Episode 19

Club House is Changing the GAME! - With Leslie Rae

Welcome, Leslie Rae, co-founder of The Best Life to Saturday Soundbites!Leslie and Veronica dig deep into the power of using a visibility strategy to connect with your audience and make meaningful relationships.

Leslie shares her insights into how this can be the key to growing your business. Knowing your audience and how to reach them is not always as easy as some think. Leslie and her business partner have created a space for entrepreneurs and business owners to learn strategies and focus their efforts on attracting the RIGHT audience for them.

Transcript

Leslie: [00:00:00] Hello? Hello. So 

[00:00:03] Veronica: [00:00:03] welcome to Saturday soundbites. I'm your host, Veronica Sofer. We talk all things, visibility strategy. So excited to be joining you for another episode. Now, if you're listening on the podcast, make sure you hit the subscribe button. We want to get you every episode as it is made available.

[00:00:21] So you can hear from our phenomenal guests and really get content that's going to help you grow your business in the space of visibility, whether it's advertising, marketing. Research PR branding, you name it and we've got experts in today. We've got one. That's really just going to drop some gems that are going to really help you rethink how you do your business, how you reach people, how to get that target audience into you.

[00:00:46] So we're going to go ahead and get started. Uh, if you're watching on Facebook, please let us know. You're watching, drop us some comments and questions. We will be sure to respond. And if you're watching on the replay hashtag replay so that my guests and I can go back and address any questions you might have.

[00:00:59] So without further ado, I'm going to bring on our amazing guests. We have Leslie Ray joining us. Thank you, Leslie. You're here. 

[00:01:08] Leslie: [00:01:08] Hello, 

[00:01:09] Veronica: [00:01:09] Veronica. Happy Saturday. So glad to have you on Saturday soundbites. I connected with you on clubhouse, and we're going to talk a lot about that today. So tell everybody who you are and kind of how you got to where you are right now.

[00:01:24] And, and us talking 

[00:01:24] Leslie: [00:01:24] about clubhouse. Yes. Yes. So, uh, I'm Leslie Ray. I am half of an amazing team. My business partner, Whitney Horton, and I are a company called this best life. And we are at our core about transformation. That's our passion and how we execute that through our work is really through helping women.

[00:01:42] Become more powerful communicators. And we have a special focus on female entrepreneurs. Like that's really where our heart is. And we help with building confidence on camera, on Mike onstage when the time comes back to us where we can actually be out and about. And it's all about using communication strategically so that you grow your business and using it the right way to draw the right people in.

[00:02:03] Yeah, not here. Um, probably like many entrepreneurs. We were in the corporate space. We spent a lot of time in like corporate training and leadership roles there. Um, designing training, delivering training, uh, and then leading really large strategic initiatives. Uh, and what we found was what we loved most was the, um, kind of intensive boot camps that we did, where we would help.

[00:02:27] Facilitators get their confidence, get their messaging down and really be able to express their voice. And that was so, um, rewarding to us and inspiring for us. And we would have, we traveled the globe, you know, we were at the five continents, 55,000 people in one of our large initiatives. And we'd have these long conversations about what if we could just do this full-time and one day we said, why don't we do it?

[00:02:49] Full-time. And so we took the leap and we started this best life and we've been learning and growing ever since. We've just been a couple of years in business and we're best friends and business partners then, and finding our way. 

[00:03:01] Veronica: [00:03:01] Yeah, I love it. I love it. And, um, when you, you had me at strategic communication, so on the, in the entrepreneur space, what does strategic communication look like to you?

[00:03:13] Because I too have a corporate background and I know a lot of our viewers are still in the corporate space. Um, and so we have a general understanding of what that looks like in that space, but what does it look like for entrepreneurs? I 

[00:03:24] Leslie: [00:03:24] think it is, um, Getting clear on your messaging, first of all, and you know, a lot of people, especially when we do our programs around going on camera, some of the anxiety comes from just not having confidence in your message.

[00:03:38] So, you know, in the past you may have been working for someone else and telling someone else's story. Um, and there. Um, goals and aspirations for a particular project. This is yours. And so we haven't always had a lot of opportunity to do that and really nail that piece of our business. So I think that's a piece of it.

