Each of these questions ties back to your brand and the purpose of your business. When a customer experiences mixed signals they will hesitate – or worse – decide to move on to a competitor, costing you far more than you realize.
I have cracked the code of making businesses more human. It is about recognizing and understanding the vulnerability of those you serve, being there when they need you, and responding with purpose-driven authenticity.
Creating a bond with those you serve is important. Each interaction represents an opportunity to make a difference in their world. You want a connection that is real and purposeful not transactional – one your client’s value as much as you do.
Amy was an integral member of the MyChart implementation team during its roll out at the University of Iowa Health Care. In particular, Amy developed the patient educational materials as well as the television, print, radio, and direct mail campaign. The University of Iowa has some of the highest rates of MyChart activations due in…
Amy was incredibly helpful with my client marketing. She helped turn my tentative plans into immediate action, and gave me a direct plan with checkpoints and timelines to accomplish my goals. She was a true help!
Amy’s expertise in, and mastery of, strategic marketing and communications is matched by few others in the healthcare business – in both theory and practice. Not only does she have a keen perception and awareness of the needs of her clients, but through systematic analysis, she is able to develop focused, results-oriented strategies and a step-by-step road map…
On multiple occasions, Amy Austin provided outstanding support to HPE Financial Services. First was related to the messaging development of a new virtual platform. The content required Amy to quickly learn an industry and topic in which she was not familiar. She did this quickly and with ease. The second engagement was on a 6-month…
Amy has an amazing ability to get to the heart of what motivates me. Through careful listening and thoughtful questions, she helped me clarify the things that are truly important to me and that drive the work I do for others. She crystalized my “Why” and her insight has empowered me to make decisions about…
This podcast archive includes links to The Pursuit of Purpose episodes starting at 101 and the show notes. For earlier episodes, click here. The Pursuit of Purpose with Amy Austin focuses on how we all are actively pursuing a purpose bigger than ourselves – in both our personal and professional lives. Additionally keeping purpose and…
More to the point, where I’ve been? Excellent question and one I needed to answer before I was ready to start releasing new content. I’ve done that – this episode will give you some insight into what I’ve been doing and why I haven’t released a new episode since February. Take care of yourself I…
“Am I crazy to have all these different business ideas?” A friend and client asked me this question over coffee recently. No, she is not crazy. She is just full of ideas – and those ideas all happen to be business opportunities. Multiple ideas leads to multiple income streams A LinkedIn contact challenged her followers…
My goal at the end of the year was to bring purpose to 2022. I paused production of the podcast, spent time with friends and family, and directed my creative energies to art and the opportunities that have come from it. How have you started 2022 with purpose? What is purpose? By definition purpose is:…
How hard is it to engage your customers in a conversation? For some businesses, it is easy. And for far too many, it seems to be quite challenging. But why is that? Is it the desire to be more efficient? Hit a growth target? Achieve arbitrary metrics that may or may not impact the quality…
In a recent keynote address, Carol Cox suggested resistance comes with living your purpose. Resistance or tension comes with anything worth having and that includes living the truth of our purpose. October 2021 Favorites files As I do at the end of each month, I am sharing thoughts, ideas, and concepts that rose to the…
What if I told you there were three steps to get better feedback? Three steps that would lessen the stress you feel when faced with a performance evaluation. Carole Stizza has developed a formula that will do just that. When we go into a performance evaluation or ask for feedback from a client, we often…
What is return on relationship? The purpose of the relationships you have should be considered and reevaluated periodically. Especially after a year like 2020, when relationships of all kinds were pulled in various directions, aligning the value of the relationship with the purpose it serves is more important than ever. How do you figure out…
Branding. Marketing. What is the difference? Is there a difference? Or are these the same thing? It depends. Everyone has an opinion. Including industry professionals – there isn’t a standard definition of either branding or marketing. Branding is…. Marketing is… There are so many different ideas, opinions, and nuances to these two words. Clients wanting…
How do you respond when clients ask for services you don’t offer – but they think you do or should? A colleague asked me this question recently. It is easy to let this question get under your skin or at the very least, start that little voice of self-doubt in your head chattering. Whether you…
Do you aspire to be a thought leader in your industry? My guest Carol Cox helps women create a signature talk to put them on the path to thought leadership. Being a thought leader is about inspiring your audience to dream with you – helping them see your vision of the world and benefit from…
