the equivalent of $166,667 per second.

2. You can BUILD a Platform

Building a platform is effective, it just takes a very long time. I should know. My first book released in 2004 and I’ve been building my platform ever since. Examples of building a platform are:

Writing a blog
Launching a podcast
Shooting a video

When you build your platform you’re usually engaging in permission marketing versus interruption marketing. Notice the difference, also explained by Seth Godin:

Permission marketing is the privilege (not the right) of delivering anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who actually want to get them. Real permission is different from presumed or legalistic permission. Just because you somehow get my email address doesn’t mean you have permission. Because I don’t complain doesn’t mean you have permission. Just because it’s in the fine print of your privacy policy doesn’t mean it’s permission either. Real permission works like this: if you stop showing up, people complain, they ask where you went.

3. You can BORROW a Platform

There is a much faster and effective way to getting a bigger platform. It’s not a result of buying or building. I increased my platform exponentially by BORROWING other people’s platforms.

Borrowing someone else’s platform means that they invite you on their stage. They extend their trust to you and promote you and your message. Over the years I’ve:

Stood on other people’s stages
Spoken on other people’s podcasts
Talked on other people’s TV stations
Written on other people’s blogs
Shared on other people’s radio stations

If I waited to get a big enough platform before I wrote any of my 7 books I would have been waiting forever. Thankfully I didn’t.

I wouldn’t have been able to buy or build a platform fast enough. Instead, I wrote my books AND borrowed other people’s platforms. Don’t get me wrong. Buying and building aren’t bad. However, they have limitations.

Buying a platform often costs a bunch of money.
Building a platform often takes a bunch of time.
Borrowing a platform doesn’t require time or money.

Over the past 13 years I’ve discovered how to have other people invite you onto their platform. Here are just a few examples.

I Want to Help you Like I Helped Them

I love to help aspiring authors. Over the years I’ve helped hundreds write, publish, and market their books. They all began just like me…scared and stuck. They didn’t know whom to trust or what to believe.

They clung to the soundbites floating around so they could rationalize their tendency to procrastinate. They heard that unless they had a big platform they didn’t have a chance in the marketplace. Today these people are authors. Here’s a picture of just a small amount of authors I’ve helped. They’re each holding their book. Many have gone on to do amazing things. They’ve spoken all over the world and helped many people. They’ve also increased their influence, impact, and income. (I’m the bald guy with a girl’s name in the middle.)

One aspiring author named Dalia asked me to help her get in front of a particular celebrity with 2 million followers. I shared my process with her and within days she was featured on this actress’ instagram account.

Enjoy my Free Author Training

I’ll never forget how Max invested a couple hours in me. To this day I still have his letter way back from 1998. He changed my life by believing in me. His encouragement convinced me that one day I could become a full-time writer. (See a picture of that letter below.)

As a result, I want to pass on what Max did for me and help you overcome your obstacles and help you achieve your dreams. I have a FREE training that has helped over 50,000 authors. There is nothing to buy in this FREE training. I give you nearly ninety minutes of solid content.

Since I believe in practicing 100% integrity, I’ll tell you up front that at the end of that training if you want more from me, there is a simple form where you can request more information. My FREE training even comes with a helpful interactive guidebook to help you on your author journey. I know you’ll enjoy it.

Most importantly…just get started. Stop delaying your dream and remember…I believe in you. 

Please comment below and let me know a little bit about yourself. What do you want to write about?