[00:03:55] And then how do I leverage the platforms and tools that are available to me to find the right people? Because I will say that was really the biggest challenge for us. Was, we were comfortable creating content and putting content out there and being on camera and being on microphone. It was like, where are people?

[00:04:11] Yeah. And learning what works best for your company. And we can talk more about, you know, what we found works best for us. Yeah. 

[00:04:18] Veronica: [00:04:18] Please do let's roll right into that because I think those are the nuggets that we want to leave people with. How do you find that? 

[00:04:25] Leslie: [00:04:25] We I'll just give a tiny bit of backstory. You know, we went through traditional route, which was Facebook ads, Instagram story type things, and ads.

[00:04:34] And we were converting at the industry standard rate, you know, so w 1% will click on your ad and then 1% of that will buy. So we were meeting that yet. The numbers were kind of disappointing, right? And we weren't always sure we were reaching the right people. And every time we started a campaign, it was like throwing spaghetti at the wall to try to find those people when you're putting that little box of well, who should see this ad.

[00:04:55] And you're also competing with everyone else who wants that same audience. So. It was frustrating. It was expensive. We were pouring thousands of dollars into the ads and not really getting the results we would have liked. So beginning of this year, we said, you know what, we're going to take six months.

[00:05:09] And we're focusing just on building community organically and finding people that are already interested in us and what we have to offer and let's see what happens. And it has been phenomenal. So it's really two things. And two things I would advise everyone watching to do is video. Is huge and also clubhouse, which is a great opportunity.

[00:05:30] I'm excited to talk about that today. Um, but with video, I know the past year everybody's been on video people that never wanted to go on camera have been put in that position, right? So you're zooming for work. You're zooming for your kid's school. You have to FaceTime with your family because we were all in this, you know, we thought it was going to be a couple of weeks, shut down to flatten the curve.

[00:05:51] And here we are a year plus we're still doing it. Yeah, it's been, um, More of a comfort place for people to start to look for opportunities to connect with each other, you know, introvert extrovert. We are wired to be social by nature. So we're always looking for that human connection. And we've been craving that in the past year.

[00:06:11] So people are scrolling more and they're looking for, Oh, there's a video. I can actually watch a person or I can interact with a person that's feeding that need for us. And because of the length of time we've been in this right. I think it's now the expectation. Like I want to connect with you and I want to find people to work with that I can see and listened to, and that all.

[00:06:34] Elicits chemical reactions in our body, Whitney and I are passionate about brain science. We call it the BS. Like everything that we do is based on BS, it's loaded with BS. Um, but that's, that's the marketing strategy. I'm sure that's huge for you as well. And you know, as humans, we give off a kinetic energy when we can see each other and connect with each other.

[00:06:54] And when you're in person, people feel that. So, you know, if you've ever said like, Oh, I love your vibe. Like, that's a real thing. You know, you give off a vibration that people respond to and studies have shown that video can create 80% of that same experience as being face-to-face. So to me, that's the biggest thing.

[00:07:13] It's like getting out there on Facebook, live, doing the Instagram stories, hosting live webinars, where people you're building that know like, and trust factor. With your audience and you probably know that the data, you know, would have to see something what seven to 12 times before you're comfortable to take that next step with a business to purchase something, to sign up for something.

[00:07:33] So video is huge. I love it. It's so much richer than a blog or a post, and there are some phenomenal blogs and posts out there. It's just harder to get to that relationship with your customer. You know, once you find that person, you love their blog, you're going to continue to look for it and read it.

[00:07:52] That's just a harder relationship to build. And if you're first out there in video, it's a much richer, more three-dimensional experience for people. Um, and you have to be bigger than you might think because you're going through plastic and wires and time and space through someone else's camera. So you often have to like, Pump yourself up to an almost uncomfortable level, um, for that to come across.

[00:08:14] Yeah. 

[00:08:15] Veronica: [00:08:15] Yeah, no, I definitely think that that's true. And, um, you see it on when people do it well, you really get to feel the energy and then you realize their bodies moving in ways that maybe don't seem natural, but it's relating to you because of all the things that had the barriers that had had to get through.

[00:08:32] So I love that you said that, um, because I think sometimes when people are. Thinking about how to do a video, not do a video, you have to get out of your comfort zone. 

[00:08:42] Leslie: [00:08:42] Yes. And, and it should feel uncomfortable. Uh, you know, that is the adrenaline telling your body, this is important. This is a good thing.

