Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield

Enjoy a free gift from me! I’ve created a free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template so that mapping out your upcoming content can be breezy - and dare I say - fun?!

You’ll love this template because it allows you to seamlessly plan out your weekly AND social media content. Click here to snag your free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template

You guys know me, and you know how much I LOVE systems and really simple step-by-step strategies, and that is exactly how James Clear, my guest, and Author of Atomic Habits approaches creating good habits that yield remarkable results.

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” Let me repeat that last one again, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

Oh yes, you know how much the systems girl in me just loves that!

In this episode, James shares his 1% approach to changing your habits, how your identity will either help you to succeed at achieving your goals or not, we talked about how to stay the course, even when you’re not seeing immediate results.

And this one is near and dear to my heart as I’m still walking through my weight loss journey. 

Here’s the best part of today’s episode, we talk about how you can start to create your own Atomic Habits so you can play a bigger game with your business and life in the New Year!

Here’s a snapshot of a few things we talked about…

  • [05:13] James suffered a very serious injury when he was hit in the face with a baseball bat, which put him in a medically-induced coma. His recovery pushed him to focus on small habits to achieve big results. He found that following small habits gave him a sense of control in his life.
  • [07:38] After graduate school, James became an entrepreneur and found that he was drawn to studying consumer psychology so that he could better understand why people buy things. He discovered that he was fascinated with behavioral psychology and habit formation.
  • [08:44] James aims to be the bridge between scientific research and what it says about how habits work and practical application in daily use. The habits and practices he shares in his book are all about how to create small, powerful, and scientifically-proven habits into your own life.
  • [09:57] Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement! Believe it or not, getting 1% better each day offers significant results. James believes that it might be the only way change happens in the real world. He says that accumulating 1% improvements over time will actually get you the results you're looking for.
  • [15:37] An implementation intention means that stating your intention makes it more likely to happen. 
  • [17:04] The plateau of latent potential shows that the hallmark of any habit or thing you're trying to change is that the greatest returns are delayed. In fact, the hard work you're putting isn't being wasted, it's just being stored.
  • [21:46] Focusing on your trajectory instead of the position will help you to stay on course. Remember that every action you take is a vote for or against the person you want to become. True behavior change is identity change. 
  • [27:49] The four laws of behavioral change include: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying. The cues get your attention when you need a little reminder.
Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_295.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Have you been wondering how a digital course can fit into your one on one business? If so, this episode is for you!

Now, if you’re thinking, “I don’t have one on one clients, so this doesn’t apply to my business,” stick with me, because I have some nuggets in here that might actually help your online business grow and generate even more revenue!

In today’s episode, we talk all about how a digital course can fit into your one on one business. And we even chat about how you can add one on one offerings to your online business to boost your revenue. 

I know that you guys have been wanting this topic because I get asked about it all the time! Today I’ll give you 5 valuable ways a digital course can transform your one on one business!

That’s right, I talk about how a digital course can transform your business revenue, give you more freedom (yes, please!), and how it will allow you to reach more people and transform more lives. After all, isn’t that why we’re all doing what we’re doing? To make an impact?

You’re going to walk away from this call with some great ideas for integrating your one on one business with a digital course.

Here’s a breakdown of some important points from today’s episode…

  • [05:01] A digital course will expand your reach! From a time and energy standpoint, you can only take so many clients. A course will give new clients the opportunity to work with you.
  • [05:53] One approach is to use your digital course as an extension of your one-on-one business. You can use your course to prepare your students and put them in a place to work with you one-on-one directly. 
  • [07:19] You could offer a digital course that complements the work you do with your clients but doesn't exactly mirror the work you do in your one-on-ones.
  • [11:37] Your one-on-one coaching could be used as an upsell to your digital course. 
  • [16:00] A digital course will increase your overall revenue. Setting your business up for passive income is really important, and it's something you can't do with a one-on-one service business. At DCA, we teach students how to move their course to evergreen. 
  • [21:14] Another way a digital course can seriously benefit your business is that it will allow you to set bigger income goals -- it opens the door for you to make more money. However, I highly recommend doing a few live launches before transitioning into an evergreen webinar.
  • [28:17] A digital course will allow you to be more selective about who you take on as a client. You can take fewer clients and serve them at a higher level because you're not stretched too thin and trying to balance a ton of clients.
  • [34:55] Offering both one-on-one coaching and a digital course gives you the option to offer tiered pricing. This can create opportunities for people with different financial means to work with you and makes high price point offerings a hot commodity.
Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_294_v2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Enjoy a free gift from me! I’ve created a free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template so that mapping out your upcoming content can be breezy - and dare I say - fun?!

You’ll love this template because it allows you to seamlessly plan out your weekly AND social media content. Click here to snag your free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template

I am so happy that you’re tuning into this episode because we are shaking things up and doing something different!

A few months back, I spoke at Stu McLaren’s TRIBE! event which aims to educate, teach, and bring together entrepreneurs around membership sites. And by the way, if you know me at all, you know that I adore Stu and his event was absolutely amazing.

At his event, TRIBE!, I spoke about my top content creation secrets that I like to use to keep my audience engaged, feeling that they are always receiving value, and coming back for more. 

I thought this information was so valuable that I wanted to share it with you. 

So today, because I just love you so much, you get VIP access to the recording of the presentation I gave! Now, these 5 tools for content creation will help you to rethink how you do content and make creating valuable, high-quality content easy. 

My goal is for you to walk away feeling inspired and excited to put these tools to work within your business! I know you’re going to love this presentation and get so much value out of it. 

Now, I just have to remind you that I ONLY teach what is working in my business, and today’s strategy is definitely working in my business! But, you’re also going to hear how I didn’t use one of these strategies and the lesson I learned from that experience.

Here is a preview of the 5 lessons I teach in this episode: 

Lesson #1: Let your paid content drive your free content! Whoa! What a concept, right? Now, I can hear you thinking, “But Amy, if I give away my paid content for free, why would anyone pay for it?!” 

Stay with me on this one. I promise there is a way to do this where you give just enough of your content to make them want more, which will lead to them signing up for your paid content!

I’ll show you exactly what I mean in this episode!

Lesson #2: The importance of repetition! You’ve heard me say this before (see how I practice what I preach?!) so it should come to no surprise to you that repetition is a powerful marketing strategy. 

In this episode, I’m going to show you why repetition is the mother of skill! I’m going to show you exactly what I mean by repeating your content and share with you WHY you want your audience hearing about your key concepts from you even before they buy!

Lesson #3: Share more scars than scabs! I know, I know, this analogy is kind of gross, but it gets the point across, right?

Here’s the thing, when you show your scars -- and stay tuned to find out what I mean by scars versus scabs -- you will truly elevate your audience's experience!

Lesson #4: Share your life but remember your why! Again, this all ties back to elevating your audience's experience and inspiring them to grow!

Now, I’m not overly excited to tell you this, but I failed to do this -- which is why it’s one of my lessons! And, since I’m committed to sharing my scars so you can avoid making the same mistake, I’m going to share exactly how I didn’t elevate my audience's experience and how, in hindsight, I could have!

Lesson #5: Superthinking is the secret to content that truly sticks!

Alright, time to get sticky! Multitaskers, come back to me now because if you take anything away from this episode, I want it to be SuperThinking! 

If you’ve never heard of SuperThinking, get ready to be mind-blown! This is my superweapon for becoming a creative genius in my business and content!

Now, the reason I’ve really been rethinking my content creation strategy is that, as I mentioned, we are launching Momentum, our membership site for students who have gone through my DCA program! 

And as you can imagine, creating enough content to make a membership site valuable can be daunting -- trust me, this is why I’ve pushed it off for as long as I have. And now that we’re launching it, I’m using this approach to make creating content for Momentum so easy!

Here’s a sneak peek of some of the highlights from my presentation…

  • [06:34] Your launch success is driven by how you show up when you are not launching. It's about the content you are creating and the value you're providing in between your launches.
  • [13:03] Let your paid content drive your free content ideas. I let my paid content drive everything I put out on social, and I'm never at a loss for ideas. Once my course framework is figured out, I have a wealth of knowledge to share as my free content. I also talk about where people might get stuck, their pain points, and the mindset blocks that are holding them back.
  • [18:06] Repetition is the mother of skill! I want people to have heard the content before so that they know what to expect and are confidently ready to move forward by the time they purchase my course. Don't be afraid to use your content across all of your platforms.
  • [22:25] Share more scars than scabs. Make sure your stories and experiences always elevate your audience's experience and add value.
  • [28:21] Share your life but remember why you're sharing it. It's important to share behind the scenes but don't forget the reason you're sharing it with them. How is it adding to their life or business?
  • [34:19] Super thinking is the secret to content that really sticks. When you create content that truly sticks, it comes from deep inside you. Spend an hour a week asking super thinking about your business!
Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_293_v4.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Let’s be honest, your launch runway and your webinars are the most exciting part of your launch! 

And if we’re being really honest, the time between your last webinar and your cart closing day, you’re most likely exhausted, and all you want to do is curl up to a good Netflix binge session -- at least I do!

And while it’s tempting to do just that, I find that this time (between your last webinar and your cart close date) is where getting scrappy and making a little post-webinar push can transform the outcome and revenue of your launch. 

One of my Digital Course Academy students, Karida Griffith Walker, decided to roll up her sleeves and get scrappy with her post-webinar nurture sequence -- despite having a cold and a household of stuffy noses!

Her commitment to showing up for her audience members who were on the fence resulted in over $11,000 extra in revenue and 20 new students in her digital course. That’s 58% of her revenue for this specific launch!

She even talks about having a coughing attack during one of her live Facebook videos, but that didn’t stop her from showing up. 

In this episode, Karida shares her post-webinar strategies and some seriously impressive numbers. Take a listen, get inspired, and start planning to use some of these post-webinar strategies for your next launch. 

Here’s a breakdown of what Karida and I chatted about…

  • [06:15]Karida was a professional dancer and Radio City Rockette for almost 5 years. She then left to pursue her passion for tap dancing, which led her to teaching tap to others.
  • [09:21] Karida got married and moved to Portland where she is raising her three kids. She wanted to combine her love of dancing and teaching and stumbled across Webinars That Convert. She knew that there was a need for tap dance teacher training, so she created her signature course The Tap Teacher Lounge.
  • [14:04] In her course, Karida uses slides, audio, and direct to camera videos of her actually showing dance moves to teach her students. She then allows them to send in videos for her feedback!
  • [18:21] In Karida's most recent launch, she had 204 people registered for her four webinars. She also did something really cool, she offered an "interested but can't attend" option for those who wanted to register. She had 105 people select this option. She had 15 people sign up during her webinars and 20 people sign up during her post-webinar efforts. Her 35 signups brought her $21,000 in revenue.
  • [23:56] If you pay attention to how your audience behaves—how they respond, what they need, what they want—you can get so many profitable ideas on how to cater to them and truly show up in a way that makes them want to buy. 
  • [24:35] After the webinar, Karida kept running Facebook lives where she tackled her customer's biggest objections and explained her tap curriculum and what her students would learn. She retargeted 240 people and spent $170 in ads -- that's it! This resulted in eight new purchases. 
  • [40:28] Karida had a totally different mindset with this launch. She got scrappy, because she wants to have a six-figure business. She was committed to her process and kept pushing all the way through the launch with her six-figure mindset!
  • [45:43] Karida touched on the importance of sending a sequence of post-webinar emails and why some people appreciate receiving them.
Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_292.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Enjoy a free gift from me! I’ve created a free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template so that mapping out your upcoming content can be breezy - and dare I say - fun?!

You’ll love this template because it allows you to seamlessly plan out your weekly AND social media content. Click here to snag your free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template

Your mindset is key. Whether you’re looking to build a business or create a life you love -- it all comes back to your mindset.

When it comes to building a successful online business, there’s no doubt that you’re going to have to get in front of the camera from time to time. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to love it! 

In fact, most people feel extremely uncomfortable in front of the camera, whether it’s for a Facebook Live or a webinar, which is why I’m sharing some of my favorite strategies for boosting your confidence in front of the camera. 

And you guys know that I haven’t always loved doing live videos. In fact, I can’t say I am jumping at the bit to do them now. 

However, I’ve definitely used these exact strategies to boost my confidence and feel much more comfortable jumping on to do a live video.

I want to challenge you to take these strategies and make them your own. Use them over and over to shift your mindset and boost your confidence so that whether you’re doing a Facebook Live, an Instagram Live, or a webinar, you feel like a pro and show up for your audience and boost your know, like, and trust factor.  

Go ahead and take these strategies to start creating real impact for your audience and for your business!

You’ll learn…

  1. The importance of creating a pre-live ritual. 
  2. How to shift your focus to what you’re offering your clients. 
  3. How you can use your audience's engagement to build your confidence and your content.
  4. Tips for prompting your audience with a cue. (Including the cues I use!)
  5. What steps to walk through to make sure you’re ready to do a live video or webinar.
  • [10:38] Create your own pre-live ritual. Create a ritual that you commit to performing each time before you go live -- this will allow you to automate your live video process and help you to become more relaxed and confident going live!
  • [14:29] You're going to have some messiness when you're first starting out and building confidence on live video. Committing to a ritual will help you feel more natural in front of the camera and rock your lives.
  • [15:54] Set an alarm 10 minutes prior to going live and get in the zone. Make sure everything is ready and then just allow yourself to settle in. Quiet your mind, look over your notes and allow yourself to find a sense of calmness.
  • [18:19] Your mindset will affect your energy for live videos. If you're distracted and don't take the time to get excited about your live video, your audience will know. Here's a tip for you: smile when you talk!
  • [20:32] Focus on what you're bringing to your audience. When you're worried about how you look on camera you're making the video about you and not your audience. Remember that you are doing live videos to support and serve your audience.
  • [29:26] Allow your audience’s engagement to build your confidence and your content. Treat every person like they are special, show up like a boss, and engage with them. However, don't worry about having a huge audience when you're live. Keep in mind that your video will live on and get views and shares.
  • [30:50] Ask your audience questions that relate to their pain point. Also, prompt them to share one takeaway or action item they are going to implement.
Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_291.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

We all know that Facebook and Instagram ads can help get the word out about our products, help build our lists, and even sell products. Yet, many of you have unanswered questions. That's why today we are answering your 10 burning questions about Facebook and Instagram ads. Those who know me, know that I'm not an expert on this, but my Regis to my Kathy Lee, Rick Mulready is here today to answer all of those questions and more.

Today, we did our first live training in Momentum. The training ran over, and I had no buffer between that training and this call with Rick. We chatted a bit before recording, and Rick helped put me at ease. Rick has a huge heart. When he comes to my events, he ends up with a big long line of people wanting to ask him questions about ads and marketing. Even when he’s not a speaker. He opens up his computer, takes his time, and really gets into it with them. He holds court with them, and that’s what we are doing today.

This podcast is specifically for online experts or people who sell a course, product, or coaching. It’s for people who want to build their list and increase their sales, but haven't quite started using ads yet. It’s also for those who have started using ads, but maybe they aren’t working out as well as you thought they would. 

