FACT: I’ve written and shared a LOT about time management in the past. Why? Because it’s such a constant source of stress in the lives of my fellow entrepreneurs, and I think there’s always more to learn. At the end of the day, we’re all just trying to get better at work/life balance, and I know I’m incredibly grateful for this growing community so we can all help each other figure out what it means and what is required to be a thriving entrepreneur in the 21st century.

Now over the years, I’ve tested so many hacks on how to become more productive, and today I’m gonna share the best of the best of them with you. I really hope a few of these will help you become more of a time management ninja, because let’s face it… time truly is our more valuable commodity. You ready?

1. Track your time automatically.

The sentiment here may not be new, but if you don’t already know, there are apps and tools out there that can track your activity in a day to help you learn where your time goes and help you maximize your productive times. A favorite of mine is RescueTime, which monitors your computer time all day long and then categorizes it for you and gives you a productivity rating score. They have a free and paid version, but if you don’t want to download and learn a whole new program, consider simply recording your screen for one working day using a piece of screen capture software. Just knowing you’re being “watched” all day (even if it’s only by yourself!) can go a long way toward keeping yourself accountable.

2. Give yourself less time than you need.

If you think you need until Thursday at 5 to meet that deadline, give yourself until Thursday at noon. This sounds so simple, but it’s life-changing. In addition… committing publicly to your social media friends that you’ll finish this, or that, by Wednesday at 3 pm can also be a game-changer.

3. Schedule EVERYTHING.

If you looked at my calendar on most days, you might think I never have a moment to breathe. I schedule every minute of every working day with things that need to get done, and maybe on first glance, it looks a little overwhelming. But here’s the interesting part: it’s only since I’ve been scheduling every little thing that I have MORE free time than ever. When I left my calendar open and clear, I worked 17 hours a day and never saw the finish line. Now that I schedule every little thing into its own time block, I work a regular 6-hour day and… I take every Friday off completely. Not only am I more relaxed and productive at work than I’ve ever been in any other time in my life, but I get to spend more time with my family than ever!  Try it for for a few weeks, and I bet you’ll fall in love with what I call #NoWorkFriday

4. Speed up your consumption time.

If you spend a lot of time-consuming podcasts and audio books, this tip is for you. Bump up the speed on that audio player! Most players have a speed function built in, and you can save SO much time by playing your content at 1.25, 1.5, or even 2x the standard speed. And here’s a pro tip: pop in the headphones when listening at an increased speed. They seem to help the brain catch on faster! And for those of you who have a million tabs open with stories and blog posts you’d like to read “when you have time,” consider the NaturalReader app, free in the app store. It automatically converts written text to audio so you can get through your “to-be-read” pile a lot faster than usual.

5. Save email until after lunch.

This one is HUGE for those of you who check email first thing in the morning and then spend the rest of the day reacting to whatever’s in your inbox. Try leaving that inbox closed and unchecked until after lunch, by which time you’ll have had a few hours of focused and uninterrupted work time to brainstorm, work ON your business, and just generally settle into a creative, innovative state of mind.

Did you enjoy this episode of #DuckerZone? Let me know on Twitter and via Facebook – and… be sure to submit your own question by posting it on social, using the hashtag… #DuckerZone

Now, I’ll admit, I’m not always full of ideas myself. I’m sure everyone out there has felt the same from time to time. And it’s stressful, isn’t it? We know that, as personal brand entrepreneurs and content marketers, we need to be putting out valuable content on a regular basis to keep our communities coming back and staying engaged.

We all know the value of quality content, but that doesn’t make it any easier to stare at a blank screen and try to fill it up, week after week. So here’s a little strategy I use that will open the floodgates.

But First – Know Your Audience

But first, a caveat… Before you start churning out ideas, let me be 100% clear that you absolutely MUST know your audience first, before you sit down to brainstorm blog ideas. Know who you’re writing for before you write a word, and everything will go so much more smoothly.

Why do you need to know your audience? Because they’re the ones who are showing up to read it, of course. It’s a waste of time to create things that have no defined readership, but it’s one of the best investments you’ll ever make, to spend time getting to know your audience and what they need.