A recent episode of Gary Vee’s brought me to the idea of connecting self-awareness to purpose. His core message was that success comes from being self-aware. And I believe success comes from an understanding of our purpose. As I listened more closely to this short episode, I realized the definition of being self-aware and purpose…
Is your fear preventing business success? Does your business have a clearly defined niche? And, if not, are you hesitant to declare one? If you are in this camp, I’m guessing your thoughts might include some or all these ideas: Is this niche too narrow? Will I be leaving opportunity on the table? Will I…
As more and more businesses are moving to online courses and programs, experiential learning has become a hot topic. In this episode, I talk with Romy Alexandra about creating a learning experience to ensure our audiences learn and retain the content of our program. What is experiential learning? Experiential learning focuses on the idea that…
Are you a purpose-led business looking to define success metrics related to your purpose? Do you work with a shared vision and intention but struggle to articulate the role purpose plays in the success and growth of your company? Many leaders intuitively know there is a benefit to knowing and embracing your brand purpose but…
Do your messages leave your audience empowered to take action? The call to action in a marketing message should give them a sense of empowerment, a feeling of confidence that the action they are about to take is the right one. In the final episode of the encore presentation of the Marketing to educate, engage,…
Are you engaging your audience in a conversation? Your marketing message should engage your audience in way that makes them want to know more and take the next step – working with you. Engagement is not just about likes and shares Social media has changed the definition of engagement in marketing circles. The number of…
In part two of this marketing strategy series, I talk about the importance of educating your audience. The foundation of any marketing strategy should be the who, what, where, when, why, and how of what you need your audience to know. But too often our desire to be creative gets in the way and we…
A primary goal of your strategy should be to educate, engage, and empower your audience through your marketing efforts. Because these three words are so important, I encourage all my clients to use these three words as a filter to run all marketing messages through. This week’s Pursuit of Purpose episode is an encore presentation…
Saying yes to your true self – your Brave Yes – can be scary and rewarding at the same time. My guest this week, Shawn Fink, helps women define their Brave Yes and move toward embracing their authentic selves. During our discussion, Shawn and I talk about how difficult it can be to step into…
“Ask for help not because you’re weak, but because you want to remain strong. On a good day, it’s easy to feel the strength and collaboration that can come with asking for help.” ~ Leslie Brown, motivational speaker Recently I was reminded how hard it is to ask for help. Which is exactly why it is so important to…
How can coaching questions benefit your brand? I wouldn’t have thought of this either until I heard a recent interview on the Dare to Lead podcast between Brene Brown and Michael Bungay Stanier. As I was listening to him share the seven essential coaching questions, I realized these are very similar to what I ask…
Authenticity is not a brand value. Authenticity is knowing what your brand values and then living them. Stop using authenticity as a catch-all for what you hope to be… take the time to define the values your brand represents. What is authentic? By definition, authentic is real or genuine: not copied or false: true and…
“Comparison is the thief of joy,” Theodore Roosevelt How do you respond when you hit a milestone in your business? Do celebrate when you hit a milestone in your business? Or do you compare what others have done to your accomplishments? Roosevelt’s quote is true. When we focus our time and attention on what others…
We’ve all been there…. working while anxious about how you are performing. Are you doing the right thing? Are you meeting expectations? Will your boss agree with your assessment? Can you do more? “When you are anxious, you are thinking about the future. Being able to see the future, or envision what is possible, is…
Daniel Pink digs into whether there is such a thing as perfect timing. His book When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing attempts to answer this question and explain how there is more to timing than most of us believe. Holly Adams and I both read the book recently and decided to bring our discussion…
Is the use of jargon a pro or a con in business? This has been a popular topic lately. And I don’t know that there is a right answer. But first and foremost, you need to know your audience and how well they are going to understand the jargon you fall into using frequently. If…
“Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.” I shared this quote from Brene Brown recently. And just putting it out into the universe has brought so many examples of this to light. My dentist experience. The clarity he offered throughout my crown procedure was so kind and curbed my potential anxiety. Trying to get access to all the…
Over the course of 82 podcasts, there has been a consistent theme: purpose and strengths make our storytelling, brand and business stronger. This week’s episode is a highlight reel of sorts. When I looked at the ten most popular episodes, this theme was apparent. And to be honest, I couldn’t be more excited about that.…
Let’s talk about why a brand strategy is important. Having a strategy for your brand saves you from unnecessary work, it helps you make decisions rooted in the purpose of your business, and it offers confidence in the direction your business will go in the future. Brands are the sum of all experiences with your…
