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I recently had a great conversation with a colleague about our "pipelines". Who was on our list of potential clients? Which friends were we connecting and reconnecting with for referrals - BOTH ways? Which events are we going to attend (YAY!) to make new connections? Your first step is having a strong brand and message. If you don't know what you offer - or how to relay it to potential clients - how will anyone else understand what you offer? How will they see the value you bring? I'm not just talking about a recognizable logo and flashy colors - I'm talking about overall goals, a visibility strategy, industry knowledge (including an understanding of your competitors), ideal audience targeting, and a marketing plan. We've experienced a few clients in our short time (almost 2 whole years!) as a business who depend way too much on social media as their marketing strategy. Social media is great - and we have over a half dozen social clients - but it needs to be in support of your marketing and brand strategy. A lover of lists - I created this one to help you think about your pipeline.
 And another thing... What's all this visibility talk?
Visibility builds brand awareness, helps you stand out against your competition, and boosts your profitability. Having visibility will provide an opportunity for more people to hear your unique message and for you to fulfill your purpose and leave a large and lasting impact. Visibility will position you as an industry expert and thought leader. Having a solid strategy to guide your marketing decisions includes having a professional brand and website and a broad communication plan to increase your visibility. Where will you find visibility? And, how can we help? Book a complimentary 30-minute chat today... and Make Your Message Matter! xo Kel
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 Canva.com "Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow." #BreakTheBias The 2022 theme and official hashtag of IWD. I can celebrate this! I think the most shocking thing about bias and women’s equality is when women don’t support each other. When women don’t raise one another up and celebrate their counterpart’s successes. When women flat out play dirty. I have often wondered how much energy it takes to cause harm and expel negativity compared with the amount of energy it takes to do good and cheer others on. I know, personally, I FEEL GOOD when I help someone else. But I have also spent my fair share of ‘being human’ and lamenting over broken relationships, lost business clients, and missed opportunities. I've lost more sleep than I care to admit and spent hours worrying and wondering about choices I made - and not just recently, I'm talking years ago. Rethinking conversations, redoing situations over in my head, regretting not going for that position or not saying what I really felt - both out of fear. I risk losing you here dear reader, but dare I say most - if not all the above - can be attributed to "being a woman?" As females we are programmed to overthink. To worry. To nurture. To try harder than necessary and to be more broken when something isn't right. To just care too much. I won't apologize for these comments; mostly because women spend way too much time saying, "I'm sorry", and because it's truly how I feel. And it's my blog. :) As a mother of a son and a daughter, they’ll both tell you I care about the other one more. They’ll each say I do more for the other. They’ll fight tooth and nail to be the most-neglected, least-cared-for child. I’m not kidding. They are as different as they come, my kids, however they both get just about as much as A. they will take, and B. I can give. Raising a son who respects women and cares about others isn’t a one-and-done, simple task. It’s ongoing into adulthood. It’s reminding them of their roots and what it means to be a GOOD person. Raising a strong, independent daughter isn’t easy. Throw in brains and strong opinions and… well, game over. We strive for our children, especially our daughters, to reach independence. Then once they do, where does that leave us? What about the woman, or women, who helped that little girl become the woman she is today?  Canva.com I think on days like today, that focus on women's achievements, we need to recognize that sometimes our job as women is not to live in constant worry about those we feel responsible for, but to celebrate how far they've come.
I also feel that we need to give ourselves a break. A break from comparing ourselves to others, a break from worrying about what others will think of us, a break from trying to do all the things, all the time. So, now I ask... can you do me a favor? You read this far, so something must’ve stuck… or you were just curious if I was going to apologize. Still not gonna happen, friends. The favor, should you choose to participate, is one of two asks… or both!
