Promote U Guru Blog

4 Steps to Leveraging Other People’s Audiences for Big Exposure

January 14th, 2011

Hi All!

I saw the following blog post on ByBloggers.net (an amazing resource for learning effective strategies to create and market digital products), and received permission from them, and the article’s author, to share it here. It’s loaded with great information to help you expand your brand to the followers of other bloggers and online broadcasters (ie: People with podcast shows) who have large audiences.

No need for me to go on about this topic…author, Mike Tiojanco, does a fine job on his own! But before you dive into his info-packed article, here’s some info about Mike: He is an entrepreneur, blogger, and partner at BlogcastFM Premium. In January, he is launching his new project, 8 Hour Rebellion, aimed at helping people break out of the 9-5 and live a life free from the chains of an office desk (so he can spend more time with his wife, two kids, and Xbox360). And you can follow him on twitter: @mtio.

So, without further delay…here is what Mike has to say about:

Leveraging Other People’s Audiences

Most entrepreneurs are familiar with the concept of using leverage to make money.

Use other people’s time (OPT) or, more commonly, other people’s money (OPM) to push your business.

However, when I launched a membership site, it wasn’t OPT or OPM that made it a success.

It was OPA. Other People’s Audiences.

Anatomy of a Partnership

Last November, I helped launch BlogcastFM Premium – a membership site that helps people take their blogs to the next level.

None of that would have happened without a partnership between myself and the BlogcastFM founders, Srini Rao and Sid Savara.

Let’s go step-by-step through the partnership/joint venture (JV) process as I experienced it:

1. Build Your Network

Way back in February I heard about a new podcast series that was launching – BlogcastFM. I had been reading Sid’s personal development blog and following him on twitter. I was just starting my own blog at the time, so the podcast content was perfect for me.

I ended up following Srini on twitter and reading his blog.

A couple posts into my blog I shot him an email asking him to take a look. He was kind enough to take few minutes to check it out and give me some feedback.

I kept in contact with him via twitter, and eventually pitched him on my very first guest post.

At the time I had no clue that these initial contacts would turn into a partnership, but at the time I was just looking to connect with people who were doing what I wanted to be doing.

The takeaway: Work on building your network early and often. Many successful bloggers advise that you spend 50% of your time writing content and 50% of your time networking.

2. Listen to People’s Needs

Like I mentioned before, I am a devoted listener of BlogcastFM.

I listen to just about every episode the day it comes out, sometimes more than once (I’ve got a 45 min. commute).

After listening to that many episodes, a common theme appeared.

In just about every episode, Srini commented, “If I could put into action the ideas I get from every interview, my blog would be way more successful than it is.”

So even Srini, the host of the podcast… the interviewer himself… needed help pulling the best tips out of every interview and figuring out how to implement them.

Surely their audience was having the same issues.

I could help with that.

The Takeaway: Find something that someone’s audience needs that the blogger doesn’t have time to create (or has no interest in creating).

Dave Navarro did this with Naomi Dunford’s audience.

Her audience at ittybiz.com consists of small online business owners. She offers marketing and business development advice – a lot of which is focused on creating ebooks and other digital products. However, her material didn’t really focus on how to launch the ebook once it was created – Dave’s specialty.

Before partnering on “How to Launch the **** of Your eBook,” Dave Navarro was mostly unknown. It was the partnership with Naomi that put him on the map.

3. Pitch the Idea

Back in September, I approached them with an idea for the product – a membership site offering action worksheets for each of their 100+ interviews on BlogcastFM.

They said yes.

I think what really put them over the edge is that I provided a sample of the product – an action worksheet for the interview with Sean Ogle.

This let them see exactly what I had in mind, as opposed to an abstract description in an email.

The Takeaway: Don’t be afraid to pitch the idea. After my pitch, the feedback the guys gave to me was that this was something they really wanted to create for their audience, but they didn’t have the time to do it themselves. Worst case scenario, they pass, but now you’re really on their radar.

The last step:

4. Make Them Love You.

This is something I’m still working on, and will continue to work on as long as BlogcastFM is around.

Do the best work you can.

Make them feel lucky to have you on their team.

Remember, your work is a reflection on their reputation.

The Takeaway: After someone says yes, provide the best work you can so that they feel that the partnership was the best business decision they ever made.

Like I said, I’m still working on this one. I had some family issues that prevented me from doing this over the past month or so, but you better believe I’m going to work my tail off showing them that this was the right decision for them.

That said, I’ve got some interviews to listen to and some worksheets to create…

BIG thanks to Mike, and to Jonathan, founder of ByBloggers.net, for allowing me to share this! GREAT ADVICE and useful info!

Cheers & Happy Marketing!

Lisa