Interview: Patrick Schwerdtfeger, Author of Marketing Shortcuts for the Self-Employed

Book Title:
Marketing Shortcuts for the Self-Employed

Website URL:
http://www.80shortcuts.com

Social Media Links:
Twitter: schwerdtfeger
Facebook: 80shortcuts
LinkedIn: beyondtherate

What is your book about?
Marketing Shortcuts is the ultimate step-by-step guide for offline businesses to learn about online marketing.  The book has 80 chapters, each just 2 or 3 pages long, and each one ends with an Implementation Checklist so readers can take action immediately and see results quickly.

What inspired you to write your book?
The internet slapped me across the face. I published a podcast series back in 2006 and it took off without any real promotion on my part. The reason? It was good quality content. It was a simple formula and it’s worked over and over again.  Eventually, I created an email course that people could sign up for on my website.  The course included 52 tips sent weekly for a year.  That course ended up getting a nice following and a number of them suggested I compile it into a book, so I did.  It became my 2nd book entitled “Webify Your Business” and it did well.  Two years later, John Wiley & Sons (a national publisher) approached me to publish an updated and expanded version and that became “Marketing Shortcuts“.  My original reason for writing those emails was simply to explain the tactics that had worked for me to my fellow self-employed professionals.

How did you come to do what you’re doing today?
Brute force.  I’ve always wanted to be a speaker so when the podcast took off and I got some attention as a result, I seized the opportunity and pushed like crazy until finally, I got some traction.  And then I pushed some more!

I spoke at 47 Rotary Clubs in 2008 and then did 127 events in 2009.  The vast majority were free and local, but it was a start.  In 2010, I did 72 events including conferences in India and Finland.  And never in my life have I traveled more than I am this year in 2011.  So I lived on roots and berries for a long time but it’s all paying off in the end.

Can you describe a typical day in your life?
My days fall into 2 distinct buckets.  If I’m at an event, it’s all about boarding planes, wearing suits, checking Powerpoint slides, attending fancy dinners and signing books.  If I’m at home, it’s all about creating content, sending it out to relevant eyeballs and following up on inquiries.

What do you most enjoy about what you do?
I am addicted to unconventional lifestyles and that’s precisely what I have.  I don’t do 9-to-5 and am rarely in rush hour traffic.  I love having a life that most people can’t easily imagine.

But more importantly, I absolutely LOVE what I do.  I am very excited about my topic and get to tell others about possibilities they often have never even considered … which excites them!  People are grateful for those insights and that is incredibly rewarding for me.

Are there any people and/or books that have inspired you along your journey?
There are countless people and books that have affected my journey, including professional speakers, motivational writers and inspiring leaders.  But more than any particular individual, I am inspired by people who discover and achieve their own potential.  I believe that’s the purpose in life – achieve your own potential.  And more often times than not, you can find people like that in your own family, at your workplace or within your network of friends.

Never underestimate the impact you have on others.  There are people right now who are inspired by you and who model their lives after yours.  On the other hand, there are people who are frustrated by you and strive to live their lives differently.  I do my best to fall into the first category!

Can you share some business tips for our readers?
Today, marketing is less about selling and more about educating.  Here are five questions all self-employed professionals must ask to get their message out effectively.

1. What do you do that’s remarkable?  Begin by identifying the things people are amazed by, the things you get asked questions about, the things that capture their attention.

2. What’s the “human story” behind that value?  Take what you do that’s remarkable and explain how it changes people’s lives.  Describe the emotional impact of your product or service.

3. How can you tell that human story in a visual way?  There are different types of content: text, audio, photos and video.  Which is most viral?  You guessed it: photos and video!

4. How can you get your customers to tell that human story?  Content can come from two places: you or your customers.  Which is most viral?  Right again: content from your customers!

5. How can you incentivize your customers to tell more stories?  Incentives, incentives and more incentives.  If you give people a reason to be creative, you’ll be amazed at what you get back.

There are dozens of examples of companies that have held contests to inspire their customers to create dynamic content promoting their business.  Take the Australian Tourism Board and their 2009 “Best Job in the World” campaign.  By offering a lavish compensation package and requiring a 1-minute video to apply, they ended up with almost 35,000 videos that other people created, all espousing the beauty of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Can you share something that people might be surprised to learn about you?
I never knew I’m an American citizen until I was 27 years old, and I found out quite by accident.  Anyway, having grown up in Vancouver, Canada, I was thrilled to be able to explore the US and moved to Los Angeles just 6 days after receiving my first passport.  It was an exciting time in my life but also quite stressful because I didn’t yet have a Social Security Number (or a credit score) and quickly learned how important that is!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

You only live once.  Think about what you could do to benefit humanity.  Think bigger.  Think about your impact, your message, your legacy.  It’s amazing what some people accomplish in a single lifetime.  What can you accomplish in yours?