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Nov 12

What would you do without social media?

By Ryan Avery Motivation 2 Comments

(DISCLAIMER: This post was written without my editor’s approval and I have been traveling for more than 24 hours! Edited posts will resume next week).

I just landed back in the United States after 17 days in China and Hong Kong! The trip was fantastic and I will be sharing stories and speaking strategies on the blog all next week.

I am five minutes away from bed because I have been up for almost 32 hours but before I do I wanted pose a question to you:

What would you do without social media?

In China, without a VPN, you cannot access social media. I have not had Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram for three weeks and truthfully it has been a bit freeing. What did I do without social media?

1) Focused: My mind was clear to not think about “What did he post?” or, “I wonder what she did this weekend?” on all my accounts. Instead I thought about my goals, dreams and what I wanted to accomplish in 2015.

2) Engaged: I didn’t have a need to bring my phone with me or set it on the table when I went out to eat. So instead of checking my texts, Facebook posts and Twitter updates I engaged in quality conversation and felt connected to everyone I was talking to at the table.

3) Enjoyed: I looked at scenery, skyscrapers and food without the intention of posting it online or looking at it through a screen but rather looking at it with my eyes.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time away from social media and I think this is something I am going to look into doing more of on a regular basis. So the question is, what would you do without social media? What are the pros and cons to using social media in your world?

As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Nov 10

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The Best Business Question You Need To Be Able To Answer!

By Ryan Avery Leadership, Motivation 2 Comments

What is the best business question you need to be able to answer when determining your worth to a client or customer?

What value do I bring?

What is your answer to that question?

Can you quantify it?

Can you show and illustrate what value you bring to those who buy your product, service or ideas?

Until you know the answer to this question, you will never know what you are worth, what position you should be in, or what you should charge!

Take time this week to find out what value you, your team or company bring. Write it out and know the value!

Keep making things happen and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Nov 03

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10 Chinese Proverbs to Remember

By Ryan Avery Adventure One Comment

We are having a blast in China. People are teaching us so much and I feel like everyone has a proverb, quote and profound answer for every question I ask. It is amazing!

After doing some research here are 10 of my favorite Chinese proverbs and quotes:

1) When you drink the water, remember the spring.

2) A bad workman blames his tools.

3) A clever person turns great troubles into little ones and little ones into none at all.

4) Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity for success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream. – Lao Tzu

5) Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.

6) By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. – Confucius

7) Dig the well before you are thirsty.

8) Never hesitate to ask a lesser person.

9) Respond intelligently even to unintelligent treatment. – Lao Tzu

10) To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.

Do you have a favorite or one that is not on this list? Share one in the comments below! Hope you are having a great day and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Oct 31

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3 Things To Avoid When Speaking in China

By Ryan Avery Motivation No Comments

China has been a terrific trip so far! We have explored the Great Wall, enjoyed dishes that include jellyfish and pig intestines, scuba dived with whales and met with so many amazing people.

During my first five speeches here I have learned three things you should avoid before, during and after you speak in China!

1) Never sign in red ink – In the United States I sign all of my books with a red Sharpie. Here in China, that is considered bad luck to write in red. Whoops! Luckily someone had a black one near by I could use!

2) Never give a gift wrapped in white – Gift giving and exchanging is common here and Chelsea and I wanted to make sure we brought gifts from Oregon to those who have helped us during our trip. Well, white is a symbol of death here so never wrap your gifts in white paper. Use gold, red or a vibrant color.

3) Never use four when making a point – Four is unlucky as well because the word for “death” in Chinese sounds like “four.” So if you are speaking and have four stories, or four points, or four takeaways, consider making it three, six or eight! (Although I think eight would be too many, eight is a very lucky number in China).

Avoid these three things when speaking and traveling in China and you will make a lasting impression. For those of you who have been to China or spoken in China, what are other things we should avoid? Remember to keep making things happen and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

P.S. I still have no access to Facebook, Twitter and any social media while I am here (I get back on November 12th).

Oct 27

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How to Feel Productive Everyday

By Ryan Avery Motivation, Videos No Comments

I was going through my first published YouTube videos and found this one on

Dream BIG,
Ryan

P.s. If you watch YouTube videos, make sure to subscribe to AveryToday’s channel!

Oct 24

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One Awesome Way To Promote Your Book

By Ryan Avery Motivation No Comments

(DISCLAIMER: My editor gets back this weekend from vacation so if there are any typos I am deeply sorry. I am out of the country and she is on vacation and I still wanted to show you the best way to promote your book.)

My latest book, Speaker Leader Champion, came out in April and I wanted to sell enough copies at first to hit #1 on Amazon. We accomplished that goal but I wanted to do more. The book teaches people how to use their voice to make a difference in their personal and professional life and how to deliver a winning speech or presentation.

Besides the book tour, the World Record attempt, countless interviews and hundreds of emails I believe the best thing I did, and that had the biggest amount of engagement and long-term payoff, was this:

How to Promote Your Book with Ryan Avery

Screenshot from the backend of my YouTube channel where I uploaded almost 100 personal videos to promote the book!

