Episode 23
Season 2
How to Get & Keep the Attention of Your Audience with Magnetic Messaging
Welcome, Lori Reeves, CEO of Brand Strength to Saturday Soundbites!
Join us as she shares the importance of knowing your brand and how to communicate it to your ideal clients. She is an expert in brand awareness and has great tips and strategies to share with others on how to get and keep the attention of those who will want you and your services the most.
You can learn more about Lori at https://brandstrength.co/
Transcript -
Veronica: [00:00:00] Hello. Hello and welcome to Saturday sound bites. I'm your host Veronica sofa, and I'm thrilled to be here with you again this week. We're on this show. We talk all things, visibility strategy, that's branding, advertising, marketing, public relations, and all the wonderful things that you need to bring that together, to find your ideal clients, connect with them and really grow your brand and grow your business.
But I wanna take care of a couple of housekeeping things before we bring our guests on. Cause I think you're gonna absolutely love her. If you are listening on the podcast, make sure you hit subscribe. We don't want you to miss any episodes of Saturday soundbites. And if you are watching on Facebook or on YouTube, drop us some comments and my guest and I will go back and connect with you.
And if you have questions, you can drop them in there with that. I'm gonna go ahead and bring on our guest. We have Lori Reeves joining us. Welcome to Saturday. Sound
Lori: bites. Hey, so glad to be here. Thank you so much for having.
Veronica: You bet. You bet. Well, Lori, I wanted you on, because you talk about a couple of things that are really important when you're thinking about your [00:01:00] visibility strategy and your brand, and that's how to connect with your ideal clients and keep them.
And so I know we're gonna talk about that, but before we do, I want people to get a better sense of who you are and share your background with
Lori: us. Sure, absolutely. So I actually started my entrepreneurial journey as a web. And I did that as a freelancer for about four years. I started seeing that most of the people coming to me were entrepreneurs and they were having a difficult time giving me the information that I really needed to create a better business for them with a new website, because a pretty website does not a better business make.
So I realized there's a missing piece here at that point. I figured it's copy. I need to help them with their messaging. And so I kind of put the breaks on web design. Went to learn. Copywriting became a certified copywriter through Ray Edwards. Once again, started talking with a lot of the same kinds of entrepreneurs I was working with as a web designer.
And immediately started seeing the exact [00:02:00] same reactions when I would ask what I felt like were now the right questions that I just needed to be asking. And then I realized there's a foundational issue here. There's another step beyond, you know, backwards from copy that I really wanna help entrepreneurs really understand how to build this strong foundation so that they can have the copy and the great website and build a strong business.
And so that's where I started with brand strength. That's
Veronica: awesome. And what were you doing before that?
Lori: I worked in the corporate world, actually in a nonprofit in a marketing capacity for basically my entire adult career.
Veronica: Yeah. And so a lot of those skills probably translated you know, we learn a lot in our.
Corporate space for those of us that have made that transition out. But for those people who haven't really been in either the nonprofit or corporate space, they don't realize how many of those skills and tactics really translate to what it is you're doing now.
Lori: Absolutely. And I also have 20 years plus of service in the national guard.
In a unique [00:03:00] capacity where I'm in a band. And so what bands do the, the primary mission of a band in the military is to develop, maintain, and strengthen relationships within different audiences. And so that combined with the self discipline and the, all the disciplinary. Techniques that the military instills in you.
I have also brought a lot of that into my business as well, so that people can kind of borrow my sense of self discipline using the tools that I've created and helping them with the accountability to put them in place, but also drawing on the softer skill of relationship building and being able to communicate to different audiences and even D.
People within the same audience.
Veronica: Mm-hmm, , that's, that's a wonderful example of how you bring your background to what it is you're doing now. I would've never thought about that, but I guess I've never really thought about the purpose of a band in, in the military. And that's exactly what they're designed to do is to build rapport.
Lori: [00:04:00] Absolutely. And it's really interesting because we do it by building rapport between the United States and other C. By building rapport between the military community and civilian communities and the military as an organization with individual service members. Mm-hmm . And so it's really, you know, it's multifaceted, but the whole point of it is relationship building and sustaining mm-hmm
Veronica: Yeah, that's exactly right. And you hit on the keyword relationships. So when you're working with clients, what are some of the things that you, you see people doing or not doing well when it comes to making that. Connection with their clients
Lori: or potential clients. Well, I have what I call the C seven framework and it's seven characteristics of a strong brand.
I'll talk about three of them today that I see are big things that you can either focus on, or just take a look at within your brand to see how you're doing with building and maintaining these relationships. So the first thing is consistency. And what I mean [00:05:00] by that is making sure that on all platforms and channel.