What is a niche? Niche is an important part of your brand and marketing. And how is a niche different than your target audience? Or is it the same thing? Or part of your target audience? By one definition, your target audience is the group of people you serve. Your niche is the service you…
Simon Sinek’s latest book, The Infinite Game, is about understanding the difference between the infinite mindset and the finite mindset. He recently did an interview with Brene Brown on her podcast, Dare to Lead. It is well worth the time to listen – in fact, I’ve listened to it twice. Finite vs infinite game A…
Assessments are all about mapping personal and professional success but when Kristin Sherry wanted more and the answers weren’t there – she wrote her own. YouMap®️ reveals the four pillars of career fit: strengths, values, preferred skills and interests. Strength Finders, Myers-Briggs, Disc, Enneagram – there are more assessments than you can name and I…
For human resources executive, Kim Hamer supporting employees with cancer is personal. She has seen firsthand the impact a supportive leader can have on an employee coping either with their own cancer diagnosis or the diagnosis of their loved ones. Kim credits her husband’s boss for giving her and her children three more years with…
Do you consider the learning styles of your target audience? No. Me neither. Until this week. As if there aren’t enough things to consider, learning styles are not typical. Last week I started teaching a course at a local community college and decided to do a learning style assessment to help me get to know…
January has been the shortest and the longest month. Christmas seems like yesterday. But the last two weeks have felt like a month or longer. Why? I started teaching a course at a local community college. Just when the teaching arrangements were finalized, client opportunities started to come again. And like many American’s, I decided…
Successful brands start with trust. As Scott J. Miller starts building his new brand, independent of the Franklin Covey company, it must start on a foundation of trust. Miller recently moved on to become an entrepreneur, focusing on leadership development, keynote speaking, and continuing on as the host of the On Leadership podcast. One of…
Don’t forget about PR – public relations (not press release). Public relations is a valuable way to increase brand visibility. In episode 219 of Building a Story Brand, Donald Miller included the press release as one of the key pieces of a campaign. While I agree with him, I believe he was thinking too small.…
Brand and branding often are thought of as confusing and frustrating or to go the opposite direction – oversimplified as being only the logo, color, and tagline of a business. Making these five mindset shifts will lead to branding success. I’d like to say these five mindsets were of my own creative writing and intellect…
After being asked many times, I’m sharing how I come up with content ideas. When I bumped up my LinkedIn activity from occasional to daily, I needed more ideas than ever before. And before this, I agonized over writing a post to the point it may never be posted. So how do I find all…
Imagine living a life of possibilities. Viewing each instance, each encounter, each challenge with the mindset of there is always a possibility. Some may say this sounds fluffy. Others may turn their nose up at it. But this attitude, mindset, or, as my guest on this week’s podcast calls it – purpose – is vital…
Over the last 60 days, I’ve posted daily on LinkedIn. Back in August, I made the decision to up my game on LinkedIn. The platform has potential to be a benefit for business development for my business – especially with the pandemic turning traditional networking into a bigger challenge than it was before. Prior to…
Financial anxiety. At some point in our lives, we’ve all faced it. And with the uncertainty of the pandemic happening around the world, many of us are probably living with it currently. This is where someone like Lindsay Bryan-Podvin can be helpful. Lindsay is a financial therapist. As we discussed the role of purpose in…
Brand is what people say about you when you aren’t in the room. I believe this statement was originally said by Seth Godin, but it was probably even said before he said it. A brand strategist helps make sure what you want said is what is said. Let’s talk about brand When I say Nike,…
October’s favorites are more about looking forward to November than reflecting on the learnings of October. It is about recognizing and honoring those with lung cancer and becoming more aware of how we speak to those with cancer. And it is how we can teach our future leaders to reframe traditional roles – in business…
Asking for help is not a weakness – it is a strength. But often in business, we are given the impression that asking for help is weak – going it alone is the strong thing to do. Lone wolf Thanks to a LinkedIn post by Candice Kingston, I learned the origin of the phrase lone…
The Jeopardy song. James Earl Jones voice. The Netflix sound. Did you hear each of these in your head when you read the words? These sounds represent specific brands. Sounds – whether it is a song, a voice, or a recognized tone – immediately bring something to mind. Jodi Krangle, my guest on this episode…
Content planning is not easy. As I’ve been working on increasing my presence on LinkedIn and producing the podcast each week, I’ve found keeping up with content has been challenging. I need a plan. Here are a few things I’m working to include in my planning process – with the goal of actually getting ahead…
