HOW WEBINARS, CREATING A COURSE, AND A MEMBERSHIP SITE CHANGED THIS TEACHER’S LIFE IN A HUGE WAY!

I'm always in awe when one of my students shares with me how they’ve built their million dollar businesses. Anna’s story is one of my favorites and I wanted her to share it with you as well!

Anna spent 23 years as a second grade teacher but decided she wanted to make an impact on the education community in a bigger way. This decision to shift her focus led her to my programs and she dove right in, taking action after action until things clicked! She made $10k on her very FIRST webinar and she's NEVER TURNED BACK.

You won’t want to miss Anna’s incredible story as she shares her journey to success. She shares the specific steps (and consistent action) she took from making that first $10k selling 2nd grade course curriculum, to creating a membership site for teachers that brings in almost $60k per month, to her latest venture, a course that teaches teachers how to teach guided-math, which at the time of this recording had only been live three weeks and she’d already made $35,000! That’s an entire year’s earnings for some teachers!

TWO MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN GROWING YOUR ONLINE BUSINESS

And to wrap it up, Anna shares the two things she would do differently had she known back then what she knows now. I 100% agree with both, so do yourself a favor and take what she says and don’t let those mistakes slow you down from the impact you are destined to make!

Alright, if you’ve gotten this far and haven’t listened in to the podcast yet, what are you waiting for? : ) I promise you, you’ll be inspired by Anna’s story and fall in love with her just like I did!

If you’d prefer to watch the interview, enjoy that right here...

This episode is sponsored by my free master class, “How to Confidently Create Your First Profitable Course in 60 Days” If you’ve been thinking about creating an online course, or if you’ve had a course idea for awhile but you are just not sure how to get started, this free master class is for you.

Neil Patel, master marketer and SEO genius, joined me on my show today to dive into the the nuts-and-bolts of some simple SEO strategies that will bring you more traffic, conversions, and revenue! He walks us through a 3-month plan that I’ve broken down for you in a free guide that you can grab right here.

I have to admit, I haven’t spent as much time or attention as I should on SEO strategies, but that’s all changed this year...my team and I are being intentional about learning more about SEO and we’re going to implement the plan that Neil shared with us today, too!

IT’S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE

One thing that Neil dispelled immediately is the fear that so many of us have around the idea of SEO strategy, and that is, that SEO is too complicated and we’ll never understand what exactly to do!

Here’s what he had to say about that:

“SEO is not rocket science...it’s not hard, and as long as you follow this plan, which is broken down into three main steps, you should get results.”

And let me tell you the plan is not complicated...it’s very doable and this guide is going to help!

WHAT IS SEO AND WHY SHOULD I HAVE AN SEO STRATEGY?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and Neil explained that it’s really all about making your site compatible for search engines. Now of course we create our content for our audience to enjoy and find useful, but we need to understand the importance of making our content compatible for BOTH users AND search engines.

HOW SEO WILL INCREASE TRAFFIC, CONVERSIONS AND REVENUE

As an entrepreneur, you likely have a strong “why” behind what you’re doing online, but the bottom-line is that you want more people to see or listen to your content, you want to turn followers into customers, and you want to earn a living doing what you love to do. One way to accomplish this is to develop an SEO plan that has the ability to give you these tangible results.

And that’s exactly what Neil shared in today’s show! He broke down exactly what you need to do in order to get a really good, simple SEO strategy running on your website.

THE 3-MONTH SEO PLAN

I’ve outlined some of the key points Neil made in the interview here, but for the step-by-step plan download your free 3-Month SEO Guide here.

MONTH 1 - Research & Competitor Analysis

With SEO you may not see results for several months so you want to make sure you are going after the right keywords. Neil explained that if you’re not figuring out what keywords you should be using in your content, you might be getting traffic, but it’s NOT traffic that will turn into customers.

I’ve linked up to the keyword research tools that Neil recommends (below), but you’re going to want to listen in to today’s show for the JUICY hack he shared about using SEMrush to look up your competitor’s keywords as a guide in your research...it’s like he handed us a little piece of gold!!

MONTH 2 - Optimize Your On Page Code and Building Content

So, you’re probably wondering what “on page” means! I was too. : )

In simple terms, Google reads source codes (not the language you and I speak or read!) so it’s our job to make sure Google can read our websites so that we can rank in its searches.