  1. [05:09] What objective do I choose to get people to register for my webinar? You have to choose between lead generation and conversion. Conversion is having people click on your ad and go to your webinar registration page. The thank you page is used as custom conversion tracking. In Facebook ads use the conversion objective not the lead generation objective. 
  2. [07:14] What's the most effective ad type? You have to test things out. Any ad can be effective. It's about testing to see what works for you. Using a Facebook Live as an ad is a great video option. Try an image, video, and carousel ad and see what works best. 
  3. [09:50] Should I target other Facebook pages or cold audiences? Warm audiences are people on our list or website visitors. Prioritize warm audiences first, and then create lookalike audiences to cold target. 
  4. [13:27] People often don't understand their target customer. You need a holistic understanding of your target customer to do well with ads. Once you know your target customer create sub segments. Don’t have one conversation for everyone. 
  5. [19:54] Why are ad costs rising? They are more advertisers than ever. More competition equals higher ad cost. It's also the holiday season. There's an election coming up. 
  6. [23:08] What's CBO or campaign budget optimization? This will be the default way to set budgets. Set the budget at the campaign level. The algorithm divides the budget by ad performance. You can still set minimums at ad set level. 
  7. [28:33] How do I know my ads are working? What's the cost per lead? You want at least 20% converting. Tools like Leadpages will tell you the conversion rate. Leads divided by landing page conversion. Focus on increasing rates and the consistency between the page and ad. 
  8. [35:25] What's the deal with video? Create ads with mobile in mind first. Create video for areas where people consume video. People who watch a certain percentage are engagement audiences. 
  9. [37:44] Why are my ads getting disapproved? This happens to everyone. Review ad policies and keep up with changes. Don't make promises or insinuate people are struggling with certain things. Speak to positivity and transformation. 
  10. [40:39] Do I need to run ads when I'm not launching? It's a better strategy to consistently run ads and build engagement and your list. Facebook rewards consistently running ads and that reduces the cost of your launch. 
  11. [43:23] Bonus tip: Mindset around testing. Keep testing until you figure it out and you will win. 

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: OMME_Rick_Mulready_Bonus_Episode.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

In this week’s episode, I talk all about how to boost your affiliate marketing game (and revenue) by loving up on your affiliates!

So when I'm talking about "loving up" on your affiliates, this means how you can help them to best deliver and succeed as your affiliate -- promoting your program or service.

Affiliates broaden your audience reach and because they’ve already established the know, like, and trust factor with their audience, your conversion rate will be higher than if you were to just target these audiences in cold ads.

This is why, in my most recent Digital Course Academy launch, I went above and beyond to give my affiliates a whole lot of love and attention, and let me tell you, it definitely paid off.

Today I want to share the specific ways I made my affiliates, like Jenna Kutcher, Stu McLaren, Kajabi, and Jill and Josh Stanton, feel extra special and important so that you can do the same for your upcoming launch. 

In this episode, I’m going to share 5 simple and powerful strategies to love up on your affiliates so they, in turn, go above and beyond to sell your course or service. 

You’re going to walk away from this episode with so many exciting ideas for your next launch!

Tune in to learn these 5 strategies (plus a bonus strategy!)...

  1. The top documents to create to keep your affiliates organized and in the know. 
  2. The power of using a Facebook group to inspire and connect with your affiliates. 
  3. Assigning one person on your team (or a VA) to give your affiliates extra care and attention. 
  4. Surveying your affiliates to improve your affiliate marketing strategy for your next launch. 
  5. The importance of starting out small. 
  • [08:38] We love to organize all of the information and details that our affiliates need to know into an easy to access Google Doc. This helps us make sure everything is in order before we even welcome affiliates. Having a doc like this also minimizes confusion and eliminates redundant questions.
  • [10:12] A sneak peek of all the things that we include in our Affiliate FAQ document -- from commissions to payment options and everything in between.
  • [17:17] Create a private Facebook group just for your affiliates to communicate with them before you actually open the cart, and continue communication and relationship building while the cart is open. This helps build hype and keeps affiliates in the loop.
  • [21:55] Consider assigning one person on your team to be your affiliate concierge. Assigning someone specific to the needs of your affiliates ensures that they are prioritized, heard, and treated with extra special care.
  • [25:10] Survey your affiliate partners post-launch to help you improve for your next launch, but also to make sure that you are creating solid relationships with your affiliates to ensure that they actually want to come back the next time. Getting post-launch affiliate feedback is crucial, so don't skip this step!
  • [27:57] Start out small. Take baby steps and be realistic about the number of affiliates you can manage. Having a couple of affiliates that are well taken care of is more important than having a bunch who don't sell because they don't feel special.
  • [36:53] Show gratitude and appreciation to your affiliates for their hard work -- this is essential! Don't be afraid to send them a gift or give them a call to show that you're truly grateful.
Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_290.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Enjoy a free gift from me! I’ve created a free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template so that mapping out your upcoming content can be breezy - and dare I say - fun?!

You’ll love this template because it allows you to seamlessly plan out your weekly AND social media content. Click here to snag your free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template

There are three kinds of people in this world. Those who have morning routines, those who don’t, and those who want to tell everyone else what their morning routine should be.

I definitely have one, and I love it. It’s a good mix of Scout, Peloton, and of course Hobie (when he’s home!).

Here’s the thing… I am not here to tell you how you should do your morning.

In fact, on today’s podcast I am giving you the inside scoop on the morning routines of some of my favorite people. When you listen, you’ll notice that no two are the same. Did I mention all of these people are very successful entrepreneurs with a lot on their plates?

As entrepreneurs, we get to design our own lives. We get to call the shots with how we spend our days and what we work on. Having a morning routine is a great way to gain focus and clarity and make sure the work for the day is the right work. 

I hope this episode inspires you to create a morning routine that works for you and your life and most importantly supports the big goals you want to achieve.

You’ll hear from…

  • [08:00] Jasmine Star needs slow mornings to facilitate creativity and productivity. She quietly does the things that her soul needs to optimize her creativity levels. She gives herself 45 minutes of utter decadence. She also gets two hours of unobstructed work time.
  • [13:18] Jennifer Allwood has four kids. Need I say more? Her mornings consist of getting kids out the door for the first two hours. And she still manages to get quiet time for the first 35 to 45 minutes of the day. She goes out to her deck with coffee. She thinks about her intentions for the day and what will actually move the needle. 
  • [17:50] James Wedmore makes sure his routine gets him excited to get up. He meditates for mental well being. For physical well being he uses an infrared sauna, the Peloton Tread, a Bellicon rebounder, and a BioCharger. Some days he just goes for a walk or swims in the ocean. 
  • [22:20] Julie Solomon began morning routines a few years ago, but made them too rigid. Now she sees her routine in a new way and it serves her far greater than before. Her routine is intentionally set up for self-care in whatever way it looks like for each day. 
  • [29:48] Stu McLaren starts with his five year old in his face asking if it’s time to get up yet. He doesn’t have a regimented routine in this season of life. His priorities are family time. His day starts and ends with his family. He takes his kids to school and gets his wife a cup of tea. He also takes his dog for a walk in the woods. 
  • [32:56] Kate Northrup has a different routine everyday, because of her two young children. She feels like her morning is not entirely within her control. She wakes up with the baby or when she is done sleeping. She takes a moment of gratitude. She has a cup of warm lemon water. Then coffee. She fits in a quick workout with her husband in the garage.

 

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_289.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Enjoy a free gift from me! I’ve created a free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template so that mapping out your upcoming content can be breezy - and dare I say - fun?!

You’ll love this template because it allows you to seamlessly plan out your weekly AND social media content. Click here to snag your free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template

There’s one important factor that can either make or break your launch and it has nothing to do with how much money you spend on ads, how huge your list is, or whether or not your sales page copy is on point. 

One of the biggest predictors of launch success is how you show up for your audience in the 30 – 60 days before your launch. I don’t just mean writing a blog post or sending out an email every now and then. I mean putting on your planning hat and mapping out a series of Facebook Lives that both teach your audience something while also overcoming the common objections that come up when you go into launch mode. 

This pre-launch Facebook Live strategy has been a game-changer for me and I know it’ll be just as effective for you whether you’re just getting started or you’re a more advanced marketer. 

In this week’s podcast episode, I’m sharing all the behind-the-scenes details for my pre-launch Facebook Live strategy, including how to choose the topics you’ll go Live with, how often to go Live, and how to make sure that your Facebook Live viewers are primed and ready to register for your webinar and ultimately purchase your course. And by the way, I give you full permission to steal the strategy and make it your own. 

Here’s the breakdown:

  • [10:01] Once you know the topic of your course that you’ll be selling, you want to think about what you can present in your webinar that would be in alignment with and a perfect lead-in to that course. I break this down and share examples so the strategy will be super clear.  
  • [11:24] One of the best ways I’ve found to nail down a topic that would pique my ICA’s interest is to create a list of their objections, challenges, limiting beliefs and mindset blocks and then I create my Facebook Live content to counter those by presenting a solution that will help them achieve their desires and goals.
  • [13:42] To make it super actionable, I show you exactly how I take that list and turn each one into a Facebook Live topic. When you do this, you meet your customer right where they are and give them both momentum and traction — always a good thing! 
  • [25:13] These pre-launch Facebook lives are great for list building when you’re strategic with your CTAs (call-to-action). I talk about the lead magnets that did really well in my most recent pre-launch period.
  • [27:43] The key to any good strategy is to be open to tweaking and changing things up as you learn. I talk about the major tweak I’ll make with my next pre-launch content. Hint: I’ll be focusing much more on mindset. 
  • [30:35] Students often tell me they’re afraid they sound like a broken record when they repeat certain things when presenting their content. I talk about how repetition is actually a good thing because there are certain things your potential customer may need to hear more than once to make a buying decision. 

 

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_288.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

If you’ve been tuning in over the last few months I’ve been talking plenty about the power of membership sites, but today I’m sharing a whole new opportunity available to those of us who run a membership site to serve our audiences — adding a physical product to the mix!  

Erin Mullins Sanderson, better known online as Fit Rocker Chick, had no idea what she was building when she first started her membership site. All she knew was that she had a message to share and an audience that wanted more of that confident rocker vibe she embodies.

Erin’s story is super unique and something I think we can all learn from. She successfully launched a membership without even knowing what she’d offer, has grown that community to over 500 members, and has created a skincare line that her community went wild for. 

She’s clearly a woman of many talents, but what I adore most about her isn’t that perfect skin or her rockstar vibes — it’s her ability to take imperfect action and to really LISTEN to what her audience wants.

Today I want you to see how listening to your audience, thinking outside of the box, and doing something you’ve *always* wanted can amplify your audience experience AND help you boost your bottom line.

Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll learn from my interview with Erin:

  • [06:47] How Erin felt a void with her group and wanted to bring them together. She ran the idea of a membership site by her list and found 100 beta testers to help flesh out her plan or lack of plan. 
  • [12:59] How Erin decided on what topics to cover each week in her membership. 
  • [14:30] Erin shares how often she goes live in the community, the type of heavyweight guest expert she features and the other fun aspects of being a member of her group (You’ll love her playlist and setlist ideas!)  
  • [17:03] How Erin’s members have become more courageous, started dreaming bigger, started new dream projects, became philanthropic, and left toxic relationships. These stories will inspire you! 
  • [24:18] How often Erin opens up her membership experience and the tools she uses to run her membership site.
  • [26:04] How the dream to create a skincare line came about.  
  • [34:32] How Erin made her community a part of the skincare product line decision-making process from the beginning. She talks about how she then launched her new product directly to her community, and it sold out right away. Her second batch also sold out in 48 hours. 

 

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_287.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Enjoy a free gift from me! I’ve created a free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template so that mapping out your upcoming content can be breezy - and dare I say - fun?!

You’ll love this template because it allows you to seamlessly plan out your weekly AND social media content. Click here to snag your free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template

I was recently in Toronto at Stu McLaren’s Tribe event and had an opportunity to record an interview with Jill Stanton of Screw the Nine to Five. Jill and Josh Stanton are two of my favorite people. Josh is hilarious, and I love talking with Jill. You know, I have so many good things to say about Facebook groups, but today is about using short pop-up groups to promote your offers. 

Jill and Josh used this method to promote one of their products and to promote my Digital Course Academy. They also threw in a fun twist by making five day challenges where they give a short challenge each day along with challenge marching orders. They also offer a prize to people who make it all the way through. 

These groups are a great way to warm up your audience or introduce them to a person or product that you would like to promote. Jill shares all of the tactics that she used along with some smart ideas to give the audience what they want and need without being pushy or overselling. This method can be used to create custom content and engagement for the right audience at the right time.

  • [07:31] You can create a timeline of four weeks, but for Jill and Josh, engagement started to drop off after a couple of weeks. They tested a two week group and the results were great. This is keeping people's attention for a shorter time and making a quick win. 
  • [10:14] Look at your offer and choose a congruent topic. Don't overwhelm people with the how-tos. Your offer is the how. You need to help them see the what and the why. Empower them to take action. 
  • [15:21] The what and why for Jill and Josh's Digital Course Academy pop-up promotion was Think Like an Expert - From Impostor Syndrome to Expert Status. They identified five core beliefs that were holding their audience back. 
  • [19:09] They ran a challenge on their last pop-up. They ran ads and spent about $42,000 and generated $293,000. They spent $10,000 to get 1200 super targeted people in the group. The one prior to that, they spent $4500 and made $43,000. 
  • [22:48] The challenges are short five minute videos that give a challenge and marching orders. The entire challenge has a prize incentive. Every day at 1:00 they would do a Facebook Live about the challenge of the day. No CTA but they are seeding the topic. 
  • [29:54] Pay attention to the objections you get when you make offers. You want to help the audience overcome their limiting beliefs. 
  • [31:04] Create content around the topic of your pop-up group and have your readers or listeners opt in. You're building your list and creating anticipation around an offer. People can opt in through messenger or email.
  • [35:29] Moving people from the challenge to the offer includes seeding throughout the content. You can move into a webinar, a free video series, a Facebook Live, and the cart opens on day five. When the offer closes, the group is archived. People who did join the program still get your support. 

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_286.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Enjoy a free gift from me! I’ve created a free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template so that mapping out your upcoming content can be breezy - and dare I say - fun?!

You’ll love this template because it allows you to seamlessly plan out your weekly AND social media content. Click here to snag your free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template

Some of you may remember me talking about my upcoming membership site, and how I was going to put it on hold for awhile. Well, I’ve found clarity, and Momentum will be launching in November. Tribe members and people who have listened to my episode with Stu McLaren know how valuable it is to be part of a membership site. 

Today’s episode is special, because I’m going to be talking about my own membership site, and I want to share with you some of the lessons that I’ve learned. Up until a few months ago, I had reached a point where I was really stuck in the process of creating Momentum. Since then, I have learned so much. I have had so much insight and clarity, that I wanted to share what I’ve learned and the big lessons with you. 

I think you'll get a lot of value from hearing about how we processed the information, how we went about putting things together, and if you do decide to create a membership site, you can walk away with these lessons already locked in. So, you my friend do not need to make the same mistakes that I made. Here are the five crucial lessons that I’ve learned so far. 

