Jeff Goins

Michael Hyatt wrote the book on platform-building — literally. I’ve been following his blog for years, but his newest book, Platform, distills his most important thoughts on publishing, marketing, and how to build a powerful audience online.

For the longest time, I just nodded along, thinking, Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get all that stuff, but it’ll never work for me.

Finally, though, I gave up on my skepticism and just went with it. And in eight months, I had a book deal. In a year, my blog was receiving 80,000–100,000 visitors per month. All because I chose to build a platform.

I’m not pulling your leg when I say you can do this, too. You can — if you’ll just get over your cynicism and trust the process.

Here’s how it works in five important steps:

Step 1: Start with wow

This is where Mike begins his book and where you should begin your process. Most people want to get popular or make a book, but they’re missing the most important ingredient: the “wow” factor. They’re trying to pass off something mediocre as awesome, and trust me — people can tell the difference.

Doing this, in the words of Seth Godin, is like putting some whipped cream and a cherry on top of a bunch of meatballs and calling it a “sundae.” It’s not. Before you start marketing, make sure you’ve got something a great product.

If you’re a writer, musician, or artist, this means spending some time working on your craft than promoting it. It means practicing.

But this goes beyond mere skill. It also means paying attention to details like packaging and making each and every experience with your product amazing (think of how it feels to unwrap an Apple product for the first time).

Step 2: Prepare to launch

Before the world will listen to your message, you need to make sure it’s ready. This includes everything from accepting responsibility for your work to making sure you have a consistent headshot on all your social media channels.

If you’re like me, you have a love/hate relationship with branding and marketing yourself, but the bottom line here is clarity. Are you helping your audience understand what you’re about — or are you confusing them?

Even though I knew this stuff, I still wasn’t practicing it as best I could. Just this week, after reading Mike’s book, I decided to change all social networks to have the same image of my face. A small change, but an important one, if you want to make an impression.

Step 3: Build your home base

This may be the most important part of getting your message heard — having the actual platform. For some, this will be a blog. For others, it may be your rolodex.

Whatever form it takes, a platform needs to be something that you own and can control. Mike’s tips, which he lives and practices religiously, are helpful and practical.

When it comes to creating your home base, you want to focus on quantity and shipping — getting your ideas out in front of the world — especially when you’re just beginning. Don’t get hung up on perfectionism; put your work out there. You can always tweak it later.

The most helpful chapter in this section was the one on building a speaking page, which I followed to a tee for my own speaking page (and it’s already started attracting speaking requests!).

Step 4: Expand your reach

Without channels of connection, your message can only go so far. This is where most people struggle — they have something the world needs to hear but don’t have anyone’s attention.

This is where Twitter and Facebook — as well as your guest posting strategy — come in.

I had the privilege of contributing a short chapter to this section, so I’m a little biased, but this is where your message really begins to take off. It’s where you reach a personal tipping point. But until you build and launch, you can’t expand.

Step 5: Engage your tribe

Few people are better are rewarding their tribes than Mike. I’ve learned so much from his generosity and accessibility (I met him in person because he actually answers his email). In particular, I love how he uses giveaways to build trust and earn permission.

But engagement is a two-way street. And it’s inevitable that once you build a platform you’ll start attracting critics and haters — people who will want to knock you down. So when Mike says, “Don’t feed the trolls,” he knows what he’s talking about; he’s lived it.

At this point, you’re ready to start making money, and no doubt some people will just skip straight to Chapter 60 of Platform: “Monetize Your Blog” — but there’s a reason it’s the last chapter. Because everything you do up until that point earns you the trust you need to make a big ask like that.

Start building your platform now

This is how businesses and audiences are built these days: you find who will listen first and then start delivering value to them. Michael Hyatt’s done this; I’m trying to do it, too. The question is, are you doing it? Or are you still waiting? Still delaying?

It’s time to start. To share your message with the world. And it all begins with a platform.

By the way, I’ve got a signed copy of Platform that I’m going to give away to a lucky commenter in the next 24 hours. Just answer this question:

What’s something you haven’t done to build a platform yet? Share in the comments.

It was a routine doctor’s visit. Our unborn baby was having his heart monitored because of an arrhythmia they spotted the previous week.

Everything looked fine until my wife asked how big he was and they reattached the Velcro strap to assess his weight.

It all felt incredibly normal.

But then they saw something unusual — something that required the doctor to come back into the room and explain what was going on.