Are you spending as much time and effort promoting your new service as you did to develop the service? There are five tactics to include in your next campaign efforts. But it feels like we are rushing through so many things in life and business – including actually campaigning for our efforts. In the intro…
September Favorites What do exclusivity and campaigns have in common? More than you’d think – at least I found a way to connect them. Each month I cover a few highlights from the month – sometimes it is sharing something I learned via a podcast or book; other times it is a key takeaway from…
My own target audience challenge was called out this week. Maybe saying it was ‘called out’ is too harsh, but the words “it is not clear who you work with” felt like a gut-punch. Then the waves of guilt, feeling like a fraud, hypocrisy flooded my mind. Classic imposter syndrome. How did I get there?…
There are many business strategies influenced by your target audience. And yet often businesses try to be all things to all people, especially when just getting started. And I admit, I’ve been there. In marketing, if you are trying to talk to everybody, you’re not reaching anybody. In the beginning, there is pressure to make…
A purposeful conversation with Suz Carpenter Do you really know your target audience? Knowing exactly who you serve has many benefits, one of which is having clarity in the conversations you have with them. In this week’s Pursuit of Purpose, Suz Carpenter and I discuss her ideal client avatar – Jessica – and how she…
August 2020 Favorites File Reviews, experiences and fitting in are the three primary topics for this month’s favorites. Each of these has a role to play in building a brand. Starting from a place of purpose and intention will make each of these aspects of business easier. Reviews (and ratings) It was not long ago…
A purposeful conversation with Bonnie L. Frank Bonnie L Frank launched her business through consistent use of live video. We frequently hear that video can lead to greater social media awareness and following, and Bonnie is proof it can lead to big results. After years of being an influencer, Bonnie decided to build a brand…
Leaning into your brand during a crisis allows you to share and showcase your brand values. Your business will prove it is more than a business. Iowa recently experienced a significant weather event called a derecho. And the path of destruction left for individuals, businesses and government to clean up will forever change the community.…
A purposeful conversation with Bonnie Gillespie Our highlight reel is a reflection of our legacy. When thought of in response to the question “what’s on your highlight reel as you’re holding a gold statue in recognition of your work?” it is the destination of the path leading to your future. This is a question Bonnie…
Unlearning. As professionals, and as humans, we have habits, thoughts, and routines that would serve us better if we’d unlearn them. What holds us back from being confident in sales conversations? Why do we hesitate when it comes to launching a new product or service? Do we compare ourselves, our skills, our success to others?…
‘What ifs’ have been popping up around me a lot more frequently this month. Normally this would be my Favorites File episode but I found my thoughts circling around questions and unknowns instead. So many ‘what ifs’ lead to more and more questions and potential changes in direction. If one thing is certain during 2020,…
Radical soul care is the phrase Krista Resnick, life coach, uses to guide women to uncover who they truly are – they are not the book they wrote, the trophy they won, or the car they drive. Those are things but not your identity. Purpose is much deeper than that. It is in your DNA…
Clarity, consistency, and confidence are three words you’ve heard a lot from me and will continue to hear. As I kick off the second year of podcasting, I spend some time in episode 51 reflecting on how the last year of podcasting has reinforced the value of these three words in the work I do…
Empathy in marketing may seem like the new buzzword, the new shiny object to grab our attention. But for me, it has been foundational throughout my career. In fact, I cannot imagine a successful marketing strategy that doesn’t, in some way, tap into empathy. Empathy is the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive…
How are you doing with diversity in marketing? Have you made an effort? And if so, are you acknowledging diversity in a way that shows you know and understand your audience. The last two weeks has shown a bright(er) light on the many layers of racial inequality in our society. It took me a long…
23 leadership lessons in 25 minutes is my summary of 90 ideas in 90 minutes hosted by the Corridor Business Journal on May 28, 2020. This annual event brings together nine business leaders of the Eastern Iowa Corridor to share their 10 best lessons or words of wisdom in 90 minutes. I’ve never attended the…
Empowerment is created by building confidence in your ability to respond. It is your call to action. This is what we want our marketing tactics to do. Whether it is messaging for a specific tactic or building the overarching image of your brand, you want your audience to be confident in their decision to build…
Engagement is more than likes and shares, downloads, comments or other forms of actions taken as a result of a marketing message. That definition is typically top of mind for most marketing efforts. I am going to challenge you to think of engagement as more. Over the last two episodes, I’ve talked about using educate,…
Bring education to your marketing tactics will ensure you are covering all the bases of what your audience needs to know about you, your services, and why they need you. Have you considered that your marketing efforts are a form of education? We need our audience to learn about us, what we stand for, how…
