Archive 1: 2012-2016

225: Get Publicity and PR Leads with Dan Janal

January 16, 2017

Dan Janal from PRLeads.com has a number of easy tweaks you should make in your marketing for huge results. He wants you to create an authority piece (lead magnet) such as "10 Tips to Save Your Marriage." Create a Facebook ad sending people to a (LeadPages) landing page, research your target audience, create a compelling headline and call to action. Create a Facebook post (use Canva.com to generate graphics), boost that post, and re-post it anywhere you can. Test different headlines with A/B testing and improve from there.

Quotes:

“Publicity makes selling easy. If you use PR leads and you get publicity, then you have authority, you have credibility, and people are more likely to know, like and trust you in today's very skeptical world.” – Dan Janal

“Don't count yourself out. Just by working in your job and working with people and knowing what you know, you have a certain expertise that reporters are interested in.” – Dan Janal

“The world is becoming a very, very interesting place, as Facebook, Google, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest build trust and get people to buy from them.” – Dan Janal

Takeaways:

03:12 Anyone can be an expert if they have real-world experience, even without a PhD or decades of work.

16:46 Facebook ads work best with a small daily budget of $5-$10, allowing you to test different ad versions.

19:05 Success isn't just about ad views, but about getting people to take action on your landing page.

21:26 Mobile-responsive websites are critical since more people are checking content on phones and tablets.

23:09 Marketing strategies must evolve with new platforms and technologies to stay relevant.

Resources

PR Leads (Facebook)
PRLeads Plus (Matchmaking)
Reporters Are Looking for You (Kindle Book)
Canva.com (Create Graphics For Social Media)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:05 — 25.7MB) | Embed

224: Cover Your Assets Online: Avoid Common Legal Traps and Pitfalls with Lin Eleoff

January 13, 2017

Lin Eleoff from CoverYourAssetsOnline.com and DIYLegalToolkit.com wants to help you take care of your "baby" (your online business). Many business owners do not properly protect their intellectual property. Many are missing proper website legal documents and use images in such a way that could open them up to lawsuits. Lin keeps things simple for us and explains what we need to do and what to avoid (legally) with our websites.

Quotes:

“If we choose to start our own business, we must embrace the responsibility that comes with it. There is so much good in owning a business, but, much like raising a child, it requires care, attention, and commitment.” – Lin Eleoff

“If you're not growing, your business won't grow. So taking responsibility is part of that growing process.” – Lin Eleoff

“The biggest problem is we don't know what we don't know until someone tells us about it.” – Lin Eleoff

Takeaways:

04:30 Entrepreneurs must take responsibility for their business's legal protection, treating it like a growing child that needs careful attention.

16:15 Using random images from Google Image Search can lead to expensive legal troubles, so always verify image usage rights.

19:13 When receiving a scary legal letter, don't panic and pay immediately; investigate the claim's legitimacy and seek proper verification.

20:19 Preparing legal documents yourself can save significant lawyer fees by doing initial groundwork before professional consultation.

25:41 Internet law is a complex, evolving field that most traditional lawyers might not fully understand, requiring specialized knowledge.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:29 — 27.9MB) | Embed

223: Design a Life That Results in Wealth with Financial Mentor Todd Tresidder

January 12, 2017

Todd Tresidder is a financial mentor and wealth-building expert who has successfully navigated multiple investment paths throughout his career. Starting from a challenging financial background after college, he developed a passion for economic freedom and strategic investing. Todd has expertise in real estate, business, and paper assets, and runs the Financial Mentor website and podcast. He has created a series of investment courses, including the "7 Steps to 7 Figures" program, and offers a free ebook called "18 Essential Lessons of a Self-Made Millionaire". As an internet entrepreneur and experienced investor, he teaches advanced investing and retirement planning principles.

Todd Tresidder (FinancialMentor.com/3) has three ways of building wealth: real estate, business, and paper assets. Todd has some unique insights when it comes to building wealth since he believes in simplicity and uses math (research) as well as basic principles to create a sound investment strategy.

Quotes:

“As long as I'm going to lead an economic life, I may as well design it to result in wealth.” – Todd Tresidder

“It doesn't do you any good to have a process if it's built on flawed principles.” – Todd Tresidder

“You have to crawl first before you can learn to walk, and then you have to walk before you learn to run, and you have to run before you can sprint.” – Todd Tresidder

Takeaways:

02:37 Design your economic life intentionally to result in wealth, treating it as a deliberate strategy rather than a passive outcome.

