quality media consultant group Archives

Dr. Lori A. Manns With Quality Media Consultant Group

April 15, 2024 by Jacob Lapera

Atlanta Business Radio

Dr. Lori A. Manns With Quality Media Consultant Group

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Dr. Lori A. Manns, Chief Creative Officer at Quality Media Consultant Group.

She is an award-winning, trailblazing entrepreneur and has been the owner of a successful business consulting firm for the past 14 years. As a sought-after speaker, media personality, and business coach, she is considered an expert content creator and thought leader in the marketing and sales industries.

Her work has been featured on Forbes.com and other national platforms. Across her social media channels and private network, she has amassed an audience of over 40K people.

Lori’s goal is to help purpose-driven, female entrepreneurs grow their incomes and reach their first or next six or seven figures.

Connect with Lori on LinkedIn and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode

The benefits of entrepreneurs attending business events
What types of business events are best for entrepreneurs to attend
Why should entrepreneurs attend business events
How should entrepreneurs prepare to attend an event
What are some of the key benefits for entrepreneurs to attend events
Events that entrepreneurs should avoid
The Trailblazer Business Summit 2024

This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix.

TRANSCRIPT

Intro: [00:00:04] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for Atlanta Business Radio. Brought to you by On pay. Atlanta’s new standard in payroll. Now here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:25] Lee Kantor. Here, another episode of Atlanta Business Radio. And this is going to be a good one. But before we get started, it’s important to recognize our sponsor, Onpay. Without them, we couldn’t be sharing these important stories. Today on the show, we have Dr Lori Manns with Quality Media Consulting Group. Welcome, Lori.

Dr Lori Manns: [00:00:44] Hi, Lee, thank you so much for having me.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:46] I am so excited to get caught up with you. For folks who aren’t familiar, can you share a little bit about Quality Media Consultant Group? How you serving folks?

Dr Lori Manns: [00:00:55] Yes, well, we are a business consultancy firm specializing in media marketing and sales strategies for optimal business growth. We help entrepreneurs and small business owners to get more dream clients, gain brand visibility and grow their income, impact and influence in record time.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:12] So how did this get started?

Dr Lori Manns: [00:01:15] Yeah, well, you know, I have been an entrepreneur for the past 14 years. And I started out, I like to say, as an accidental entrepreneur, because I got downsized from my corporate job in 2009 and just figured out that I did not want to work for corporate America anymore and just took my skills and talents and capabilities and started a marketing and media agency. And I started out doing media buying, which we still have that vertical in our business to this day. So we still do media buying and planning for our corporate clients and small business clients, and we also do marketing communications for them. And just as a way of getting myself out there in the public and becoming a expert in my industry and presenting myself as a subject matter expert, I started to do video and blogs, and that’s how I kind of got into consulting and coaching entrepreneurs and micro business owners, and I just took off from there.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:20] So is that your kind of sweet spot? Is the micro business owner and the entrepreneur?

Dr Lori Manns: [00:02:26] Yes, yes. As far as the coaching and consulting goes, yes.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:32] Now, as a rule, do you find that entrepreneurs attend enough events?

Dr Lori Manns: [00:02:39] Well, you know what I, I think prior to Covid and the pandemic, I think it was just the norm to attend events, right? Because we were just out there and we did a lot in the community. I know I did a lot, and just living in a metropolitan area like Atlanta, there’s always a business event to attend. But I have run across those entrepreneurs, uh, who just do not get out there, and they wonder why they don’t have enough leads coming in and they think everything is going to come from social media. So I really I really feel like it’s important to get out there in the community and, um, let your face be known, let your brand be known and make sure that people know who you are. And I just don’t really feel like now, post pandemic, that people are attending events, whether virtually or in person, as much as they should, to get their brand and business out there in a bigger way.

Lee Kantor: [00:03:49] Now, I know lately especially, we’ve been, uh, bombarded with the opportunities to, uh, broadcast live from events. And we work with a lot of the big business associations here in Atlanta, uh, to broadcast live at these events. How do you recommend an entrepreneur choose which is the appropriate event to attend? Because like you said earlier, there’s just so many of them popping up nowadays.

Dr Lori Manns: [00:04:16] Yeah, you’re right about that. Lee, I think there are a couple things that will help you determine what types of events or, um, which events are going to be good for you and or your business. And so I think the first thing you have to look at is. Are the speakers people that you need to learn from and do. They have expertise in the areas where you need to grow in? And if that is the case, you absolutely want to look at attending those types of events. And then you also want to look at the target audience like who’s going to be there? And based upon the type of audience that that event is going to garner, is it going to be an opportunity for you to network and for you to meet some people who may be in your target audience? And when you think about who’s going to be in the room or who’s going to be in the audience. Uh, sometimes. Who’s in the audience is just as important as who’s on the stage. So you never know if you’re able to connect with somebody in the audience who could be a new. Client, or who could be a new referral partner, or who could just be somebody who you need to know for one reason or another. So I think it’s very important to look at the speaker lineup, the topics that are going to be discussed, as well as who’s going to be in the audience. And then just looking at, you know, who’s presenting the event. And, um, based on all of these things, you know, are the presenters and organizers of the event, are they credible? You know, do they have a good reputation for putting on good events? And these are some of the things that will help you to decide. Is this an event for me and one that can benefit me and my company as to where we are right now?

Lee Kantor: [00:06:26] Now, do you recommend that an entrepreneur who’s serious about growing their business look at events like they do with their content, like with their content, they should be creating an editorial calendar of how you’re going to distribute and create content throughout the year. Should you be doing the same thing with regarding events in terms of, you know, like if I’m a business coach and I specialize in serving dentists, shouldn’t I be attending events that are for business coaches to learn? But also, shouldn’t I be attending events for dentists where there’s a bunch of dentists in the room so I can get there and meet them and be maybe the only business coach that’s there?