The goal of marketing is to educate, engage, and empower the people you want to reach. I encourage you to use those three words as a checkpoint for the effectiveness of your efforts. Each is a layer needed to achieve a goal. Educate is the backbone. Engage is the mind. And empower is the movement…
The last six weeks have been anything but predictable and certainly not the normal as we’ve come to enjoy. But is it a change for the better? I think there are several things that have changed that will continue going forward as we move past the pandemic and into the “new normal” we’ll live in…
Content marketing strategy is important, now more than ever. Your customers and clients still need you – but maybe in a different way or a different timeframe than before the pandemic. Creating a content marketing strategy that works can be achieved by asking good questions, getting comfortable with a platform to deliver the content and…
There comes a time when video documentation of your stories and business important. But how do you do that? And when do you do it? During my conversation with Jillian and Matt Love of Love Creative, we talk about the importance – especially in times of crisis or transition- of capturing the events happening in…
How does a business know when to pivot? Typically a pivot occurs when a company makes a fundamental change after determining their product isn’t meeting the needs of their intended market. And this pandemic may be the reason your product or service isn’t meeting those needs. If you are considering a pivot, it is important…
March has not gone as planned. The Covid 19 virus made sure of that. And as such productivity and first times for a lot of things have been top of mind for most people. This episode should be dedicated to favorites – and while I am very fond of both of the things I feature…
During times of uncertainty, it is always a good idea to be intentional. This may seem challenging when so much feels out of our control. Over the last couple of weeks, as the pandemic pushes all our will, there have been so many posts offering encouragement on how to navigate this time. I don’t have…
This past week our collective lives went from routine to frantic almost overnight as the country shifted from an observer to an active participant in the Covid-19 pandemic. And those of us in the small business space, whether owner, employee, or solopreneur, are left wondering what the coming weeks will look like for our business.…
Are you setting boundaries for your brand? Boundaries are just as important for your brand as they are for business/client relationships or your personal work/life balance. Established boundaries help clearly communicate expectations, roles, responsibilities and rules – all which lead to respect. Respect for your time, talents, resources, and you individually. Why set boundaries? Your…
Again very different topics in my favorites for the month of February – but all very interesting. Statistics?!?! Seriously, if you know me at all, you are in shock that I’m talking about statistics. I’m the one who studied for the college math placement test to get out of taking any math in college. But…
“I’m too busy.” “My to-do list has a mind of its own.” As busyness has become more and more accepted as the “norm,” have you thought about how busyness impacts culture and brand? In this episode of The Pursuit of Purpose, James Mayhew and I talk about how busyness reaches beyond the individual and creates…
Is your ideal target audience in your stories? Are you recognizing your ideal target audience when you see them? If you answered no to those questions, you are not alone. It is not all that uncommon for businesses to believe they do all things for all people or have a much broader target audience then…
“Customer experience is proactive. Customer service is reactive.” This quote from Joey Coleman has helped provide me with much-needed clarity regarding the difference between experience and service. Having the context of experience being proactive, meaning anticipating and creating the experience we want our clients to have, is impactful to our businesses. Why wouldn’t we want…
Branding. Motivation. And a Legend. These are the three topics for the January Favorites File. And the thread connecting them all together is purpose. Branding. Yes, I talk about branding almost every week. Earlier this month, Nick Westergaard interviewed Kerri Finch on his podcast – On Brand. The episode was titled “The Secret Sauce of…
When was the last time a brand experience with a brand excited you? Do you think your brand is exciting your customers? To help you do that, here are three tips to improve the customer experience. 90% of customers believe when it comes to delivering a good customer experience, most brands fail to meet their…
Your strengths are your stories. And how you tell your stories makes a big difference in how the story is received. In this episode of The Pursuit of Purpose, I talk with Sarah Elkins about how bringing context and understanding to your storytelling creates shifts for both you, as the storyteller, and the audience. My…
It is not uncommon to see businesses jump into implementing tactics they THINK are going to solve their problems, however, tactics before strategy rarely work. Maybe the problem is visibility. Maybe it is not enough sales or clients. But they think the road to solving that is building a website, shooting a video or placing…
December 2019 Favorites File How often do you think about what is possible? Do you consider yourself a cynic or an optimist? The majority of people spend most of their time filled with anxiety and concern over making a mistake. Imagine if you reacted to a mistake by throwing your arms in the air…
