What about you? Can you answer it? What if you were to create a new website focused around content? What would your answer be?

PS: This is one of the big reasons I wrote Smarter, Faster, Cheaper…to help folks become a trusted resource as opposed to a product pusher.

Image Credit: wishfulthinking.co.uk

Click Here If You Prefer Audio Only

Disclosure: Adility is a new partner of RISE.

The deal of the day model is smoldering hot right now.

Do consumers love it? You bet. I don’t think I’ve heard too many people say they don’t love a deal.

Do local businesses love it? There are mixed reviews. Some have seen massive success. Others have had issues.

The 800 pound gorilla in the room is of course, Groupon. Of course, there are many others. One of the knocks against Groupon though is the lack of control and the “one hit wonder” problem.

Imagine, as a local business, that you are in complete control of your coupons and special deals.

Enter Adility and Thomas Cornelius, who has been involved in the coupon/deal game for quite awhile (and he is freaking passionate about it). They are changing the deal of the day game by giving local businesses the control. Sweet.

YOU get to decide the pricing.

YOU get to determine how many are available and you can log in and change it at any time.

YOU can track sales in real time.

YOU get to choose the distribution methods via local publishers that have signed up to run local deals on their sites to maximize your local reach, location-based mobile apps, your own website, third party gift card creators, as well as your own social networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).

In this interview, I was lucky to catch up with Thomas to talk about how the coupon and deal business has evolved and what it means for local business owners.

And as a special deal, you can try out Adility for your business absolutely free. No credit card or anything is required. Just head over to the sign up page and enter the referral code: 400101.

What are your thoughts? Is this something that could be a fit for you or perhaps your clients/friends? What do you think of the daily deals model?

This RISE Episode Is Made Possible By Our Good Friends At On The Run Mobil

Head over to www.ontherunstl.com and join the home team to be the first to hear about deals, specials, and other goodies. Our sponsors rock and make RISE possible.

REMINDERS:

Did you know you can subscribe to RISE via email (daily or weekly) or via iTunes (spread the RISE love by rating the show and writing a review)? You should TOTALLY subscribe.

Good news! You can now get RISE on your iPhone, iPad, etc. Woohoo for mobile.

The NEW season of The Rise To The Top on KDNL-ABC starts this Sunday (September 5th) at 9:30 AM CST, featuring the fastest moving entrepreneurial TV show in the history of mankind. Make sure to tune in right before “This Week”.

Unless you are living under a rock buried under another rock on top of a rock, you (we) all know that social media and the new age of building brands online (or bringing an existing brand online) is exciting.

Now entrepreneurs, small business owners, and passionate personal brands have the tools at their disposal to build, market, and promote. Awesome.

Drive, creativity, passion, a great idea, nimbleness, connecting one-on-one with people, etc. are the new advantages in brand building online, as opposed to just a big budget for advertising.

There are new a slew of new entrepreneurs that have seemingly skyrocketed onto the scene and are taking the world by storm with their personalities, products, services, books, whatever.

But here is something rarely talked about: Patience.

Just because we can do things faster than our forefathers, thanks to the tools and communication channels at hand, doesn’t mean there is such a thing as overnight success.

To build a brand online (or bring an existing brand online) takes time and hard work (a lot of it). This isn’t meant to discourage, but actually quite the opposite.

Sure, there are stories about “overnight success”, but I’d argue that those (if they really, truly are an overnight success) are the extreme exceptions to the rule.

If you dig a little deeper, you might realize that these overnight successes were years in the making. There is more than meets the eye.

For example:

Peter Shankman’s Help A Reporter went from 0 to over $1,000,000 in revenue and 100,000 subscribers in just a few months. Looks like an overnight success, right? Digging a little deeper (from Peter’s own mouth in fact) HARO was well over 10 years of work. Building relationships with reporters. Becoming known in the industry. Working his butt off.

Gary Vaynerchuk has a hugely successful wine show, emerging consulting company, best-selling book, and now a new radio show. He “popped onto the scene” in 2008 when he made appearances on some late night talk shows (Conan O’Brien) and his Wine Library TV picked up steam. Gary had to fight through 6 months of almost no viewers (and for lord’s sake, 6 months is NOT that long a time!). But if you dig deeper you will see that the content of his show, his knowledge of wine, developed from WELL OVER 10 years of reading trade publications and studying his parents’ store. Think of it as 10+ years of research.