The good news is that if you have a Wordpress website with the free Yoast SEO plugin installed it will handle most of the on-page SEO stuff for you. It basically walks you through the steps (in a very user friendly way) to make sure Google can read your pages.

Neil also discussed the importance of building quality content on a consistent basis on your blog. You’ve gotta have a place to use that keyword research from month-one research, right? Here are a few pointers Neil suggests you implement when you write your blog posts/articles:

• Write in a conversational tone
• Create thorough content (NOT short)
• Use sub-headings
• Keep paragraphs short
• Use images
• Wrap up your blog posts with a summary conclusion
• End your conclusion with a question

MONTH 3 - Building Links and Getting Social Shares

Links from other people’s sites to yours (backlinks) can be a big SEO boost. Google loves seeing links, but not just any links! Google is so smart that it knows the authority and relevance of where those links are coming from. I know! It’s scary how smart Google is!

Anyway, obviously if you are linked to from a very well-known authority in your field, versus someone who themselves doesn’t have much authority or who doesn’t have much to do with your field, then who is Google going to give more credibility to? The well-known authority who is sharing relevant content with their audience via a link to your content, of course!

Part of Neil’s three-month plan also includes a great strategy for gaining social shares to your content. While social sharing will not directly affect your SEO, it sure will indirectly. Social sharing builds social proof, which ultimately builds awareness and your authority.

Make sure to grab your free 3-Month SEO Guide right here, to learn all about Neil’s technique for getting social shares through Buzzsumo.

I hope you listened to the episode because Neil broke all of this down in such an easy to understand and doable fashion. But let’s not leave it at that...I want you to put this plan in action. Here what I’d love for you to do right now:

• Print out the 3-Month SEO Guide
• Schedule time in your calendar to implement the steps in the plan. Remember to be non-negotiable with the time you block out.
• Join my OMME Podcast Facebook group so that we can share our SEO successes in a few months. See you there!

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!

One thing I love about summer is having a little bit more downtime. This allows me to do some things that I might not always have time for at other times of the year like binge listening to my favorite podcasts.

That usually only happens while on vacation. As a matter of fact, I’m just back from a family vacation in Hawaii and I totally binge listened to a couple of my fave podcasts, The Life Coach School with Brooke Castillo and Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations. They are both soooo good!  

So if you too find the opportunity for a little binge listening, I thought it would be fun to compile a Summer Listening Playlist for you as it relates to my favorite past Online Marketing Made Easy episodes.

What made this episode extra special for me was to have some of my listeners submit their favorite episodes as well. (I’ve included audio messages from them directly in today’s show!) Let’s dive in!

YOUR ONLINE MARKETING MADE EASY SUMMER LISTENING PLAYLIST

TOP FIVE LISTENER FAVORITES

1. Both Michelle from Canada and Sarah from Denmark are fellow megabatching lovers and they recommend episode #182: How To Mega-Batch Your Content. My productivity has skyrocketed since I began mega-batching in my business.  
2. Lyndsey from Asheville, NC (hello Blue Ridge Mountains!) recommends you listen to an episode that helped her to grow her email subscriber list to 50,000 in just one year: Episode #99: How to Build a List-Building Blitz Campaign. Make sure to listen to her audio message in today’s show, she has some great insight on the one thing in episode #99 that made all the difference in her list growth!  
3. Molly from Oregon actually has three favorites to share:
   Episode #149: Your 90-Day Pre-Launch Blueprint (she really loved the freebie in this episode and if you like a detailed blueprint, so will you!)
   Episode #150: [Case Study] How to Turn a Pre-Launch Strategy Into a Wildly Profitable Online Launch (This episode is a follow up to episode 149 and will show you what the pre-launch strategy looks like in the real world.)
   Episode #209: The Surprising Journey of Launching a Physical Product with Lara Casey - I love hearing that Molly learned about a resource in this episode that saved her TONS of money in the production of her own physical product!
4. Gregory from Nashville, TN (you’ve got to tune in to hear his awesome southern accent!) is a fan of the DIY approach and recommends you listen to episode #171: DIYing Your Business: 5 Areas to Focus On When You’re Just Starting Out - I was so happy to hear that Gregory said that this episode really gave him clarity to begin to build his brand and his online business. I’m definitely specific in this episode about what you should and should not be delegating in your business when you’re first starting out.
5. For the 5th spot of my listener favorites list, I had to include a double-whammy because both of the recommendations are so good! Also, I just love how so many parts of the world are represented in the show today!

