Dennis Berry

Epic Entrepreneurs

The #1 LinkedIn community & program for personal brand builders.

Founder & CEO

Dennis Berry Coaching

In 2000, I was a sales leader at Sysco Denver and noticed that my Regional Sales Managers had nice big offices and pictures of fishing and beaches on their wall.


▪️ I was making about $80k working 60 hours
▪️ They made $200k working only 30 hours
▪️ And, Sysco was a $30B company


I realized then that I if I was going to put in the blood, sweat and tears, I wanted beach pictures and to make more of the $30B.

So, my entrepreneurial adventures began.


Over the last 24 years I have been part of many business ventures including building and scaling 2 multimillion dollar businesses.


One was a rare coin and precious metals business which I scaled from $0 to $3M in ARR with 25% net profit margins in less than 18 months.


The second is my current coaching business which has taken many twists and turns over the last 20 years.


I started as an addiction recovery coach in coffee shops and shared office spaces, and has since evolved to a multi-revenue-stream operation.


In 2022, I realized that Linkedin is more than just a posting or job site so I did A LOT of research and decided to go all in on building my personal brand and audience here on this platform.


▪️ In February, 2023 I had 1500 followers
▪️ In April, 2024 I have 115,000 followers
▪️ I have over 100k newsletter subscribers
▪️ I run multiple business network groups
▪️ I live on the beach in Playa Del Carmen
▪️ I own a marketing/web dev. company
▪️ I increased my revenue by over 500%
▪️ I offer Linkedin Influencer coaching
▪️ I build Epic Brands and Businesses
▪️ I have a Business SKOOL group

If you're interested in learning how I did this, we can set up a call to see if 1-1 OR group coaching is a good fit for you to build/scale a stable profitable online business.

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/eS-cTH4y

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 𝟯𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/eeXW97nt

𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: dennis@dennisberry.com

Certified Business Development & Life Mastery Coach

Magneti

Full-stack marketing firm partnering with businesses large and small to help establish them as leaders in their industries.

Delivering the right message, at the right time, to the right target customer, using the right mediums and devices.

Focusing on four phases of marketing:
- Research
- Brand
- Web - Development and Design
- Marketing - Digital | SEO | Traditional

Specialties::
Law Firms - Personal Injury Attorneys, Defense Attorneys, etc.
Non Profits
Medical
Tech Companies - Software, Consulting, etc.

Director of Sales

RevLocal

•	Extensive experience selling in a marketing performance environment with a strong background 
        in SEM, SEO, SMM, PPC, Website Design/Development, Reputation Management, Salesforce
•	Experienced in creating needs-based solutions for each client comprised of SaaS and professional 
        services
•	Managing, training, and working within a team environment to develop new sales and marketing 
        strategies
•	Building and executing well-defined strategic account plans and driving success in territory 
        planning, pipeline development and management, presentation, pricing, negotiation and the 
        closing process
•	Responsible for aggressively hunting for new business and growing existing client base while 
        exceeding quotas by 50%
•	Persistent yet tactful throughout long sales cycles
•	Managing complete life-cycle of the sale from prospecting, closing, through on-boarding and 
        delivery 
•	Strong confident presentation skills
•	Developing and managing strong client and partner relationships resulting in repeat business


Phone: 720-495-8194
Email me: contact@dennisberry.com

Digital Marketing Sales Leader

Rare Coin Warehouse, Inc.

•	Entrepreneurial mindset having started a business and grew to $3 million/year sales in 2 years.
•	Utilized plans, strategies and tactics to determine markets and aggressively target customers. 
•	Constant development of new and existing business with varying modern sales tactics and channels.
•	Managed multiple digital marketing platforms to capitalize on customer retention and engagement.
•	High level of ecommerce proficiency.
•	Increased average amount per transaction over 100% with profit margins greater than 30%.
•	Global online sales with responsibilities including social media marketing, advertising, research and development, purchasing, shipping, negotiations, HR, customer service, and accounting.
•	Internet Marketing, Merchant Processing, Website Design and Operations, and Social Media Networking.

