Make Marketing Suck Less

Michelle Mazur [00:00:00]: I never felt like I fit in with what was happening in online business. I didn't belong. I thought differently. I was doing business differently. And I felt like my expertise, my knowledge wasn't valued.

And so many times, so many times I felt passed over and ignored. And that's a really lonely place to be. And if you're listening to this podcast, I bet you felt that way too, that it's been hard to find a place where your skills, your knowledge, your experience is valued, a place where you fit in.

That's why today I wanted to share with you the experience of other experts who feel the same way and how they finally found a place to call home in the Expert Up Club.

What makes the club truly remarkable is not me. It's not what you can learn, but it's the people inside the community. I am constantly amazed by their generosity and support of each other, and I can't wait for you to meet them.

Get ready for the Rebel Uprising podcast, the only podcast dedicated to business owners who feel overlooked for their expertise, skills, and experience. Let's claim your expertise and turn your complex ideas into unmistakable messaging that grows your business. I am your host, Dr. Michelle Mazur, the author of The Three Word Rebellion and your Rebel Truth Telling guide to building a business that gets noticed.

Anytime you join a new community, it can feel like the first day of school. Will people like me? Will they want to be my friend? Do I have anything to contribute? And the first Expert Up Club member I want to introduce you to is Rebecca West, who I actually had the pleasure of interviewing for this. Rebecca, who after 15 years in business, is pivoting in a massive way. Her story, her experience will show you how you fit in the Expert Up Club and also how she's learning that marketing can suck less and she can get better at it after all this time.

Rebecca West [00:02:38]: I'm Rebecca West. I am currently making a big transition from 15 years as a residential interior designer to focusing completely on my business coaching for other residential interior designers.

Michelle Mazur [00:02:54]: Big pivot. So tell me a little bit about why you decided to join the Expert Up Club.

Rebecca West [00:02:58]: Yeah, it was really for two main reasons. One was being, as many business owners will know, being a business owner is very lonely, and I was lonely. I have been craving a group of like-minded, driven entrepreneurs that I could surround myself with who weren't necessarily in my industry, because I think that there's so much I can learn from people outside of my industry.

So, number one, I really wanted a community of other driven, entrepreneurial experts to call friends, right.

The second is marketing is really annoying and dumb and stupid. I love marketing conceptually because it's a cool game, but when money's on the line, when it's your money on the line, it's no longer a cool game.

It's just this really obnoxious mountain that you have to climb. So I was hoping, surrounded by these other experts and led by you, because, of course, I've known your work for a long, long time, I could climb that mountain with more ease.

Michelle Mazur [00:03:56]: So what has surprised you most about the Expert Up Club so far? Because we're only a couple of months in.

Rebecca West [00:04:04]: Some of the things that have I would almost say they have delighted me, more than surprised me. So, like, I'm delightedly surprised by the caliber of people in the group and how warm and generous everybody has been.

When you first join a new group, you're kind of wondering how it'll go? Like, you're joining a new group of friends, will they be your friends? And I've been delighted by how warm and engaged everybody is and also by how vulnerable everybody is asking for help, which allows me to do the same thing.

And then I've just been utterly delighted and surprised by how clearer marketing feels with the model that you're sharing with us. Like, as I'd said to you, on a different in a different time, marketing feels like it sucks less now, just like your tagline promises it will, because it's focused on what do we do and how are we going to talk about it? It just feels simpler than I've ever felt about it before.

Michelle Mazur [00:05:04]: I love that. I love that.

So what would you tell anyone who is on the fence about joining the Expert Up Club?

Rebecca West [00:05:11]: Oh, gosh. Well, because I'm the kind of coach that I am, I do have a lot of questions for them, like, why are they on the fence? If it's a financial question, I think the value is completely there. So this is really a matter from value. It's like, is what this group is promising. You're talking about leveling up, talking about yourself as an expert, finding the words to help other people understand the value of what you do. That value is in this group. They don't have to worry about that.

If they're worried about if they're going to get along with the other experts, they don't need to worry about that either because the diversity of experience, the longevity in different industries, there's some of us, like me, who are doing this massive pivot. There's others who are just leveling up what they've been doing for years.

There's so much diversity of entrepreneurial experience that there's going to be people in the group who you identify with, there's going to be people in the group who are ahead of you in certain areas and helping lift you up.

And if you're worried that you're not going to have anything to contribute, don't. Because there's going to be things that you bring in that nobody is as good at as you are, too.