• All the way from Perth in Western Australia, Neda shares her favorite episode #201: 5 Ways to Make Money (Without Using Webinars). - I love how Neda said this helped her combine her previous experience with what she’s doing now to make more money in her business.
• And finally, from May in Oslo, Norway! May loves how episode #206: Post-it Note Content Creation Mini-Training contains a content creation process that’s easy to take action on! May, you are not alone...I had so much great feedback (and pictures of people’s Post-it Note creations) from this episode!  

I absolutely LOVED hearing from so many of my listeners and how their favorite episodes of Online Marketing Made Easy have helped move their businesses forward!  

Moving on to my own personal recommendations for your Summer Listening Playlist...

AMY’S TOP FIVE FAVORITES

1. I absolutely loved episode #147 with Marie Forleo: How to Ask Better Questions and Get Better Business Results. Limiting beliefs and negative self-talk are a HUGE problem in the entrepreneurial field, and may be holding you back from achieving the success you want and deserve. This episode will help you to move forward with confidence!   
2. Next up is episode #203: How to Get Noticed When You’re Just Starting Out. Are you seeing a theme here? My next recommendation is another on mindset! The online world can be a noisy place, but it’s the way you think that will really set you apart. I’m all about helping you reset your mindset around business and being an entrepreneur, and this episode will do just that!
3. My next pick is a super strategic one: Episode #164: Free Content vs. Paid Content (What’s the Difference?) In this episode I talk about the #1 question I get ALL the time. I actually created this episode so I could have a place to direct people when I get asked this question and it’s one of my most downloaded episodes to date!
4. Did you think I wouldn’t mention the first time my sweet husband Hobie joined me on the mic? In #161: Love & Business: How to Make it Work. Being an entrepreneur can be tough, but how about being married to one? This is an excellent listen for all those couples out there. P.S. Since then I recorded another episode with Hobie (#207: 20 Questions (Rapid Fire Style!) with Special Guest Interviewer, Hobie Porterfield which was super fun, too!
5. The last episode that I’m going to recommend for you is one that is actually airing a couple weeks after this episode, so you’ll have to wait for it if you’re reading this before August 2, 2018. In episode #222: How to Create A "Total Immersion Weekend Retreat" to Clean Up Your Messy Business I talk about a weekend retreat I took recently with my Integrator, Chloe, in which we focused on cleaning up the messy stuff in our business. I want you to listen to this episode so you can get a behind-the-scenes peek at something that can be a complete game-changer for your business.   

So there you have it - you’ve got a nice summer playlist to tune into! I’m guessing there may have been one or two recommendations that really resonated with you and I want you to commit to listening to those in the next 24 hours.

If your favorite episode wasn’t mentioned here today, I’d love to hear from you! Head over to Instagram and DM me what your favorite is and why.  

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.

Today you’re going to learn how to use one of the fastest growing social platforms, Instagram Stories, to build your email list, without using the Swipe Up feature.  

I don't know about you, but Instagram is by far my favorite social media platform. Mostly because I love Instagram Stories but also because I think the connections on Instagram feel more real than any other social platform.

If you are on Instagram then you've probably either recorded an Instagram story yourself, viewed one--or several (they are completely addictive), or you've heard someone else talk about Instagram Stories and you weren't really sure what the heck they were talking about.

Wherever you fall in this equation, there's one thing that is certain...you as a business owner, should be using Instagram Stories to create more solid, real connections that will, if you do it right, go far beyond just chatting on social media.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Tyler J. McCall, an Instagram Marketing Strategist, who has found great success in growing his email list through Instagram Stories. He shared tons of valuable insight, tips and strategies that you will be able to implement starting today!  And, don’t worry, as I mentioned earlier this strategy has nothing to do with the Swipe Up feature, which requires you have 10,000 followers to use.

So whether you’re familiar with Instagram Stories or not, we’ve got you covered here! Let’s first dive into the basics around Instagram Stories and then we’ll go ALL in on strategies to grow your email list via this platform!  

WHAT IS AN INSTAGRAM STORY?

An Instagram Story is content that is shared in Instagram itself, typically photos and videos, but you can also share text-based images. Your photos or graphics last six seconds while your videos can be up to 15 seconds long. You create the Story content using Instagram (the creation and editing tools are built right in), or you can create them externally and upload them to your Instagram account.  

How Stories are different than a post in your regular Instagram feed is that the content goes away after 24 hours unless you add it as an Instagram Story highlight in your profile, which is a whole different episode!