Scott Ginsberg, “The Nametag Guy”, is a successful author, speaker and well…just an interesting story. He has worn a name tag for over 3,500 days in a row and has it now permanently tattooed on his chest. On top of that he makes a healthy six-figure salary from his endeavors. Do you think Scott just slipped on a name tag one day and then gobs of money and speaking engagements showed up at his door? Nope, he worked his butt off for years on little to no money. Living at home. Blogging. Getting his name out there.

Heck, I’m in only year three of The Rise To The Top and I know I’m still in the beginning of the journey. Those are three of many examples. What you see isn’t normally the whole story.

So, what does this mean for you? The hustling entrepreneur? The aspiring brand builder? The forward-thinker tapping into this changing world of business?

My advice: Deep breath.

Patience isn’t an excuse to wait for it to come to you like some “secret manifestation” where you think of money and brand equity and it just magically appears. You have to work your butt off. Those that want it will get it. Those that don’t, won’t.

But hard work takes consistency and like losing weight, you may not see results on day one. Or day one hundred (which would be a not-so-good weight loss strategy, but you know what I mean).

Remember, enjoy the small victories and use them as momentum. Every reader of your blog or watcher of your online show is important. Even if it is just three people. Every customer who signs up for your product/service should be given a big, fat hug. Every interaction you have with everyone can either build your brand or hurt it.

And who knows? Perhaps we can look back on this post in 10 years and see where we are all at. I know the ride is going to be exciting.

What is your take on overnight success?

Image Credit: RnC Signs

Click Here If You Prefer Audio Only

QUESTION: What does the Grateful Dead have to do with marketing your business smarter, faster, cheaper?

ANSWER: Listen to David Meerman Scott, the co-author of the new book Marketing Lessons From The Grateful Dead (affiliate link) and marketing legend, joins me today to talk about two things you will find interesting:

1. How David and co-author Brian Halligan surprised the heck out of everyone with this new book by doing the opposite of what everyone else in publishing does.
2. Key lessons from how the Grateful Dead built, marketed, and promoted themselves that you can apply as a hustling entrepreneur.

It doesn’t matter if you love, hate, or have no idea about the Grateful Dead. There are lessons for everyone.

What is your take? Are there some key takeaways for your business?

Connect With David (and tell him you saw him on RISE):

On his blog, Web Ink Now
On his website
Via Twitter

Other Links:

Interview with David Meerman Scott on applying the new rules of marketing and PR to your business
Interview with Brian Halligan on maximizing inbound marketing

This Episode Of RISE Is VERY Proudly Sponsored By GFI Digital

Buying a printer may not be that sexy, but you certainly want to have someone you trust when you need to nab one (or one hundred). GFI Digital is our choice and we are fortunate to have them as a sponsor as well. Mention RISE and get six months of free service (SWEET!).

REMINDERS:

Did you know you can subscribe to RISE via email (daily or weekly) or via iTunes (spread the RISE love by rating the show and writing a review)? You should TOTALLY subscribe.

Good news! You can now get RISE on your iPhone, iPad, etc. Woohoo for mobile.

The NEW season of The Rise To The Top on KDNL-ABC starts this Sunday (September 5th) at 9:30 AM CST, featuring the fastest moving entrepreneurial TV show in the history of mankind. Make sure to tune in right before “This Week”.

Click Here If You Prefer Audio Only

One moment with Amber Naslund and you will be happier. Seriously. And lucky for all of us, I was able to nab her for more more than a few moments here on RISE. For those that haven’t met Amber yet, she is what I would like to call an online influencer. This isn’t a fluffy term. She is the Director of Community at Radian6, a popular blogger, a frequent speaker on social media for business, and an upcoming author as well.

In this interview, I have the lucky job of picking Amber’s brain on her rise to the top, advice for you as a rising star, as well as thoughts on some new emerging technologies (including questions submitted by the RISE community).

Enjoy and looking forward to your thoughts (as always).

Connect With Amber (and tell her you saw her on RISE):

On Twitter
On Her Blog, Brass Tack Thinking
Also check out social media monitoring and analytics company, Radian6

This Episode Is Made Possible By Our Amazing Sponsor: YP.com

Head to YP.com to check out a new way to search. Check it out. What do you think?

Reminders: Did you know you can subscribe to RISE via email (daily or weekly) or via iTunes (spread the RISE love by rating the show and writing a review)? You should TOTALLY subscribe. Good news! You can now get RISE on your iPhone, iPad, etc. Woohoo for mobile.