You both look the same everywhere and you sound the same everywhere. And especially when somebody's just getting started in their business, they wanna try things out. And I'm all for trying things out, but don't try them out on all the different platforms because when somebody comes in contact with you and they're like, oh, this is interesting.
Then they see your little social links and they start looking around, it looks like you're scattered, which looks like you're not all that established. or that you're not a hundred percent sure. What is your superpower? And so that lack of consistency can really turn people off right at the beginning and make it seem like, yeah, I'm not even completely sure.
This is the same company that I just found the website for. So different on Facebook or mm-hmm , you know what they're saying? On Instagram just doesn't quite resonate with what I found them for. So that consistency is something that is really important. The second one is congruency. [00:06:00] and what I mean by that is that the way you're bringing your audience to you is the way you intend to serve them later.
Mm. Now this sounds like something that seems kind of like a no brainer, common sense thing. But again, when a lot of people are starting out, they're looking outward. They're looking to see what other people are doing sometimes in their own industry and sometimes in other industries. And they'll see somebody claiming this really worked for me.
They decide to put it into place in their business, but it doesn't really make sense in their business. You know, I've seen web designers who only want to build websites for people use an opt-in of this is how you can build your own website. And I'm like, well, okay. But if you don't have a course where you're teaching somebody how to build their own website, why are you attracting people who want to build their own.
it seems like they're connected, but they're not congruent. Mm-hmm in what you intend to sell them later. Mm-hmm so that can be a [00:07:00] big issue. If, if you're not using little pieces of what you wanna sell later to attract the right audience mm-hmm .
Veronica: And do you find that that happens? Do you find that that, that happens a lot in the entrepreneur space?
Or is that something that is just a one
Lori: off. I'm sorry,
Veronica: which is the one like the congruency, like, do you feel like sometimes when people are reaching out, they're just, they see that they're connected, but they're just not connected in the right way. And the reason why I ask is because I think sometimes people have really grand visions for what they want their business to be, but then they get into the work and it's not the puzzle pieces aren't fitting,
Lori: right?
Yeah, exactly. Or you'll see people posting on social media and they have big followings, but they don't have any sales. Mm-hmm. and it's because what they're posting, isn't congruent with what they're wanting to sell. And so then when they approach their audience with an offer, it doesn't land because the people they've attracted are not interested in that offer.
They're interested in what they were talking about before. Yeah. And so again, if you, if you spend too much [00:08:00] time looking outside of yourself to what other people are doing, that can cause problems in a lot of ways. Right. But the biggest problem is that. Assume that something is working. So that means it works across the board and you just put it in place without really thinking through, is this the best thing for my audience and for my business.
Veronica: Gotcha. Makes complete sense. Got it.
Lori: And then the third thing is contrasting being different from the other people who are out there. And I know this is a big, this is a big one, right? It's so hard to think about how you can differentiate and be truly unique. But I love helping people who have started their business feel like they're kind of fading into the background, not knowing how to stand out, realize that they're sitting on a gold mine.
Just like we talked about earlier with me with the experience that I've had in the military and the other things that I've done throughout my career, and with working with entre. I have unique [00:09:00] pieces that I can put together that creates a product and offering that's so unique because nobody else out there has my unique experience.
Mm-hmm . And so when you start looking at what you can pull together and also the experience that you've had serving your clients, Up till now and realizing where, where people fall off, like where are you struggling to get somebody to that next result so that they can make it all the way to the final result that they hired you for?
Because as entrepreneurs, service providers, we're all selling results. Well, even product owners like product sellers. Yeah. We're selling results. We are not selling a package of you sitting with me for an hour every week. Like nobody wants to sit with me for an hour every week. They only want what I can help them achieve at the end.
And so if I can identify these ways that I. Help people get over those little, I call 'em hurdle hoppers. You need to hop over the hurdle, whatever is in your way of making your way to success. Then you can identify how [00:10:00] you can create a package that really is different from everything else that's out there.
And then you do stand out. So you don't actually have to acquire new skills or be more experienced than you already are. And so that is what I love sharing with people. So they can. Their shoulders can kind of come down. Yeah, thank goodness. I don't have to go out and not only be a web designer, but a graphic designer or, you know, know all, everything about SEO.
You know, it's so hard to, to feel like I can differentiate without adding skills on top of what I already have just by pulling from my experience that I have in my life and with serving my clients that I've served so far.
Veronica: Yeah, no, that makes complete sense. I love that. And so when you're working with folks, what are some of the challenges that you find, you know, you're going through your C, C seven framework with them.
What are some of the challenges that you see as they're navigating this new space?
Lori: The biggest thing is one of my favorite sayings [00:11:00] is it's hard to read the label when you're inside the bottle. It's so true. It is. It's so true. And even for somebody who is a copywriter, To come up with messaging that is succinct and clear and compelling.
