Reality Check With Craig Price

Sarah Beth Aubrey (@prosperitysba on twitter) calls in to discuss grants with host Craig Price. What are grants? Craig doesn't know either but he still thinks they might be too good to be true. Free money for doing some paperwork? Not quite. Sarah Beth lays it out from the ground up talking about what grants are, how they work and what kind of time and effort goes into the various types. She also talks about some of the restrictions that might be in place on certain grants, where to find them (hint: Start with http://grants.gov) who offers them and why they're available. If you are interested in taking your business to the next level and need some funding to do so, don't miss this episode. Sarah Beth Aubrey can be found at http://prosperityconsultingsba.com. The concept of grant writing daunts many professionals, but her 5-Step Prosperity Process makes achieving grants very doable for businesses and organizations of all sizes.   

Jill Butler, owner of the Monster PBJ food truck(@MonsterPBJ on Twitter) invites host Craig Price into her offices to talk about food trucks. Opening a restaurant can be harrowing enough, but opening a restaurant on wheels is a whole different story. How do you find customers when you are not at the same physical address everyday? What happens when your restaurant has a flat tire? How do you find the places to park? Jill and Craig cover lots of ground on how she has turned her humble food truck into a success. They also talk peanut butter and jelly! This is not your mother's PB&J...unless your mother is a gourmet chef who makes all her own ingredients! Even if you are allergic to nuts, you can listen about them from the safety of your own...computer? phone? latpop? However you listen, the end result will be a great podcast and possible a quick run to the store to satisfy your own peanut butter and jelly cravings! Monster PBJ can be found at http://www.monsterpbj.com. You can find out where the food truck will

Christina Hamlett joins host Craig Price to discuss professional ghostwriting. Christina has written over 30 books, 152 stage plays, 5 optioned featured films, hundreds of articles and interviews in her own name but she is also an accomplished ghostwriter. But you might not know that since ghostwriters live behind the scenes, forgoing credit in order to serve their clients. Christina and Craig talk about when you should seek out a ghostwriter, what to expect when you write a book with another person and how to let go of control of your own story to better serve the writing. She also talks about why you should even write a book and relays stories of petty revenge, delusions of grandeur as well as what makes a good potential client as well as the benefits ghostwriters offer to busy or people with an undeveloped skill for the written word (that's polite speak for "You suck at writing so don't do it!!"). They also talk about what a ghostwriter does and doesn't do (it's kind of an important distinction), as well a

David Newman (@DNewman on Twitter) returns to talk with host Craig Price about his new book DO IT Marketing. It only took 87 episodes, but David returns with his new book Do It! Marketing: 77 Instant-Action Ideas to Boost Sales, Maximize Profits, and Crush Your Competition. The two talk about why following up can be a huge time drain, how to train our friend and colleagues to give us referrals (there's even a format!) and why we need to stop using marketing techniques that don't even work on ourselves! Do It! Marketing is a quick read with the underlying premise is that “only action creates results.” Packed with do-this-now ideas to attract, engage, and win more customers and clients, this book reveals how to: Avoid "blah, blah, blah" marketing Use magnetic marketing strategies that pull—not push—qualified decision-makers into your world Get noticed Position yourself as an expert Become the obvious choice in your market Do social media right Learn to speak prospect language about prospect problems Get a stea

Alan Cerny (@NordlingAICN on twitter) makes his annual pilgrimage to give his 2013 summer movie preview with host Craig Price. The two cover lots of ground as they talk about Warner Brothers inability or outright refusal to follow the Marvel Studios blueprint for comic book movies, the lack of the word "zombies" in the marketing of World War Z, Craig's arch-nemesis Hugh Jackman and how excited Alan is to see Pacific Rim. Movies covered include (reviews will be added as the films are released!): This Is The EndMan of SteelWorld War ZMonster UniversityWhite House DownThe HeatDespicable Me 2The Lone RangerPacific RimR.I.P.DThe WolverineElysiumKick-Ass 2The Worlds End Be sure to catch all of Alan's reviews (not previews but actual thoughtful reviews!!) at http://aintitcoolnews.com  