  • [06:48] The idea that I want to add so much new content. We want a community that is actively creating and launching courses. It's an extension of DCA to help implement the journey. We dive deeper into existing content to help implementation. We go from learning to doing. 
  • [12:17] Put a stake in the ground of who the membership site is for. By putting a stake in the ground, I had full clarity, because I knew exactly who I was doing this for. DCA alumni can grow with Momentum at a deep implementation level. 
  • [18:27] I've got to spend time with the content roadmap and revisit it. Each week something new happens. I follow the Tribe model. We have been talking about this for seven weeks. This is the first time I feel like I'm ahead of something. I have months to plan, so it feels good to revisit. 
  • [23:48] If it's not a hell yes, it's a hell no. I got to a point where it wasn't coming together, and it felt heavy. I wasn't excited about it, so I had to put it on hold. I couldn't get the content right, because I didn't know Momentum was just for my DCA alumni. Once I got clear on my ICA and got excited, I loved working on it.
  • [26:53] I come from a place of always being a student. I purchased Tribe and went through it. Our master doc is created from everything we learned from the Tribe experience. We followed everything that Tribe teaches. 
  • [31:36] When Momentum launches, I can't wait to share the new things we learn and the tweaks we make. We can make it better every month. DCA students will get an invite when their 12 weeks are over. 

This episode is sponsored by gravy. If you have a subscription model business or offer payment plans like I do for my online courses, you've got to listen up. One of my biggest frustrations was lost money due to failed payment plans. In fact, it used to keep me up at night. I would worry about all the people that were on a payment plan, because if they didn't finish that payment plan I was screwed. 

That's when I decided I needed to do something about it, because I hated the worry. I started to work with gravy, and I promise you I never worry about payment plans anymore.  Gravy sets up a system inside of your business where they contact your customers within hours of their failed payments, and they capture updated billing information and save the customer. 

Our failed payment recovery rate increased from 33% to over 80%.That's a whole lot of saved payments. If your revenue is currently at $250,000 or more, and you know you're losing money due to failed payment plans each month, I want to encourage you to check out Gravy.

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_285.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Enjoy a free gift from me! I’ve created a free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template so that mapping out your upcoming content can be breezy - and dare I say - fun?!

You’ll love this template because it allows you to seamlessly plan out your weekly AND social media content. Click here to snag your free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template

If YOU have a community (free or paid) then you know ENGAGEMENT is the #1 metric for your success. Nobody wants to show up in a room full of crickets.

My friend Dana Malstaff, founder of Boss Mom and community creator extraordinaire is the queen of creating next level group engagement. That’s why I just had to have her on the podcast this week.

Dana’s Better Buzz Strategy has helped her create one of the most engaged communities I’ve ever heard of (70% monthly engagement with 40k members, say what?!).

Here are the six types of posts you want to be sure to utilize:

  • [29:49] The first type of buzz worthy post is a decision post. That answers a simple question to help you make a decision. Give three options, but don’t use a poll. It’s easy for people to engage, and the post stays alive. Then hop on a chat with your super engagers. You should be doing one of these a week.
  • [34:47] Opinion posts where you ask people what their opinion is. What are your top podcasts or number one blog? The best ones give you information on who to collaborate with and help you gain knowledge and insight. 
  • [37:37] Permission posts are where people tell a story or the hero’s journey. It creates a sense of belonging. Tell people they aren’t alone and create an appreciation loop.
  • [41:24] Can’t help themselves post. Telling people you just landed a client and asking them to celebrate or drop a GIF. Post something interesting where people can’t help but celebrate with you. 
  • [46:43] Ask is consistently telling people what you do. Let people know what you sell and what you want to be known for. 
  • [49:04] Authority posts. The easiest way to get authority is to get featured on podcasts. Also link to the post and mention it on Facebook live. 

Dana covers so much more in the episode. The first 20 minutes alone are pure gold, so tune in now and hop to it with applying these strategies in your communities!

 

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_284_v3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:56am PDT

Enjoy a free gift from me! I’ve created a free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template so that mapping out your upcoming content can be breezy - and dare I say - fun?!

You’ll love this template because it allows you to seamlessly plan out your weekly AND social media content. Click here to snag your free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template

I know it might sound cliché, but I made a promise this year to be more vulnerable. To show you more of the “real” me. 

So for this week’s podcast episode, I’m doing something a little different and sharing a twice daily check-in for a full 7 days.

I hope that this lets you in on a few things. For one, I want you to know what a 7-figure course creator does in a week. You’ll hear it all; what I focus on, what I struggle with, and how I handle all of it.

I can’t promise it’ll be quite as engrossing as The Bachelor but if you’re anything like me, seeing into other people’s worlds is always a treat.

If you’ve ever wondered how I set up my week and spend my days, you’ll love this #nofilter episode where I share it all, including: 

  • Honest conversations Hobie and I have had recently that have been a little tough 
  • The new piece of exercise equipment I’m obsessed with 
  • The challenge the whole team is doing to be more intentional about what we do in a day, how we use our time, create morning rituals, and make extra time for what matters most
  • Why I started having a weekly date with my mom <3  
  • What it’s like going from a team of 3 to 10 full-time employees (and the essential books every single new hire gets) 
  • How the team operates for maximum efficiency (and how I really feel about meetings)
  • The inside scoop on my weight loss journey 

Here’s where you’ll find some of the highlights

  • [02:07] Sunday evening… weekly preview using the Full Focus Planner. This is about what the upcoming week will look like and what did and didn’t work from the previous week. Be intentional about how you structure your day. 
  • [07:32] Monday morning check-in. Morning walk with Scout and fiction audiobook. I also prepared for my FB Live session tomorrow. Phone call with team member. Recorded podcast ads. Hobie’s love language is quality time, so I have coffee with him from 8:30 to 9:00.
  • [13:33] Now I’m going to work on the quiz and then a team kick-off call. This is a one hour call with the entire team about what it looks like to launch digital course academy. Theme: We are master troubleshooters. 
  • [30:36] I do video on Tuesdays. Instagram story about launch. Facebook Live as part of DCA prelaunch. I also have a DCA affiliate Facebook Live. I don’t workout on video day. I do get a blow out. 
  • [41:38] Wednesday is podcast batching day. I’m doing 3 podcasts today, and some interviews as I grow my team. I also share my hiring process and the book bundle that I send to new hires.
  • [01:10:41] Thursday evening. I’m back from acupuncture. When I make mistakes that create stress, I know it’s time to fix the system. 
  • [01:15:44] Friday… Call at 7:00 am with weight-loss coach. Today, I’m recording the outcome videos for the DCA quiz. Then I fly to Portland, Oregon.
  • [01:25:50] On Saturday I met with my friend Mike Pacchione to work on presentation content. 

I hope you enjoyed the week with me. 

 

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_283.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Enjoy a free gift from me! I’ve created a free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template so that mapping out your upcoming content can be breezy - and dare I say - fun?!

You’ll love this template because it allows you to seamlessly plan out your weekly AND social media content. Click here to snag your free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template

You are going to love this episode. I give a step-by-step strategy on how to take one single piece of content and repurpose it 10 different ways. We all know how time-consuming content creation can be. 

After all that work, we hit publish and put it out in the world, but then it just sits there in that one location. Why not leverage all of that hard work by packaging the content up in different shapes and sizes and publishing it on different platforms? 

This makes your efforts more efficient and allows your ideal audience to consume your content in a variety of different ways. 

This is so smart. Repurposing your content should be part of your content creation process. Promise me that you won't let another week go by where you create content and only put it out one time and in one location. 

  • [07:49] Sit down and record your podcast audio. Make a video recording for extra mileage. Works best for interviews. Publish your audio wherever you normally publish your podcast. 
  • [11:10] Transcribe the podcast audio. Link to the transcript from your website show notes on it's own page that opens in a new window. This is great for SEO! 
  • [12:45] Show notes are the second way to repurpose your content. 
  • [14:26] Take snippets from the outline, transcripts, or show notes and craft an email that will notify subscribers about your new podcast episode. This is a great way to share weekly content and send weekly emails. 
  • [16:57] Pull out really good quotes or stats that can be turned into graphics. 
  • [17:41] Now that you have the show notes, email copy, and great quotes and stats, pull from those to create great social media posts. If you share the post on multiple platforms, tweak it so the language matches the platform. 
  • [18:48] Select a really juicy audio clip and use Wavve to turn it into a video highlight to promote your episode on social media. 
  • [19:46] Take the content you created and format it into an article on Medium.com. Anyone can post, and if you elect to have it reviewed by Medium curators, they will share it if they think it will benefit their audience. Or guest post on other blogs or online publication. 
  • [20:51] Create a freebie. Take the content and make a checklist, worksheet, or guide. You can use it to build your list or to promote your content or both. 
  • [22:30] Use parts of your content as an answer to frequently asked questions. When the same questions come up time and time again, and you have already covered it use that existing content to add to your website or course FAQ area. 
  • [24:34] It's all about video. This can be really valuable when you make the effort. Take your transcript and highlight sections that you could do a quick video about. 
  • [27:58] Bonus twist. Pay attention to what resonates with your audience. That can become a new piece of content. 

This episode is sponsored by my Free Masterclass all about list building. If you've struggled with list building or you are not actively growing your email list, this class is for you. You know, everything in your business is easier when you have an email list. If you want to know what it takes to create a list building foundation from scratch, this step-by-step masterclass is for you. 

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_282_v2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Enjoy a free gift from me! I’ve created a free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template so that mapping out your upcoming content can be breezy - and dare I say - fun?!

You’ll love this template because it allows you to seamlessly plan out your weekly AND social media content. Click here to snag your free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template

I've never loved having my picture taken.

But eventually, I learned to at least get comfortable with it.

It's so important that people see the real you. That your audience can connect with you and see you. Plus, you can use professional photos in soooo many places beyond just social media.

Today, I'm taking the guesswork out of planning your next photo shoot and sharing my top tips on how to show up feeling good, even if you feel nervous about having your photo taken.

I also created an extensive photoshoot guide that you can use to plan your first or next photoshoot like a total pro. Click here to download it now!

You’ll need these images for social media, guest posts, ads, sales pages, webinars, and more. When you know how to plan and organize a photoshoot, you'll not only end up with a bunch of amazing images to use, but you'll also save time and money by not having to hunt all over the place for your next image. 

  • [10:06] I want you to show up for yourself, even when it's way out of your comfort zone -- and I'll explain how to do that. 
  • [12:27] I talk about why it's important to start an inspiration collection of photos you love that would be a good fit for your personality and brand. Put together a fun playlist to make the photoshoot process more relaxing and fun. 
  • [14:33] How to find a photographer whose work you like, and you feel good about working with. Ask for recommendations. 
  • [18:13] I tell you how to put together a photoshoot inquiry communication that you can email to potential photographers and get a price quote. Everything to include is also in the Photoshoot Planning Guide.
  • [27:14] I'll help you to decide where to do your photoshoot. Hint: Your house with natural light is the best option. 
  • [31:42] I talk about how to find and nail a good pose that fits your personality. This can be very awkward but I've got tips for you to help the process be as painless as possible. 
  • [34:12] I get into all the day-of photoshoot details. We'll talk hair and makeup and how to let those first 15 minutes of awkwardness be what they are and pass by so you can create some beautiful photos. 
  • [40:01] I'll talk about what to do when you get your photos back from your photographer. If they're good and you like who took your photos, I want you to book them to come back and do another photoshoot in the months to come. 
Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_281.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Enjoy a free gift from me! I’ve created a free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template so that mapping out your upcoming content can be breezy - and dare I say - fun?!

You’ll love this template because it allows you to seamlessly plan out your weekly AND social media content. Click here to snag your free 3-month plug-and-play content calendar template

One of the best ways to know if anyone wants to spend time and money on your digital course is to ask them. One of the best ways to ask them is to have a course validation call with your potential customer avatar. These calls are so valuable, because they not only tell you if your course will be in demand, but they tell you exactly what needs to be in the course, the best ways to set it up, and how to market it.

These calls can be intimidating and people are often reluctant to have them, but the  information gleaned is so valuable. Course validation calls are a game changer. In my The Digital Course Academy, I teach you the exact questions to ask in these calls and how to find your ideal customer avatar ICA to have the calls with. This is important, because you want to make sure you have the call with someone who really is your ICA. 

Today’s show has a fun twist, instead of me telling you how to make a course call, I actually make one and let you listen in. It’s true that I already have a course, so this is somewhat of a mock call. But the rest is real. I have a real conversation with Jaime Trull about whether she would be a good candidate for the Digital Course Academy. 

It’s also true that I have never met Jaime before. I do know that she has an online business where she serves female CEOs and entrepreneurs in accounting, bookkeeping, and financials. She is a certified CPA, and she is thinking about creating a digital course. 

You have two goals during the call. Goal #1 is to uncover insights, fears, concerns, challenges, wants, and needs of your ICA. Goal #2 is to determine if your idea is on the right track. During the call, I actually learned some things that I wasn’t expecting. I also ended up giving Jaime a challenge, so this won’t be the last time you hear from her. 

  • [13:52] It's good to know about the background of the person that you are interviewing. Amy asks Jaime to tell her a little bit about her business? Jaime started Balance CFO to have more balance in life. She first helped friends with accounting, now she is focusing on virtual CFO work and financial literacy. Her problem is that one-on-one business is trading dollars for time. 
  • [17:35] Amy zeros in on the problem and asks about how many clients she needs to make the money she wants to make. They talk about scaling, frustrations, time, and revenue goals. Amy asks about Jaime's dream revenue model. 
  • [20:37] Jamie shares that her ideal day would be having more quality time with her kids. 
  • [21:52] Amy asks Jamie about frameworks. She does have a five step process. They also explore how Jamie could help her clients the most. 
  • [24:45] Digital courses have been on Jamie's radar. Obstacles are time and overwhelm with available resources. They also explore course ideas and niches to target.
  • [29:50] Amy asks about elements of courses that Jaime has taken and liked. She also asks about accountability. Jaime likes things broken down into doable steps. She also likes a community for motivation. 
  • [32:30] Amy digs into why Jamie hasn't already bought a course about creating courses. It's a commitment issue for Jamie. 
  • [33:23] Jaime has about 400 people on her list and a Facebook community of 1200. She built her community by going live every week and talking about things people wanted to know. 
  • [36:23] Are there any roadblocks in a course that have or would slow Jaime down? Technology is Jaime's biggest issue, and a clear roadmap with specific options would be best. 
  • [40:05] Where does Jamie spend the most social media time online and what is her focus? Her answer is Facebook, and she loves Rachel Hollis and the Rise groups and entrepreneurial groups. 

This episode is brought to you by: 

The Digital Course Academy sign up now or get on the waiting list. To find out if a digital course is right for you be sure and get The Three Behind the Scenes Secrets to Digital Course Success.

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_280.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

I’m so excited to share this digital course success story with you today. 

Lauren Kilgore, a wreath maker extraordinaire and accidental Etsy marketing superstar, turned her part-time hobby into $35k in revenue.

Unbelievable, right?!

Here’s the reason I’m sharing this with you today. We are all good at something that we could teach others how to do. 

For Lauren, it was selling her crafts on Etsy. 

If there is something you’re good at, something that people consistently come to you asking for help with, guess what? You might just be able to create a course around it. 

You don’t need to have it all figured out. Lauren is proof of that.

Tune in to this special bonus episode and find out exactly how a part-time wreath making mama went from making a bit of extra cash with a fun hobby to getting 93 students into her digital course and over five figures in revenue.


