But if you’re stopping by for the first time since my last post you probably noticed something very different – didn’t ya?
Make sure you leave me a comment, and let me know your thoughts on my new look. 
About two months ago I made a conscious decision to “lay low” online. Being self-employed and having an online business is an incredible blessing because of the immense freedom that comes with it. Yet at the same time, e-mail, social media, and managing a blog can become virtual weights that hold you down. Processing info, living in production mode, and having to fend off “shiny object syndrome” (at least for me) can become the norm.
But being “plugged in” so much can get exhausting. I was getting to a point where all the noise surrounding my online activities was actually clouding my ability to see my own vision clearly. It was making it hard for me to hear my inner voice as it related to my work. Eventually, it started to impact my ability to focus on who I was really serving in my business. It started to distract me from the purpose of my business. What I was doing started to become more important than why I was doing it. Read my article on Time Management Apps For Even the Most Undisciplined Solopreneur.
Naming the site Metamorphoself was like stating a self-fulfilling prophesy. Because as the site grew, my business started to change, and over time the interior of my business was no longer well reflected by its exterior appearance.
I guess you could liken it to those first stages of puberty where your legs grow faster than your torso, and your head doesn’t really match your body—or maybe that was just me. Nevertheless, I had entered a growing period in my business, and with it came growing pains.
As I entered into this growing phase I noticed a lot of ugly emotions popping up. Self-doubt, frustration, confusion, and feelings of surrender to something I didn’t fully understand. Basically, I felt crappy.
For awhile I just pushed through it. That’s my nature. I’m an athlete, and fitness freak, so pushing through pain is an automatic reflex. But deep down, I wanted to cry foul.
So I prayed for some direction and decided to get coaching, which proved to help get to crux of what was plaguing me. And my suggested path was to “get quiet.” It’s so funny how hard it can be for us to see things that are too close to us. I help people in their businesses every day, but I was at a point where I couldn’t help myself in my own. This is why I firmly believe anyone who is serious about performing at their best needs a coach – period.
So I took my coaches advice like a good client does, and shut out all of the noise in my world. I unsubscribed from all newsletters, blogs, and updates. I only used Twitter to answer DMs or specific @ replies. I didn’t login to Facebook, except to welcome new members to the KAT crew. And, I went on what I called “social media sabbatical.”
During this “down” time the fog that so heavily engulfed my senses started to lift. I was able to see how off-track I had gotten. I could see what I was doing that was serving my objectives, and what wasn’t. After a few days of asking myself important questions, talking candidly with clients, and focusing on feeding my spiritual self—I was struck with absolute clarity.
And once I could see things clearly, I had incredible bursts of creativity. I was experiencing so much enthusiasm for what I was doing, that I could hardly sleep at night because my mind was racing with ideas about how I could do even more for my clients – and future clients.
The inside of my business started changing rapidly, and the natural extension of that change, is this exterior change you see today.
So why did I tell you all this? Well for one, I want you to recognize how incredibly vital clarity is to the growth of your business. If you are not clear on who you serve, and how you serve them, you are going to struggle.
Naturally, the question becomes, “Well, how do I figure out where you want to go?” And Pressfield suggests you answer the question, “What is this project about?”
Ultimately this boils down to having clarity about your work. And “surface” clarity won’t suffice. You’ve got to have “intense” clarity. You’ve got to have “concise” clarity, because confusion stunts your growth.
Secondly, I want you to know that having these “growing pains” in your business is totally normal. It’s how you handle them that matters. If you are struggling with finding clarity in your business, find out what is causing you confusion, and eliminate it. Get back to basics. Give yourself time to figure out why it hurts, but don’t give up.
Sal is a wordsmith who helps businesses craft compelling stories so that their marketing materials kick-butt.
These 20 minute mini-biz makeover sessions are challenging. Getting an engaging session going when you’re on a 20 minute time limit is just not possible.
So what you’ll hear is me tearing up Sal’s name – I’m two for two on that in these mini biz makeovers, and a rapid-fire run down of the how Sal can get more clarity in his own business.