[00:08:49] These are all natural things. And we, you know, we have a program where we work with women at camp confidence on camera. And the first thing we work on is mindset because so much of it is what we tell ourselves. And we misread the signals in our body as being fear and anxiety. And really, it can just be like, this is energy that is excited to do what's coming.

[00:09:08] The same energy for anxiety is the same energy and chemicals for excitement. That's right. It's creating that new story for yourself and then really nailing your message so that you go confidently, um, and share that. But it's, you know, it's all about dopamine and oxytocin and, and you talked about.

[00:09:25] Building that energy. And now we're sitting in, you know, like this rectangle all the time. So I can't move like I normally would, but I can use my voice and my, um, gestures and my eye contact to make that connection. And people want to get in the same brain state with each other. That's how we're wired. So if I want my audience to get excited about something, or I want to tell a story that I want to be, you know, draw some empathy that is conveyed through video.

[00:09:51] So much easier than trying to write that into a post or blog that we, that we want to hide from or hide behind, I guess sometimes because it's easier. Yeah, no, I love that. And 

[00:10:00] Veronica: [00:10:00] I love getting in the same brain state. I mean, that's fantastic. I actually wrote that down. Um, and I think that should be something that people want to learn and they just don't know that they needed to learn it.

[00:10:14] And 

[00:10:14] Leslie: [00:10:14] so. 

[00:10:15] Veronica: [00:10:15] How do you, how do you work with clients, especially women who may not be coming from the corporate space or who may be sitting at home with, you know, a house full of kids doing online learning, how do they get the inspiration to create that brain space for other people to want 

[00:10:30] Leslie: [00:10:30] to come? Yeah, I think, you know, for us, the program that we have that focuses on on-camera the draw, there is really confidence because people are sure if I were just.

[00:10:41] You know, and we've done a lot of, um, data research on this, you know, over the years in person on camera. And what we find is it's kind of three buckets that cause that anxiety, but that's the fright. It's a, it's a fear it's of anxiety of going on camera. Why? Um, things that are personal or probably most common, I need to look better.

[00:10:57] I need to look younger. I need to be thinner. I don't like my teeth, my hair, the sound of my voice. So it's often something that's very personal. Um, and usually physical. Second is people are worried about their messaging. So I'm afraid I'm going to ramble. I'm going to mess up the words. What if I go blank in the middle of a sentence, which by the way, all these things, it happened to me and I over the years, it's natural.

[00:11:19] Um, and then the third is actually technology. So people are spirit about, okay, well, I'm tying to, where do I look? I'm talking into this camera. I have, now I have a microphone and I don't like that in front of me. I've got all these lights going on and that kind of throws me for a loop. So we focus on all three pieces and we look at mindset messaging and technique to build that confidence step-by-step but coming in people really think it's about show me how to like dress up my background.

[00:11:48] And make me look pretty and I'll be great on camera. And it's just sort of like any goal that you have. Like, if I lost weight, I would be happier if I did this, you know, it's like, let's help you find that mindset first. And that makes all the difference. No, I love it. 

[00:12:01] Veronica: [00:12:01] Now that absolutely. That makes complete sense.

[00:12:04] And I hope you guys are writing this down because this is exactly the type of training you would get, whether you're, um, in, in school and you're taking communication classes or whether you're in the corporate space and they bring in a professional media trainer, they teach you all of these things. So this is fantastic.

[00:12:19] Now let's transition just a little bit and talk about. Reaching that target audience. You mentioned that early on, and I know that that's something you're excellent. Excellent at. And that's how I wanted to connect with you to learn more about your skill and your expertise and connecting with people in these 

[00:12:35] Leslie: [00:12:35] new platforms.

[00:12:36] Yeah, clubhouse has been a game changer for us. Um, Facebook has been great as well in terms of our Facebook groups. We have extremely high engagement in our Facebook groups and we work really hard for that. And we love living in that space now. Um, and when we stepped back in January and said, we need to find a way to connect with people more authentically, it was like, the universe was like, Here you go.

[00:12:58] Here's a platform that now has grown to what 10 million people and the Androids are finally getting in there. So it's just going to explode from here. Um, and we started to dig in and just find the opportunity to connect with people in authentic way. Amazing. It is strategic though. And I always tell people and they say like, well, what's clubhouse about, you know, what, it's simple and complex at the same time.

