Show Notes This is the episode of Grey Matters that every person thinking about starting a business - or succeeding in their existing business - should listen to right now. The alternative may mean months or even years of focusing in the wrong direction. The age old question for entrepreneurs, "What should my business look like?" is one where the a…

Show Notes These week's news updates by Steve and Rachel will really give you something to sink your teeth into (pun intended). In a special episode focused on current events in business, social, and technology, you'll get informed even as you're wondering what exactly this world is coming to today. First up: Instagram adds a new Drops feature in i…

Show Notes Apps come and go, and our daily needs constantly evolve. There are probably a few apps you use on a daily basis that, while you may have never heard of them a year ago, you couldn't imagine living without today. In this episode of the Grey Matters podcast, Steve Dotto shares five apps that are his new "daily drivers:" tools that support …

Show Notes What does the guy who lives and breathes productivity do to adapt focus when a pandemic hits? You're about to find out, and possibly feel better about the challenges and solutions you've experienced as the world turned topsy-turvy. In this episode of the Grey Matters podcast, Steve welcomes Mike Vardy, founder of Productivityist and auth…

If you're heard the term "passive income," you've probably also imagined yourself relaxing on a private beach while dollar signs float dreamlike above your head. It sounds amazing, but is passive income realistic? In this episode of the Grey Matters podcast, Steve Dotto challenges our perceptions of passive income, which may range all the way from …

Ever imagine how you look and then see a picture which jars you back into reality? How we spend our time - or think we're spending it - often works the same way: our perception can be way off from reality. In this episode of Grey Matters, Steve shares how you can honestly learn how you're spending or misspending your time and, more importantly, how…

Staring contest between you and a blank page... Ready? Set? GO! None of us enjoy the feeling of knowing we have something to share yet being unable to put what's in our brain into words on a page. Whatever our personal obstacles are, this episode of Grey Matters will reset your thinking and help you believe that writing whatever is inside you is po…

"Make money online," they said. "It'll be easy!" they said. Sure, but to make money online you need to know how to handle money online. Listen in to this episode of the Grey Matters podcast to learn what you need to manage online transactions for your business! Think about the last time you wrote or received a check. Even depositing a check these d…

Ever start something without a clear goal or outcome in mind and it winds up being fabulous? This week's episode features a podcaster who took an idea and grew it into a vehicle that's driving full speed ahead... even if the destination is unknown! In this episode of Grey Matters, Steve interviews Tod Maffin - a podcast producer who heralds back to…

One year. That's the milestone we just hit to mark a full year of life with a global pandemic. Did any of us foresee that we'd still be coping with the upheaval brought to us by COVID-19? In this episode of Grey Matters, we reflect on what's changed - temporarily or permanently - and how we're handling the transformation. The "New Normal" is a phra…

Retirement. Whether it looms toward us or beckons to us (or a mix of both), we want to control it as much as possible. But what happens when it's more of a coerced departure? This week's Grey Matters with Steve Dotto and guest Janice Sanders explores the complexities of calling it a day when it comes to your career. Any number of conditions can det…

Wondering if working while traveling for months at a time is possible? Learn from two digital nomads featured on this week's Grey Matters podcast who made it happen. When we think about a job that allows you to travel, often we imagine a role in sales or event planning. Yet as technology has evolved - as connectivity becomes cheaper and computers b…

Learn from a Boomer why Boomers should be on LinkedIn in this latest episode of Grey Matters! Steve welcomes Joyce Feustel to share her valuable insights about coaching her generation to see LinkedIn in a new light. Why do Boomers tend to have a tougher time wielding LinkedIn for building their business? It could be generational or even based on ge…

As we Boomers and GenXers build our businesses today, we must shift from the "build and deploy" mentality of then and shift to the "seed and grow" approach in the now. This episode of Grey Matters takes a brief trip down memory lane as we look back at what all used to go into building a business. Remember how making and collecting payments was all …

What's on your to-do list for tomorrow? Prospecting calls, laundry, prep your newsletter, review your blog draft, and what else? Let's go ahead and add podcasting to your agenda! In this episode of Grey Matters, we get into the specifics of planning a podcast for your business. Since we're pretty much reading your mind, here's what we know going in…

In the infamous words of Aladdin in Disney's movie of the same name, "Do you trust me?" Jasmine's reaction is a very uncertain "yes," and that pretty much sums up this week's discussion in the Grey Matters podcast. Whether you're venturing into a chat room or listening to this podcast religiously (we certainly hope you are!) or connecting with your…

