Develop expert knowledge and solutions for your target market’s universal issues

The first step is getting very clear on what your intentions are by carving out a niche or a particular target market that you want to establish as your clientele.  No one person, particularly early on, can be the solution for everybody or everybody’s problems, so get clear on who and what you really want to go after and then learn everything you can about their needs.  The second part of this equation is to then figure out a solution to your niche’s issues so that you are clear where your value lies for others.

So, to highlight this advice, I can tell you about a past client named Nancy who had started her own business as a Financial Advisor.  She wasn’t sure early on what her target market would be as she wanted to be open to a diverse roster of clientele.  As a result she was never clear in her marketing and advertising efforts what value she was bringing to her clients that was any different from her much larger and more established competitors.  She and I worked on identifying her ideal target market which was 30 something newlyweds.  Next, I made sure that she was focusing her own learning and development around becoming an expert advisor around some of the universal issues that arise for newlyweds as it relates to their financial management.  The next step was having Nancy work on creating products and services that would easily and efficiently meet the needs of these ideal clients.  Within a year, Nancy was enjoying a 60% increase in her revenues as a result of these actions.

When pitching, communicate crisp and evocative messages around Your “WHY”

Thought leader Simon Sinek has written a book entitled, ‘Start with Why’ which  explains that the most salient way to differentiate yourself from your competitors and rise to the top is to communicate your, “What, How and Why” when pitching your business.   Sinek explains that our “What” is merely the title on our business card, so in my case, Leadership Coach and Consultant.  Our “How” explains how we accomplish our overall work intention. So in my case again, my “How” is that I listen and respond dynamically to my clients based on my experience as a psychotherapist, a corporate sales management trainer and now as an entrepreneur.  But most important, Sinek explains, is to crisply and evocatively express your “Why” when pitching yourself or your business. One’s ‘Why’ is our highest intention driving the work that we do and explains to others our core motivation.  So for example, my why is to alleviate pain by igniting and emboldening women to become more inspired, effective business leaders.

Once you are clear on “Your What, your How and Your Why”, begin your conversations with these messages rather than a contrived and uncomfortable sales pitch. I guarantee that as a result you will spark intrigue in the right parties and the business will follow.

Ask & Close for Their Business/Commitment based on their social style.

Throughout your interactions with a potential client, be sure to ask the right questions that will shed light on their decision making process, their value system as well as their social style. The 4 universal social styles are analytical, driver, amiable and expressive.  Be sure to adapt your approach and focus with each person based on their social style.  So for example, if you are dealing with someone who is ‘analytical’, you want to be sure to have data proving your ROI or contextual information that you can present to them so that they can make their own informed decision as to whether or not they want to work with you or not.  If they are a ‘driver’, then focus your pitch on how you will help them achieve their goals in the most efficient manner and be forthright with asking them for their business.  However, if they are ‘amiable’ , you want to be purely relationship focused and let the business follow from there. With ‘expressives’, sit back and let them  talk and be sure to listen to what they are telling you they need and use more of a soft close with both the’ amiables’ and the ‘expressives’.

Deliver 110% on your commitment and follow-up with evaluation

It should go without saying, but your success rate in persuading others will only be as good as the work that you are producing elsewhere.  Particularly when you are embarking on a new niche or a new target market, I urge you to deliver 110% on the small windows of opportunity that you are given and to follow-up with an evaluation process so that you can perfect your work.  This is even more critical if you live in a small city like Portland where there seems to always be six degrees of separation amongst your colleagues.

Leverage all your early wins to build your expert status

Throughout this process that I am describing, you are developing your expert status that will over time build your credibility and authority and in turn lead to a very high rate of persuasion. However, keep in mind that this journey takes time in order to build your reputation properly.  That being said, you want to be sure to start slow and small and begin to take on larger projects and/or complexity of clientele’s issues gradually. With each win, meaning successful work relationships, figure out a way to share that success with your larger community and network as well as potential new clients.  Some examples of this would be to write an article or a blog about your success with your client (not disclosing their identity unless you received permission from them of course), sharing your lessons learned on social media or seeking out opportunities to speak publicly or on a panel to your target market.

