Growing Your Influence and Scaling Your Brand With Selena Soo

How do you make business problems disappear? Wrap them in bacon. For business owners, marketing execs, and anyone trying to grow your business, pump your profits and make more while doing less. Welcome to Bacon Wrapped Business with Brad Costanzo. Sizzling hot business advice guaranteed to make you fat profits. Every week, our chefs will serve you proven recipes for ramping up your revenue. Now, here's your host, Brad Costanzo.

All right, welcome back to the show. This is Brad. And if for some reason this is the first time you stumbled across the show, maybe you saw the topic or you saw the guest being interviewed and you're like, all right, I'll come check this out. And it's got bacon in the title. I mean, how bad could it be? Well, I am Brad Costanzo. I'm the host of the show, and this is my platform to interview some really amazing, inspiring and smart entrepreneurs and thought leaders and people who are doing stuff that. That I really want to know more about. As most of my listeners will tell you know, can attest to, I don't have people on the show who are just looking for publicity for themselves unless I have authentic curiosity about who they are, what they're doing, and how they've been so successful. That being said, today's show is with somebody just like that. And although publicity is a big part of what she does, we're going to hit on that and some other really cool stuff because she has not only introduced me to former guests such as Bushra Azar, who you may have heard on a most recent episode, but she works with clients as a business strategist and a publicity coach for visionary entrepreneurs and experts and authors. Her work has been endorsed by thought leaders such as Marie Forleo, Daniel laporte, Derek Halpern, and a lot of other influencers, both in online and mainstream media. Selena helps her clients make very powerful connections and increase their visibility and develop solid strategies to take their business to the next level. She's also a writer for Forbes, HuffPost and podcast Positively Positive, amongst others. So without any further ado, I'd like to welcome Selena Sue. How are you?

Brad, a quick thing. I think they gave you the wrong bio because I don't run my mastermind anymore.

Oh, whoops. Okay, so let me just read you the bio.

Okay.

And now I can edit that out, no problem.

And, okay, let me just make a note to tell Katherine.

I can probably just edit out the part about the publicity mastermind. The first part is probably fine.

Yeah, that's perfect.

Yeah, so I'll pick up right there. I'M just marking the time here. It's about two minutes.

Okay, perfect.

So good catch, though.

So I'll just answer. Okay. So you said, Selena, how are you?

Well, I'm going to get to that in just a second. So I stopped with online and mainstream media.

Mm.

So, Selena, are you here?

I'm here. And thank you so much for having me, Brad. I am really thrilled to talk to you and connect with you more.

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, we've been, you know, this is the first time we've ever actually spoken in person. We're Facebook friends and we've interacted over email and chat a couple times. But I've heard of. We've got a lot of mutual friends. I've heard a lot of great things about you and I've seen some of the cool stuff that you've been doing. So it's a, it's a pleasure for me to kind of have you on the show and find out a little bit more. Especially because some of the stuff you're doing is a. It overlaps with the things that I'm doing both for myself, for my clients. It's topics that I love to talk about and love to have people on the show like yourself so that I can, you know, get some of the other stuff that's working and new perspectives. So that being said, what, you know, I gave a little bit of a. Of a description about what you're doing, but tell me about the, you know, the work that you love to do the most, that you're most proud of, the things that are going on right now, like a little bit of the backstory. But I don't like, usually going into like the whole.

Sure. About life as a child.

Right.

No, I totally get it. Yeah, I would love to talk about that. So my biggest passion has always been connecting people and promoting people that I really believe in. When I was in my mid-20s, I had, you know, quarter life crisis and started to this women's life coaching circle. And through that got exposed to all of these thought leaders and the self help space and different authors. And I just felt like this was the most amazing thing and that to really help people feel better about their lives and create hope and possibility, that these experts and authors that were teaching people how to find their purpose, how to start a business, how to be happy in relationships, have better health. I just couldn't think of a better way to help people. Deep down, I always wanted to be a publicist or just find different ways to elevate people like that. I went to business school. And when I graduated, I did start my own PR firm. But then over time, it became clear to me that I wanted to focus more on the high level strategy and also help a lot of people versus just a handful. Now I have a program called Impacting Millions, and we have hundreds of amazing students in that program. And it's a public course that really helps people use the power of publicity to elevate their brand reach lots and lots of more people. And people have gotten incredible results from, you know, writing articles in the Huffington Post and Forbes to being featured in Oprah magazine and on TV and all of that. So that is really, you know, my focus is really my group program Impacting Millions.

Cool. So let's talk a little bit about a little bit of some of the publicity strategies that have worked the best for you. I don't think I need to talk about the benefits of publicity. Most of the people kind of understand that. And if they've heard some of my other episodes, we talk about that. So let's talk about what's working. We know why it's good to do. Tell me about some of the strategies that have been either really successful for you, some of your clients, and that is really working. Especially that's out of the ordinary.

I mean, yeah, I'd love to talk about that. So, I mean, two things I want to start with first is it's really important to know what kind of publicity you want to pursue based on your business goals, because some publicity is good for branding purposes and credibility. And then there's other types that may move the needle more for your business. So I've had situations where I may have a client or a student who gets an Oprah magazine. And Oprah magazine is huge for the credibility factor and generating that excitement in your audience. But let's say if your business is about selling $10,000 consulting or coaching packages, you know, your ideal clients might not come from Open magazine. That might be a great place if you've got, you know, a book or a lower end offering. But for something high end, you might want to consider a different outlet. So, I mean, I'm very, you know, passionate about podcast interviews. I believe that, you know, every entrepreneur should be doing them because it's great content, it's a great way to connect more deeply and talk in depth about a topic. But also the types of people that listen to podcasts, these are people that care about their personal development, their personal growth business. And if they're going to spend 30 minutes or an hour listening to a Podcast, interview. These are the kinds of people they're willing to invest in themselves in terms of time and also in terms of money. And so I find people who are pursuing the wrong kinds of publicity based on what their intended outcomes are and wondering why it's not working. So that's the first place I like to begin is just getting clear on, like, why do you want the publicity? What are your goals? And based on your goals, what are the right kinds of media outlets for you?

Cool. So let's talk about in the media, is it. Have you seen more benefits from having your own columns and writing, whether it's on a Forbes or Fast company or something like that, or being written about, or do you pursue both strategies?

Yeah, I think it depends on the person. The one thing with columns, like, I know at Forbes right now they want contributors to contribute typically two to even five times a month. And I think in general they're looking for people to write with that frequency. So as a busy entrepreneur, you might not want to be a columnist befores because you don't want to write, you know, 60 articles a year. That might be too much for you. You might just want to have the chance to be part of one or two pieces and get that press hit, you know, for credibility purposes. Or maybe there is a regular columnist that has to produce a certain amount of articles. But you could be a guest post, you could offer a guest, and they feature, you know, it's, you know, your story, your writing, all of that, and you still get to benefit from the Forbes name. So it depends. I mean, there's some people who are prolific writers and they want to write all the time. And definitely, you know, as you continue to put your work out there and have links back to your site or free gif, that can definitely work. But for a lot of people that, you know, I work with, who are my students, I know how busy they are. I don't necessarily recommend them. You know, needing to get like multiple columns and be like on the hook for writing like seven articles a month.

Yeah, it gets to be a lot.

Yeah.

Okay, so have.

So. But I think part of your question was also about, like, is it better to be featured in an article or to be writing the article? So I think, I know it depends.

Upon what result you're kind of looking to get.

Yeah, it depends on what kind of result. But also I think there is something to be said when a journalist has decided to profile you or interview you versus you doing a guest post. But yeah, I guess it goes back to the point of it. Because if the purpose of the writing that you're doing is you want to share your thought leadership ideas, then a guest post may be more appropriate because it's all you that you're writing. The article is all about you and your ideas. Whereas if you're being featured in an article, that writer, that journalist may be interviewing multiple people. So I think it's good to have a mix, not just all one. Because if every press hit is just something that you've written by yourself, that's one thing. But if you've got other leading journalists and people kind of choosing you specifically to feature, that also does say something important.

Absolutely. So have you got any fun stories about whether it's any clients or yourself who successfully use some of your strategies to just really kind of explode and. Yeah. So share with us not only the results, but how they did it.

Sure, sure. So one person who comes to mind is my client, Kimra Luna, and she is a social media and personal branding strategist. And she, you know, early on, even when she was just getting started, would do a lot of podcast interviews. And then as we worked together, got her do more and more podcast interviews and other forms of media, and she always will direct people to her free Facebook group. And so she grew that Facebook group pretty quickly. I think now it's maybe 30 or 40,000 people in that group who are all entrepreneurs, who are people interested also in her programs. And so with a podcast interview, it's not just okay, you know, you hear this person's story and that's it. But she had a clear call to action to get people to join that Facebook group and really took the time, time to cultivate people in that group so that when she does have her launches, you know, people are lining up to sign up and she is someone who has, you know, seven figure launches and her business, I mean, she was having a seven figure launch when her business was, I think, just about a year and a half old. Right. But that doesn't happen by accident. You know, it's because she was creating community and using these podcast interviews to develop that emotional connection with people and then drive them to that free Facebook group.

That's fantastic. What? Do you know what the Facebook group is?

Yeah, it's called. It's called Freedom Hackers Mastermind. Yeah, it's a really great one. So that.

Have your own. Do you have your own Facebook group as well?

I don't know. I don't.

It's one of those things that I know I need one. I've never created one for myself. I've created them for clients. I've done a lot of that other stuff. It's the. What did they say? The cobbler's kids have no shoes? Yeah.

I mean, I don't know. I have mixed feelings about Facebook groups. I think first, I really do think it's such an individual thing for a number of my clients. They've got their free Facebook groups and it's so perfect for them, but for other people, it doesn't make as much sense for me. One thing when I think about my own business is I'm always thinking about how to conserve my energy. But it's also because I exert so much energy. I'm so passionate. I have big group programs, but I also have some private clients. And I'm managing a lot of relationships. I'm managing really hundreds of relationships when it comes to my media relationships, affiliate relationships, influencer relationships. And so with all of that output, I have to be very mindful of, well, what am I going to spend my time on? I've intentionally decided that I do not want to have a free Facebook group because I also, for me personally, I'd rather spend time with my students in my paid programs who are in a Facebook group. So that's just like, for me personally.

So that's how I've been exact 100% okay. You know, there's a limited amount of time in the day and, you know, the free Facebook groups, they can be great, but they also do they. They take some time and dedication to making it work and making sure that people actually pay attention to it. I can't tell you how many groups as well that I've turned like, that I'm in that I turned off notifications on. Like, I don't even want to see it because there's a bunch of stupid people in here. It's not, you know, it's not curated with good stuff, like, So I ignore most of that anyway. But. Okay, interesting. So besides, here was the question that I had what I was thinking of. So I know, though, you could probably help all types of businesses and whatnot. But what has been your sweet spot in the past? Has it been people who are building, like entrepreneurs who are building and authors building personal brands around them? Or has it been, you know, people who have a product and not necessarily an information product, but like a physical product or a service or software or something that the person is not the thing? Has one of those been the sweet spot for your business?

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I definitely don't think that, you know, I'm the ideal person for any kind of business just because there are so many types of businesses out there. But yes, I do specifically work with and help people who've got personal brand based businesses where they're the face of their company. So they could be a service provider, I mean, they could be a doctor or massage therapist or a business coach, but they are the face of their business. And yeah, a lot of my students and clients, they're kind of in the how to space. They're teaching people how to do other things, teaching them how to improve their careers or businesses or love lives, their health. That would definitely be my sweet spot.

Nice. And then do you primarily start with publicity? Do you do any other strategies and activities or teach them or do with them or for them?

Yeah, that's a good question. So I mean, I have different programs and so different people join them for different things. But yeah, I mean, my programs are pretty specific. So I've got my publicity program impacting millions. And that is just about publicity. It's about getting on podcasts and doing guest posts and being in magazines and on tv. So it's like on that one single topic. And then I've got a networking course called Influence, which is just on the topic of networking. And then I have a program called Get Known, Get Clients and that has more pieces to it. There's sort of like 12 mini courses within that. It's a six month program. But yeah, different offerings are interesting to people at different levels. I think for me, I really look at people's businesses very holistically. I don't just think, oh, we need to get you some publicity, it's okay. How does this fit into your overall business goals? Like if I was working with someone as a client, like, I need to know, okay, how does your business make money? What are your personal strengths? How do you want to grow your business? What are the most important goals for this upcoming year? And how can publicity fit into that to enhance it? So in terms of my private clients, right now pretty much all my private clients are making seven figures or multiple seven figures. So they're really successful. And so they generally do have that base. And it's helpful for them to know that, you know, I'm an entrepreneur like them. And so it's, you know, I'm able to see the bigger picture of how all this works to grow their business. But yeah, and I think that's how we need to look at things as business owners because everything needs to fit together to help you Move forward with your most important goals.

Yeah. As somebody who creates offers and trainings and things like this for people, what have you found has been the biggest hot button for your market? That what they really, really want? I mean, because I know there's some people who are, you know, they. They're actually chasing fame for fame's sake. Right. Like, they're like, I just want to be known. And there's kind of that. I want to be the popular kid in school again. And they're not even thinking about the business or whatever. And then there's other people who've got a more strategic view of it. And like you said, you teach publicity and networking and things like that. Like, have there. What have you noticed has been like, the big hot button for clients that gets them to hire or buy or.

Yeah, I mean, I think that people are drawn to me because they share similar philosophies. So I do think when people start thinking about publicity, because in the industry, there is this kind of common mindset around. I want to go from zero to Oprah. And, you know, if you don't have any clients yet, or even if you do have clients, you know, first off is not, you know, Oprah's couch first Super Soul Sunday. So, I mean, you know, at the same time, I am someone who thinks big, and I love people who think big. But I also want us to also be somewhat realistic and just clear on where are we right now and what the next best step. Because I have had situations where I've just met different people who they're just like, okay, I want to make six figures right away, and the next year I want to make seven figures. I want to be on Oprah. And then they get all excited and they burn themselves out, and it's just like, they're not focused on the right things in the right order. So I think that what is really important is getting clear on what are the right next steps. I think in our industry, I think one of the challenges is, and the opportunity is that there are so many ways to grow your business and to market yourself. And it's like, oh, well, should I, you know, be, I don't know, spending more time on Instagram or doing a free challenge or hosting a podcast or doing affiliates or this and that. And I think that a lot of people, they feel guilty for not doing more, and that guilt doesn't really serve them. So I think with the clients and the students that I work with, like, I just really encourage people to get clear on what are the things that they are excited about it doesn't matter if it doesn't. If like, you know, other people aren't saying that is the cool go to thing to do right now. It's like, what feels good for you. I mean, in my own business, I've never done a Facebook Live or a challenge or, you know, I'm not on Instagram. I mean, there's just so many things, everyone's like, oh my God, you have to do this. Like, this will change everything. And I don't even touch any of those things. And not to say that in a year or two I might not, you know, maybe I'll consider them. But I know what I'm good at and I know what's exciting and enjoyable for me and I focus on that. And so with my clients who are at the seven figure mark, I mean, there's a reason why they're there. It's because they're really focused and they don't try to do everything. They're really true to themselves and their strengths and that really goes a long way.

What are some of those things that you love to do and that you're really good at? Like you just mentioned, like, what are some of the things that for your own business?

Yeah, I mean, I really enjoy writing emails to my audience and for me personally, I don't write like, I don't have like, oh, every Tuesday I have to send out an email. And that isn't a bad strategy. I mean, certainly there is something to be said for consistency, but I just write emails like when I feel like it or, you know, if I'm like launching something or if I want to, you know, there's just something in the moment that I want to share with people. But I think that the emails that I send really connect with people on an emotional level. And also I'm very, I don't know, careful with my words. There's this saying that my mentor, Amit Sethi says. And when it comes to copywriting, every single word needs to earn its way on the page. And so I think that sadly there is a lot of, you know, weak copy in the industry where people are just, you know, I think it's important that if you're going to send something, try to put your best foot forward. And also there's a lot of things that, like, you know, all these buzzwords and, you know, you're saying all these, like, I don't know, kind of, you know, the copy version of like, you know, the red arrows and the yellow highlighters and. But it's like, well, what is this email even really about? You know, you have to click to find out, or, you know, if you just swap someone's name, like, really, anyone could have written the email. But I don't know. When I write something, when all of us write something, I think that we should really aim for it to be something that's distinctively us. And so I feel good about the copy that I write. And I think, for me, it's the best way to connect with people. And then also, I think that I've just been able to stay really true to myself. There are some people who they write in a certain way for marketing purposes, but that's not how they sound in real life. But they know that that works. I feel like, you know, and the other thing that I feel good about is the person.