If you haven’t checked them out, Reactor Watch is a cool company. They make really neat watches that are sporty and fashionable. They are designed for the action-sport athlete. They have a lot of sports celebrity endorsers as well, including Barret Jackman from the St. Louis Blues, and former World Series of Poker Winner Dennis Phillips.

Tony Spielberg from Reactor Watch is a friend of mine and recently reached out via Facebook, ironically, saying he still isn’t exactly sure why or how Reactor should tap further into social media.

Because we kick Tony’s butt regularly at Sunday morning softball (including my game tying two-out, two-run, bottom-of-the-last inning, triple leading to a walk off…not that I remember) and I think it is a great opportunity for all of us entrepreneurs to learn, here are some ideas about how Reactor could build a strong social presence online (and chime in with your ideas as well) and create lasting relationships as opposed to one night stands with their customers (current and future).

1. What is the niche?

What is the niche of customers Reactor is looking to attract? No, not age. I’m talking interests. What are they passionate about? Where do they hang out online?

A little probing looks to reveal that Reactor is going after folks passionate about sports. Specifically, action sports.

NOTE: And, this is the most important aspect. These folks may or may not give a crap about watches, and that is OK. Remember, online marketing is more about an interest or passion as opposed to a product. Meaning, the Founder of Reactor Watch might wake up in the morning after dreaming about watches, but I doubt the target customers do.

This is a classic trap. Reactor’s website, like many others, is essentially all about the product. And that is fine. But, talking about the product over and over again will burn people out.

Yes, there are neat videos that Reactor has done with athletes trying to crush watches…and that is cool. But, here is the thing: I bet action sports fans are more interested in the athlete as opposed to the watch.

2. How can we educate, inspire and/or entertain our niche online and build a community?

So, there are these action sports fans. What are they interested in? Which sports specifically? What kind of content would catch YOUR attention if you are an action sports fan? (NOTE: I didn’t say “watch fan”…can’t hammer that home enough).

Here are some ideas (and note that these could be done in text form, audio, video, whatever…I’m just partial to video because I love the authentic connection it creates):

Reactor TV: Each week someone from Reactor interviews a different action sports star via Skype or in person. They tell their story and perhaps tips on their particular sport.

This might even turn into a “live online event” where action sports fans can come in and ask their own questions of the athletes.

Or maybe the show is a run down of the “this week’s news in action sports” and DJ’s the best action sports news throughout the web.

Or perhaps it is a weekly (or more frequent) top 10 list of tips in a particular sport.

Or even a collection of funny wipeouts and other videos.

Whatever it may be, as long as the content is interesting and replicable (meaning you there is enough there to continue to pump it out. Nothing is worse than choosing something that runs out of content after a week or a month or whatever. Think late night talk shows. They work because they are replicable.)

Over time, Reactor Watch builds influence as the trusted resource when it comes to action sports. Oh, and by the way, they have some amazing watches for you to purchase.

3. How do we spread the word about our deliciously awesome content?

What’s the point of great content if you can’t direct people to it, and enable and encourage them to spread it like wildfire?

In fact, I’d recommend spending 20% of the time creating the content and the other 80% marketing and promoting the heck out of it, working on one-on-one relationships and more.

First, I’d create a new website. An interactive, social blog. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just useful with a personality-filled design. I’d recommend WordPress and perhaps buying a theme and hiring a designer to make it your own. This should cost less than $5,000.

This new website is the platform and hub for all the media and community you are creating. And also allow easy sharing to Facebook, Twitter and all other sites. Free your content. Allow it to spread easily. Plus, make it easy to subscribe (RSS, email, whatever else). Subscribers are platinum. Very valuable.

Then, I would stick my flagpole firmly in relevant social media sites and communities for the niche.

This will probably include:

1. Twitter where you can share your content, share other people’s content in your niche and interact one-on-one in real time with action sports lovers.
2. Facebook Fan Page centered around the show/content…not the watch. Example: Facebook.com/ReactorTV or whatever you name the actual blog/media site.
3. Niche online sites catering to action sports. Are there other communities out there you can participate it? Blogs? Forums? Not by being spammy but jumping in and being insightful?

Finally, I would start building blogger relations. Go to Alltop.com, Google Blog Search, etc. Identify all the bloggers that have ANYTHING to do with action sports (big and small…they all matter).