In the words of the great Maya Angelou, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Make someone feel good today. xo ~ Kel Here we are. Nearing the two year mark of the pandemic. TWO YEARS. The world seemingly shut down on March 16, 2020. We’ve all heard of the newest buzzwords and phrases like “hop on a call”, “close the loop”, “nice to e-meet you”, “Zoom fatigue”, and “new normal”. But is there a buzzword or phrase for COVID-related bad behavior? Using COVID as an excuse for poor performance, not showing up (and I don’t mean just in a physical sense), not keeping promises, or honoring one’s word seems to be the norm. We all know COVID has changed LITERALLY everything in our lives. At times like this I can’t help but think that we are stronger together – even if we’re still not physically 100% comfortable being TOGETHER. Human behavior has taken a hit. We have forgotten how to "be."  I was curious about how COVID has changed us, as humans. Sadly - feelings of fear, anger, worry, and frustration are very common. I found research that shows physical reactions like headaches, body aches, stomach problems, and skin rashes. A lot of people have increased their use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. I know a lot of people who had COVID and experienced not only symptoms during infection, but after; brain fog, problems sleeping, unability to regulate body temp, to name a few. Personally, I feel that my relationships have prospered. I met people from across the nation - and even globally - who I never would've had the opportunity to connect with. As my calendar begins to fill with both business and personal events, I am excited for what the remainder of 2022 will bring.
I'm hopeful for new buzzwords - ones that are positive, encouraging, supportive. How about you? xo Kel This blog post is pulled from the K2C February newsletter. The beginning of this newsletter [blog] is coming to you from my heart.
My great uncle Anthony passed yesterday. He was the last remaining family member of that generation, the youngest of four, my Pap's baby brother. Uncle Anthony almost made it to 90, just a few weeks shy, and ironically, he went to be with my Pap on what would've been Pap's 94th birthday. As my mom and daughter (My kids had a great, great uncle into adulthood - pretty amazing!) were posting tributes to him on Facebook I realized - I had zero photos with him. I can't find one. But it's funny; almost every picture they posted was taken at my house: years of Thanksgivings, Christmas Eves, summer picnics. I was in none of the pictures. I joked that it was because I was fixing him his second or third plate - he loved nearly everything I made and ate so well when he was here - or that I was brewing him a cup of coffee that he would no doubt complain about... but in reality? I was just too busy. As a host or hostess, you're making certain food is hot, drinks are full, and people are happy. But what about the TIME you're supposed to be spending with those happy people? Once they're gone, they're gone. We worry our hair isn't just so. We are wearing comfy clothes and 'aren't camera ready'. We say, "I'm coming", and busy ourselves in the kitchen and never do. It's all so silly, isn't it? Today, I'm both asking and telling you to take the photos. ❤ Rest easy UA - celebrations won't be the same without you. ❤ xo Kel “A public relations professional is a bridge builder, building long-term relationships between a company or an organization and its publics based on two-way communication.” ~ Peter Jeff, Grand Rapids, Michigan public relations practitioner I have always been a cheerleader. Not an actual cheerleader (except for a few years when I was very young) but a cheerleader in the sense of being a big supporter of others. I am constantly “team everyone else”, sometimes so much so that I talk other people up more than I promote myself.  P.S. - One sure sign of Imposter Syndrome is downplaying your knowledge or expertise and spending time putting attention on others, even though you know you’re just as - or more - experienced and capable. I’ve written about Imposter Syndrome, a few times, if you’re interested. So, what is PR? “Public relations is communicating what you believe in to important audiences, at the right time, to achieve a goal.” ~ Frank Walton, vice president of Ruder Finn Public Relations (1995) Simply put – it’s the positive outreach that gets individuals and organizations noticed and in front of the public and their ideal clients and audiences. Don’t think of PR and publicists as a harried individual chasing after an out-of-control celebrity. Publicists are here for the GOOD, not just to help with unfortunate events and choices. (Although, that would be sort of fun, right?) WHO needs a publicist? Q: Who needs a publicist? A: All public figures need a publicist. Q: What’s a “public figure”? A: Any person who wants to maintain or protect their image by getting coverage via print and digital publications, podcasts, radio, speaking engagements, and the like. K2C has a lot of luck with authors – both fiction and nonfiction. I think becoming an author myself led me to attracting other authors. However, besides authors, nearly every person on this earth can benefit from a public relations campaign to spread positive news about themselves or the organizations they are associated with.  Let’s break down the five reasons PR is a necessity.