Side note: I think I may have had too much coffee that day because I’m talkin’ REALLY fast. Can we say thank goodness for transcripts?!
The Part Where I Butcher Sal’s Last Name
Marlee: Okay. So this afternoon I am with the wonderful Sal Vilarado, if I said that correctly. Correct me if not.
Sal Vilardo: Yes. Vilardo.
Marlee: Vilardo? Okay. I guess growing up in Miami, I’ve got that Spanish roll-the-R-thing going.
Sal Vilardo: I, I, grew up with a, a Spanish background myself so I, I often roll R’s wherever I can.
Marlee: All right, Sal. And so today in your mini biz makeover, we’re just gonna kind of cover some generic areas where I think that you can really hone in on reaching the people that you want to serve and serving them even better.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Why you have to be careful of “failing” at your own expertise when it comes to your own business
Marlee: And, um, based on the survey that you provided me with and on the information that I was able to get from looking at your site, the one thing that strikes me as very ironic is that you have a lot of information that’s incredible in terms of helping people figure out how to find people that they want to serve or how to connect with their audience, yet you seem not to be doing that yourself.
Sal Vilardo: Correct.
Why having a ton of services actually detracts from your ability to attract your ideal customer
Marlee: So my question that I want to ask you is, on your home page you talk about how you want to help businesses integrate marketing, public relations, copyrighting and, you know, like this whole multitude of things in the service firm.
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: But of all of those areas, do you have one particular craft or one particular area that really stands out to you?
Sal Vilardo: Uh, it’s kind of a, a branch between all three and basically what that is is storytelling. Um, and, and it kind of goes with all of them. I love to tell the stories of other businesses, I love to get the word out about them, about what they’re doing and, and basically just generating a lot of excitement about what other people are doing.
Marlee: Oh, my gosh, I’m so glad you said that, Sal, because that was just confirmation for me that I hit the nail on the head because my note here says, I think you need to focus on framing your message around the fact that you help tell businesses’ stories in a compelling way so that their marketing, PR and social media strategies are even more effective.
Sal Vilardo: Gotcha.
Marlee: So here’s what’s really interesting about your site. When I get to your site I don’t feel that it’s about that at all.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: In fact, I’m not really sure what your site’s about when I first get to it. Um, like your content kind of it, it blends personal experiences, you know, with kind of like just your thoughts and I see that you talk a lot about being a freelancer, um, a lot about creative-type things and that you really enjoy writing. I also see that you have a real heart for social responsibility and having an impact on people with needs.
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: And so these things are kind of all sporadically placed around your site but I don’t see any one place that defines exactly what it is that you do in exactly that manner.
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: Because I think that there’s a really strong bridge and you nailed it when you said that it’s really about storytelling which is not easy for everyone to do, right?
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: And so creating a story for people that they can use to build on is going to make anything that they do in terms of marketing or public relationship and copyrighting even more effective because the story is something that other people can hold onto, right?
Sal Vilardo: Right. Right.
Marlee: And so being able to peel back the layers for people and for being, or business owners, and being able to help them figure out what it is about their business that helps them connect with other people is really going to make them more effective, and I think that that’s one area that you can really highlight in your business –
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: – is that you’re about creating that story. So when I come to the Prolific web – Prolific Studios website, the first thing that I feel like I could see when I get there is something that conveys the message that you’re gonna help me figure out what my story is and how to make it matter to other people.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: Right?
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: Because let’s say that that’s your preliminary service, right, developing that story and helping them work with that. You can hypothetically speaking charge a flat fee for creating their story. All the other services that come with that can then be upsells to that, right? So first you say we’re gonna help you develop your story and once you do that you can, let’s say if you paid a flat rate to do that, and then you can say, okay, now that you have your story, would you like help marketing your story. Would you like help marketing your story through social media. Would you like help marketing your story through public relations. You see what I’m saying?
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: So you can then funnel them in to the other activities that – or, the other services that you offer. Right now when I look at your site, I see all the services but I don’t – I can’t figure out exactly how they would work for me.