Business Owner/Numismatist

Culinary Fitness

•	Increased revenue of new and existing business over 100% through consultative selling and networking. 
•	Researched and documented existing and new processes for IT development team and interacted with website users and developers to gather requirements for proposed enhancements.
•	Increased sales and company/brand recognition through social networking, prospecting, and cold calling on 500+ local businesses.
•	Worked closely with development team to create and launch educational website resulting in 500% more views per month. 
•	Implemented multiple sales & marketing campaigns using Facebook Business Manager, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Business Owner

Sysco

•	Increased customer base by 300% in year one from $80k per month to $240k per month.
•	Optimized sales by prospecting for new business, listening to current customers needs, and penetrating current accounts.
•	Oversaw all facets of sales cycle including prospecting, building large strong customer base, forecasting, ordering, shipping discrepancy resolutions, and all accounts receivable.
•	Developed proposals and negotiated contracts with vendors and clients utilizing pricing strategies and competitive market positioning.

Territory Sales Manager

CEO, Epic Entrepreneur Media | Founder, Epic Biz Launch© | Business Strategist | Linkedin Coach | Follow for posts on Business, Ai, and Life Mastery

After building a $3M business the hard way (think 16-hour days and endless stress), I learned success shouldn't cost your soul. 

My journey started rough: a former ski racer turned chef, battling addiction by 15, and spending 15 years using substances to mask deeper struggles.

Getting sober led me to "safety" - a corporate job at Sysco making $80K. 

But trading 60-hour weeks for someone else's dream wasn't freedom. 

I built up the courage to quit and launched a rare coin business, scaling it to $3M in annual revenue with 25% profit margins in just 18 months. 

The money was good, but the cost was crushing.

16-hour days, constant stress, and fear about where the next lead would come from.

The wake-up call? 

Rolling my truck at 75mph after a night of heavy drinking. 

I survived, barely. 

That's when I knew something had to change.

Enter LinkedIn. 

While others chased leads through cold calls and expensive ads, I discovered what elite entrepreneurs already knew.

Personal branding is the ultimate client magnet. 

I transformed my approach, and everything shifted.

Within a year, I built a 150,000+ following and a 7-figure coaching business - all through organic LinkedIn growth. 

Now I work 4-hour days from Playa del Carmen, with a steady stream of inbound leads.

But here's what really lights me up: I've helped hundreds of others achieve the same transformation. 

The truth? LinkedIn isn't just a platform - it's a path to the freedom you've been chasing. 

If it could transform my life from rock bottom to abundance, imagine what it could do for you.

Love always,
D.

Business Coach/Owner

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽?

Simply put: We are entrepreneurs helping entrepreneurs THRIVE!

We are a community of business masterminds of all types.

We welcome amazing people to share their experience so we can grow stronger together. 


𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲:👇

To drive bottom line growth with a community of like minded individuals from different walks of life in an ever-changing fast-paced world. 

We educate, inspire and motivate each other to thrive.


𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀:👇

▪️ Improved Bottom Line Revenue Growth
▪️ Improved Emotional Intelligence
▪️ Improved Relationships
▪️ Improved Health


𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝘀:👇

⚡️ Quick short-term wins and massive long-term gains.

⚡️ Manage your stress and prevent burnout.

⚡️ Streamline your systems and processes.


𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂?👇

✅ Ready to make radical lasting changes, but don't know where or how to do it

✅ Curious how other people seem to become successful, but can't figure it out

✅ Tired of struggling and not reaching your potential


𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘀?

▪️ Certified Life Mastery and Business Development Coach since 2005
▪️ 2-time 7-figure business owner
▪️ Best-selling author
▪️ Influencer

His goal is to help you align your passion with your purpose, and create a specific strategic plan of action to create wealth.