[00:13:21] Right. You know, that's how you and I connected. So it's a simple platform. Anybody can get on there, open up a room and start talking. That's a good thing. And it's sometimes it's a bad thing. Um, if you want to do it strategically and you want to do it well, then there is skill to it. And that's what we've been looking at.

[00:13:37] How does that compare to the type of, you know, live skills or on camera skills that we would help people. Grow their confidence in using it strategically being heart-centered. Um, there are a lot of ways to use it. Sometimes it's just a big pitch fast, and people come up and sell. That is not the way that we work.

[00:13:54] So we really like to use it. Like let's build a solid relationship. And if people like it, they're going to start clicking. To look at your Instagram and for people that aren't on clubhouse yet nothing's recorded, nothing's saved. You're just able to look. There's no messaging back and forth. So, uh, Veronica and I had to connect outside of their Instagram to get connected, but it's allowing people the opportunity to say, you know what, I'm really interested in your profile.

[00:14:17] It looks good. Let me click along. And I will say, since we started using it and using it strategically, It's blowing. So are, we've gained almost 2000 followers. This is wow. In February, across all of our platforms, we have a Facebook group around clubhouse that has over 600 now, I think just in a couple of months, highly engaged, um, our mailing list doubled.

[00:14:39] Now we had gotten like, Three four people here and there for like lead magnet or something, we would put out there, um, a free offer and, you know, doubling it within a couple of months and our conversion rates, you know, that 1%, 1%, you know, we've gone anywhere from 10 to 40% conversion. Wow. It's the right people.

[00:14:58] You know, we, we want to make sure we're finding the people that we can best help, that are open to what we have to offer. You know, there's a lot of other people that do what we do. And I think that's a common entrepreneur thing. Right. You've got this great idea. And as soon as you put it out there, you start like, yeah, where did that come from?

[00:15:15] Where did that come from? Just your brain, like saying, Oh, you're interested in this. I'll show you more things like this. Right. So it's always out there. Um, but there are plenty of people for all of us. So what clubhouse and. Really working that strategically let us do is to find our right people and drive them where we want them to go.

[00:15:34] Um, and, and, you know, just some of the benefits is that it's authentic. You know, people can have a two-way conversation and that's something that you don't always get from video. So we're live here today and there could be some chat, but we're not having a direct, you know, on video conversation with people.

[00:15:48] So that's one of the things I love about using clubhouse. I mean, it's just, if it's used, well, people are going to see amazing results. Yeah. And 

[00:15:56] Veronica: [00:15:56] you know, one of the things you said was the authenticity. You can hear people's, um, cadence, you can hear, um, everything in their voice. 

[00:16:05] Leslie: [00:16:05] You have an idea of what they might look like because you're listening to them and it's all audio, but, um, you 

[00:16:11] Veronica: [00:16:11] really, I feel get more of the person because clubhouse is just solely dependent on, on voice.

[00:16:18] Right. 

[00:16:18] Leslie: [00:16:18] And you're in your PJ's. Yeah. 

[00:16:20] Veronica: [00:16:20] Yeah. And then people are feeling confident. They're not worried about their makeup and not worried about, you know, is, you know, is there a stain on my shirt? I mean, none of that matters. And so they're showing up fully and I 

[00:16:32] Leslie: [00:16:32] can have engaged folks 

[00:16:33] Veronica: [00:16:33] on clubhouse for business based on how authentically they show up and how vulnerable they are, how excited they are, how passionate they are.

[00:16:42] And I've also. Connected with people who maybe I thought I would like to work with. Maybe I saw something on Facebook or something. And I was like, Oh yeah, no, no, 

[00:16:49] Leslie: [00:16:49] thanks. Not for me. Yeah. I mean, you only get a good read for that. That's it? And I think like you said that your guard is down a bit because you're not worried about, okay, the cameras light on correctly, something just flipped itself off.

[00:17:01] So it is a much more comfortable spot, but it all helps drive that engagement. And that's why it's helped drive our other platforms as well. So it's increased Instagram, it's increased, you know, without us posting constantly and putting in all that work, we can be more thoughtful about what we're posting there.

[00:17:16] Drawing the people, you know, we built the 600 people in the Facebook community by coming from clubhouse. 