Sal Vilardo: What the benefit is, right?
Marlee: Exactly.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: So it’s kind of like, in the world of this very competitive space where you see a dozen and one copyrighters, a dozen and one marketing people, a dozen and one PR people, knowing exactly how you are going to be able to help them with that is what you really need to set yourself apart, and I think that for you, being that you’re passionate about writing and being that you really like storytelling, that’s the one thing that can make your services so unique is that you’re building that person’s story.
Sal Vilardo: Right, right. Okay, okay.
Marlee: Does that make sense?
Sal Vilardo: Yeah.
Why your website must instantly communicate what you do and how you do it
Marlee: Cool. Okay. So, um, let’s see, I’m looking at the next thing on my note here. Your site to me feels much more like a personal site than it does a business site.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: And the reason that this is is because when I get to your site, I’m not exactly sure what you’re offering.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: I see a lot of really good content that shares a lot about your thoughts but I don’t really see anywhere where you list your services outright. I see the areas or, you know, things **** touch on like, you know, I see words like copyrighting, marketing, public relations, brand message, but I have no idea how you do any of those things –
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: – or how those things would help me. So I think that one of the things you need to consider is organizing your navigation a little bit better so that when you come to your site, it actually has a thing that says like services. And then may be the first thing under your services, creating your story. And then the second thing is getting your story out. And then under the getting your story out section, you have three ways that you do that. Through social media, through public relations and through traditional marketing, right?
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm. Right.
Marlee: And so that way there’s kind of like an organized flow in figuring out how exactly it is that someone can hire you to do work with you.
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: The other thing that I highly recommend you do is that instead of actually having people click on, let’s say they’re like, okay, you know what? I want Sal to help me create my story and click – they click on the link and they see what you will do. You know, it will ask you a series of questions to figure out what your core message is, will help you create the proper words to convey your core message so it resonates to people who are gonna care most about your products and your brands and so on and so forth, right?
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: At the bottom of that then you can list pricing for that and I would encourage you to, to go ahead and decide on a price that you feel truly represents the value of the work that you’re doing, and I have a blog post where I kind of gave a quick and easy guide for pricing and I’ll be sure to send that to you after this call so you can look at it.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
The importance of making it easy for people to buy what you’re selling
Marlee: But one of the things you’re gonna want to do is create an actual buy button using your PayPal account where people can buy the service and register to have that done right there online.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: Because people rarely take the initiative to send you an email to ask you for help with their services.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: Especially if they’re someone who’s not even really sure if they want it or, I mean, not that they’re not sure that they want it. They’re not really even sure how it works or what they need to do. They might feel intimidated by it. If you set everything out for them and you put a buy button there, they know exactly what they need to do if they want help in that area. They buy it.
Sal Vilardo: Right, right. Okay.
Marlee: You know what I mean?
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Why your navigation bar can make or break your ability to generate leads
Marlee: Okay. Um, so definitely I would consider reorganizing your navigation bar so that it speaks more clearly to exactly what you do.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: The other thing is that since it’s you and your wife that are primarily behind this business, I really think it would benefit you to tell a little bit about your story and show more of who you guys are. Because even though if you do some due diligence, we can find out who Sal is, there’s really not a good, clear picture of you anywhere on the site.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: There, there – you haven’t put your bio up yet and, um, you know, unless you kind of click on some of the other things like your Twitter account or your LinkedIn, you’re not really sure like what’s your background or where you’re from. And these things are extremely important, especially for a freelancer and for a small business because as you well know, we are moving more and more towards a business economy where people want to work with other people.
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: People want to know who’s behind a business and –
Sal Vilardo: Personalize it.
Marlee: Exactly.
Sal Vilardo: Right.
How transparency = trust, and why good pictures matter
Marlee: And you talk a lot about trust in your blog and one of the things that I feel like is missing is the ability to trust who you are ‘cause I have no idea who you are when I look at you. Even if I go to your Facebook page, I don’t get a picture of you. So these are areas where I think that if you really want to kind of sync up what you say with what you do –
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: Then that’s something that you’re gonna want to do. And like I noticed that there are some pictures of your family in blog post, that would be a beautiful photo to put on your “about” page.