Write down 100 people you know, who you believe the book will help, and create a personal video for them to say thank you for supporting you throughout the years you have known them, what the book is about and how they can help promote it.

In fact, you could do this with anything you are selling and believe in! Today, people want that personal touch! How are you giving it to them?

I had a 95% response rate to those videos and in turn each helped me promote it, they shared it with their friends on social media and eventually helped us make Speaker Leader Champion a successful book launch. Did it take me a long time! Yes! Was it tiring and complicated at first! Of course! But was it worth it? Absolutely!

I am still hard at work looking for new ways to promote Speaker Leader Champion and to get it in the hands of as many people as I can because I believe in this book. The strategies inside it empower people to use their voice and make a difference and to learn how they can advance in their career by developing their public speaking skills.

What are you doing to create and show a personal touch for your friends, family and followers who can benefit from your resources? Take time this weekend to plan how you can be more personal in your approach and see how you can make a difference and a dollar doing something you love! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Oct 08

Love0

VIDEO: How to Use a Whiteboard to Accomplish Your Goals

By Ryan Avery Motivation, Videos No Comments

I use a whiteboard to help outline my goals, ideas and coaching sessions. How can you utilize a whiteboard? Are you a whiteboard fan? Share by clicking on a social media icon below and let’s connect!

Oct 06

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Five Days of Giveaways

By Ryan Avery Motivation 4 Comments

This week I am giving away five prizes for fun! Here is how you enter to win each day:

1) Subscribe to the blog in the right hand corner of this page (if you are already subscribed, you are awesome, and you will be eligible to win, as well).

THEN

2) Each day share and tag one of your favorite articles from RyanAvery.com on Facebook and/or Twitter. For every post you share and tag, your name will be entered in the daily drawing. So, simply by subscribing and sharing on Facebook and Twitter you can have a total of three chances to win, every day!

Here are nine articles to consider sharing:

3 Easy Ways to Make $500 Speaking
10 TED Talks Everyone Should Watch
Don’t Think The Worst In People

4 Reasons to Co-Author Your Next Book
5 Lessons Learned Being a World Champion
6 Reasons Real Leaders Are Really Speakers

What It’s Like Being Married to The New Wifestyle
What’s The Best Investment to Make in Today’s Economy?
How to Get Over The Past and Focus on The Future

Subscribe to the blog, share an article and get entered to win one of FIVE awesome prizes:

1) Monday: $25 CASH

2) Tuesday: Signed copy of Speaker Leader Champion

3) Wednesday: 30 minute private coaching call

4) Thursday: Signed copy of Speaker Leader Champion

5) Friday: 30 minute private coaching call

Reminder: you must be a subscriber to this blog in order to be eligible to win, so be sure to subscribe, and then post an article on Facebook or Twitter. Be part of these five days of giveaways and make some money, get a copy of Speaker Leader Champion and/or a private coaching session!

I will post the winners in the comment section below everyday. I look forward to seeing who wins! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Sep 17

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How to Be Niche and Famous

By Ryan Avery Motivation No Comments

I recently had an interview with Craig Valentine, 1999 World Champion of Public Speaking, whom I will be speaking on stage with at Lefford Fate’s Event next month. Craig told me, “If you want to make a difference and make money in this business, you have to learn how to be niche and famous. You do that by going after a small piece of the pie!”

I think some of us struggle with this, as sometimes we feel like we need to take on the entire pie at once! So, let’s start small and dream BIG!

Identify your pie and what slice of it you want to bite into, first.

Examples of popular pies could include:

1) Leadership
2) Public Speaking
3) Personal Development

Example of slices of that pie:

1) Leading teams, emerging leaders, or dealing with honesty
2) Storytelling, humor, or delivery
3) Mindset, time management, or confidence building

If thin slices become a pie, what are five ways you can go after that slice of pie and be niche and famous?

Listen to the questions people ask you: What questions do you get asked often? People are coming to you for this advice. Can these questions help you identify the piece of the pie in which you already might have an interest?

Let your products sell your other products: Too many people forget about letting their readers or audience know about the other resources they have. A blog can promote a book. A speech can promote a coaching session. A book can promote a CD set.

Know exactly to whom you are marketing: If you try to market to everyone, you will reach no one! Begin by picking one demographic. Can you identify the type of person who buys your product? Who buys Nike gear? Who shops at DSW? What group of people buys Rolexes? All great companies know their target market! Will others buy their products at times? Sure, but the bulk of their business is based off the ones they target!

Build your list: Without your email list you can’t become niche and famous. Start today by offering a way to have people sign up to receive your newsletter. Give them a free download that adds value to their life to make it more enticing for them to subscribe. Communicate with them on a regular basis.

Change your mindset from artist to marketer: Everyone is an artist. Few are marketers. The more you get your artwork out there, the more artwork you will sell. What are you doing to market your services and products so you can be identified as the amazing artist you already are? Just think of those talented friends of yours who have so much potential but who aren’t marketing their products and services correctly. They aren’t going anywhere. Don’t be that person! Be a marketer!