And for what it’s worth, know that 90% of people searching for solutions online are complete beginners to your topic of expertise. They’re Googling because they don’t know the first thing about the solutions that are available for their problems, so with good content… you’ll be in a prime position to turn them into loyal fans and ultimately… customers for life.

Resource: Content Inc., by Joe Pulizzi

Start with the 5 W’s

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s do an idea-generating experiment. Because I’m in the personal branding space, let’s say I’m trying to come up with new blog post ideas about personal branding. Keeping in mind that my audience is made up of mostly beginners, I’m going to start with the 5 Ws to come up with 5 post ideas instantly:

What is a personal brand? Why do you need a personal brand? Who is your personal brand for? When is the right time to launch your personal brand? Where should you spend your personal brand-building budget?

That was pretty easy, but maybe you can see how… as soon as you frame blog posts as a question, more questions can’t help but crop up as well.

Quite frankly, this is one of the easiest ways to brainstorm blog ideas, and always will be.

What is a personal brand? What does everyone forget about personal brands? What should more entrepreneurs know before launching a personal brand? What are the best-kept secrets of successful personal brand builders?

Why do you need a personal brand? Why do some entrepreneurs fail with their personal brands? Why is this year the BEST year in history to launch your personal brand?

I think you can see where I’m going with this…., but basically, start with one of the 5 Ws to unleash a torrent of questions. This is like releasing your inner toddler who can’t stop asking questions all day long…….

Now – Bring on the ‘How’ Questions!

Here’s a look at what it might look like to start with HOW questions (which, if you haven’t noticed), are the primary focus of most of my content online!!!

How should personal brand entrepreneurs use social media? How to take every Friday off and still grow your business. How should you launch your first book? How can outsourcing help you double your income? How should you gauge success in the first year of business?

Now… some of these are subjects… rather than headlines. These are the questions you’re starting with that can inspire an entire blog post, or podcast episode, or whatever medium you’re working with, but headlines will need their own treatment, and for me… that means using the headline analyzer at CoSchedule (I’ll link to it below!) if you’re looking for a tool that can help you craft brilliant headlines that factor in things like SEO and power words, this is the way to go!

The best part about using the 5 Ws (and the H’s, haha!) to brainstorm blog ideas is that it’s a literally an ever expanding way to come up with ideas. People are curious, we have questions for ourselves and others all day long, and tapping into that is extremely powerful.

Enjoy this episode of #DuckerZone? Let me know on Twitter and via Facebook – and… be sure to submit your own question by posting it on social, using the hashtag… #DuckerZone

Now, you listen to podcasts, right? Of course you do. Pretty much everyone does these days, and there are so many exceptional ones out there that it feels like we could spend all our time consuming them instead of actually working. Don’t do that!

But…what if podcasts could somehow factor into your business strategy? What if you could find a way to build podcasts right into your content marketing efforts to drive community engagement and even…… profit?

Well, Melissa from Toronto asked me this very question recently, and so I thought I’d answer her and at the same time, show you all how to become the podcast guest that EVERYONE wants to have on their show.

Podcast Hosts are Always on the Look Out for Great Guests!

Here’s a secret from me to you: podcast hosts are ALWAYS, I repeat ALWAYS, looking for great guests. Yes, they may have a weekly or daily show that appears to be full of amazing guests all the time, but I promise you, getting all those guests lined up is a huge amount of work. Good guests are hard to come by.

So, if you’re wanting to pitch hosts and get on more shows this year, follow these tips to catch the attention you need. And… honestly, it’s only about 5% of people who do this, so don’t take shortcuts here. Put in the effort, and you will see the results.

1. Be a Fan First

You wouldn’t believe how many pitches podcast hosts get from people who don’t even listen to their podcast. It’s painfully obvious when I’m receiving a form letter or a blanket pitch that also got sent to a dozen other hosts, and I promise you, those are always the first ones to get deleted. Please, don’t even consider pitching a podcast that you haven’t heard at least a handful of episodes of. Good hosts work hard to create valuable content for a specific audience, and if you aren’t part of that audience, in my eyes… you really have no business being on that show in the first place.

If you’re a fan of a show, the host will know it right away in your pitch. They’ll be able to tell from the detail you add and enthusiasm you show… that you’re a genuine listener. It matters, guys. Really.

