Paris Cutler, How to Optimise Your Growth and Visibility – InnovaBuzz 291
Paris Cutler, Blue Ocean Strategist
In this episode, it’s a privilege to have as my guest, Paris Cutler, a Blue Ocean* Strategist with a mission is to assist entrepreneurs; social media influencers, and corporate executives in creating a fulfilling career that vibrates with success and meaning.
Paris is a five times published Author, Speaker, Media Personality, and the former CEO of Planet Cake, which she transformed from a tiny cake shop in 2003, into a #1 national brand and seven-figure business. Planet Cake was known as ‘the cake maker to the stars’ with celebrity clients such as Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, and Katy Perry. Paris’ cake decorating school became the largest hobbyist school in the southern hemisphere and taught over 6000 students. Paris has had her own TV series, Planet Cake, on The LifeStyle Channel, and her program has also been launched worldwide.
In our discussion, Paris and I talked about:
- Why word of mouth marketing is the best marketing method there is and how you can utilize it well
- Serving by responding to your client’s unmet needs
- Future trends such as the click mortar model
Chris Jankulovski in episode 278 introduced us to Paris.
Listen to the podcast to find out more.
Listen to the Podcast
Selling is a natural consequence. It should not be your goal. Your goal is to turn everybody that comes into your business into an absolute raving fan. @Paris_Cutler on #InnovaBuzz podcast Click To Tweet
Show Notes from this episode with Paris Cutler, Blue Ocean Strategist
Key points and takeaways from this episode include:
- Massive success implosion is what tends to happen when you reach the peak of your mountain but rather than feeling delighted and happy, you feel empty and unhappy.
- Success in itself is not fulfilling. Success and finding true happiness are reliant on meaning. What we are really looking for is meaning.
- Branding and marketing should be focused on a deeper purpose, values, and meaning. People want to know what you care about and why they should invest their time and money on you.
- Connection is stronger when it’s powered by what is meaningful to us.
- Success is meaningful work that you would do even if you don’t get paid for it.
- There’s a lot of tools available for us to innovate. Take advantage of those. Take advantage of the fact that you now have a global audience and people are more willing to collaborate and partner up than they ever have before.
- The way we think about business has changed. Consumer buying behaviours have changed.
- A Blue Ocean Strategist is someone who looks for new markets and particularly those with underserved consumers.
- Streaming enables you to access a larger audience.
- Don’t just focus locally, specialise! Look at the demographics that have not been targeted yet in your industry and specialise. Look at those customers that you may not have even thought of targeting before and think about what their needs are right now.
- Being on lockdown doesn’t mean you have to close your shop. Think about your customers and see if you can pivot your current service or product for your customers as they are now or create a new service.
- Take your product or service in this time of disruption and find a new market. There’s always going to be a new market for you because there’s always going to be a new need out there.
- Everybody is still trying to push ahead with their business plan from months ago and wondering why it won’t stick. If you can get really clear that we are in a different economy with customers with different needs, now is the best time to launch a really successful business or a new service or product line on your existing brand.
- In 5 to 10 years’ time, the majority of shopping will be done online. Retail shops will still exist but they will be smaller and they’ll be set up to create brand experiences. People will want to have a very elevated brand experience with their brand of choice.
- All businesses are global. The days of denying that are over. The conscious consumer is here, and it’s going to be the new norm. If you are just going as a one-dimensional brand, then, prepare for it to be over.
- Business is simple. Having a business is getting someone to come through your front door to buy your product or service. You can take as many avenues to get there, but that is the end goal.
- Word of mouth marketing is the best form of marketing that you can engage in. It’s low cost and effective.
- Customer experience is what makes people talk about your business. Delivering an outstanding customer experience means that every touch point of your business is amazing.
- Reach out to your clients and ask them how they’re doing. That goes a long way.
- Selling is a natural consequence. It should not be your goal. Your goal is to turn everybody that comes into your business into an absolute raving fan.
- Meet your customers where they’re at. Ask them how they are doing and what their needs are. If your intention is to serve and create an incredible experience for your customers, you will meet them where they’re at and you can make money.
- Check-in with your people. Reach out to them more. Consider what their current experience is and make it better. Create a vision for what a perfect customer experience would be and do that.
- Never close a sale. If your brand is on point and has really connected emotionally with people, and if your marketing has helped deliver the most important messages that you want to communicate about who you are, what you believe in, and how you can seriously serve your prospects, you don’t need to close the sale. It’s done.
- Serve first, money later. You’ll never know who’s who.
Customer experience is what makes people talk about your business. Delivering an outstanding customer experience means that every touch point of your business is amazing. @Paris_Cutler on #InnovaBuzz podcast Click To Tweet
The Buzz – Our Innovation Round
Here are Paris’ answers to the questions of our Innovation round. Listen to the interview to get the full scoop.
- #1 thing to be more innovative – Respond to your customer needs operationally or in new market ways.
- Best thing for new ideas – Look for underserved customers in your industry. Look at what other industries are doing. Ask your customers. Do some proper market research.
- Favourite tool for innovation – Study history. Business and market sentiments both come down to human behaviour. If you can start to predict how humans are going to behave, you are going to be one step ahead of everybody else.
- Keep project/client on track – Set the vision strongly that it is irresistible. Consider yourself a leader in your clients’ lives.
- Differentiate – Do YOU and curate that. Work at your personal brand. You are a differentiator. People buy YOU. Not everyone’s going to love you but some people are going to think you are amazing and fantastic.
To Be a Leader
Leadership is setting a vision for other people to follow. It is collaborative. It’s about creating an environment that is safe and where people feel it’s OK to put themselves forward. Leadership is all about rising up and creating a vision for a better future. Be an optimistic realist. You have the opportunity now to go out there and establish yourself as a leader in your industry. That is leadership. It’s pointing that out and rallying the truth behind you.
Reach Out
You can reach out and thank Paris through her website and on LinkedIn.
Suggested Guest
Paris suggested I interview Kitty Parker, Founder and Director of Kitty & Miles Buyers Agency. So Kitty, keep an eye on your inbox for an invitation from us to the InnovaBuzz podcast, courtesy of Paris Cutler.
Links
Cool things about Paris
- She has published five books with Murdoch Books, translated into seven languages, and sold worldwide.
- She’s a committed Vegan and lives her life according to the philosophy of Ahimsa (no harm).
- She studied law and is currently writing her sixth book “Business Wisdom from someone who Baked & Fried.”
Leadership is setting a vision for other people to follow. It is collaborative. It's about creating an environment that is safe and where people feel it's OK to put themselves forward. @Paris_Cutler on #InnovaBuzz podcast Click To Tweet