Dr Lori Manns: [00:07:05] Absolutely. Because not only do you want to attend events where you know it’s pertinent to your industry, but it’s got to be also pertinent to where you are trying to go, like what your goals are in your business. So, you know, it may be a situation where, you know, during the first quarter of the year, there is an industry event that you need to attend to, and they have the same event every year around the same time. And then maybe you want to attend an event that is more business oriented and it’s more, uh, wide scale. You know, it’s not a niche down event. Like if you’re a dentist, you want to attend the dentist conference. But maybe this event is for people who want to get into online courses or speaking or writing a book or things of that nature. So, you know, we’re all going to have multiple goals. So you definitely want to target the types of events that are not only going to be niche specific, but are also going to be business related and, you know, give you some intelligence and overall wisdom and knowledge about what’s happening in the world of business. Because, see, your competitors may be more well rounded than you are. And if that is the case, I promise you they are attending events not only that are specific to their industry, but they are expanding their horizons and attending events where they can get into other audiences and perhaps grow their clientele with different specialties and things of that nature. So you’re absolutely right. You may end up attending an event per quarter or per month, and it needs to be different types of events. Some need to be specific to your industry, and some need to be specific to whatever your goals are for that particular month or quarter.

Lee Kantor: [00:09:04] Now, is there a strategy when you attend an event, or is this something you just kind of go, oh, today’s the day that event, I just show up there and just kind of wander around.

Dr Lori Manns: [00:09:15] No. Absolutely not. You always want to have a strategy when you attend business events, because you just don’t want to spend money to go to this or that event. You want to have a strategy in place for every event you go to, even if you’re only attending as a attendee and you’re not a speaker, or you’re not a vendor, or you’re not a sponsor, even as an attendee, you want to have a strategy. And I think, uh, one of the basic things that you want to have is just a plan going into the event. What do you want to get out of it? Right? Even if you’re an attendee and you’ve paid, let’s just say you’re $100 to go to the event. Well, in order to make that $100 profitable for you and have a return on investment, you should think about how can I meet someone or make a connection where this $100 is going to be seed money, so to speak? It’s going to be money that I invested in my business and in myself. And somehow some way that’s going to come back to me. And so does that mean you need to meet at least five new connections or ten new connections? Does that mean you need to get your business card? You know, even if you have a digital business card these days, do you need to exchange business cards with at least ten people? Or does that mean you need to find out? You know, who is looking for the type of, uh, service or product that you offer, and perhaps they are in the market for what you do at that point.

Dr Lori Manns: [00:10:55] So you need to have a plan in place about what you want to get from the event, how many connections you want to make with people you know. Are you looking to meet, um, referral partners? Are you looking for new clients? Are you looking for joint venture operational, um, opportunities? You know, just what is it that you really need in your business? Are you looking for staff or, you know, do you need to hire some people? What is it that you want and go in with the idea that you’re going to try to make some connections with people who can help you get what you need? And not only that, who you can also help.

Lee Kantor: [00:11:38] Now when you’re deciding which events to go to, is there some criteria that you have of this is not a good event that I should be investing time in? Are there some red flags for events for entrepreneurs?

Dr Lori Manns: [00:11:52] Yeah. I think some of the red flags would, would be, you know, based upon what your goals are for that particular month or quarter. If you have not allocated the money to attend an event and it is a ticketed event, then if you’ve got to take money from something else that you actually need to pay in your business to attend that event, then that’s a red flag. You have to make sure that you allocate the the money to attend these events to make it work for you. And the other thing is, you have to make sure that what you’re going to learn and what you’re going to gain from that event is something that you’re going to take and apply and execute within your business within the next 3 to 6 months. So how timely is the information that is being discussed, and how timely is it for you and your business? Is it something that you can utilize within the next three months, six months, a year that you can turn around and make that knowledge pay for itself and make the experience worthwhile? And so I just believe that if you have the budget set aside and sometimes we don’t allocate enough money for events, right.

Dr Lori Manns: [00:13:19] And if you can pull money from something else that is not producing the the return on your investment and then invest it in this event and then boom, you go to that event and what happens is you end up meeting two people and that. Turns into a new opportunity or a new clientele. You know, I’ve had that happen to me before myself. You know, I’ve learned about an event. At the last minute. And I said, well, you know what? I’m going to take money from this thing over here that I’ve been doing that is only moderately successful and not really producing what I wanted to produce. And I’m going to use that money and go to this event. And I did that. And what happened was I got a speaking engagement from that event, and I got two clients from that event, and I was so glad that, you know, I was able to take that investment and leverage it into something more.

Lee Kantor: [00:14:22] Now, if you want to get take events to a new level is create your own event and you have an upcoming event.

Dr Lori Manns: [00:14:30] Absolutely. I always say, don’t just sit back and wait for people to invite you to their event. Create your own. And don’t just wait for people to put you on their platform. Create your own stage and shine on your own. And so that’s what I did. I created an event called the Trailblazer Business Summit, and it’s a one day conference where I invite my business colleagues and friends and connections to come out and share. Incredible. Tips, strategies, and actionable information that entrepreneurs can utilize right away in order to make a impact on their bottom line. And it’s so important to me to do that because, you know, right now we have been in an inflation society and everybody wants to learn how to make their money grow and make their money, um, move into something that is just very profitable and prosperous. And so our theme this year is Elevate to dominate. And it’s going to be Saturday, April the 27th. And I’m super ecstatic about it.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:46] And who is that kind of ideal, um, attendee.

Dr Lori Manns: [00:15:50] Well. It would be great for any small business owner. Whether you are a solo entrepreneur, a micro business owner, or a small business owner already established and doing hundreds of thousands of dollars or millions even because you’re going to get a refresher upon how to scale beyond seven figures. We have some, uh, entrepreneurs there who are going to be talking about scaling to seven figures and beyond. And then we also have some entrepreneurs that are going to be talking about, uh, just how to get to six figures for those people who are not there yet as well. So we’re going to be talking about the gamut. We have a power panel, uh, that’s going to be talking about how to leverage social media and digital technology in business so that you can increase and improve your bottom line. The incredible John Lawson and Maria Angelova and Sonia Krystal Williams are going to be on that panel, and it’s going to be amazing. And I also have Donna Ines from Georgia Tech who’s going to be the keynote. And I have Shaky Webster, who’s going to be the featured speaker. Excuse me. Excuse, excuse me, who’s going to be the featured speaker, Shaky Webster.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:15] Now, um, is this something that is in person? Virtual? Both.