So, number one way to be a great podcast guest is to be a fan, first!

2. Do your Research

Many hosts have sites or pages dedicated to their podcast, so even if you already listen regularly to the show, check the site first to see if the host has any requirements for potential guests. Again, you’d be surprised how many people don’t do this, and have their pitches immediately deleted as a result. Take a minute to check the site, see if the host requires anything specific, and file that information away for the next step. Which is…. To….

3. Personalize Your Email

When you’re ready to reach out to the host of a show you want to be on, do so in the tone that represents your personal brand. If you’re funny, be funny in your email. If you’re blunt, be blunt. Show your personality, and then… align that with the show’s purpose and the host’s guest requirements. Don’t EVER send a boring form letter pitching your expertise and asking them for the favor of being on their show. You want your appearance on their show to be a no-brainer for everyone, which means you have to go the extra mile to make your email an intriguing first point of contact.

And how do you do that? I’ve got two B’s for you here: Be BRIGHT, and be BRIEF.

Good hosts are busy, so you’ve got 200 words max to sell yourself and what you’re all about. Be respectful of their time, and they’ll be respectful of yours. 

A structure that works particularly well is the following….. a quick greeting and intro to your expertise, a demonstration or proof that you actually do listen to the show (maybe you can indicate how a favorite episode helped you in some way), and finally, AND THIS IS THE BIGGIE… an invitation for the host to check out a piece of content you’ve created that could lend itself to a really interesting on-air discussion. That’s it!

4. Make it About Them

Once you secure the interview and get on the show itself, here’s a cool way to blow your host away: talk about the parallels between your expertise and theirs. This sounds so simple, I know, but far too many guests get on and then just talk about themselves or their niche the whole time!

5. Invite Everyone Back to Your Place

At the end of the interview, your host will typically give you an opportunity to talk about a thing you’re working on or launching. Use this time wisely—state briefly what you’d like more people to know about, and for bonus points all around, invite listeners to check out a specific URL for an exclusive freebie from you. But… just ONE URL, okay – otherwise, they’ll visit none.

6. Follow Up

When the interview is over, write a quick thank-you email within a day or two. Let the host know how much you enjoyed your time together, and offer to promote the show to your platform when it’s ready – that always makes a great podcast guest, trust me!

Did you enjoy this episode of #DuckerZone? Let me know on Twitter and via Facebook – and… be sure to submit your own question by posting it on social, using the hashtag… #DuckerZone

Let’s talk about sales, baby.

It’s a word that so many marketers hate these days, but it’s because we  don’t really know the true MEANING of the word! We think sales, and we think of the vacuum cleaner salesman showing up at the door during dinner.

And then it gets worse, because when we call ourselves marketers, we immediately lump ourselves in with the sleazy salesmen that no one wants to be around.

But friends, today is a very special day because we’re going to turn that entire notion on its head and talk about how to become a master marketer without ever coming close to sleazy selling in any way, shape or form.

Here are five ways on how to sell without being salesy!

1. Get Going with Your Content marketing.

In case you haven’t heard, content marketing is the only kind of marketing that’s even LEFT. It’s also inherently generous because you’re literally sharing your very best stuff for free, on a regular basis, with an attentive audience that needs your solutions. When you do it right, content marketing is the backbone of your entire marketing effort.

2. Consider your email list to be a group of friends.

If you invited everyone on your mailing list over for dinner one night, would you greet them at the door with a sales pitch? Of course not! So consider every email you send to be like opening the door for your friends. Get to know them, share funny stories, and build a trust-based relationship before ever considering trying to sell them something.

3. Introduce people to each other.

This one is a bit counter-intuitive, so hear me out. When someone you know is facing a challenge, try to refrain at times from being the person who solves it. It’s great if you can, but more often, consider introducing that person to someone else in your network who can solve the problem. As an entrepreneur, you’re a connector, and the more people you can introduce to each other, the more you become the person everyone goes to when they need something.

