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Let’s look back over the past 12 months. What are you working on that isn’t quite yet launched? Don’t wait for perfect. Ship it.
Some of my greatest accomplishments happened when I was pushed along before I felt I was 100% ready. I wasn’t perfect, but I started.
TRY IT
It was August 1994. I was working at the big rock radio station in my hometown. The gig was only overnights. But, it was full-time and in the big city.
That night, we were having our annual birthday bash for the station. This was a big concert to celebrate the 16th anniversary of the station.
This particular concert featured REO Speedwagon, Starship and Cheap Trick. Three bands that were a bit past their prime, but still big staples on album rock radio.
At this point, I had been in radio for about 6 years. I have been to plenty of concerts. However, this was our show. And it was at the 8,000-seat arena in town.
Starship had just got off the stage. REO was the only band left to play. That’s when the program director said, “Let’s go. We’re going to welcome the crowd and introduce the band.”
Now, I have never had the desire to be on stage. I’ve never wanted to be a public speaker. In fact, speaking in front of a crowd made me incredibly nervous like it does with most people.
My boss grabs the entire on-air staff, about 12 of us, and we head on stage. The crowd sees us and goes crazy.
The morning show takes the mic and says hi. Another roar from the crowd. They thank the rockers for coming out on that particular night to help us celebrate. Another cheer.
THE BIG CHEER
That’s when it happened.
The morning guys begin to introduce the entire staff. One by one, they go down the line pointing out the DJ and getting a cheer from the crowd.
My show is on the radio right before them. They have kind of taken me under their wing.
As they get to me, they give me a little longer intro with some brotherly kind of love and the crowd gives me a cheer a bigger than I expected.
That felt good. My butterflies went away. My chest puffed up just a bit.
That’s when I realized what I had been missing. There is a point where my anxiousness turned into exhilaration.
Where I had once feared speaking to a crowd, I learned that it might just be something I would come to love.
Sure, the butterflies are still there before I step out. But, it is more like the butterflies you experience right before you get to the top of the rollercoaster hill. You know what is on the other side, but it’s still a little scary.
Suddenly you’re in the middle of it absorbing it all. Taking it all in. You just need to get over the top of the hill.
This year, give something a try that you’ve been avoiding due to fear. You won’t know you love it until you try.
So few people are willing to push past the top of the hill. You can discover a whole new world if you just push yourself to try something new.
JUMP
Next, jump.
It was April 2013. I was just launching Podcast Talent Coach. The show was still a blog and not yet a podcast.
I was writing for New Media Expo. They were using my posts on their website as part of their podcasting section.
The whole business was still coming together. The gurus all made it sound so easy. Create all of these multiple streams of income and you’d be rich before you knew it.
Unfortunately, I didn’t know much about the tech. I was a radio guy. I knew content. Figuring out an RSS feed and a funnel and a shopping cart was all a little beyond my reach.
My blog posts contained my e-mail address and an offer for coaching. I didn’t yet know what that coaching would look like. I just knew I could help people shape their content and create stronger shows.
Then one day I received an e-mail.
Ken reached out and told me his wife found my blog. Ken was on the radio and needed help improving his show.
He and I agreed to jump on a Skype call and devise a plan. We chatted for about 90 minutes. At the end, we had a plan to help him reach his goals.
The next day, I e-mailed Ken an agreement recapping what I would provide and what he would pay. He sent me that first payment as a money order. We started coaching.
Was it perfect? Was the funnel optimized? Heck no. I didn’t even know what a funnel was at this point.
We just made an agreement, he paid me and we got started.
Don’t wait until it’s perfect. Jump. Perfect is a pipe dream.
THE SHARKS
Finally, get started.
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending Collaborate. It was an amazing event where I made a ton of great connections.
Two weeks before Collaborate, the organizers were recruiting people to participate in Shark Attack.
During this part of the event, five people will make their pitch to a group of high level, online marketers with the hopes of getting those marketers to promote them to their list.
Shark Attack is an opportunity to really get to the next level and play big time.