Like I know all the things. Right. But I, I can't necessarily pick out the one thing that's gonna make somebody go, Ooh, okay. You got my attention. I wanna know more. Right. Because I just know all the things. So it's like, I'm sorting through. Years of knowledge, years of experience to find that one nugget that's gonna stick out to somebody else.
And everybody has that same problem. It's like, you can't, you just don't know what you don't know just by being an outsider. So it's really helpful just to talk through what you're doing and have somebody ask you questions about like, how could you do this and get a similar result? You know, like how, how could you do this?
And then they say things and you. Why aren't you putting that [00:12:00] everywhere? And they're like, why didn't know it was that important, you know, it's just like, it's so it is what you are. Right. So it's hard. Like it's like when somebody asks you, like, why do you like this? It's like, why don't even know how to answer that question?
I just do, you know, right. When you know something like that, like when it is just part of you, it's just really hard to pull that information out. So mm-hmm, I see that's where people struggle the most and every person feels. it means they're no good because they can't they can't see what everybody else can see.
And so imposter syndrome is something that creeps up a lot because it looks like everybody else has this covered and has figured it all out. But again, you're comparing your. Backstage to somebody's onstage and you don't know what they did backstage. You don't know who they worked with to get their messaging so clear.
You don't know how much time they spent on it. And it seems like they did it all themselves when probably they didn't
Veronica: mm-hmm [00:13:00] yeah, no, that's probably really true. And we have to remind ourselves of that because I think everyone struggles as they're trying to get their messaging. You know, and, and it, it may show up like in your branding photos or any of your marketing collateral pieces.
And so I, I feel. We've had guests on before who have really talked about how their clients and people they work with really get stuck in that part of your visibility strategy. And then I think when you're disconnected from your message it, it's just, it's not gonna work and you're not gonna show up authentically and in a way that people are gonna wanna do business
Lori: with you.
Right. And I think being visible is such a hard thing for so many people. Mm-hmm, , it's hard to know to strike that balance between. What part of my personal life belongs over here? What part of my, you know, secrets do I reveal? You know, there's, I, I just made a video the other day for Facebook about vulnerability and how there's a fine line between establishing trust.
in somebody and eroding trust that you've already built with people [00:14:00] by being vulnerable. Mm-hmm so, you know, you have to think about what a, what mental image does my story conjure, because we all know we're very, you know image focused people. And when you create a mental image, that image doesn't go away.
So if you're creating an image in somebody's mind, that makes them go, Ooh, I kinda wish I didn't know that about them. Yeah. That kind of vulnerability isn't going to help you build trust. It actually erodes what you're doing. So. It can be hard knowing that vulnerability is sometimes beneficial and sometimes harmful.
It can be hard to have that visibility where you don't feel like you're constantly filtering and then you're not really listening or paying attention. You're thinking so much about what you're gonna say, and then you don't seem authentic and you don't seem engaged and it can be really hard to know how to show up.
Veronica: Mm-hmm . Yeah. And do you find that there's or let me ask you, let me ask it a different way. Are some of the strategies and techniques that your clients use to get past that because I I'm nodding my head as you're speaking, because I've actually, you [00:15:00] know, felt those same things myself or, and have worked with lots of people who have, but there's a way to get past it.
And I'm in, interested in you sharing with our guests, how you coach people
Lori: through that. I coach them to make sure they have a community around them, of people that they can trust, who are doing something similar to what they're doing so that they're talking to somebody who's not a friend or a family member.
Who's not an online business, cuz there's nothing like the, the blank stare of somebody who doesn't know online business when you're trying to like bounce an idea off of them. That's the worst. So having a community of people that you can turn to, to practice your ideas before you take 'em public. Think of a, okay.
This might be helpful for me to share. Can I just bounce this off of you so that you can see, is this something that will help me look better? Or is this something that I kind of need to keep secret and just bounce those ideas before you take 'em public? Mm-hmm like. In my, in my background, I [00:16:00] had something that I swore I would never tell.
It was an embarrassment to me. I felt ashamed. I've started talking about it with a few people and they're like, oh my gosh, you have to share this. And I'm like, oh, I, I wouldn't have thought, like, I would've thought that that would've been a damaging vulnerability to share. And I don't wanna keep you in suspense.
I'll just go ahead and tell you what it is. Yeah, here's me. I know, like, whatcha are you talking about? So I joined the national guard at a very young age, too young, really to totally grasp the gravity of what I was doing. And I didn't have enough self-discipline to maintain my physical fitness and I failed two PT tests and I got kicked out.
