Platform University - Your Platform Makeover Action Plan

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YOUR PLATFORM MAKEOVER ACTION PLAN

2014 Platform University
INTRODUCTION
Thanks for taking the time to watch my new video series, Your Platform Makeover. I hope you are now ready
to begin your own Platform Makeover.
If youre ever felt frustrated by how dicult it is to get the attention your message, product, or service
deserves, this resource will really help you finally turn that around.
As I explained in the videos, the market is crowded. It seems like everyone has a blog these days, and the
competition is fierce. While there may be a lot of apparent competition, few people are actually doing it well.
That provides an enormous opportunity for you. By making just a few small changes to your platform you can
really move the needle, skyrocketing your trac, growth and impact.
In this companion to the video series, I giveyou a simple checklist to guide you through your own makeover
process, and take your platform to the next level.
Simply follow the steps I outline here in sequential order, and youll be set up for success.
Now, lets get started.
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TWEAK #1
Develop a Compelling Value Proposition

A value proposition answers the question your audience is asking, What can you do for me? The value
proposition also gives you the clarity you need to hone your other branding elements like logos, etc., and dial
in your content, messaging, and marketing.
Action Plan
1. Conducta reader survey.
Use a free service likeSurveyMonkey.com.
Ask both demographic and psychographic questions.
Make sure to ask a question that helps you understand the primary pain point or frustration your
audience experiences.
Ask only 510 total questions.
Run the survey for about 714 days.
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Dont worry if you get a small response. Whatever information you get is more than you had when you
started.
2. Summarize your findings.
Once the survey is closed, summarize your findings in a simple statement about your audience.
My Audience Summary: ______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Jackie Bledsoes Example: Ages 35-44, 70% are married, and most have kids ranging in age from
6-13. 38% prefer your marriage content. 30% prefer your parenting content. 60% of your audience is
female, though you are mostly writing for husbands and fathers.
3. Develop your own value proposition.
Now its time to put it all together. Use this template to create your own value proposition:
I am a [your professional identity, e.g., author, speaker, blogger, coach, etc.].
I help [your target audience],
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do/understand [your unique solution],

so that [your promised transformation].
Now its your turn. Fill in the blanks below:
I am __________________________________________________________________________________________.
I help _________________________________________________________________________________________,
do or understand _______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________,
so that they ___________________________________________________________________________________.
Heres Jackies example for your reference:
I am a speaker, author, and blogger. I help motivated but overwhelmed husbands and fathers learn how to
lead and love their families so they can have lasting, fulfilling marriages and meaningful influence on their
kids.
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TWEAK #2
Create a Powerful Brand Slogan

Now, you need a brand slogan to immediately communicate the value you provide to your audience when
they first come to your site.
Action Plan
1. Distill your value proposition down to a short, punchy statement that describes the essence of your brand.
2. Begin your brand slogan with a verb or gerund.
3. Include your brand slogan in your blog header.
4. Make it bigger than your logo or name to communicate that you are focused on the needs of your reader.
Heres Jackies brand slogan:
Leadand Love the Ones Who Matter Most.
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TWEAK #3
Get a New Photo Shoot

One of the best ways to take your site to the next level is to populate it with professional photos. It doesnt
have to be expensive, but this small investment will separate you from the competition.
Action Plan
1. Select a photographer and negotiate the fee and rights.
2. Expect to pay a few hundred dollars for this. This may vary considerably depending on where you live.
3. If you dont have a trusted photographer, Facebook is a great way to crowdsource this for a reliable
referral.
4. Make sure to negotiate for all rights for your photos.
5. Create a shot list and discuss with your photographer. Examples include:
Headshot
Blog header image
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Speaking shot
Action shot (coaching, consulting, leading a small group or workshop)
6. Look into the lens, especially for your headshot. This builds trust and connection with your audience.
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TWEAK #4
Commission a Professional Logo

A high-quality logo enables you to look professional and stand out from the pack. If you are building a
personal brand, your logo might be a stylized type treatment of your name.
Action Plan
1. Create a design brief to get aligned with your designer before you begin. This should include:
Who you and your brand are
Who your audience is
The specifics about your project
2. Select a designer or a design service.
If you dont already know someone, get recommendations from friends whose logos you like.
Or, consider a service like99Designs.com.
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3. Respond to designer(s) quickly with feedback.