Get to know these folks. Share their content. HELP THEM. Reach out and introduce yourself (they probably won’t bite). Perhaps down the line there will be opportunities for guest posts, etc. But this is about building relationships early on.

4. How does this generate business?

Will everyone that consumes your content buy a watch over time? Absolutely not. Will some or many? Absolutely.

Remember, this smarter, faster, cheaper strategy is about building long-term relationships as opposed to going after the “quick sale.”

How do we convert, over time, viewers into buyers?

1. Sponsor your own content. Yup, that’s right. Sponsor your own show or blog. Remind people it is being presented by Reactor Watch, with a link to the product website.
2. Tasteful nudges. The more content you produce that is entertaining, educating and inspiring, the less push back you will get when you DO mention the product. This doesn’t mean to overdo it and create a spam fest. But, yes, if you are running some kind of special or a new model comes out, mention it!
3. Display. On the media website, make sure to have links and displays tastefully pointing people to the product website.

Yes, people will check out the products as you continue to build relationships with them. And yes, if people know, like and trust Reactor Watch, they will buy.

Wrapping It Up

What you’ve done here is create a long-term strategy. It isn’t about running campaigns. It is about creating community. Like Novocain, it works over time.

If it sounds fairly simple and straightforward, it is because it is (I know shockingly insane). Does it take time, effort and creativity, as well as a lot of patience for it to “work”? Absolutely. But it certainly doesn’t take a lot of money.

And I bet you can replace Reactor Watch with “Your Company”, and “action sports lovers” with “your niche”, and have some ideas of your own.

Your take?

PS: Tony, I’ll send the consulting bill in the mail. Just kidding.

PPS: If you ever want me to give a presentation/workshop for your company based around these smarter, faster, cheaper ideas, reach out to me here.

Click Here If You Prefer Audio Only

No big marketing budget? Zero big money to develop, market, and promote your product? Who cares. Craig Dalton and the team at DODOcase didn’t have the big bucks either to spread the word about DODOcase, their unique iPad case.

So what did they do? How did they sell over 15,000 cases in just a few months at $60 each? In this interview, Craig spills the beans for all of us. There are some great actionable stories and I bet QUITE A FEW takeaways for your business.

Your take?

Connect With Craig

On The DODOcase Website
On Twitter
On Facebook

This RISE Episode Is EVER SO PROUDLY Sponsored By On The Run Mobil

Our good friends at On The Run keep RISE chugging for all of us. Head over to ontherunstl.com and sign up for the Home Team (here in exotic St. Louis). You will get deals on snacks, car washes, and other goodies right to your email. SWEET!

REMINDERS:

Did you know you can subscribe to RISE via email (daily or weekly) or via iTunes (spread the RISE love by rating the show and writing a review)? You should TOTALLY subscribe.

Good news! You can now get RISE on your iPhone, iPad, etc. Woohoo for mobile.

Do you ever take a look at the folks that seem to be “everywhere”, the people who have successfully built a business around their personality and knowledge, and wonder how you can do it too?

You know who I’m talking about. Not fluffy “experts” who talk down to people, but a new breed of trusted resources that are taking the business world by storm by building community, influence, and business models based on educating, entertaining, and/or inspiring. Approachable trusted resources that aren’t hidden behind expensive PR companies, but interact at a one-on-one level (thank you social media!).

People living their passion and making money from it.

To be “known” for something back in the day (pre social web or Internet in general) you had to be discovered. A Hollywood agent hit on you at a bar and signed you. Perhaps you just “got lucky” or bought your way to success.

Now you can create your own platform for pennies on the dollar and genuinely make money talking about/writing about something you are passionate about, directly or indirectly. Maybe your weapon of choice is a blog. Or perhaps an online show. Or a digital magazine. Perhaps you monetize it through advertising, sponsorships, or affiliates. Or you create your own product to sell (virtual or physical). Or you sell yourself (no, not as a prostitute…well not THAT kind of prostitute) as a consultant, speaker, or coach.

Does it take a lot of hard work? You bet your butt it does (along with drive and creativity). But, it sure takes a lot less money, which was the biggest barrier in the past. And that is a good thing. Because this breed of entrepreneurship values three things (besides a platform to get your message across):

1. Passion
2. Personality
3. Knowledge

Sounds like three things you already possess. Am I right?

Time to unveil the curtain and tap into the interview archive of people who are doing this. Why? Because there is nothing better than lessons and takeaways from people actually walking the walk.

