Archive 1: 2012-2016
250: Strictly Marketing: Debug the System, Follow-Up, and Outsource with Kerry Heaps
Kerry Heaps from StrictlyMarketingMagazine.com has had to wear a lot of hats in her offline and online business career. She has some very helpful and interesting thoughts about outsourcing, fine-tuning your business, making more sales, and having stronger marketing.
Quotes:
“One thing I've learned in my 12 years is you never want to take on a company and promise things you can't deliver.” – Kerry Heaps
“If something isn't working for the company or they're not seeing the results they need, even though at some point they have to take responsibility for it, I still want to work with them.” – Kerry Heaps
“You have to go out there and market your business. So you might as well keep that pipeline full. Thinking someone isn't interested is your thinking, not theirs.” – Kerry Heaps
Takeaways:
05:12 Past work experiences, even in unrelated fields, can provide valuable skills and insights for current business challenges.
07:41 Business owners should maintain some control when outsourcing tasks, but also learn to gradually let go and trust specialists.
12:13 It's important to be honest about whether your services are a good fit for a potential client, even if it means turning down business.
15:56 When helping clients, focus on solving specific problems in their sales process by creating creative, engaging solutions that add value.
25:28 Consistent, patient follow-up is critical in sales, and most businesses give up too quickly when pursuing potential clients.
Resources:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:38 — 27.1MB) | Embed
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249: Your Uniqueness, Your Authenticity, Your Superpower and Your Messaging with MaryJo Cranmore
MaryJo Cranmore from MaryJoCranmore.com and Message2Media.com says that you have a unique ability (a superpower) and that can be the basis for the branding that you cultivate. Take those raw materials, hobbies, your skillset (what you've learned), your accomplishments (your experiences), and that unique piece of you to get noticed and stand out from the crowd.
Quotes:
“We are truly in the age of the authenticity movement. It's about not being afraid, as a company or entrepreneur, to allow yourself to be part of the offering.” – MaryJo Cranmore
“Your superpower is something you haven't necessarily cultivated, but you've used your whole life. When people talk about you when you're not in the room, that's generally what they mention.” – MaryJo Cranmore
“You have to be interesting and break through the fog of what people understand about your business to give them something new and tell them something they don't know.” – MaryJo Cranmore
Takeaways:
09:02 Finding your unique "superpower" helps you stand out from competitors and attract the right clients.
11:19 Testimonials and word-of-mouth recommendations are more powerful than traditional advertising.
16:09 Media exposure is about offering a fresh perspective on current events, not just creating news.
18:19 When appearing on camera or in interviews, focus on helping the audience and being yourself rather than trying to be clever.
20:08 Authenticity in business means allowing your personal traits and experiences to be part of your professional offering.
Resources:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:10 — 21.2MB) | Embed
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248: Intuitive Art Academy: Certification Programs, Relaxation, Knowledge and Intuition with Rachel Archelaus
Rachel Archelaus from RachelArchelaus.com and IntuitiveArtAcademy.com has some entrepreneurial advice to share with you when it comes to tapping into your creativity, getting outside of your own head, and turning on your brain flow.
Her method involves asking the right questions of yourself, drawing on crayons (or colored pencils) and paper, scribbling with your eyes closed, and then decoding the drawings and colors used in that drawing to achieve huge insights. She also talks about the up's and down's of her business journey and shares ways to be more productive and give yourself more credit for your accomplishments.
Quotes:
“The more I trust my intuition or instincts, the less I have to strategize and think about things.” – Rachel Archelaus
“Your intuition is never really going to tell you not to pursue your dreams; it might tell you to hold off on making a decision, and something better will come along.” – Rachel Archelaus
“The path to success or whatever outcome you're seeking is never a straight line.” – Rachel Archelaus
Takeaways:
01:49 Intuition is your first voice - the initial instinct before overthinking kicks in.
05:18 Creative activities like doodling or walking in nature help clear mental space for intuitive insights.
17:42 Developing a certification program can expand your business reach and create additional revenue streams.
18:43 Automating business processes and hiring a part-time assistant can free you to focus on strategic thinking and travel.
23:39 Trusting your own knowledge and capabilities is more powerful than constantly seeking external validation.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:59 — 24.7MB) | Embed
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247: Tame the High Cost of College: Pursue Side Hustles and Entrepreneurial Adventures with Brad Baldridge
Brad Baldridge is a Certified Financial Planner with over 20 years of experience who specializes in college financial planning. Since 2004, he has been a college consultant and founder of "Taming the High Cost of College," a consulting service aimed at helping families navigate college expenses. Brad hosts a podcast under the same name, which features over 100 episodes discussing various aspects of college planning, including test preparation, scholarships, and financial strategies. He offers free resources on his website, including an EFC calculator and a scholarship guide for parents.
Quotes:
“A lot of entrepreneurs' successful business was their sixth try, not their first. And if it's going to take you six tries, the sooner you get the first five done, the sooner you start making money.” – Brad Baldridge
“College planning is a challenge for many families. You can think of planning for college like planning a large family vacation, buying a car, and finding a job for your student all rolled into one.” – Brad Baldridge
“I always tell people there are probably 100 strategies out there or more, and five or ten are going to be right for you. The challenge is figuring out which five or ten those are and getting out there and doing them.” – Brad Baldridge
Takeaways:
03:14 Involving kids in family businesses can be an effective way to fund college expenses while teaching entrepreneurial skills.