Ready to create your own Digital Course success story? Learn how to build, launch and grow a thriving Digital Course business without hiring a big team, the constant overwhelm or the momentum crushing question, "What the heck do I do next?"

Click here to save your seat in my free masterclass, The 3 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets to Digital Course Success!

 
Direct download: OMME_Lauren_Kilgore_Bonus.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Today I want to help you answer a very important question. 

And that question is… should you create a digital course?

More than likely, my answer to you will be yes.  

Now I know what you’re thinking. What in the world would I create a course on? The market is saturated. There are so many people selling courses online. But I promise that no one is teaching what YOU would teach the way that YOU would teach it. 

So here’s what I want you to do:

Step 1: Listen to this episode and learn about the five main types of profitable digital courses.

Step 2: Take my free quiz and find out which of those types is best for you (or if you should hold off on creating your course for now!).

My team and I put a lot of work (and love) into creating this quiz and I hope it helps you get the clarity you need to take the next step forward. 

Already took the quiz and want to learn more about each course type? Here are the highlights:

  • [08:59] The Workshop Course. This is a two hourish training that promises instant clarity and results. 
  • [15:43] A Starter Course. A jumping-off point to get your students started in your area of expertise. 
  • [19:41] The Spotlight Course. Dives deep into one main area, you’ll help your students produce very specific results in just one area. 
  • [22:36] A Signature Course. A complete comprehensive system, the Mack Daddy of all courses. It’s specific and detailed and includes your entire framework from start to finish.
  • [29:03] The Certification Course. This is as in-depth as it gets. You are teaching others your methodology and process in such a detailed way that they’ll be able to teach it to others. 

Take the Quiz Now!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_279.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Would you believe me if I told you that one of my star students generated well over 6 figures on her very first launch?

Would you believe me if I also told you that student was an elementary school teacher?

How about a mother of five? 

Well, friend, I’m here to tell you that Jamie Sears did just that. It all started when Jamie’s hubby listened to a podcast episode about courses and nudged his wife to have a go at creating one. 

Jamie resisted at first. At that point, she didn’t even have a solid course idea. What really lights me up about this story is that Jamie didn’t let uncertainty or lack of clarity stop her from taking action. She saw the possibilities a course would offer and she moved forward one step at a time. 

Tune and and learn all about…

  • [05:16] The grassroots origins of how Jamie created online resources for her students, and other teachers started asking her for help
  • [07:02] There were so many questions that Jamie felt like she should make a course about writing. Her husband recommended that she join the Digital Course Academy. 
  • [09:38] Jamie went where her students hung out, listened to their questions, and did Facebook Lives when her audience was still small. She kept showing up. 
  • [13:30] Jamie not only got huge results in Digital Course Academy, but she followed the framework and made it her own as she progressed.
  • [15:20] Jamie’s wall of post-its and what her kids helped her see about her course
  • [17:58] How Jamie grew her list by 7000 new subscribers during her launch (without spending a ton on ads)
  • [24:39] Jamie’s mind-blowing pricing and results
  • [27:15] How Jamie got testimonials before her launch was even through
  • [51:01] Don't try to do what everyone else does just go to where your people are already at. 
Direct download: OMME-278.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Marie Forleo has been an inspiration, a friend, and a mentor to me ever since I left corporate and started into the world of online business.

When it comes to business she's seen it all, from humble beginnings offering life coaching for free to being on stage with Oprah (yes, that Oprah). Needless to say, she has accomplished a lot.

Marie feels strongly (and I agree!) that we need more brilliant, creative humans to believe in themselves so that they can go out and make a difference in the world. That was the inspiration that pushed her to write her brand new book, Everything Is Figureoutable.

I recently sat down with Marie to talk about the book and I picked out topics that I thought would be especially helpful for you to hear. Marie held nothing back and shared some gems that I know you're going to love. This episode will have you feeling like everything really is figureoutable.

Here’s a sneak peek of what we covered:

  • How Marie finally decided to write her book (and why she waited, even after being courted by publishers)
  • Listening to that little voice in your head (Marie tells how her mom was the first to teach her about this inner guidance system!)
  • Marie's quick test to determine whether you're acting out of fear or intuition
  • How your beliefs are shaping you (a great model that I've been following for the last year, but Marie takes it even deeper)
  • Calling out your excuses (she explains how a slight change in semantics can be a game-changer in your life and business)
  • What to do when fear creeps in (and you know it will!) 
  • Getting clarity on what you actually want (believe it or not, most people are not crystal clear on what they want to create, but there IS a way to get clear)
  • Avoiding the pitfalls of perfectionism (learn about the severity of the destructiveness of perfectionism)  

You’ve gotta get your hands on Marie’s book, Everything is Figureoutable. Pre-order it now and get the 5-day coaching experience that Marie's offering to all pre-orderers.

 

Direct download: OMME277.5_Marie_Forleo_Bonus.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Mistakes are a part of life, but in my book the fewer things you have to learn the hard way, the better.

When it comes to sharing my blunders while building an online business, I’m an open book. This is the stuff that I WISH someone would’ve shared with me when I was just getting started. 

There are a lot of mistakes that I’ve made that I’m grateful for. Mistakes that helped me learn pivotal lessons that I wouldn’t trade for the world. But lately, I’ve been reflecting on some of the big decisions that I’m making now that I wish I would have made sooner. 

Wanna know the 3 decisions I wish I’d made sooner in my business?

I’m digging into the details on this week’s podcast episode… here are the highlights:

  • [02:15] The first decision that I waited to make until I was making good money was to hire someone to help me manage it. Plus, I’ll tell you how Hobie and I picked an advisor to help us.
  • [07:00] I waited way too long to grow my team to match the big vision I have. 
  • [13:45] Think about accountability and organizing how your team moves towards your goals.
  • [15:32] I share how I had a false belief that I needed to make tons of money before I set clear boundaries or rituals in my life that would allow me to take off. Boundaries protect yourself, your sanity, and your mindset.
Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Direct download: OMME-277.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

I’ll never forget my first webinar.

But not for the reasons you might be thinking.

There I was, confident and ready to rock it, when suddenly the objections started pouring in. I felt defeated and disappointed.

I want to save you the pain I experienced on that webinar with today’s episode.

Believe it or not, it’s absolutely not necessary to let objections get the better of you. They’re not scary when you know how to handle them.

When you know what’s holding people back from saying heck yes to your offer, you can address their hesitation head on. You don’t have to tiptoe around it — instead, you can have a conversation.

Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll learn from this episode: 

  • [05:11] The best place to address objections (hint: it’s not necessarily on your webinar or sales page)
  • [07:32] What to do on the front end of your offer so that common objections never even make an appearance.
  • [11:20] The truth about money objections 
  • [17:11] The key differences between features and benefits
  • [19:09] How to find “tiger” time.
  • [26:35] Marie Forleo’s “I have to talk to my spouse or business partner” script.
  • [29:35] How to get to the root mindset of "I'm not good at xyz." 

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: OMME-276.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Research shows that only 1 in 5 people who purchase online courses complete them.

As a course creator, that stat keeps me up at night and more importantly, compels me to take action.

Over the years, I’ve become obsessed with finding ways to beat those odds. And I’m sure if you’re reading this, you want every single person who buys your course to cross that finish line as well.

If you want amazing case studies and testimonials (the best marketing fuel there is), you’ve gotta do everything in your power to not just create the best course you can — but to ensure you’re helping your students get the results they signed up for. 

Now if you’re freaking out reading that, don’t panic. I’ve done a lot of the legwork for you and I’m sharing everything I’ve got today to help you get your students from point A to point B.

Haven’t created your course yet? Even better! Thinking about these strategies before you develop your course puts you ahead of the curve.

So grab your notebook and sharpen your pencil. Even if you implement just 2 or 3 of these ideas it will make such a difference for your students’ success.

  • [10:30] Emails aren’t just for marketing… a solid onboarding email sequence sets the pace and gives clear steps about what to do next. Email weekly with each module and think about where they are in the process. These emails can meet your students right where they are and get them all the way through to that finish line.
  • [16:28] Set clear expectations. Let people know how long it takes to actually implement the concepts. Ask what your students need to know.
  • [20:58] Accountability. You can pair people in your group together to be accountability partners. 
  • [23:49] Create a weekly challenge. Pick an existing area to highlight, don't add more content (aka work).
  • [25:52] Gamification or give awards for completing the challenges. Encourage good behavior and let people know you recognize them. 
  • [28:48] Allow and encourage your students to put their work in Facebook for feedback. Choose a day, once a week, so people can post and ask for feedback. 
  • [31:40] Course structure. Structure your course in a way that isn't overwhelming. Use short videos and frameworks that illustrate what you're teaching. 
  • [35:07] Real time check-ins. Jump on Facebook live or use other resources and give clarity about those places where people are getting stuck. 
  • [37:46] Have weekly Q and A's. As a course creator, you get to decide the length and frequency of your Q and A's. 
  • [39:46] Manage the mindset of your students. Great content isn't enough. Your student's mindset, roadblocks, fears, and negativity need to be addressed. 
  • [43:29] Bonus Strategy - create a bonus that helps students recoup the cost of the course or gets them organized or helps them find the right mindset. 

Here are the basics of our accountability cheat sheet:

  • Meet once a week, same time, same place, online using something like Zoom.
  • Outline three action items you can commit to doing over the next week.
  • Check in on whether or not you did what you said you would do the previous week. 
  • If not, what were the challenges?
  • What’s your game plan to overcome these challenges next week?
  • What do you commit to accomplishing for the next week?

This episode is brought to you by Gravy. If you have a subscription-model business or offer payment plans, like I do for my online courses, Gravy can really cut down on frustration and lost income. After I started working with Gravy I stopped worrying about payment plans. They contact your customers within hours of their failed payments, and they capture updated billing information and save the customer.

Our failed-payment recovery rate increased from 33 percent, when we were trying to do it internally, to over 80 percent, collecting on failed payments. That's a whole lot of saved payments. So if your revenue is currently at $250,000 or more, and you know you're losing money due to failed payment plans each month, I want to encourage you to check out Gravy. The cool thing is Gravy is waiving the setup fee for all of my listeners. 

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_275.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

On this week’s podcast episode we’re digging into 3 powerful (and surprisingly simple) FB ad strategies designed to fuel your pre-launch fire.  

The pre-launch phase is that crucial 60-90 day period leading UP to your launch that can make a world of difference when it comes to increasing your reach and revenue. If you play your cards right, you’ll find out that launching doesn’t have to be hard, stressful, or time-consuming.

I’m joined by the Regis to my Kathy Lee —  my dear friend and our resident FB and IG ads expert, the one and only Rick Mulready. 

Rick’s been on the podcast before, but today he’s sharing his favorite paid traffic pre-launch tips, including: 

  • How to use FB ads even when you’re on a tight budget and why you SHOULDN’T hire out your ads right away.
  • The power of crafting content around objections and how to do it.
  • The strategy that ensures by the time you open the doors to your webinar, your people are READY to learn from you and hear your offer.

And so much more. Make sure you have your notebook ready!

  • [08:32] What exactly IS the pre-launch period and why it’s so important
  • [12:22] Using video to create value and overcome objections and how best to optimize your ads 
  • [21:30] You can also use video to test target audiences. Right now the more fun and sometimes the sillier or less polished the videos are the better they do. Just make sure to have good sound and lighting. 
  • [25:16] Create a lead magnet that aligns with the launch, provides a quick win, and adds value. This builds trust and rapport. 
  • [28:13] Try for a 90-day or at least 60-day pre-launch where you are building a list of your target audience. Run ads and get people to sign up for your lead magnet before your webinar registration. You can also create a look-alike list of your target audience to run your ad to. 
  • [30:33] Why and when to use pop-up Facebook groups to create engagement and attract an audience for your launch. 
  •  [38:02] How running ads consistently throughout the year will save on your launch costs 
  • [40:11] Bonus strategy: Running a quiz with ads. This gives people a quick win and it's great for segmenting people to attract your ideal audience. Have a well written quiz with a really good ad strategy to go with it. 

This episode is officially sponsored by Rick's program Foundations, which is about getting started with Facebook ads and Instagram ads. It's a really great program. He teaches how to create ad campaigns in both Facebook and Instagram that will build traction and get your launch or list or group off the ground.  

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_274.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

I never imagined myself having the team I do now. I also can’t imagine subscribing to the old idea of what it means to be a “boss”. 

I've learned a lot about what works and what doesn't when it comes to working with a team, especially with all of the hiring we've been doing over the past few months.

That's why I was so excited to sit down with Team Building and Leadership Coach, Theresa Loe to talk about building a self-managed team.

I truly believe that building a team that’s aligned with your values is one of the secrets to not just building more revenue or success, but to enjoying the process.

If you’re thinking “Amy, I’m so not even close to ready to build a team” — hey, that’s okay! 

But when you are ready (and trust me, one day you will be and it might come sooner than you think) this is the kind of insight I want you to have so you can save yourself from making painful hiring mistakes (trust me, I’ve been there). 

Theresa has cracked the code on how to find, grow, and lead a self-managed team, and she is sharing her best insights today:

  • [11:17] Having a self-managed team means putting yourself in the CEO position and having people under you who are all responsible for their own projects. When you have a great idea the team can execute and make it happen.
  • [13:58] Mindset is the number one strategy for building a self-managed team. Think about what you want your day to look like, and then slowly reverse engineer how to take everything else off of your plate.
  • [18:01] Hire based on attributes. Make sure they are aligned with you, your vision, and your core values. People can be trained on tools but not on character. Write down the attributes that you want then put up a gauntlet to see if applicants have these attributes.
  • [26:43] Hand off responsibilities, not tasks. Make everything a project. Instead of a one-off blog post, make them responsible for content management including scheduling, analytics, and reporting.
  • [29:39] Communication is key. Have a clear description of what "done" means. Be very clear about expectations but nurture your team to make decisions for themselves.
  • [33:18] You can create a feedback loop by recording any changes that you had to make to a project. Empower your team with resources.
  • [35:20] You can start small and hire someone for a few hours a week. You need to look at those freed up hours as gold and use them for money-making activities to free up cash to add more free hours.

This episode is sponsored by my Free Masterclass all about kick-starting your list building efforts. You need to grow your email list every day to have a healthy business. All of the social media posts in the world can't do for you what a viable email list can. 

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_273.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

This is one of those super uncomfortable moments when I have to admit…I don’t have it ALL figured out.

Recently, I was at the EntreLeadership live event and Dave Ramsey’s words cut right to my soul. He said, “Organizations are never limited by their opportunity or their team, they are limited by their leader.

And the honest truth is, I regret not putting more focus on being a better leader for my team much sooner than I did.

No one is born with amazing leadership skills. They take years to develop and the earlier you start, the better off you’ll be. 

Because here’s the truth: you can’t build an empire by yourself. 

Eventually, you’ll need to bring people on who stand behind your vision and are just as motivated as you are to achieve it. 

As my business grows and scales, my job is to be a visionary and show up for my team as a leader in a stronger way. I’ve always thought of my students and my business, but now it’s time to focus on creating a bigger stronger team of people who are empowered to make decisions, come up with ideas, and grow with my business.