WHY YOU SHOULD BE USING INSTAGRAM STORIES IN YOUR BUSINESS:

Instagram now has over 800 million users. Of those, 500 million are on the app every day. And of those 500 million, 300 million are on Instagram Stories every day. Need I say more?!?

Tyler tells us that Instagram Stories are taking over as the content of choice, and Instagram likes this, because it gives them another place to run ads.  And as business owners, Instagram ads are a very powerful tool, as well. And let me tell you, Instagram Story ads are converting really well for my business right now!

“There are now millions of people every single day waiting for the right content to show up for them on Instagram Stories” - Tyler J. McCall

How to Create High Quality Instagram Stories

In order to grow your email list through Instagram Stories (we’ll get to that strategy in a minute), you first need to know how to create high quality Instagram Stories that people want to watch. Here’s a quick rundown, but make sure to tune in to the episode for all the details!

1. Create your Stories with purpose and intention
2. Use a good mix of personal and business (Tyler shares information about his business in his Stories, but he also shares his shopping trips to Target! Yes, he loves to walk the aisles and point out some of his favorite products!)
3. Utilize a beginning, middle, and an end to your Story. Just like your elementary school teacher taught you! Download this great 2-page worksheet “The Story Arc Method” to work through an exercise Tyler put together for you to up your Instagram Story game!
4. “Never let the dashes turn into dots!” I love how Tyler put this, regarding being careful to not create painfully long Stories.  
5. I asked Tyler how he always has AMAZING light for his Stories and he shared two tips that money can’t buy!!
6. Use captioning in your Stories for people who want to consume your content but don’t use audio. Tyler said that this technique will help keep retention high, too.
7. Drive interaction with Instagram features like polls and DM conversations. Engage with your followers!

How to Grow Your Email List Using Instagram Stories Without Using the Swipe Up Feature

Ok, now that you have a plan to create high quality Instagram Stories, Tyler shared some really great insight as to how to grow your email list through a Direct Messaging strategy. Since Tyler has over 10,000 followers he is able to utilize the Swipe Up feature available in Stories, but he admits he doesn’t use it much because he thinks it’s a bit lazy and too passive!

Growing your email list through Instagram is all about Instagram Story Direct Messaging!

It’s through this DMing that he’s able to directly communicate with his followers, build relationships, hear pain points directly from his potential customers mouth, and engage in an authentic way.

Here are a few of the important habits Tyler suggests you build around Instagram Story DM engagement in order to be in a position where you can actually grow your email list:

• Show up consistently
• Make sure your content is high quality
• Use calls to action in your Stories (from asking your followers to answer simple questions, respond to polls, and finally to respond to your invitation for them to learn more about what you’re doing or to gain access to an opt-in offering.)
• Once you’ve engaged them, keep the conversation going,...see how you can help them
• Post in the regular feed less often, so you can spend more time in Stories (you saw the stats, this is where the people are!)

Do these things and the opt-in opportunities that you offer your followers (the ones that keep coming back to watch your Stories) will put you in a prime position to grow your email list. Tyler’s DM conversions are huge!  

Listen in as Tyler shares a system which he calls -- An Instagram Story Opt-In Sandwich -- in which you guide your Story viewers through a journey that ultimately leads them to your lead magnet, content upgrade, or webinar via DM conversations.

I, too, have recently using my DMs to engage with my followers, and it is powerful! The only problem is that it can be time-consuming --- time well spent, but time-consuming, nonetheless.

Since Tyler gets A LOT of DMs, I asked him how he manages it all and one of the top tips he shared is to get in there a few times throughout the day so you are responding pretty quickly, and also so the DMs don’t pile up and become too overwhelming for you to respond to.

I’ve found that it’s helpful for me to actually create a task in Asana (my project management tool), to check my DMs daily, and that’s working well at this point.

So here’s what I want you to do, download and work through this 2-page worksheet that Tyler created for you and don’t spend another minute on Instagram without intention and purpose.

A great big thank you to Tyler for providing such great step-by-step teaching in this interview!

Tyler and I would both love to hear from you in our DMs! I’m @amyporterfield and he’s @tylerjmccall.

All my best,

Amy

This episode is brought to you by: LBL

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in these show notes and on the podcast episode:

• Tyler’s Membership Community: Follower to Fan Society
• TylerJMcCall.com
• Connect with Tyler on Instagram @tylerjmccall
• Connect with me @amyporterfield

As an entrepreneur, your business is constantly changing—that’s the beauty of being an entrepreneur.  