What's the difference between the "gig economy" and having a "side hustle?" We define these two aspects of Work 2.0 in this episode of Grey Matters. It's easy to confuse phrases we hear today describing work that isn't mainstream or full-time. We hear about the "gig economy" (on-demand talent and skill) and the "side hustle" (work geared for upward…

Video is the most persuasive and influential media, so much more so when it is personalizedUsing video for conversation, and conversion!We tend to think of video in a rather grand sense. TV YouTube think about all the ways we use it. Tutorials Entertainment News and information Ironically, the most effective mass media platform is also incredibly e…

There are a lot of really bad ideas in the online marketing space, that seem like good ideas when you first hear them.But at the top of the list:Fake it till you make itNot only does it undermine the credibility of the person faking it, but it also hurts the credibility of the entire space. Why not call it what it is, - "lie to your community, hope…

Chaos reigns in the social media world, last week, Twitter released the followingPermanent suspension of @realDonaldTrumpBy Twitter Inc.Friday, 8 January 2021 After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them — specifically how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter — we have perma…

IMHO affiliate marketing is the perfect side hustle.Affiliate marketing is the perfect place for most of us to begin our great adventure of building our very own online business.Why?Because in a word, it is amazing!This week I share some of the things that make affiliate marketing the perfect fit as we grow our online business. Podcast Rundown2:57 …

We are back!Relaunching a podcast is a hard thing to do.It is like getting back to the gym after you have been away for a while.All the same guilt, disappointment in yourself for letting it slide.The anxiety that you have hard work ahead of you, and fear that you may let yourself down again. So with a great deal of humility, I am sheepishly coming …

The one thing I struggle with to this day in the online marketing world is the sales process. The techniques which we can and do use to sell our products or services. So much research has gone into "crafting the perfect offer". In some cases, online marketers spend more time on the sales pitch that they do on the product they are selling, and that …

Facebook, for all its flaws, has become an almost universal meeting place. For online businesses, there is no better place to try and create awareness, conversations, build relationships and form communities. I just wish Facebook was a better partner! Bella Vasta knows how to build effective communities in Facebook, uses communities to grow her own…

The Talk - Grey Matters 46 I did not really want to record this episode, and to be perfectly honest, I have reservations about posting it. But all of us must take time to search inward if we are ever going to be a part of the change we desire for our world.greymatters

Online marketing is constantly shifting, best practices form yesterday are replaced today with newer more innovative strategies, and we constantly walk a tightrope between what we can do and what we should do. Bosco Anthony is one of the most creative marketers I know. He has spearheaded some of the more memorable social campaigns I have been privy…

In part 2 of my interview with Scott, we dive into how speakers are preventing themselves, the challenges with Zoom, discuss teachers and top things of sharing our most epic speaking fails. Scott Stratten has been a top-flight keynote speaker for well over a decade, as well as the best selling author, of UnMarketing. In part one of our two-part int…

As the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic sunk in so many industries experienced massive change. Close to the top of the list of those most severely impacted was the conference industry in general, and the rather small cohort of professional and full-time speakers. Scott Stratten has been a top-flight keynote speaker for well over a decade, as well a…

Finding the right balance for our content. Google and youtube give us incredible insight into what topics will be popular, generate views, responses and revenue. But is serving the algorithm the best content strategy for your community? Grey Matters is made possible through your generous support!Please come a Patron of Grey Matters!Join us in the G…

Tru.earth sells a unique eco-friendly product, a laundry strip that reduces plastic waste going into landfills by 100%. A little over a year ago Ryan McKenzie and his team took a bit of a flyer on selling the strips. The result has been a fascinating masterclass in online marketing as Ryan has shepherded the product through online sales, traditiona…

I create a lot of content, and I do mean a lot. Each week we strive to deliver: 2 YouTube Videos 1 Webinar 1 Podcast 1 Livestream (for ourselves) 1 Livestream we host for a client. Plus our community content, such as zoom meetings and coaching sessions for our members. Each and every one of these content pieces need supporting graphics, promo mater…

They Ask, You Answer Marcus Sheridan faced a challenge in 2008 as the recession hit his company hard. His response has become the blueprint for thousands of online marketers. They Ask You Answer, the simple mantra to serve your community, provide value, which generates trust. Trust has become the most valuable currency online. Links from this episo…

The economic impact of C-19 is hitting Boomers in a profound way.Every aspect of financial security is being undermined, as retirement fund shrink, jobs evaporate and many opportunities dry up.Fortunately, we do have one pace to turn, a lifetime of experience is ours, and it ca be called on to propel us into new opportunities and new successes. Thi…

The single most important key to success in content marketing? The answer is clear, it is consistency. Consistency, especially in publishing frequency. It amazes me how often the same narrative takes place. The creators who stay the course find success. The creators who establish frequency and publish relevant content on time grow their community, …