He spoke for ten minutes straight, using words we didn’t understand. He made motions and gestures with his hands, and we stared at him, dumbfounded. Then he said five words we did understand:

“You’ll be parents by tomorrow.”

That simple phrase changed everything: how the rest of my week was scheduled, what I thought was important only minutes before, and even how I thought about myself. I was now a dad; I had better start acting like it.

At 9:29 last night, four weeks earlier than planned, we became parents to a beautiful baby boy named Aiden Jeffery. He was four pounds, nine ounces, and nearly 18 inches long. He was born a fighter.

He surprised us, like all kids do (I’m told). And I knew in an instant life would never be the same. Thank God.

Here he is, world. Make him feel welcome.

Well, I told you to get creative and crazy, and you did just that. Thanks to everyone who contributed a confession to the You Are a Writer Contest. There were songs and costume changes, acronyms and poems, artwork and photographs — and more!

After reviewing over 130 entries, my eyeballs hate me, but I’m confident in the winner we’re about to announce. But before we do that, here’s a word from our sponsor.

This contest is brought to you by…

You Are a Writer is a book about making an important declaration. Writers write. So if you’re writing, then you’re a writer — whether you realize it or not. And if you’ve yet to declare this, your greatest work is still ahead of you.

Runners-up

It was so hard to pick a single winner (but I promised you one, so a winner you will have!). I had to narrow it down to a few final contestants and ask my wife to help me pick out the final winner.

Since there really were some great ones, I decided to give two people the “runner up” prize (which I just made up): a free version of the Platinum Package of You Are a Writer, which includes all eBook formats of the book, a writing worksheet (with six nifty exercises), and the brand-new, four-part audio series featuring yours truly.

Runner-up #1: Funniest entry

I chose this video, “The Places Where I Write My Book” by Ross Gale, because it made me laugh out loud more than any other entry. I can’t wait to read this book that’s been written in so many interesting places. It was a great video and well worth the “Funniest” award.

Runner-up #2: Craziest entry

“I Am a Writer!” by Molly A. Nelson was straight-up crazy. Props to Molly for committing to getting into full Spartan garb and using my book as a movie script (also great job on the melodramatic close-ups). Gerard would be proud.

And the winner is…

Only one could win, and although it was hard, I think Dustin Smith’s “Now I’m a Writer” was a clear winner.

The reason I chose this entry was because it was done with excellence, offered an inspiring declaration, and was incredibly creative (I mean, he used his own music, folks!). He’ll get everything the other winners got, plus a $100 Amazon gift card.

Everybody wish Dustin well in the comments, and check out his blog. Here’s his winning video (click here if you can’t see it in your email or RSS reader):

Honorable mentions

There were a lot of other great declarations (you can see all of them here). Here are a few worth mentioning:

• I Am a Writer… Now What?
• Know It. Do It. Declare It.
• I Am a Writer (The Song)
• Semicolon (A Short Play)
• Acting Like One. (A Tattoo!)
• I’m a Writer
• “I Told Myself I Couldn’t Write.” (Photo)

Thanks to everyone who entered! For those of you didn’t win, I hope you’ll still consider picking up a copy of You Are a Writer and/or sharing it with friends.

What entry was your favorite? Share in the comments.

*Photo credit: Kheel Center (Creative Commons)

Art, they say, is in the eye of the beholder. Which is a nice way of saying it’s whatever you want it to be. But I don’t believe that. Although I don’t have an objective perspective on art (nobody does), I believe there is such a thing as good and bad creative work.

But maybe that’s asking too much — for us to label art “good” or “bad.” And that’s fine, I guess. But what is not okay is calling something “art” when it’s not. When it’s something else.

My friend Stephen Proctor pointed this out to me recently (quoting Mako Fujimura, I think). The difference between art and entertainment is a subtle, but important one:

Entertainment gives you a predictable pleasure… Art leads to transformation.

If that’s true, then I’ve got a problem with a lot of what we call “art.” Because it’s not changing us. At best, it’s inebriating us to the pain of the world. Which is not the point.

Art is supposed to transforms us — here’s how:

• It surprises us.
• It wounds us.
• It changes us.

Entertainment makes us feel good. It doesn’t surprise us. It meets our expectations. And that’s why we like it: it coddles us. But the problem with entertainment is it leaves us unchanged. And we desperately need to change.

Art, on the other hand, transforms us. How does it do that? It beautifully wounds us — breaks our hearts, causes us to cry, and shows us our own inadequacies. Art forces us to make a choice. It does exactly what we don’t expect.

And that’s how art changes us.