4. Believe in your solutions.

Enthusiasm is contagious, but so is boredom. If you don’t deeply believe in the potential of your idea to help people, then others will simply not be lining up to buy what you sell. Especially as personal brand entrepreneurs, we simply must believe in what we do because it’s so much a part of who we are. So seriously, friends, you must believe in what you want people to buy. That belief will translate naturally and organically into the sales copy your write.

5. Speaking of sales copy…

Invest the time and resources required to write sales copy properly. It is a VERY different form of writing than anything else you’ve written, and if you’ve never done it before, there’s definitely a right way and a wrong way to do it. A friend of mine, Ray Edwards, is the best source I know of for quality copywriting training. His seven-step method will help you get your message across in a way that your audience will feel compelled to take action on afterward!

If there’s one big takeaway here, it’s to remember that people want to do business with other people. Talk to customers like they’re simply guests in your home, and build those lasting relationships. Remember… Relationships should be treasured, not used.

Did you enjoy this episode of #DuckerZone? Let me know on Twitter and via Facebook – and… be sure to submit your own question by posting it on social, using the hashtag… #DuckerZone

One of the things I’ve seen in the past two decades of being in business is that just because you’re working for yourself doesn’t mean you’re not broke. I’ve seen lots of ‘Starving Artist’ entrepreneurs.

Why do I use that term… ‘starving artist’? Well, my friend Jeff Goins (who recently blew up the Tropical Think Tank event stage!) has a new book out called Real Artists Don’t Starve, and it’s not just for artists! Jeff gave me a pre-release copy when we were together for TTT17 and I devoured it. In it, he teaches you that everyone who has a gift to share is an ‘artist’.

And that definitely includes entrepreneurs! And let’s face it, we don’t want to end up broke as an entrepreneur, do we?

Side Note: If you fancy grabbing a copy of the book, to celebrate it’s launch, Jeff is giving away lots of cool bonuses, so just pre-order the book before June 6, which you can get at dontstarve.com.

As I went from page to page, section to section, there were a few things that stood out to me, that I could see directly associated themselves with entrepreneurs and people building personal brands… so, here I am – breaking ’em down for you to learn from quickly!

Don’t try to be Original

Now, I know I always say that originality is a major key to success – if you know me, you know I’m talking about simply being YOU 9as you’re a 100% original version of you, right?!). However… instead of coming up with one great “original” idea, build on what other people have already done. Being original can be expensive. Instead, just take something – an idea, a model, whatever – that somebody has already proven, and do it differently… (not just better!).

Steve Jobs started Apple by borrowing from the ideas of other companies like Xerox and building on them to make them even better. The best, most innovative companies in the world do this.

Own your Work

Often in business, I see entrepreneurs selling off too much of their company to an investor or partner and quickly diluting their stake in exchange for a little bit of money. Don’t do this! The last thing you should give up is ownership of your company.

Sometimes, it makes sense to give away a little bit of equity to someone in exchange for something more valuable, but this should never be the first step. Once you give away parts of your company, you don’t get that back. Money is renewable; equity is not.

This is what John Lasseter learned when he left Disney to help start Pixar and was soon offered a job back at Disney for triple his salary. He turned it down. Why? Because he’d rather take a short-term pay cut to retain more freedom and ownership of his work.

In the end, Pixar ended up selling to Disney for $7.4 billion. Today, John Lasseter is worth $100 million.

It pays to not sell out too soon.

Diversify your Income

You’ve probably heard that the average millionaire has over seven different income streams. The way most successful business owners grow a successful company is not by offering one product or service. Typically, it’s done with multiple offerings. Again, the idea of ending up broke as an entrepreneur isn’t one that you’re likely to want to entertain.

In my case, I run events, speak and write, and sell online products including a membership site. I don’t think you should spread yourself too thin, but having multiple income-generating projects reduces your risk and is a lot more fun than just doing the same thing all day, every day.

And sometimes, the way that you make your money is not how you would expect. Who ever thought Dr. Dre would make a fortune selling headphones? Or that McDonald’s would become one of the largest real estate companies in the world?

In order to succeed, you have to be open to new opportunities, even if those opportunities are unexpected. As Jeff says, “Don’t be a jack of all trades, become a master of some.”

Now, for more insights, be sure to check out Jeff’s new book – I reckon you’re going to love it!

