10: Christina Aldan, International TEDx speaker, award-winning corporate trainer, and brand strategy consultant at Arana Software helps startups get their first customers.

paris_vega: welcome to the first customers podcast today we have christina all don speaker trainer mentor brand strategy consultant at arona software who's had a lot of experin it's working with startups consulting them through all the complex issues and chaos that comes along with starting a business christina welcome to the show christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: thank you paris_vega: let's start off by learning a little bit about your background so if you would tell us where you grew up and maybe some childhood experiences related to business or selling stuff that kind of thing christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah sure i grew up in the upper peninsula of michigan i'm a hooper you don't see a lot of those out in the wild paris_vega: what was that phrase you said you christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: a paris_vega: are a christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: per paris_vega: per christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: per what's christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: from paris_vega: that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it's from the u p ber peninsula michigan paris_vega: oh okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: ah i'm paris_vega: got christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: a paris_vega: you christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: per paris_vega: i've christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: never heard that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah and so i grew up there i went to an engineering school i had a scholarship to michigan tech university for their chemical engineering program paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and i gave up my scholarship after a few years i decided paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you know i was in the labs and i would look outside and my friends were always outside playing hacke sak doing paris_vega: yah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: whatever and i'd be in the lab like paris_vega: h christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: measuring ace tone paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and you know centrefuging stuff and it was very detailed it wasn't my jam wasn't my jam paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: at all so i was like you know what mom i am going to stop this chemical engineering stuff i want to go play in the rain forest and so i got a degree in ecology and environmental sciences which paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i don't use today today paris_vega: really christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i work in tech paris_vega: ye christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: in fact i did horrible in computers i got a very sympathetic d in my one sings class that i took i think it was paris_vega: uh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: a c sharp c sharp class and i did horribly but i tried really hard so i get a passing d was that was but paris_vega: uh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: these days i work in tech i work at run of software it's a consulting company and i'm a speaker trainer brand strategy consultant there yeah but you paris_vega: so christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: know it's interesting sorry go ahead paris_vega: no go ahead christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it's interesting you know because i grew up in this tiny little place small towns and i always dreamed about experiencing the big world right and so now today i've seen all the world i've been all seven continents as a speaker which is really really cool paris_vega: oh wow christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: m paris_vega: so when you're a little kid did you have any of those classic stereo typical dortadoor selling doughnuts christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: or christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: fund raisers christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: or christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that was a paris_vega: lemonade christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: me paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: every fund raiser i got all of the top prices paris_vega: really christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you know you go around with paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: girl scout cookies or paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you go around the neighborhood selling just you know random things at christmas or gift baskets i was always the highest seller always yeah that was my thing i sold avon i had a paper route when i was like twelve all that all that stuff and and i come from a long line you know my mom sold avon she was in sales she had a district of two hundred women that she managed my grand a going back to my grandma even she managed restaurants and owned a couple of restaurants and she was the cook she was the owner she was the cook paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: she did all and my family i think women in my family have always had that paris_vega: so you come from a long line of business minded entrepreneurial christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it's paris_vega: sales christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: experienced people christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's right paris_vega: that's awesome that's that's so interesting that i think everyone i've asked that question so far has had a lot of christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: m paris_vega: that kind of experience as a kid so i wonder if that influence s kind of trajectory christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: well definitely paris_vega: later christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: my communication paris_vega: in life christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: because my mom used to pay me fifty cents for every phone call i would make phone calls for her and so that totally levelled up my phone game right is a twelve paris_vega: how old christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: thirteen paris_vega: were you when you were doing that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: twelve paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: thirteen years old yeah yeah paris_vega: cold christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: probably paris_vega: calling christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: thirteen yep thirteen fourteen and paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so like i said she managed paris_vega: ah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: strict of two hundred women if she made the phone calls everybody would want to talk so instead paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: this was before the internet before email if you wanted to spread information you had to call people and tell them the information right so paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: if she may two hundred phone calls well you know that can take up a lot of time but if i thirteen years old have a little script here the dates here's the event this is where you need to go here the up dates thanks have a nice day and then paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you know i'd make fifty cents per form call uh paris_vega: that's awesome christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: h yeah paris_vega: all right so talk about maybe your first real job outside like working for somebody outside of your family maybe christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah my first job was a i did a few different things i worked at a farm once and picked cucumbers that wasn't paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: fun paris_vega: uh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it was not fun paris_vega: manual labor christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: like right i did by paper let's see what else did i do i was a waitress i yeah the what was it called paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: boy big boy do they still have big boy restaurants i don't know paris_vega: not in my area at least christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah not here i'm in las vegas paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: we don't have any any big boy but that was my first probably regular job and then i worked at another buffet place i worked in a lot of restaurants until i think maybe my mid twenties yeah paris_vega: okay all right and eventually made your way to current position at arona software christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: and were you doing any mentoring or consulting coaching or leadership training before that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: m paris_vega: or is it christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: just through christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: my paris_vega: that okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: twenties i kind of bounced around all over the place for a while i bounced around a different jobs i went to peru and i lived in an orphanage for a paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: few paris_vega: wow christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: months three months i volunteered in an orphanage there and then i lived in l for a bit i did use my degree for short period in los angeles i worked at a building materials store that was for energy efficiency green building stuff like that and even when i came into vas i got certified and reset certified and b p i certified which is all about building envelopes and building performance so i kind of did that a little bit paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i didn't love it and i always kept paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: going to building websites for people and always you know side projects where it was creative and i had control over what i was harging and how i was delivering all of that paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: when did you learn about how to build a website christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: um i was waitressing in an arbor michigan i want to say i don't know maybe two thousand two two thousand and three twenty years ago yes yeah and so paris_vega: just christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's paris_vega: self christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: how i paris_vega: taught christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: started paris_vega: on the side or christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah that's right there used to be dream paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: weaver paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it was a wizzywigyou paris_vega: yep christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: know and then c s s came out and then adobe of course bought the their product um and then later i started having problems with my hands because i was spending way too much time i would carry i got a little eye book i carried that with me everywhere and i was just always always always on my machine and eventually it hurt my hand so i had to hire a team i opened up an l l c and had my own agency it was lucky girl designs paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and then during the pandemic paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i rolled my book of business in paris_vega: yes christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: with my partners business and so now i'm at a run of software paris_vega: and that was the partner's business was the software christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: company christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah i met my j about seven and a half years ago maybe and when we came together there was just a lot of overlap in what we did right in marketing paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: we have metrics um any of the leadership training and stuff that we did design and development there is just a lot of overlap with what we did so we figure there's no sense in paying double the professional fees in the same household paris_vega: yeah that makes sense christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: so you had your own web design development agency christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: there for a while so christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: talk about a little bit about that experience about getting customers or maybe your first customer that you got with that agency christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah you know i used to free lance and i would get my i guess i would get things from just referrals just from friends right i was just doing a few jobs here a few jobs there and then i got really really sick i was working in a law office as an executive assistant and i got really really sick and it turned out that i needed my goal bladder removed paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and as i was healing i didn't want to go back into the law office and i thought what if i just do my own thing so then i started networking and reaching out places where i visit right coffee shops talking to people just letting people know i'm taking on additional clients paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and that's how paris_vega: when you christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i paris_vega: say christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: did it slowly paris_vega: okay so when you say net working you mean like going to events or like just cold going up to strangers at the coffee christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: no paris_vega: shop christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i would go to events at the time paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i was co managing director for girls in tech las vegas and paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it was a non profit here so we had lots events we had you know four or five different events on month and that was when the vegas tech community was really active when tony she had invested his money into downtown las vegas with the downtown project so there was a lot happening at that time yeah paris_vega: that's a smart move being on that council or that organization that's directly tied to the event so then christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah it was really paris_vega: right in there christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: neat kind of organically grew that way and i was speaking and teaching and doing training workshop with kids and people started asking me to speak more and more so then i had to start charging cause i can't just go around spending all day speaking and teaching for free but paris_vega: one night christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: once that happened then i started venturing outside of the west right west coast i started i think the first conference that i spoke at was saint leu days