It's all the rage: “content marketing”. But if you think just giving away lots of great content for free is going to make you money, you haven't thought the matter through. Chances are you're making one of the three big content marketing mistakes.

St. John's Cathedral in Spokane, WA, taken with my iPhone.

In this episode, I'll explain how to create content that actually makes sales.

Announcements:

Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking:

• NAMS Conference, August 9-11
• SCORRE Conference, October 14-17
• Platform Conference, November 3-5

And if you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher.

Tip Of The Week

I've been enjoying the challenge of trying to take great photographs using just my iPhone. Turns out this is a very popular hobby. Two great resources, if you're interested in giving it a try, are iPhone Photography and the ProCamera App. I also like 100 Cameras In 1.

Spiritual Foundations

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Romans 10:17

What we put into our brains makes a difference in our life, and that includes our spirit life. I'm not big on rules, so I'm not going to tell you there are things you should or should not listen to or watch. But I will suggest you might want to be careful what you put inside yourself.

Anything that you are going to listen to, or watch, needs to pass through a filter. Here's a good one: is this helpful? Is it healing? Is it hopeful? Is it loving?

If the answer to the above questions is “no”, you might want to reconsider whose word you listening to, and what the consequences might be.

Feature Segment: How To Create Content That Sells

Content really does sell, but if you give away the store, you go broke fast. The key is you must create content that encourages a buying decision.

The three big “content marketing” mistakes:

1. Creating mediocre content.
2. Creating content that completely satisfies your customer's needs.
3. Creating content without being intentional.

Keys to creating content that sells.

1. Your best material is your best marketing.
2. Create content that is “useful, but incomplete” (thanks Jimmy D Brown).
3. Be strategic about the content you create.
4. Create products that get results, while laying the foundation for new purchases.

Question:  What content  marketing strategies have brought you the best results? Click here to leave your comments.

Over the last few weeks, I've had the opportunity to talk on the phone with a number of consulting clients. I was startled to hear virtually the same phrase come out of each of their mouths: “I need clarity on what I'm supposed to be doing, and help focusing on it.”

Why do we feel we lack clarity? And why do we have trouble focusing? Most importantly, how can we get clear and focused? I've got an answer for you in today's episode.

Announcements:

Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking:

• JV Alert, July 26-28
• NAMS Conference, August 9-11
• SCORRE Conference, October 14-17
• Platform Conference, November 3-5

Want To Be On Next Week's Show?

My topic for next week's show is “Creating Content That Sells”. If you have a question on that topic, you can ask by visiting my voicemail page (just click here to leave a message). This is a great way to promote your own website. First, make sure you have a great question, and then start off by saying your name and your website. If your question is used on the show, we will even include a link back to your site in the show notes.

Your Feedback

Do you have an idea for a podcast you would like to hear? Do you have a question that you like to ask me? Please contact me.

Call in your questions or comments to our new, fancy “request line” at (509) 713-2679 or click here to leave a message on my Voicemail Page

And if you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher.

Tip Of The Week

GoodReader for iPad allows you to markup PDF documents using a stylus. This is great for editing, proofreading, and notetaking.

Lifestyle Business Segment

Featuring Stu McLaren of Wishlist Products and Rhino Support. This week:  creating more meaning in your work.

Spiritual Foundations

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1

Have you ever made a big mistake, and been filled with regret? Recently I made a major decision without consulting my wife. I gave the appearance of consulting her, by writing a highly persuasive, highly logical justification of my decision and presenting it to her and asking, in essence, “you agree with me don't you?” In other words, I blindsided and bulldozed her. How she supposed to respond? I hurt her feelings. The decision may have been right, that the way I presented it was all wrong. I felt like a creep. How could I do that to the person I loved most in the world?

Pause… that feeling that I experienced, right there, is called condemnation. It's the feeling that we need to be punished for something we have done. My example is just one from real-life. You could substitute your own. Maybe you have had an angry thought, shaded the truth, cut the corners on the business deal, delivered less than your best, spoken words in anger, had a lustful or greedy thought, been inpatient or intolerant of a family member… I'm sure you can come up with your own examples. The Bible calls these things sin (which means to “fall short of the target”), and left on our own, our sin condemns us.

But, as those who follow Christ, our sins have been forgiven. Past, present, and future. Condemnation is a tool of Satan uses against us to disempower us. If he can get us thinking, “what kind of Christian are you anyway? If people knew what you are really like, they would be shocked…” Then he can get us to become isolated from others, and ineffective in our calling and our mission.

There is now no condemnation… it's in the present tense. The next time you feel tempted to do something you know is wrong, repeat this verse out loud. Use it as a “fighter verse”. It's the Word of God, and the Bible tells us that even the Angels “heed the voice of His word”. That His word “will not return to Him void” (in other words, it will not be ineffective).