He has been sober since April 8, 2003 at which time he became a successful businessman, athlete, and family man. 


𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀:👇

▪️ Group meetings 2 times per month

▪️ One 1-1 coaching session with Dennis per month

▪️ Additional retreats and activities TBD

▪️ Free access to Dennis's Solopreneur Operating System

▪️ Free access to LinkedIn Influencer Accelerator Masterclass Recording


✅ 𝗧𝗼 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘀

Email: contact@dennisberry.com


✅ 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼

https://dennisberry.com/mastermind/

Our kiddos are losing their ability to be creative.

(I hope we catch it before it's too late)

99% of what makes us human can’t be automated.

And in today’s AI-driven world, that matters more than ever.

We’re raising kids who can swipe before they can speak…
- But can they connect?
- Can they think creatively?
- Can they build relationships that last?

We can’t let screens replace the skills that build real lives.

When I was growing up in the 70s and 80s, we made forts and out of picnic tables in the dirt.

We had to use our imagination with rocks and sticks and some plastic toys.

I'm not saying it was perfect and it would have been cool to have some of the technologies today, but we learned to be creative.

Then Atari came out, and then Nintendo, and then Apple, and the Commodore 64... 

Anyway... here we are in a new age. 

And, it's amazing! 

But have our kiddos lost their ability to be human?
To create something out of nothing?
To use their imagination?

Here’s what matters (to me) more than any device: 👇 

1/ Curiosity
 ↳ Ask questions
 ↳ Explore the world with them
 ↳ Let their imagination take the lead

2/ Creativity
 ↳ Give them space to build, draw, dream, make a mess
 ↳ Limitless ideas come from unstructured time, not algorithmic suggestions

3/ Connection
 ↳ Teach them to look people in the eye
 ↳ Show them how to listen, empathize, and be present

4/ Real-World Problem Solving
 ↳ Life happens off the screen
 ↳ Let them struggle, try, fail, retry, that’s how confidence is built

5/ Human Values
 ↳ Kindness
 ↳ Integrity
 ↳ Love

These never go out of style, no matter how advanced the tech gets

AI is powerful.
But humanness is irreplaceable.

If we want our kiddos to thrive…
We need to teach them what machines can’t do.

Love. Create. Explore.

What do you think?
Have our kiddos lost their ability to create?

PS. If you're looking for high level peer support from burnout or your next big business move, I created The Elite Leaders.

Check it out here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eVS_G_R4

-——————

♻️ Repost to help your network grow
🔔 Follow Dennis Berry for daily strategies
🚀 Join 140,000 to my free weekly newsletter
📽️ Video Credit: IG ai.movio

#leadership #mentalhealth #consistency #burnout #entrepreneurship

Neuroscience and Business Development Coach for High Performing Leaders with Burnout or Addictions. Turn Your Chaos into Clarity. CEO, Epic Entrepreneur Media. Founder, Elite Leaders Network.

The first step is always the hardest.

Not the tenth.
Not the hundredth.
The first.
Why?

Because the first step requires courage you haven’t proven yet.

Most people wait for:
↳ Confidence
 ↳ Clarity
 ↳ A perfect plan
 ↳ The “right time”

But none of that shows up until after you move.

Here’s the truth:
Action creates confidence.
 Momentum creates clarity.
 Movement creates opportunity.

These 5 First Steps Matter More Than Perfect Plans:

1/ Start Before You Feel Ready
 ↳ Readiness is a feeling that arrives after you begin
 ↳ If you wait for it, you’ll wait forever

2/ Take One Simple Action
 ↳ Don’t build the whole staircase
 ↳ Just take one step you can’t talk yourself out of

3/ Let Imperfection Be Your Teacher
 ↳ You don’t learn by thinking, you learn by doing
 ↳ Mistakes are just proof you’re in motion

4/ Be Willing to Look New at Something
 ↳ You can’t master what you won’t try
 ↳ Every expert started as a beginner

5/ Keep the Promise You Make to Yourself
 ↳ Self-trust is built one kept promise at a time
 ↳ When you keep showing up, everything changes

Take that first step.
Even if your voice shakes.
 Even if your knees shake.
 Even if your mind tries to talk you out of it.

You'll look back one day
 and wonder why you waited so long. 

PS. If you're looking for high level peer support from burnout or your next big business move, I created The Elite Leaders Network.

Check it out here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eVS_G_R4

-——————

♻️ Repost to help your network grow
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🚀 Join the Epic Entrepreneurs (Below👇) 
📽️ Video credit YouTube @Bhaskars Area

Most people think leadership is about being in charge.

High performers know better.

Leadership is about how you show up when it counts. 🔥 

And here’s the truth:
↳ There’s not just one way to lead, but the best leaders have one thing in common:
↳ They choose their style with intention. 🎯

Here are 9 leadership styles that show up again and again among high performers:👇 

✅ The Visionary
↳ They don’t just lead teams, they lead movements. 
↳ They make you feel the future before it arrives.

✅ The Coach
↳ Their superpower? 
↳ Spotting potential before you believe in it yourself.

✅ The Pacesetter
↳ They set the bar high and pull others up by being the standard. 
↳ They’re all-in, all the time.

✅ The Empath
↳ They read the room like a novel. 
↳ People follow them because they feel seen.

✅ The Quiet Leader
↳ They don’t need to raise their voice to make an impact. 
↳ Their calm presence is the loudest thing in the room.

✅ The Strategist
↳ They see patterns where others see chaos. 
↳ They play long games, and they win often.

✅ The Servant
↳ They put people first and lead by lifting others. 
↳ They earn loyalty without demanding it.

✅ The Transformer
↳ They don’t fear change... they thrive in it. 
↳ When the rules shift, they stay grounded.

✅ The Democrat
↳ They ask. They listen. 
↳ They build strong decisions through shared ownership.

Great leadership is situational.
But the mindset? That’s always intentional.

Which leadership style are you using?

PS. If you're looking for high level peer support from burnout or your next big business move, I created The Elite Leaders.

Check it out here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eVS_G_R4

♻️ Repost to help your network grow
🔔 Follow Dennis Berry for daily strategies
🚀 Join 140,000 to my free weekly newsletter

#leadership #mentalhealth #burnout #entrepreneurship

Why Growth-Minded Leaders Win in the Long Run

(While Fixed Thinkers Stay Stuck)

A recent Harvard Business Review study shows that teams led by growth-minded leaders perform 25% better and are twice as engaged.

Translation?

A fixed mindset doesn’t just block progress, it repels it. ❌ 

Whereas a growth mindset?

It compounds. 💪 

It transforms: 👇🏼
 ↳ Pressure into performance
 ↳ Unknowns into innovation
 ↳ Setbacks into strategy

Here are 7 core differences between the two: 👇🏼
(And, why it matters) 

🧠 Perspective on Uncertainty

 🟥 Fixed Mindset: Avoids ambiguity. Needs guarantees before acting.
 ✅ Growth Mindset: Leans into uncertainty and makes decisions with incomplete information.

Why Growth?
 ↳ Growth leaders know clarity often follows action, not the other way around.

🧠 Definition of Success

 🟥 Fixed Mindset: Success = always being right.
 ✅ Growth Mindset: Success = learning, evolving, and getting better.

Why Growth?
 ↳ The pursuit of mastery beats the illusion of perfection.

🧠 Risk Tolerance

 🟥 Fixed Mindset: Overanalyzes and hesitates, fearful of mistakes.
 ✅ Growth Mindset: Takes calculated risks, knowing failure is part of the equation.

Why Growth?
 ↳ Without risk, there is no reward. Innovation only happens outside the comfort zone.

🧠 Focus in Tough Times

 🟥 Fixed Mindset: Gets distracted by problems.
 ✅ Growth Mindset: Stays focused on the solution.

Why Growth?
 ↳ When storms hit, mindset determines whether you sink or adapt and sail forward.

🧠 Handling Other People’s Success

 🟥 Fixed Mindset: Feels threatened or inferior.
 ✅ Growth Mindset: Feels inspired and motivated by others’ wins.

Why Growth?
 ↳ A rising tide lifts all boats, envy kills momentum, admiration builds it.

🧠 Openness to New Ideas

 🟥 Fixed Mindset: Clings to what’s familiar and proven.
 ✅ Growth Mindset: Actively seeks new input, even if it contradicts old beliefs.

Why Growth?
 ↳ Stagnation starts when learning stops. Innovation begins where ego ends.

🧠 Mentorship & Leadership

 🟥 Fixed Mindset: Hoards knowledge to stay ahead.
 ✅ Growth Mindset: Shares knowledge to lift others.

Why Growth?
 ↳ Leaders who teach, scale. Leaders who gatekeep, stall.

Do you have a growth mindset?

PS. If you're looking for high level peer support from burnout or your next big business move, I created The Elite Leaders.

Check it out here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eVS_G_R4

-——————

♻️ Repost to help your network grow
🔔 Follow Dennis Berry for daily strategies
🚀 Join 140,000 to my free weekly newsletter

#leadership #mentalhealth #burnout #entrepreneurship

We don’t build our future in the future.

(I hope they teach this in school)

We build it in the quiet choices we make today.
- Good or bad.
- Like it or not.

I learned that the hard way.
In my early twenties, I chose the easy path.
Drugs and alcohol
Comfort food.
No exercise.
No real goals.
Late nights.
Numbing out.
Telling myself I’d get it together “soon.”

I wasn’t thinking long term.
I was thinking about the next hit of comfort.
The next distraction.
The next excuse.

And life got hard.
Really hard.

My finances suffered.
My health declined.
My relationships fell apart.
My confidence vanished.

Every easy choice came back with interest.
The kind you don’t want to pay.

It took years to climb out of that hole.
One honest step at a time.
One day at a time.
One decision at a time.

Choosing water over alcohol.
Choosing exercise over excuses.
Choosing coaching and inner work over autopilot.
Choosing to build a life instead of hide from one.

Hard choices.
Repeated daily.
Quietly.
Without applause.

But that’s when everything began to change.
That’s when I learned what the science already knew.
The brain is always shaping itself.
Always learning from what you do now.
Always preparing you for the future you are creating.

We think we judge our lives by big moments.
We don’t.

We judge them by the habits we repeat.

If you feel stuck right now, remember:
Discomfort is not a sign you’re failing.
It’s a sign you’re choosing a different future.

Every disciplined choice rewires your brain.
Even when the progress is invisible.

What feels hard today becomes your strength tomorrow.
IF you keep going.

I’m living proof that you can choose easy now and pay for it later.
And I’m living proof that you can turn it around.
With work.
With sacrifice.
With better choices made consistently.

You’re not trapped.
You’re in the middle of  BECOMING.

Just keep going... it will make sense later.

If you're looking for that high level peer support to help you make those moves, I created The Elite Leaders.

Check it out here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eVS_G_R4

-——————

♻️ Repost to help your network grow
🔔 Follow Dennis Berry for daily strategies
🚀 Join 140,000 to my free weekly newsletter
📽️ Video Credit: IG mindset.therapy

#leadership #ai #burnout #change #entrepreneurship

Kim Willis

Persuasion Pursuit

Got Skills But Minimal Sales?  The Shocking Truth About Most Experts…….

Most coaches, consultants and self employed ‘experts’ are great at what they do.  But here is where they often fall down: they’re not so good at finding clients.  If you’re like a lot of coaches, experts and creative people I talk to, sales and marketing is not a comfortable activity for you.

You just want to do what you do best – work with quality clients – and make a difference for them.

👉 Is This You?

Maybe you’ve got technical skills (SEO, web design, even accounting), or creative skills (writing, blogging etc), or maybe you're a coach.  Irrespective, you just want a better, easier way to find clients.  Without having to sell and hustle like a salesman

👉 A Better Way to Attract Clients

Here is where you want to be:  the expert and authority in your niche.  Get it right and people will beat a path to your door.  Mess it up and people will run a mile.
 
 ****Special Offer to My Linked In Connections****

If you want to attract ‘A’ class clients to you like bees to a honey pot, you should talk to me.  I’ve been using these techniques for years in my own business.  Techniques that enabled me to quit the rat race and travel the world as a digital nomad.  

So here is my $500 offer for you……

I will give you up to 1 hour of my time (by phone, Zoom or Skype) for brainstorming, including specific strategies on expert positioning and client acquisition.  I’ll always be focused on skyrocketing your income by showing you how to attract clients who pay you top dollar.  

All I ask for in return for this free help session is a testimonial and the opportunity to build a valuable relationship.

Results matter, so that will be my focus with you – to give you valuable ideas you can use straight away.

👉 Contact Me

Link me in (see above).

OR You can contact me here:
Phone:
USA: 310 601 8528
Australia: 07 3102 3572
Skype: kimwillishere
Email: kim@persuasionpursuit.com

Partner

Willis Marketing

Director

Story-based content for Hot Leads, Authority, and Trust | Ghostwriting for Time Poor Experts, Founders and C-Suite Execs | Soft Skills Specialist | Cut Through the Online Noise NOW

If you're an expert with something to say, shout about it.

But you need an engaged audience.

No audience = no clients

How will you do it?

Different ways but here are my favs:

1. Podcasts
2. YouTube
3. LinkedIn
4. Website
5. Email list
6. Live Events
7. Collaborations

All good, but it's not as easy as it looks, but I guess you know that already.

The issue is not the method; it's more about execution than anything else.  

How will you get the job done? 

Will you need help?

If you're a do-it-yourself person, fine.  How's that been going for you?

Look, if you don't fix it, here is what will happen:

- You won't get enough traffic
- You won't generate warm leads
- You won't attract high-value clients
- Your dreams will be put on hold
- Hopes will be dashed
  
 I can help you:

• Build trust

• Establish authority in your industry.

• Give clarity about what you do and who you help.

• Inspire a prospect to work with you

I've helped hundreds of people generate more traffic, leads and clients.  We do it with smart traffic and relationship-building methods.

For example, I redesigned Avon's LinkedIn About section and newsfeed content for his Relevate business. Views increased by 500% within two weeks, and he got a new client.

Help starts at $395.  Send me a message. 

► 𝟭𝟮𝟭 𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝟲 𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗛𝗦, 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗡𝗢 𝗔𝗗𝗦

"Kim helped me improve my content, sales copy, and one-to-one engagement with people. To say he has a 'way with words' is an understatement. With his help, I attracted 121 customers/clients online in six months. I spent no money on ads. Highly recommended." Connie Cachia, Digital Marketer (retired).

► 𝐀 𝐇𝐔𝐆𝐄 𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐔𝐄

"Great ideas; I love the full post. Now, I understand the power of good writing. And I can vouch for Kim's brain dump call process. A huge amount of value there." Lloyd Thompson, Founder at Digitaldoo.com

► '𝙆𝙄𝙈 𝙒𝙄𝙇𝙇𝙄𝙎 𝙄𝙎 𝘼 𝙍𝘼𝙍𝙀 𝙍𝙀𝙎𝙊𝙐𝙍𝘾𝙀'
"Kim Willis is a rare resource and one you should connect with. He can easily mix the skills of copywriting, sales and social media marketing in such a way that it works. I'll be forever grateful for the advice, coaching and mentoring he provided me, and so will you." Peter Beckenham. The Solopreneur Sales Strategist.

Last week I saw Faheem Moosa’s post that featured a pic of him with a couple of his clients.

No biggie except for one simple fact.  He’s from Canada, but the pic was taken in Dubai.

He was there for a business conference, and fortuitously, two of his clients were at the same event.

Like me, Faheem does all of his business online and rarely meets clients face to face.

Seeing as I haven’t been on a plane since before COVID, the last time I met clients face-to-face was in 2019.

I hosted a small mastermind for a handful of my clients, hence the pic.

Connie was one of my best students.  She embraced what I taught her and, over the next few months, attracted 121 customers without ads.  How did she do it? Direct outreach on Facebook.

Yes, really.   

Here is a picture of us in Bali.  Connie is on the right, with her husband on the left.

Referral Systems to Drive Leads | Trust-based Conversations to Drive Revenue | Case Studies to Build Belief and Authority | People Connector and Community Builder.

Who should you write for?

Those who pay you, or those who praise you?

For many, it’s the latter.

They crave approval

They forget about the main game: 
- Winning right fit people to your cause
- Being the go-to option for buyers

Temptations abound.

And lots of goo-roos will pander to your ego.

But winning Likes and Comments from those who will never buy.

Is a fool’s errand that ends up one way

No moulah
 
And a likely exit from LinkedIn

Oh well.  Another dream shattered.

Back to the drawing board.

The message?

Focus on: 
- Networking
- Relationships
- Conversations

Boring eh?

Why less qualified people are stealing your lunch

Here's the uncomfortable truth:

That "less qualified" person is winning BECAUSE their expertise is limited.

They think their basic insights are groundbreaking. 

But basic is exactly what your target buyers want.

Your buyers aren't experts. They're trying to solve a problem, and they need someone who can explain what's going wrong in simple terms.

Meanwhile, you're adding layers of nuance. Caveats. Sophistication.

You know too much to keep it simple.

You add complexity because you're worried a peer might think it's not "expert" enough.

This is status anxiety dressed up as quality control.

You're afraid to dumb it down because you want to prove to peers that you know your stuff.

But your ideal buyers aren’t impressed by your expertise.  What they want is simple: they feel you understand their challenges.

So you have a choice:

Create content that earns nods from peers (who will never hire you)...

OR create content that attracts clients.

One feeds your ego. The other feeds your family.

So, are you creating for peers or for your clients?

Cut the crap.  Fess up - your fear is holding you back
That was me

I was like a deer frozen in the glare of a car's headlight..

Trying to deal with my fear of public speaking wasn't easy.  

Time and time again, I rejected opportunities to give talks about my primary area of expertise:

“How to use stories and conversations to explode your sales”

Hot topic, eh?  Yet every time someone asked me to speak… 

I made every cotton-pickin' excuse under the sun, including:

- I’ll be on vacation
- I have another commitment
- My dog is about to die (I didn't have a dog)
- I’m scheduled to mow the lawn (I never mow lawns) 
- My wife said I was a loser, and now I'm sad (another lie)

But finally, I developed enough gumption to kick the fear to the curb.

And give my first talk.

It was a disaster, but I recommitted and, over the next few years, gave hundreds of talks. 

As I improved, my results also improved.  Some talks led to hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue.

All because I tackled the fear monster head-on, and won.

What fear have you conquered?

What fear do you need to tackle?

P.S.  I still have fears - fear of heights, and I’m claustrophobic.  Oh well, can't win ‘em all. 

TODAY'S PIC.  Me at 5 months.  Another lie.  It's Noah, my grandson, and he has NO FEAR.  (Well, not yet. haha)

Why B2B marketers mess up on LinkedIn
They treat it like a lead gen platform.

That used to be me.  I bought into the hype and went all out for leads.

After 3 months - no leads, no nothing

So I switched

I focused on relationships and little more than a month later signed my first client

So the message is clear:

LinkedIn is really a networking and relationship-building platform.

This is why cold outreach campaigns bomb.

The same applies to running ads to people who don’t know you.

It’s likely to fail.  You’re a nobody, and you will be ignored.

Instead, start here:

1. Ideal Buyers.  Your ideal client profiles (ICP)
2. Engagers.  Industry people who amplify your content to buyers.
3. Industry Influencers.  Thought leaders your buyers follow.
4. Potential Channel Partners.  Non-competitive companies serving your ICP
5. Niche Media.  Podcast hosts, event organisers and community owners.

Build relationships with these people.

Referrals, introductions and warm leads will flow from there.

The Success System That Never Fails

That’s the title of a book I read many moons ago.

Written by W. Clement Stone, he shared his miraculous story of how, at age 19, he began working with his mother to sell accident insurance policies. 

He became a sales superstar and then founded his own company, Combined Insurance, which eventually grew into a large business.

According to Stone, the keys to success are threefold:

1. PMA - Positive Mental Attitude.
2. A saleable product
3. A sales success system that never fails

Rather than constantly reinvent the wheel, he was adamant that a simple, replicable system trumps constant improvisation.

We dont have to embrace everything Stone did or all of his views, but I like the idea of having a success system that works over and over again.

Replication = Multiplication

It’s the way to scale.

Example:

I’m building a new referral system where warm leads are regularly produced.

Like clockwork.

I can’t do that without a reliable system that replicates the initial work I did

It’s not smart, it doesn't duplicate, and it’s very tiring.

Thoughts on systems?

Any fool can complicate things

Even me.  Which is why I’m always simplifying my message.

So an 8-year-old can understand it.

But to do it well, understand your topic at a deep level.

Go deep.

Then remove excess words that add nothing to the piece.

Sometimes less is more.

And right now commoditised content - AI slop or otherwise - is saying a lot but meaning little.

Your job is not to produce content that means nothing.

Instead, learn how to cut through so you mean something to your audience

It’s about resonance, not word count or posting frequency.  

Slow down, and focus on making real connection

That’s all.

Why I’ll never join BNI

Or other in-person business referral groups.

I’m not saying you can't make money from them.

You can.

But often the referrals are low quality - not exactly your type of people.


Not all referral groups are like that, of course.  

Some attract high-calibre people, but it’s the exception, not the rule.

The effect for many members - especially white-collar experts - is few, if any leads.

And if the leads convert, often the ticket value is low.


The other problem is the time factor. 

I know people who spend half their week travelling to one networking event or another.

And having one-to-one networking coffees.  

It’s ok to do these things, but it's not very time-efficient, and it can be expensive.

Here is my suggestion…

✅ Break free from the need to always meet people face to face.

And find a balance between online and offline networking activities.

And for crying out loud, be creative.

👉 Example:

Many moons ago, when living in Sydney, I hatched an idea to visit Melbourne to do business.

I had some connections there, so I enlisted their support and asked for introductions.  

Each of these introductions was called, and appointments were booked.  Yes, no emails or DMs were sent - fancy that.

The result was 5 new clients and a heap of revenue.

This might sound harsh, but some of the people who join these often expensive networking groups are a bit lazy.  

They don’t have the wit, courage or confidence to break free and go for it.  


There are plenty of ways to generate business without spending countless hours a week doing offline networking.

I’ll talk about one of them in my next post.

P.S. Regarding the above example.  It happened when I was a young guy - well before the internet.  Would I travel a long way to talk to leads now?  No way.  Today, I would do a Zoom call and decide the next steps from there.

taplio

The Battle

Dennis Berry

Kim Willis

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taplio

The Battle

Dennis Berry

Kim Willis

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Dennis Berry's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreKim Willis's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreDennis Berry's LinkedIn Performance