Today is the day I have decided to share with you all the grand plans I have for myself professionally for two glaring reasons. First, I think it will be helpful for those of you who have similar ambitions and are curious as to the process and methods by which I am going about reaching this overarching, awesome and universal goal.  And, secondly, because I need your support, humor and overall feedback on how I am doing and what you think I should do differently, etc. If it takes me 30 years to reach this goal, so be it, but in the mean time, let’s begin….

Drum roll please, I feel deep in the core of who I am that I will eventually end up with my own television show.  Yes, that’s right, and I am talking, move to Los Angeles, syndicated, cable type of show.  This is just something that seems like a logical evolution for myself given my drive, the messages I want to share with the world and frankly the type of lifetime goal that I feel up to taking on.  Now, when I share this LOFTY goal, people either go silent or smile, rather glibly, I might add. I can see their mind working, they are thinking to themselves, “Oh, good Lord, listen to the ego on this one??” or the ones I choose to embrace as friends are those who say things like, “I’d watch ya” or “You rock on with your bad self Katie”, or my FAVORITE is my own father, whose best response to all of this is, “Katie, you have never been short on dreams”.

I figure, the best I can do is shooting to make this dream a reality and in the short-term have fun and continue to expand my business and who knows where I”ll actually land. However, for those of you who are curious as to how one goes from where I currently stand in the world, both professionally and personally, to joining the ranks of Ellen DeGeneres, Rachael Ray, Anderson Cooper of the Goddess of all that is, Oprah, this is what I am beginning to work on based on the amazing professionals I have consulted with in the last few days:

1) Developing my online presence by branding myself as a media personality via my personal Facebook Page and Twitter account and dedicating my Legacy Builder Coaching website, FB Page and Twitter Account to just my corporate work. Basically, beginning to distinguish myself between these two identities. (Thanks to Maggie Palmer of MKP Creative & Jill Daniel of Pasta Queen Public Relations for that advice)

2) Begin to blog on a weekly basis (here I am!)

3) Hire a Writing Coach (@BrookeWarner in San Francisco) to hold me accountable to completing an e-book by years end to begin to establish my platform.

Okay, that’s it for now….let me know what you think this sounds, etc. I need your help!

Here’s what I walked away thinking more deeply about:

1)      People hate to be sold to, but they love to buy ….a compelling story about your particular service or product. What’s compelling about your offerings? The more compelling you are to be bought; the easier it is to sell.

2)      To be compelling means that people believe that you are trusting. Thus, the key is establishing authority in their minds. Find something that is compelling that you can become an authority on.

3)      The key to thinking strategically about your business, is to begin the start of each day with no agenda other than thinking through what you have learned to date and applying those lessons to creating your next iteration.

4)      An iteration is a plan for an intended outcome, whether that means getting the buy in from your executive team or moving product off a shelf.  Your goal should be to identify the key variables that determine your sales effectiveness and continually experiment with refining an iteration that can be measured and result in you reaching your sales goals.

5)      The key is to ditch the experimented iteration as soon as you have given it sufficient time to be tested and find that the results are not sufficient and move on to your next more disciplined and evolved iteration.

6)      If I were to ask you what 1 thing you could do each day that makes the largest impact in your business, what would it be? If you don’t know, send me an email at katie@legacybuildercoaching.com and we will arrange a complimentary consultation to uncover your one thing.

7)      Are people running to you or from you in your business? If they are running, you should focus on your presence because you can create who you want to be in a minute by simply deciding who you want to be, creating that presence, committing to it and practicing it.

8)      In order to create momentum for your strategic focus, keep in mind this simple and universal formula.  Build 5 positives, i.e. things that are happening today that are contributing to your forward momentum, with 1 critique, i.e. a driving variable that could shift your progress ahead.

9)      Rather than being your business’s ‘Chief Doing Officer’, work on becoming your own ‘Chief Thinking Officer’

10)   Don’t focus on CHANGING, think about CREATING a new way of achieving your intended outcomes. It’s so much easier that way!

Thank you Doug Mendenhall of Get Spark! and Cindy Tortorici of The Link’s ‘A Seat At The Table’ Executive Development Program.

1) Apply the ‘Inverted Pyramid’ structure that is used by journalists: pick the main fact, arrange others in descending order of importance, when done, simply stop writing.

2) Invest the majority of your time in designing your headline and your first two sentences. Focus on how you can consolidate your message and how you can incorporate critical keywords for your target audience into these sentences.