Crystal Washington (@Cryswashington on twitter) joins host Craig Price to talk about her new book "The Social Media Why". Listeners of the podcast are quite familiar with Crystal Washington and her expertise in social media (check out episode 48!) and now she's written a book  for businesses owners, executives and other professionals, who may be intimidated by or uneducated about the reason the use of social media is imperative to business and career success. Craig asks about social media strategies, dealing with online comments (especially the negative ones) and why, when dealing with "followers", it's quality vs. quantity. More importantly, Crystal will be having a book signing this Sunday, June 9th, 2013 from 3:00-5:00 PM at The Microsoft Store (Galleria), 5015 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77056. You can pre-order via her website http://crystalwashington.com/socialmediawhy/ and when you pick it up at the Microsoft Store, she will sign it for you! Easy Peasy! You can learn more about Crystal at her website h

Marnie Green (@MarnieGreen) talks to host Craig Price on how to have painless performance conversations with employees. We all know that having to address employee issues can be a bummer. It can be often awkward, sometimes heated, and usually painful in some way. Marnie sought answers to this problem with her latest book "Painless Performance Conversations: A Practical Approach to Critical Day-to-Day Workplace Discussions". The two discuss finding opportunities to reinforce your expectations and message, dealing with the smelly guy 3 cubicles over and what to do when an employee get defensive over potential problems. Employee performance conversations don't have to be painful nor confrontational. Don't believe me, check out the book! Painless Performance Conversations will help you to lead conversations with confidence and create a culture of workplace accountability. Marnie Green can be found at http://www.managementeducationgroup.com and you can learn more about her book athttp://www.painlessperformanceconv

Mark Rodgers (@Mark_Speaks on Twitter) checks in with host Craig Price to talk about persuasion. Persuasion can be a mysterious thing, some people come by it naturally, others work hard at it yet never gain influence over anything. But like any skill, it can be learned, honed and maximized effectively...if you put in the time. Mark show Craig how credibility, language and process can combine to become persuasion. And all in an ethically oriented manner. (It's true!!)  Mark and Craig will be presenting at the PMI Madison Professional Development Day on May 16th, 2013. Craig will be giving a 2 hour interactive session on negativity, Mark will be presenting the lunch keynote "Persuasion Matters" as well as an additional session in the afternoon. Past guests Michael Redmond and Gina Abudi will be presenting as well. It's a content packed day awaiting Madisonites (or are they Madisonians?) project managers! Online registration is closed but walk-ins welcome. Bring a colleague for walk in registration and you each

Mike Domitrz (@DateSafeProject on twitter) of the Date Safe Project joins host Craig Price to discuss Teen Dating. No dating advice here, not for the teens anyway. Mike and Craig try and help parents talk to their kids about sex, porn, dating and intimacy. You read that right, Craig is talking about all those things, which is why podcasts are great for covering up blushing hosts. Times have changes since Craig was a teen (back in the 80's) and parents need more help than ever. With the Date Safe project, Mike is taking his message of respect, consent and boundaries to teens across the world. But we all know proper attitudes start at home and with the parents.  Mike offers helpful tips for getting kids to talk to them about sex, mistakes parents make when giving "the talk" and clearing up some common misconceptions. If you have tweens or teens, this is a must listen for you. The Date Safe Project, Inc. - hhttp://www.thedatesafeproject.org - provides parents, educators, educational institutions, students, milit

Ben Neiburger (@GenerationLaw on twitter) talks with host Craig Price about estate planning. No one likes to talk about dying or the death of a loved one, but as America ages, it is becoming more important each day to make sure your affairs are in order. Ben and Craig talk elderly parents, what happens to assets when only one spouse has their name on it, how to prepare for the future and when. They also talk about not only making sure you know what to do with your finances but also what to do if you are incapacitated. It can all be gone in an instant and leaving the burden of navigating the legal system while grieving can be overwhelming. It's never too soon to think about the future, the what ifs and making sure your loved ones are taken care of if the worst happens. Ben Neiburger not only is an expert on Estate Planning, his practice at http://www.GenerationLaw.com covers all aspects of elderly care, will and trust administration as well as estate and guardianship litigation.