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: And it’d be a beautiful thing to tell your story about how you were in the military and what you’re pursuing now with your MBA and how you have built this freelance business with your wife so that you can be there for your children. I mean, that’s incredibly compelling and inspirational and it allows people to see that you’re also a real person –
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: Which I think is very important for what you want to do because if you are going to, like you said, create stories for other people, you need to share your own.
Sal Vilardo: Right. Okay.
Marlee: So that’s one area that I would definitely highlight. And I would make that a very strong focal point of, of what you’re doing.
Sal Vilardo: Okay. Yeah, that makes sense.
Marlee: Um, okay. Now, the only other place where I see that you could really use some more focus is on the who do you serve part. And this is so funny because in call after call, in this mini-biz makeover segment –
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: This keeps coming up. It’s like I think it might be the plague of all **** entrepreneurs. I don’t know. I mean, I just recently kind of broke through this myself.
Sal Vilardo: Uh-huh.
Marlee: So I, I totally get it. But knowing who you serve, you know, far beyond demographics, is really important. And I think that I see little hints of who, who’s a good model of who you want to serve but I don’t really think that it’s being clearly articulated or that you’re speaking in a way that necessarily tells those people that you’re – that that’s who you want to help.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: So I think maybe you’re gonna want to sit down and kind of think about how you can frame your content in a way that’s more specific to them and just from an outsider’s perspective, I want to give you a couple of things that I noticed that might trigger some stuff for you.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: And so the first thing is that you talk a lot about creatives –
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: – and about what it is to be a creative and kind of, you know, the work of a creative person.
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: And so I don’t know if that’s an indication that like you have a heart or that type of work, if you have a heart for people who are freelancers as well, if it, if it’s design or artistry, you know, whatever it might be but, you know, writing. You do talk about those things quite a bit.
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: The other thing that I noticed that you talk about quite a bit is social media and I listened to that podcast that you did –
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: – and um, you know, you talked a lot about the importance of really engaging and connecting with people and helping people share their message through social media, and so there’s a lot of that in there, you know, peppered in there with the things that you talk about. And I also see that, you know, you really have a heart for social responsibility and I really like that post about your circle of responsibility.
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: And how that is important to you. I think that that’s actually a cornerstone post for you if, if you could call it that, just because I have a feeling that that’s probably like a cornerstone of who you are.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: I don’t know, am I close? Am I wrong?
Sal Vilardo: Yes, yes, it is.
Marlee: Okay. And so I really think that that’s important because I believe that people that have that same kind of mindset about business and life are going to want someone like you to help them.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
The 2 keys to picking the right people to serve in your business
Marlee: Okay? So one of the things that I came up with and I don’t know how feasible this is because one of the things that you need to look at in determining exactly who it is that you serve is that you’re serving people who first want what you’re offering –
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: – and secondly that they’re willing to pay for it.
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: Because a lot of times they can want it and they’re not willing to pay for it. So for example, a lot of what I see on your site makes me feel like you should work with organizations that do a lot of philanthropy –
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: – but in that instance, there tends to be less money –
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: – so it can be harder to be really profitable if you’re serving businesses that are technically nonprofits, you know.
Sal Vilardo: Right, right.
Marlee: Usually those, those types of organizations, they don’t have the money to invest in marketing and copyrighting and things like that. So you would probably have to find a way to serve those companies that’s not gonna, you know, take time out of your profit-building activities.
Sal Vilardo: Right.
How to pair profitability with social responsibility so everyone wins
Marlee: So one way that I thought about maybe bridging the gap, this could be a reach, but it’s got, it, it’s workable. You throw it out there, you never know what could happen.
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: Um, and that is maybe you should look at how to help other businesses grow, right –
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: – by helping them fund a cause that they care about, right? So for example, you can be the bridge for businesses towards making an impact in their, as a, or making an impact towards their social responsibility. Am I making sense?