10:41 Investing is about understanding processes and principles, not just finding the next hot investment product.

13:44 Low-cost passive index asset allocation is a solid starting point for new investors, but requires long-term discipline and understanding.

18:54 Market extremes provide critical information about potential investment risks and opportunities.

21:12 Diversifying across different asset classes (real estate, business, paper assets) can help build a more robust wealth strategy.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:35 — 22.5MB) | Embed

222: The Book Doctor Is In: Self-Publish a Book, Build Your Platform, and Get Noticed with Stacey Aaronson

January 11, 2017

Stacey Aaronson is a multifaceted professional in the publishing world, serving as a writer, editor, layout artist, and cover designer. She founded The Book Doctor Is In, a comprehensive service helping authors navigate the self-publishing process from manuscript to market. Stacey demonstrates deep expertise in book production and publishing strategies. Her background includes working with non-fiction writers to transform their raw manuscripts into polished, professional publications that effectively communicate their message and serve their target audience.

Stacy Aaronson from TheBookDoctorIsIn.com and TheSelfPublishingScoop.com says that many authors make huge mistakes when they independently publish their books. Her approach is very step-by-step and detail oriented:

Consult, proposal, contracts
Editing process, developmental, structure, cohesive chapters, the right points are in the right chapters
Copy-editing: bio, picture, grammar, remove cliches, correct syntax
Illustration and graphics
Presentation: interior, cover, interior/cover congruency, what's right for the audience, fine tune
Upload files to CreateSpace and Ingram
Proof the proof and send to proofreader (edit all the edits together from multiple people
Re-upload, get printed proofs, catch the small things

Quotes:

“Self-publishing means you take responsibility as the publisher of your book, which requires thinking of yourself in that role.” – Stacey Aaronson

“The best approach from the very beginning is to focus on the pain points of your reader and the problem you are trying to solve for them.” – Stacey Aaronson

“You should be thinking about the audience from the start. That dictates all the different moving parts of the book.” – Stacey Aaronson

Takeaways:

05:32 Self-publishing isn't a do-it-yourself process, but a professional publishing approach requiring expert help across multiple disciplines.

12:41 Understanding your target audience is crucial before writing a single word of your book.

17:05 Building an audience platform should begin months before your book's actual publication.

22:14 A book's success starts with knowing the reader's pain points and solving their specific problems.

30:50 Professional book production typically costs between $4,000 to $6,000 and takes 4-6 months.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:49 — 32.8MB) | Embed

221: Escape from Anxiety, De-Stress and Supercharge Your Life with Peggy Sealfon

January 10, 2017

Peggy Sealfon is a personal development coach, motivational speaker, and internationally recognized expert in stress and anxiety management. She holds a degree in functional nutrition and has dedicated her career to helping people overcome mental and physical challenges through integrated life strategies. Peggy is the author of the best-selling book "Escape from Anxiety: Supercharge Your Life with Powerful Strategies from A to Z," which offers over 100 practical techniques for managing stress and improving overall well-being. As a life coach, she works with clients across various domains, including relationship issues, health challenges, and personal development.

Peggy Sealfon from 3MinutesToDestress.com wants you to supercharge your life, help you break your patterns, hang onto your available energy, and live a mindful, integrated life. Many of us are caught in cycles where our health or relationships may have suffered due to over-focusing on our business, for example. Peggy have tons of insights, tools, and habits to share with you today.

Quotes:

“We have been conditioned to believe we need more—a bigger house, a bigger car, or even multiple cars—and that having a huge bank account will ensure our well-being.” – Peggy Sealfon

“If you are not eating healthfully, mindfully, and taking the time to eat, but instead eating on the run, in your car, or at your desk, it’s not very helpful.” – Peggy Sealfon

“These physical manifestations indicate an imbalance. It’s not necessarily a malfunction in your neck requiring surgery—though that’s possible—but more often, it’s your body reminding you to pay attention to it.” – Peggy Sealfon

Takeaways:

04:36 Cultural pressure to achieve material success often leads to neglecting personal well-being and happiness.

13:09 Small, consistent breaks throughout the day can significantly improve mental and physical performance.