So sit back, grab a pen, and enjoy this inside glimpse (and also feel free to reach out to them, since they are all very active online) as to how these leaders built, marketed, and promoted their businesses by being smarter, faster, cheaper as opposed to dumber, slower, expensive.

And keep in mind some questions:

• What are the similarities?
• What are the differences?
• How can this apply to you?

I hope you will be the next success story – whether you build your business around your love of ducks, or the St. Louis Cardinals.

Chris Brogan

Niche: Social Media/Entrepreneurship/Marketing
Weapons of Choice: Blog, Speaking, Book(s)
Monetization/Business Model: New Marketing Labs (services), affiliates Chris promotes on his blog, Third Tribe Marketing (private community for marketers…affiliate link), speaking engagements, private consulting, book deal and new businesses: Man On The Go and Human Business Works (educational products), several investments in companies
Interview: RISE #2: Trust Agents Review & A One Man Media Empire
Connect With Chris
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Ali Brown

Niche: Women Entrepreneurship
Weapons of Choice: Events, Blogging, Magazine, Articles, E-zine
Monetization/Business Model: Events, speaking, digital products, consulting, mentoring group, Ali Boutique (clothing)
Interview: RISE #96: What It Takes To Build An Entrepreneurial Empire With Ali Brown
Connect With Ali
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Kevin Cottrell

Niche: Real Estate in St. Louis
Weapons of Choice: Information-packed website and resource
Monetization/Business Model: Via selling real estate
Interview: 101 Marketing Strategies: A Great Example Of Becoming A Trusted Resource
Connect With Kevin
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Sarah Evans

Niche: Public Relations & Social Media
Weapons of Choice: Guest articles/columns
Monetization/Business Model: Speaking and Sevans Strategy consulting firm
Interview: RISE #71: Becoming Influential: The Rise Of “PR Sarah Evans”
Connect With Sarah
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Steve Garfield

Niche: Online Video
Weapons of Choice: Video blogging, events, book
Monetization/Business Model: Book deal, consulting, teaching & speaking
Interview: RISE #36: How Entrepreneurs Can Get Seen Using Online Video With Steve Garfield
Connect With Steve
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Scott Ginsberg

Niche: Approachability & Sticking Out
Weapons of Choice: Blog, online video tips, articles, books
Monetization/Business Model: Speaking, books, “Rent Scott’s Brain” coaching/consulting
Interview: The Nametag Guy: Scott Ginsberg
Connect With Scott
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Joel Libava

Niche: Franchises
Weapons of Choice: Blogging & articles
Monetization/Business Model: E-courses, consulting, digital products
Interview: RISE #55: Building Your Brand Online With The Franchise King Joel Libava
Connect With Joel
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Alexis Martin Neely

Niche: Law
Weapons of Choice: Articles, blogging
Monetization/Business Model: Speaking, consulting, products, books
Interview: RISE #86: Say Goodbye To The Billable Hour With Alexis Martin Neely
Connect With Alexis
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Dan Schawbel

Niche: Personal Branding
Weapons of Choice: Blogging, magazine, awards, book(s)
Monetization/Business Model: Advertising, speaking, consulting (Millennial Branding), book deal
Interview: RISE #52: Building Your Personal Brand With Dan Schawbel
Connect With Dan
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Peter Shankman

Niche: Public Relations & Social Media
Weapons of Choice: Speaking, blogging, books
Monetization Model: Speaking, HARO (Help A Reporter Out), consulting
Interview: RISE #14: How To Get Quoted In The Media Without An Expensive PR Firm
Connect With Peter
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Josh Shipp

Niche: The youth market
Weapons of Choice: Blogging, articles, online TV
Monetization/Business Model: Speaking, events, products
Interview: RISE #15: Capturing The Youth Market With Youthologist Vanessa Van Petten & The Amazing Josh Shipp
Connect With Josh
Website
Twitter
Facebook

“The Millionaire Matchmaker” Patti Stanger

Niche: Dating/Relationships
Weapons of Choice: Blog, TV show, radio show, book
Monetization/Business Model: Paid by Bravo TV, radio show on XM, private consulting, Millionaire’s Club Matchmaking service, licensing, book deal
Interview: Million Dollar Brand
Connect With Patti
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Timothy Sykes