Sal Vilardo: I, I think so. I’m kind of getting a, a glint of it. I’m trying to figure out –
Marlee: Okay. So let me make, make an example so –
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: – so I can probably make it clearer. Let’s say, um, and I can actually use your business as an example.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: So you have this really cool thing at the top of your site that’s labeled as causes.
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: And it’s, you know, Africa restoration project or whatever, I can’t remember exactly the name of it. Um, the Save Africa Project, right?
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm. Yes.
Marlee: And so this is part of something that’s important to you and it’s part of what you feel like is one of your social responsibilities, right?
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: So one of the way that you could fund and you, you know, could fund your social responsibility is by the work that you do with other business, taking some of the profits from that and investing that in this particular cause, right?
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: Okay. So, now let’s take that same system and let’s implement it for other businesses. So let’s say that you’re going to provide services for a veterinary clinic, okay?
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: And they want to, you know, find more customers and, you know, grow their veterinary practice, um, you know, and they specialize – let’s say they actually specialize in dogs specifically, you know, several breeds of dogs or whatever. So one way that you could help them craft their message is around the things that dog lovers are often most compelled by and that’s for animals that are homeless –
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: Or animals that, you know, get sent to the shelter or that get euthanized, you know.
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: If you’re an animal lover, those kinds of things, those kinds of stories break your heart, right?
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: So let’s say that the veterinary clinic either starts their own fund or finds one that’s local which is a lot more likely that they can support –
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: – that helps keep dogs and cats or whatever from being euthanized or helps them find homes or helps them get proper veterinary care.
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: One of the things that you can do is help them build their message around this cause so that they can connect better with their target audience.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: That will allow them to market their services more effectively. So they’re doing two things by this. You’re creating a heart-centered message that 1) helps them attract more of their ideal customer, animal owners and lovers, and 2) helps them give back to the community because by attracting their customers, they take a portion of the proceeds from whatever their paying customers pay and they support the causes that matter most to them which are keeping animals off the streets and making sure they find good homes.
Sal Vilardo: Right, okay. Okay, yeah, that makes perfect sense.
Marlee: You see how that works there?
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: And so that might be one unique way to take what it is that you do, which is create a story, and support that cornerstone belief that you have which is that you should be using your abilities to serve people, um, you know, for the greater good.
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: And so even, you can be both profitable and philanthropic in your business, and it doesn’t have to be like a huge portion of the proceeds, right? I mean, it, it doesn’t have to be, you know, 20 percent. I mean, I would think that the good standard to go with would be 10 –
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: – but it might be less ‘cause some people I see, like for example, I shop at Whole Foods.
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: And they give like 1 percent –
Sal Vilardo: ****
Marlee: – or something – what’s that?
Sal Vilardo: I said Whole Foods is great.
Marlee: They are. I like to call them Whole Paycheck ‘cause they’re so expensive but their food is really good. I, I, I’m spoiled. Um, so yeah, they, you know, when I, when I go to Whole Foods and I buy my groceries, they ask me, you know, where do you want to submit your bag donations, or would you like them back and they give 10 cents per bag that I bring in.
Sal Vilardo: Right, right.
Marlee: And I always go and turn around and donate them local and it makes me feel good about shopping there because even though I’m only giving 20 cents, I’m still giving it, you know what I mean?
Sal Vilardo: ****, right. Exactly.
Marlee: Exactly. And so I know Whole Foods is doing their part to provide to that positive social responsibility and I know that that goes to part of the story of Whole Foods and so it not only speaks about Whole Foods, but in some way I’m also saying that that speaks about me.
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: And I think for you, that makes your business a very different copyrighting, marketing, PR business, you know? That’s –
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: – not just any run-of-the-mill, off-the-street PR service. It’s one that specifically speaks to a specific type of business.
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: What do you think of all that?
Sal Vilardo: I, I, I agree 100 percent. And yeah, I, I don’t think I could have connected the dots myself but it makes perfect sense.
Marlee: Do you see how you might be able to implement it?
Sal Vilardo: I do. I do.
Marlee: Okay.