16:47 Nutrition plays a critical role in brain health, energy levels, and overall life balance.

22:18 Personal growth requires breaking destructive habits and creating new, healthier neural pathways.

26:39 Meditation and mindfulness techniques can quickly interrupt stress patterns and restore calm.

Resources

Escape From Anxiety (Book And Website)
3 Minutes To Destress (Sign Up)
Peggy Sealfon blog (Free Personal Coaching: 10 minute Call)
"Escape from Anxiety" (Amazon Book)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:00 — 27.5MB) | Embed

220: Use High Ticket Coaching and Consulting to Scale Your Business with Eric Louviere

January 9, 2017

Eric Louviere is a seasoned business expert with 20 years of entrepreneurial experience. He has built and sold multi-million dollar businesses and now focuses on high-ticket coaching and consulting. Eric specializes in helping speakers, authors, and coaches scale their businesses through targeted marketing strategies, particularly with Facebook ads and lead generation. He is known for his direct approach to business growth and helping entrepreneurs transition from low-ticket to high-ticket offerings.

Eric Louviere from EricLouviere.com and WebVance.com provides coaching and consulting services to authors, speakers, and business owners of all kinds (for example, one of Eric's clients is a local gym.) In years past, he grew tired of the "cash crunches" that resulted from membership site and e-book income and decided to scale up. Listen in to tons of takeaways about:

how to avoid spreading yourself too thin
how to simplify your marketing with "one problem, one solution" thinking
some huge breakthroughs about Facebook and LinkedIn advertising

Quotes:

“Get really focused on the problem and the solution, as they become the focal point. Then everything builds from there.” – Eric Louviere

“Don't see things from your perspective; step into the customer's shoes. You're providing value to the customer, so understand what they truly want.” – Eric Louviere

“Pick one thing, focus on a problem, and solve it completely. The money will come by the truckload.” – Eric Louviere

Takeaways:

00:44 As a business owner, concentrate on only 3-4 core tasks and outsource everything else to maintain quality and reduce stress.

09:24 Put yourself in the customer's shoes and create solutions that genuinely address their most critical needs.

17:20 Focus on solving one specific problem exceptionally well instead of spreading yourself thin across multiple business areas.

19:42 Shift from low-ticket, high-volume products to high-ticket, value-driven services that truly help clients.

24:54 Your business's growth depends on understanding your ideal client's deepest problems and providing transformative solutions.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:41 — 30.8MB) | Embed

219: Turn Your Hobby into a Business and Achieve Massive Blogging Success with Katie Hornor

January 6, 2017

Katie Hornor is an international speaker and entrepreneur based in Mexico, where she homeschools five children while running multiple online businesses. She is the founder of BloggingSuccessfully.com and The Blog Connection, a coaching platform dedicated to helping hobby bloggers transform their passion into profitable online ventures. As an author and online business coach, Katie specializes in guiding bloggers through strategies for growing email lists, driving traffic, and creating digital products.

Katie Hornor coaches hobby bloggers to turn their website into a real business. She focuses on your traffic, people, plan, schedule, and hiring.

Hire based on your own weaknesses. For example, hire people to create pinnacle images, Facebook ads, or technical website actions, and give them a 2 to 3 month trial period to test them out.

When improving a blog, Katie looks at the following areas:

Is the website clean and inviting?
Is there an offer, a freebie that people can get in exchange for subscribing? Is it an offer that your audience wants, based on Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat research?
Is Google Analytics installed and what demographic reads the blog? Based on this, when are people online so we know what time to post?
Are there any low-hanging product ideas or affiliate programs for this blog?
Does this website get in front of one audience per week? (Blog, Facebook, email.)

Quotes:

“When we move from hobby to business, we're changing that entire mindset where what I do is not about me anymore, it's about how I serve my people.” – Katie Hornor

“Businesses would not be a business without people. And anytime you have people, you have relationships.” – Katie Hornor

“No one needs more spam or junk mail. You need to be a person offering something of value.” – Katie Hornor

Takeaways:

01:47 Shift from hobby blogging to a business requires changing your mindset from just writing to earning income.

07:55 Your website's first five seconds are critical in showing visitors exactly what problem you solve for them.

17:53 Looking at your website and social media statistics is crucial for understanding growth and making smart business choices.

20:16 When hiring team members, use a clear three-month trial period to ensure a good working relationship without hard feelings.