So the question, dear artist, is this: Are you creating predictable work that doesn’t surprise? That doesn’t wound? That ultimately doesn’t change anything? What, then, are you creating?

It may be propaganda. It may be advertising. It may even be entertainment. But it’s probably not art.

What do you think? Share in the comments.

*Photo credit: Mark Heard (Creative Commons)

Apparently, writers hate creating videos. That’s what I learned when I launched a contest and nobody (but two brave people) entered it.

I don’t blame you. Videos are scary, and writers write (not videographify). That’s why I’m changing the rules.

I just expanded the You Are a Writer Contest to include not only video, but blog posts, tweets, whatever — anything with a link.

But you need to act now, because the contest ends tomorrow.

Rules and stuff

To enter your chance to win $120 in prizes, create an announcement in which you tell the world you’re a writer, and share it. Here’s how it’ll work:

1. Create the most creative announcement (video/post/tweet/etc.) you can in which you declare yourself to be a writer. If doing a video, upload the video to YouTube or Vimeo.
2. Make sure you include the text link to http://youareawriter.com somewhere in your announcement (e.g. in the description of your video, as a link in your tweet, etc.).
3. Share your link on this page.
4. Promote the link on your social networks (this is optional, but it helps.)
5. Submit your entry by May 20 (the cut-off time is 11:59pm CST).

The goods

Here’s what the winner will get:

• All formats of my new eBook, You Are a Writer (if you already have these, you can gift them to a friend)
• Writing worksheet with six exercises
• A new, not-yet-released audio series on writing and getting published
• A $100 Amazon gift card

That’s $120 in prizes. Pretty sweet, if you ask me.

Yes, you can now enter the contest with a blog post, video, tweet, status update, etc. Whatever you want. Just make it creative. Call me a softie, but I want to keep it interesting.

I’ll pick the winner and announce who him/her on the blog on May 22nd.

February had just gotten underway when my phone came alive with a former colleague’s call. While my daughter sat perched on an elevated salon chair having inches removed from her hair, I said “yes” to the idea of ghostwriting my second book.

In the weeks that followed, my client and I talked in a fair amount of detail about his manuscript. He sent me his first draft, asking for my feedback. After re-writing a portion as a trial, we settled on a contract and made things “official” by the end of March.

I was thrilled at the idea of an extra paycheck and let my imagination cozy up with every Crate & Barrel catalog that entered our home.

Prepare for the unexpected

Unbeknownst to me, this client began to wonder if he had rushed into our contract; perhaps Path A or Road B should have been more fully investigated, he reasoned.

I returned home from a spring vacation to an email declaring he intended to break our contract in favor of a new option.

Crate & Barrel suddenly became a distant memory and I was crushed. Not only had I been hoping for another publication but my family was counting on the money. The “Rojo Cabinet” would have to wait.

The author’s options

As I saw it, I had three choices in the matter aside from throwing things and crying like the victim of a high school break-up:

• Insist on the contract. It was, after all, legally binding, though I suspected our working relationship would be seriously compromised.
• Ask for a buy-out. Because we had a signed contract, it seemed reasonable to ask for a buy-out due to his breach. After all, I had made space in my work calendar for this project.
• Walk away. I hated to consider this option because it made me feel as though I wasn’t a fighter — that this didn’t mean enough to me to insist on something. Worse, I didn’t want to be perceived as an easy target. But was it time to walk?

What I learned

Lost in a new world of unwanted legal dilemmas, I wrote a friend. He generously offered some advice that would bring me immense clarity, and eventually, peace:

1. Be gracious. My friend reminded me to take the high road even if I’m feeling jipped this time around. Certainly extending grace would reveal my character and preserve my integrity. Even if I don’t reap the “rewards” now, eventually kindness wins. I read and re-read James 1:19 and told myself to be slow to speak. Slow to anger. I forced myself sit silently with emails until I was sure I could proceed with grace.
2. Next time, provide a way out. The contract I signed (without the help of an agent) did not have a clause to govern this type of situation, so we were left to debate the situation without boundaries or an arbitrator. In retrospect I would have appreciated some language in the contract about those who suddenly opt for a lifeboat in the middle of a seemingly placid sea.
3. Ascertain your values. I had to ask myself the question, “Is it worth it to you? Is this contract worth the fight?” You’re expending valuable emotional energy; is it over money or principle? It convicted me to look at the situation with fresh eyes.

As I write, this situation in still full of loose ends, but I’m okay with that. I feel that I was assertive, yet kind. Forthright, yet grace-giving.