a dot net a long long time ago it was at my first tech conference anyway paris_vega: okay specifically about dot net programming language christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: well i spoke at that time about user experience and the start paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: up culture how user experience is at every single level of business not and your product paris_vega: that's good christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: can you christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and paris_vega: touch christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so your paris_vega: on that a christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: user paris_vega: little bit christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: experience can be conferences let's say i walk up to you and go hey paris how's it going over there you know company x you're like a company x is terrible stay away from company g were struggling with this my leader doesn't know that our co is an idiot right paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's part of the user experience of the company's brand and people don't think about that a lot of times i think also how you are developing the paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: products and services oftentimes don't get tested in ways that the users are going to actually use the product and startups even tex companies smaller death shops even that are been a while around for a while um they're really good at building products but not always good at the market research up front and thinking paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: about how people are going to use them paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: people are going to say about them and what paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the users are saying about them that's really what branding is what are your customers saying about your products and services paris_vega: okay yeah i've definitely experienced that where being in more of the designer development side of things or even the product management side of things focusing on kind of the technical aspect of this is what's possible christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: and to kind of scratch our own itch on the production side we want to build all these features or whatever but it you know it may not help necessarily the customer experience as much as it does just satisfy the devin design team christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's right paris_vega: internally christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the budget paris_vega: ended yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: for whoever's setting the requirements paris_vega: or due christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: dates or anything christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right ah there was a really great idea here in vegas that came from dan hugo he's in previous intil guy but real big community organizer here in vegas paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: love meet on dan hugo paris_vega: ye christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: but he had a really great idea about building smart houses while residents lived in the house paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so create two or three sample houses and then put some residents into them then start building the tack around it paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so we can see how the users on a day to day basis are going to use the products paris_vega: so you're saying that the technology or the product of the company they were building was about a certain kind of technology for houses so they were going christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: to gradually add it to the house so they could see how it changed or how christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so paris_vega: they christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you paris_vega: interacted christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: can paris_vega: with christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: see paris_vega: it little by little christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: if the people are actually using it the way that it's intended to see what kind of challenges that they experience a lot of times people don't have those data right up front developers want to build stuff paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oftentimes there aren't enough questions and there's this philosophy called jobs to be done have you heard of it paris paris_vega: jobs christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: jobs paris_vega: to be christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: to be done paris_vega: done no i have not christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it's been around for about five years maybe jobs to be done you can check it out um jobs to be done encourages people to have nuance conversations about how people engage with your products and it has to be with the intention of drilling down to get into the customer's head about what their behavior was that had them make decisions during their purchase decision so if we start from here not even thinking about purchasing and then all the way here to they purchased paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: what is the pathway sometimes it loops sometimes it paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: turns back around the budget wasn't right so we went back i waited or my wife wasn't on board kids weren't old enough um you know the paris_vega: how christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: weather paris_vega: did they collect christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: was really really crazy so we just paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: popped into this store and bought the umbrella right then and there so asking these nuance questions and having these interviews with people right up front what this does is it gives us jobs to be done we can come out of every single conversation with about fifteen to twenty action items paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that gives us jobs to be done as developers and designers of these products that are going to be the full crom for people to just tip over and get closer to their buying decision closer closer closer closer to purchasing your pro paris_vega: and how do they collect that data christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so with interviews paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and it's paris_vega: customer christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: very time paris_vega: view christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: consuming paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and each interview should be at least an hour to two hours long right so let me give you an example paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: m paris_vega: that's really interesting christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: let's say let's take the umbrella example europe paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: umbrella designer okay you want paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: to sell some more umbrellas and maybe you want to add some features um so you're going to go ahead and take thirty two maybe thirty customers set up some interviews and i realize what i'm saying i'm to realize two paris_vega: sure christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hours with each customer thirty customers at sixty hours paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: market research is a lot of time but it's more expensive to go back later try to correct things so that up front conversation paris_vega: ah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: is important you get your customer in front of you and you go okay so you bought this umbrella it's about this umbrella i'm paris_vega: yes christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: goin t ask you a whole bunch of questions and a lot of the questions are going to seem like they're irrelevant just hang in there with me some of the questions might seem awkward or you paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: know minuscule but they matter to us so just you know humor us with all of our little questions and the customer is okay paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so walk me through it it's the day you bought the umbrella woke up that morning tell me what was your paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: morning like you know the morning i had breakfast i showered i got i was a little late paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh wait why were you late well you know because my kids and they got in to school oh okay all right so you're already frazzled our out the door to this important meeting you get to where you're going to go and then suddenly you see it's raining it's raining but you have a new dress new hair you don't want to get rain on right and show up to your meeting on mess you're already late you're already frustrated and then why didn't you just grab an umbrella from home i didn't have the umbrella or my kids broke it or what which recently happened with me in fact i paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: was racing and running and i opened it and it was paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: broken but you ran out you were on your way so you're very frazzled yeah i was really frazzled okay so was the umbrella at the first store you tried no i went to the first store they were out of umbrellas i was walking through the aisles i had okay so you had to engage with people you're really nervous about getting to your meeting on time you don't want this rain that's right paris_vega: m m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so you can see paris how paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: can direct the conversation ask the questions about getting into the customer's head when they made that purchase decision ah understanding that is going to tell you a they're in a hurry they don't want to go through the iles ut the umbrellas on the end cap okay paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: they're in a hurry paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: they don't really care paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: if it's two for one or if there's a sale or whatever they were going to buy the umbrella regardless so maybe we don't need paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: to have special coupons or you know whatever maybe it also tells you it was the rainy season okay well let's look at climate change and let's look at weather patterns and let's look at parts of the country that are now getting rain normally they didn't these are untapped umbrella markets for us paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and so you can see from these conversations you can walk away from each interview with about fifteen to twenty different action items that are going to help you design develop and market your product in ways make it very easy for their experience paris_vega: and so that's what the jobs to be done or the take christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so that's paris_vega: aways christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: what jobs to be done are ye it's the take away items paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and then you can take those fifteen to twenty different lists of you know those paris_vega: ye christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: actions that you want to take you're going to start seeing common themes oh look everybody who buys an umbrella is in a hurry and it's a last minute decision like a car where we plan out months in advance and we paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: research paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and we talk to people and we test it out that's that's not how people use umbrella and so if you can get into their mind set you start to see common themes in these interviews paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and then you pull those common themes out and you say this is how we're going to develop our product develop the product and then you can paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: go through other user testing and things like that paris_vega: cool now i'm wanting a brain storm on that umbrella idea it's like well christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: in the rainy market you might could have a argument for like a luxury customer umbrella brand because it's more constant issue you know christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's paris_vega: for people christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: in those areas so it's like it's more thought would probably go into it they don't want something hat's going to break or christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: interesting christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: or maybe you have an umbrella collection paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: maybe you can find some people paris_vega: because it's a fashion christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: who paris_vega: statement at some point christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's paris_vega: for christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: if you're wearing it every day christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: if paris_vega: having christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you're paris_vega: to christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: using paris_vega: use it christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it paris_vega: every christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: every paris_vega: day christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: day paris_vega: yeah yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: interesting okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so paris_vega: so that's christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: everything paris_vega: something that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that paris_vega: any christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i paris_vega: business christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: do paris_vega: can use christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: when we're launching products that run of software for our clients or you know coaching clients who are about to do a launch i work a lot with medium sized startups or even early stage in the idea ideshold but we think about what paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: they are launching it's not always the process especially in tech i work in tech lots paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: of times somebody has a great idea build it then they go okay who wants this paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: i've been there i've made that mistake christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: exactly exactly paris_vega: i've lost money on that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right right paris_vega: yep christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: ah yeah understanding the market and understanding