Michelle Mazur [00:06:14]: Like Rebecca. The next member I want to introduce you to is Laura Gastos Young.

She was also seeking community, and it's one thing to give in a community to contribute, but it's quite another to know that you're going to be supported, that your questions will be answered.

Because we've all had the experience of asking a question in a group, wanting feedback and hearing crickets. And this is what Laura had to say about her experience.

Laura Gatsos Young [00:06:49]: Hi, my name is Laura Gatsos Young and I'm a copywriter and marketing consultant. I joined the Expert Up Club because I was looking to connect and engage with peers who were also experts in their field and navigating similar challenges and opportunities that I am in my own business.

I had worked with Michelle to create my Three World Rebellion “Belong to Your Customer” and I loved the result and how she applied her expertise to her work.

I was surprised by the level of engagement and the rich conversations that happen inside the group. The members are active almost every day and I have the opportunity to get feedback almost in real time on questions I have or things I'm working on.

I'm also really impressed by the workshops that Michelle hosts as they are so in depth and actionable. If you're looking to create your messaging or update your messaging as your business evolves, the workshops and resources will definitely help you do it.

If you're looking for an engaged and helpful community of experts who are serious business owners and you feel you could benefit from getting insight into your own business and feedback from others that you trust on your work, I'd highly recommend the Expert Up Club. You'll meet people from different industries who are experts at what they do.

Michelle Mazur [00:08:03]: One thing we don't talk enough about is how lonely it can be to be a solo business owner and how we work in our silos all day long with no one there but our own brain to rely on to give us feedback.

That's why I wanted you to meet Brad Powell of Awesome Video Makers. I've known Brad pretty much since I started my business eleven years ago, and Brad is going to tell you about going it alone and his search for a place to belong.

But he also has a pretty big breakthrough around his messaging for his offer, Mic Drop Moment, which is a fantastic offer where you give Brad an hour of your time and he produces a month's worth of short form video.

And this breakthrough in his messaging is going to make his marketing so much easier. So listen in to hear Brad's story.

Brad Powell [00:09:04]: I'm Brad Powell and I am the founder of Awesome Video Makers, where I help experts and entrepreneurs get their message out and share their expertise using short form video.

And I joined the Expert Up Club mainly for the collaboration. You know doing this stuff when we're doing an online business of any kind, as a solopreneur, we're all by ourselves. And it can be lonely. And it can be really hard when you're sitting inside the bottle to read the label on the outside to know if your message is resonating and if you are saying things that will actually resonate with your audience.

So I thought, wow, nothing better than to join a group of other experts, some of the people who are even smarter than I am. What surprised me most about it was that first of all, the group is really dedicated. Like, I've been amazed at how much participation there is and how much exchange there is. That's very genuine.

Anytime I've gone in and posted anything, I've gotten terrific response. And I'm seeing this happen with pretty much every member of the group. So I really like that part.

And the other thing that's been working really well is that, yeah, I have been improving my message. I've been improving the way that I talk about and think about the work that I'm doing. Just for one example, we were on a Q & A call and one of the other members was getting a review of her LinkedIn page.

And so I raised my hand and said, okay, let's look at mine. I've been working on it for a while and I found out that I've been talking about my work from the point of view of two different kinds of people.

There's the kind of person who is afraid of video. They're camera shy and they really need a lot of help and nurturing to get over that hurdle.

But then there's another group of people who have no problem getting on camera, they just don't have the time to do it. And of course, this group is probably the group that I want to talk to the most.

So instead of having messaging on my page and all over the place, that's talking to two different kinds of clients. Now I can focus just on one. So great!

So if you are sitting on the fence and you're wondering, should I join this group? Well, I would say don't wait. Don't sit in your silo all by yourself. There's a nice group of experts who are willing to share whatever they can to help you out and get you over whatever hurdles are in front of you right now.

So I just want to thank Michelle for putting this group together. It's early days and it's going really well.

Michelle Mazur [00:11:55]: Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. I've had the theme song of “Cheers” running through my brain ever since I started putting this series together.

And if you're listening to this and thinking, I've heard enough. I want to be a part of this amazing group of business owners, then I invite you to apply. Applications are open this week from June 26 through June 30.

And if you're listening to this, sometimes in the future you can still apply to join us. So if you're resonating with these experts and what they have to say, I encourage you to apply at ExpertUp Dot Club.

I still have two more people I'd like to introduce you to. So next we have Jessica Lackey, a brilliant Harvard educated business strategist who deeply knows her stuff. And really, she wanted to be in a community with other serious business owners, and this is her experience in the Expert Up Club so far.