Dr Lori Manns: [00:17:21] Yes, this event is a hybrid event. It is in person. Live here in Atlanta at the Courtyard by Marriott, and it’s also virtual for anyone across the country who wants to join us.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:38] And then if they want to learn more, what’s the website?

Dr Lori Manns: [00:17:44] They need to go to quality media consultants. Com. And once again that’s quality media consultants. Com. On the events page.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:58] Good stuff. Well, Lori, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.

Dr Lori Manns: [00:18:04] Thank you so much. Got a little bug in my throat there, Lee. Sorry about.

Lee Kantor: [00:18:08] That. Not a problem. I think you got the word out in the message out. And it’s an important, uh, summit again. The Trailblazer Business Summit 2020 for Saturday, April 24th from 10 a.m. on April 27th. April 27th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. eastern at the Courtyard by Marriott Buckhead. Go to Quality Media Consultants. Com to learn more, go to their events page and you will find it. Lori, thank you again.

Dr Lori Manns: [00:18:37] Thank you so much.

Lee Kantor: [00:18:39] All right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all next time on Atlanta Business Radio.

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Lori A. Manns With Quality Media Consultant Group

April 11, 2023 by Jacob Lapera

Atlanta Business Radio

Lori A. Manns With Quality Media Consultant Group

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In this podcast episode, Lee Kanter interviews Lori Manns, President of Quality Media Consultant Group. They discuss the evolution of marketing with new technology, the importance of analyzing the right metrics, and how to build brand equity and reputation.

Lori shares how her firm tailors its services to meet the needs and goals of each client, and shares a success story of a financial consultant who was able to secure clients at three times the rate they were charging before. She also invites listeners to attend the upcoming Trailblazer Business Summit.

Dr. Lori A. Manns, President of Quality Media Consultant Group, is an award-winning, trailblazing entrepreneur and has been the owner of a successful business consulting firm for the past nearly 14 years.

As a sought-after speaker, media personality, and business coach, she is considered an expert content creator and thought leader in the marketing and sales industries.

Her work has been featured on Forbes.com and other national platforms. Across her social media channels and private network, she has amassed an audience of over 40K people. Her goal is to help purpose-driven, female entrepreneurs grow their incomes and reach their first or next six or seven figures.

Connect with Lori on LinkedIn and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode

Thriving not just surviving in entrepreneurship through economic crisis
What does it take to survive in business during a recession or difficult times
What are some of the latest trends
Some issues entrepreneurs must avoid in order to succeed
How do you help entrepreneurs grow their businesses
Upcoming events

This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix

TRANSCRIPT

Intro: [00:00:04] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for Atlanta Business Radio. Brought to you by on pay. Atlanta’s New standard in payroll. Now, here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:25] Lee Kantor here another episode of Atlanta Business Radio, and this is going to be a good one. But before we get started, it’s important to recognize our sponsor, Onpay. Without them, we couldn’t be sharing these important stories. Today on Atlanta Business Radio, we have Lori Manns with Quality Media Consultant Group. Welcome, Laurie.

Lori Manns: [00:00:44] Hi, Lee Thank you for having me.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:46] I’m so excited to get caught up and learn what you got going on. For those who don’t know, tell us a little bit about Quality Media Consulting Group. How are you serving folks?

Lori Manns: [00:00:55] Well, Quality Media Consultant Group is a business consultancy firm specializing in advertising, marketing and sales solutions for optimal business growth. And essentially what that means is we help our clients to grow and scale their businesses to the next level of success, whatever that means for them.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:15] So do you have a sweet spot in terms of the people you serve? Is there a size of the organization or an industry niche?

Lori Manns: [00:01:22] Yeah, we have two sides of our business. One is we work with corporate clients on their advertising and marketing strategies to put their brilliant messages out there to the universe and attract their target audience. And for corporations, we do marketing plans and media buying. And for small business owners and entrepreneurs, we are servicing those people who are service based business owners primarily. And we also primarily work with purpose driven women who are coaches, consultants, trainers, speakers and influencers.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:04] Now how have you seen marketing evolve with all the new technology? And now there’s AI, There’s all kinds of stuff that are tools available for businesses and entrepreneurs. How have you seen kind of the evolution of that in your work?

Lori Manns: [00:02:21] Well, digital technology is influencing business more and more as time passes, because one of the things for sure, artificial intelligence is here to stay. Chatgpt is here to stay. And it’s only going to grow and evolve. And one of the best things I tell my clients is to learn the new trends. Learn what is. Happening and get to know what you need to know and how you can use it, leverage it and optimize it for your business, but more importantly, learn the things not to do. So I have seen digital technology evolve in my 14 years of business. Digital marketing has also evolved because during the time that I’ve been in business, I have seen social media platforms come and go. I’ve also seen. Marketing strategies come and go in terms of the trends. But I do believe that artificial intelligence and primarily chatgpt is one of those things that you can absolutely leverage and use it the right way to grow your business.

Lee Kantor: [00:03:41] Now, what do you tell the business folks out there that are now experiencing this kind of economic chaos that’s occurring and has been occurring for a little bit now? And couple that with all these new technologies that are available. How do you know when it’s time to really kind of take a leap into some new technologies instead of maybe shoring up some of the foundational marketing resources that you’ve been using in the past? Because, you know, there always seems to be a new crisis and there always seems to be a new technology. And it’s just really getting harder and harder to, you know, stay on top of everything.