Expanding your network during COVID hasn’t been easy – I get it. If I hear the phrase “Zoom fatigue” one more time…  But, it’s not all a lost cause! You can still successfully promote yourself, your book, your company’s expansion, and all the good stuff that’s happening with a simple PR campaign. And, since so many people can benefit from a campaign, I’m offering a special for the month of February 2022.
Get the details on the Pitch Prep Package then, book a call with me and let’s get started! And by the way this offer, for now, is only available to our newsletter subscribers and blog readers AND we are only accepting three clients for this package to provide the most value. Let’s talk! xo Kel *Source: SMEstrategy.net Growing up, if someone asked me what “balance” meant, I guess I would’ve said “Staying on my bicycle.” I would have given a physical definition because I spent countless hours riding a pedal bike, around my neighborhood with my friends.
As an adult, I know better. I have chosen “BALANCE” as my word for 2022. Before I get into the reasons why, let’s look back at 2021. Ok, I know NO ONE wants to rewind, but here it goes anyway… I chose “write” as my word for 2021 - and boy, did I write! I became a published author – a bestselling published author – and I wrote countless words for my business and our clients. From blogs to social media posts, to email campaigns and website content, to press releases and press pitches… I WROTE. And I loved every minute of it. Now, in 2022 and in choosing “balance”, I’m hoping to learn to love this word as well. We all hear about learning to have a work / life balance… balance your family and your job. Take time for Y-O-U. But what about people like me who consistently put others first? What about the folks who worry about everyone else before they think of the consequences? I guess I’ll find out because this year is going to be all about BALANCE! Tell me – how do you create balance in your life? And if you’ve chosen a word for 2022, what is it? Drop a comment or email me at kelli@k2creativellc.com. “Advertising is what you pay for; publicity is what you pray for.” When you hear PR or Public Relations what do you think of? Many people picture a frazzled publicist frantically cleaning up the mess left behind by a celebrity. It’s so much more than that and it’s not all negative! Positive Public Relations - A proper, prosperous, positive PR campaign includes outreach and connecting with: Press and News Outlets Social Media Speaking Engagements Negative Public Relations - Damage control includes: Crisis Communication Apology Messaging Reputation Restoration Public Relations is an important part of every marketing strategy. Sharing positive news about your organization and managing your personal brand should be at the top of your 2022 business plan. Here’s why:
 Rachel Rouhana | Haute Stock So, can you run your own press campaign? The answer is "YES"... and here's how. But, if you’d like K2 Creative & PR to help, we have multiple packages to fit just about any budget – starting at $350! Get all the scoop here, then book a 30-minute complimentary consultation. We’ll review your current PR initiatives, or lack thereof, and determine if it’s a fit for us to work together! Here’s to a new year, new goals, new accomplishments, and a new outlook on public relations! Happy 2022! ~ Kel What is a referral, by definition? Here’s a great description, from HubSpot: A business referral is when someone in your network recommends your business to a new prospect. This may happen spontaneously during organic conversation or as a result of conscious referral marketing efforts. Referrals are an important part of any business. I grew my business strictly on referrals and the strong connections I built through nearly 20 years of networking. I have two binders full of business cards that I can sort through and use to connect people. Personally, I feel like there’s nothing better than making an introduction that results in a partnership! Do you have a hard time ASKING for referrals? You don’t technically have to say the words, “Please refer me to a friend,” but it never hurts! And, if you’ve done a great job for someone, you SHOULD ask them to refer you.  Markus Spiske for Unsplash Here are my top 5 ways to get referrals:
1. Go Above and Beyond Go the extra mile for your current clients. This can be done in many ways – get creative! When your current clients are happy, they’re going to tell people. And remember… When they’re not happy, they’re also going to tell people! 2. Have a Rewards Program Create a rewards program for when a friend makes a referral that becomes a client. It doesn’t have to be fancy or break the bank – it could be a “Wall of Champions” in your office where you list their name and company, or a simple coffee gift card per referral. 3. Provide a Template If you build it, they will refer! Provide the information for people to simply forward or copy and paste. Send what you already have for your marketing pieces in a simple format that’s easy to share. No one wants to spend time recreating the wheel! 4. Leverage Your Social Networks It’s so easy to provide referrals via social media. A photo of a product you are happy with, or a description of a service that was top-notch goes a long way. Tag the person or company who provided your excellent experience and simply say how important referrals are! 5. Reciprocate! You must be active in referring your friends and colleagues, too! Make sure it isn’t one-sided and you’re doing your part to help them grow their business as well. Let’s hear it from you! How do you make a good connection? What is the best referral you’ve ever received and what did it lead to? And, most importantly, what’s the best referral you’ve ever GIVEN to someone – and what happened? WHO are you looking to connect with? Who are your clients? Share with me via email, or in the comments, and let's see if there is a biz card in my binder that will make a good referral! XO - Kel Kelli@k2creativellc.com The official Webster... okay, the Kelli Komondor... definition of Time Suck is: Tasks you do daily, weekly, or monthly, that suck up time - and drain the life out of you. Have you ever recorded the time it takes you to do anything in your business? I use Clockify.com to track EVERYTHING I do. That includes reading my business email, marketing tasks for my business, blogging and creating newsletters... and all client work - whether they're on a monthly retainer or billed hourly. WHY? Well, it keeps me accountable for how I'm spending my time - and it eliminates Time Sucks. I recently had a conversation with someone who kept telling me how BUSY she was. She rattled off a laundry list of "things" she did every day to run her business and the only thing I kept saying (in my head, of course) was "TIME SUCK!" Being busy and being productive are two different things.  Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels She was wasting time chasing press and media leads for her business and REALLY wasting a lot of time on social media - quite possibly the biggest Time Suck of all time. We've all been there. We’ve had good intentions of posting for our business, or just scrolling for a bit to get caught up… and getting sucked in - for hours, am I right? 🆘 So, I asked how I can help. ❓ She asked what I offered. ✅ She's now a client. It’s really hard to focus on what you SHOULD be doing for your business and what you COULD be outsourcing. We all fall into Time Sucks, but it doesn't have to happen as often as it does. Here is some advice and examples of how I'm learning to avoid falling into Time Sucks: 1. Schedule everything. If a client contacts me and it's not emergent, I'll ask to create an appointment / meeting to talk about what they need. I find that dropping everything, or at least stopping work on one thing to shift to another takes up time. If you're hyper-focused on something it takes a bit to change direction. You're better off saying, "Ok, I'm free at 3:00 - can we chat then?", instead of disrupting your groove. 2. Eliminate distractions. When I'm really "heads-down" on something I will put my cell phone in another room and log out of my email. Did you know you can go into your iPhone settings and see how often you pick up your phone? It's in settings - screen time. And as a side note, I'm down 33% from last week - YAY! 3. Get up and get out. I try to stand up, walk around the house, or go out in our back yard at least 2 - 3 times in the morning and in the afternoon. I know this sounds like I'm breaking stride - but when I feel the need for a pause coming on, or if I'm stuck for words when writing content, I feel as if this stretch and fresh air helps bring me back. And having an almost-ten-year-old dog who is nearly blind AND spending lots of time puppas-sitting granddog Maggie helps. Mags would lay in the sun all day, every day if we let her!