EntreLeadership was one of the best events I’ve attended. It blew my mind. After it lit a fire under my chair to become a better leader, I knew I had to share my biggest takeaways with you.

I hope you learn from these and implement them into your business right away. Do not pass go, just do it. I promise you won’t regret it.

Here are the main takeaways:

  • [15:00] There’s always room for improvement, no matter how ‘big’ your organization is.
  • [16:12] Takeaway #1: Dave Ramsey shared how organizations are never limited by their team. They are limited by their leader. (This one really hit me in the gut!)
  • [19:38] Takeaway #2: Henry Cloud asked, “Does your team know how you are going to win?” It’s important to define what winning looks like for yourself and then share it with your team. 
  • [23:39] Takeaway #3: Patrick Lencioni dropped a major value bomb when he said that fear of conflict will stifle productivity and keep you playing small. He explained that you’re cutting yourself short if you’re not encouraging your team to show their opinions even when they are challenging. 
  • [32:43] Takeaway #4: Patrick Lencioni also talked about hiring people that are humble, hungry, and smart. He explained that these type of people lack excessive ego, are self-motivated, and use good judgment with people. 
  • [39:32] Takeaway #5: Jesse Itzler shared his motto of “remember tomorrow.” He encourages you to ask yourself how you will feel tomorrow about any decisions that you make today. Listen to learn how I’ve implemented the Full Focus Planner with my team.
  • [43:41] Takeaway #6: Sara Blakely, the creator of Spanx, told the story of her early days in the business where she went above and beyond to educate customers on her product — she would go to the department store and talk to customers. She’s such a good example of never being too proud to get in there and do the work and get your hands dirty. 
  • [48:13] Extra Credit: Write down three things that you would love your team, or your team of the future, to say about your leadership style. I’m doing this exercise too and I wish I would have asked myself this question years ago. Don’t wait. 

Links mentioned in this episode:

 
Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_272.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

If you’ve been around for a bit, then you know my motto is always be list building. Now, while there are all kinds of list-building strategies, there’s one that's by far the easiest way to grow your email list, and that's by offering a lead magnet.

Through all of my endless list building experiments, I’ve learned how to create incredibly valuable pieces of content, like cheat sheets, guides, and mini-trainings.

But do you know what kind of lead magnet is the best, hands down?

A profit-driven lead magnet.

Now, I know what you're thinking... "Amy, a lead magnet is something I give away for free. What the heck are you talking about when you say 'profit-driven'?"

Here's the deal. Most of the time, when somebody signs up for your email list, they are just not quite ready to buy from you yet. When you create a profit-driven lead magnet, you are creating a tool that leads your new subscriber to a buying decision while also providing incredible value.

With this very intentional strategy, you will be generating revenue faster than you ever thought possible!

In today's episode, I talked about the three main questions you must ask yourself before you create your profit-driven lead magnet, and they are:

  1. What do you currently sell or plan to sell in the future?
  2. What does your ideal customer avatar need to understand, be aware of, or believe in order to want or need your product, program, or service?
  3. What type of lead magnet could I create that will compliment or align with the product, program, or service I currently sell or plan to sell?

I love a good example that illustrates what I'm talking about and I've included the two examples of profit-driven lead magnets that I talked about on the show below.  I hope those will get your creative juices flowing!

Example #1: My Own Lead Magnet, "20 Smart Strategies to Rapidly Grow Your Email List"

Why Example #1 Works:

  • It inspires.
  • It's actionable.
  • The cheat-sheet gives the what, and my course gives the how.

My ideal customer avatar and I are now in a conversation about how I can help them. Now, each week, I can continue the conversation with my ongoing weekly content.

Example #2: Corinne Crabtree's Free Course, "THREE Things You Must Know to Lose Weight"

Why Example #2 Works:

  • She makes it doable.
  • It gets people results (for free).
  • It attracts the right audience.

Corinne meets people right where they're at in their journey. Her course name is simple, clear, and to the point. Right away on the thank you page, she shares her journey in a video (and still directs her audience to check their email for more).

Episode highlights:
  • [06:49] 99% of the people who give you their email address aren't ready to buy. It’s up to you to walk them down that path. Create your lead magnet with your end goal in mind, and your end goal is to attract paying customers.
  • [14:04] Example #1 my lead magnet for List Builder's Society (see image example below).
  • [21:13] Make sure your lead magnet meets the customer/buyer where they are at. Profit-driven lead magnets are very intentional, specific, and sometimes only used for launches. There is a difference between a really good lead magnet and a profit-driven lead magnet.
  • [26:44] Example #2 from Corinne Crabtree (see image example below).

 

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_271new.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Ring the fire alarm because my better half, Mr. Hobie Porterfield, is lighting this place up! I’m super excited to have him back on the show, because I love sharing this side of my life. It may not always be unicorns and rainbows, but it’s pretty special.

Hobie puts fires out for a living, but he also helps me put fires out in my business. If it weren’t for his emotional support, I can’t say I’d be where I am today. He’s my biggest cheerleader, my biggest supporter, and he picks me up when I’m down.

We have learned and grown so much together. I just love having him on the show to share how we juggle laundry, launches, and everything in between as a team. This is an inside look at how we communicate about our needs, managing time and money, and our big goals.

You sent in some amazing questions. We’ll try to answer them, and hopefully, some of the things that we’ve learned and shared will help you not only in your business, but in your relationships as well.

  • [03:15] Hobie does more of the housework, and he likes to rub it in 😉remind me of that.
  • [06:26] Hobie doesn’t mind listening to me talk about my work, because it gives him a connection into my world.
  • [09:25] We sit down multiple times throughout the year and schedule everything
  • [13:39] When it comes to money and investing – getting a financial planner is one of the smartest things you can do.
  • [18:53] Why Hobie doesn’t go to conferences with me
  • [23:52] What would happen if we swapped roles for a day.
  • [25:49] Hobie talks about how he feels about me making more money than him
  • [29:28] How my weight loss has changed how we spend our time
  • [37:47] Hobie shares his amazing proposal plan that didn’t quite work out as planned. We also get a little personal with what annoys each other and how much fun we have.

 

 

Links mentioned in this episode:

 
Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_270.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

  • “Amy, can I still launch my course if I only have 500 people on my email list?” 

    Ambitious course creators ask me variations of that question at least once a week.

    It’s easy for the size of your list to become one more excuse not to launch.

    My guest today is someone who had a successful launch with a list of 750 subscribers. Tarzan Kay has had not just one but three successful launches with a small list. In this episode, she shares her tips and strategies and walks us through her inspiring launch success.

    Tarzan is a launch strategist and email copywriting expert for online entrepreneurs and digital-course creators. Her specialty is fun-to-read, more-addictive-than-Game-of-Thrones copy for digital-course launches. 

    In her own business, she uses my special webinar framework —shout out to my Digital Course Academy members! In fact, she's used it over and over to sell her own courses, fill her private mastermind, and even had the occasional $100,000 month while working 30 hours per week and being the sole provider for her family of four. 

    I know you’re going to love this episode. Tarzan’s tips are useful for anyone who wants to deepen their relationship with their list, big or small. 

    • [14:33] Start thinking about how you can build relationships with individuals on your list, so they know that you're real and that you are going to deliver for them.
    • [15:45] Launching takes courage. Those who are successful launch through the fear and keep doing it again and again.
    • [16:23] More than revenue comes out of a launch. You get opportunities to speak, be on podcasts, build relationships, partner, and more.
    • [20:12] Tarzan uses a tool called BombBomb to send personalized videos to people who were active on her webinars. She also puts their names on her whiteboard. Email your list weekly and start a conversation. You can even hop on calls with people from your list. 
    • [26:50] Tarzan knows how to speak to the different personality types on her email list… and she breaks it down for us in Game of Thrones characters to make it easy to understand.
    • [32:17] All of your emails won't appeal to everybody, but there is definitely a way to make them appeal to more than one group at once.
    • [35:44] The number of people replying to your email is a great metric to judge whether they liked it or not.
    • [37:01] A nurture sequence comes after a new subscriber has opted in to get your freebie. Put a lot of energy into showing them your personality.

    Click here to listen now!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_269.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

I get so many questions about LinkedIn. You’ve been asking how to use it for your audience, for list building, and what’s working right now.

I decided to bring in the big guns and invite world-renowned LinkedIn expert Viveka von Rosen on the show. Viveka is the author of LinkedIn Marketing: An Hour a Day and LinkedIn: 101 Ways To Rock Your Personal Brand: Grow your network and build your business!.

She is also a personal branding expert, LinkedIn Learning author, international keynote speaker, and has been recognized as a top LinkedIn and social media expert. She contributes to many major publications and has even been featured on two movies about social media. She is co-founder of Vengreso which provides digital sales solutions.

I’m so glad to have her here today to talk about what is currently working on LinkedIn, strategies for B2C clients, what is coming up with video and LinkedIn Live, and so much more. She even gives us actionable steps to transform our profile to sell in a non-salesy way and use content to nurture and grow relationships.

  • [06:08] Diving deeper is the strategy that worked for Viveka. She was also able to learn the platform inside and out, build relationships, and stay top of mind with her audience.
  • [14:25] You can repurpose blog posts on LinkedIn by clicking on "write an article" and pasting that article in LinkedIn Publisher. Other great ways to repurpose content is to add images to your article, create a PowerPoint presentation, and publish it as a document. Videos can be uploaded as native video or in the soon to be released LinkedIn Live.
  • [16:07] Position yourself as a thought leader. Make your background image about your product and have your summary read like a sales page (but not salesy). Who are you helping? What are their pain points? What is your solution?
  • [21:47] Selling is about being human and relationships. Know your audience and speak to your audience and don't worry about people self-selecting away from you.
  • [27:51] The secret recipe is to share something every day and create a long-form post once a week. For the long-form post use 1200 to 1400 characters and emojis to share something of value. Shoot and upload a relevant video or PDF, PowerPoint, or infographic for 10X the number of views. Use LinkedIn messaging to create a sharing fan club.
  • [33:22] A great way to get access to a B2B prospect is to interview the influencer in that company. This is how Viveca and Vengreso have been able to start the conversation for six- and seven-figure deals.

This episode is brought to you LinkedIn Marketing. If your goal is to target your customers where they're engaging every day and when they're ready to make a buying decision, I want you to consider LinkedIn.

When you advertise on LinkedIn, you're attracting potential customers and fostering relationships that often translate into high-quality leads, website traffic, and higher brand awareness. Go to LinkedIn Marketing to redeem a free $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign.

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

 

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_268.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

If you asked your customers or fans what you were known for what would they say?

We’ve all got that special something that we want to be known for. That thing that attracts your customers to you effortlessly and grows your audience with ease.

That “it” factor, what your known for, is the foundation for your positioning.

It’s also the path to increase your profit and purpose.

Over the years I have seen so many people stop themselves from confidently staking their claim on what they want to be known for out of fear of getting put in a box.

The truth is, you can’t create a recognizable brand if you’re not known for something specific. And you can always pivot (just ask me or my girl Marie Forleo).

This episode is dedicated to helping you figure out a game plan for what you want to be known for and how you’ll share that secret sauce with the world.

Listen in to get these five specific ways to get clear on what you’re known for (and more!).

  1. [16:09] Clear messaging. Where do people start with you? Where are they at the beginning of the journey? This is a great place to start the conversation and create a lead magnet. Starting in the right place can lead subscribers down a path.
  2. [18:44] Talk about what you are known for a lot. Weave in these topics into everything that you do and always come back to it. Only talk about your area of expertise and to an audience that is a good fit.
  3. [22:05] Stick with it. You will never be known for something specific if you are constantly dabbling in a bunch of things. You can be passionate about a lot of things but narrow your business down.
  4. [23:42] Don’t be afraid to ask people to share with you what they think you are all about. Ask a couple customers or fans what you are best known for.
  5. [24:32] Consider putting together a framework, method, or blueprint that you can go back to as a foundation. This is probably something that will evolve over time. When you see people gravitating towards it, you know it’s your thing.

Alright, my friend, I hope you’ll take this info and run with it to position yourself for lasting success.

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_267_v2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Let’s be honest here. Writing copy can be hard, but it’s an important almost mandatory skill for new business people just starting out. In fact, I wrote all of my own copy my first few years of business, and I suggest that you do the same. Become a student of copywriting. The more you do it, the easier it will become. Today, I’m talking about a technique that will help you build up that oh-so-important relationship with your ideal avatar.

This technique is by Ry Schwartz an expert copywriter who writes a lot of my copy. He also teaches copywriting and my audience loves him. This method is called Coaching the Conversion. It's all about writing copy in a way that will resonate with your ideal customer avatar at a really high level and will meet them right where they're at. It will help them feel as though they know that you see them and you hear them.

I actually think it's important that you write your own copy for the first two years of your business. You need to truly understand your ideal customer. Writing copy for your ideal customer is an intimate experience. It really should begin with you. It will make you a better entrepreneur and a better communicator overall if you take the time to perfect your expertise.

After this episode, you will walk away with golden nuggets that will help you transform your next promotion. I even share one of my best converting ads and break it all down for you step-by-step.

Coaching the Conversion Method in 4 Steps

  1. [10:34] Shift your mindset about how you feel about being a copywriter. Look at copywriting as a means to coach your ideal customer through a transformation by using words that make them feel seen and heard.
  2. [13:47] Know your ideal customer avatar like you know your best friend. Sometimes you have to read between the lines and know-your-customer intimately. Clearly understand their pain points, desires, and what makes them tick.
  3. [17:42] Use their words. It's important that you reflect back to them what they are feeling and what they are saying. Keep a running list of words and phrases that they use. These are pure gold for copywriters.
  4. [19:24] Remember that coaching the conversion walks your potential customer along the path from where they are now to where they could be or where they want to be. The first part of the path is your weekly content then you move on to coaching opportunities inside a webinar. Then send post follow-up emails.

A Concrete Example from One of My Highest Converting Facebook Ads:

How long have you been waiting to finally have the confidence to go all in on building and selling your digital course? Six months a year more. It took me a while to get started to.

I was scared I'd fail, and guess what? I pretty much did. My first course only made me $267, but I stuck with it and 7 courses, 42,000 students, and 8.7 million dollars in revenue later. I've learned a thing or two, and I want to share all that with you. Register for free here (and then I give the link).

 

 

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_266.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Any Oprah fans out there? If you are a diehard Oprah fan like me, then you probably watched Season 25 of Oprah Behind the Scenes, and you probably remember Executive Producer Sheri Salata. She was also co-president of Harpo studios and OWN. I remember watching a scene from that special that showed Sheri waking up in the morning with her bulldogs getting ready to go to the Oprah show, and I thought how does she do it all?

It turns out Sheri has a fascinating story. She had reached the heights of her business career when she decided to reinvent herself and find more balance in her life. She woke up and realized that a career of her dreams wasn’t enough. She set out to reinvent herself with a job and life that are one and live her life to the fullest.

If you have ever felt stuck or in a rut, you will love Sheri’s story of reinvention and using happy as a compass. Sheri is the author of The Beautiful No, the owner of The Pillar Life, and co-host of The Sheri + Nancy Show. This is a powerful episode as Sheri shares her wit and wisdom in a way that only a true storyteller like Sheri can.