Jessica Lackey [00:13:14]: My name is Jessica Lackey, and I'm a business and operations strategist. I decided to join the Expert Up Club because I wanted to be in community with other experts who were building their businesses off of their expertise and not through chasing viral social media trends.

What surprised me the most about the Expert Up Club was how beneficial it is to have community feedback from your fellow experts. In addition to Michelle's leadership, the community of experts in the room go beyond jargon and generic messaging to give you real feedback.

And what I would tell anyone who is on the fence about joining. If you're willing to show up, be brave with your messaging, and build relationships in the community, this investment is worth the time.

Michelle Mazur [00:13:59]: The final member I can't wait for you to meet is Diann Wingert, a therapist turned no BS business coach.

She's an extrovert and also a very seasoned business owner. Diann is a one woman welcoming machine in the Expert Up Club. Listen in as Diann tells her story about the feeling of being passed over when you're an expert.

She'll also tell you what she's found in the club, and she's going to share three powerful questions to ask yourself if you're on the fence about joining us in the Expert Up Club.

Diann Wingert [00:14:40]: Hey there. I'm Diann Wingert, a no BS therapist turned business coach for ambitious outliers. I'm also the host of the “Driven Woman Entrepreneur” podcast.

I decided to join the Expert Up Club for a few reasons. I have already been a fan and follower of Dr. Michelle Mazur's work for the last few years. But I'm also an extrovert. And even though I have adapted to working from home online, I was especially drawn to the prospect of not just being mentored by Michelle, but meeting others who were also attracted to her invitation to what I call “Stand up, Show up and Speak up”.

Legitimate experts who often struggle with impostor syndrome, perfectionism and just fear of being seen. Meanwhile, plenty of other people who are really naturally good at marketing but don't know as much as we do are literally passing us by and serving the clients that we should be serving.

So I was really attracted to meet other people who responded to that kind of message. Because no matter how much experience, wisdom, or credentials you have, being both able and willing to confidently share your unique genius is an act of courage, and you don't always want to be the smartest person in the room.

A lot of the other group programs and memberships I've experienced were filled with people who were either brand new to being in business for themselves or they needed a lot of guidance and support, so they just never felt like legitimate peers to me.

One of the things that surprised me about the Expert Up Club is just how eager the other members have been to form meaningful relationships around being seen within the group. It's been so easy to get to know other members in a variety of ways and people are both genuinely supportive, but also willing to open up a dialogue where we can have differences of opinions and nuance around things.

And it's really what I've been looking for for a long time and I've come to appreciate it so, so much. So if you are kind of on the fence and thinking, is this the group for me? I would invite you to ask yourself these questions.

One, if you are a legitimate expert in your field, how does it feel when you are not recognized as such? And how does it feel when you see someone with less than half your experience serving the clients that should be working with you?

Two, do you struggle to communicate the value of what you do in a way that helps your “just right” clients find you and decide to hire you? Because this is not just a social club, although it is kind of social, at least for the people like me that want it.

You're going to be mentored by Dr. Michelle Mazur, who is a legitimate expert in marketing and messaging. And I've already learned a ton from her after having been a follower of her work for some time.

The last question I would invite you to ask yourself is, did you lose your peer group when you left your corporate, nonprofit or academic position? And have you been floundering a little bit to recreate a genuine wolf pack for yourself now that you are self employed?

Well, this might be the place for you as it has been for me. I had a big “Yes” to all three of those questions and I have been nothing but delighted with the experiences I've had in the Expert Up Club.

So if you ask my opinion, I say come on in and let me be one of the first people to welcome you.

Michelle Mazur [00:18:18]: I hope you enjoyed meeting some of the members of the Expert Up Club, because these are the people you'll get to meet, get support from, and hang out with.

If you decide to join us in the Expert Up Club, and I sincerely hope you do. You can submit your application to join us right now at Expertup dot Club and you can do that all the way through Friday, June 30.

And if you're on the fence, you're not sure if you should submit an application, do it anyway, because you can have an opportunity to talk with me to make sure that this is the right next step for you. Because I can't wait to welcome you into this community of amazing human beings.

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The Rebel uprising podcast is a production of Communication Rebel. Our production coordinator is Jessica Gulley-Ward of Juggling Logistics. Our sound engineer is Stephen Mills. Rebel Uprising podcast is recorded on the unseated traditional land of the coast Salish Peoples, specifically the first people of Seattle, the Duamish people, original stewards of the land past and present.