[00:17:21] Veronica: [00:17:21] Wow. That's just amazing. Yeah. And what kind of content do you share in your private Facebook group and how do we get 

[00:17:28] Leslie: [00:17:28] there? Yeah, so it is called a clubhouse female entrepreneurs, so simple, easy to find and we pop up once a week.

[00:17:36] We go, we always go live and we talk about. What we heard on the street about Facebook or Facebook about clubhouse, what's new, you know, like recently they monetized it where it's almost like a tip jar. You can have setups that will pop up and talk about that. Um, one of the things we love doing is we host rooms in clubhouse every week and we do matchmaking.

[00:17:54] So it's a lot of times for new entrepreneurs or people who are getting used to the platform because having a buddy to host a room with, and even if you're doing like this, like a Facebook live, come together with someone who's more comfortable place to start. And we'll say, tell us a little bit about your story.

[00:18:08] We'll look at people's bio's and we'll say we know who you need to talk with. Yeah. As they, and so people that are entrepreneurs that are coaches are hosting rooms on essential oils and. Um, all sorts of things, you know, trauma. And, um, we had people like, uh, you know, ancestral readings, but they're finding other people who are interested in those topics.

[00:18:28] Whitney and I are huge Disney fans. I might even say Disney, obsessed addict, you know, type people. And sometimes we just open up a room and talk about Disney and people show up and we've had people come over because of that. Yeah. You know, so there's just so many ways that you can use it, that people are starting to, you know, from a customer standpoint, they're saying, I like you, and I'm gonna come back the next time you're on.

[00:18:48] And now we're building some trust. I'm going to click on your profile. I want into your Facebook group. Um, so we do a lot that we post in Facebook that happens on clubhouse to help entrepreneurs grow that knowledge, expertise, and connection. And so many of our, um, Facebook group community have paired up and have now started their own, um, Partnerships on the platform and that's like, just warms our heart.

[00:19:12] Like we made that match and we feel so proud of that. Yeah, 

[00:19:15] Veronica: [00:19:15] no, I love that. And that's, and that's exactly what it is. It's a great place to connect and if someone's not right for you in that moment, that doesn't mean it won't be right for you for years down the road. Yeah. 

[00:19:24] Leslie: [00:19:24] Yeah. And they can make it pretty quickly.

[00:19:26] You know, one of the things we talk about in our, um, program on clubhouse is, you know, that first step is really naming the room. You know, we look at it as like you're throwing a party, right. You know, we've all grown out of the stage where we're just putting a flyer up saying, Hey, I'm having a party Saturday night come.

[00:19:41] Right. You're like, you're putting thought into it. And you're thinking about what is the topic and who's coming. And so that title is, should really either draw people in or repel them really quickly. So that's the first step in getting the right people there. You know, we always start it with female entrepreneurs.

[00:19:55] We do get men pop in. Yes. They pop out pretty quickly, but people figure out quickly like, Oh, this isn't for me and you can leave quietly and that's fine. Yeah, no, I love that. And, 

[00:20:06] Veronica: [00:20:06] and I, um, I so appreciate that you guys have just taken it on and really shared that your messaging through all the platforms.

[00:20:14] So it sounds like all your social media is 

[00:20:16] Leslie: [00:20:16] aligned. Right, which is key. Yes. Yes. And, and how do 

[00:20:22] Veronica: [00:20:22] you help other people get to where you're at? I mean, what does it look like? Um, for someone who wants to work with you, uh, maybe has a message, maybe needs a little bit of training share, share with us, how you guys, as.

[00:20:38] You know, former career, um, corporate experts bring that into the inner webs of the world. Yes. Yes. 

[00:20:46] Leslie: [00:20:46] So a couple of ways. So we have programs for on-camera as well as now on Mike, that specifically focuses on clubhouse. So if you haven't. You know, done a lot with video and you want to step out there and do that.

[00:20:58] We have a lights, camera, amazing program that we love, and we have a boot camp. I think the next one will be opening in June. And that is just a place to start to look at that. Remember mindset, messaging and technique. So it's loaded with, you know, we even talked about hair, makeup and all that, but it's really focused on let's get you really tuned into your message.

[00:21:15] Sharpen that up and get you ready to go. We focus in that on really your brand story so that you nail that because that's the first place that people will connect with you. So we work on that and then you can go deeper with us into a bigger program where we do more one-on-one coaching and stuff.