09:08 Entrepreneurial strategies for college funding can include side hustles, hiring kids in the family business, and exploring tax-efficient income methods.
13:31 Not every family or student is suited for entrepreneurial approaches, so multiple college funding strategies should be considered.
17:08 College planning is complex and requires early preparation, starting as early as sophomore year of high school.
22:13 Educating yourself about college planning through podcasts, resources, and early research can significantly reduce financial stress.
Resources:
- I’ll Show You How to Save on College Costs | Taming the High Cost of College
- Connect with Brad Baldridge on LinkedIn
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:13 — 27.7MB) | Embed
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246: Authority Content: Document Your Magic, Delegate Your Business, and Get Off the Hamster Wheel with David Jenyns
David Jenyns from AuthorityContent.com heard of a marketer who sold pieces of the Brooklyn Bridge and modeled this success to sell the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
He's discovered that you can model (not copy) an idea to make it your own and then own that success or failure. Drill down to a speciality, find a specific need, and sell it to the immediate crowd in front of you.
David has a number of insights about direct mail, online marketing and SEO, getting attention, systems/processes, and delegation. He talks with us today about recurring revenue and the 3 P's of content marketing:
- Present: organize a (one-take) live event to teach your best content to a real crowd (take photos)
- Product: repurpose that content in a 4-day cash machine
- Promote: repurpose into hundreds of pieces of audio and video
Resources
- Authority Content (Book)
- System Hub (Website)
- Mebourne SEO Service (YouTube)
- David (Twitter)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 36:51 — 33.7MB) | Embed
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245: Wow Factor Marketing: Stop Spraying Bullets and Use Direct Response Techniques to Adapt and Thrive with John Dwyer
John Dwyer from TheInstituteOfWow.com has noticed that many businesses simply "spray bullets" -- they don't use direct response techniques to measure their marketing. They should use the Wheel of Wow:
- Identify your most profitable customer: not your target audience, an actual person... then market more people like that
- Add Wow Factor: get prospects to take their eyes off the price (the Happy Meal effect)
- Position problem/solution scenario: the same way weight loss companies market (before and after)
- Fix your website: make sure it has those sticky ingredients (welcome video, headline, testimonials, data capture)
- Repetitive trade: get customers to use a loyalty/reward system (think "sandwich punch card")
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:12 — 32.2MB) | Embed
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244: The Business of Life: Achieve Financial Freedom, Personal Freedom, and Create the Type of Business You Want with Keith Callahan
Keith Callahan is a husband and father of four who can show you how to get not only financial freedom, but freedom of time as well.
He's made money with real estate, financial consulting, network marketing, and life coaching. He has a number of insights about the difference between inspiration vs. perspiration, along with self-obsession, perspective, and gratitude.
Resources
- Keith Callahan (Official Website)
- The Business of Life Podcast (Podcast)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:07 — 28.5MB) | Embed
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243: Run Live Events and Workshops with Direct Response Event Planner Sherrie Sokolowski
Sherrie Sokolowski (email address sherriesokoevents@gmail.com) from SLSEventPlanning.com is an event planner who can structure, strategize, and fill seats in your live events.
She has tons of unique insights about "modern" soft-sell events and workshops with bonus days. She wants to tell you about common mistakes made with events, venues, overflow rooms, webinars, live streams, cancellations, and more.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:33 — 32.5MB) | Embed
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242: The Four D’s of Reputation Marketing: Discover, Define, Develop and Defend with Pamela Gockley
Pamela Gockley from Repuatus.com wants you to work on your reputation. Branding is who you are, but reputation is how you're perceived (which may be egotistical, narissistic, or aggressive). It's important to take the DISC profile test (every year if you can) so yoy find out who you really are, and then apply the four D's...
- Discover: discover your past and personal awareness, how do people perceive you?
- Define: set goals
- Develop: website, target marketing, and messaging
- Defend: how to react or apologize if the "shit hits the fan"
Resources
- Reputatus (Website)
- Email: pam@reputatus.com
- The Art of Running Red Lights (Book)
- The Reputation Factor (Book)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:08 — 24.8MB) | Embed
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241: Stop Overpaying Your Taxes and Avoid Entrepreneurial Mistakes That Cost You Thousands with Diane Gardner
Diane Gardner from TaxCoach4You.com is a tax superhero and wants you to avoid mistakes you're making on your taxes, such as using the wrong entity type or not deducting meals and entertainment. You can make use of your home office deduction, hire your kids, make use if health insurance and retirement if you know what to do.
Quotes:
“I firmly believe in being a giver. So if we can get that information into people's hands, they can start learning about some of these things that possibly their accountant or their tax preparer isn't really telling them about.” – Diane Gardner
“Choosing an accountant is an awful lot like dating because you want to get to know that person. You want to find out if they are entrepreneurial and if they understand your industry.” – Diane Gardner
“A lot of people don't feel comfortable doing it themselves, so I always suggest that you should hook up with a good, solid professional of some sort to make sure that those expenses are being recorded.” – Diane Gardner
Takeaways:
02:52 Small business owners can reduce tax burden by implementing strategic planning like hiring family members and writing off specific expenses.
04:52 Regular tax analysis can uncover hidden profit and potential savings opportunities.
08:00 Choosing the right business entity type can save entrepreneurs thousands in taxes each year.
14:25 Tracking and documenting business expenses is crucial for maximizing tax deductions.
21:49 Internet marketers and solopreneurs often miss significant tax deduction opportunities due to poor record-keeping.
Resources:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:10 — 21.2MB) | Embed
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