  • [08:16] Sheri shares what her life was like as executive producer for Oprah before day one of life after Oprah.
  • [11:13] Sheri had a great story for her book. She started in an entry level position for Oprah at the age of 35. This was the 3rd or 4th time she started over, and she reinvented herself again at age 56.
  • [13:58] You don't know your in a rut until you're out of it. Forcing yourself to jump the track and breathe new air makes life more interesting.
  • [16:28] Sheri had a dream come true career but not a dream come true life. She had to do a serious reckoning with the tenderness of hearts to get to the core of the kind of life she dreamed of.
  • [19:44] At a Shamanic ceremony in the desert, Sheri learned that to start with a fresh page you have to let go and clear the slate.
  • [24:05] Sheri and Nancy built a business around living and doing things for a better life and then reporting back about it.
  • [28:01] Sheri switched her story about working out. She is a storyteller, so she told herself a new story that inspired her using words like power, flexibility, renewal, and recovery.
  • [30:55] Awareness is everything. How not to make misery your compass. When happiness is your compass, you are keenly aware of what feels good. These are clues that your destination is lovely and wonderful.
  • [36:58] The amazing story of how Sheri landed her job at Oprah. You don't want to miss this story! It's also the basis for the title of her book The Beautiful No.

This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn:

LinkedIn is the perfect platform to market your business. Marketing your business is all about reaching the right audience at the right time and connecting with them when your message resonates the most. So, if you want to target your customers where they're engaging everyday and when they're ready to make a decision, I want you to consider LinkedIn.

In fact, four out of five customers who are on LinkedIn are decision makers at their companies. You can see some incredible traction with your LinkedIn ads. If you want to redeem a free $100 dollar LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign on LinkedIn go to LinkedIn.com/Amy.

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_265.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Is there something holding you back in your business? Today, I’m talking about that ONE EXCUSE that may be holding you back from taking that next step that will really propel your business forward. This excuse holds many people back, and they don’t even know it. It’s kind of like a snake in the grass, where you don’t even know it’s there until it slithers up and STOPS you in your tracks.

I’m also going to show you how to identify this excuse in all its many forms and how to breakaway from this cycle with a simple technique that anyone can do. It might not be easy. It might not be comfortable, but being able to take action even when it’s not easy or comfortable is key to progress. Moving forward even when you don’t have all of the answers can get you unstuck and start the positive momentum you need to move the needle forward in your business.

  • [05:09] Not moving forward because you are stuck is an excuse that can take many forms and hold you back.
  • [09:42] The way to get past this is taking imperfect action even when it is messy and uncomfortable.
  • [10:57] How I took imperfect action with my team bonus structure. I approached it like I knew what I was doing and put together a plan to the best of my ability. I NEVER have to start from scratch again. That's what imperfect action does!
  • [16:21] You have to have something to show when you ask for feedback.
  • [18:10] You have to make a decision and produce something. The hardest place to be is starting from scratch. Get beyond this point, even when you don't have all of the answers. That's how to get stuff done!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_264.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

You want people ready to buy when you launch your course, but how do you do that? This episode will explain exactly how to be intentional before your launch, so that your customers will be ready to buy when you are ready to sell. You need to start the relationship building early, because people buy from those that they know, like, and trust. I am going to share a powerful marketing strategy that you can use to seed the idea of your course before it is ever launched.

You will be priming the pump in a transparent and authentic way that makes people hungry for what you have to offer. I’m going to give you three powerful tips that you can intentionally use to get your buyers ready and excited to buy from you when you launch. This mini lesson will give you actionable ways to talk about your course in a natural way that doesn’t sound salesy and gets people excited about what you are offering.

  • [06:49] The best way to hit your goals during your launch is to be incredibly intentional before your launch. You want to position yourself as your audience's guide, so they recognize you as their go-to source. This priming period is all about how you show up for your audience.
  • [10:33] Use stories about your journey or your students journey to seed your course. This will make the struggles more real and tangible. Think about your students and where were they, what did they struggle with, what held them back, and what helped them move forward. Understand the difference between a story and a testimonial and use both of them.
  • [15:59] Talk about specific lessons, formulas, frameworks, or strategies that are in your course. I created a framework and then showed how it came to life with a step-by-step of a webinar that made me over three million dollars in one launch. Give names to your lessons and formulas.
  • [20:03] Create exclusivity. You want your non-students to want to be part of your special insider community. Shout outs are a great way to share that you have something special. When people see you talking about it, they want to be part of it. Do it in a loving mindful way.
  • [22:47] Don't be afraid to talk about your course multiple times in multiple ways. Weaving your product into the conversation naturally never sounds salesy. In order to make the seeding strategy work, you have to launch when you say you are going to launch.  

This episode is brought to you by my Free Masterclass all about list building. One of the ways that you can be incredibly intentional when you aren’t launching is to build your email list every single day.

The energy of your business is directly tied to the strength of your email list, and so that’s why you hear me talk about list building so much on my podcast, in my Facebook lives, and in my private Facebook groups and in all my courses. List building is essential to the growth of your online business. Get my Free List Building Masterclass.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_263.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

I've been noticing a theme lately and it's the idea of less is more. I have been really busy this first quarter and am looking forward to a season where I can slow down. But to be honest, this scares my entrepreneurial brain. I associate slowing down with achieving less and making less money. In spite of this, I firmly believe in my core that I can do less and still make a huge impact and hit my big goals.

My friend Kate Northrup is someone who did just that. She slowed down and discovered that her earning didn’t decrease. She even discovered that by listening to her body and noticing her seasons, she could get more done by doing less. She even wrote the book Doing Less. The book goes into detail on how to do less, create a bigger impact, make more money, and create space to do those things that matter. This episode is incredibly actionable, incredibly valuable, and you will learn a lot about yourself that you didn't know.

  • [13:27] The 40 hour work week isn't evidence-based and it's not results-based. A 55 hour work week leads to a 33% increased risk in stroke and a 13% increase in risk of coronary disease. A 49 hour week is associated with poor mental health. There is a diminishing rate of return on hours put in.
  • [15:59] Men have a cyclical experience of energy based on their hormones every 24 hours. Women have a cyclical experience of energy based on their hormones every 28 days. Productivity and time management systems assume our lives are based on a 24-hour cycle. We both have the ability to get just as much done, but in slightly different ways. The four phases line up with the energy of the seasons.
  • [21:33] Very few people can be in a state of high concentration for more than 4 or 5 hours a day. Multiple things at the same time makes us miss things and make mistakes. Get clear on your goals. Set a timer for every hour and write down what you were doing. Then ask if they are connected to your result.
  • [34:03] How to map out which tasks should be done and when. Ask yourself how much energy you have as you plan your week and then have 5% to 10% of your activities based on your energy and then get done what you need to get done. Listen to your body and things will work in alignment. Our bodies are our source of energy and creativity.
  • [39:43] Simplify. Ask if things are in flow or in friction. Simplify wherever there is friction. Learn how to get results with the least amount of steps. Find what works for you.
  • [45:37] To do lists can be overwhelming. Make a weekly list instead of a daily list. This gives you grace and space to make things happen. Ask if it NEEDS to be done. Does it need to be done by ME? Does it need to be done NOW?

This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn:

LinkedIn is the perfect platform to market your business. Marketing your business is all about reaching the right audience at the right time and connecting with them when your message resonates the most. So, if you want to target your customers where they're engaging everyday and when they're ready to make a decision, I want you to consider LinkedIn. In fact, four out of five customers who are on LinkedIn are decision makers at their companies. You can see some incredible traction with your LinkedIn ads. If you want to redeem a free $100 dollar LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign on LinkedIn go to LinkedIn.com/Amy.

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_262.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Have you ever thought about adding a membership site to your business model? How does the idea of recurring revenue in your business sound? Revenue coming in every single month, rain or shine, launch or no launch… Sounds good to me!  

Many of my students are course creators and the idea of adding a membership site on the backend of their course as a way for their customers to continue working with them really does seem to be the next right step in their business.

My students aren’t the only ones getting on the membership site train...In fact, I’m in the process of adding a membership site to my own business and what I’ve learned over the past year about the power of combining memberships and courses is nothing short of revolutionary.

If you tuned in last week, I spoke with the membership site guru himself, Stu McLaren, and we went through the 10 most burning questions about membership sites and boy have we heard from a lot of you of how helpful that episode was and how it has inspired many of you to take that next step.

Well, you know I love a good story, so I wanted to hear from some course creators who added a membership site to their business mix. I wanted to hear the good, the bad and the ugly, straight from their mouths, so I jumped on Facebook Live this week and interviewed three people who’ve added a membership site on the backend of their course as a way for their customers to continue working with them and to be able to receive the post-course support that is so important to their continued success.

You’re going to love hearing from these three rockstar entrepreneurs and believe me, they have the results to prove that memberships and courses go together like peanut butter and jelly.

So let me tell you a little bit about each of my guests. They’re in completely different industries but they all have one thing in common…they have successfully combined their courses with memberships.

 

Listen to your students when they tell you they want more of you...

Jamie Swanson is a busy mama of six who teaches other photographers how to work with entrepreneurs and influencers who need a steady stream of images to grow their personal brand. Her course teaches photographers how to pivot their business from whatever type of photography they’ve been doing before, maybe family portraits, weddings, etc.) to this new hot market for personal brand photography. After finishing Jamie’s course, her students were constantly asking how they could continue working with her. She knew a membership site would serve them best. Listen in as Jamie shares her biggest fears about opening up a membership site (hello, content treadmill!), how she’s embraced a simple model that her students love and her whopping conversion rate when she opened up her membership site to her existing students.  

 

Think your course is too niched for a membership site?

Think again! Jesse Mencia teaches hand-lettering to Spanish speaking women, as well as how they can turn their hobby of hand-lettering into a business by selling their beautiful products. Jesse started with a six-week course, but quickly saw the need for continued support after her students finished up her course. Once again, her students wanted more and they were willing to pay. Listen in as Jesse shares her inspiring story.    

 

From rock solid copywriting foundation to confident business building...

Belinda is a copywriter who teaches aspiring copywriters how to gain confidence in working with clients, hone their craft and build thriving copywriting businesses. Now, listen carefully because we’ve got a theme going on here...Belinda’s students, like both Jamie and Jesse, told her they wanted more from her. When they gained confidence in their copywriting from her course, the next right step was to learn how to build and scale their businesses, and that’s where her membership site came in. Listen in as Belinda shares how she runs her membership site and how she’s adding some new promotional strategies to the mix.

Each of these ladies has had great success and they all golden insights to share, such as…

  • How to batch 10 weeks of content in one four hour block
  • How to share your membership with your course students
  • How a membership site helps your best students to get greater results

If you’re curious about how you can combine a membership with your course, you won’t want to miss this episode!

And if you want more of the secrets that have helped these ladies succeed, you’ll want to sign up for my dear friend Stu McLaren’s FREE workshop, Recurring Revolution.

Sign up here!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_261.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

So many of you have asked me questions about setting up a membership site so you could serve your audience in a bigger and deeper way. Well, I thought I better bring in someone who knows membership sites in and out, and directly ask him your burning questions, all about membership sites. I like to call Stu McLaren the Membership Man. He is, hands down, the go-to source for all things membership.     

In 2008, Stu knew something had to give. He was burning the candle at both ends providing one-on-one services to clients. While his business would be seen as successful by most because the money was there, he was trading time for dollars and this was not the answer to where he saw his future. Especially one with kids in it, like he and his wife were hoping for.   

Long story short, Stu decided he needed a new business model to take what he was already doing and share it in a more leveraged way -- a model that included recurring revenue. Upon the suggestion from a friend and business mentor, he started a membership site. Not only did he create a membership site for himself, but he saw a need for a tool for implementing a membership site, so he set out and created one.

Throughout his time working with the 70,000 clients who flocked to use WishList Member, the membership software platform Stu created, he learned a lot about what worked and what didn’t when it came to creating a membership site and he joined me on my podcast today to share all of that wisdom.

Here’s a snapshot of what we covered in our chat where I asked him the 10 most burning questions that you, my listener, asked:

We covered…

  • The difference between a membership site and a course
  • What kind of content you need to have inside your course
  • How to manage the content creation process
  • Pricing your membership site
  • Launch strategies and options for membership sites
  • Having your course as a prerequisite for you membership site
  • Launching with webinars
  • Incentivizing members to join

Bottom line, almost any business can benefit from having some type of membership site. And it doesn’t have to be a lot of work to invite members in, or to create content every month. The beauty of a membership site is that you get to leverage your knowledge with the content you provide and the recurring revenue that a membership will bring to your business.  

Here are some of the highlights from this episode:

  • [8:23] Question #1…  the main difference between a membership site and a course
  • [22:04] The Four Primary Pieces of Content you need for your membership site every month
  • [26:40] You Don’t Have to Do It Alone - What Inspired John Gallagher, founder of HerbMentor to facilitate a tribe of experts. The content does not have to fall on your shoulders.
  • [28:39] How to decide what content to release and when to your new members (and how to simplify)
  • [31:49] Pricing your membership site and the important distinctions between offering membership first or your course first
  • [37:09] What you MUST know about pricing your membership site
  • [40:22] Open or closed launching, and how Jennifer Allwood scaled her membership site from 700 members in three years to 1,200 new members in 5 DAYS
  • [47:12] The secret to the ONE and only ad that made Stu buy (and how you can apply it to your membership site)
  • [51:37] How Nicholas Wilton recruited 180 members from a single webinar before he had even created his membership site
  • [57:48] Paint Store Owners, Fitness Experts, Dog Trainers, and other surprising examples of membership site founders
  • [1:00] The misconceptions you don’t need to buy into

Stu brought so many great insights ton how to make a membership site work for you. This was truly one of my favorite episodes of the podcast.

And there’s so much more where that came from! If you’re wondering whether a membership site can work for you, or wanting to know how to grow your existing site, I highly encourage you to join Stu’s free workshop by visiting amyporterfield.com/stu.

Join us both and listen to the episode now!

This episode is brought to you by Tribe. Join the free TRIBE Workshop today and learn how to Turn What You Already Know, Love, And Do Into A Successful Membership Business.

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_260.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

One of the best ways to sell your product is to get out there and tell people about it. This isn’t always easy! After this episode, you’re going to be armed with strategies to confidently talk about your product like a pro.

After an exhausting launch, I found myself mindlessly flipping through channels and stumbled upon an infomercial for Bye Bye Foundation with IT Cosmetics founder Jamie Lima. This is a woman who knows how to SELL her product to the tune of millions and millions of dollars.

I noticed that Jamie talks about her product in a very specific way. The words she was using… the way she repeats herself… it was like magic! She was seamlessly talking about her product the way I’d like to talk about my own programs while on webinars and Facebook Lives.

I began studying her work and really paying attention. I discovered that she has very specific strategies for talking about her product, so I broke those down for you in this episode. I also give you some tips and tricks to apply Jamie’s expert strategies when talkinb about your own products.

Grab your free cheat sheet here!