Today I write in peaceful anonymity. There may not be another book this summer or a new cabinet in our living room, but my integrity is intact. And friends, that’s something you can’t buy in a catalog.

What have your own contract blunders or deals-gone-wrong taught you? Share in the comments.

*Photo credit: Victor1558 (Creative Commons)

If you decide to build a platform — to create a brand and connect with others, you’ll see breakthroughs with your writing you never would have imagined.

After six years of slaving away, I finally decided to quit my old blog and start a new one. When I did that, things really started to take off. Part of it was luck. Part of it was, I’m sure, God’s grace. And another part was a lot of hustle.

But in eight short months, my writing was reaching more people than it ever had before. I don’t share this to brag, but to illustrate the power of a platform. Every writer, artist, and communicator should do this. It’s essential to your message getting heard.

The best time to be a writer

This is an amazing time to pursue your passion and live your dream. Think about it: You, the writer, can now create a destiny for yourself that was never before possible. Amazing, right? Here are some of the opportunities that await you:

• Landing a book deal without writing a proposal
• Getting your work published in magazines (without worrying about query letters)
• The chance to earn money for your work
• Free stuff (yep, free!)
• Opportunities to meet influential people

I used to be afraid of rejection. So I waited for the gatekeepers to pick me, to choose my work. Now, fear is no longer something that controls me. Why? Because I stopped waiting and started creating.

Sure, I still struggle with fear (don’t we all?). But I’ve finally picked myself, and it’s fun to see the gatekeepers come to me — instead of me continuing to wait and plead to be published.

Change your mind

All of this began with a pledge, a simple understanding: I am a writer. I just need to write.

Of course, there’s no formula to becoming a writer, but believing in yourself is essential. It’s what makes a writer, a writer. Anne Lamott illustrated this the other day in a tweet:

If you’re writing, you’re a writer. Ignore your narcissism and bad self-esteem.

Being a writer just means that you write, not that you’re any good. The real trick is sticking with it long enough to show the world something.

You can follow a similar process as I did, or you can try something completely different. Find what works for you, but make no mistake. It all begins with a core belief in you.

Maybe you’ll see success sooner than those who came before you. Maybe it will take longer. But the bottom line is this: If you do the work, you’ll see the results.

This is a time of incredible opportunities for writers. It’s the Age of No Excuse — where anything is possible and the only person holding you back is you. Your opportunity is here. Don’t let it pass you by. And remember: It all begins with a change of mind.

Start here

1. Declare yourself a writer. (My new eBook can help with this.)
2. Start writing. Stop doubting. Live into your identity.
3. Get better. Just because you’re a writer doesn’t mean you’re a good one. So start practicing.

What has building a platform for your writing gotten you? What do you hope it will give you? Share in the comments.

I hate networking. Maybe you do, too. The good news is there’s another way.

People often ask me how to connect with influential people or what it takes to get a lot of people to know you.

First, I tell them what doesn’t work: forcing yourself on people who don’t know you and trying to get them to do something for you.

In a selfish world obsessed with celebrity, we need more generosity. We don’t need more rock stars; we need more servants. It may be the only thing that can save us from ourselves.

So my best tip for networking is this: serve people. Do you want to make a name for yourself? Start by helping someone.

When networking feels sleazy

In most fields, you’re supposed to network with your peers. This allows you to stay updated on what’s new in your industry and helps you keep a healthy list of friends and prospective clients.

Not too long ago, I saw an episode of Ugly Betty in which the main character is forced go out and network. She absolutely hates it. It feels phony for her to walk around a bar and have trivial, three-minute conversations concluding in a quick exchange of business cards.

And it is phony.

No real connection is made; no breakthroughs occur. No one is looking out for anyone but himself. It’s a futile exercise in self-promotion, leaving everyone feeling sleazy.

A lot of people feel that way about networking — whether they be salespeople, pastors, or entrepreneurs. They know that they need to reach out, but the way we’ve been taught just feels wrong.

Why you still need people

Everywhere you turn, there is someone telling you that you ought to network. And they’re right. You can’t throw the baby out with the bath water. We can’t succeed without the help of others. We need each other. And that’s all networking is: connecting with people whom you can help and who can help you.

You can’t grow in your influence if you don’t get to know more people and make more friends. But perhaps, we’ve been going about it all wrong. Thankfully, how networking is often portrayed — how Betty saw it — isn’t the only way.