the behavior of potential customers that's really what we're looking at right and that all comes down to emotional intelligence all of its communication it's empathy it's how we are self aware of our message how we are aware of the motivation s of our clients and our customers emotional intelligence is really the foundation of all of that paris_vega: so speaking about emotional intelligence i'm looking behind you and anybody who's just listening you can go check out the outube uh version this episode but i see two white boards that are packed all kinds of words and christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: uh cartoons and hand drawn looking things christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: m paris_vega: and there's a big title that has emotional intelligence in the workplace christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah this is my paris_vega: talk litte christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: talk paris_vega: bit about that okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: emotional intelligence in the workplace and while i was on stage there was an artist live drawing it so this paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: is the graphical representation paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: of my talk paris_vega: war christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it's pretty cool so paris_vega: sorry christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you paris_vega: about christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: can paris_vega: that alarm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: go to one squeiggly line and check out melinda walker's work she's really cool there are a few posters out there for different talks that i've done at tech conferences with these two posters i was able to get from the conference organizers and frame them paris_vega: that's cool so now you've got an inphographic christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's paris_vega: for your christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: talk that you can use anywhere christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's right yeah paris_vega: cool christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and so this talk is called five tips for cultivating more emotional intelligence and we go through what emotional intelligence is and you know there are twenty six different facets of emotional intelligence so you can kind of tappin to any one of those twenty six paris_vega: ah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and do some skills building and it's going to help you it's going to help you with your personal and your professional relationships paris_vega: i think i went through a book recently that it touched on a lot of that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: m paris_vega: was called captivate christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: i can't remember the author's name at the moment christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: okay paris_vega: captivate christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i haven't heard it paris_vega: i'm gonta look it up real quick captivate christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: is it a paris_vega: book christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: product lunch book paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: for captivating your audiences paris_vega: the science of succeeding with people by let me give her a shout out vanessa van edwards christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: m nice paris_vega: along the lines of a lot of what you're saying here along with more like also some of the tactical or kind of like body language christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: m paris_vega: reading and some christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: h paris_vega: of that kind of stuff christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: m paris_vega: but it sounds like you're in a different end of that emotional intelligence spectrum christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah behavior is another facet of emotional intelligence so how we conduct ourselves and emotional intelligence has four different parts it has our self awareness awareness of others and how we manage our relationships and how we manage our talents and our skills in our community how we impart and give back paris_vega: okay so you talk a little bit about how you connect that with coaching maybe christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: an early stage start up maybe he don't have any customers yet christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah sure so when we whenever paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i talk to early stage startups paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it's about what are their resources and what is the dynamic of the team are they setting up communication remember communication is a part of emotional intelligence are they setting up a synchronous communication do they have pathways for documentation those things are important as there they're starting out also working with each other then how are they building into their business plan and how they operate the different steps that are going to not only support their employees even if they're paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: two or three start up founders as well as their customers that's important now when we're starting to think about launching a product i like to have people paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: create the minimum viable product the m v p what can we launch with zero features the tiniest cleanest little um paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm product then as we're building that out that's where those interviews come in paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: need to talk to twenty to thirty people we need to drill down and get exactly what problem we are trying to solve married with the problems that the customers are trying to solve and how are we going to deliver it fifteen to twenty actions that's how we're going to deliver it paris_vega: ye christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: we go through all of those interviews we do our market research maybe i've done this before with some startups paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: maybe you take a sampling of bata testers maybe you offer your product to non profits for free for nine months and in that nine months while they are using your product in order to get it for free they have to do interviews and give feed back and help with paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the product development in that nine month process so that at twelve months then you can level up their subscription you know whatever the product is for their software paris_vega: my christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and then it shifts but during that time that nine months you've had real time interactions and you've watched people using the product and you can make all of tweeks before you do the hard launch right you can have a little soft launch with those bata testers first and that helps from there people start to measure turn and they start to talk about retention right and you're in that early phase start up for maybe a year or two maybe you are ready for your next round of funding ing and then paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: off to the growth phase but paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: those those market research data points are really important i think it's often missed paris_vega: so if you have zero customers you're saying christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: that one of the best ways to get something is at least getting free trial customers to give you christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yes paris_vega: feed back as a form of payment christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's paris_vega: um christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: okay and so it's a nice little note for any anybody who's trying to boot strap a business themselves don't put such a tight deadline or financial strain on yourself where you can't afford christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's paris_vega: some christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: kind of initial on boarding pure customer feedback period because i've been through that myself where i would try to launch christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: something but the christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: only way it could have ever have worked is it has to make money within one month christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: i got to shut it down you know christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah that's paris_vega: it christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: really paris_vega: was just christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's really tough paris_vega: yeah and it's christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: but paris_vega: like and it has christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: if you paris_vega: to generate christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: put yourself paris_vega: money christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you put yourself in the situation where you're co creating if you're users together you're growing and you're working out those growing pains with each little tiny iteration as opposed to all right it's do or die paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right we need to make paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: one hundred thousand dollars paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: in thirty days or we're done yeah paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: okay listen up all those early product boot strappers out there design your situation better christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: design your situation so that you have room to have some free customers to get that valuable christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: feedback and christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: that lines up with some of the other people i've christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: ye paris_vega: talked to you even on this podcast about how they initially launched some of them were able to get money out of that really early customer by doing like a pre sale and having christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's right paris_vega: some height built up so they were able to christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and paris_vega: get some cash christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: if paris_vega: in christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you paris_vega: the door christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: have paris_vega: up front christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that initial pre sale built so that you have enough emotional triggers that are going to inspire people into paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: action then that will work paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and if you have paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: now thirteen to fifteen emotional triggers in that campaign um that's that's really paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: what we need but lots of times when i talk to startups i'll see three or four there will only be three or four emotional triggers maybe you can use paris_vega: you're christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: things paris_vega: saying christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: like paris_vega: it christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: time scarcity paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you can use things like free bes free offers you can learn use emotional paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: riggers like paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: scarcity you could pipe it up right by using celebrity paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: trying to get cloud here paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: a lot of different paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: emotional triggers that we can use i tend to sway people away from using negative emotional triggers right paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: where paris_vega: like christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you're paris_vega: fear and anger and christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: fear anger bashing your competition paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: um that kind of stuff works temporarily but it's not really sustainable you paris_vega: so christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: have paris_vega: you're christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: to paris_vega: saying christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: keep paris_vega: that it christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: activating people through anger if you want paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: to keep them going you know paris_vega: because it's like a reactionary decision christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right correct paris_vega: are you saying that it takes that many emotional triggers for like a proper sales funnel to function that fifteen christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i usually paris_vega: or so christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: try to build in at least thirteen to fifteen paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and a campaign paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: along the way at different points yeah paris_vega: and that's um m constructed or set up in the form of like retargeting or like planned moments for a customer who's using a piece of christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: correct paris_vega: software where they get after christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: planned paris_vega: x amount of days christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: moments paris_vega: they get christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yep that's paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right and even initially to capture people's attention gosh paris we have to struggle and fight for people's attention really hard these paris_vega: sure christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: days so now using those emotional triggers is valuable i just try to encourage people to use our super powers for good and not evil paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so that we're not adding to discomfort or fear or anger and to the world there's plenty of that already and our minds are really really good at being attuned to that as it is it's a tune or our behavior to seek out the beautiful things and the helpful things instead paris_vega: yeah that's good i heard a marketer i think the other day talking about how if you're product or service it truly solves a problem then like the polite type of retargeting is just you reminding them that like you can solve that problem for them in a way christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's right yeah and paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: every single touch point that you have your our customers should paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: lead to the next one as well i think people don't do that either even if you've already de ard product that you said you were going to deliver to them so continuing that conversation with them is really important so you're always educating them about the next feature the next product paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: some you're excited about an award something that might be valuable to them a tip constantly having those touch points with your customers is important on social media at conferences from the stage phone calls in meetings working press releases news there are a lot of different ways to paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: get your information in front of people paris_vega: what do you think the most common problem or the biggest problem that the new companies run into related to getting those those first customers christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: um the biggest problem is i think they don't do that market research up front a lot of new startups don't even realize that you can write to your secretary of state every single quarter and see all the new businesses that have paris_vega: what christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: opened so you can get paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the exact contact that public lists of the contact paris_vega: what christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: information so you just write to secretary of state and get the list who are all of the businesses started this quarter go through all those businesses all right all these new businesses need our product because our product is i don't know for helping new businesses whatever maybe paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you can just go through all the new businesses and look for all of the hair salons paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the paris_vega: whatever christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: end of the paris_vega: nitch christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: year you have paris_vega: applies christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: a list paris_vega: to your product or service christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it's right paris_vega: i didn't christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and so paris_vega: know christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's paris_vega: you could christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: a paris_vega: do christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: really paris_vega: that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: good tip paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yep paris_vega: man we could end the show right there ndthatwoudhav been worth it christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: that one little piece of advice some christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: excellent paris_vega: some free list building right there christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it's free list building and you can work your list do the interviews get the new people coming through i mean maybe you even want to target non profits that are reaching nationally you can get a list of all the non profits that exist at a national level and then just start offering your product for maybe hey we need paris_vega: ye christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: bata testers we're looking for two hundred bata testers for nine months will give you our product for free the only thing you to do is every two weeks have a meeting with one of our people and answer questions as to you know how you're using our product paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: in that way you're co creating and collaborating paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: your product development with your users paris_vega: yeah i've definitely made that mistake myself personally uh on the projects i've been involved with trying to build things without talking to any potential customers christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: mhm paris_vega: assuming i knew what people needed because christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: mhm paris_vega: i had an idea about something and no surprise no nobody heard about or nobody cared about it because i didn't christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: m paris_vega: take that initial time to talk to people and get that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: well it's also important paris_vega: golden christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: to paris_vega: inside christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: note paris_vega: up front christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: paris though that sometimes timing is off paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: sometimes location is off if your geo location is such that it doesn't support the technology that you just build people really aren't going to care about it or use it and it may be a really great product for you know people in indonesia or people in australia just not where you are paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: if you can't get traction where you are then it's hard to reach those people in in donation or australia paris_vega: for sure christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: or whatever you know paris_vega: so you said the main problem you feel like that these early businesses have is not doing that market research up front christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: why do you think that problem exists so commonly christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: well people paris_vega: why christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: are paris_vega: do christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: excited paris_vega: you think that's it okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: we want to do this is human behavior again when we talk about emotional intelligence we do what's fun what's easy i mean even an ameba a galer celled organism right the most basic organism there is in me ba always seek the path to least resistance always so we're wired that way and unless you have the tenacity roll up your sleeves and go right into the fire especially when it gets hard especially when somebody's standing there going this is never going to work and here's why you have to pause you have to suspend your ego suspend your reaction really listen okay is what they're telling me valuable is this important to the design development of my product m i don't know maybe my ego is more important maybe it's easier for me to rationalize they don't know what they're talking about they don't see my vision i don't know it depends because there's definitely a balance right because sure people who disrupt markets sometimes they can be really really successful um m but if you want to do it in a sustainable way that adapts along the way it's never really a good idea to not listen to outside and put paris_vega: right because there's always only a handful of those businesses in history that are actual disruptors christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's right paris_vega: and i mean if everybody's aiming for that goal then yeah everybody like most ninety nine point nine percent are going to fail and it's already christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's right paris_vega: close to that i guess that fail anyway christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: correct paris_vega: but it seems like a much more achieve goal like you're saying to create a sustainable business in an existing market instead of they're creating a hole new marketer turning a market upside down that already exists christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah there's a oh paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: gosh i wish i had that book with me i would share with you maybe i'll send it later you can put it in the show notes paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: but there's a really good book about that um in the different stages that a company is paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: in as far as how they want to disrupt a market and whether or not it's a good idea or not paris_vega: oh would you say that most of the businesses that you work with are in that situation where they haven't done any market research like what roughly percentage do you think like christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: okay paris_vega: how common that issue is christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it's very very common and i work with you know start of weekends i work with different kinds of competitions as a judge where we give away no prizes things like that but then also with my clients it's very very common very common paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i paris_vega: so christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: would paris_vega: you would christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: say paris_vega: say the majority christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: ninety percent paris_vega: okay wow christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah i would because paris_vega: and i wonder christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: a lot of it what we do then is we do what we're good at we do what we're comfortable with and if we're good at you know writing code then that's what we're going to do we're just going to build this thing we do what's comfortable paris_vega: and i wonder if there's a like it's still a residue of the early start up culture narratives or some of the bigger stories like zckerburg christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: or some of the stories from steve jobs where he would you know go against or not do any user research you christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: m paris_vega: know famously just building what his taste said christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: well paris_vega: was christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: here's paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the thing paris_vega: in that kind of thing christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that people don't talk about with steve j they say paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh steve and waznakan they built it in the garage and they paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: boot strapped it and then don't talk about how now when he started apple oh he boots strapped it with some of the best of the best and they started their own company and he invested his own money he put in you know all of his money and he boots rapped and they built it in the garage with just nine million dollars and i'll tell you paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: what parents you give me nine million dollars paris_vega: you make a computer christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i'll make a computer paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and i won't care what anybody else is saying either paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and you know i can make it work so people don't talk about that a lot of times where they say oh you just boots strapped it and they disrupt it will now they had the best of the best and they had millions and millions of dollars and the timing and paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the location paris_vega: and they were part of the community too so they were christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: correct paris_vega: partly they were the target market themselves because they were in those groups before starting the company they were part christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's paris_vega: of christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: that culture whereas christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: if you're just building a product for somebody that you're not in the target audience christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: of you definitely have to do some kind of market research because christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: you don't even know what you're building christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: there's a paris_vega: for christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: perfect example of this in north las vegas paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: up north they noticed that there were a lot of accidents pedestirine accidents in vegas you know it's a desert we have a lot of space or roads or wide or things paris_vega: a christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: or parking lots are big and wide well here was the street corner and there's a lamp post just set slightly off inside they thought all right we're going to put a button paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so that you have to push the button it's going to make a sound for anybody who needs a little extra help any extra time crossing the road great this is going to assist people who need a little extra assistance to cross the road what they did they built the button so that you actually have to go up on the grass it's three feet in ward from the road anyone with a wheel chair or a cane can't even get to the button yeah so here's a perfect example of building a product where they think they're making a solution in fact paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it's not helping one bit the exact population that it was designed to serve paris_vega: yeah yeah creating new problems almost christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's right yeah nobody uses it paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: thousands of dollars wasted to you know quote a quote improve an intersection paris_vega: yeah i guess there's a lot of these kind of principles that could apply to government as well christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm m paris_vega: haven't be nice if we were able to measure the results of laws and rescind laws like hey guys we should change this but it also i guess it's purposely made to be a slow process so we're not flopping around back and forth with crazy laws too christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: true very true paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: we definitely have a long way to go even though we have a lot of paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: privilege and benefits here in the u s paris_vega: hm um so you help the different businesses with that specific problem christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: either directing them toward market research or do you help manage the market research process christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: ah i do help with the entire strategy process and paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: we often get into leadership and like i said communication as well how are we communicating our brand message internally and also externally and then we create entire marketing library as we go along so that people