And… as always, if you enjoyed this post, please let me know on my Facebook page or via Twitter. And… if you have some likeminded friends, I’d love for you to share it with them. Thank you!

Many of you are aware that for some time I’ve been planning and working on a new project that’s going to become very close to my heart, moving forward. And that project is simple entitled:

#DUCKERZONE

For quite some time I’ve been wanting to create more video content, and when launched later this year, #DuckerZone will help me achieve that goal – and some! I say ‘later this year’ as a final launch date has yet to be established.

The show will be a mash-up of viewer submitted questions (and my replies), as well as the sharing of my own biggest, deepest and most action-orientated thoughts.

We’ve already got 12 episodes in the can – they’re busy being edited together as I type this.

However, many of you haven’t stopped hitting me up for a preview of what will become a weekly show on YouTube (and republished to this site, obviously), so I’ve decided to give in and serve up a little taste – in the form of Episode 1.

Kicking Off #DuckerZone

And.. right here in episode 1, we’re kicking things off with a question I get a LOT. And I think everyone asks themselves this at some point. They look at their mentors, muses, whatever, and they wonder, “How can I become an influencer in my industry, too?”

How can I get that kind of attention on MY product or service?

Everyone wants to get to that level where they’ve got a raving fanbase and loads of people asking their advice, influencers are at the level they’re at because they’ve worked their behinds off to offer the absolute best resources you can find anywhere.

These are people at the absolute top of their game… Entrepreneurs who took very intentional and strategic steps to get to where they are today.

And the best part is that becoming an influencer isn’t some restricted access old boys’ club. If you’re ready and willing to put in the effort, you too can not only figure out how to become an influencer, but you can do it yourself, too!

And if you’re ready to get started, here are three quick tips you can start using TODAY to become an influencer in your space.

Leverage What You’re All About

Find and leverage your personal brand statement. Your personal brand is the thing you are… that no one else is. So, whatever you do, don’t copy other influencers. Instead, be you… people will want to do business with you. When you’ve figured out your personal brand statement, try and come up with a catchy tagline to explain it. Pat Flynn is “the crash test dummy of online business”.

It’s memorable and different, and yours should be, too.

Serve, Serve, Serve

Any smart personal brand entrepreneur, any New York Times bestselling author, podcaster, blogger, speaker… they’ve all achieved influencer status, And almost all of them have one trait in common with each other.

They simply just kept showing up in service of others. For YEARS, they gave and gave and gave to everyone they met could—sometimes it directly related to their business and their own goals, and sometimes it didn’t.

But the key was they served.

The fact is that there’s countless ways to serve your audience generously and without expectation. Your audience doesn’t need to be big to get started. In fact, it might be as small as a handful of friends and family members on your mailing list. Doesn’t matter. Share with them just as you’d share with an auditorium full of people. Share what you’ve learned on your blog or podcast.

Give talks at community events. Reach out to influencers you admire… ask them how to become an influencer – and offer to help them with a specific thing that you happen to be amazing at. If you keep the goal of service at the forefront of your mind, and then watch what happens, I guarantee that your platform, your community, and YOUR influence will start to grow. There’s no ceiling on your potential when you’re there to serve.

So, serve first… sell later.

Commit to the Goal

Here’s the thing, wanting to become an influencer is like wanting a million downloads on your podcast. Great idea, but without knowing and committing to the steps that go into reaching that goal, it’s just a vanity metric.

Instead of waking up each day trying to figure out how to become an influencer, or with the goal to become an influencer, I want you to see that as a by-product of being really amazing at what you do. Remember that leveraging your personal brand and serving others, you will naturally get better and better, with every passing day.

And let’s face it… at the end of the day, that’s just a much more recognizable and sustainable approach to long-term success.

So, what did you think of the first episode of #DuckerZone? Hit me up on Twitter and via Facebook and let me know. And… be sure to submit your own question by posting it on social, using the hashtag… #DuckerZone

It’s Monday.

The start of a new week.

I put goals in place each and every week. They’re small ones. But, I always hit ’em.

The difference between big goals and small goals is that the small ones are achievable, fast.

Do you have small goals in place for this week? If you don’t, I’d love for you to put one in place.

Right now. Today!