Go out there and take ownership of that thin slice of pie! Put a bunch of little slices together and over time what will you get? As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Sep 08

Love0

Why Don’t You Find the Kind?

By Ryan Avery Motivation 2 Comments

It has almost been a month since we completed 31 Days of Kindness, and I have to say the benefits have still been hitting me.

In the past week I have seen more people doing kind things for others than I have ever seen, before. I’ll share three examples of what I have personally encountered:

Man with the mango pancake: Chelsea and I are standing in line to get a street car pancake. I say aloud, “I cannot decide if I want the Mango Madness or the Nutella banana one!” The guy in front of me turns around as he receives his Mango Madness, cuts off a bite of his and says, “Here, try it. It is too much food for me, anyway.” It was delicious, but too rich in taste; he helped me pick the Nutella option!

Girl with the sunglasses: We are sitting on the beach in Thailand, and vendors are walking by trying to sell us everything from fresh almonds to sun tanning oil. One vendor– who is selling sunglasses–unknowingly drops a pair in front of a group of kids and keeps walking. Instead of keeping the glasses, one of the girls picks it up and runs after the peddler to return the glasses. They share a smile and continue on their respective ways.

Runner with the blind man walking: A blind man is walking. You can tell he is lost as he is running into a wall. A runner sees the man from a distance and runs over to him. She asks the man, “Hi sir, where you going? I can help you get there if you want!”

I have witnessed several more acts of kindness this week. Whether you are looking for the kind–or the mean– you will find it!

Shift your mind into finding the kind and you will see how great people really are.

Pay attention this week to how many acts of kindness you see. Be surprised by how much good is happening all around you.

In return- you, too, will want to be more kind. That is how we change the world in which we live. As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Question: When was the last time you found someone doing something kind for others?

Jul 23

Love0

Strategies of a Successful Book Launch

By Ryan Avery Motivation, Writing No Comments

Today’s question comes from Shruti Sharma from San Jose, CA when she asks, “What advice do you have for making your book a success once it is written?”

First you have to be passionate about making your book a success (more than just making money). No one cares more about your book than you. The harder and smarter you work, the more books get sold.

Second, define what success looks like to you! Is it the amount of books you sell, the places you get to travel, the people you help or the speeches you get from those who read the book? What does a successful book look like? Only the author can answer that.

After you define your answer above, here is what I used to make our book a success:

Write it Down: You have to put a strategy on paper to know what it looks like. Then post it up in your office and look at it everyday. I broke my written strategy into three categories (Social, Educational and Business). What can you do to be social around your book, educate people with content from your book and make money from it? I focused 50% of my efforts on social, 30% on educational and 20% on business. List, outline and brainstorm ways you can address these areas with your book.

Podcasts Interviews: Reach out to as many podcasters as you can. Let them know you have a book coming out and you can add value to their listeners. Podcasters are all looking for new content, energetic people to interview and value to add to their subscribers. Make sure to ask them to launch your episode during a week before, the day of or a week after your launch. This will drive more traffic to your site, your book and you as an author because instead of a trickle of interviews happening throughout several months, you get a big serge of name recognition in the launch window.

Social Media Team: Put together a team of people who can help promote the book on various social media sites. I would recommend a minimum of 30 people on your team. The more you get, the more your book gets out there! What can you do to entice them to share your book and get them to join your team?

Book Signing Events: You don’t have to do a big book tour. You can do three cities, shoot you can even do one! Make sure you set up at least one book signing event and invite your friends, family, co-workers and your target market for the book. This is great PR! Take photos, videos and post all over social media! You can host it at your local book store, church, coffee shop, anywhere that will let you. Get your hand ready to sign some books!

Reviews on Amazon: This is an area I lacked in for this launch. Reviews matter on Amazon and will help you sell more over time (in fact, if you have purchased Speaker Leader Champion, I could really use your help with a review on Amazon). Reviews gives the author social proof that their book is valuable and people purchase books depending on the reviews. So the quality and quantity of reviews matter!

Valuable Giveaways: What giveaways can you do to lead up to and follow up with your book launch? Giveaway gift cards or signed copies of your book. Giveaway a free hour of coaching or the first chapter away if they sign up for your newsletter. Offer valuable giveaways to make your following happy and to also interest them in getting a copy or sharing it with their friends.

I am happy with the success of Speaker Leader Champion. The book has been translated into 3 languages and my goal is to have translated into 10. I still have more copies to sell and I enjoy getting emails that readers are getting value from the book.

I have learned an immense amount this first go around and will know how to make my second launch even stronger. You have to try these things now in order to make your next one even better. When Frank Llyod Wright was asked which house was the best he’d ever built, he said “my next one.”

You have everything you need to make your book a success and now it’s up to you to put in the work. Go out there and make it happen! You are part of 1% of the population who has written a book now be 1% of authors who make their book a success! Looking forward to seeing your name on the shelf! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Authors, what other advice do you have for those looking to make their book a success?