And if you realize after the fact that you've done something wrong, remind yourself of the same thing… there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  As Pastor Joseph Prince writes:

The power of Jesus to overcome every temptation kicks in when you remain conscious that even at the point of temptation, Jesus is still with you and that you are righteous in Him apart from your works (Romans 4:6)! When you do that, you reject the condemnation for the temptation that you are facing. You are now able to rest in your righteous identity in Christ apart from your works, and release the power of Christ in you to rise above the temptation.

Feature Segment: How To Get Clarity And Focus

1. Know your reason WHY.
2. Think through WHAT outcome you want.
3. Plan HOW to achieve the outcome.
4. Have SMARTER goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound, Evaluate, Re-Evaluate… November 1981 issue of Management Review by George T. Doran.)
5. Build systems that run without you.
6. Create margin.
7. Sharpen the saw.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• Michael Hyatt's free ebook, Creating Your Personal Lifeplan
• Work the System by Sam Carpenter
• Margin by Richard Swensen
• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Dr. Stephen R. Covey

Question: How do you get clarity and focus? Click here to leave your comments.

When I am interviewed, one question that comes up regularly is: “Ray, if you are starting your business today how would you do it?”  I think the implication is things are different today than when I started, and thus a different approach is required. But is that true? In this week's episode I'll answer the question, how would I start over today?

Announcements:

Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking:

• JV Alert, July 26-28
• NAMS Conference, August 9-11
• SCORRE Conference, October 14-17
• Platform Conference, November 3-5

Want To Be On Next Week's Show?

My topic for next week's show is “How To Get Clarity And Focus”. If you have a question on that topic, you can ask by visiting my voicemail page (just click here to leave a message). This is a great way to promote your own website. First, make sure you have a great question, and then start off by saying your name and your website. If your question is used on the show, we will even include a link back to your site in the show notes.

Your Feedback

Do you have an idea for a podcast you would like to hear? Do you have a question that you like to ask me? Please contact me.

Call in your questions or comments to our new, fancy “request line” at (509) 713-2679 or click here to leave a message on my Voicemail Page

And if you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher.

Tip Of The Week

Changing things up a bit, this week's Tip of the week is actually a hat tip to three of my favorite podcasts.

• This Is Your Life by Michael Hyatt
• Podcast Answer Man by Cliff Ravenscraft
• 48 Days by Dan Miller

Lifestyle Business Segment

Featuring Stu McLaren of Wishlist Products and Rhino Support. this week: the value of taking risks.

Spiritual Foundations

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
2 Corinthians 5:17

Who are you, and why are you here? These are big questions, but the answers are vital to building a sustainable business on a firm foundation.

1. You are a child of God.
2. You are here to establish his will “on earth, as it is in heaven.”
3. Once you are in submission  to the great commission, you can understand your mission.

Feature Segment: How I Would Start Over Today

1. Discover my own unique ability.
2. Find the intersection of my unique ability, the desires of my marketplace, and what they're willing to pay for.
3. Build a platform and a listening station.
4. Create a unique solution for an identifiable group of people with money.
5. Build a marketing system to bring that offer to my people.

Question: how would you start over today? What questions do you have about starting up for the first time? Click here to leave your comments.

Just yesterday I was on the phone with a client. She had just finished describing her business to me. She wants to sell a product that teaches women how to help their husbands break an addiction to pornography. “I guess what I'm wondering,” she said, “is this a ministry or business? Is there really a way to make money doing this?”

In other words, she was asking if it's possible to monetize her particular message. This is a common question. Almost everybody wonders about it at some point, and almost everybody thinks their businesses “different”. If you're listening to the show, I believe it is definitely possible for you to monetize your message. To do well while doing good. And today I will tell you exactly what you need to do for that to happen.

Announcements:

• JV Alert, July 26-28
• NAMS Conference, August 9-11
• SCORRE Conference, October 14-17
• Platform Conference, November 3-5

Tip Of The Week

This weeks tip explains how I use the Kindle reader app on my iPad, plus Evernote, to do research for my books and articles.

Spiritual Foundations

This weekend like to share something written by Kris Vallotton.  It's about the importance of setting boundaries. This is a crucial skill needed by anyone in this business of ours.

“It's really important to set boundaries with people. If you don't learn to set boundaries in your life, other people will superimpose their priorities and values on you. The people who hate the fact that you're setting boundaries are the very ones who need them the most! Some people view boundaries as unloving or harsh. They think that you should run to every emergency, let people violate your values, and never say no to anyone or else you are not being loving. Jesus loved people and yet he had no problem confronting them. Personally, I'm tired of marshmallow Believers. Doormat Don and Molly meek need to get some courage and leave the powerless, victim camp of spineless Christianity.”

“It's funny, when I share things like this on my Facebook page people think I'm venting or I'm in a bad mood. I don't need to be in a bad mood to set boundaries, I've had to learn to live with them or die without them. No public figure could survive very long without setting boundaries. For example, it's common for people to talk to me while I'm in a bathroom stall or even slide a book under the stall for me to autograph. Often people will follow me out to my car after a 12 hour day of ministry to take a picture with me. All these people mean well, and it is really nice to be loved. But it takes a toll on you and soon you find yourself exhausted; not wanting to be around people. So you finally learn to set boundaries and risk being misunderstood. But it's better to be misunderstood and fruitful, than to be burnout, broke down, and useless.”