Here are some ideas for you to consider:

• Make a start growing your email list.
• Get a new landing page built to grow your marketing list.
• Stop screwing around in Photoshop and outsource that graphic task.
• Get on the phone with a new customer and find out what they need help with.
• Finally get around to starting your blog, for good!
• Reach out to five members of your community and say ‘thank you’.
• Get a virtual assistant to plan out your weeks social media updates.
• Push yourself a little more – add an additional day of exercise.

These goals all have something in common.

They’re small.

They’re achievable. Each and every one of them – by the end of this week.

Some people might call them a ‘quick win’. I just call ’em a small goal. 

I love hitting my small goals.

You will, too.

Try it, now – and be sure to tweet me what your small goal is. I’d love to hear from you, #SmallGoal

We’re jumping right in today, my friends.

I’ve heard from so many people in my online community that fear is holding you back from becoming the entrepreneur you want to be, and as far as I’m concerned, that just WILL NOT DO. Entrepreneurs are action takers at heart, and I think we’d all agree that working for someone else for the rest of our lives is far scarier than building our own personal brands, right?

Right.

You shouldn’t be scared to fail.. Ever.

So today, in the spirit of taking action, I’ve got three things you can start doing RIGHT NOW that will help you bust through the fear and the noise and the excuses so you can take meaningful steps toward building a business than changes the world.

3 Ways to ACT

Are you ready? I know you are. You were born ready. Let’s go!

Ask the Opposite Question

If you’ve ever googled “How do I succeed in online business?” and been overwhelmed into inaction by 10 billion results, try this next time: instead of searching for the thing you want, ask the opposite.

You don’t even need Google for this, guys. Instead of “How do I succeed?” ask yourself, “How can I FAIL in online business?”

Notice how different that sounds, and how differently you react to it. And I bet you’ve got answers already, right off the top of your head, don’t you? I bet you see people every day making bad business choices, and maybe you’ve made a few yourself. I can DEFINITELY think of a few ways to fail: how about overplanning without action? Or trying to do it all yourself

Asking the opposite question is powerful because it immediately illuminates the things we’re all doing against our own best interest. Try it. If you see yourself and your choices reflected in the list of ways to fail, I dare you not to feel instantly motivated to start making different choices immediately.

Schedule LESS Time than You Need

So many of our fears are about not having enough time to do the things we want to do. But how much time is ever enough? From my own experience, we will NEVER have all the time we want to perfect our courses, launch pages, books, whatever. We’ll always wish we had “more time” to make things better, but if we’re being serious, a deadline might be the only way to ever get it out the door.

That’s why I love the idea of forcing yourself into action by actually giving yourself LESS time than you think you need to get a thing done.

I’ve been here before, and I know you have as well. When our backs are up against the wall and we need to finish such-and-such by a certain time, we always deliver, don’t we? So let’s capitalize on the adrenaline that accompanies a deadline, and then supercharge it by trimming the deadline even further. I dare you to cut an extra 5-10% off the time you think you have to complete a task.

Enforce Consequences

My friend Jeff Goins has written about this concept before, and the gist is this: when dangling carrots (incentives) aren’t enough to get you past the fear of taking action, it’s time to introduce more stick (consequences). Have a blog post you’ve been procrastinating on, or a product you want to launch? Set your deadline (as above), and then make it more painful NOT to meet that deadline than to just do what you’ve set out to do.

When Jeff’s friend wanted to write a book, but hadn’t made any notable progress on it after two years, he signed a post-dated check to the political candidate he hated the most and then handed it off to a friend. “Mail this if I don’t meet my deadline,” he said. Of course, he then finished his book on time. OF COURSE HE DID.

Less carrot, more stick.

So there you have it!

Ask the opposite question. Schedule less time than you need. Enforce consequences. With these three tools, you’ll be so busy making tracks that you won’t have time to fear failure anymore. You’ll simply never be scared to fail again.

This isn’t rocket science, but I think we both know it’s not easy, either. The hard part starts now, when you turn back to your desk and decide you’re actually going to do them.

I know you will!

If you enjoyed this post, please let me know on my Facebook page or via Twitter. And… if you have some likeminded friends, I’d love for you to share it with them. Thank you!