24:15 Building business relationships creates an environment where everyone can grow together.

Resources

Blogging Successfully (Request a Free Call with our Team to See How We Can Help You Grow)
The Blog Connection (Membership)
Free Gift (Free Gift)
Breakthrough Coaching with Katie (Coaching)
Paradise Bloggers (Facebook Group)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:31 — 26.1MB) | Embed

218: Passion, Power, Preparation, and Practice: Become a Powerful, Authentic and Captivating Public Speaker with Pam Terry

January 5, 2017

Pam Terry is a public speaking coach and marketing strategist with over 30 years of experience helping professionals improve their communication skills. As the CEO and founder of Now Media, she specializes in helping individuals overcome speaking anxiety and become more confident presenters. Pam offers free resources on her website, including an eBook about preparing presentations and a two-question survey for people struggling with public speaking. She is passionate about teaching speakers how to connect with their audience and provide meaningful value.

Pam Terry from PamTerry.com will help you to become a better speaker who prepares, practices, and gives. She has four pillars for you to build confidence with your speaking engagements:

1. Passion: fuel, make a difference
2. Power: knowledge, topic, audience, speaking skills
3. Preparation: outline, intro, close, objectives
4. Practice: does it fit in the allotted time and do people pay attention

Quotes:

“Public speaking is not about the speaker. It's not about you, it's about the audience.” – Pam Terry

“The more you prepare, the more passionate you are about wanting to get up there. Do that presentation and make a difference with people.” – Pam Terry

“If you don't have an audience, there's no presentation. So it is all about them, and you want it to be meaningful for them.” – Pam Terry

Takeaways:

04:45 Public speaking is about the audience, not the speaker's personal fears.

07:31 Pausing during a presentation can powerfully capture audience attention.

12:23 Videotaping yourself helps identify speaking habits and areas for improvement.

22:56 Prepare presentations with clear objectives for both yourself and your audience.

30:43 Authenticity and believing in your message matter more than being perfectly polished.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:48 — 31.9MB) | Embed

217: Facebook Ads: The Secrets to Image Ads, Retargeting, Video Engagement, and Live Streaming with Emily Hirsh

January 4, 2017

Emily Hirsh is a leading Facebook ad manager and sales funnel strategist who has grown her virtual assistant business and consultancy to a multi six-figure enterprise. Starting initially as a virtual assistant, she transitioned into marketing and now runs a business dedicated to helping entrepreneurs streamline their online marketing strategies. She has over five years of experience in the online business world and has successfully launched an online fitness business with her husband. Emily also created a Virtual Assistant Academy and manages a Facebook group with around 600 members.

Emily Hirsh (click to book a free consultation) is a master when it comes to cutting edge Facebook ad techniques. Here's what's working very well for her lately:

1. provide free training on Facebook: post a stock photo with no text on the graphic
2. retarget people on your Facebook page
3. run ads audience engagements on ads or posts (your warm audience)

Emily has also had great success with Facebook live streaming for 15-20 minutes, usually 10 minutes of teaching and 5-10 minutes of a pitch or Q&A. She recommends that you be consistent with your live streaming and stream at the same time of day for five days in a row. Encourage people to share the stream while live, post an announcement about the live stream one hour prior, post to your personal page and even run ads to a lookalike audience based on people who watched your videos.

Quotes:

“If people love seeing you on video and you delivering good content, they're much more likely to then opt in and see what else you have.” – Emily Hirsh

“Your funnel and Facebook ads are the backbone of your business. They form the core of your marketing strategy and are a powerful way to attract clients and generate leads.” – Emily Hirsh

“Somebody has to see something at least seven times before they really take action and buy.” – Emily Hirsh

Takeaways:

07:45 When testing Facebook ads, create separate ad sets for different audiences and images, and allow ads to run for 2-3 days before making changes to let Facebook optimize performance.

11:26 Facebook Live videos work best when they're longer (15-20 minutes), delivering value upfront and then engaging with audience questions.

13:25 Consistency in content delivery - like weekly live streams at the same time - helps build audience expectation and engagement.

19:48 Facebook ad strategies now focus on building warm audiences through video engagement, retargeting, and creating look-alike audiences based on video viewers.