An alternative to networking

I’m shy and hate small talk. I’m not a very good networker. But I’ve learned a way of doing it that makes me feel like less of a sleaze: I network by doing favors for people.

If I see someone with a need that I can meet, I help that person. I may offer my advice or writing services or just my time. I may give away a great idea or connect two people who need to know each other. I try to do more than is expected, to go the extra mile.

And for some reason, this surprises people.

You can do this, too

Here’s a thought: Instead of a me-first approach to networking, try a you-first one. It’s not passing out business cards, but it does the job. This form of networking yields two results:

1. It feels good. Can you believe that? Helping people actually feels good. Novel concept, huh?
2. It leads to people doing favors for you. Remember that old adage, “What goes around, comes around”? Well, it’s true. You don’t do favors for something in return. However, if you help enough people fulfill their dreams, they’ll eventually help you with yours. Generosity is contagious.

Don’t you want to be known as the kind of person who does favors for people, who puts others before his own needs? I do. Maybe it begins with just a few of us paying it forward and seeing how that can be multiplied.

All I know is my arm is tired of patting myself on the back. I need another way.

This makes you a better person

Some people believe you have be selfish in order to succeed. That in order to be a good networker, you have to look out for yourself. I disagree. The best networker is a servant. Everything else is just sleazy self-promotion, and in the long run, it doesn’t work.

Zig Ziglar once said:

You can have everything you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.

The fruit of this approach speaks for itself. If you build a reputation as the person who helps people, what do you think that will do for your business or your brand — and how people think of you? Conversely, if you’re known as the guy or girl who’s always name-dropping and speaking in the first person, what do you think that will get you?

In the end, this is the most pragmatic way to network. But it’s also the most fulfilling way to live. So if you’ve grown tired of networking, try something else. Try serving someone. It’s its own reward.

What are your best tips for networking? Share in the comments.

First impressions aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. And that’s the truth.

When I met my wife, I was more interested in dating her roommate. As we became friends, I began to notice her and soon realized what a catch she was. After that, it was a no-brainer to chase her down to Tennessee and marry that girl. But coming to this realization took time.

Truth is I can’t remember the first time Ashley and I met. But I do remember the hundred excuses I came up with to see her once I started liking her. It took both of us awhile before we started dating.

You see, it’s not the first impression that matters, but the fifth. The one after the few awkward exchanges at the beginning — that’s where real relationship happens.

Keep showing up

Few people practice this better than Seth Barnes. He doesn’t place a lot of weight on one-time meetings and personal charisma. He’s more of a long-distance guy than a relational sprinter.

In other words, he just keeps showing up in people’s lives. An email here, a phone call there. Gradually, over time, he earns your trust.

This is how he got me to come work for him — not because of any particular conversation that moved me, but by continually coming into my life at key moments. Pretty soon, I believed in him and wanted to serve his vision.

Where transformation happens

In our culture, we place a lot of unnecessary pressure on first impressions — job interviews and first days at school and first-time visits to churches.

But the truth is transformation happens long after introductions have been made. It’s when you’ve learned each other’s names and remembered a person’s hometown. That’s when you start making an impression.

Any good marketer knows this. The first time you encounter a message, you’re likely to forget it. It doesn’t matter if it’s a sports car, migraine medicine, or a brand-new book. As long as it’s new, it’s not memorable.

But somewhere after the fourth time you see it is when the words and images begin to resonate. Until then, you’re still a stranger.

Three steps to gaining more influence

So if you have a message to share, a brand to promote, or good news to tell, here’s what you need to do:

1. Show up. Get involved in a person’s life. Don’t place too much emphasis on the first impression, but make it a point to be there. This could be a party, an advertisement, or a face-to-face meeting.
2. Earn permission. Think of it like dating. Whether you’re at a networking event, a job interview, or starting a new blog, you need to ask for a second (and third and fourth) chance to prove yourself. Make this explicit.
3. Pay attention. It’s not just enough to show up in someone’s life (although that’s important). You also have to notice things like the person’s favorite flavor of ice cream and the type of car she drives. If you want to make a meaningful impression, you have to listen.

Do this with as many people as possible until you run out of time and energy. Give particular weight to the relationships you’ve been developing, and find ways to take them deeper.

When you do this, people notice. It matters to them, even if they don’t say so. What’s more, I know of no other way to make a difference in a person’s life. So what are you waiting for? Time to start caring.

What do you think? Do first impressions matter? Share in the comments.

*Photo credit: Chiyo Takaaki (Creative Commons)