And here’s the thing: YOU change too. You change your mind about things you used to be adamant about.

I’ve experienced this myself. For example, when it came to creating courses, five years ago I would have said: Concentrate on building your course, don’t worry about the selling.

But since then I have had a change of heart.

I’ve watched my students inside of my training program Courses That Convert, and I’ve seen a need that I did not see years ago. That need is around launching their course before they have 100% completed it.

Now I talk about the benefits of pre-selling your course, or selling it in advance of the course being done, then delivering your content each week via a LIVE workshop to a group of founding members who have already paid.

So this episode is going to walk you through the exact steps that go into pre-selling a course. I am going to walk you through the pieces you’ll need to make your offer, get your first students through the door, and deliver your content.

There are a few reasons I like this strategy:

• #1: Pre-selling is a big validator of your course idea.

• #2: Pre-selling helps you build confidence about your training. Nothing builds confidence more than getting a few PAYING students through the door.
• #3: Pre-selling helps with cash flow! I know that building a course and getting your online course up and running can sometimes be a bit of a pinch on your finances. That’s why pre-selling is great—to bring in a bit of money to help you pay for some of those expenses.
• #4: Pre-selling helps you build momentum and accountability. By selling before your content has been created, you have no choice but to deliver! This helps you avoid the “it’s been a year and my course is still languishing” syndrome!
• #5: Lastly, you get immediate feedback from actual students when you pre-sell. Since it’s more of a live interaction, you can tweak your content based on the feedback before you launch again.

By the way, this episode was brought to you by Courses that Convert…I teach a much more robust version of this process in that course, with step-by-step plans and templates. Learn more by attending my free masterclass “How to Confidently Create Your First Profitable Course in 60 Days.”

So if you’re as excited as I am about pre-selling your course, here are seven steps to get you started.

The 7 Steps to Pre-Selling Your Course

Step 1: Determine Your Course Offer

First, you will determine your pricing and what kind of “course package” you’ll be offering.

Step 2: Set Up Your Early Interest Page

Once you figure out your offer, it’s time to set a page where you can capture interest about your course. You’ll need to create an opt-in to collect first names and email addresses, and include a teaser about what they can expect. You’ll also want to create a follow-up email for everyone who opted in.

Step 3: Create Your 30-Day Content Blitz

Come up with content ideas for your blog, podcast, Facebook Lives, etc., and then schedule your content so you’re releasing something new every week for 30 days. Remember to include a call to action at the end of your content, asking your audience to sign up for the course if they want to learn more. (All traffic from this content will go to your Early Interest Page.)

Step 4: Set Up Your Checkout Page

This page should include information about your course such as the benefits and the features.

Step 5: Set Up Your Live Workshop Components

In this step you will want to create the shell of your member’s site so when you start delivering your content you have a place to load it.

You’ll also need to determine the details of your training and decide on the platform you’ll be delivering it.

Set up all the components you’ll need to ultimately deliver your live content—links, welcome emails, a VA, etc.—so that you’re ready to go. As you deliver your live content, you will load up your recordings into your course platform for your paying members to access.

Step 6: Promote a 48-Hour Flash Sale Offer

Your 48-hour flash sale offer will include two emails:

1. The first is sent to your Early Interest list and informs them of your limited time offer, what’s included in the program, the number of spots available, and a link to your checkout page.
2. Your second email gives them one more chance to sign up.

In this step, you also have the option to include a webinar training as part of your pre-sell strategy.

Step 7: Deliver Your Content

You’re now done with the selling portion of your pre-sell offer. All that’s left is delivering your content!

Remember to create your slide decks, prepare any cheat sheets or other bonuses, remind your students before each new training, and then upload your content to your member’s site once you’re done delivering it.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• SamCart 90-Day Trial
• LeadPages Pro Trial
• Kajabi Free Trial

Course Creation Resources:

Episode #49: How to Know if Your Idea is Profitable
Episode #107: How Do I Price My Online Course?
Episode #133: How to Get Unstuck in Your Course Creation Process
Episode #206: The Post-It Content Creation Mini Training

Webinar Resources:

Episode #130: How to Sell on a Webinar (Without Being Overly Salesy)
Episode #145: 13 Questions to Nail Down Your Winning Webinar Topic and Title
Episode #211: 5 Things I Said Yes to In The Early Years (But Say No to Now)