4. Finalize your logo and gets the files you need:
.png files
.jpeg files
original source files
Here are some logo examples for Platform University:
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TWEAK #5
Update Your Blog Header

Now, its time to integrate all the branding elements into the header that lives at the top of your blog. This is
where you put your best foot forward to those visiting your site for the first time.
Action Plan
1. Select a picture to use as the primary image.
2. Make sure this image has your positioned on one side or the other, with lots of space to the side for your
brand slogan.
3. Ask your designer to create a header based on the size requirements of the particular Wordpress theme
you are using.
4. Include your brand slogan in the header, and possible your name and logo, depending on the space
allowed. You can also put your name and logo in the navigation bar at the top of your site.
5. Upload the image to your blog. If you dont know how to do this, ask a developer for help. It shouldnt be
expensivethis is a very simple project.
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TWEAK #6
Finesse Your About Page

Your About page is the second most visited page on your site. Its the first place new readers go when they
arrive. And, its an incredible opportunity to gain their trust and convert them into a regular reader.
Action Plan
1. Avoid the common mistake of making your About page all about youor, converselytotally impersonal.
2. Share who you are in a way that is focused on your readers, their interests, wants, and needs.
3. Make sure observe the following principles:
Write in the first person
Write in a conversational style
Start with your readers priorities
Tell them about yourself
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Tell them about your blog

Set their expectations
Invite them to subscribe
Point them to your top posts
Provide your full biography
Tell them how to contact you
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TWEAK #7
Create a Magnetic Email Incentive

Building an email list is the most valuable platform asset you have. Without it, you dont have an audience
assembled and ready to buy when youre ready to sell something. With it, you have a highly targeted, hightrust list of prospects ready to consume what you have to oer.
Action Plan
1. Review your audiences primary pain point and the unique solution you provide.
2. Ask yourself, Where can I do the heavy lifting for my audience and alleviate their pain or frustration?
3. Focus on a "quick win rather than a long ebook.
4. Choose a format. (e.g., a resource list, 30 day challenge, cheat sheet, checklist, etc.)
5. Write the content and keep it short (aim for 10-20 pages).
6. Hire a designer to create a 3D book cover. (If you can aord it, have the interior pages designed as well.)
7. Make sure the cover copy is readable at a small size.
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8. Place the your email incentive ad in the upper right-hand corner of your blog. The ad should include the
3D book cover.
9. Connect your email incentive to a email subscription service likeAWeberorMailchimp.
Heres Jackies example for your reference:Date Night in a Box: 12 Plug and Play Ideas to Wow Your Wife
This Weekend.
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TWEAK #8
Dress Up Your Social Media Pages

One thing that separates professional brands from the amateurs is brand consistency. In order to achieve
that kind of professionalism with your brand, you need to make sure you are using your branding consistently
everywhere it appears, including on your social media pages.
Action Plan
1. Select and upload a headshot that you will use exclusively as your avatar on all of your social media
channels.
2. Create and upload a background image similar to the one you used for your header. Adjust that to fit
Twitter, Facebook, etc.A designer can quickly and inexpensively do this for you.
3. You can also use a free service like,PagemodoorCanva.
4. Write a short bio (140 characters or less) and populate across all social media channels
5. This could be a shortened version of your value proposition and/or brand slogan.
6. Dont forget to link back to your site in your bio.
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Heres Jackies social media bio:Author, Speaker, Blogger, Jesus Follower. I help husbands & fathers lead
and love the ones who matter most.JackieBledsoe.com
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Conclusion
Thanks for taking the time to watch the Platform Makeover video series, and for reading this Action Plan. I
hope you feel empowered to begin your own platform makeover so you can get noticed in a noisy world.
I promise you, the results are worth the eort.
If you happen to feel overwhelmed as you read through this checklist, just focus on taking it one step at a
time.
In fact, to ensure that you begin to make progress immediately, I advise you pull up your calendar, and
choose a deadline for each Tweak. Make sure those deadlines are simultaneously challenging andrealistic.
I recommend that you set a deadline to accomplish Tweak #1 within seven days of today. The clarity and
momentum you gain from that exercise will propel you forward, enabling you to quickly move through the
other Tweaks.
Now, go make it happen. The world needs your message!
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1

YOUR PLATFORM MAKEOVER ACTION PLAN

Develop a Compelling Value Proposition

do/understand [your unique solution],

Create a Powerful Brand Slogan

Heres Jackies brand slogan:

Leadand Love the Ones Who Matter Most.

Get a New Photo Shoot

Commission a Professional Logo

3. Respond to designer(s) quickly with feedback.

Update Your Blog Header

Finesse Your About Page

Tell them about your blog

Create a Magnetic Email Incentive

Dress Up Your Social Media Pages

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