Niche: Finance & Investing
Weapons of Choice: Blogging, online TV show, newsletters
Monetization/Business Model: Products, membership site, private newsletters, consulting, DVD’s, side projects
Interview: RISE #32: Monetizing Your Online Community In Every Way Possible With Timothy Sykes
Connect With Tim
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Vanessa Van Petten

Niche: Parenting
Weapons of Choice: Books & blogging
Monetization/Business Model: Advertising, speaking, workshops, consulting, books, digital products
Interview: RISE #15: Capturing The Youth Market With Youthologist Vanessa Van Petten & The Amazing Josh Shipp
Connect With Vanessa
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Gary Vaynerchuk

Niche: Wine and Web
Weapons of Choice: Online TV show, video blog and upcoming radio show (Sirius), books
Monetization/Business Model: Wine Library (selling wine), VaynerMedia (consulting services), speaking engagements, angel investing, book deal
Interview: Uncut With Gary V
Connect With Gary
Website
Twitter
Facebook

The big question: Can you do this for yourself? Perhaps fill it out for your current situation and where you would like to be.

Example:

David Siteman Garland

Niche: Marketing/Creative Entrepreneurship
Weapons of Choice: TV show, online show, blog, events and upcoming book
Monetization/Business Model: Sponsorships, speaking, “consulting”, book deal…and future products

Bottom line is that right now there is an incredible opportunity to carve out your niche. Are you ready to jump (dive, swan dive, etc.) in?

This post was inspired by my upcoming book, Smarter, Faster, Cheaper: Non-Boring, Fluff-free Strategies for Marketing and Promoting Your Business (Wiley Publishing) –  out this December and now available for pre-order.

Click Here If You Prefer Audio Only

How can you spend time doing the the things you enjoy within your business when you are reading, sending, and responding to emails all freakin’ day and night? Is there a way to get this email problem under control?

Lucky for us, there is. The man, myth, and legend, Charlie Gilkey, Founder of Productive Flourishing, is joining me today to help us all kick email’s butt. In this interview, Charlie and I discuss the STAR method of email (it is a good one), as well as many more tips to get it under control.

And then, of course, you can spend your time marketing, promoting, making connections, watching RISE *wink*, and other important things.

What about you? How do you keep your email under control?

Connect With Charlie & Tell Him You Saw Him On RISE

On His Website
On Twitter

Our Sponsors Rock The World: This Episode Is Sponsored By Abstrakt Marketing

Not your run-of-the-mill marketing firm. Abstrakt Marketing can do pretty much everything for you (except find you a date). From websites, to advertising, to even generating leads for your business (seriously). Reach out to them and tell them I sent ya for the royal treatment *wink*.

REMINDERS:

Did you know you can subscribe to RISE via email (daily or weekly) or via iTunes (spread the RISE love by rating the show and writing a review)? You should TOTALLY subscribe.

Good news! You can now get RISE on your iPhone, iPad, etc. Woohoo for mobile.

So, I’m off to relax on vacation this week with my family. But do not fret!

1. Throw a party in honor that you won’t be hearing from me (that would make me VERY sad, however).

2. Catch up by checking out the archives with over 100+ shows featuring top entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and other folks giving you non-boring, fluff-free advice, inspiration and ideas, as well as articles and other delicious goodies.

3. Read Seth Godin’s blog and Chris Brogan’s blog. They rock 100% of the time.

4. Grab one of the final 10 tickets for the August 25th RISE Lunch. I’ll be talking about how to build awesome relationships with bloggers and new media sources and there are two other fantastical presentations from Mark Sawyier (Founder of Off Campus Media) and Ryan Mortland (Founder of MB Consulting Group).

5. Cry yourself to sleep…with happiness (or joy).

6. Help me cheat at Scrabble this week while I’m with my family by tweeting me complicated words that will earn lots of points.

7. Pre-order a copy or two (hundred) of Smarter, Faster, Cheaper: Non-boring, Fluff-free Strategies for Marketing and Promoting Your Business.

8. Tell everyone you know to pre-order a copy or two (hundred) of Smarter, Faster, Cheaper: Non-boring, Fluff-free Strategies for Marketing and Promoting Your Business (*wink wink*) or help out in a couple of other ways.

9. Hold your breath in anticipation of a new RISE episode on Monday, August 23rd where my guest, Charlie Gilkey, Founder of Productive Flourishing, will teach us all how to kick the living crap out of email. Seriously.

10. Leave something funny in the comments section of this post.

See you next Monday!

Image Credit: epSos.de