Aligning purpose and work can have a tremendous impact on your job satisfaction, performance and overall well-being. And these three results are good for business. As a business owner, it is important to have satisfied and high-performing team members. Employee satisfaction and performance can be enhanced through professional development opportunities, which include helping the person…
Color matters in branding because it prompts feelings. And those feelings become associated with our brands. So the strategic selection of colors helps solidify our brands in the minds of our customers. Do your homework when planning your brand colors and make sure the feelings associated with the color you select aligns with the feelings…
Becoming epic will mean different things to different people but to Wil.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, epic means compounding the impact of opportunities when possible. “You’ve Got Mail” offers a reminder that business always has a personal element to it – no matter how big or small the business may be. Becoming Epic Each…
Big Win or Big Joke? South Dakota’s meth campaign drew a lot of attention recently. But was it good attention? Or is it a big joke? It depends on who you ask. As a native South Dakotan, the majority of the comments I’ve seen about this campaign are from friends and family who still live…
Burnout and purpose may not seem logical connection but there is a connection. We hear about burnout regularly – whether it is the signs, symptoms, the prevalence in one profession or another. As our society continues to value 24/7 availability, instant gratification and short-term gains, burnout will exist. These three expectations push us into productivity…
Being a caregiver and running a business is not easy. It isn’t impossible but it most certainly isn’t easy. And as I found out while putting together this episode, there isn’t a lot of information out there to offer guidance when facing this situation. Or if there is, it is hidden under a different string…
October Favorites File Selecting names, productivity, and reviews (online or otherwise) might not seem related but there is a common thread of purpose interwoven among these three. What’s in a name? Names are one of the most repeated parts of your brand – whether it is your brand name, or the name of a product…
Do you know your strengths? Have you heard people talking about their top five and wondered what they were talking about? In this episode of The Pursuit of Purpose, we’ll uncover the importance of your top five – your Strength Finder’s top five. What’s the top five? If you’ve taken the CliftonStrength’s profile, the top…
Do you need competition or a worthy rival? It depends on which game you are playing – a finite game or an infinite game. You guessed it, I’m talking about The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek… again. Finite vs Infinite In a finite game, there are established opponents, established rules and a clear winner and…
Do you achieve an ROI for sponsorships and memberships that you engage in for your business? Is the money you put toward these activities an investment or an expense? If you are questioning whether that membership or sponsorship – or even a conference – is worth the money, think about how the opportunity aligns with…
What is appreciative inquiry? At its heart, AI is about the search for the best in people, their organizations, and the strengths-filled, opportunity-rich world around them. AI is not so much a shift in the methods and models of organizational change, but AI is a fundamental shift in the overall perspective taken throughout the entire…
September 2019 Favorites File What do the infinite game, context and being indispensable have in common? These are all part of my favorite learnings in September. Podcasts, books and quotes Simon Sinek’s new book, The Infinite Game, will be released in mid-October. As part of the book promotion, Sinek is on the interview circuit talking…
Three steps to a killer message. Zach Messler has fine-tuned this methodology. What is it? What does it do? And why does it matter? Define those three steps and you have the start of a killer message for your business. We all know what we do but when don’t understand why it matters, can we…
Building What Works, both the podcast and the online network, represents the culmination of 10 years of entrepreneurship for Tara McMullin. While the path has not been a direct route to where she is now, it is not far from what she had envisioned at the start of the journey. In this episode of The…
Brand strategy is important but is often considered an unnecessary task or busy-work. This couldn’t be further from the truth. A brand strategy, especially when it is interlocked with your business strategy, can make your day-to-day life as a leader, owner, or entrepreneur so much easier. Why is a brand strategy important? I believe when…
August 2019 Favorites File What does friction, a purposeful life, and audio branding have in common? Probably nothing more than making my list of favorites for August. This month flew by but not without some great educational or thought-provoking ideas catching my attention. Purpose and intention is the connection. Here is what you’ll hear about…
Aligning finance and purpose can be beneficial to the health of your business. Does the purpose of your business influence your financial decisions? If scaling your business is in your future, do you have a plan to achieve those goals? Christina Sjahli, Cash Flow Consultant and host of Her CEO Journey podcast, and I chat…
Storytelling, especially when done intentionally, is both strategic and tactical. A narrative which grabs our attention and involves us emotionally are the stories that move us to action. We remember stories easier than we do a list of facts or features. The time for facts and features is after we’ve been drawn into a story.…