Lori Manns: [00:04:22] Well, the first thing I say is to analyze what you’re currently doing and how it’s working. And so if you’re using a methodology, a strategy or a game plan to grow your business and it’s working, continue to do that. If you are using something that is not working, then it’s time for you to consider some other options. And so because of the fact that we are in an economic downturn, a lot of people did not plan for this, even when it was forecast by economists and even when it was forecast by talking heads. A lot of people failed to act in business and they failed to pivot. And so it doesn’t necessarily mean that when we’re in an economic downturn that you have to stop everything that you’re doing. But it just means that you need to analyze what’s working well and what’s not working so well so that you can figure out how to fill in the gaps. And so, for example, if you are a business owner and you’re not getting the leads that you want, you’re not getting the sales that you want, then it’s time to look at how are you putting messages out there, How are you, you know, deciphering what your marketing strategies are. And perhaps you do need to take a look at some new innovative ways to reach your target audience and doing so on social media and or using something like artificial intelligence or augmented reality or chatgpt may be a strategy that you just want to look at.

Lee Kantor: [00:06:09] So now you mentioned leads. That’s a maybe a symptom of things that aren’t going as well as you’d like. Are there any other kind of metrics that matter for, you know, entrepreneurs and corporations?

Lori Manns: [00:06:21] Yeah. The number one metric that matters is revenue. If your revenue is down, if your revenue is not where you want it to be, sales are not coming in. That’s a good indication that you need to make a shift or a pivot. Then of course, you have to look at, you know, the leads and the cost per lead that you’re spending to get the leads. You have to look at those kinds of things. But more importantly, you also have to look at what are your top selling products and services and what are your worst selling products and services. These are also metrics that can help you determine if it’s time to pivot or shift.

Lee Kantor: [00:07:05] Now, do you find that some folks just aren’t aware of that kind of data, that they’re capturing all kinds of data, but maybe they’re not prioritizing what truly is important. For example, some folks, you know, maybe they’re on social media and they’re focusing on, look, we’re getting a lot new, you know, followers or or maybe they’re paying attention to some areas that seemingly is going well. But like you said, if it’s not translating to bottom line green dollar ROI, maybe that’s a distraction and not really a priority in your marketing.

Lori Manns: [00:07:44] Exactly. And I think you’re right on target, Lee, because a lot of people, when they implement a social media marketing strategy, just because social media is so big right now, they think that if they get more followers, that that translates into it’s working. Well, what really translates into whether or not your marketing is working, whether it’s on social media or whether it’s traditional media or any form of marketing is if it is converting. And so if you are converting those prospects into clients and or customers, then that is a signal that it’s working. If you’re not, then that’s a signal that it’s not working. And so, yes, followers on social media is important. Yes, engagement is important, but the most important thing is are your efforts producing a return on investment and is it moving the needle when it comes to sales and revenue for your business?

Lee Kantor: [00:08:53] Now, is that part of your challenge as a marketing consultant is to really educate your client into focusing in on the things that truly matter and that just because historically you’ve been using one measure of success. If you’re not measuring the right thing, you know, you’re kind of just kind of going through the motions of business. You’re not really optimizing your business. Is that part of what you’re one of your challenges is to really understand and explain to your clients, hey, you know what, I know it looks like because you were using a metric, like you said, of followers, our followers are down, but your, you know, your revenue was up. And isn’t revenue what you want more of, not followers Like is that do you spend some time explaining people, hey, this is the stuff you’ve got to really be focusing in on, not this other thing that that might look great to the world, but it may not be really helping your bottom line.

Lori Manns: [00:09:54] You’re absolutely right. Because here’s the thing. In business, you have to measure so many things in order to have a profitable business and a profitable business model. Now, there’s also things that you can measure that are going to influence whether or not you do get that bump in sales and revenue. And for example, one of the things that you can measure to lead to that road of revenue success is what is your brand known for? Do you have brand equity? That means is your brand. Is your company respected and revered in your industry? And if when you speak, people listen, That is a good indication that when you put out marketing messages and when you put out offers, that you’re going to get a response. So of course, before we get to trying to sell anyone who’s following us, we have to build the reputation that makes them know that we are the leader in that industry. We are the expert and the authority, and we actually have a good handle on what we speak of in order to bring about some good results for the people that we say we can help.

Lee Kantor: [00:11:14] But but also times for especially people who aren’t working with an expert like yourself, some of the easiest things that can be measured aren’t really worth measuring. Like it might be easy to see. I keep coming back to it, but followers, it might be easy to see, Oh, the followers are going up. So you know, we’re doing good, so stop thinking about it. But if you go a couple layers deeper like you described, you might be seeing a different result. That is a little trickier to measure, but really is more impactful.

Lori Manns: [00:11:48] Absolutely. And I can totally relate to what you’re saying because, yes, people will measure what I call vanity metrics and the vanity we call them.

Lee Kantor: [00:12:00] We call them cosmetics.

Lori Manns: [00:12:03] Exactly. And that simply means you’re spending too much time focusing on perceived. Opinions and engagement when it comes to social media. Because if you have a public. Company page on any social media platform, you could get followers that are only curious. They’re not necessarily interested buyers or ready to buy customers. They could just simply be curious or they saw somebody else like your page or engage with your page. And so therefore they liked it too. But they’re not really interested. They’re not really engaged. So when you measure the vanity of, Oh, I’ve got 100 likes or I’ve got 500 likes or a thousand, oh, this person went viral. Okay, well, what did that viral post do for them? And if they went pseudo viral, what did it do for them in terms of helping them to produce a bigger impact, helping them to produce a bigger income and helping them to produce more influence. If it helped them in all of those areas, then great. But if it was just something that was trendy for the moment, then it was so fleeting and it was so based on vanity that it just doesn’t matter.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:27] And sometimes when you go viral, it might be for a negative reason. It could be because you got some some attention for something controversial or isn’t going to really serve you in the long run.

Lori Manns: [00:13:39] Absolutely.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:41] So now what does it look like when a company works with you? What does that first few conversations look like and how do you kind of onboard them and get them going?