Roger Courville (@RogerCourville on Twitter) connects with host Craig Price to discuss Virtual Presentations. With the rise of the internet (sounds like a cheesy action movie!) social media and mobile technology, more and more presentations are coming off the stage and being created online. Roger and Craig talk about some of the growing pains of webinars and it's ilk, how to get audiences attention when they're not in the room and how to create more interaction via these programs. Roger answers some loaded questions submitted by loyal listeners and tries to show that even though some virtual presentations may be painful to experience now, don't blame the tools, blame the presenters. He also offers some tools for presenters who offer online presentations as well as insights on which are more effective than others. Roger can be found at http://www.thevirtualpresenter.com 

Michael Krause (@SalesSense on Twitter) talks to host Craig Price about sales prospecting. It's no secret that to make sales you need to find people who will buy from you. But who do you contact? How often? When does it cross the line from persistence to the awkward unwanted advances of a stalker? Michael has made it easy with his book "Smart Prospecting That Works Every Time!: Win More Clients with Fewer Cold Calls". Michael set out a process with Craig on "touch" frequency since prospecting isn't just calling on the phone, but could be direct mail, email, passenger pigeon (if you have the budget)...pretty much any way you can get your service or product in front of potential buyers. And while sales prospecting can be a numbers game, Michael really gets to the heart of the issue when he talks about following up, something most people don't do or do poorly. They also talk about how too many sales prospectors ruin the experience for your potential buyers and what you need to build trust. If you're a new or eve

Ed Opperman with Opperman Investigations, joins host Craig Price to discuss digital forensics. Digital forensics is the recovery and investigation of information found in digital devices and Ed's company does just that. The world is full of sneaky people and not all of them are out doing the right things. Be it infidelity, cyber stalking or even email hacking, it often takes professionals like Ed to gather the digital evidence hidden away in smartphones, emails accounts and hard drives. Craig and Ed discuss how much information can be recovered from erased phones, how even people like the CIA Director David Petraeus can get caught, how Al-Qaeda communicates on free email accounts and even how crazy ex-girlfriends (or boyfriends) often hack into computers not to find evidence but to plant evidence! Yes, relationships can lead to some crazy, impulsive and possible illegal actions. Thankfully, Craig doesn't have to worry about that with his wonderful and caring wife (she is listening, right?)  Ed has also invent

Quinn Barrett (@QuinnBarrett or twitter) opens host Craig Price's eyes to the world of digital publishing.  Quinn is the host of the All Thing Digital Media podcast and co-founder of Wise Bear Books, a digital media project management company specializing in getting independent authors and content creators out into the marketplace. She and Craig cover a lot of ground including the technical aspects of eBooks, formatting, why Craig's book "Half a Glass: The Realist's Guide" and all its footnotes are stopping it from being digital and even some marketing goals like "What is your book for? Profit or exposure?". Quinn also talks about the growing advancements in digital books becoming more interactive with video and links. And that's just the tip of the iceberg!

