August 20, 2018

If you’re like me, every day on social media or through email, there is someone always hitting you up to sell you some special sauce or who wants to link you directly to some guaranteed formula to get you more clients…only that link simply upsells you to whatever product they’re schlepping.

So today, I’m going to share a proven way to help you get traction on your new blog, podcast, or social media.

Even if no one knows you, has even heard of you, it’s still possible to get traction pretty quickly.

How’s that you might ask?

It’s simple:

You get someone that people do know and interview them on your blog, podcast, or social media.*

That’s it.

Get someone who is a known commodity – an expert – on your blog, on your social media, or on your podcast.

And it’s so much easier than what you’re thinking right now. Here’s now:

[ult_cornerbox color=”000000″ backgroundcolor=”FFFFFF” bordercolor=”000000″ borderwidth=”1″ borderstyle=”solid” icon=”” ]1. Right now, no one knows who you are, but if you were, how would you want to be known?[/ult_cornerbox]

This is the first important question that you have to ask yourself.

You want to nail the right target market, and you, right now, are developing your brand. Even if you are interviewing experts, you’re associating yourself with being an authority on the topic.

And after you start interviewing experts on topics around the niche that you’ve chosen, you will be seen as an expert. You’ll be guilty by association in the best sort of way!

So choose subject matter, topics, sticking points, problem areas, etc. that you’re going to be helping your niche solve, and use this as the basis for what experts you’ll bring alongside you.

[ult_cornerbox color=”000000″ backgroundcolor=”FFFFFF” bordercolor=”000000″ borderwidth=”1″ borderstyle=”solid” icon=”” ]2. Write down your dream list of guests.[/ult_cornerbox]

I’m challenging you to dream here. Go big!

Don’t give into the feelings of smallness.

When I was a kid, we used to send fan mail to our favorite TV stars. Mine were on the Dukes of Hazzard and David Hasslehoff on Knight Rider. Yeah, that’s embarrassing now, but anyone who talks into their watch and tells their Trans Am to pick them up anytime, anywhere is still much cooler than Uber!

These days, well-known people are much more accessible, and that’s because many of them are running their own Twitter Accounts, Instagram, Facebook, etc.

It’s amazing the amount of humanness that is on display from even celebrities. I found out that Will Smith is probably even more hilarious in real life than in the movies.

All I’m saying is that you’re often 1 click, 1 text, 1 email from a real person, and it’s never been like this before.

[ult_cornerbox color=”000000″ backgroundcolor=”FFFFFF” bordercolor=”000000″ borderwidth=”1″ borderstyle=”solid” icon=”” ]3. Make the pitch![/ult_cornerbox]

Keep it relatively short – just a few paragraphs.

• Tell that famous celebrity or expert how/why you appreciate them.
• Tell them about your IG Live, Facebook Live, podcast, blog, etc. – what you are hoping to accomplish through it
• Tell them what topic you’d like to interview them about
• Tell them how long (I’d recommend 15 minutes)

Don’t act like you’re begging, but be polite. Offer them the ability to promote any of their books, latest projects, etc.

Click send and wait.

[ult_cornerbox color=”000000″ backgroundcolor=”FFFFFF” bordercolor=”000000″ borderwidth=”1″ borderstyle=”solid” icon=”” ]4. Get ready to be shocked by the results.[/ult_cornerbox]

Some years ago, an author named Bob Goff shared a story about a conversation he had with his kids right after 9/11 about what they could do to change the world.
His kids had this crazy idea they could interview all the
world leaders and ask them their hopes, and then they would share those hopes with the other world leaders.
The funny thing is that Bob didn’t think it was a crazy idea. In fact, he got a post office box and mailed letters to ever world leader including dictators. Letters started pouring in, most that were “thanks, but no thanks.” And then it happened: leaders from countries like Switzerland, Bulgaria, Israel – nearly 30 in all – accepted. So they did what any parents would do: they pulled their kids out of school and traveled the world.

I don’t say much about this, but I’ve gotten to meet a lot of people that you would have considered “out of my league” when I was a rookie coach. That’s because most people think that way. We don’t have to wait for people to classify us. We do it for them most of the time.

I’ve never been too crazy about meeting well-known people. I see them as pretty normal, and, the more I’ve hung around them, the more I realize they aren’t that much different than you or me.

Some of these people I’ve had the privilege to befriend. I’m in their cell; they’re in mine.

Since we’re talking specifically about social media, blogs, and podcasts, I want to relate a story specifically to it.

I had a project that I was working on for a very specific group of people about a very specific subject matter. This was a new niche for me, and I had no name there. So I put together a wish list of reasonably well-known experts that people do follow on that topic, and for about an hour or two, I copy/pasted emails and sent them to about 20 or so people.  My expectation was that it would take me weeks to get a response. After all, in my previous experience, KITT from Knight Rider didn’t send me a letter for at least 3 months.

To my surprise, my inbox started filling up. I wasn’t even ready yet! I didn’t even have a website up, nor did I even own any recording equipment to conduct the interviews.

Not only were people responsive, they were overwhelmingly gracious with their time.

And the results?

I got amazing traction and a following out of the work which took little prep on my side because they were doing all the work.
I got amazing content that I could utilize.

It cost me absolutely nothing because, believe it or not, these people will do interviews for free.

Why would they do it for free? Because people are amazing and are always looking for ways to help others who are just starting out.

[ult_cornerbox color=”000000″ backgroundcolor=”FFFFFF” bordercolor=”000000″ borderwidth=”1″ borderstyle=”solid” icon=”” ]5. Make sure you tag and send thank you’s for the interview over all your social media.[/ult_cornerbox]

First off, it’s showing gratitude.

Secondly, this is really going to help you get eyeballs on your content.  Their followers might be interested in what you’re doing.  They might be interested in some of your future guests.  The whole point of traction is not more views but more followers who are actually human beings.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Look for ways that you can use quotes, references to your interviews, meme for social media, or even split an interview into 3 or 4 parts. Get as much out of each interview as possible.

When you promote the interviews, use graphics that have the both of your faces. Again, you want to build your credibility and authority through association.

* By the way, I’m giving this tip away for free, especially because that’s how I got it from the brilliant John Lee Dumas (Entrepreneurs on Fire) from a panel I heard him speak out years ago. It’s not word-for-word, nor 100% what he says to do, but the original idea came from him, so let’s give credit where credit is due!

I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Please use the links in the author bio section to interact with us on social media.  And Share! Share! Share! this article with others that could really benefit from it!

Paul Dabdoub

Master Coach Trainer, Founder | paul@ilifecoachtraining.com | Website

Paul Dabdoub is a master coach trainer & mentor, speaker, writer, and entrepreneur, and an executive coach who’s literally helped 1000’s of people take practical steps towards their future.

Paul is the founder of Life Coach Training Institute - the largest life coach training school in North America and the #1 life coach certification online program.