Lori Manns: [00:13:52] Well, the first couple of conversations are what I like to call a business needs analysis. That’s when we just take a look at the business or the person themselves and we look at what are your top needs and what is it that you are facing in terms of your challenges that you need help with the most? And when we identify what your biggest needs are, your biggest challenges, we come up with a strategy to help you to overcome those challenges and meet those needs in a way that’s going to produce in the area of more income, more brand visibility, more clients and conversions and greater impact in your industry. So it starts off with just an analysis. Where are you now and where do you ultimately want to be?

Lee Kantor: [00:14:45] So now I know when you go to market, you do through a variety of ways. Can you talk about some of the ways that you serve your clients? Number one, like I know you do consulting, but there’s also other aspects to your business.

Lori Manns: [00:15:02] Yes. So we decide based on the needs and the goals. Do you need to have a. Brand overview and a brand strategy session, or do you already have that and you now need to market your company or yourself, and if you already have the marketing in place, then we decide, okay, is it time for you to do media and advertising to really get that? Momentum built in your business. And then, of course, we look at what’s the sales plan, how are we going to convert those prospects once they start to come after we have. Put out those messages. Once we get them into our funnel and once we get them into our system, how are we then going to convert them into paying clients? And so that is all about creating a process for welcoming prospects into your business, taking them through the sales cycle, making sure that whatever you offer, be it a product or a service, is something that they actually need, something that solves a problem or meets a need so that when they have engaged and they have bought that thing, they are happy and satisfied and they become your biggest brand ambassador. And that simply means that they are your unpaid sales force because when happy customers become. Referral partners is simply that they tell everyone they know that I bought X, Y, Z from this company or I hired X, Y, Z person and they did a great job. And, you know, happy people tell other happy people and unhappy people also tell unhappy people. So that’s that’s basically the basis of the work that we do.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:06] Now, is there a success story you can share? You don’t have to name the name of the company, but explain maybe the problem they came to you with and how you helped them get past that and get to a new level.

Lori Manns: [00:17:16] Yes. I had a VIP client that was a financial. Consultant and had created an app and was struggling to really connect with people who were interested in paying for the financial consulting and services they were offering. And after working with myself and my company, we were able to not only look at some of the holes in the marketing and advertising strategy, but also to look at the programs that were being offered and analyze them in a way that made them more valuable to the end user. We raised the price and changed the entire marketing strategy, and they were able to secure a handful of clients at three times the rate that they were charging before and therefore made a significant amount of money in a very short amount of time. And we’re talking, you know, when it comes to financial consulting and coaches, you can run into all types of levels of experience, but this person really had a high level of experience. And so they were able to reach five figures, high five figures in just a couple of months where they had not previously done that before with just a handful of clients.

Lee Kantor: [00:18:44] So if somebody wants to learn more and connect with you or somebody on your team, is there a website or are there any events you got upcoming?

Lori Manns: [00:18:52] Yes, there’s both an upcoming event and a website. So I am actually celebrating 14 years in business this month, which is April and. At that event where I’m going to be celebrating my business anniversary. It’s called the Trailblazer Business Summit, taking place Saturday, April the 22nd. And you can go to quality media consultants.com on the events page and check it out. There’s going to be ten speakers talking in TED talk style, but with more strategy and meat on the bones than you would get on a TED talk. But it’s going to be amazing. They’re going to be talking about all kinds of business topics, and one of them is something that we covered today, and that is how to use artificial intelligence and chatgpt as well as social media to grow your business when the times are changing. And you need to be abreast of what’s going on in the digital world. So we’re going to have three professionals talking about that, as well as finance scaling your company automation, video technology and branding and so much more. It’ll be an amazing event. It’s virtual. You can join from anywhere. Saturday, April the 22nd, the Trailblazer Business Summit. And once again you can go to WW dot quality media consultants.com.

Lee Kantor: [00:20:28] Well Laurie thank you so much for sharing your story today you’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.

Lori Manns: [00:20:33] Thank you so much Lee it’s always a pleasure to talk to you and it’s a great opportunity. I appreciate.

Lee Kantor: [00:20:39] It. All right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all next time on Atlanta Business Radio.

About Our Sponsor

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Lori Manns With Quality Media Consultant Group

April 19, 2022 by Jacob Lapera

Atlanta Business Radio

Lori Manns With Quality Media Consultant Group

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Lori Manns, President at Quality Media Consultant Group

Lori A. Manns is an award-winning business strategist and sales coach, and the owner of Quality Media Consultant Group – a business consultancy firm specializing in media, marketing, and sales solutions for optimal business growth.

Connect with Lori on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode

The importance of having a solid marketing plan
The cornerstone of an effective marketing strategy
Monetizing your marketing is so important
The significance of having a marketing mix
About the Trailblazer Business Summit on Saturday, April 23

This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix

TRANSCRIPT

Intro: [00:00:04] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for Atlanta Business Radio brought to you by on pay Atlanta’s new standard in payroll. Now here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:24] Lee Kantor here, another episode of Atlanta Business Radio. And this is going to be a good one. But before we get started, it’s important to recognize our sponsor on pay. Without them, we couldn’t be sharing these important stories. Today on the Land of Business Radio, we have Lori Manns with Quality Media Consultant Group. Welcome, Laurie.

Lori Manns: [00:00:43] Thank you. Happy to be here.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:46] Well, I’m excited to learn what you’re up to. Share a little bit about your practice. How are you serving folks?

Lori Manns: [00:00:52] Well, I am Lori Ammons, president of Quality Media Consultant Group, and we are a business consultancy firm specializing in advertising, marketing and sales strategies to help entrepreneurs and small businesses grow and scale. And that’s what it’s all about. So I’m just ecstatic to be here. I’m actually celebrating 13 years of being a business owner this month, so I’m happy.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:22] Well, congratulations on 13 years. Can you share a little bit about your back story? How did you get involved in this line of work?