3) Develop your content around your own personal brand and by showing how you can help others. Work to resonate with your blog reading audience by including anecdotes and personal stories. Also make sure your biography allows you audience to truly get to know you.

4) In order to create an intriguing headline, use one of these three styles: ‘list’ (3 ways to loose weight quickly), ‘ask an open question’ (Do you want to loose weight quickly?) or ‘excite’ (Get thin thighs fast!)

5) Consider why you are writing and what your goal is for doing so. Then decide how frequently you will commit to writing. Consistency is key. Also, consider how people will find out about your blog, what communities you are trying to tap into and how you plan to convert your readers to a sale.

6) Give some forethought into what your blog posts are promising. Every post needs a purpose. Make sure you are stating that purpose in your headline and your first two sentences (redundant point her for good reason!)

7) Be sure to use simple language, to simplify complex ideas and emphasize communication.

8) To add extra zest, write in the present tense, use action verbs rather than a passive voice.

“Inspire curiosity or promise a result and you WILL attract followers!”  Thank you Susan–you are a true gem!

Any other tips from my fellow bloggers out there? What did we miss here? Do tell!

The truth is is that we all must heed our own intuition about what is best for ourselves but at the same time be sure to keep our ears and minds open to the contrasting guidance from our wise mentors.  It was my opinion, that by maintaining my general business title and mission I would get a vast amount of exposure and experience in supporting a myriad of clients and scenarios.  Oh and did I get, see, hear and do it all! Of course, holding a Director role for the largest group of female entrepreneurs in the world certainly funneled a larger than average amount of aspiring female entrepreneurs my way, but who knew how vast even that particular population could be?   The down side to all of this tremendous diversity is that I was not able to devote the attention to truly honing a specialty because I was constantly getting up to speed on the needs of my tremendously undifferentiated clientele.   Also, colleagues never have a clear sense of the type of clients you work best with and so there are many lost opportunities in getting the ‘right’ type of client referred your way.  Finally, you end up not feeling very satisfied with the work that you are providing because everything is so watered down and does not come from a place of grounded expertise.

Since stepping away from that Director role, I have quickly reached a sweet place of crystal clear clarity ( of course with the help of my treasured mentor Cindy Tortorici) and am finally ready to come out of the ‘Generalist’ closet and pronounce myself as a specialist with a true niche: (Cue the flying doves and the bells tinkering).

“Katie C. Kelley is a Leadership Coach with Legacy Builder Coaching, LLC.  Katie specializes in igniting and emboldening women in business to become more effective and inspired leaders.  Influenced by her experience in psychotherapy and business, Katie’s approach combines an innate understanding of her clients’ needs with fresh perspective on risk-taking.”

Since settling into this stated specialty, I have to admit nothing has ever felt more right for me professionally, which now spans over 16 years.  Now I am clear and the rest of the world will soon be clear on what I do best and will understand more succinctly which clients to send to me and how I will help them attain their goals.  The truth is is that this niche is merely a recognition of the work that I do when I am at my best and that which brings me the most joy and success.  And I hope my clients would agree!

Forget the Snuggie: Give the Gift of Sound Business Advice

What to get for your favorite entrepreneur, small business owner or non-profit exec? Are you a coach or consultant with entrepreneurial clients who need a stocking stuffer? Get them some sound and sassy business advice and inspiration with Branding Basics for Small Business: How to Create an Irresistible Brand on Any Budget (2010, Norlights Press) by branding expert Maria Ross, founder of Red Slice in Seattle. With clients as vast and varied as Microsoft, CRAVE and many solopreneurs, she offers practical fundamentals and a foolproof process for developing a strong brand on a budget. Help your clients work smarter, not harder, to attract rabid fans and grow revenues with the book that Midwest Book Review called “..a wise and recommended read, not to be missed by any small business.” And see for yourself why MarketingSherpa’s Adam Sutton claimed, “Complete with real examples from top companies, this book is a roadmap leading small businesses and entrepreneurs in the right direction.”

If you’re buying multiple copies as gifts, please call the publisher, Norlights Press, directly at 1-888 558-4354, Ext 1 to get special pricing deals and free shipping!