The Seven Secrets for Talking About Your Product Like a Pro:

  • [06:51] Solidify your verbal tagline. A verbal tagline is something that you say over and over again. Create an inspirational or motivational tagline that talks about your product.
  • [10:34] Tell what it is. You’ve got to be clear on exactly what it is you’re selling. It may seem obvious to you, but it may not be to your potential customer. You want to highlight what is most important about your product, program or service through the use of very concise phrases or words.
  • [13:58] Tell what it's not. You just need one or two sentences of what your product is not. Find one or two things that you know your audience doesn't want because that allows you to then move into what it IS in an inspirational way. This contrast can be very powerful.
  • [16:08] Tell why it's unique. There are likely multiple ways your product, program or service is unique, but it’s important to highlight ONE specific way it’s very unique to set you apart from your competition.
  • [20:37] Identify a few core themes. Come up with verbal themes. Jamie uses the words “different” and “deserve” a lot as her theme words. A theme word I use when I talk about my programs is “doable”. It’s important to have some themes that are constant when talking about your product, program or service.
  • [26:09] Future pace with an intentional one-liner. Future pacing by beginning a sentence with “Imagine…” will help your potential customer look at what’s possible, or what’s ahead for them. You want them to get excited and future pacing will help them to envision a better future for themselves if they purchase your product, program or service.
  • [28:23] Choose testimonials that speak to all of the above. When getting testimonials from your customers, make sure to ask the right questions to get authentic answers that talk about your product in a way that mirrors how you talk about your product.

I've created a cheat sheet that will walk you through these seven secrets in detail but will also prompt you to create each of these snippets on your own so that you have them when you go into your next promotion. Grab the cheat sheet here!

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_259.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

As entrepreneurs, we’re driven by our passion and ideas. There is never a lack of projects and things that need to get done. Even worse, we often jump from one task to the next as we try to get caught up with our endless list.

Does it seem like you never have enough time in the day to get the important stuff done? Are you frantically trying to whittle down that endless list? We all get caught up in this cycle. That’s why I’m so excited to have Michael Hyatt back on the show.

Michael says:

“It's almost impossible to accomplish anything significant when you're racing through an endless litany of tasks and emergencies. And yet, this is how many of us spend our days, our weeks, months, years, sometimes our entire lives.”

Michael operated like this for years when he was an overworked and stressed executive at Thomas Nelson Publishers. Michael, now on the other side of this unsustainable and unhealthy work pattern, has cracked the code on a system of productivity and focus that is designed to help you avoid burnout in your business.  

Michael was tired of working harder and accomplishing less. It’s FOCUS that drives our businesses and our personal lives. In this episode, Michael shares the principles from his new book Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less, so we can accomplish what matters.  

The Free to Focus System:

  • [07:34] Productivity is really about freedom. Freedom is a BIG reason people get into business. The book covers four freedoms: The freedom to focus. We need sustained focus and concentration. The freedom to be present. This is the freedom to be 100% present with whoever you are with. The freedom to be spontaneous, and the freedom to do nothing.
  • [12:12] There are also three phases to Freedom to Focus. They are Stop, Cut, and Act. The first three chapters focus on Stop. First, you need to formulate a vision of a more productive future. Then evaluate the work you are doing using the freedom compass. And always rejuvenate and take time for self-care. Formulate, evaluate, and rejuvenate.
  • [14:22] Using the Freedom Compass:
    • True North is where passion and proficiency come together.
    • South is the drudgery zone. Things your not passionate about or proficient in.
    • East is the disinterest zone. Things you are good at but not passionate about.
    • West is the distraction zone. Things you enjoy doing but aren’t good at.
  • [18:11] Things on your freedom compass that you love and are good at are in your desire zone. This is where you should focus the bulk of your energy. Eliminate, automate, or delegate everything that's not in the desire zone.
  • [30:41] Michael plays mythbuster to the objections that entrepreneurs have about delegation. Hiring a VA enables you to repurpose time for more valuable activities.
  • [35:46] Act also has three steps. They are consolidate, designate, and activate. To consolidate avoid context switching and batch activities.
  • [38:53] Designate is designing your year by identifying three goals for your quarter, week, and each day. Imagine how powerful your days would be if you accomplish three important things on a daily basis.
  • [43:00] Activate is about managing the interruptions. Check in before going into a deep work session, so you won't be interrupted. Turn off notifications. Let technology serve you.
  • Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_258.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Are you making it as easy as possible for your followers to buy from you? Is it possible to put out too much content? Many of us, myself included, struggle with thinking more is more when it comes to the products, services, and programs that we offer our potential customers.

It may seem counterintuitive, but offering MORE can actually make people click away!

Giving people too many options can cause decision fatigue and your potential customer will click away from your blog or video without signing up or purchasing from you.

We’re living in an age with options everywhere. If it takes too much brain power for someone to decide on something, they're out. It's your job to make it as easy as possible for your followers to make a decision. Your audience will be much more apt to buy if you present them with less offers that are better quality,

In this episode, I help you determine the fine line of less is more when it comes to content. Did you know that a person is less likely to buy if given too many choices? I’ve got a study to prove it to you.

I’ll also help you understand why it’s important to have flow, and a clear beginning, middle, and end. Want to become a go-to guide in your field? I’ve got that covered, too.

These three foolproof steps will help you narrow down the options that you present to your audience:

  1. Listen to your customers. Be intentional about hearing what your customers are asking for. If you listen closely, your audience will tell you exactly what they want.
  2. Carefully watch your audience's behavior. Where do conversions take place? Where can you narrow down your options?
  3. You cannot fear pivoting when necessary. Notice patterns and trends with your audience and do more of what’s working and cut out what’s not working.

Your next clear step: Have a 15-minute brainstorming session and write down what you offer. Ask these questions. Does it feel like too much? Is it clear?

Click here to listen now!

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_257_v2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

“New customers are good, but existing customers are better.” - Casey Graham

Did you know it takes five times as much to attract a new customer as it does to keep an existing one? Five times!

Most businesses put a huge focus on getting NEW customers (which is important), but where they’re missing the mark is by not equally nurturing the EXISTING customers that they do have.

On today’s podcast episode I talk to Casey Graham, founder of Gravy, the company that helps entrepreneurs and business owners (including myself) solve the problem of failed payments and credit card declines in their business. Why did I bring him on? Because he’s an incredibly smart and strategic business owner who knows how to create profitable businesses - he’s built several from the ground up and is a master at growing thriving teams that wow their customers on a daily basis.

Casey says that f you were to increase keeping your existing customers who are paying you by 5%, you could increase your profits by 25-95%, depending on your type of business. That’s a game-changer, my friend!  

As a business owner, you’ve got to develop a customer-centric business and this episode is going to give you a roadmap to do just that as Casey drills down on the 5 non-negotiables of setting up a stellar system of customer care (aka the forgotten funnel) in your business.

  • Person - define who you are (the owner/leader of your organization) and who you are serving (your customers)
  • People - how is your team (or you) set up to serve your customers?
  • Process - how are you intentionally valuing your customers before you ask for more value?
  • Product - what’s your product value ladder to continue to serve customers?
  • Profit - what are you doing to reduce churn and close the back door? 

You’re going to be able to walk away today with some simple strategies that you can incorporate into your business immediately that will literally change how your customers see you and most importantly how they feel about you on a daily basis.

This episode is brought to you by Gravy, the company I trust to contact my customers within hours of a failed payment, capturing the updated billing information, and saving the customer my team and I worked so hard to acquire. If your revenue is currently at $250K or more a year and you know you’re losing money due to failed payments each month, I encourage you to check out Gravy. Click here to see how they can be an extension of your customer service and save you money.  

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW IN ITUNES

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!  

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_256_v2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

What’s keeping you stuck? Are you in an unfulfilling 9-5 job that you’re dying to get out of? Maybe your side hustle is not progressing along fast enough. Is the business model you created just not feeling right? Or maybe you’ve been at it for a while and your revenue numbers just aren’t where you want them to be. No matter what it is, if you’re feeling stuck in any area of your business, that needs to stop and today’s episode is going to help.  

We will explore the four areas that are likely keeping you stuck and my goal is for you to recognize what these areas are so you can formulate a plan to start moving forward in the direction you want to go.

Following are the four areas I’ll discuss in this episode to keep you moving forward:

  1. Understanding what your safety blanket is and how it’s likely holding you back. Safe can be a good thing, but that’s not always the case in your business and I’ll explain why.  
  2. Which of your own expectations are holding you back? Setting expectations for yourself are good, but you’ve got to ground those expectations in goals and processes to get you to that goal.
  3. How to get clear on the systems that are necessary to get the results you want. I’ll share an excerpt from a book I’m reading now that has totally rocked my world when it comes to goal setting. I’ll walk you through the new mindset shift I’ve created that is going to help me to reach my impossible goal.  
  4. Why it’s important to fuel your brain by doing something different. Inspiration can come in many different packages, and expanding your horizons in what you read, listen to, and watch can get you right out of the creative rut you may be in.

Are you ready to move past the feelings of being stuck or unfulfilled? Let’s do this!  Press play to listen in.  

This episode is brought to you by my free masterclass, “The Ultimate List Building Catch-Up Plan. My Proven 3-Stack System For Leveraging The Most Powerful, “What’s Working Now” List Building Strategies (without the stress, tech confusion, or crazy overwhelm).  
If you are struggling to get started with building your list OR if you are not attracting new subscribers to your list every single day, this is the free master class for you.

Direct download: 255_EDIT.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Rachel Hollis is in the house!! Literally, she came to my house and we sat in my studio for this interview! I normally do my interviews via Skype or Zoom, so the in-person interview was both nerve-wracking and super fun! I think you’ll love listening to this episode.

Rachel, who in case you aren’t familiar with, is a #1 New York Times best-selling author of Girl, Wash Your Face, she’s got a new book that’s now out, Girl, Stop Apologizing. She’s a motivational speaker, a top-rated podcast host -- and, oh yeah, she’s got four kids! This woman is a powerhouse and she brought her A-game today.

During the interview, we talk about Rachel’s new book, Girl, Stop Apologizing. The book’s subtitle is A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals -- let me tell you, this book is super tactical when it comes to setting and achieving your goals, but the way Rachel delivers her message through her gift of story-telling, her wonderful sense of humor, and her no-nonsense belief that if you have a dream, you CAN make it happen. I just know this is going to be one of your favorite reads!

Alright, I want you to pop those earbuds in and  listen right away, but if you want a sneak peek of what we talk about during the interview, here you go:

  • I asked Rachel what she thinks about the minute she opens her eyes in the morning. I just loved her honesty: tired and anxious. She talks about the season she’s in right now and talks about how she gets herself moving and in a better state.
  • We talk about being people pleasers and worrying about what people think about us. Rachel is very much in the public eye, so she’s got really great insight on this struggle that so many of us deal with.
  • Rachel addresses two common excuses so many of us use (I hand-picked these two from the several she talks about in her book specifically for you, because I hear these same excuses from my audience all the time): “I don’t have enough time.” and “I’m not enough to succeed.”  
  • We talk about the simple 5 to Thrive model that Rachel says has literally changed her personal and professional life. It’s so simple, yet so powerful!
  • Rachel talks about why you MUST choose ONE dream to pursue in order to achieve the traction that is necessary to achieve your goals. She has the best analogy to explain why you shouldn’t be focusing your efforts on too many things at once.    
  • Some people wonder how Rachel did it. They call her an “overnight success”. She debunks that myth right off the bat and drops some truth bombs in the process.  
  • Rachel talks about how she built her following (she has over 1 million on Instagram alone!) by getting to know her Ideal Customer Avatar (ICA). She tells how this quote she heard over 10 years ago, “Follow the signs of life,” helped guide her in really getting to know her ICA and use that to monetize her business.

You guys, there is so much value, inspiration and tactical advise to living the life that you dream of AND you deserve. Don’t wait another minute, click here to listen in to my interview with the one and only, Rachel Hollis!

This episode is sponsored by my free masterclass, “The Ultimate List Building Catch-Up Plan”. My Proven 3-Stack System For Leveraging The Most Powerful, “What’s Working Now” List Building Strategies (without the stress, tech confusion, or crazy overwhelm). If you are struggling to get started with building your list OR if you are not attracting new subscribers to your list every single day, this is the free master class for you.

LINKS:

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW IN ITUNES

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!  

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_254.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

I’m often asked if the strategies used for online marketing can be translated to the local business. Maybe you have a hair salon, a dance studio, a wine shop, a real estate agency, a pet grooming business… The question is, how can we take the information I talk about list building, lead magnets, funnels, social media strategy and all the other topics that come up and use them effectively to get more customers through your physical storefront?  

Since I’m not an expert in this area, I brought in someone who is. My guest on the podcast today is Stacy Tuschl, the creator of She’s Building Her Empire Podcast & Community where she helps female entrepreneurs automate their businesses so they can do more with less. She’s also a best-selling author AND has two dance studios in Milwaukee, WI grossing over one million dollars per year!  

You’ll love Stacy’s teaching style: she’s very specific and gives lots of examples and actionable steps for you to take right away. This interview is great for those of you with a brick and mortar business, but even if you are in the online space only, you will learn a ton.

Here’s a breakdown of what we discussed:

 

  • The most common struggle that brick and mortar businesses face and how to overcome that struggle and bring more customers in the door
  • The three funnels that convert very well (we’ve got a great freebie to walk you through these funnels, too. Just click here to grab it!)

 

  • Get them in your building Funnel
  • Education Funnel
  • Upsell Funnel

 

  • What you need to consider as far as what to include on your opt-in and thank you pages, funnel content and number of emails included in each. This can be very different from the typical online marketing funnels.
  • Tips and strategies for getting lots of honest online reviews from your customers. Stacy got 60 reviews in one week!
  • The 3 Ts of Success (These are simple strategies, but so very valuable. And these will hold true whether you’re an online marketer or brick-and-mortar.)
  • What you need to know (and not know) about your competition. Wondering if you should use Google ad words, Yelp, Facebook ads? Stacy’s got some great insight for you on this.  
  • The importance of claiming your Google listing.
  • How to leverage social media as a brick and mortar business (P.S. A small social media following is ok!)
  • And as a bonus, Stacy shares some great online tips for hiring new employees for your local business.

You guys, my chat with Stacy was 100% filled with useful strategies and tips! I can’t wait for you to listen. You’re going to walk away with specific things you can implement immediately to help grow your business.  Click here to listen in now!

This episode is brought to you by my free masterclass, “The Ultimate List Building Catch-Up Plan. My Proven 3-Stack System For Leveraging The Most Powerful, “What’s Working Now” List Building Strategies (without the stress, tech confusion, or crazy overwhelm). If you’re struggling to get started with building your list OR if you are not attracting new subscribers to your list every single day, this is the free master class for you. Click here to sign up!

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW IN ITUNES

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!  

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_253.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

My team and I just finished up with the launch of my new course, Digital Course Academy, and I want to share some new strategies I used that really resonated with my audience and resulted in a big boost in sales conversions.

The three strategies all focus on personalization and are something that you will easily be able to replicate in your own launch.  

Live launch personalization is more important than ever, especially when people are used to canned responses and bots. Having direct communication from a human is next-level when it comes to customer service these days. When you incorporate personal touches to your launch, you are helping your prospective customers to be able to decide whether they want to purchase your program, product or service.