Now, I was nowhere ready to apply for Shark Attack. My funnel wasn’t perfect. The Audience Explosion Blueprint didn’t have mounds of data to support the conversion numbers. I hadn’t done really big JV launches in the past.
Why would these big players ever want to promote me?
As I was talking with my coach, we discussed where I was and where I wanted to go. We chatted about the last webinar I did and how it converted.
She finally said, “Erik, you’re ready. Go for it.”
I said, “Are you sure?” Then I brought up all of the excuses. My funnel, my data, my history.
She assured me that all of that would be fine. It would never be perfect. I just needed to start.
At 11pm the night before the deadline, I prepared my pitch and shot the audition video. I hit the submit button and went to bed.
Two days later there was a prep call for the event. On this call, the organizers get everybody ready to network and connect. To get the event to run well, they explain everything you need to know to get the most out of the event.
During this call, the 5 participants for Shark Attack are announced.
THE WINNERS ARE …
When they got to the list of five participants, I heard my name called. I would be pitching to the sharks.
We had no idea who they would be. We only knew we would have two minutes to make our pitch and get the sharks interested in promoting our programs.
There was now less than four days to refine and perfect my pitch and figure out how to get these people to promote me. I would be pitching as hundreds of other online marketers watched. The sharks would then have 15 minutes to ask me questions and pick apart my idea.
When the day came for Shark Attack, the sharks turned out to be Jeanna Gabellini, Rob Goyette, Debbie Allen, Alex Mandossian, Michelle Schubnel, and Alex Moscow. All very big players in online marketing.
Names of the participants were drawn in random order. As the first few went, it was just as you would expect. Questions came quickly. Plans weren’t quite refined. Lots of inquiries about the numbers. It was rough.
MY TURN
Name after name was called. It quickly became obvious that I would be last. After the first four went through the process, it was my turn to make the pitch.
I wasn’t sure if waiting was more difficult or if going last actually benefitted my by seeing the others go first. The feedback they received helped me refine my pitch just a touch.
It was finally time. I made my two minute pitch and asked for the partnership. Immediately, Debbie Allen said, “I’m in.”
We were off to a good start. Then, Alex Mandossian chimed in. He told me he didn’t understand the promise I was making or what my clients would receive.
All of a sudden, the sharks were arguing amongst themselves. Michelle thought it was perfectly clear. Jeanna wasn’t quite convinced. Moscow really liked the idea. Rob doesn’t like podcasting, but thought his audience would be a fit.
It all came in a flurry. I answered questions as fast and as best as I could.
That fifteen minutes passed quickly. It was exhilarating. It was also a lot of pressure.
At the end of it all, four said they were in. The other two said they would be willing to have another conversation.
Wow! I went into this unsure of my ability and feeling unprepared. If it hadn’t been for my coach pushing me to try it anyway, I would have missed out. I wouldn’t have these incredible opportunities sitting in front of me ready to make 2021 an amazing year for me.
Sure, it’s scary. Sure, you don’t feel like you’re ready. It will always be scary. It will always feel like it could be better and more ready.
If you want to make big things happen in the next year, acknowledge the fear. Then, do it anyway. Take the first step.
THE NEXT STEP
Are you ready to make 2021 an incredible year? Now is the time to get started.
You won’t know you love it until you try.
Don’t wait until it’s perfect. Jump.
Acknowledge the fear. Then, do it anyway.
I have told you about my Audience Explosion Blueprint. You can get an incredible deal right now for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
The two biggest shopping days of the year are coming. If you want to explode your audience over the next year, you can get in now with this deal.
Since it is available for a limited time, and since this podcast will be around for a very long time, I have posted the deal on the website. If the deal is still good, you will find it at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/BlackFriday.
Rocky grew his audience by 100% by going through the program. If you want to play big in 2021, get in on this now. Even if you don’t have a podcast yet, this will make even more sense for you.
Check it out at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/BlackFriday.
Whatever you do, make 2021 big. Get started. Use these three tips to reach your goals and live your dreams.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.