Sal Vilardo: It’ll take a little bit of planning out but I, I think, yeah, definitely.
Marlee: Awesome. So yeah, I think definitely the first step for you is going to be to clearly figure out how you’re articulating your own message which is that you’re about storytelling, and I think that needs to be the very first thing that comes across when someone encounters Prolific Studios.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: Then I, I want to also see a clearly identified place that says services where you list out the services that you’re gonna be providing and then each one of those services needs to have like a buy now link or some way for them to state yes, I want this immediately. That could – it doesn’t necessarily have to be a buy now link, I would recommend that in terms of profitability you do it that way.
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: But if you even want to say register now so that they can sign up to purchase, then that would be a first step, but making it something that’s a automatic thing for them to actually input their information and sign – and raise their hand and say yes, I want this, is something that definitely needs to be there. Having that passive email me if you’re interested is definitely going to prevent you from getting as many clients as you, as you could.
Sal Vilardo: Gotcha.
Marlee: Um, so that will be the, the second thing. Again, I’m gonna forward you that pricing guide that I created on the blog so you can see that and use that as a guide, and then the last thing is just to kind of bring some clarity in general or some transparency in general to who you are and what Prolific Studios is about. Like even in the little, in your Twitter bio for –
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm.
Marlee: – Prolific Studios, I think you should be saying all Tweets are by @salvilrado2, you know, your other Twitter account.
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: So that they know that there’s a human person behind that Twitter account too.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: It’s just one where you’re using for Prolific Studios.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: And then, you know, put that picture of your family and talk about your story and put that stuff on there and I think that if you do that, that you’re really going to have a much easier time figuring out who it is that you’re gonna serve best and, and how you can do that, and they’re gonna know that right away too. And just really quickly, let me see something here. In your, on the right-hand side of your site where you have your recent post comments tags and your follow me, I think that if you could scooch all that down and put in an opt-in box and create a special report of sorts that can help you collect email addresses of people that might be interested in your service, that will serve you really well.
Sal Vilardo: Okay.
Marlee: You might consider creating, you know, it doesn’t have to be epic and massive, it doesn’t have to be a manifesto, but you could even say, you know, seven tips for telling your story in a way that connects with your consumer or something of that nature.
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: And that’s gonna again signal someone who comes here, okay, this guy’s gonna help me figure out how to talk to people. And you know, one thing that could be really great in terms of content for you is, and, and this is something that would probably be really funny even, is look around you and look at all the bad examples that there are. Take a lot of the major brands that you see, or even the small ones like maybe you see, for example, in – I live here in Florida – we get commercials all the time on our local news channel that are terrible, you know?
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: They’re like people yelling and, you know, like attorneys with really mean faces going, “We care about you!” and I’m like yeah, right, you want our money, you know?
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: And those are great examples where you can say, you know, I was watching TV the other day and I saw this commercial and then you could around and say how much better would it be if Attorney, you know, Dan Newland or whatever, you know, told the story about how he X-Y-Z.
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: Because this **** about him and this is how people would know he truly cares about them and he would be better if he did this. So even using real life examples of how you would tell someone else’s story –
Sal Vilardo: Right, you mean, do like a critique on it or something?
Marlee: Exactly, like a little case study, exactly.
Sal Vilardo: Gotcha.
Marlee: Would be a perfect way to show off, look, this is how I could help you communicate in a way that people are gonna really care about you. And you know, one of the amazing things about what you have a passion for in terms of storytelling is like that’s the stuff that news outlets and magazines want, like they want the story. They want the human interest side. They want that **** that makes people really give a hoot about whatever it is that they’re doing and if you have the knack for doing that for people –
Sal Vilardo: Right.
Marlee: – that’s a really a priceless skill ‘cause a lot of people don’t know how to do that, you know.?
Sal Vilardo: Mm hmm. Right, right. Okay. Yeah.
Marlee: Cool. All right. So I hope that this stuff was useful for you.
photo credit: Outdated Productions
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
Marlee,
Sorry I’m just now seeing this – the new site redesign looks great! Love the self-evaluation; that is always a good thing.
