#069: How To Monetize Your Message [Podcast]

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.

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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.

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