28:12 Successful Facebook ads require a holistic approach that connects ad strategy with the entire sales funnel, not just isolated ad campaigns.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:02 — 29.3MB) | Embed

216: Interview Connections: Leverage the Power of Interviews (as a Host and Guest) for Increased Traffic to Build Your Business with Jessica Rhodes

January 3, 2017

Jessica Rhodes is the founder and CEO of Interview Connections, a premier guest booking agency for podcasters and guest experts. She started her career as a virtual assistant while wanting to be a stay-at-home mom, and eventually transformed her podcast booking skills into a successful business. Jessica is the author of "Rock the Podcast from Both Sides of the Mic" and hosts her own weekly podcast. She has built a virtual team that helps entrepreneurs get booked on podcasts and helps podcast hosts find quality guests for their shows.

Jessica Rhodes from Interview Connections provides a service that will book you on podcasts (to promote your sites) and get you guests (to fill your podcast with interview content). Jessica appears on four interviews a month, publishes a weekly blog post, podcast episode, and video. She says that in order to be a great podcast guest, you must do the following:

be an expert in something
be a unique guest about that topic
use your own online presence to create content and get book on your end as much as possible

Quotes:

“Charging for your time just doesn't work. They're paying us for all the connections and relationships we've built, the systems that we've created.” – Jessica Rhodes

“With any marketing you do, there is no quick fix. There is no home run in the first month or two.” – Jessica Rhodes

“Your job is to provide value to listeners, it's not to sell what you have to offer. If you give as much valuable information as you can, that will attract people to me.” – Jessica Rhodes

Takeaways:

08:47 Successful business growth requires shifting from hourly work to value-based pricing and clear service offerings.

13:15 Creating consistent, high-quality content across multiple platforms helps attract and retain audience interest.

18:55 Podcast interviews are a long-term marketing strategy that builds connections and authority over time.

23:09 As a podcast guest, focus on providing value to listeners instead of trying to sell your products directly.

27:32 Podcast hosts should make the guest experience easy and treat guests like welcomed dinner guests.

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:14 — 28.6MB) | Embed

215: Stop Leadership Malpractice: Discover the New Business Model, Refine Your Process and Get Optimal Employee Performance with Wally Hauck

January 2, 2017

Wally Hauck is a seasoned business consultant with 20 years of experience helping leaders improve their management techniques. He specializes in teaching organizations how to have fearless conversations and optimize employee performance. Wally is the author of the book "Stop the Leadership Malpractice," which explores innovative approaches to leadership and organizational improvement. His work focuses on challenging traditional management models and promoting a more collaborative, process-oriented approach to leadership.

Wally Hauck, author of Stop the Leadership Malpractice: How to Replace the Typical Performance Appraisal, realized that many employers and managers can actually kill their own business by not communicating properly with their employees. If you'd like to provide a better customer experience have self-managing employees, then you need to ask these three questions:

1. What process in the business isn't working?
2. What is the first 15% of that process?
3. What should be done to improve that process?

He shares not only great business advice, but a few case studies and examples along the way.

Quotes:

“When an employee makes a mistake, you need to look beyond the obvious and identify the unseen factors at play—unless they’re doing it intentionally, which is highly unlikely.” – Wally Hauck

“The answers are with the people that are actually doing the work.” – Wally Hauck

“If you're evaluating employees for mistakes they make, we're performing what I call leadership malpractice.” – Wally Hauck

Takeaways:

01:15 Leadership success hinges on having fearless conversations that help employees improve performance without creating fear or blame.

11:39 Most workplace problems stem from broken processes, not employee incompetence, so leaders should investigate system issues first before criticizing workers.

14:08 Effective leadership means partnering with employees to identify and fix root causes, not controlling them through threats or punitive metrics.

16:31 Traditional performance management models that judge employees create distrust and encourage cheating, while collaborative process improvement builds stronger teams.

24:25 Organizations should focus on creating operational values centered on respect, agreement-keeping, and customer service to drive self-management.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:48 — 26.4MB) | Embed

214: HootSuite, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn Demystified: Share Content, Engage Others, and Network with Social Media Manager Debbie Peck

December 30, 2016

Debbie Peck is a seasoned social media manager and online marketing strategist with over 14 years of experience in internet marketing. She founded Crush Marketing Group and created Social Media Kindergarten, a comprehensive course designed to help entrepreneurs navigate social media effectively. As a certified social media manager and Facebook ads specialist, Debbie focuses on helping coaches, speakers, authors, and thought leaders expand their online presence.