Business lessons from Kinky Boots? Why not? It is based on a true story of a shoe factory in England so of course, there are valuable lessons included about running a business. Trust me, I get some pretty strange looks from people when I start a conversation with this idea. But the lessons are there…
Target audiences are challenging to define but absolutely necessary to know. And not surprisingly, many business leaders and employees find it difficult to pin down the answer. It is human nature to believe we can help EVERYONE. But it is NOT realistic. And in the process, it puts an extra burden of stress on ourselves.…
How do you characterize your brand? Do you think of it as a critical player in the story OF your brand? Maybe you should. Storytelling is a buzzword in marketing these days but in all honesty, telling the story of your brand is NOT new. The success (or failure) of any story comes from the…
I keep a Favorites File with episode numbers, books and quotes I find especially beneficial – to my clients, my business and my personal life. Each month I’ll share some of these with you. Podcasts are my go-to for professional and personal development, which as an entrepreneur is important. Here are the core podcasts I…
 This podcast archive includes links to The Pursuit of Purpose episodes and show notes. The Pursuit of Purpose with Amy Austin focuses on how we all are actively pursuing a purpose bigger than ourselves – in both our personal and professionals lives. Additionally keeping purpose and intent at the forefront of business decisions creates…
Understanding why is challenging and knowing what to do with that understanding is even more demanding. This episode is inspired by two podcasts I’ve listened to recently. Both had strong opinions about the idea of Start with Why and the intention behind it. And both offered different solutions to what they perceived as a problem.…
You must take action to build your brand. It is those actions, done consistently over a period of time that results in your brand. Without action, the brand does not have meaning and doesn’t exist. It is your responsibility to define the actions you’ll take to achieve the brand you want. Your audience needs guidance…
I’m excited to start this journey with all of you. For the past four or five years, I’ve listened to podcasts nearly every day – on a range of topics from marketing to leadership to mediation to entrepreneurship. It is not uncommon for me to send messages to my friends and colleagues with links to…
Your brand is developed around how and what you offer to your patients and conveyed to them through the messages and interactions they have with you and your staff. What they think of your brand and how they choose to share it with others is their perception of the brand. And they own that powerful tool, not you.…
Launching a podcast is a lot of work. But it has been a fun learning experience. If you’ve seen my social media posts, you know I’m getting ready to share a podcast with the world. The Pursuit of Purpose has been on my mind for quite some time but I was hesitant. Excuses, Excuses…. First…
Branding is a verb. It is an action you take, either on your behalf or that of a company, to create and reinforce the place you hold in your customer’s mind. Brand is a noun. A brand is what people say about you when you aren’t around. It is the impression a person has…
After six years in business, what lessons have I learned? Wow. Six years?!? Some days it feels like yesterday and other days it feels like a lifetime ago. A former colleague told me I am a very different person now than I was when I worked with her in Marketing and Communications at UI Hospitals…
What is your brand? If you are asked that question, how do you respond? Do you describe your logo and designated colors? Maybe you talk about it in terms of descriptive adjectives, similar to how you’d describe a friend or trusted colleague? Or maybe you reply with the purpose of your business? To understand your…
I recently spent two days at the Iowa Cancer Summit, which included the release of the updated Iowa Cancer Plan. The Cancer Plan’s goal is to reduce the burden of cancer in Iowa. It was a full two days of talking about cancer – new treatments, prevention, causes, access to care and other necessary resources,…
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Over the last several years, this month has become synonymous with the color pink and building awareness for the disease. Each year you see more and more pink – endorsing the campaign on products, announcing a fundraising, promoting awareness and prevention of the disease that affects so many women,…
Do you struggle to prove the ROI of memberships and sponsorships? As a business leader, being approached about memberships or sponsoring a charitable event or non-profit organization likely leads to your own questions of value. Will your business see a return on investment (ROI)? Professional organizations, non-profit events, sports teams – opportunities cross your desk…
Education is a core component of a marketing strategy. As I mentioned in “Educate. Engage. Empower: Keys to Marketing Strategy,” paying attention to how your strategy educates your prospective client, patient, or referral source is a solid starting point in message and strategy development. Let’s talk about how to use education to improve your marketing…
How do you know if the marketing strategy you’ve developed for the launch of a new service or initiative will work? You don’t – not until you try it. However, keeping three words top-of-mind as you develop your strategy can help. Educate. Engage. Empower. Why these three words? Marketing strategy should educate the audience, engage…