As far as taking a social sabbatical – I love that idea; and one that I may need to implement in my own life. Connectiveness can get exhausting (like you said) and having intentional time to reflect on where you want to go is so important. Get rid of the competing voices and focus on what’s important.
Best!
Dustin
dustinThe Life of George Mueller
Thanks, Dustin!
And yes, SOLITUDE in many respects brings lots of clarity!
Hi Marlee,
First of all, I do like your new look! Are you feeling better now that the outside matches the inside?
Your blog post has so eloquently expressed what I am going through right now myself. I’ve taken several steps back, retreated to my base camp, and started questioning myself – Am I going the direction I want to go? What really matters? What’s my vision? What can I let go of that’s not helping me reach my vision?
I’m glad to see you doing well and coming out positively on the other side. There’s nothing stopping you now!
Peggy
Peggy Baron5 Things I Learned From Walt Disney
Hi Peggy,
I do feel better now that there is consistency. Not to mention I can’t stop the natural flow of creativity and productivity. It’s awesome. I’m glad you are asking the same questions of yourself. I’m sure you’ll discover some great things. Thank you for your words of encouragement. Let me know how your process turns out!
This is my first visit to your blog, so I have no idea what it’s previous incarnation looked like, but, what a great post to land on! I, too, am reassessing my direction and want to thank you for sharing your experience. I find your article to be a great deal of help and guidance.
Thanks, Chas! I hope you’ll sign up for Kick-Ass Tips so you can get the guide that goes with this post. It will walk you through a clarity session step by step.
Awesome layout, and the colors seem to fit right in Marlee. I totally agree that once in a while we all need to take a step back, relax, and re-energize ourselves. What we do after that is so much better as our perception seems to be re-aligned.
Vitaly TennantHow do you earn cash online? Or do you? Ideas here!
Thanks, Vitaly. I really appreciate your feedback.
Marlee, thrilled for your new direction. The brand will now have unlimited opportunities. Your passion rocks girl, just keep doing your thing.
Smiles,
Marcus
Marcus Sheridan-The Sales LionHow to Build Amazing Friendships, Not Just ‘Fans’, Online
Thanks, Marcus. Your support means a lot!
Marlee, go on with your bad self.
I’m glad the fog has lifted for you – you know I can relate.
The site makeover is beautiful. So, does this mean I can stop twisting my tongue, now?
Thanks so much for providing a written transcript! I’m going to check it out a bit later.
Here’s to your continued growth and prosperity!
Cheers,
Mitch
Mitchell AllenThe Fox the Elephant and the Demon
LMBO! Yes the tongue twisting is officially over. I’m so glad you like the site makeover. Being that you’re a pro it means a lot to have your stamp of approval. Thanks, Mitch!
I think the emotional pop is the key to energized differentiation.
A little clarity goes a long way, especially in terms of lining up values, beliefs, and actions.
J.D. MeierFriendship Quotes
Wow! Nice update, it looks great! I hadn’t been on in a week or so but I can see you’re spending your time wisely.
TomT-ball player plays like the Phillies
Thanks, Tom. Glad to see you here!
Hope all is well in the world of t-ball.
Marlee – Great post. Great encouragement to take a deep breath and get right again every so often. I love the idea of ‘intense clarity.’ Yes!
Thanks, Mary. And thanks for stopping by!
Hey Marlee,
Love the new look. The color pops and it truly shines. I sent you a tweet. Hopefully YOU got it. When it comes to creation as an artist, i know, intuition is golden. It’s the only thing you, me or anyone should trust. It’s our gut that help us out when your vision is murky. Our internal inkling, like when a mother knows her son is crying inside and she maybe outside smoking a cigarette. This is something we all have. It’s just about tapping into it and learning to follow it.
You said you are an athlete? What kind track, volleyball, beer pong..lol.
jonathanfigaroHow Stupid Are You With Your Money
This is a great look Marlee! Congrats on the makeover. I’m glad you were able to clear your mind and get some clarity on things. It’s funny I had to take a break from everything yesterday. I’m in the beginning stages of learning to listen to myself and I really need to focus in on it because I find myself frustrated with life some times, so I definitely understand where you are coming from. Keep up the great and thank you for your inspiration!