Here are the three personal touches that I go over in today’s episode will be game-changers for your next live launch:

Personalization #1: Recording Audio Messages Via Snagit
Learn how I used Snagit, the quick and easy screen capture and/or recorder application, to provide personalized customer service messages that really wowed my audience. I also mention how I’ve recently been introduced and have begun using Loom to handle the same task.

Personalization #2: Live Sales Page Chat With Olark
Learn how I used Olark, to provide stellar live sales page chat during my launch. This tool will allow you to answer real-time questions, in-the-moment from your potential customers when they’re making the buying decision. When handled right, these conversations will significantly increase your conversions. These prompt, “real-time” conversations are priceless. Whether it’s you in there or someone on your team that’s very familiar with your content, make sure to set up a system for live chat support during your next live launch.

Personalization #3: Recording an Off the Cuff, From the Heart, Final Video
This is a video to record in real-time and send out on the final day when you’re closing the doors for people to be able to purchase your program, product, or service. I’ll tell you what to include in the email to deliver the video (the subject line and body copy) and what you should say in the video. The timing of recording this video is critical because you want to be feeling all the emotions that you will have on that last day. You will be coming in raw, honest, and extremely helpful with this last bit of communication to your prospective customer.

There you have it! I’ve shared my secrets and I hope you take what worked well for me and incorporate these strategies in your next live launch. Believe me, you will never be sorry for adding these personal touches.

Click here to listen now!  

This episode is brought to you by:

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW IN ITUNES

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!  

 

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_252.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

I was thinking about you, my listener, the other day and thought, “What can I give to them that would help them most in their businesses right where they are today.” This is my tenth year of business in the online marketing space, and I have learned a lot. Ups and downs, successes and failures...and through it all, I learned invaluable lessons along the way. I’m going to take that ten years of learning and share it with you in today’s podcast episode.  

Specifically, I’m going to share what I would have done differently were I starting from scratch today. Now, this is not only for those newbies out there. There are many foundational principles that even the most seasoned entrepreneur can learn from to ensure you are a building a business that is sustainable. I know I’m still learning as I go along, so I hope today’s episode will help you wherever you are in your business journey.

Here are the areas  
  • Where I Would Spend My Money

I’ll be talking about the must-have tools I use in my business, as well as how to choose the right personal development investment that will serve you best.

  • What I Would Focus On The Most (especially in the first two years)

Don’t do what I did in my first two years of business. You MUST create original content consistently AND know who you’re talking to. Too many overcomplicate this process and I’ll share how to keep it simple to move your business forward in a powerful way. I’ll also discuss the importance of knowing and declaring exactly HOW you want to make money in your business.    

  • What I Would Say Yes To More Often

What I talk about here would have looked very different five and ten years ago. This will be the same for you because the business you have today will look dramatically look different just a few years from now. You will make choices today that you won’t make years from now because your business will be different.

  • What I Would Say No To More Often

You may be surprised by some of what I discuss here, but please, please heed my advice here. Your time is valuable and there are some things that may look good but are not good for growing your business.   

  • The Mindset Shift I Would Make Early On

With so much noise in the online world, there is one key mindset shift that will be invaluable for you personally and in your business. It’s all about asking yourself higher value questions. I’ve got a worksheet for you with some great examples to get you going.

  • The Habits I Would Adopt Early On - Habits That Would Shape My Identity

Establishing good habits in your life will be a game-changer! Your level of success is directly tied to how you show up on a daily basis, and creating habits is the key.

I think this episode is going to be really helpful to you in your journey, so take a listen and use the lessons I’ve learned over the past 10 years as a shortcut to your success.  

 

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_251.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

You’ve heard it before, right? Content is KING.

That is certainly true and I’ll be the first to tell you that the quality and consistency of your content directly correlate to the growth of your email list AND your bank account.

The operative word in that last sentence was consistency. Without consistency when it comes to your content creation, content is not king.

You probably know that I just recently launched my new course, Digital Course Academy, and I can guarantee that if you ask any of my students what the ONE thing that I’m a stickler about...they will tell you that I want them creating consistent content on a weekly basis.

The reason why I’m such a stickler about this is that In order for you to have a thriving online business, you’ve got to create consistent content in order to attract your tribe. Once you’ve attracted your tribe and they’re paying attention, that’s when you build the “know, like, and trust” factor. And once they know, like, and trust you, they will likely buy from you.

Creating consistent content on a weekly basis is NOT always easy and it takes time, however, it’s a clear step that, should you commit to, will pay dividends in the success of your business.

The question is: how do you make sure this weekly content gets done?

You create a content plan. And I can help you with that!

In fact, in this episode, I go over these three things:

  1. A foolproof plan to create consistent content, that will leave you feeling confident, excited and inspired
  2. My top 5 favorite ways to choose topics that your Ideal Customer Avatar will want to eat up immediately (You’re going to find these VERY useful!)
  3. I’ll tell you all about the 3-Month Content Calendar Template I created for you to keep all your content organized. I’ve got it all laid out in a spreadsheet that you can take and make your own. All you have to do is follow the prompts and fill in the blanks and you’ll be good to go! You can download the calendar here.

Click here to listen to the episode now.

 

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_250.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

Having fear is a natural part of running a business. The key is to not let those fears stop you from doing the work that you were created to do. But what do you do when those fears threaten to throw you off your game or derail you completely? You take action and keep moving forward, but sometimes you need a little inspiration to keep you going.  

In this episode, my friend Marie Forleo (entrepreneur extraordinaire) and I are going to share the seven biggest fears that we have personally struggled with and overcome. Our intention is to pull back the curtain to show that some of the very things you may be experiencing now may be obstacles, but they are not insurmountable.

This is my 10th year of running an online business and Marie is in her 20th year! We’ve seen it all and experienced ALL the fears (and still do!), so come along and let’s see if we can provide some helpful insight for you and your business!     

To give you an extra dose of inspiration, I asked Marie to also share stories of her B-School students and how they, too, faced similar fears and what they did to work through them to build thriving, profitable and successful online businesses. You’re going to learn so many valuable tips and tricks that will help you navigate through similar fears when they come up in your own business.   

Here’s a rundown of the 7 fears we discuss in the episode:

  1. I don’t have an email list. How in the world can I start a business without one?
  2. I don’t have enough skills to make an online business work.
  3. It’s all been done before. My market is saturated with people doing what I want to do.
  4. I’m too old to be starting a business online.
  5. I want to do something different than I’ve been doing for the last 5, 10 or 20 years, but I’m not sure how to start over.
  6. I can’t figure out all the tech that’s needed to get my business up and running.
  7. I am overwhelmed...it’s just too much.

We’ll also talk about Marie’s free online business building workshop that she just released in which she’ll teach you The 6 Pillars of Building an Online Business. Marie has a tremendous gift for breaking things down to simple and understandable next steps, so you do not want to miss being in this free workshop.  

The first video in the workshop series goes live today and you are going to get so much value. You can find it at AmyPorterfield.com/Marie. Don’t wait, because the series will only be available for a limited time.

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_249.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

You asked some tough questions, and today I’ve got answers!

I recently put out a post on Instagram to all of you, asking: What would you like to know about how I built my business?

The response was amazing! You all sent in SO many questions and today, I’m going to answer 10 of them.

I tried picking topics that I haven’t covered all that much on previous episodes, and that would resonate with as many as you as possible.

Here are those 10 questions:

#1: If you burned it all down & started over, what are the first 3 things you’d focus on & do now? (This one was a super timely one!)

#2: What did you do when your email list was TINY? I mean less than 100, like mine 😅. How did you interact with your small community? (It all started with me underpromising, and overdelivering…)

#3: When you have multiple awesome projects you’re working on, how do you prioritize? (Shout out to my project management tool, Asana!)

#4: In hindsight, what is one thing you wish you would have done sooner? (If you’re a loyal listener, you know the painful answer to this one!)

#5: How do you set boundaries for quality family time and one on one time? (I need to be open and honest: I work on this every single day.)

#6: Have you veered off course and how did you know when to get back on course or go ahead in that different direction? (So I’ve never been big on chasing shiny objects, but I also get too comfortable sometimes…)

#7: How did you originally grow your podcast audience? What specifically did you leverage? Or was it purely organic? (I would say it was about two years before the podcast was doing amazing things.)

#8: Apart from weekly consistent content what moved the success needle for you? (This one was REALLY hard for me at first…)

#9: What do you do in the moments when you doubt yourself? (For me, I just keep doing…)

#10: Which mentor do you credit for making the biggest impact in creating the biz you ❤️ today? (A little tribute to my mom and dad, and how I got the best of both worlds.)

I really hope this episode proves valuable to you. I’m sharing a little bit of what’s in my secret sauce, and I and my wish is that it inspires you to kick butt in your business.

Don’t forget to check out the links at the bottom of this page. I couldn’t get to all of the questions, so I’ve listed some resource podcasts down below as an additional tool for you!

Now, let’s dive in! Let’s get your burning questions answered!

This episode is sponsored by my free masterclass, “The Ultimate List Building Catch-Up Plan: My Proven 3-Stack System For Leveraging The Most Powerful, “What’s Working Now” List Building Strategies (without the stress, tech confusion, or crazy overwhelm). If you are struggling to get started with building your list OR if you are not attracting new subscribers to your list every single day, this is the free master class for you.

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_248.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

I’m setting very specific goals this year, and one of them, is to epically fail. Again and again.

I know that sounds crazy—but hear me out.

You all have shared with me how you’ve struggled with the fears and confusion of building an online business. I started this podcast by sharing marketing strategies and step-by-step details to get things done—build a list, create a digital course, launch webinars, you get it.

BUT because you guys have asked me for more and have asked me about the mentality I use to run my business, I’m going to share with you how I’m setting goals for the New Year.

These are some behind-the-scenes details of where I’m going with my business. I’m also going to invite you into my personal world a bit.

I’ve set about 10 goals for the year, and in today’s episode, I’m going to share four of them with you. My:

  1.     Impossible Goal
  2.     Business Goal
  3.     Health-Related Goal, and
  4.     Personal Growth Goal

I’m also sharing the three things I’m going to do to ensure my goals stick.

I’m sure you’re wondering where the epic fails fit in, right?

As I start working toward my Impossible Goal, I’m going to write out 25 Epic Fails for each quarter—that’s 100 for the year. These are the crazy things, that will probably lead to a fail, that will get me closer to my goal. You’ve got to be willing to do whatever it takes, even if that means fail, in order to get what you really want, right?

My hope for you is that by the end of this episode, you’re ready to lock in your goals for the year and be inspired to fail with me.

Are you ready to be a goal-getter in 2019? Hit play now.

This episode is brought to you by Gravy—my very own 24/7 engagement team who contacts my customers within hours of their failed payment, captures updated billing information and saves the customers I worked so hard to acquire. If you have a subscription model business or offer payment plans, you’ve got to check out Gravy!

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_247.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00am PDT

It’s so easy to get caught up on all the little details of launching a course, running a business—or, hey, living life. All these little things compete for your attention and energy.

The thing is: Living like this isn’t going to help you realize your full potential and true success.

The key to extraordinary results? Finding your ONE THING—your number one priority at any given point in time.

And I’ve got THE expert on this topic on the show today, my new friend Jay Papasan, author of the amazing book The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results.

His book—one of my favorites—has sold more than 1.3 million copies worldwide, and has appeared on national bestseller lists more than 400 times. And I truly believe that the principles in this book are the difference between realizing your potential and true success and honestly, just settling.

In addition to dishing about your one thing, or “true priority,” Jay and I talk about the real secret to sticking to your goals, and it’s about one word: Habits.

After this episode, you’re going to walk away with a new sense of purpose. You’re going to move past the distractions and overwhelm and get to a place where you’re hitting your goals and living stress free.

Are you ready to for this type of clarity and focus? Head on over now!

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_246.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

It’s very I’m going to introduce you to a secret weapon that’s going to help you kick butt in webinars.

When I ran my first webinar waaaay back in the day, I enlisted my best friend to come over to my condo help me out. She sat next to me—really, I was almost sitting on her lap, I was so nervous—and made sure everyone could hear me and see my slides. She made sure everything went right, that way all I had to do was focus on giving my best to all my attendees.

I didn’t know it then, but I had essentially hired my best friend to be my virtual assistant during that first webinar. We made it through and that webinar was a success, but let me tell you, if I could do it over again, I would do it exactly how I’m going to outline for you in today’s podcast.

Virtual assistants are your secret weapon to rocking a webinar! They’re the key to making your webinars not only more profitable, but EASIER for you. And you know how I feel: webinars are the absolute best way to promote and market your digital course online.

But I want pause here for a second, because I’m sure some of you will tune out during this episode—or may even be tempted to skip it—because you don’t think you’re ready for a digital course. And if you’re not ready for a digital course, obviously you won’t be ready for a webinar. I’ve solved this conundrum for you.

I created a brand-new quiz called Should I Create a Digital Course for My Business.

I spent months and months on this, and I promise you, it’ll point you in the right direction. So take the quiz, figure out where you’re at, or if a digital course is even right for you, then come back to this episode.

Because even if you’re not ready for a webinar right now, it’s good to have an idea of what it’ll look like once you do have your digital course created. You’ll know exactly how to make your webinar easier on yourself, and you won’t have all the fears of something going wrong.

Remember my last episode? One of the biggest fears of launching has to do with a running a live webinar. But we’re not going to let those fears hold us back in our business! I’m sharing how to enlist virtual assistants so you can fear less, do your best, and make money, money, money!

So press play and listen to me gush about why virtual assistants are your secret weapon for webinars.

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_245.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

I’m here to get honest about the fears that come up around launching.

Because they are too real. And I have faced MANY of them.

If you’ve been listening for a while, then you know I had a HUGE fear of launching courses using webinars. I royally screwed up the first webinar I ever touched, back in my Tony Robbins days. Another time I had THE Marie Forleo live on my webinar, and it went completely silent right as I introduced her.

#epicfail

But as bad as those experiences were, I didn’t let them define me as a business owner. Because if I let that fear take over, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Maybe you’ve had similar horrifying experiences. Maybe you had a webinar and no one showed up. Or you put a lot of effort into a launch for crickets. Well I’m here to tell you: That’s part of being in business. And you have to bust through that fear and march forward if you want to be successful.

And here’s the great news: I’ve generated well over $9 million through webinar launches by NOT letting the fear hold me back—and you can have that kind of success too…but you HAVE to get over your fear of launching!

For today’s episode, I’m going to drill down into the most common fears when it comes to launching, and how to squash them.

I’m going to break down some important insights you need to know and shake up some of your mindset blocks that are holding you back from giving it 100% when you launch something new.

It’s time to launch face first, hands out wide, ready to accept anything that comes your way. Are you ready for that? Press play and let’s dive in.

By the way, if your head is spinning just at the idea of a launch, I get it.

The truth is you likely have not been taught many of the crazy nuances around launching strategies.

Which is exactly what I wanted to break down the big picture of what it takes to launch a digital course, in my new masterclass. I’ll give you three behind-the-scenes secrets to digital course success in 2019 and beyond. I’ll share how to build, launch a grow a digital course business without the overwhelm and confusion.

Go to amyporterfield.com/dcamasterclass to sign up—make sure you reserve your spot, because I will be doing this class LIVE only!  

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Direct download: Online_Marketing_Made_Easy_Podcast_Episode_244.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

1