Lori Manns: [00:01:30] Well, yes, I became an entrepreneur accidentally. I got downsized in 2009 and decided that I wanted to put my future and my income in my own hands. And so I started this business and never looked back. And I knew that because I had spent 20 years in the media industry, that I knew something about helping people to advertise and market and sell their products and services. And I knew I could figure out a way to develop a profitable business model with the right training and the right contacts and network. And so I just figured it out by trial and error, and here I am 13 years later.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:17] Now, during that time, did you find kind of that ideal customer? Have you identified who that perfect client is for you, the one that you can help take to new levels?

Lori Manns: [00:02:29] Yes. Well, you know, it was trial and error in the beginning because although I knew my target audience was going to be small business owners, I started the agency to work with corporations, and I still do that in one part of my business. But when it came to entrepreneurs and small business owners, I accidentally stepped into that field of coaching and consulting because as I began to brand myself as a subject matter expert, I began to get a lot of people questioning me about how they could market themselves better and how they could develop a sales plan. And so I figured out that my ideal client was someone who was purpose driven and who had a plan and was also faith based. Because my trajectory. Always got so much better when I combined my faith with my business acumen. And so I figured out that I was connected to and I was drawn to people who were purpose driven and faith based. And I also knew that I worked very well with people who were service based entrepreneurs, not that I couldn’t work with people who had product based businesses, but because I was a service based entrepreneur, I knew that I could connect with them a lot better because when you’re selling an intangible, you really have to be clear on who you are and what you bring to the table and what your strengths and weaknesses are, as well as how can you add value. And so I am really good at helping people to come up with how to market themselves and how to tap into their intrinsic gifts, skills and talents to become marketable and become known as subject matter experts. And so those are the people who are most designed to work with me and who I am called to serve.

Lee Kantor: [00:04:30] Now, earlier you used the word plan. Do you find that most of your clients, when they start working with you, that they don’t have a plan? They’re kind of just winging it based on whatever it is, kind of the the winds are telling them to do.

Lori Manns: [00:04:47] Yeah, I find that a lot of people have a loose definition of a plan, whether they call it a business plan or just a plan for how they’re going to grow. If they call it a growth plan, it’s very loose. It’s not something that is structured or even written down in most cases. Some people just kind of have a willy nilly idea as to how they want to grow their business. And when it comes to a business plan, most people don’t have a formal business plan. Not that it needs to be a 50 page dissertation or anything of that nature, but even just an idea as to how they’re going to grow, what their business is going to look like three years, five years, ten years from now, and how they’re going to grow it. And most people have not thought that far in advance. They know what they’d like to do. They have goals, but they don’t really have a plan necessarily for how they’re going to get there. And so that to me is a lot of what’s lacking in entrepreneurship today. People depend a lot on social media, and they just plan to show up on social media and hope that that really transfers into money and results. But that doesn’t always happen. So, yes, to answer your question, I do find that a lot of people don’t have a plan and they certainly don’t have one that’s written.

Lee Kantor: [00:06:13] Now, what are some components of a solid marketing or sales or growth plan?

Lori Manns: [00:06:20] Well, you really have to start at the beginning. And the beginning is what are your goals and what’s your mission, your vision and. Core values, because when you start at the beginning of why does this company exist? What what are you here to do that’s answering? What’s the mission and what’s the vision? Where do you see yourself? What are the top five goals that you want to accomplish? And then what are the core values that you represent as a company? And then what is the pitch? What is it that you’re going to be telling people that you’re going to do for them? And of course, it’s the brand. What is the brand about and what’s that brand promise about? And when you learn all of those things, then you can start to formulate the more important stuff, like who is your client? Who is your target audience? What problem do you solve for them? And when you figure out the main pain points and problems and struggles that your target audience has and how your company is uniquely positioned to answer those problems and address those challenges, then that’s when you can start to market and you can start to create products and services that are going to resonate with your target audience so that you can have a profitable business model. And then you can get into more in-depth stuff about operations, you know, and. All these other things that come into play when you’re running a business. So I think it has to start with the foundational things first and move from there.

Lee Kantor: [00:08:05] Now, as you mentioned, there’s a lot of folks out there that move maybe too early into all of the social media channels and all of the ways to communicate before they really have a true north of what they’re trying to accomplish and get this foundational stuff right. And they’re just kind of dabbling in a lot of different places rather than honing in on a handful that they can really make a difference. How do you kind of educate your clients to avoid that kind of spreading content out there in a whole bunch of places that, you know, at the end of the day, their clients probably are aren’t even paying attention to.

Lori Manns: [00:08:52] Well, I tell people that the best content strategy is to focus on the customer, focus on the client, because it’s not about you. It’s about them. And when you create content that is value based because it. Is about topics your target audience cares about. Then they’re going to be dialed in and they’re going to be paying attention. And so when you answer the questions that they may have in your content and you address the topics that they care about, then that’s going to help you build your brand as a go to resource and a subject matter expert in that industry. And so I just say avoid being all over the place by simply focusing on the audience. Who are we speaking to? How can we help them? What do we need them to know? And if you focus on those three questions, answering those questions and you add the last one, why should they care? That’s going to help you to develop the type of content that’s going to resonate with people. And of course, it’s going to keep you from being all over the place in your content marketing strategy.

Lee Kantor: [00:10:19] Now, is it possible to kind of tie results and financial results to some of these kind of efforts? Because it seems like in today’s world, it’s difficult to know where a person or a client came from because they’re being maybe touched by you or somebody that knows you in a variety of places.

Lori Manns: [00:10:48] Well, that’s a great question. I think it starts with yes. To answer the first part of your question, you can tie in some financial results to your marketing strategy or your social media marketing strategy. And it starts with having a great call to action and. The thing that you have to focus on is giving people the type of messaging that is going to move them. And that messaging has to move them emotionally and it has to inspire desire so that they want to dig into their pockets when they see that call to action that you’ve given them to take the next step. And so I truly believe that if you’re sharing the type of content that is going to make people think. Or make them entertained or educate them about something or intrigue them about something, then they’re going to want to take the next step and they’re going to be positioned to buy at that point, because you’ve already gotten their interest. You’ve already inspired some type of desire within them to learn more or take the next step. So if you give them an invitation and that’s all the call to action is, if you give them an invitation, then they’re more likely to take you up on it.