have paris_vega: right oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: campaign library that they can draw from draw from let's say they're going to a podcast let's say they're selling from the stage maybe they're doing cold calls maybe they have some kind of a click funnel campaign with a google ad right we start building this library so that they can adapt it with each iteration each new feature launch across multiple different media including when they're at a conference and how they're representing their company paris_vega: okay so is this a specific service know that you offer it through the software company that you're part of now christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: um m do you see this specific need being addressed by a lot of other companies like is there a lot of competition for offering this specific kind of market christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: well paris_vega: research christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: essentially paris_vega: coach christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: when i come in i usually act as a fractional chief marketing officer for companies paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: who can't afford a full time sam right maybe they already have a handful of people working on their marketing but they're disjointed and so that's what i see a lot of when i work with clients is that they've got a super star social media person they have a p r person they've got an o person those are all great they're kind of working together in that they're sharing data they're not working together an entire strategy and paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: how everything is launched in a weekly basis and then having those gaps filled so that the conversion process is seamless as customers put the money right into your bank account because you can have an amazing co person drive traffic to your website but if it's not converting paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: into sales doesn't matter paris_vega: yep i'll have to get some pricing for you after this i could i could see a use for a fractional cmotour agency help us christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: tighten christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: some things up christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: all christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the other paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: thing paris_vega: what christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: about that is that i've seen a lot of different industries i've worked in a lot of different industries and i have consulted and coached and even mentor people in a lot of different industries so i've seen a lot of different industries and while the principles are the same some of those can be really nuance as far as like you know i work with the esthetics industry as an example we build websites for plastic surgeons all or country cosmotal it is um and so that information can be kind of nuance when we're launching campaigns for them paris_vega: tell us uh maybe a story about a company that you worked with on this problem and you saw the biggest lie before and after change like the its christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: result or one that stands out christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: um one that i worked with recently is umandramata galactic solutions their debshop out of indiana paris_vega: that's an epic christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and they've paris_vega: name christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: been around for bout five years i think so you know medium medium i start up on paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and during the pandemic as you know like i mean everything was just broken right paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: lucky for them they never had to close their doors like a lot of those small companies did um and they were able to keep it going now they had different parts right their founders are authors there were speakers they had a lot of really good technical content out there how to things like that what we did so that they didn't have to close their doors is we did a few different things we wrote some talk so that they're selling from stage they were speaking before they were just speaking to give back to the community and to share and so we did a few different tweaks so that they were inserting some opportunities to educate people on how they work that was one thing we got them more podcast interviews they started speaking internationally paris_vega: wow christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: um they hired they on boarded their team members i think they hired like five new team members during now when everybody else was closing their doors paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: just filling in those gaps they launched a blog on their paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: website instead of just putting articles on linked in or being guest bloggers they started managing their own content watching the numbers saying oh look this is interesting this blog post is really popular in berlin for some reason you know maybe we should paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: go speak there and they started doing that and they started working their european leads a little bit more and paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so a dove shop like that once we take stock of their resources see where they want to go build up their marketing library just slightly find tune their brand messaging i spread that message out a wider audience right they started streaming on twitch they started doing a lot more there suddenly paris_vega: i christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: their pipe line works so that they're not trying to get clients it's just they're in front of people attracting clients that makes sense paris_vega: yeah they're more top of mind so they get more christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: because paris_vega: in christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: they didn't paris_vega: bound christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: like selling paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i don't like selling paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: but i teach people paris_vega: h christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: how to sell without selling paris_vega: nice christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i teach them how to just show up and educate people what they're doing that they're attracting these loyal customers who really are in alignment with what they're doing paris_vega: think we just found title for the podcast christina christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: all gone teaches startups how to sell without selling christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: love it paris_vega: that's really cool okay we're doing some similar stuff at our agency christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: ah paris_vega: trying to christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: little by little while we're serving clients but also thinking about okay we need to christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: eat our own dog food so to speak where christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: you're actually doing the things that you're telling people christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: to do and put content out and that kind of thing so that's interesting christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and paris_vega: when you christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you paris_vega: when christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: build paris_vega: you create that fly will kind of fly wheel of content it sounds christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: uh paris_vega: like you're talking christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: uh paris_vega: about how long do you think it takes going from christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it's about eighteen months paris paris_vega: okay you've christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: eighteen paris_vega: got it christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: months paris_vega: mapped out to a like a scheduled process christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it usually takes about eighteen months to get that traction where not intentionally seeking it so much where it's coming to you right paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so for example for me one day you know i did a t x talk about how we connect with people at any given moment we're always choosing to connect with people or not connected with people one day somebody sent me a message and said wow christina you've been speaking so much you've been doing training you you've got you know this you spoke at the university you did this commencement your address is it because you did a tete talk and i went face palm right like no it's not just because i did one tex talk it's because you know in the last year i did a hundred podcast interviews and i did six international talks or you know however many and i did all these workshops and i did a lot of training and i did a lot of free things at non profits that's why i'm getting more attraction in the last eighteen months paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i've been putting myself out there and once that happened it's like you reach a tipping point paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: where then the referrals just come in and then you don't have paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: to work as hard now depends on your product obviously paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: is it a one time use product are we talking about software a subscription are we talking about a widget you know it depends paris_vega: how many pieces of content do you think are kind of included in that eighteen month window that it takes to actually get christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: well paris_vega: results christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i'm really lazy paris paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: to tell you i like to create it once paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and use it as many times as possible paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so i encourage people to use the video take shorts out of that videowrite paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: a key note address from that video once the feedback and the comments start coming in take those questions build out an entire training workshop around that video get the paris_vega: wow christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: transcript make it a blog post right paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so it's kind of relative when you ask that out of one piece of content i paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: can get a lot of different pieces that paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: we can break out paris_vega: yeah that's awesome christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and paris_vega: even christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that paris_vega: that little christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: way paris_vega: formula you just gave was really good because i've heard you know i think that's a popular recommendation now is hey you got video you can create audio text whatever from that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: mhmm paris_vega: end of the short you can create that now all the platforms basically support short form video christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: and so it makes sense to have at least video and then you can break it up into smaller christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: videos and text but i like what you said about turning the questions into of course like over time you can build out that little course library i hadn't thought christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's paris_vega: about christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: that part christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and it goes back to that jobs to be done philosophy paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: where you're interviewing people you're getting their feedback and then you're developing your products and services based on what they're telling you they want you'll start to see those common themes and even watch people use your product because you can't always control how they're going to use it there's some videos out there about how to use a can opener and if you paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: look at the patent of the can opener it was actually designed to put on the top in turn paris_vega: i have the can christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: but paris_vega: upside down sort of like resting on the can opener or something christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: resting on it and then later they designed another one that you can actually clamp on and take the paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: top off but the original pattern if you see how it's looked how how paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it looks how you're supposed to twist it on it's wrong paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: how we normally use it which paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: is a really good example of how you don't always control how people are going to use your product so that's why you have to watch them use it paris_vega: right it's like user inter face design versus u x design like you can create an inter face but you have to watch them use it to understand the christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's paris_vega: user christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: experience christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's right paris_vega: of your inter face christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: mhm paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: so christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: everyone's like me i can pretty much open any software and paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: kind of understand how to use it but paris_vega: well christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it's not everybody paris_vega: i think uh thankfully a lot of software has kind of converged into some pretty strong norms and you christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: know kind of standard interface elements christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the standards paris_vega: where christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah exactly paris_vega: gotten a christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: every paris_vega: lot christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: now paris_vega: better christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and then though i run into somebody who says oh no we want our website should be the opposite of that paris_vega: to be totally christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: look paris_vega: different like when you christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it paris_vega: scroll one way it goes the christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: opposite way or something christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: we want it totally paris_vega: like what are christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: different paris_vega: you doing yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: we don't want to be like anyone else paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and that's when we you know call them into a meeting and classes in session paris_vega: yeah because the point isn't just to be christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: ye paris_vega: different it's like to communicate clearly at christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: correct paris_vega: least for a website because that's like a one of your main marketing tools or communication tools christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's right paris_vega: these days so it's not christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: exactly paris_vega: necessarily the christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it paris_vega: place to to flex your you neque great creativity when you're talking about how to navigate a website christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: it shouldn't necessarily be a puzzle unless you're like some nitch christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you got to make it paris_vega: magician christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: as easy paris_vega: or something christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: as possible easy paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: as possible paris_vega: right okay so from one piece of content one video do you think that would you could turn that into a eighteen months window worth of christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: probably paris_vega: content would it christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: not paris_vega: take maybe christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you probably need three paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you probably need three and then i encourage people to take a theme every month or every quarter pick a theme that is going to maybe highlight one feature a theme that's maybe going to highlight one micro population a theme that's going to roll into some holidays maybe that paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: or in alignment with your brand maybe you create i don't know vases maybe you do hand blown vases and every single mother's day you have a campaign for that month and then christmas you're going to have other holiday theme for your campaign but think about those themes that tell the overarching story of your brand we make the best glass vases it's that overarching story break it down either by month or by quarter paris_vega: oh what do you think about the type of video content especially because there's a wide spectrum of how you could attack that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: and like traditionally it's high investment and it almost sounds like you're you're lean in that direction because you're christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: the math that we talked about just now it's one video every six months christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: and getting a lot out of that so does that mean you're kind of leaning towards the traditional high cost you know high quality commercial style video or there's always christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: well that's paris_vega: there's christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: very paris_vega: also christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: nuance paris_vega: the use for the holding the i phone the founder christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: of the company just talking about the business there seems like there's christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the paris_vega: a christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: best paris_vega: place for christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: way paris_vega: both christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right now to put out video content is to have it real have it raw have it paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: messy it's the best way paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: um but when i say you could get it by with three videos i'm paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: talking about you know maybe a forty five minute video a talk a speech paris_vega: got ya christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: or something ou can turn that into a key note address you can turn that into a demo day a four hour workshop penny paris_vega: so in christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: in paris_vega: the christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: your product paris_vega: in the context of a start up christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: or a new business that would be maybe the founder or somebody behind the company christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: talking about the problem the business solves and going christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: deep into that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: if paris_vega: or christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: anybody's paris_vega: some issue christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: been in touch with track j s have you heard of track j s before java strip paris_vega: think so christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: java script error product paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and so they grew just by demowaing their product at conferences build paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: a product went to conferences said this is what our clients are doing on boarded more clients at that conference they went to the next conference here's the demo just doing their product they were very very very successful is that yep paris_vega: okay so in that case there maybe using the same information or that same one demo or presentation and christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: just repeating it over and over to the target audience christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's right paris_vega: um okay and then they could christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and paris_vega: maybe christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: then paris_vega: release video of one of those or all those demos i guess and just christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's right and then they paris_vega: amount christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: can take paris_vega: public christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the questions that people ask paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: write a blog post about it they can record the questions and put them up on a youtube channel about you know frequently ask questions maybe while you're using our software um they can have case studies that they're presenting so that the clients potential clients can actually visualize them using the product yeah paris_vega: that's good all right you've given me christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: i'm really specific to chew on here with that one video every six months christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so paris_vega: then flash out i'd be interesting to see do you have somewhere like online christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: m paris_vega: where you've you've laid that process out kind of that eighteen months content christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i haven't because paris_vega: marketing christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it's paris_vega: strategy christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: very nuance paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you know paris i'm not one of these people who does paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: follow my blue print paris_vega: yeah the don formula christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's right paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i don't know the don but paris_vega: ah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i mean i do kind of have a framework right whenever i work with a company i want to talk to their leaders i want to look at the resources and the support that they have i want to see what has worked what hasn't i want to talk about their core values at the company we're going to talk about how those core values are coming through their products through their brand message through their marketing want to talk about how we're measuring it and then are we getting the numbers that we want when we measure things if not paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: let's fill in those gaps do we need to be on tik tok we need to sell from the stage do you need to write a blog and have that maybe every single week maybe you need to do live streams it depends each company is very nuance when we start talking about that content creation and distribution paris_vega: okay so that kind of puts a different angle on our rapid fire section that i usually have christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: m paris_vega: um after we've gone through christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: m paris_vega: we've already been going for an hour now christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: we've covered a lot um but you're in the position of you know consulting with lots of different startups and it's not necessarily christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: the part we've spent the most time on hasn't been nessarily about you personally how you get the customers for your business but for all these businesses all these patterns that you see christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: mhm paris_vega: so that's really interesting but for the rapid fire section excuse me um maybe we can look at it like what do you recommend and just like what you finished going over a few minutes ago it's going to depend from business to business christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: but maybe there's some overall patterns or tactics or platforms that you either recommend to stay away from or to christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: cool paris_vega: lean into and so you can kind of give a yes no or if you want to go deeper we can just talk about a couple different tactics here christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: let's do it rapid fire paris_vega: all right all right let's start off with traditional marketing christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: first part of that would be direct marketing so do you recommend face to face meetings cold calls direct physical mail those kind of things christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: during the pandemic i recommended as many phone calls possible it was a whole different way of marketing and paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: communicating because a lot of people don't pick up the phone and so to be disruptive was actually to pick up the phone during the pandemic paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: direct marketing by email is still the best rect marketing by email converts still probably one of the best but even paris_vega: what about christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: better paris_vega: physical meal christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: physical mal does work if you have brick and mortar that people can go into whenever paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: um paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: m i guess it could work with email if you're constantly emailing people and taking in those calls and emails you know i see bill boards especially paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: work with a brick and mortar i never advise anybody to take out a bill board unless they have a brick and mortar store paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: where it's turn paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: here now next paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: exit the only time i've seen bill boards work save paris_vega: makes christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yourself paris_vega: more sense for christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the paris_vega: local businesses christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: fifteen thousand twenty thousand dollars unless you have that brick and mortar with a sign that says next exit turn here paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: don't bother with bill boards paris_vega: because i guess they'd argue hey you're building some brand awareness in that specific christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: um paris_vega: location christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: maybe for lawyers it might work for paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right because of accidents on the free way they see the bill paris_vega: yah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: board call in case of accident those kinds of things may be um but there's so much noise already paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: rand awareness without an emotional trigger is not going paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: to be effective paris_vega: tying it all back to the emotional intelligence and the emotional christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: triggers okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yep paris_vega: so you're saying there's less of a use or it's just really expensive way of getting like subtle christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: like subliminal almost christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right you can paris_vega: and christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: do paris_vega: recognition christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that with a facebook add or a google ad paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: for pennies paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: okay what about other print media like newspaper adds magazine adds or even bulletin boards and strategic christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: ah paris_vega: locations where you put up a little flyer or something christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i like bulletin boards because i tell people that your business is going to follow you wherever you are paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: here was a time in my life where i spent a lot of time in coffee shops so i always put flyers paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and business cards up and people knew i was going to be there your business follows where you go paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: um when we talk about print in magazines that are niche then yes i agree paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: with that i agree with health and wellness magazine and l g b t q magazine you know code magazine always has a lot of really good articles and good information there that are going to drive people to go hey like what they said about you know um changing this and converting it into a dot net product instead and they're moving it over into that framework let me look at what else they're doing no as far paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: as big giant magazines where you're just kind of blasting for brand awareness and you're spending a whole lot of money not a big fan of that a big fan we paris_vega: so christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: have paris_vega: better christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: our weekly paris_vega: to be christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: magazine here that talks about events in vegas obviously we have a ton of events so if paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you're putting an add in there relative to art or entertainment okay i can see that would make sense paris_vega: yeah so you're advising just to make sure it's within the context of something your target audience might be reading christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah otherwise i don't see the value where you're spending a lot of money paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: on i don't know people just aren't going to be too excited about it unless your role x go ahead you can afford it paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: go ahead and put a giant spread and glamor magazine you know paris_vega: right right you think that those ad rates would go down eventually but i guess there's enough really big brands christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: they're still spending in all the traditional ways what christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: about broadcast media like t v or radio adds christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah i have a tip for t v and radio in fact paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you can buy ads and those are effective in certain ways here for example let's say we're doing poetry slam event okay go ahead and take out a radio ad on the local hip hop radio station to promote your event that's going to make paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: sense the audience is there that's a good market to tap into i've also done it when like i said i was managing director for girls in te las vegas where we would partner with different organizations a lot of people don't know that non profits get p s a time and so you could paris_vega: my christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: contact the local news station and they have a three minute community paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: segment you could say look we're doing this hackathon um we're going o help these non profits and you can go on and promote your event with the non profit and you're the developer and that's a really good way to promote your services and at the same time help the community paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you do the same thing with radio spots a lot of radio stations have community spots where they work with schools or no profits they'll give paris_vega: now christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: them paris_vega: what christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: free paris_vega: was christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: air paris_vega: it you christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: time paris_vega: said what was t you said that gave you a like a free slot christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so paris_vega: you said christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: public paris_vega: cant christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: service announcements yeah paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: public service announcements paris_vega: got you christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yep paris_vega: all right one more in the traditional category physical cupons or loyalty cards discount christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: cards christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you know i'm a person paris_vega: thing christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: who does not like those at all paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i find them offensive i get really upset because i'm paris_vega: really christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: like really yeah paris_vega: the loyalty christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: card side of it or christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: just discount cupons in general christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: just all of it both of them paris_vega: really christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: because paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you know i look at multi paris_vega: not expect this to be something christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i know paris_vega: to trigger such a response right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: all right look at these giant companies and they're giving you you twenty cents off a can paris_vega: i christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: of paris_vega: got christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: soup paris_vega: you christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: like twenty paris_vega: it's christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: cents paris_vega: like just lower christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: a paris_vega: the price christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: just low price paris_vega: i christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: no paris_vega: see what you're saying oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: however these things work they paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: use them for a reason in the context of a product launch like i said earlier where maybe you're giving somebody a coupon for being a bata tester we're going to give you a reduced rate for this six month period while you help us bata test our product those work those things work as long as you're getting the feedback in exchange right what am i getting out of it that's what you want to think about paris_vega: oh okay and on the loyalty card side of it christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: do you feel christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: loyalty paris_vega: like it's christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: card side paris_vega: kind of gets into some dark tactics as well as far as like that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i paris_vega: exclusivity christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: just feel like you have paris_vega: and christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: to make it easy paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: am i opening another app i'm at the grocery and paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: then i have to check and this works and that doesn't or you know i'm at the drug store and it's like just a second i have to look paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: at my app for what coupon applies paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and what doesn't like i don't have time for that i really paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: don't and it annoys me and then i missed the date or it's expired and i just get annoyed paris_vega: so christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and paris_vega: it makes it a worst user experience at that point christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: makes paris_vega: or christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it paris_vega: customer christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: a worse paris_vega: experience christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: user experience for me paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: all right let's move into the digital age with digital marketing tactics um m you recommend all businesses have their own website where they can post blog content have contact christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: forms and all that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: well i think that people don't understand the differences between those you know paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: like i said when i started working with andromeda their death shop of course they had a static site they want to manage every thing this is the thing that i bump up against all the time with developers everybody hates word press but it's the paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: best and fastest for disseminating information distributing information paris_vega: just christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i should paris_vega: for that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: say paris_vega: blogfunctionality piece christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the blog for the marketing the meditate on the back and paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the monitoring the measuring in my world if you can't measure it it doesn't exist i want to know how people are getting to that blog i said when we were working with a one paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: client we never would have known that they had a following in berlin in germany paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: across the pond like unless we were measuring it and it's paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: turned out to be a really good relationship for them as well michael down and i believe sits on the committee the planning committee for one of those conferences for paris_vega: that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the paris_vega: was christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: cloud paris_vega: just getting into their google analytics or their word press tats to to see where christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you paris_vega: the christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: can paris_vega: traffic was christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and paris_vega: coming christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you can paris_vega: from christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: start to understand the patterns look paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: at all of these people reading my blog from greece wow who would have known i'm kind of a big deal in greece paris_vega: go yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you know paris_vega: yeah grees trip okay um different social media marketing platforms ah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: video paris_vega: or christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: video video i mean paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: tik tok you tube there's a product out there right now called kind catch felt with a k kind catch it does video right into your text so it's not sending you text messages it's sending you video texts and paris_vega: hind catch christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: people are fund raising money paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: they are having amazing responses even using it as a microinfluencer app for fitness trainers who can communicate paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and motivate there people that they're they're working with give them a video give them a training video maybe give them a video some exercises a motivational video it's working really well for fun raising so video video video is the way to go i just did a interview about this last week in fact and then paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: tiktok same thing direct to camera kind of tips paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and talking they've added youtube shorts in fact youtube you're going to be able to host classes now and do online classes paris_vega: really christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so you don't have to pay for a job or any like paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that paris_vega: whoa christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: youtube is going to have that feature now coming paris_vega: so they're christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: up paris_vega: going christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: for paris_vega: to christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: people paris_vega: have christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: who have paris_vega: the christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: online paris_vega: commerce aspect of it christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you can do on paris_vega: interesting christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: line classes and webinars that you can sell paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you paris_vega: in christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: tube paris_vega: you tube christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and paris_vega: that's christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: who paris_vega: smart christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: owns youtube google does right so if paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you want to rank high in the search engine results pages for google paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: having that content and having paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: every single video with the co optimization of every paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: single video that's going to really help your paris_vega: so the most popular video platforms are probably you tube tik tok facebook instagram and what do you think about some of the other things it might be a little less popular but have different uses christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: no i'm saying paris_vega: what's up snap chat telegram christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: ye paris_vega: interest christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i'm really seeing the most for people who are making money and want to have products to sell right linked in paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: youtube to talk paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: for developers there's a collaborative thing around twitch paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: um m but it's on an individual basis women on twitch you know they've got to have five moderators on there just to manage the sexual paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: arassment paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right certain things there just paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: it's nuance but even linked in live if you look at taylor deston he's done very very well with building his personal brand on linked in live having his livepodcast