What do I mean by this?  Well, as young people we all develop certain coping techniques and beliefs that enabled us to navigate our early relationship patterns.  It is that Darwinian response that allows us all to survive what for some may not have exactly been a “Leave it To Beaver” type reality, and adapt in a way that is not always totally reliant on adequate and positive responses from our caretakers.  As we evolve, and are fortunate enough to find lovers, friends, and a community where we have healthy and balanced relationships–sometimes our former coping mechanisms and negative core beliefs we interpreted about ourselves from our early world, can get in the way.

Now, the challenge as adults is to:

1) IDENTIFY your negative core beliefs and maladaptive coping mechanisms

2) PROCESS how and why they played a functional role for you as a young person

3) UNCOVER what the cost is to you as an adult when you continue to hold on to them

4) LEARN to let them go and to live your life with less conditions, more freedom and greater possibilities!

So–what’s holding you back today?

This is my second interview in my ‘Profiles of Inspiration” interview series. This fabulous interview is with Maria Ross, Chief Marketing Diva of Red Slice based in Seattle.  Maria’s first book, Branding Basics for Small Business, was released today! NOW FOR SALE at www.brandingbasics.info.

1) What is your ultimate vision for Red Slice and do you consider this vision part of your ultimate legacy?

 I didn’t start Red Slice intending to build a big global branding agency or anything. I just wanted to do work I like with people I like who are passionate, friendly, smart and respectful. I was jaded by some past experiences in high tech marketing where executives were making the wrong decisions, not thinking about the long term, and who were just plain disrespectful or arrogant about people’s time and efforts. I was sick of it, so I decided to be my own boss and only work with people I selected. In this way, I can constantly build my legacy of going the extra mile, delivering quality work, and helping others build a strong company and offer value. When you come from that place of mutual respect and passion, you can climb mountains for people and know the effort will be appreciated and rewarded. I also wanted to help “clean up the marketing and brand pollution” that is out there, and help people realize that they need to be smarter about their branding. Now I’m on a mission to make entrepreneurs realize that a brand is more than a logo – and I think I’m really succeeding in that mission. My official mission is to help companies “engage, inform and delight” their customers and that is my personal missions as well.

2) What are the core values of Red Slice and do those values correlate with you personally?

Red Slice is me and I am Red Slice, so everything from my Guiding Principles to my Mission are my personal ones as well. My mission is to Engage, Inform and Delight. Whether I help a business do this for their customers – or I personally do this when speaking, teaching, writing, or even acting (another passion of mine), it’s about making a connection and evoking an emotion. If more companies did business from this brand perspective, you might have more Apple’s and Nike’s in the world. In addition my Guiding Principles are: Work Hard, Play Hard; Do what you say you will do; Treat everyone with respect and honesty; The devil is in the details; Be prepared; With blessings come responsibility. Especially with that last one, I try to use my good fortune to benefit causes I care about, like animal welfare, child welfare, and getting medical help to war-torn countries. If I can use entrepreneurial success to support the causes close to my heart, then that is an amazing gift.

3) How much thought/planning/designing went into differentiating Red Slice from your competitors?

Quite a bit. I could have gone the route of calling myself “Maria Ross Consulting” but coming from an ad agency background, that just seemed so boring to me. I wanted to create a business that was memorable, fresh, fun and innovative. If I’m going to help companies stand out, then I need to walk my talk, right?! Everyone and their mother seems to be a consultant these days so I wanted to find a way to package up my unique skills and experiences in a way many people were not. I also tout specific differentiators all the time, like the fact that I’ve worked on both the client and agency sides and have worked on both B2B and B2C brands – which gives me a more holistic perspective. Finally, I do not shy away from talking about my writing and acting passions: that creative edge is another differentiator for me. How many people are creative Type A personalities?! Many people told me not to do this, but I figured that again, I could attract the people I wanted to work with if I represented myself authentically. It’s a nice Litmus test!

4) Congratulations on the recent publication of your book, Branding Basics!  What was the best part about the experience thus far?

Thanks! I’m so excited to package up all my advice and unique experiences to help people build their own strong brands and looks at branding in a more fundamental way. This was actually an unexpected opportunity but when it knocks, you really just have to answer. And I’m so proud of myself for taking advantage of the unexpected turn and publishing this book, which has been a dream since I started writing stories at 6 years old. It also feels good to pass on all these examples, good and bad, from my own work experiences and use them for the benefit of others. I really believe small business owners have such a unique opportunity to build a strong brand but they just go about it the wrong way. They think it stops at the visual design, or they cut corners, or they don’t think bigger about how every single, solitary interaction with a customer is a chance to seal your brand onto their hearts. Amazing things happen when you build a business based on passion and value – the profits soon follow when it’s done right. The book can be ordered at www.brandingbasics.com and is also available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble.com , Borders.com and even in Kindle format!