Oh wow. Of the military. and I felt like my career was over, honestly, like I felt like this is I've really messed up. I had an opportunity. I have blown it five years later through a chance encounter with somebody. I ended up getting a second chance. I got back into the [00:17:00] military and I have not failed a PT test since, but I really learned how important that self discipline is.
Mm-hmm and when you really value the result, The self discipline has to be there. And it was like, and, and with the national guard, it's, it's different from being active duty because in active duty, they're constantly reminding you, you know, keep up your fitness, keep up your standards. And the national guard is held to the same standards as active duty.
So it's not like, because you're not ever reminded about it. You kind of get to slide a little bit. Yeah, no, they don't let you slide. So it's all on you. You have to. Do it yourself and maintain that yourself. And so that lesson of learning how not having that self discipline can literally end things for you.
And how I can help people build that self discipline into what they do so that they can see success for the thing that's truly important to them then it's like, but again, that's a story that [00:18:00] I wouldn't have told before, because I was embarrassed and ashamed of failing, you know, physical training tests and feeling like a failure and being kicked out of the military.
Of course it was an honorable discharge. It wasn't like sure. Of course. Right. You know, it wasn't like I did something where people were like, oh, this, this is terrible. . But I see now where that lesson of getting a second chance to build that, that true characteristic of self discipline that lasts a long time.
The unit that I joined. I joined in 2003, I'm still in that unit. So the self discipline has stuck this time.
Veronica: Wow. Well, that's a wonderful lesson. That's just a wonderful life lesson. But I think for entrepreneurs who are struggling with some of the things we've been talking about, that's a great example of how you just reconnect to the basics of it.
And, and once you can follow through and can be stay consistent, like you shared, then it really can flourish and grow. And I, and I think that's probably the real lesson for folks is you're trying. once you've identified your target audience, you you've [00:19:00] gotta just find that formula. That's gonna help you stay connected to 'em and, and nurture that relationship so that it
Lori: can just keep growing and staying connected to your why.
Yeah. You're if you have a statement, like I've, I've talked about this a lot, people struggle with a mission statement. Right? Right. They're like, oh, I don't know how to write a mission statement. And I. I'm on a mission, two dot.dot. That's how you write a mission statement. that is your mission. You know, you don't, it doesn't have to be some kind of weird corporate formulaic thing.
It's I'm on a mission to do this. And if you keep that top of mind, that is what helps you with the self discipline. That's that's what helps keep you going during those times, when you know, you have to do these tasks that you really don't like doing, and you wish you could just say, oh, forget it. I'm not gonna do it.
You connect with your mission again, which helps you reconnect with the people who are the focus of your mission. And that's what helps keep you going. Yeah, I love
Veronica: it. I love it. Lori, those are some fantastic tips. And I know you only talked to us about three of the C seven S but how can people learn more about [00:20:00] them and really implement it into
Lori: their, into their work?
You can go to C seven framework.com. Just give me your email address and your name, and I'll send it right on over to you. And then you'll be on my email list where I send emails out about how to build a strong, personal brand. I do a YouTube video every week. I. Daily on Facebook and Instagram as well. So you can connect with me in any of those ways.
And I just absolutely love helping entrepreneurs, especially solo entrepreneurs who are like right at the beginning, where they have this passion to go out and change the world. Like, oh, that just lights me up so much. So to give them little nuggets where they're like, oh, I can do this. I can pull this together and figure it all out.
It just makes my day. I
Veronica: love it. Ah, well, and it's so obvious. I mean, I can see it on your face, your face, just lights up as you talk about it so that you were definitely connected to your why right then and there
Lori: I definitely am. It's like I said, I have the little sticky I'm on a mission too, and I read it anytime.
My, my. If [00:21:00] imposter syndrome comes in or my motivation, you know, dips a little bit. I'm like, no, no, no, no. It's not fair to the people who need me for me. That's right. To, you know, hide myself, hide my light, just get out there and do it. And like you said, stay connected with your mission and with the people who are the focus of your mission and that's how you do it.
Veronica: That's so true. Laura, you have been so wonderful. Your tips were fantastic. I enjoyed having you on the
Lori: show. Thank you so much for having me. You bet.
Veronica: You bet. All right, guys, we're gonna wrap up this episode of Saturday soundbites. I'm your host, Veronica Sofer. And it was. A thrill to really have a great conversation with Lori Reeves.
Make sure you check out her information. C seven framework.com. I will make sure all of her contact information is in the show notes. So be sure to connect if you are watching on YouTube or on Facebook, drop us some comments and Lori and I will go back and connect with you. And if you're listening on the podcast, make sure you hit subscribe.
We don't want you to miss any episodes of Saturday sound bites, where we talk all things, visibility strategy [00:22:00] with that. I'm going to be signing off by sending you lots of positive energy and.