every every morning paris_vega: okay what do you think about community form type sites like red it cora oh even discord and getting into slack groups and that kind of thing christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: um they can be okay and they can be helpful depending on that culture right paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i'm not trying to be discord mom paris_vega: my christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and i don't think anybody else wants to be either paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: so you know having the strict rules for moderation and having them enforced and having them be very specific line by line we won't tolerate this we won't tolerate that the ones that don't succeed to the ones who are vague and so that's paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: what i cautioned people about when you're building paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: those kinds of communities paris_vega: got christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: is paris_vega: you christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: make sure you have the container these are what our expectations are here are the people who are going to enforce those expectations paris_vega: and i guess they give you the tools to maybe do that at scale sort of or is it still christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: okay paris_vega: pretty granular you got to get in there christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: well you know on twitch you can you can set the dial for comments filters paris_vega: okay no christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you can do it on you tube as well so paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i don't think you could do it on tik tok though think paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you can paris_vega: ah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: do it on tiktok paris_vega: you think they'd be more maybe they're just more strict overall because i know they re they're pretty quick to either band or take things down or moderate themselves christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: that's interesting christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: okay um switching away from more of the organic content what about on the paid advertising side google ads facebook adds instagram adds christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i mean paris_vega: linked christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: unless paris_vega: in christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you're paris_vega: tiktok christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: spending paris_vega: all that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: three to four thousand a month don't bother paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: bother you can put a google ad up for maybe four hundred bucks a month if you just want to brand awareness thing that's going to flash in front of people but at the end of the day you're probably just wasting your money at this and um you know five ten years ago brand awareness adds paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: worked i wouldn't recommend them these days unless paris_vega: and are christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you're paris_vega: you saying christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: spending three to four thousand dollars a month and then paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: maybe if you're in a small community there's not a lot of competition let's say a message therapist in a small community and there are only four other message therapist in that community four hundred paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: dollars a month on a google ad just for your go location targeting paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: we're probably gonna do pretty well paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that will work for you paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: ut here in las vegas the competition so high it wouldn't even paris_vega: so that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: make paris_vega: drives christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: sense paris_vega: up the cost per click christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: correct paris_vega: that it makes it where you don't just you don't get enough exposure to have christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: correct paris_vega: a chance at christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and paris_vega: getting christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: google paris_vega: the christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: will paris_vega: clicks christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: keep taking your money and they paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: will keep telling you oh you just need to increase your head spend paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's all so paris_vega: that's christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: all paris_vega: so christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: was paris_vega: true christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: their solution paris_vega: i christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: think every call i have with one of their christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: recall paris_vega: associates that's what they say christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yep paris_vega: it's like hey what we got to do to get you to christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: okay paris_vega: increase adds and we really think that would give you more results but christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh it paris_vega: o much other advice okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: and to all of our clients listening to this she did say christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: does work in some cases and this is more advice for christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: beginning businesses so any christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: established clients of mine christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: ah paris_vega: she's not talking to you christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah at's right paris_vega: because the established businesses you know like you said christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: if you got christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: the budget it makes sense christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: to get out there and compete christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: and it has to be with the entire brand strategy right has to fit in with the press paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: releases and the events and the non profit collabor ations and the blog posts and the social media efforts and the speaking on state it all has to tie in together paris_vega: that's good all right you mentioned a little bit about so um m is that something that you also advise people to be conscious of at the beginning technoclassio christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: on page christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: i do yeah because a lot paris_vega: at christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: of times when i'm working with developers they go oh yeah so we built it into the website you can add a medatag description paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: whatever and i'm like yeah paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: actually the description doesn't even count in the or of them any more so that's not what we're talking about we're talking about c o it means and a lot of o feeds into accessibility as well how paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the screen readers are paris_vega: yea christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: um paris_vega: all tags and christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's paris_vega: different christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: right paris_vega: things christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: your heaters your h one two three paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: four sometimes people mix them all up and they're not hierarchical or they'll skip things sometimes paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: they'll bold or underline the copy and that's prioritized in the algorithm they don't understand they're prioritizing the wrong words they're trying to paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: rank for the wrong words um so so is really import and and what i think people don't understand is that it's about casting a wide net across the internet multiple places you have to understand also that news um dot et ou paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: dot gub sites paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: or rentireing the algorithm so if you work with the university try to get one of your blog posts on their website if you work with the government try to get a guest blog posts on that site because it's going to funnel traffic back to your own site and it will increase your showing up in those searching and results pages paris_vega: solid advice okay other tools that we go over related to christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: the sales process for an early business christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: are there any prospecting tools or you know any of those m recommended tools pipe drive or any kind of sales force christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: listen paris_vega: c christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: a paris_vega: r christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: lot of paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: those paris_vega: any of christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: small paris_vega: that christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: companies don't even need em if paris_vega: okay christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: you have two hundred clients if you have eighty clients paris_vega: h christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: put it into paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: a spread sheet you know what i mean don't waste two hundred fifty dollars a month of your precious precious resources when you're new even as mid size companies now the video to text app i think is really really affordable at something like a hundred dollars a month something like that is worth it because you're getting paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: maximum value videos right into your text messaging that's paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: a valuable tool that's a valuable but something that just goes back and forth to store emails and the date last date you talked to somebody it's not really worth sales force is huge i guess infusion soft is called paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: what's it called now keep keep i guess it's called now the massive systems where you're spending three hundred six hundred dollars a month for content paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: management it's really paris_vega: yes christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: not me and at all initial startups there new if you have eighty to two hundred customers you really don't need to buy an expensive product to manage them paris_vega: m i would say maybe that's do you think about christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: for like purely service base business because like for a product christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: focus business i could see that being more the case because you know they're using the product christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: for a service base business when we're talking about tech usually paris_vega: hm christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: that's built into their product let's pull paris_vega: right christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: up our client paris_vega: because christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: list paris_vega: the accounts and yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: the accounts paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: are right paris_vega: that's christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: there paris_vega: right yep christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: know and so you already have those data that you can pull up at any time and you should be able to build those metrics into it and if not you know well back to todd the developer behind track j s he created a really cool tool recently for marketing for monitoring up time and website performance which is really cool that that's probably a good tool to use if you're having clients access a website there's a portal or something you know paris_vega: yeah all that makes sense because you got to have the accounts of contact in fo christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: for the customers in a software is service tool christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: so it's it's right there okay well his has been awesome i feel like i've had a entrepreneur therapy session with you and christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: i ppreciate christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: yeah paris_vega: um if you could christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: oh paris_vega: take just a minute and maybe speak to your target audience of christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: hm paris_vega: someone who might want to work with you or you would want to pitch them on your services what's that little elevator pitch that you might give and where can people find you on in christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: ah well i really love lifting people i love helping them along their careers i love helping them get more outpots from their team right so anybody who may be struggling with i mean i get leaders who struggle with empathizing with their team um m we work we paris_vega: m christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: work together paris_vega: yeah christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: in that capacity i get teams who maybe aren't selling they wanted to or they have a high turn rate and i'm really excellent at helping people fill in those gaps and look at their marketing loop and where they're not converting and i do a lot of training workshops and and speaking about about those things as well so if anybody wants to find me i'm lucky girly girl everywhere on the inter webs it's l u c k why g i r l i e girl lucky girly girl paris_vega: oh christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: then you can see the talks that i give the workshops that i give the videos out there of how i speak and yeah how i work paris_vega: thank you so much christina for taking the time to speak to us today and share all your insights and thank everybody for listening christina_aldan__luckygirliegirl: welcome thank you