What are your biggest TIME SUCKS and what are you going to do about them? Send me an email and let’s talk about it – kelli@k2creativellc.com. Yours in productivity! XO - Kel Listen, I’m not really a “woo woo” kind of person. I question(ed) this whole mindset, energy, universe thing for a while now. 💯Can good things happen to you just by believing they will? 💯Is there such a thing as good karma? 💯Will you attract the right things when you eliminate the wrong ones? The short answer, to all, is YES. Within about a 2-week time span, some really crazy Mercury Retrograde stuff was happening to me... right before it was actually IN retrograde, which is a whole other thing... but for now: 💢It started with a negative – and completely unnecessary - back-and-forth with a colleague from my past, 💢got a little more intense when I walked out of a car dealership when we didn’t receive the deal we were promised, 💢and then came to a head when I decided to put the brakes on the Biz Bevs & Bites podcast. Yeah, I know – that’s a lot.  I’ve always been one to wear my heart on my sleeve, stick up for the underdog, voice my opinion, and be very strong about my beliefs. I’ve always been a “yes” person. Then something clicked in 2020. Was it the pandemic? Was it just me getting “older and wiser”? Was it that I had time to reflect on everything I had been doing for others and saying “yes” to – and realizing how little I got in return? The short answer, again, is YES. I made a whole new group of friends over the pandemic – mostly from curating the book Twenty Won - and many of them are believers in the universe and positive mindset being the key to success. Some of them make a living by following and sharing these beliefs. So, when I determined that I wasn’t going to let that old co-worker get under my skin, when I walked out of that dealership (And went back in less than 30 minutes – long story, but we compromised.), and stopped production on the podcast – that was me saying “no” to doing things that I should not, could not, or did not want to do. Don’t get me wrong, the podcast was FUN, and I learned so much from each guest. I truly appreciate each person for taking the time out of their crazy, busy lives to record with us. And I encourage anyone reading this to listen to the shows – you’ll learn something too, believe me! But the work involved was way more than I had anticipated. The hours I was spending on it were much better spent on building my business. I took that time and redirected it to networking and giving virtual presentations and within the first week my team and I signed three new clients … and a fourth is in the works. Universe? Mindset? Positive energy? Yes, yes, and yes!  I'm realizing that the best part of this isn't the time I've freed up... it's the amazing SUPPORT I've received from friends and colleagues. It's the feeling that I'm inspiring someone else to be brave and to let something go that might not be right for them. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 A simple email message can do SO MUCH for someone who needs a little lift. This someone was me and once again, my tribe showed up. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 "And that is how success and happiness come to fruition—when you know what a good fit is and what isn’t. Cheers to you for being courageous enough to try to yet something else completely new and adventurous, while also being humble enough to let it go when it gets in the way of family and personal time. 😊 Love ya, girlfriend! Keep on keepin on!" "You never cease to amaze me with your professionalism and how you are always building others up. You are so inspiring to me!" "Thanks for sharing the news and being so candid about your experience. From what I have heard podcasting is like having a PT job. Kudos to you for giving it a go and having the courage to reel it in when it no longer worked for you. I still think you’ll make a great host….of something 😊" 👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻 THIS is what it's all about. 👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻 You have very few choices on how to stop doing something that's just not working for you, whether it is taking too much time, costing too much money, or just not making you happy. There are two choices, as far as I’m concerned.
✅ You can outsource it. I did it with my bookkeeping and it was one of the best business decisions I ever made – and I made that decision early on. I "in-source" with K2 Creative & PR’s social clients. My team is on the ready to take on any new social accounts and both Colleen and Melissa do a FANTASTIC job. If there’s something you can pay someone else to do in your business, GO FOR IT. This is how you scale your business and keep your sanity. ✅ You can end it. Just say “no” and move on. Change direction (Everyone is so tired of PIVOT.) and MOVE ON. When you change your mindset, good things happen. In closing - remember: ❤ Be kind with your words. ❤ Be helpful with your heart. ❤ Remember that self-care is so very important! ❤ Always be supportive of others. It comes back. ❤ And... read up on this "woo woo" stuff! XO - Kel PS: If you need someone to coach you through the whole mindset, universe, future self, make positive changes - I have a few very close friends who I can refer you to. Colleagues who, unknowingly, helped me make a big business decision and in turn, a big life decision. People are listening to what you're saying, and reading what you’re sharing (social posts, blogs, etc.)... even if you don’t think they are. |
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