Lee Kantor: [00:12:20] Now, can you share a story of maybe a problem a client had that they went to you for help and then you were able to take them through that and help solve the problem and take them to a new level. Now, you don’t have to name the name, but maybe just share the problem and the solution and how you were able to help them.

Lori Manns: [00:12:42] Well, I can think of a client who was in a. The financial industry and just being a. Financial services provider and coming up with a product and a service that they wanted to get out there in the marketplace, but was not quite sure how to do that. So I helped them to develop a marketing strategy that positioned them as the expert, and they started to get opportunities for speaking and other things that turned into monetary fulfillment for them. I can also think of a real estate investor that was trying to get into coaching and consulting, and I helped them come up with a marketing strategy to put their. Program out there in a bigger way and start to create the type of content that was going to resonate with the folks who would be interested in taking a course on real estate investing and development. And their numbers just started to pick up and eventually blazed so many trails that they have expanded since working with me. So it’s all about the marketing strategy that you use and if you are a professional, an entrepreneur or whatever you consider yourself, it’s about doing the marketing that is going to resonate with you and that you’re going to feel good about, and that is also going to connect with the target audience. So if you are a solo entrepreneur and you’re someone who is camera shy, then video marketing might not work for you. But if you’re a solo entrepreneur and you’re not camera shy and you can deliver a message very well on camera, then video marketing could definitely work for you and could move the needle in your business and create that know like and trust factor a lot quicker so that you can connect with your audience better and in turn turn that marketing into monetization where you are actually making money.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:05] Well, is there any upcoming events that you’re participating in?

Lori Manns: [00:15:11] Yes, actually, because my firm is celebrating 13 years in business this month. We are hosting an event that is virtual and it’s called the Trailblazer Business Summit. And it’s an online event where we invite entrepreneurs to. Come and learn and grow together. And the theme for this year is Connect, Innovate and dominate. And we truly believe that in 2022 we are still learning how to connect with each other better and in more engaged ways online because of being on the tail end of this pandemic. We’re also learning that it’s so critical to innovate and create new products and services all the time and stay on the cusp of just creating new things. And also, it’s important to dominate in your industry so that you can be seen as the go to resource, the go to expert and the number one choice and obliterate your competition. So we’re all about connecting, innovating and dominating our spaces and places where we show up as entrepreneurs and small business owners. And so we have several speakers talking about everything from social media strategies that are going to take you to that next level, meaning six figures or seven figures, because I have some people in my network who have used social media only to build their businesses. And then we’re going to be talking about topics like blockchain and cryptocurrency and smart budgeting and investing and book publishing and marketing and so much more. And it’s such a great event because there’s a diversity in speakers and diversity in the topics, so we’re excited about it. It’s going to be happening Saturday, April the 23rd at 10 a.m., and I’m excited to share it.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:10] And who is the ideal person to participate or attend this summit?

Lori Manns: [00:17:16] I would say entrepreneurs and small business owners who are looking for strategies, tips and tools to level up in their businesses and of course level up means different things to different people. But when I say level up, I mean expand your brand awareness and increase your revenue and increase and grow your network. So if that sounds like you, this is a place for you to be because you’re going to do all of those things. You’re going to expand your network, you’re going to learn strategies to increase your sales, and you’re also going to make connections with purpose driven entrepreneurs who are trying to get to that next level and who have already attained a certain level of success that most entrepreneurs only dream about.

Lee Kantor: [00:18:04] So if somebody wants to learn more about the summit and or get on your calendar to learn more about your practice, is there a website?

Lori Manns: [00:18:13] Absolutely it is w w w quality media consultants dot com. Again, that’s quality media consultants dot com.

Lee Kantor: [00:18:26] Well, Laurie, thank you so much for sharing your story. You’re doing important work and we appreciate you.

Lori Manns: [00:18:31] Thank you so much, Lee. It’s always great to talk to you and I appreciate the opportunity.

Lee Kantor: [00:18:35] All right, this Lee Kantor we’ll see you next time on Atlanta Business Radio.

About Our Sponsor

Follow OnPay on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter

Lori A. Manns with Quality Media Consultant Group

April 12, 2021 by angishields

Lori-Manns-Quality-Media-Consultant-Group

Atlanta Business Radio

Lori A. Manns with Quality Media Consultant Group

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Lori A. Manns is in a word, a trailblazer. Her mission is to help trailblazing entrepreneurs grow and scale their businesses using their innate, brilliant, unique, gifts and skills and make a bigger impact. Lori’s desire is to see every entrepreneur she encounters, live the life of their dreams and fulfill their destiny. Being an intuitive problem solver, Lori enjoys helping business owners get past their biggest challenges in order to emerge, excel and elevate to the next level of success. As a sought-after entrepreneur, speaker, trainer, philanthropist and coach, it is Lori’s goal is to help purpose driven, leaders and entrepreneurs with uncompromising ambition to become the trailblazers of their respective industries.

Since establishing QMC Group in 2009, Lori has received the following awards and recognition: Transforming Women Entrepreneurs (TWE), Business Woman of the Year (2017), Live Your Legacy Leadership Award (2015), Women in Leadership Development and Empowerment Service Award by W.I.L.D.E., Inc. (2014), the Rising in Community Excellence Award by Carter Unlimited, Inc. (2014) and the SWIBA Business on the Rise Award by Stiletto Woman Media (2013).

Lori was also recognized as a Super Tuesday Awards finalist by Atlanta Business League in 2012 and received the Business Superstar Award by People You Need To Know Magazine in 2010. Lori has been recognized and honored as a media expert and sales/marketing entrepreneur in Who’s Who in Black Atlanta, 2011-2018 consecutively.

