Influencers in your own backyard - Jodi Flynn

Jodi Flynn, Women's Leadership Coach and founder of "Women Taking the Lead," talks about the important role that local connections play in the growth of your business and the expansion of your influencer network.   Jodi's Journey Jodi had a successful career in mutual fund operations, becoming the Assistant VP of Corporate Quality. However, as time went by, she started to ask herself, "Is this it?" She then became fascinated by coaching, and decided to take the leap into entrepreneurship. Gradually, she found her niche: Type A women, and hasn't looked back since. Now, she leads a thriving community of women leaders, and hosts her popular podcast, "Women Taking the Lead." Your influencer marketing story From your own backyard to the rest of the world Jodi has built a solid network of connections in four main ways: Joining her local BNI chapter. BNI helped her hone her speaking skills and better articulate what she does in her business. Thanks to that first group of supportive connections, she met many more people in the local area. Attending business-after-hours meetings and other local networking events where she knew ideal clients might be. Signing up for targeted conferences in the local area and other locations across the country, too. Hosting her podcast, with listeners from all over the world. I personally met Jodi through her podcast, which has allowed her to become an influencer herself. The best way to get started Jodi says that local networking is the most powerful way to get started. "Nothing trumps a face-to-face meeting," she says. "That's how we get to know each other (...) It's about the energy exchange." The best way to expand To connect with influencers outside her local area, Jodi has leveraged her own platform (podcast). Influencers want to spread their message, and if you have a podcast, you can deliver value to them through the added exposure on your own platform. A "Spartan" connection Jodi wanted to connect with Joe De Sena, author of "Spartan Up!: A Take-No-Prisoners Guide to Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Peak Performance in Life." She saw him during a Spartan race, and immediately approached him with a proposal to be on her show. Joe said, "I'd love to!" And a new influencer connection was made. "If I didn't have a podcast, that wouldn't have happened," Jodi relates. How to approach podcasters To successfully connect with Jodi as an influencer, writing a podcast pitch that she can relate to is a must. "If someone has a powerful story that resonates with my audience, I'll want to interview them," she says. Also, potential guests must show that they clearly understand Jodi's audience's struggles. It's about clearly conveying that you have value to offer. Authenticity as the foundation for long-lasting connections Authenticity is a must to connect with any influencer. Shelli Warren, one of Jodi's listeners, would share every episode of Jodi's podcast on social media. She would add an insightful comment and tag Jodi. Shelli even emailed Jodi regularly to tell her about the impact that Jodi's podcast was having in her business. Eventually, Jodi felt compelled to reach out to Shelli to learn more about her. Shelli eventually ended up as a guest on Jodi's podcast and became one of Jodi's closest connections. As Jodi says, you have to genuinely admire and respect somebody to be able to connect with them. Always give first: The equation is "give, give, give, and then ask." Worst influencer marketing moment "Not all influencers are the right people for you," Jodi says. She once connected with a top influencer in leadership, who didn't share her values and style. Jodi sensed it wasn't the right fit from the start, but because that influencer had a very large audience, decided to continue nurturing the relationship. However, the disconnect between their values continued to surface, and the relationship eventually fizzled. One thing you're most excited about Jodi is launching her new website, with a wide variety of resources for women in leadership. "It's a new evolution of my business," she says. Resources mentioned Podcast: Women Taking the Lead Book: "Spartan Up!: A Take-No-Prisoners Guide to Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Peak Performance in Life." Jodi's motto "Give, give, give, and then ask." More About Jodi Flynn Jodi Flynn is the Founder of Women Taking the Lead, a podcast and community of ambitious entrepreneurial women who want to go BIG. She works with Type-A women who are already successful but have not yet achieved the level of success they want to achieve. Jodi helps her clients to see how extraordinary they are and then set priorities, get organized, in action so they can achieve their biggest goals with ease. She became an Amazon bestselling author with the release of her book, Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to doing. Connect with Jodi at https://womentakingthelead.com