Social Media Manager Debbie Peck from Crush Marketing Group has a two-pronged strategy for getting traffic from social media: share content from scheduled posts, and engage other users actively on a daily consistent basis. She logs into HootSuite once a week to schedule posts to drip out weeks in advance. She also comments, shares, likes, retweets, finds new influencers, and checks her insights regularly. We're talking about 3-5 posts per day on Facebook and 8-10 posts per day on Twitter. You can also contact her directly at debbie@crushmarketinggroup.com.

Quotes:

“Social media is a place where you want to network and create relationships, while at the same time using it as a traffic source for you to distribute and share your content.” – Debbie Peck

“If all you're doing is sell all the time, people just tune out, they don't want to listen to you anymore.” – Debbie Peck

“A single article, blog post, or video can have a significant impact on social media. You don’t need to share the entire piece—just small, valuable snippets that capture attention.” – Debbie Peck

Takeaways:

04:44 Social media for business is fundamentally different from social media for personal entertainment, requiring a strategic approach to networking and content sharing.

11:42 One piece of content can be repurposed into multiple social media posts across different platforms, saving time and maximizing existing materials.

18:56 Choose social media platforms based on where your ideal clients actually spend their time, not just where everyone else is trending.

22:10 Engage with industry influencers by sharing their content, commenting thoughtfully, and building genuine connections without being overly aggressive.

27:50 Outsourcing content creation is possible, but personal engagement should remain a priority for authentic relationship building.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:37 — 32.6MB) | Embed

213: Focused Decisions, Learn As You Go, and Help Others with Angel Investor Jason Criddle

December 29, 2016

Jason Criddle is an entrepreneur, angel investor, and founder of the Smarter App Company. He previously served as CEO of Legacy Status Investments for two years and has built a career helping startups and entrepreneurs refine their business strategies. Jason is an author who self-published his own book and later started a publishing company that allows writers to retain their intellectual property. He has consulted for numerous sales and internet companies, gaining extensive experience in marketing and business development.

Jason Criddle from The Smartr App Company (you can contact him directly at info@thesmartrapp.com) says that you should learn as you go, make mistakes, and have failures -- pivot, fail, and snag. Everyone has ideas, but people only succeed through the failures from implementing their ideas.

Instead of being simply self-employed (and recreating the job you were trying to escape), be an entrepreneur. Make focused decisions to reach your goals, have a faith or belief in something, have perseverance, the drive to help others, and role models. Jason can also show you how to become a virtual CEO and get an app in the app store for just $100/month.

Quotes:

“If we're out there branding ourselves, I believe everybody has their own story. Everybody has their own brand. Everybody has their own customer base.” – Jason Criddle

“If someone wants to call themselves an entrepreneur today—if they aspire to earn an income from home—they must embrace failure. Success is built by learning and growing through those setbacks.” – Jason Criddle

“Money is not manifested through saying affirmations in the mirror. That's not the way it works.” – Jason Criddle

Takeaways:

04:14 Every person is their own industry, with a unique story and potential customer base.

16:14 Entrepreneurs must build personal value and credibility before expecting others to trust their business ideas.

22:42 Success comes from following through on projects and learning from failures, not just starting multiple ventures.

27:50 Seek advice from experienced professionals who have actual success, not just motivational speakers.

31:34 Making focused decisions towards a goal matters more than working endless hours or creating motivational content.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 36:17 — 33.2MB) | Embed

WordPress Themes Suck

December 28, 2016

They really suck and let me explain...

I strongly believe that you should use WordPress to run your websites because it's easy to setup, and you can add whatever you want onto it... add a quiz plugin, add an opt-in form plugin... you and your websites can stay on the cutting edge without coding, FTP, or geek stuff...

Plugins make your site "do those extra things"... and THEMES change how your WordPress sites look. Don't like that site design with the black background and 2 sidebars? Click a button and now you get a white background with 1 sidebar...

That's what great about WordPress themes... instantly change the look and feel... so what's my problem with it?

In my experience, 50% of the time, I buy a theme (usually 200 to 300 bucks) because of the demo they show me. It looks great -- I think to myself, I'll change this text, I'll remove this section, this is going to be the best looking site anyone's ever seen...