Prior to founding QMC Group, Lori served as Senior Multi-Media Account Manager for two of the largest radio groups in the country, CBS Radio and Cox Radio. During her tenure with CBS Radio and Cox Radio, Lori serviced Fortune 500 companies and provided advertising, sales and marketing solutions resulting in a profitable return on investment for her clientele.

Ms. Manns has career experience in business development, marketing communications, branding, and media buying and serves as a marketing mentor, media buyer and business strategist to various small and medium size businesses in Georgia and across the U.S.

With a strong passion for philanthropy, Ms. Manns enjoys giving back. She is founder and president of Live Healthy & Thrive Youth Foundation, Inc., an Atlanta based, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to fostering and promoting children’s health. Lori believes it is critical to “pay it forward” in terms of education and empowerment for children who represent the future leaders of tomorrow.

Connect with Lori on LinkedIn and follow Quality Media Consultant Group on Facebook and Live Healthy & Thrive Youth Foundation on Twitter.

About Our Sponsor

Follow OnPay on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter

Lori A. Manns with Quality Media Consultant Group, Robert T. Martin with The Flats at Atlantic Station

April 19, 2018 by angishields

High Velocity Radio

Lori A. Manns with Quality Media Consultant Group, Robert T. Martin with The Flats at Atlantic Station

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Lori A. Manns is in a word, a trailblazer. Her mission is to help trailblazing entrepreneurs to grow their businesses using their innate, brilliant, unique, gifts and skills to experience a life of their dreams. Being an intuitive problem solver, Lori enjoys helping business owners to get past their biggest challenges in order to emerge, excel and elevate to the next level of success. As a sought-after entrepreneur, speaker, trainer, philanthropist and coach, it’s Lori’s mission to help entrepreneurs with uncompromising ambition to become the trailblazers of their generation.

Lori is the CEO of Quality Media Consultant Group, a consultancy firm specializing in media strategies that work to provide increased clientele, brand visibility, and revenue. Lori is a speaker, marketing mentor, sales coach and business strategist who empowers corporations and small business owners to grow their businesses by utilizing brilliant bran ding, magnetic marketing strategies and soulful sales solutions. Lori is a strategic media buyer and proficient in placing advertising campaigns across all platforms including: TV, radio, Internet, print, direct mail and outdoor advertising. Lori has been recognized by the Who’s Who in Black Atlanta for the past 7 consecutive years. She is a Forbes Coaches Council member and regular contributor. Lori’s professional affiliations include the Dekalb Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Dekalb .

Follow Quality Media Consultant Group on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook

Moving off campus is a rite of passage for any young college student; for many of you, it will be your first real foray into adulthood. So why not do it up right and choose to live somewhere you love? At The Flats at Atlantic Station, we offer the perks of communal living, without the dated dorm room.

All of our apartments at The Flats come fully furnished. We offer two, three & four bedroom student apartments with a variety of floor plans to choose from. A full-size washer and dryer are included in every apartment and upgraded WiFi. Even better? You get your own bathroom. That’s right, an in-suite full-size bath is included in every bedroom suite. In addition to a world-class pool, rooftop lounge, fitness center, study/computer rooms on every floor, game room and WiFi cafe with complimentary Starbucks coffee, the Flats offers evening concierge services. Need a package delivered after hours? Start your car battery? Call our evening concierge!

Follow the The Flats at Atlantic Station on Facebook.

LUCRATIVE LADIES: Celebrating Our Success (Debut Show/April 25)

April 25, 2013 by Mike

Gwinnett Business Radio

LUCRATIVE LADIES: Celebrating Our Success (Debut Show/April 25)

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LUCRATIVE LADIES: Celebrating Our Success is hosted by Jeanne’ Smith (Ultra Touch Cleaning), Stacey Gross (Favorite Place Travel), Theresa Conklin (Pinnacle Custom Signs) and Erica Wimberly (EW Services). Highlighting women business owners and the companies they run, Lucrative Ladies gives a ”voice” to the women leaders in our business community.

The show hosts and their guests from the first show

Jessica Knight/Clickaroo Websites

Clickaroo Websites is an Atlanta web design company which provides all the services needed in one place for a successful website and online marketing campaign. Their company’s outstanding reputation in the web design industry and years of knowledge in online and social marketing makes them a standout solution for your company. From web design, hosting, ecommerce, SEO, SEM and social media coaching, they offer everything in one place.

Dr. Lauren Millman/Suwanee Spine and Wellness Center

Suwanee Spine and Wellness Center specializes in providing a unique and specialized form of chiropractic to help naturally heal those suffering from pain or dysfunction. The unique approach that Dr. Millman utilizes naturally and effectively restores the body back to a balanced position so that the body can heal and live as it was intended. Suwanee Spine and Wellness Center operates under the foundation that unless you correct the underlying problem (spinal imbalance), no pill, potion or lotion can make you better. When you can effectively correct the underlying dysfunction, your body can heal. Their spinal care procedure effectively and uniquely evaluates the state of your whole frame, which in turn effects your overall health. Your structure dictates your body’s function, and their practitioners understand how to effectively evaluate structure to optimize your body’s function.

Belinda Harris/Rocket Science HR

Rocket Science HR was created to assist people with resume and interviewing skills. Their motto is “It’s not rocket science; It’s Rocket Science HR”. Belinda Harris, the CEO/Owner, has been in the HR field for the past 10 years. She has a Masters Degree in Human Resource Development and she is a certified SPHR (Senior Professional Human Resource). Rocket Science HR offers many services such as resume review, resume writing and interview coaching. They also provide many seminars that include resume, interviewing and follow up sessions. Your resume gets you the interview, your interview skills land you the job. Let them help you at Rocket Science HR.

Lori Manns/Quality Media Consultant Group

Quality Media Consultant Group is a consultancy firm specializing in providing media strategies that work to give you more visibility, more clients and make you more money. They develop and implement marketing plans and advertising programs that have impact and provide measurable results.