What’s Good Ms. Marlee,
Man I drop off the scence for a minute and come back and everthing is different. You’ve changed! Well at least your site has. I am feeling the new look. It looks cleaner and easier to navigate. As for you, you are still the same ole lady delivering unparalleled value and dropping some serious monthly tips. I still can’t believe you give this stuff away. I took some valuable insight from this session and I can’t wait to see what you got coming up next. Holla!
FrankChanging Jobs: An Inspiring Story
Marlee…love your blog! Just listened to the interview (makeover). Really liked it!
Pastor John!
Thank you so much for your comment! It totally made my day to see you here. I’m having a blast with this and it’s so fulfilling to help people in this way. Big hug to Judy! XOXO
Hey Marlee!
I’m very impressed with the new makeover, and with your courage on the name change!
I can’t wait until I get home tonight to listen to the makeover, from reading the bullet points this one should be right up my alley.
Once again time to follow in your footsteps!
John GarrettAddicted to Non-Interactive Video Games
Hey Marlee,
As you know, I love the new site. Looks great. And I really appreciate you sharing the process of transformation…the transparency puts me at an even more loyal place for MarleeWard.com.
The coaching sessions with Sal was awesome. I had the opportunity to meet Sal (online) last month when I was referred to his site to checkout one of his post. Great guy! I’m sure your savvy suggestions will help business a lot.
Congrats for all that you have going on. You’re hustlin’ hard as usual!
PEACE
Jk AllenWho Needs a MBA (or any Degree) When You Have Hustle?
Thanks, JK!
Hi, Marlee.
Congratulations on the makeover! Your site looks great.
I am also glad you took that time off. We need that from time to time to refresh our perspectives.
Happy that you are now back in the game!
Kim DaviesAs a Blogger or a 3D Artist, Who Do You Work For?
First time on your site, Marlee – looks great to me!
Clean, unobstructed, easy to read. Hope all the things you were going for.
Ana
Ana HoffmanHow Google Works: Why Does Crappy Website Rank Higher Than Mine?
Love the new site Marlee! And bravo to you for taking a “sabbatical”. Sometimes it’s important for you to step back and refocus and more importantly getting back to the basics of why you started this whole journey.
By the way, I think we are on the same journey. I not too long ago took a hard, long look at my business and restructured my business (which I’m still in the process of doing). It’s a work in progress.
Michele Welch4 Quick Steps To An Effective Marketing Plan
Thanks, Michele. We have been tracking each other in business and I’m so glad to have someone like you around to encourage me. I hope I can do the same for you!
You do.
I forgot to talk about your new site! I love that everything from your design to your nomenclature is straightforward, and I applaud your tough decision to change the name. I was one of the people who “got it” but I also understand that providing crystal clear vision is crucial.
I really like the Start Here link in the menu. I think that if you can provide as much direction as possible, leaving few options for other navigational choices, you will get them to what you want them to see. Visualize the click path you want your visitors to take and then don’t give them many other options other than that path.
Hey Marlee & Sal – Great mini-makeover! I really like that you focused on providing direction for your website visitors, once you have more clarity in what you’re really offering. And I agree that offering too much isn’t always appropriate. Offering solutions that address pain points works well, rather than separate tactics.
There’s a book out by Patrick Schwerdtfeger (try saying that 3 times fast) and he talks about the fact that when visitors land on your website, you are in total control of what they see. In a sense, they are in a submissive state. Too often we feel that we are the ones without any control over what our visitors see and do, but we actually control that.
So, it’s a good idea to, like Marlee said, provide them with what they need to make the appropriate decision. I think site owners would see many more conversions if they providing simple directions – a path – to a solution that relieves pain points.
Thanks for posting the mini-makeover! Great to be connected to both of you great people!
Cheers,
Tia
Tia PetersonIs your specialty food website ready for holiday sales?
Thanks, Tia!