5) What are you most proud of as it relates to your work at Red Slice?

Helping businesses “clean up” their messages or visual branding to properly tell the story they had in mind all along. That “A Ha!” moment is always a thrill for me. I work with fabulous designers and writers who can bring a vision to life: they just needed me to translate the vision in a way that could be understood. I love when clients say, “Yes! That’s exactly what I wanted to communicate!” or when they see how they have not been doing themselves any favors with selfish messaging: talking about what THEY do, rather than what CUSTOMERS want to hear. And I love the gems that form when we’re brainstorming. Business owners have the power to create their brand – they just don’t always know how to approach it or where to start. I feel like a guide in that respect and I love it.

6) How are you reaching your target market? 

Amazingly, all of my clients have been referrals, but I started heavily using my blog and social media to influence people. I’m a writer by nature, so the blog was a great way for me to reach my audience and deliver value. I also had to build my business from scratch, as I had just moved to Seattle and was only here 3 months before hanging my shingle. So I had to try a lot of networking groups (some fit, some didn’t), connect online, leverage Linked In, etc. My business is a referral business, so I don’t believe blind mailers will net me new clients – but that’s a brand choice I have made. I also have some dream companies in mind I’d like to work with that are in my radar – when I have time to pursue them!

With referrals, initially, I was getting a lot of “Can we have coffee so I can pick your brain?” I did this a lot at first and realized I was giving away something for nothing. My product is my brain! It’s my experiences and advice and I learned early on you can’t just always give that away. So going back to the “pick the clients I want to work with” if someone can commit to a paid initial meeting, then a) I know they are serious and have budget (if they don’t have budget, you can’t waste your precious time!) and b) I could feel good about putting a little extra research and work into that meeting so it really was valuable for them. Often, these initial meetings do convert to sales because you are putting your best foot forward and they see the value of why they need you.

To be honest, this still morphs and grows for me. I tested different things at first. I initially meant to pursue companies like the ones I’d worked for, but then got into the vibrant entrepreneurial small business community. Now I’ve righted the ship a bit, so to speak and balance the two.  Small businesses are so much fun, but they can’t always spend in a way where you can be super successful for them.

7) What do you most dislike about being a business owner and how do you deal with that aspect of business?

I’m an extrovert, so being alone is awful: no one to bounce ideas, catch you if you fall, stay up to date on Quick Books! So I network a lot and meet people out for coffee. My partners that I work with are amazing and I love to brainstorm with them. I’d say the hardest part is dealing with taxes and the books – I’m not a numbers person and the tax laws are so damn confusing, it kills me. I spend so much time trying to make sure I’m not breaking any rules!

8) What do you most enjoy about being a business owner and how much time do you get to spend doing that part of your job?

Flexibility and freedom! Being able to go get a coffee in the middle of the day, or hang out with my dog or set my own schedule. It’s hard because you have to, well, “set your own schedule” and its easy to get distracted (especially with Social Media!) but I am someone who needs a bit of structure so I make it for myself. I set days of the week for client time when I can, hours for networking, try to only go to 1 or 2 events a week, etc. I need to make time to remember I’m working for myself for a reason and not let my own business consume too much of me. I set strict boundaries on weekend time (don’t log in if I can avoid it or unless there is a deadline) and try to leave my home office for the night when my husband comes home. If you don’t set those boundaries, you will lose yourself in all the freedom!

9) Where do you find inspiration as a business owner?

Everywhere! From individual entrepreneurs who come to speak at networking events, to those I am just lucky enough to meet in at such groups. I get inspired by reading stories in the press of people who are following their passion and turning it into profit. I get inspiration from the big companies who do branding “the right way” and I know my efforts are not in vain. I have also tapped into some great women locally who are super sounding boards, who do really cool things, and who are blazing trails and making things happen. I get inspired by activity, progress and creativity – as well as by those who are Zen about their career, take time to breathe and enjoy life’s simple pleasures. It can be easy for small business owners to get caught up in a competitive Rat Race of their own if they are not too careful – I had to step away from some people and groups because of that. So surround yourself with people that are doing things the way you want to be doing them – not just those who are selling out, selling their soul, or working themselves to death to be successful!