I buy the theme and set it up... and either I can't even get it to load up the "demo" or it turns out the demo involved some custom coding, custom CSS and custom graphics and there's no way I can match it...

Lance and I recently setup a theme and in order to get it to look as good as the demo, it took us about an hour on Skype (us, both computer geeks), and we had to install 6 additional plugins and set about 20 different settings JUST to get it to that demo mode... nevermind customizing the site...

When WordPress themes are concerned, I feel very "baited and switched" at times and I have to do a ton of customization just to make a landing page look decent...

Do you want to know what "just works" out of the box? Paper Template does.

With Paper Template, you can use any WordPress theme you want (even the default one) and then say... I want JUST this one page to be a landing page (sales letter, opt-in form, thank you download page, etc.) and please leave the rest of my site alone...

Or... set all your pages as Paper Template pages...

It's mobile responsive and is a plain white piece of paper OR you can click a button and give it a more modern look... those fancy fonts, bright colors and full-width web pages... it's all possible using the Paper Template plugin for your WordPress landing pages:

Download the "Paper Template" WordPress Landing Page Plugin

It's great if you want to skip the hassle and headache of "those" WordPress themes where the demo looks great but isn't customizable. Paper Template is the perfect solution for you if you want to create those "money pages" quickly within WordPress.

212: Cross-Channel Advertising: Combine Google Ads, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Remarketing with Rocco Baldassarre

December 28, 2016

Rocco Baldassare is an accomplished digital marketer and entrepreneur who founded Zebra Advertisement, an award-winning digital marketing agency. He has been featured in prominent publications like the Huffington Post, New York Times, and Search Engine Journal. Recognized as the first agency to have a case study featured by Facebook, Rocco has established himself as a leading expert in online advertising strategies.

Rocco Baldassare from Zebra Advertisement has had massive success by creating a landing page with key sellling points, advertising that landing page, remarketing on a different platform (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and guest blogging for third parties such as Entprepreneur Magazine, Search Engine Journal and LinkedIn. He provides account reviews and strategy calls if you're looking to get more from your paid social media traffic.

Quotes:

“Cross-channel advertising is the new frontier in digital marketing—an effective way to advertise online while staying within a limited budget. It doesn’t require a huge financial investment to make an impact.” – Rocco Baldassarre

“The complexity lies in determining what people need to see on your website—the types of ads they encounter, and the sequence in which they are presented during their first, second, and third interactions with your brand.” – Rocco Baldassarre

“If people haven’t bought yet, something is holding them back. We need to identify and resolve that obstacle by providing more information and addressing their concerns.” – Rocco Baldassarre

Takeaways:

02:56 Cross-channel advertising helps businesses appear everywhere, increasing brand recognition and purchase likelihood.

03:50 Customers typically need to see an ad 8-10 times before making a purchase decision.

12:17 Strategic ad placement and continuous optimization are crucial for successful online marketing.

14:01 Remarketing to engaged website visitors (those who stay 60+ seconds) can significantly improve conversion rates.

19:56 Small businesses can start cross-channel advertising with a limited budget and strategic planning.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:42 — 22.6MB) | Embed

Waiting Years And Years For “Them” To Add A Contact Form?

December 27, 2016

The good news is that 2016 (and 2017) is the best possible time to setup your web pages because it's easier than ever... and web pages have never looked better than ever!

You used to have to learn HTML, CSS, uploading FTP files, maybe even a little scripting and then you'd have to test things with Internet Explorer and Netscape browsers until you had it right...

Now, many things are point and click, such as with Paper Template.
(click to see a quick video demo)

WordPress (click a button and you have a blog)
Paper Template plugin (install and now you can create sales letters and landing pages within WordPress)
add any other plugins you want to add a contact form, legal pages, pop-ups, caching, security, SEO...

So, it's a great way to get started fast and do all the things you want... BUT...

I honestly don't believe that the "hosted platforms" are really up to snuff. If you use some sort of hosted service that runs it all for you:

you are now tied to their business (if their sites are down for 2 hours, your site is down for 2 hours)
they don't do everything (maybe they're missing an autoresponder)
you have to take a bunch of extra steps anyway to host your own .com domain and make it look like it runs on your own websites (sometimes you have to install your own WordPress blog, and their WordPress plugin on your site, just to run their service... weird)
they might not do all the cool stuff that you want. For example, with WordPress you can just grab a quiz plugin if you want that. Grab a contact form plugin if you want that. On a hosted service, you have to wait for them to "get around to it"...