With the world reeling from the effects of COVID-19 it may seem like a very bad time to start or look at building a new online business.In fact, this may be the best time. Grey Matters is made possible through your generous support!Please come a Patron of Grey Matters!Join us in the Grey Zone on Facebook All our other Links Worth Visiting! → Join u…

Like you, I am having trouble seeing anything without the Coronavirus filter.It is having an impact on every aspect of our lives and may well become the defining event of the first half of the century.We need to gourd our own mental health before we can even start devising a strategy to protect our business. Links form this episode:https://www.very…

I chose a long time ago to work from home, and have, over the years, developed a system that works for me. For so many of you, the need to work from home is not a choice but an edict. As we practice social distancing, we also need to practice new work habits to maintain our sanity, productivity and even our relationships while we work from home, He…

As confusion and fear sweep the world, we are struggling to come to terms with change and uncertainty. Mark Schaeffer got me thinking about my own personal response to the COVID-19 shutdown, with a brilliantly timed blog post The Corona Virus, A Love Letter That post inspired this Podcast, as Mark shares his thoughts on how we can deal with the ver…

We are sailing uncharted waters, as the world comes to terms with COVID -19. We can only decide how we are going to react to the changes and challenges it brings.We can control how we respond to our situation, however. Here is Mark Schaefer's take.https://businessesgrow.com/2020/03/10/coronavirus Grey Matters is made possible through your generous …

Why do some video creators have the ability to connect with their audience, to grow a community, sway opinion, teach, sell, even inspire? What are the common skills, attributes, mechanisms that are unique to video, across all platforms? Links from this Episode: Join us for Webinar Wednesday! Examples of Video Creators Perspective - Philip DeFranco …

Baby Boomers have been trained from the time they were born to fight failure. As children we were punished, sometimes severely for failing, it has been anathema to our generation. Failing is not such a bad thing in many Millenials opinion. "If you aren't failing you aren't trying" They believe we learn from failure and it is a natural part of our j…

We have all been in business long enough to know that we are good at some things and not good at others. But there seems to be a “badge of honor” amongst entrepreneurs that we do it all ourselves.While that might salve the ego, in practice it is a bad idea! I know that one of my challenges is shared by many entrepreneurs, a reluctance to delegate t…

Baby Boomers should feel comfortable with LinkedIn as a Social Network. It fits our needs in ways no other network does.The person I turn to for all things LinkedIn is without question, Viveka Von Rosen. She is the author of LinkedIn Marketing: An Hour a Day Please join us in the Grey Zone on Facebook Don’t be a stranger! Free Evernote QuickStart!I…

We need to respect all the different social platforms even if we do not choose to use them ourselves.And speaking of social Platforms, please join us in the Grey Zone on FacebookDon’t be a stranger! What was your first social network? As I mentioned mine was the BBS world, in fact it was Sunshine BBS, run by a friend on mine in Delta BC, he had 2 l…

After far too long a hiatus, yes, let’s call this a hiatus, we are back.Grey Matters is more committed than ever to serving the Grey Zone, Baby Boomers and Gen Xers who are looking to reinvent themselves in order to remain relevant in the Digital World. Links from this Episode Join the Grey Zone on Facebook athttp://facebook.com/groups/gogrey CNN p…

Your website is still the most important digital asset you have. I know I sound like I am preaching, but it is so true! Ask yourself these questions as you envision your website: 1- What is your most important engagement2 - What is your most relevant content3 - What is your visitors greatest pain point Then in your design make sure you are focusing…

Amy Landino has transformed from a "Video girl who makes video about doing video" something she was very good at, to a leader helping her community live the life they desire. She shares some incredibly valuable insight on her conversion journey, lessons I believe help Boomers big time, as we make the changes we need to to remain relevant in the dig…

As a business owner, you could be pulled in a million different directions and could try to handle everything yourself. But to be successful and grow, business owners must learn to relinquish control and delegate as well as try new ways of working. Sure, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But what if it could work so much better? Today for you I am p…

Lisa Larter is a practical, no-nonsense straight shooter. She has been for me a trusted advisor and a terrific role model. Lisa shares some great tips on managing change and opportunity in our lives, and how to carve out your niche. You can find more with Lisa at: https://lisalarter.com/ Lisa's book https://amzn.to/2EYK1h8 All our other Links Worth…

Today on Grey Matters I am going to share one of my genius ideas for rapid prototyping an online course.You can deliver a course in days instead of months. I have used this system to create more than 10 online courses and list builders. The most important part of the system is the Webinar Delivery, which encourages questions which we use to fill in…