I urge you to take some time this week to think about what your boundaries are, and perhaps identify places in your life where a lack of boundaries is depleting your personal  resources.  You can't help anyone else if you're in the process of drowning.

Feature Segment: How To Monetize Your Message

How can you monetize any message? It's actually fairly simple.

First, in order to monetize your message, you must become the message your mission deserves.

Second, there are four strategic components to the monetization process:

1. Big Mission
2. Big Idea
3. Big Invitation
4. Big Offer

Third, in the Big Offer phase of your monetization plan, there are four subcomponents that must be present:

1. Community
2. Copy
3. Content
4. Call to Action

Want To Be On Next Week's Show?

My topic for next week's show is “How Would Ray Start Today?”. If you have a question on that topic, you can ask by visiting my voicemail page (just click here to leave a message). This is a great way to promote your own website. First, make sure you have a great question, and then start off by saying your name and your website. If your question is used on the show, will even include a link back to your site in the show notes.

Your Feedback

Do you have an idea for a podcast you would like to hear? Do you have a question that you like to ask me? Please contact me.

Call in your questions or comments to our new, fancy “request line” at (509) 713-2679 or click here to leave a message on my Voicemail Page

And if you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher.

One of the most common questions I get is this: “Ray, how do you create your podcast each week?” In this week's episode, I'll give the most complete answer ever. And I'll walk you through my workflow for creating this podcast.

The official “studio” of the Ray Edwards Show.

Announcements:

• JV Alert, July 26-28
• NAMS Conference, August 9-11
• SCORRE Conference, October 14-17
• Platform Conference, November 3-5

Tip Of The Week

The Eagle Creek Tarmac 22 is my new carry-on, along with Eagle Creek Pack It Cubes. Allows me to travel with just one bag for a 3-day conference. Thanks to Chris Brogan and Michael Hyatt for the tip.

Packing Pro. This app is my new method of choice for a packing checklist.

Spiritual Foundations

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

A few nights ago, I had serious trouble sleeping. I lay awake staring at the ceiling, reviewing the many responsibilities and tasks that lay before me the next day. Although I was weary, I could not rest. Finally, I spoke aloud to Jesus, and gave him my list of things I was worried about. He took my list, and I fell asleep.

Sometimes we just need to take the promises of the Bible at face value. We don't need to understand the Greek, or have an exegetical analysis performed by a trained theologian.

If you know Jesus, he has promised to give you rest. Whatever you're dealing with, whether it's financial, emotional, physical, or anything else, he sees you. He's already promised to give you rest. To take over your heavy burden. You can just ask. He will give you peace.

Feature Segment: How I Create My Podcast

First things first. Just about everything I learned about podcasting, I learned from Cliff Ravenscraft. He is the Podcast Answer Man. I will share how I create my podcast, but for the detailed tutorials and instruction you need on the subject, I recommend Cliff's material without reservation.

Ray's  Podcast Gear

• Mixer: Behringer Xenix X1222 USB
• Microphone: Heil PR40
• Digital audio recorder: Zoom Handy Recorder H2
• Digital hybrid: JK Audio Innkeeper 1X
• Audio processor: Multicom Pro-XL MDX4600
• Headphones: Audio Technica ATH – M30
• Magic bullet: iMic USB audio interface
• Website platform: WordPress
• Podcasting plug-in: Blubrry Powerpress
• Software: Adobe Audition, Creative Cloud; ID3 Editor; SoundByte
• Media server: Libsyn
• Computer: MacBook Air, 13 inch, 500 GB SSD
• Odds and ends: many different cables, Brother labeler for cables, great degree of patience, Cliff Ravenscraft podcast training to remove need for patience

Ray's Podcast Workflow

1. Decide on topic
2. Fill in SCORRE template
3. Fill-in podcast Show Prep template
4. Assemble audio clips
5. Records show “live” to digital audio recorder
6. Transfer show from SD card to MacBook Air
7. Process audio using Adobe audition
8. Export audio of show to MP3 format
9. Use ID3 tag software to tag MP3 file
10. Upload MP3 file to Libsyn
11. Add media link to post
12. Preview post and double check all links, copy, and the audio file
13. Schedule show for publication

Want To Be On Next Week's Show?

My topic for next week's show is “Monetizing Your Message”. If you have a question on that topic, you can ask by visiting my voicemail page (just click here to leave a message). This is a great way to promote your own website. First, make sure you have a great question, and then start off by saying your name and your website. If your question is used on the show, will even include a link back to your site in the show notes.

Your Feedback

Do you have an idea for a podcast you would like to hear? Do you have a question that you like to ask me? Please contact me.

Call in your questions or comments to our new, fancy “request line” at (509) 713-2679 or click here to leave a message on my Voicemail Page

And if you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher.