Showing posts with label Dan Blanchard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dan Blanchard. Show all posts

Sunday, September 20, 2026

Travel in Time with Dan: Interview from the Past with William Gillette

 🎤 Travel in Time: Dan Blanchard Interviews William Gillette

Location: Gillette Castle- East Haddam, CT – Year: Timeless*


Visionaries Build What Others Can’t Yet See

Dan Blanchard:
Good afternoon, Mr. Gillette. What a surreal experience it is to be here, sitting inside this fantastical castle of yours! Before we dive in, can I ask—why a castle, and why here?

William Gillette:
(laughs softly) Why not? I spent years in the public eye, dear Dan—bright lights, long tours, every hotel room like the last. I needed a sanctuary. And I didn’t want a dull country house like everyone else. I wanted something… uniquely me. This bluff overlooking the Connecticut River? The perfect canvas.

Dan:
You certainly made a masterpiece. Forty-seven different doors, trick locks, secret passages, and mirrors—were those just for fun, or was there a deeper purpose behind the eccentric design?

William Gillette:
Ah! Both. Life is far too short for ordinary doors, my friend. The truth is, I wanted to amuse myself. But also—this castle reflects the inner workings of my mind. Creativity, privacy, control… perhaps a hint of mischief. It’s a reflection of a life lived on my own terms.

Dan:
You definitely lived boldly. But I heard your path to success wasn’t easy. Your parents didn’t support your dream of acting. How did you keep going?

William Gillette:
They thought acting was a fool’s errand. Wanted me to follow politics or law. But I had no interest in becoming a replica of someone else’s expectations. I had a voice. I had a vision. And when Mark Twain—dear neighbor from Nook Farm—offered me a role in The Gilded Age, well… that was the match to my fire. I seized it.

Dan:
And it led to your legendary portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. Some say you defined the detective as we know him.

William Gillette:
A curious turn, isn’t it? “Elementary, my dear Watson”—yes, that line was mine. The pipe, the posture, the mysterious demeanor… I invented what the world now imagines when they think of Holmes. But more than that, I proved that an American actor could lead the world stage. That hadn’t been done before.

Dan:
You truly put America on the theatrical map. And then you retreated here, to build what many called your “castle of dreams.” What leadership lesson do you think your life and this home teach?

William Gillette:
Vision, Dan. Leadership is vision. Everyone sees what is. But leaders? We build what others can’t even imagine yet. You don’t ask for permission. You create. Boldly. Unapologetically. Even eccentrically.

Dan:
I love that. “Build what others can’t yet see.” Now… what’s the deal with the train that once ran around the property?

William Gillette:
Oh, yes—the miniature steam train! Delightful, wasn’t it? Three miles of track winding through woods and tunnels. I built it to entertain guests, but honestly, it delighted me most of all. It was playful. Mechanical. Joyful. Why not indulge in wonder?

Dan:
It’s like you built your own leadership playground. You even had early Hollywood legends visit here, didn’t you?

William Gillette:
Indeed. Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and others. This place wasn’t just a retreat—it was a lab. I dabbled in lighting experiments, reflections, and shadows. Silent films were rising, and I wanted to understand how visual storytelling could move an audience, just like theater did. Film needed new tools. I was happy to invent some.

Dan:
A visionary, an innovator, and an artist. Mr. Gillette, what would you say to young people today—especially those told their ideas are “too different” or “too impractical”?

William Gillette:
(smiling) I’d say: nonsense. If people understand your vision right away, it probably isn’t bold enough. Build it anyway. Create what you must create. And remember—every door can open to something wondrous, even if the lock looks peculiar.

Dan:
I think you just gave us all permission to get a little more creative and a little less conventional. Thank you, Mr. Gillette—for your time, your legacy, and for teaching us that real leadership doesn’t just follow the script—it writes the next act.

William Gillette:
Well said, Mr. Blanchard. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I believe I have a few guests still trying to figure out how to open the liquor cabinet.

(both laugh)

www.GranddaddysSecrets.com




Thursday, August 20, 2026

Travel in Time with Dan: Interview from the Past with Elihu Yale

 🎤 Travel in Time: Dan Blanchard Interviews Elihu Yale

Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT – Year: Timeless*


Dan Blanchard: Mr. Elihu Yale! What an honor to travel through time and sit with you on the campus that proudly bears your name. You’ve left quite the legacy here. How does it feel to see this university thrive centuries later?

Elihu Yale: Ah, Mr. Blanchard, the pleasure is mutual. To see these hallowed halls filled with students, scholars, and ideas of every kind… it fills me with a deep sense of pride. Though I could not have imagined this scale when I sent that chest of books and a modest sum, it’s heartening to know those seeds bore such fruit.

Dan Blanchard: That gift of books and funds you sent in the early 1700s was transformative. Today, Yale is one of the most prestigious universities in the world. What inspired you to make that contribution?

Elihu Yale: Education, dear sir, is the true wealth of nations. Though my fortune was earned in trade and governance in faraway lands, I knew that knowledge was the only inheritance that could transcend time and place. My donation was a gesture to promote learning among the youth of the New World.

Dan Blanchard: And your name is now forever etched into American academic history. Speaking of history, Yale played a fascinating role during the American Revolution. What would you say about Yale men like Nathan Hale and their spirit?

Elihu Yale: Young Hale—what courage! “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country”—those words echo still. Leadership forged in education often matures in crisis. The very purpose of a university is to shape minds that will one day shape nations. That spirit of sacrifice and principle? That’s precisely what I hoped Yale would nurture.

Dan Blanchard: Let’s talk leadership then. One of the key lessons I’ve taken from Yale is this: Leaders are lifelong learners. You’ve led in business, diplomacy, and now—as a patron of education. What advice would you give to modern leaders?

Elihu Yale: Never assume your learning is done, Mr. Blanchard. The moment a leader ceases to question is the moment he begins to fail. Ask boldly. Listen intently. Reflect constantly. And surround yourself with those who challenge your thinking, not just echo it. I daresay even an old merchant like myself had to adapt with every tide.

Dan Blanchard: Beautifully said. And what about the lesser-known parts of Yale’s story—like the university’s role in missionary work and its impact on other cultures?

Elihu Yale: Ah, a difficult truth. In my day, the intertwining of education, religion, and empire was commonplace. But hindsight gives us clarity. We must all confront the parts of our legacies that caused unintended harm. Institutions must not only celebrate their victories but also learn from their missteps. That too is leadership.

Dan Blanchard: Wise words. Before we wrap up, let me ask you this: If you were teaching a leadership course at Yale today, what would you call it?

Elihu Yale: "From Commerce to Conscience: Leading with Purpose.”
I would remind students that influence is not in what you accumulate, but in what you contribute. Lead not only with intellect, but with integrity.

Dan Blanchard: Mr. Yale, thank you for your time and timeless insight. Your legacy is living, breathing, and evolving right here in New Haven—and far beyond.

Elihu Yale: And thank you, Mr. Blanchard, for ensuring the stories of the past serve as lanterns lighting the path ahead.

Learn mor about Dan: www.GranddaddysSecrets.com

Thursday, August 6, 2026

Travel in Time with Dan: Interview from the Past with Mark Twain

 

Dan Blanchard Interviews Mark Twain at Nook Farm

Location: The porch of Twain’s Hartford mansion, a summer breeze rustling the leaves as history stirs to life…


Dan: Mr. Clemens, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me today. Standing here in Nook Farm, I can almost feel the echoes of the past. What was it really like living in such a remarkable neighborhood?

Mark Twain: [Chuckles softly] Dan, it was an odd and wonderful thing. You see, Nook Farm was less a neighborhood and more a grand experiment. We left our doors open—not just to neighbors, but to new ideas. Some folks kept dogs. We kept intellectuals. And they howled just as much on occasion.

Dan: That’s incredible. You were neighbors with Harriet Beecher Stowe—the most famous woman of your time. What was your relationship like?

Mark Twain: Ah, Harriet! That woman could write a sentence that stopped wars. We were more than neighbors—we were kindred spirits, both chasing truth with pen in hand. She struck the heart with her moral thunder, and I… well, I poked society with a sharp stick and made it laugh at its own foolishness.

Dan: Your approach to leadership was… unconventional. Would you say that satire was your way of leading?

Mark Twain: Precisely. You see, humor is the last refuge of the honest man. Society tends to ignore sermons, but it can’t ignore its own reflection in the funhouse mirror. I made people laugh—and then think. Sometimes, that’s the only way to sneak truth past their defenses.

Dan: And yet, despite your fame, you nearly lost it all with the Paige Compositor. What happened?

Mark Twain [Sighs] Ambition can be a wily beast. I saw a future in mechanized typesetting and bet the farm—almost literally. The machine was brilliant but flawed, much like its backer. When it flopped, I lost my fortune and my beloved house here. It wasn’t just bricks and mortar—it was the heart of a community. My exit dimmed the fire at Nook Farm.

Dan: Some say that your departure led to the decline of Nook Farm’s golden era. Do you believe that?

Mark Twain: I wouldn’t flatter myself that much. But I was, as they say, a nucleus. Without the laughter, the stories, the evening readings—I suppose the air grew a bit stiller. Even Harriet’s writing changed after that. More inward. As if mourning what we all knew we were losing.

Dan: You and Stowe influenced a nation—through words, through stories. What leadership advice would you give today’s youth?

Mark Twain: Surround yourself with people who challenge you. Argue. Disagree. Make each other better. Nook Farm was powerful not because we agreed—but because we cared enough to keep talking. Leadership isn’t volume—it’s proximity. Be near brilliance, and your own light will grow.

Dan: That’s powerful. And personally meaningful. You see, I used to deliver the Hartford Courant—the very paper shaped by the thinkers right here in Nook Farm.

Mark Twain: [Leans forward, eyes twinkling] Then you, sir, are part of the lineage. Every paperboy, every reader, every thinker—you’re all links in the same chain. Keep tugging on it. See what changes.

Dan: Final question, Mr. Twain: If you could write one more story about Nook Farm, what would the title be?

Mark Twain: Hah! Easy: “When the Doors Stayed Open.” It’d be about a time when people trusted each other enough to leave locks off and minds wide open. A tale we might want to read again today.

Dan: Thank you, Mark Twain. For your wit, your wisdom, and for still guiding us through history’s pages.

Mark Twain: My pleasure, Dan. Now go shake a few foundations, would you?

Learn more about Dan: www.GranddaddysSecrets.com


Monday, July 20, 2026

Travel in Time with Dan: Interview from the Past with Nathan Hale

 Dan’s Interview with Nathan Hale

📍 Location: Nathan Hale Homestead, Coventry, Connecticut




Dan Blanchard:
Nathan, thank you for joining us—even if it’s from the other side of history. Your homestead is beautiful and solemn. Standing here today, one can almost feel your presence. Let’s jump right in. You were only 21 when you volunteered for a dangerous spy mission. What drove you to say yes when others hesitated?

Nathan Hale:
Thank you, Dan. Though my time was short, my cause was long. I believed deeply in liberty. When General Washington called for a volunteer, I didn’t see it as an act of heroism—I saw it as a duty. I had one life, and I wished to give it meaning beyond myself.

Dan:
Many would say your life did just that. But I have to ask—were you scared?

Nathan Hale:
Of course. True courage is not the absence of fear; it’s moving forward in spite of it. I knew the risks. I was no trained spy—just a schoolteacher turned soldier. But I believed that some causes are worth risking everything for. I was young, yes, but I wanted to stand tall.

Dan:
You certainly did. Your final words—”I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country”—still echo across time. Did you know those words would be remembered?

Nathan Hale:
I didn’t speak them to be remembered. I spoke them because they were true. We all have just one life. My only regret was that I couldn’t do more. If my sacrifice helped ignite the fire of freedom, then it was worth it.

Dan:
It did. But your mission failed in a traditional sense—you were captured within a week. George Washington was devastated, and it changed how he approached intelligence. What do you think of how he pivoted after your execution?

Nathan Hale:
Washington was a true leader. He didn’t just mourn—he learned. My death showed that bravery without preparation can cost dearly. His decision to build the Culper Spy Ring using trained civilians revolutionized American intelligence. If my end helped him begin something smarter and stronger, I can rest easier.

Dan:
That’s powerful. You became a symbol—not just of courage, but also of course correction. What message would you leave to young leaders today?

Nathan Hale:
Never wait for age or permission to make a difference. I was only 21. Leadership isn’t about how many birthdays you’ve had—it’s about what burns inside you. Be bold. Be prepared. And always stand for something greater than yourself.

Dan:
Amen. Nathan, before we close, one more thing: Your homestead today is known not just for its history but also for… well… a few ghost stories. Mind if I ask—do you still wander these halls?

Nathan Hale (with a faint smile):
Let’s just say… a legacy doesn’t end with a breath. Sometimes it lingers, especially when a cause still needs voices. Whether in memory, stone, or story, I’m still here—for those willing to listen.

Dan:
And we’re listening, Nathan. Loud and clear. Thank you for your courage, your sacrifice, and your legacy.


🎬 [End of Interview: Dan turns toward the camera]
If Nathan Hale could risk everything for a cause at 21, imagine what we can do—at any age—if we find our “why.” Visit the Nathan Hale Homestead. Stand where he once stood. And then ask yourself: What legacy am I building?

Learn more about Dan: www.GranddaddysSecrets.com

Monday, July 6, 2026

Travel in Time with Dan: Interview from the Past with CT Governor Jonathan Trumbull

 The Heartbeat of the Revolution: A Sit-Down with Governor Jonathan Trumbull


Historical Guest:

Governor Jonathan Trumbull
The only Colonial Governor to side with George Washington—and a leader who transformed Lebanon Green into a launchpad for liberty.


✍️ Blog Post Interview

Intro by Dan:
Welcome back to another powerful stop on our Travel in Time journey. Today, I stood on the windswept Lebanon Green, Connecticut’s own “Heartbeat of the Revolution.” I closed my eyes and imagined the clatter of horses, the murmurs of military strategy, and the weight of decisions that would shape a nation. Then, through the magic of history and imagination, I sat down with none other than Governor Jonathan Trumbull. The man whose sense of purpose helped shift the tides of revolution.


The Interview

Dan: Governor Trumbull, thank you for joining me. You’re remembered as the only Colonial Governor to support the Patriot cause. What made you take such a bold—and dangerous—stand?

Governor Trumbull:
Young man, I did not see it as bold. I saw it as right. The Crown’s hand had grown heavy. The people of Connecticut—good people—were straining under unfair taxes and the muzzle of tyranny. When others hesitated, I remembered our covenant with liberty. My conscience left me no choice but to stand with General Washington… even if it meant standing alone.


Dan: You turned this very green into a nerve center of the Revolution. What was Lebanon Green like back then?

Governor Trumbull:
Alive, sir. It pulsed with purpose. The War Office was always buzzing—dispatches arriving, horses being fed, French officers drawing maps with American hands. General Washington himself stood here. Supplies left this green and reached Valley Forge. Plans whispered under candlelight became bold moves on battlefields. This wasn’t just a pretty pasture… it was the spine of our resistance.


Dan: What leadership lesson do you hope modern people take from this place?

Governor Trumbull:
Purpose moves people. That’s what I’ve always said. Not titles. Not wealth. Purpose. When a man—or a nation—knows its “why,” it can weather any storm. I knew our cause was just. That conviction lit the path forward, even when the night was dark and the outcome uncertain.


Dan: Today’s youth face their own battles. Some say they don’t see leaders worth following. What would you say to them?

Governor Trumbull:
Then be the leader worth following. Waiting for perfect conditions or popular approval is a recipe for regret. Gather your facts, root your decisions in principle, and take action. Remember—the mightiest empire in the world thought we couldn’t win. But preparation… faith… and unity carried us through.


Dan: Was there ever a moment you doubted?

Governor Trumbull:
Many. Especially when friends—governors, merchants, even clergy—chose comfort over courage. But I also remembered Benjamin Franklin’s son, who stayed loyal to the Crown. That wound never healed between them. I resolved that I would not be a man my children would look upon with shame. I chose conviction over convenience.


Dan: Some people might say Lebanon Green is just grass and old buildings now. Why should we still care?

Governor Trumbull:
Because these stones still speak. These fields remember. The choices made here gave birth to a nation. If we forget that, we risk losing the very freedoms they secured. Visit the green, son. Stand in silence. Listen long enough, and you’ll hear the echo of resolve.


✨ Final Reflection (by Dan):

As I stepped away from Lebanon Green, the wind tugged gently at my coat. I could almost hear the sound of drums, the scuffle of boots, and the rustle of handwritten plans carried by candlelight. Governor Trumbull reminded me that leadership isn’t always about being loud or liked—it’s about being ready. About doing the work before the moment calls your name.

So next time you visit this quiet New England town, know this: you’re not just walking through grass. You’re walking through purpose.


Historical Bio: Governor Jonathan Trumbull

  • Born: October 12, 1710 – Lebanon, CT

  • Died: August 17, 1785 – Lebanon, CT

  • Role: Governor of Connecticut Colony (1769–1776), then State of Connecticut (1776–1784)

  • Distinction: The only colonial governor to support the American Revolution

  • Legacy: Close advisor to George Washington; turned Lebanon Green into the epicenter of supply, strategy, and spirit

Learn more about Dan: www.GranddaddysSecrets.com



Tuesday, June 4, 2019

Content Marketing Part 4

Content Monetization

    
        This part of Guberti’s book will help us make money doing what we love to do. However, we all must remember that no tactic or strategy can help us make money if we don’t implement it.
            So, here comes a few ways to monetize or make some money off of our content.
             First, and the easiest one according to Guberti, is to write a book for our targeted audience. Guberti expresses over and over again in his book how writing a book really isn’t as hard as we collectively think it is. Then he goes on to give us strategies to write a book, like eliminating distractions, maybe doing a video transcription, or even hiring a ghostwriter if we genuinely believe that it is too hard to write a book ourselves.
            Next, Guberti gets into training courses as a way to monetize. He says that they are his most profitable venture. And he should know because he has created a bunch of them. He also mentions how a book and a training course go hand-in-hand. And then Guberti shares his sales funnel where he explains how his multiple products set at various prices that begin at $7 and go all the way up to $997 and even $1445 help him lead people through his sales funnel in a way that he can monetize what he does.
            In addition, Guberti really loves his virtual summits, so there is no way his book on content marketing secrets and this section on monetizing wasn’t going to include his secret weapon of virtual summits as a way to make money. Through his all-access pass, which goes as high as $297 during the summit, and then jumps to $997 after the summit has ended, Guberti makes some good money as he monetizes his content and the content of others, while also building those relationships with other influencers.
            Near the end of his book, Content Marketing Secrets Guberti makes a good argument on why all of us need to learn how to use affiliate marketing so we can monetize what we do. In this section of the book, he shares with us how affiliate marketing can also lead to joint ventures, which will also lead to exponentially increasing our revenue, and possibly lead to coaching, consulting and who knows what other paid services, too?
            So, to sum it up, there are a lot of ways to make money doing what we love to do, especially within our own content creation. And Marc Guberti may still be a young guy, but don’t let that fool you. He really does have a lot to say, and we’d be really wise to listen to him, and we’d be especially wise to listen to him on his Breakthrough Success Podcast where he shares his success secrets on a weekly basis. Also, we’d also be extremely wise to read his book, Content Marketing Secrets cover to cover and then implement some of his strategies.       


Dan Blanchard is a bestselling author, award-winning speaker, and educator who has written books on leadership, education and professional speaking. He has been featured on over 100 television and radio shows, as well as some of the world’s top podcasts. To find out more about Dan please visit his website: www.DanBlanchard.net




Saturday, May 4, 2019

Content Marketing Part 3

Social Media Marketing

   
        Guberti, says, “Social media is the core platform brands use to increase their visibility and communicate with current customers. This tool can open the floodgates to traffic, opportunities, and sales.”
            Guberti also shares in his book, Content Marketing Secrets that he believes we should only work on one social media site at a time until we master it. And then once we have a first social media platform on auto-pilot, then we can work on mastering another one. We also need to keep in mind that our goal is to keep visitors on our social media sites for longer and longer periods of time.
            Of all the social media networks, Guberti believes that Twitter is the easiest and cheapest to master. Our Twitter strategies should be to interact with our audiences and provide them with content that they want. Through using these strategies, amazingly Guberti was able to have his first 100,000 Twitter followers before he graduated high school.
            He shares in this book that we need to follow people who will likely follow us back. Let’s not try to convert people to our niche. Let’s just follow people who have already been converted to whatever niche we are trying to play big in.
            How do we find these people that have already been converted? Well, we need to find someone who is prominent in our field who has a large following. And guess what? Once we find them, we’re also going to notice that they have already built up the audience that we are looking for. So, let’s start following some of the fans of our fellow influencers who have already converted them so they too can know we exist and follow us back. Then let’s make sure that we’re also interacting with our new-found social media friends, as well.
            Now let’s move over to Facebook, which is dominating the targeted advertising realm. Facebook’s ability to target our audience or at least a future audience is incredible, especially if we have the money to pay for Facebook Ads. However, if we don’t presently have the resources for targeted Facebook Ads, then we’re going to have to be strategic in how we use Facebook.
            Facebook Live is hot right now. And it’s a great place for us to start integrating ourselves into our audience or niche for free. Also, joining some Facebook Groups and interacting with other people that hang out there is awesome, too. And so is creating our own Facebook Group within our niche. Starting a group instantaneously gives us creditability in our field of expertise. In addition, we can also create Facebook Groups for Facebook users who have read our books and want a place to be engaged in with others who are discussing the ideas our books offer to them.
            Now moving on to Pinterest. The great thing about Pinterest is that we don’t need a lot of followers for Pinterest to be effective for us. Guberti had one of his pins pinned over 1000 times when he only had 500 followers. That’s engagement. And that’s real viral potential.
            One of the secrets with Pinterest is that we need to be active on that platform. And one way to be active on that platform is to invite contributors to pin pins to our boards. Another way is to use a tool called Virtual Tag, which can schedule our pins and set up an evergreen posting cycle tor us that pins the same pin to multiple boards in a continuous cycle.
            YouTube is another way to use social media marketing, and it’s great for SEO because Google owns YouTube, so of course, it favors YouTube in Google searches. Also, in today’s times, people like videos, so it only makes sense to take advantage of YouTube in our social media marketing efforts. The thing about YouTube is that we have to upload more videos than most of us presently are doing. We should be doing at least one video a week. And sadly, many of us are just too sporadic when it comes to uploading our videos to YouTube to promote our content in our social media marketing efforts.
            In addition, we also need to make compelling videos that talk directly to our niche. This isn’t as hard as it sounds, though. All we have to do is to dig back through our old content, and now we have a diamond field of precious old content that we can repurpose for YouTube, which by the way, Google loves. Using YouTube will boost our Google ranking, thus making it easier for people to find us and our life-changing content.
            Moving on the Instagram. Instagram is on fire right now. According to Guberti, they have 300 million daily active, engaged users who love the pictures and products they find on this site. So, it only makes sense to be active on Instagram in our social media marketing efforts. And let’s also make sure that we “like” hundreds of pictures related to our niche because thousands of potential targeted followers can come from these pictures.
            Also, let’s find someone on Instagram who has a large audience according to Guberti, and follow people who liked this influencer’s post. Then, let’s repeat this formula with another Instagram influencer.

            Finally, LinkedIn. Guberti believes that LinkedIn is the most underrated social media network on the web. And the first thing we need to do is to get more LinkedIn connections. And the best way to do this is to first and foremost send meaningful invites to the right people. Then we need to publish posts on LinkedIn every day, as well as engage with other posts. And let’s also make sure that we ask for endorsements and have a professional bio. And finally, let’s also utilize the right LinkedIn groups who are filled with professionals that are in our niche and may want to work with us in some capacity.

Dan Blanchard is a bestselling author, award-winning speaker, and educator who has written books on leadership, education and professional speaking. He has been featured on over 100 television and radio shows, as well as some of the world’s top podcasts. To find out more about Dan please visit his website: www.DanBlanchard.net

Thursday, April 4, 2019

Content Marketing Secrets Part 2

Content Marketing

 If no one knows our content exists, then we can have the greatest content in the world, and it ain’t going to make one iota of difference because almost no one is going to see it. And that means almost no one is going to know it exists, or that we wrote it, or that we exist. What a waste, huh? So sad, isn’t it? 
          Guberti and I see eye to eye on this next strategy of content marketing, which is to build relationships. Guberti says in his book that if we aren’t working on developing at least one new meaningful relationship every day, then our content brand is stagnant at best. Besides relationships being fun, they are also one of the greatest opportunities available to us authors and speakers to share our message and our content.
            And if we can build relationships with influencers who can share our message and our content on a huge stage or scale, then we’ve hit the relationship jackpot. However, influencers have to guard their time and brand, and rightfully so. So we can’t just go ask them for a favor. Instead, we have to provide some value for them first according to Guberti. And one good way to do this is to help them get extra exposure by asking them to be a guest on our podcast if we have one. Or, asking them to be a guest blogger on our blog, if we have one.
            Another great way to add value to the influencers first while creating a great relationship with them is to invite them to participate in our virtual summits if we are brave enough and bold enough to actually try to put on a virtual summit and invite all of our new friends to it.
            I really like Guberti’s next tip in marketing our content, which is just simply to repurpose our content. Repurposing is the easiest way to be everywhere so we can catch a few influencers attention.
            Here’s a simple example of repurposing our content. We could create a video within our niche and put it on YouTube, Facebook and Vimeo. Then we could repurpose our video’s content by taking just the audio and turn it into a podcast episode. Next, we could transcribe either the video or audio and turn it into a blog post, which we can post all over our social media channels. Next, we could turn our post into a slide share. And then take we could take pictures from the post and/or slide share, and even create a few with quotes from the content to post on Pinterest and Instagram. You see, all these social media channels have different audiences so we can reach new people. However, they also all kind of feed into one another. Our content can flow through our various social media channels in unique ways. And by repurposing our content through these different social media channels, we certainly do look like we are everywhere doing everything.
            Also, let’s make sure that we are also collaborating with our audiences too because they could provide us with opportunities for guest appearances on television, radio, podcasts, blogs, and other media platforms. Our audience can also become our contributors helping us create a larger amount of content while adding their unique value to our platforms. They might even become so excited about working with us that they also go out and tell everyone they know about us.

            Guberti includes building our email list in content marketing because we actually own this piece of the virtual real estate world. Plus, through the powers of email, we show up in people’s inboxes. In Guberti’s book, Content Marketing Secrets, Guberti provides us with 50 tactics to grow our email list from creating a bunch of landing pages to creating Udemy Courses, leveraging our blogs, appearing on other people’s YouTube Channels, providing perks, publishing a kindle book, and a whole bunch more of tips just waiting to be explored and implemented.

Dan Blanchard is a bestselling author, award-winning speaker, and educator who has written books on leadership, education and professional speaking. He has been featured on over 100 television and radio shows, as well as some of the world’s top podcasts. To find out more about Dan please visit his website: www.DanBlanchard.net