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If you’ve got plans to be an author, a speaker or a thought leader, listen up! You may be doing things backwards…
LINEAR – The typical process
1) Build up expertise
2) Write a book or decide to begin speaking
3) Start to build an audience (your platform)
PARALLEL PATH – A better process
1) Build up expertise
2) a) Start building your platform (as soon as you read this post)
2) b) Start writing your book or ramping up your speaking (in parallel to 2)a))
What’s a Platform?
A platform is any mechanism by which you can regularly connect with an audience. It often involves subscribers or members, but it doesn’t have to.
Some examples of platforms:
- An email list – People who subscribe to your email list via email tools such as AWeber, Constant Contact or Mailchimp.
- Blog RSS Subscribers – People who subscribe to receive your blog posts as you publish them via an RSS reader or via email.
- A regular column in a website, newspaper or magazine – A regular gig at a periodical where the subscribers and readers of that periodical regularly read your content.
- Friends, Fans, Followers, Subscribers on Social Media – Your followers in Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Pinterest or LinkedIn make up a portion of your platform.
- A Group or Forum – My LinkedIn Small Business Marketing forum is an example of part of my platform. Membership groups that you own or control represent a portion of your platform.
- Borrowed platforms – If you work for a large company, you can leverage their platforms to reach an audience or to direct potential fans to your individual platform.
How do you grow your platform?
First, you need to choose where you’ll be building your platform. Will you have a Facebook Page? How about a blog? This is a great place to build thought leadership, to get your message out, and to build a platform.
A mailing list (using AWeber, Constant Contact, etc.) is generally considered one of the most valuable platforms because you have complete control over your message, you can regularly send offers, provide content or invite people to connect more deeply, and because email subscribers are generally more responsive than other types of connections.
Second, you need to have a platform-growing process. Do you funnel new contacts (offline and online) to your platforms? Do people join or opt-in to your platform when they get there? Why or why not? You need a compelling reason for them to join you…
Third, you need platform-building activities. Are you blogging regularly? Are you guest-blogging on other, popular blogs? Are you public speaking or talking with the press? Are you “borrowing” other people or organization’s platforms.
Platform = Power
The bigger your platform, the more influence you have. The more purchasing power that you have access to. The more fans that you’re connected to who can share your message via social media, email, word-of-mouth or via their own blogs, webinars or presentations. Potential partners will want to talk with you if you have a big platform. Conference organizers will be salivating over you if you have a big platform. Publishing houses will be more apt to look at you if you have an established fan base (platform). You’ll have a lot more leverage with a larger platform.
Why Build My Platform Sooner Than Later?
Platform-building takes time. It’s not something that can be turned on like a switch. Even if you don’t exactly know what you’ll use it for (use it for good, not evil please), start building your platform today!
Like compound interest, grow your platform a few subscribers at a time today to reap the massive benefits and power of your platform tomorrow.
Please email this post or share it with someone who may benefit from learning about Platform-Building. I’m sure they’ll thank you!
Twitter: rlivermore
says:
Excellent advice on building a platform, Tom! At this point in my life, I don’t plan to write a book, but you never know where life may lead, and if you build a platform, you’ll be ready!
Rebecca Livermore recently posted..10 Reasons to Start a Podcast
Twitter: rtmixmktg
says:
Agreed Rebecca! Build the platform so you can use it in whatever way you’d like. I see you wrote about starting a podcast, that’s a great platform-building move. I’ll have to check out that article!
Tom recently posted..Blog World New York: The Ultimate Survival Guide
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
says:
Tom,
If you’re a Speaker or Thought-Leader the equity you have in your Business is your Platform. Otherwise you’re constantly chasing that next Speaking Engagement…
Your platform is the entire foundation of your business.
Great stuff… Awesome resources…
Ryan H.
Ryan Hanley recently posted..The Reality of Online Marketing and Working Harder
Twitter: rtmixmktg
says:
Ryan – I agree with you that the equity in your business is your platform. Thanks for dropping by!
Tom recently posted..The 8 Facebook Fan Page Design & Custom Tab Apps you’ve been looking for
Twitter: SteveBainesBiz
says:
Great Post Tom, I couldn’t agree more. I’m a triathlete and I don’t just show up on race day and race. I spend months and months training, putting in hard work up until race day, and then I just execute on race day. The same is true here, put in the hard work building your platform, and then just execute with your book, or your speaking career, or whatever it is you want to eventually do. Build a following, earn their trust and respect, and leverage that into huge success later.
Steve Baines recently posted..The Key to Happiness… According to Dr. Baines?
Twitter: rtmixmktg
says:
Steve,
That’s a great analogy. Yes, you need to put in your time training (building your list) before you can hope to run (speak, sell books, etc.). Thanks for the comment!
Tom recently posted..Three common Blogging #Fails and what to do about them
Twitter: ajperisho
says:
Great post as always Tom!
AJ Perisho recently posted..What’s the Next Action? – Business Strategy
Twitter: rtmixmktg
says:
I appreciate that AJ!
Tom recently posted..Video Screen Capture and Editing Tools (plus a Skype Call Recording Bonus)
Twitter: donna_tribe
says:
Hi Tom, I agree with you 100%! We need to recognize our platform. There are many ways, as you mentioned above, how to do it. One must remember that when working on a Social Media platform it does take time. Do not expect quick results. But for me, it has been an excellent way to build trust and get to know people on a more intimate level. That word-of-mouth spreads virally and before you know it, people are steaming into your fold.
Thanks for the great post,
Donna Merrill
Donna Merrill recently posted..What To Do When You Experience “Overwhelm”?
Twitter: rtmixmktg
says:
Donna, thanks for providing that personal insight and the caution about social media taking time. It’s always great to hear a success story to support a post – thanks for commenting!
Tom recently posted..The Best Excuses We Tell Ourselves To Avoid Blogging
Twitter: David_Frey
says:
I’ve always been a big believer in this theory. When you have an audience, the hard part is done. All you need to do is create what they want and offer it to them. As you said, doing it the other way around is infinitely harder.
I’ll be tweeting this post. Great advice.
David Frey – MarketingBlogger.com recently posted..How To Become An Amazon Best Seller In One Day
Twitter: rtmixmktg
says:
Hi David,
Yes, you’ve been great at this approach for awhile. I’ve learned a thing or three from you. Thanks for the comment and the tweet!
Tom recently posted..The Best Excuses We Tell Ourselves To Avoid Blogging
Twitter: lisastoops
says:
So true! I’ve been able to do as David said above and that is to build up my email list and then make offers to them. Now I just need to scale it a bit! Great post and reminder!
Lisa Stoops recently posted..3 Steps To Designing Your Perfect Biz
Twitter: blognetworking
says:
I agree, Tom.
I would build my list or any other platform from the very minute I start a blog rather than waiting for some time (I didn’t wait long for my new blog, like I did for my old blog).
Right now I am in the process of building my platform (my list, twitter following, my blog itself) through commenting and guest posting (For me the hardest part has been able to convince others to subscribe; I have surely convinced them to visit and read/comment). I am still in the process of experimentation (hopefully, I will figure it out).
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