[00:21:30] That's more, um, Tailored and personalized and prescriptive to your business. And then what we just launched this week that we're so excited about is for clubhouse. And it's called the mindful moderator. And this is all about how do I become that party hostess with the mostess, right. And do rooms strategically, thoughtfully, intentionally.

[00:21:50] That draw the right people. So we talk about, you know, the structure of the room and setting a goal. So it really uses that party analogy because you put a lot of thought into that. I don't want to show up to someone's party in a sun dress and flip-flops and everybody else has on a ball gown and the tuxedo, you know, so it's all about making that.

[00:22:06] And we bring everybody in it's we call it our living room. Like it's always meant for people to feel comfortable and relaxed, uh, and that's our approach. And then we go into different moderator styles. So a lot of people don't know like, Oh, there are different ways you can host a room. And when might I use them and how can I use that to draw the right people in and the types of questions you should be asking?

[00:22:26] What are the opportunities? And then one of the more popular pieces is we deal with all the, what if, and we have a signature model to deal with disruptive behaviors. So, you know, if you've been in clubhouse at all, you see people that will go on and on things get off topic. Sometimes the conversation gets heated.

[00:22:41] I've got too many people speaking at once. So we go into all of the, um, Disruptors that can happen and how to use the simple model to get things back on track. And then we also have a module on being a good guest because that's equally as important. Yeah. You go up on stage to speak in someone else's room.

[00:22:57] Just like if you're a guest at someone's party, you don't want to be the one that's had too much to drink. It has a lampshade on the head at the end of the night and doesn't feel to ask the back, right? So we focus on all of these things and that's just kicking off now. So it's all on our website. You can look at all the programs we have and connect with us there.

[00:23:15] Yeah, 

[00:23:15] Veronica: [00:23:15] I love it. And we put your website down there. I love what you're doing. And I have to tell you, you're speaking my language when it comes to visibility, you're talking about aligning your message. You're talking about the strategic planning behind it, making sure everything is working together, you guys are really doing it well.

[00:23:32] And I'm just so excited that we were able to 

[00:23:34] Leslie: [00:23:34] connect. Yes. Yes. Thanks so much for bringing me on here. I just love connecting with other entrepreneurs. Yeah, fantastic. 

[00:23:41] Veronica: [00:23:41] Okay. Folks, if you haven't joined the group, what's the group, the Facebook group. 

[00:23:44] Leslie: [00:23:44] Love the house female entrepreneurs, 

[00:23:46] Veronica: [00:23:46] right. Get on there.

[00:23:47] And if you're on an Android, your time is coming. You will get there where 

[00:23:51] Leslie: [00:23:51] we're coming now. And we also have a free clubhouse one Oh one course. So if you're an Android and you want to get a step in, join the Facebook group and you'll see the, um, the link there to get the course. Yeah, get 

[00:24:00] ready. 

[00:24:00] Veronica: [00:24:00] I know I have so many Android user friends who are so jealous of the fact that, um, you know, we're living in the clubhouse way of 

[00:24:07] Leslie: [00:24:07] life.

[00:24:07] Now, the kinks for you guys it's right. Yep. It's ready. All right, 

[00:24:11] Veronica: [00:24:11] folks, join clubhouse. Make sure you follow Leslie Ray with the best life. She's got some great content, either her website's right down there and I will thank you for joining us. 

[00:24:21] Leslie: [00:24:21] Thank you so 

[00:24:21] Veronica: [00:24:21] much. All right, folks, that is another episode of Saturday soundbites.

[00:24:26] I hope you learned a lot. I know I did. I took some fantastic notes. Will we make sure that that gets uploaded in the show notes, especially for those of you listening to the podcast. Thanks everyone for joining us alive. I loved all the comments and I loved all the hearts. That's fantastic to see, join us next Saturday.

[00:24:43] We've got another great guest to make sure you join my Facebook group, which is magnifying your message with media. I drop phenomenal tips, strategies, techniques I bring in guests. And of course you can watch all these episodes there as well. If you're interested in learning more about what I do and how I support entrepreneurs with their visibility strategy, make sure you check out my website, Veronica VSO for.com.

[00:25:05] And with that, I will be sending you lots of positive energy and light and have a great one.