Patrick Allmond (@PatrickAllmond on twitter) checks in to set host Craig Price straight about Internet marketing. Internet marketing is more than just social media. Sure that's a big part of it, but as Patrick explains it's also email lists, web pages, pay-per-click ads and more. Patrick focuses on using analytics, utilizing squeeze pages (or landing pages is if you prefer) to get conversions versus just plain old web traffic and how to utilize keywords for both search engine optimization and YouTube videos. As per usual, Craig is marketing adverse, especially when it comes to the internet and social media, thankfully Patrick brings a real grounded approach toward internet marketing, readily admitting there are some suspicious people (Craig calls them weasels) out there calling themselves experts. Patrick offers practical advice to all people regardless of how familiar you are with marketing, webdesign or the internet in general.While Patrick and Craig cover lots of ground in this podcast, it really is just t

Eliz Greene (@ElizGreene on Twitter) returns to talk about her new venture as a Speaker Tactician. She offers insights, speaker strategy, and if necessary professional nagging! Eliz  and host Craig Price talk about the need for master mind groups, how to put a master mind group together (hint: Eliz can help!), what makes a good speaker website (pretty is okay but it better get you WORK!) and the most important need of all personal accountability. Eliz Greene will keep you on course, on schedule, and consistent with the speaker you are on the platform.  She delves deep into your business to provide insight on what you may miss because you are so busy working your business.  More than a speaker coach with a cookie cutter plan for you to follow, Eliz provides individualized insight and attention as well as crafting facilitated mastermind groups to propel your success. She's so good at speaker strategy and branding that I had to tell people: “Eliz Greene was of immeasurable value while creating my book “Half a Gl

Bill Patti brings his polished show-bizy vocals to the podcast to talk to Host Craig Price about using your voice to fit your lifestyle needs. Bill uses his award winning radio and TV experience to talk about breathing (Craig’s been doing it the wrong way!) controlling your voice so you can control a listener (like hypnosis only completely and utterly different), glottal fry (not to be confused with the Eagles Glenn Fry) and the vocal differences between accents and generations. If only there was a way to convey all this information to you (SPOILER - it's your mouth!) Improving your voice can improve your self-esteem, how people perceive you and how successful you will become. Bill Patti coaches people from all walks of life. You can learn about him, his services and purchase his 2 CD set called "Presenting Your New Voice-Voice/Speech Communication Skills For The 21st Century" that features 100 minutes of exercises at  his website http://www.Yourvoiceprofessor.com

Steve Rizzo (@RealSteveRizzo on twitter) visits the podcast to talk about his new book “Get Your Shift Together”. Host Craig Price and Steve talk about their experiences doing stand-up, the fear of success and when people put their happiness on hold. A National Speakers Association Hall of Fame speaker, Steve also talks about his time with Rodney Dangerfield, how accomplishment doesn’t equal happiness and why we need to keep a positive attitude if we want to shift toward success. You can learn more about Steve’s book “Get Your SHIFT Together: How to Think, Laugh, and Enjoy Your Way to Success in Business and in Life” at Steve’s website http://www.SteveRizzo.com 

Author Jan Carpman (@JanCarpman on twitter) finds her way to the podcast to help define 'wayfinding" or in English: The ability to find ones way. Navigation can be tough enough when you're trying to find an office building in a large downtown area but it can get real dicey when the GPS is telling you to take a long drive off a short pier (literally!!). With Jan's new book (co-authored with Myron Grant) "Directional Sense: How to Find Your Way Around"  she helps people of all ages and all skill levels.  Host Craig Price and Jan talk "Nature vs. Nurture", do men ever ask for directions and how does navigational tools like GPS affect older people. So grab your sextants and compasses, find a nice quiet spot to sit and listen (Google maps can help!) and learn how navigation (or wayfinding) can be a developed skill. More information about Jan's book can be found at http://www.directionalsense.com

A new season of Reality Check with Craig Price returns with Ain't it Cool News Alan Cerny (@NordlingAICN on twitter) to talk about their 2013 Oscar predictions. They cover the 2013 Oscar nominees for Best Actor/Actress, Best Supporting Actor/Actress, Best Director and Best Picture, giving their picks for who will win and who should win (they're not always the same thing!) Check back on the 24th to see how Craig and Alan's 2013 Oscar Predictions do.