As I think about healthcare marketing in 2017, my curiosity leads me to wonder what new challenges or trends we need to anticipate. Whether you are a marketing director in a healthcare organization or a clinic manager with marketing responsibilities in your job description, understanding future trends is important to the success of your marketing…
Prescriptions are a mainstay in a busy clinic or hospital. Simply put, it is a call to action given to your patient. If you aren’t seeing actions from your marketing efforts, your prescription isn’t working. Your audience doesn’t know what you want them to do. Prescribe an action Take a page from your clinical playbook…
I often share the leadership lesson hidden in Broadway musical Kinky Boots. It seems crazy but as I explain the connection, great conversation follows. About Kinky Boots In the story, Charlie – the straight-laced, reluctant shoe factory owner – discovers his recently deceased father kept the factory going despite not having any shoe contracts. His…
What motivates and inspires you – keeps you excited about work & life? Are you using that belief every day to achieve your dreams? Finding my why helped me to get closer to achieving my dreams. Four years ago when I started my consulting business, I needed to answer this for myself. I realized that…
Our business purpose represents the why – or central mission – of our business. Does it fill your jar like a rock would? Or do pebbles and sand take up too much space and attention? Let me explain further… Think of your business in terms of a jar filled with rocks, pebbles, and sand. You…
Twenty years ago, keeping the community healthy was the primary objective of the hospital where I started my healthcare marketing career. Brand journalism was our go-to marketing strategy. It just hadn’t been named yet. Our plans focused on smoking cessation, weight management, diabetes education – services, that if utilized, kept people out of the specialist’s…
As a leader in your clinic or business, you are faced with marketing challenges every day. Having a marketing director can bring clarity and opportunity to your marketing strategy. What should we do to introduce the new (insert any new product, service or feature) to the market? What can we do with the mailing list…
How do you determine the return on investment for Physician Liaison efforts? This question was asked during the comment session of my NERVES conference presentation. My initial answer: continually monitor the physician liaison’s success against the initial objective – the reason you decided to develop a liaison service, most likely to increase referrals. The cut-and-dry…
Are you being nice to the people who email you? If you aren’t treating them the way you want to be treated yourself, you may be damaging your reputation and your brand. Remember email etiquette is also a critical part of your communication strategies. Here are five key steps to improve your email communications: Think…
Real empathy is sometimes not insisting that it will be okay but acknowledging that it is not.Showing empathy in healthcare and other sensitive situations can make a significant difference in our relationships. Many of you have read the powerful statement Sheryl Sandberg released regarding the support she received in the 30 days after her husband’s unexpected…
Did you read this headline and think “Crazy. My patients complain about the time spent in the waiting room. There is no way it helps my patient satisfaction. What is Amy talking about?!?!” Let me explain. Recently a friend of mine posted a word of thanks to the otolaryngology clinic for leaving them in the…
Recently I found out I was included on a list of 25 Healthcare Marketing Experts to Follow by eVisits. I was (and am) honored to be included on the list with many of the people I’ve followed, chatted with, learned from and even stalked at conferences during my professional career. Had I not checked my…
Each patient experience is your brand. Is it consistent? Is it positive? How do know? You ASK and then LISTEN – Scott Stratten, @unbranding This tweet, or a variation of it, was shared by several attendees at the 2015 Greystone Health Care Internet Conference where Stratten was a keynote speaker. The message resonated with me…
When you spend five days a week in a clinic or hospital, you learn where the amenities are and where they aren’t. Some are conveniently located. Some are not. My years of working in this hospital helped Mom and I a lot … and it helped some others, as well. Food One afternoon while waiting in…
You only get one chance to make a first impression. This is such a true statement. During the first weeks of a cancer diagnosis and treatment, first impressions are frequent. You meet so many people and see so many different aspects of the clinic or hospital. A first impression can be with a person or…
As a cancer patient or the family of a cancer patient, you hear “one day at a time” A LOT, and you learn pretty quickly the phrase has a deeper meaning. When starting treatment, one day at a time means you know what you are going to do that day, and the next day will…
In a stage production, there are areas known as the front-of-house and back-of-house (or backstage). What happens back-of-house is all the nitty-gritty necessary to produce the show or experience. Disney has this system down to a science. And as a result, their customer service standards are second to none. Now they train hospitals and health…
So three years after my Dad was diagnosed with lung cancer, my Mom gets the same diagnosis. The benefit for her is overall she is in better health. If you didn’t know she had cancer, you would never guess she was sick. As you might imagine, being on the patient side of healthcare makes this…
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