Freelancers /”Solo-preneurs”/Consultants are all up against an overall cutting back of spending and a trend of ‘doing it yourself’ rather than employing ‘us’ to support their businesses.

Grass roots manufacturers & designers are up against China and the scale of major chains and franchises’ band widths.

However, with the explosion of online social and professional communities providing free and limitless growth opportunities for our businesses, the need to succinctly and enticingly communicate who we are, what we offer and how we deliver our product has never been more important. This ultimate goal of branding ourselves as our core business offering is differentiation and specialization.

To stay ahead of these trends, you need to clearly and consistently communicate to your ideal target audience your very own why, who, what, how and where. Here’s what I mean:

Why?

What is your ultimate vision & mission for your business?

What do you intend your LEGACY to be?

Who?

Why are you the best person to do what you do?

What are your core values as they relate to your business identity?

What unique story is YOUR business telling?

What?

What are you doing to ensure that your business model is aligned to attain your vision?  Have you positioned yourself appropriately for growth?

*It is critical to design multiple streams of revenue so that you can work on optimizing various audiences at different times for different reasons and simultaneously cross-pollinate clients to additional products and services within your business model.

How?

How are you delivering your core value proposition, your unique business story and your product/service to your ideal target market?

Where?

Are you part of not only networking organizations but also national and international forums, organizations, conferences, social media, etc. where you are staying on top of the global, national and local trends of your specific industry? You goal is to develop expert status within your industry amongst these communities.

Are you clearly and consistently communicating the right message throughout everything you do?  Where/how do your clients spend their time (at work, home, leisure)—and how can you infiltrate/share your business offerings with them at various times throughout the day?

Are you developing strategic partnerships and gaining increased visibility as well as giving back to your own community through sponsorship of events/philanthropy?

1. PREPARE-Before you talk to a reporter, know your story. Focus your broad knowledge of your subject into three key messages that tell a complete story. Think about what you would like the headline to be, and what you want the reporter – and your audience – to remember. Often, the messages state a problem/situation, followed by a solution/next step, and finally offer the credibility of your organization to provide that solution or input.

2. THINK NEWS- Messages should offer some information that is new, that goes beyond what others have said, or that identifies a new issue or trend. Don’t sensationalize, but think about what can make your story more interesting, more compelling.

3. SUPPORT YOUR STORY WITH SPECIFICS-Facts/figures-don’t worry about citing particularly daunting numbers, rather just provide some context with numbers that will allow the audience to better appreciate the scope of your work, examples, anecdotes, quotable language-in other words vivid words and well-turned phrases that are catchy but not too clever and will help to crystallize your story.

4. CONSIDER THE AUDIENCE-Whom are you trying to reach? Consumers, potential business customers, decision-makers? Make sure your messages and your supporting information are tailored to your audience. Avoid jargon – use language they will understand. When possible, put a face on it, meaning, give an example of a person or situation that your audience can relate to and appreciate.

5. DEVELOP-Develop a list of questions that are likely to be asked. Be prepared for obvious negative questions, but also be ready to answer the supposedly “easy” ones, such as “Tell me about this study / your company / your perspective on this issue.” Keep up with the news in the days before your interview and be ready to deal with related events or developments.

6. DELIVER-Once the interview begins-take control. Don’t wait for the reporter to guide you through your story. Begin at the beginning, deliver your messages early and often, explain, re-contextualize, repeat yourself as necessary. If you are reacting to news, hold your ground. If you are promoting a story, don’t make the reporter “pull teeth” to get it.

7. USE FLAGS-Phrases such as “What’s most important…” “The key thing is…” “There are three critical factors…” signal to the reporter and the audience that you’re about to say something vital.

8. BUILD BRIDGES-Don’t just answer the question. Find the ways to go beyond the answer to your message. Be more expansive, offer additional information, return to an earlier point. Make sure you spend more time on your story than on other, less important, topics.

9. TURN NEGATIVES INTO POSITIVES-Don’t be defensive and don’t over-explain your response to the negative. Instead, deal with the negative – without repeating any negative language – and then bridge to a message. Remember to end on a positive.