I honestly believe this is the best of both worlds... easy to setup, uses WordPress, create landing pages in addition to your blog or let it take over your site... and then add plugins or tweaks as you wish. The Paper Template WordPress plugin lets you have your cake and eat it too.

211: Conquer Stress, Make Milestones and Get Those Easy Wins with Kathy Gruver

December 27, 2016

Dr. Kathy Gruver is an international motivational health speaker and an award-winning author of five books, including "Conquer Your Stress". She hosts her own TV series and appears frequently on radio, TV, and online platforms. As a professional, she works full-time as a massage therapist and hypnotherapist. For stress relief and fun, she enjoys hip hop dancing and flying trapeze. Her professional website is The Alternative Medicine Cabinet, where she offers resources and courses about stress management.

Dr. Kathy Gruver from The Alternative Medicine Cabinet wants you to focus, be healthy, reduce stress, delegate, and make decisions early.

Quotes:

“Sometimes, if we engage all our senses and focus deeply on a task we don’t enjoy, it can become a much more fulfilling experience.” – Kathy Gruver

“When we disperse our energy too widely, we become less productive. In my experience, our personal health is often the first thing to suffer.” – Kathy Gruver

“More hurry, less speed. When I rush from one thing to another, that’s when mistakes happen and important details get overlooked.” – Kathy Gruver

Takeaways:

05:37 Break big tasks into small, manageable steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

10:08 Delegating tasks can help business owners focus on their core work and reduce stress.

13:35 Recognize that you don't have to do everything yourself; it's okay to ask for help.

16:06 Trust assistants with small tasks and gradually build confidence in their abilities.

18:51 Practice mindfulness and short meditation techniques to manage stress and improve cognitive function.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:05 — 22.0MB) | Embed

210: What Is Your What? Get It Done, Express, Immerse and Revinent Yourself with Steve Olsher

December 26, 2016

Steve Olsher is a multifaceted entrepreneur, author, speaker, and online marketing expert known as the world's foremost reinvention expert. He owns Liquor.com and has been active online since 1993, spanning industries like nightclubs, real estate, and digital marketing. Steve wrote the New York Times bestselling book "What is Your What?" and hosts the Reinvention Radio podcast. He helps individuals and corporations discover their core gifts, understand how to share those gifts, and identify the people they are most compelled to serve.

Steve Olsher, author of What Is Your WHAT?, wants you to impact the maximum number of lives possible by discovering, sharing, and monetizing your WHAT: the thing you were made to do. It's done in these three steps:

clarity on your core gift (i.e. healing, entertaining, communicating)
create a vehicle to share that gift
people compelled to share

Get it done, surround yourself with the right people and immerse yourself in that world. Tune up your Attributes, Beliefs and Perspectives.

Quotes:

“Reinvention isn’t about changing who you are; it’s about shedding the shackles of personas, appearances, and external influences—freeing yourself from the whims and agendas of others to return to the essence of your true self.” – Steve Olsher

“There are only two ways you can use your time: you can spend it, or you can invest it.” – Steve Olsher

“Your gift is something that chooses you. It’s not something you can simply decide to have.” – Steve Olsher

Takeaways:

06:36 Reinvention is about stripping away external expectations to reveal your true self, not adding new layers.

11:39 Your core gift is unchanging and part of your DNA, while the vehicle and people you serve can shift over time.

14:45 Creating an Attributes, Beliefs, and Perspectives (ABP) statement can help you uncover hidden themes and potential career directions.

20:56 Transitioning careers requires patience, strategic planning, and gradually reducing expenses to support your new path.

22:37 Most people spend time instead of investing it, and finding extra hours can accelerate personal and professional growth.

Resources

Reinvention Radio (Podcast)
What is Your WHAT (Book)
Steve Olsher (Official Site)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:41 — 26.3MB) | Embed

People Don’t Buy During The Holidays?

December 26, 2016

I don't lose any sleep over this, but I roll my eyes when someone says...

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:00 — 4.6MB) | Embed

November and December are slower months!
No one is online during holiday time...
Don't even bother marketing or sending emails until January...
Don't you want to take some time off?

And my answers are:

Of course I take time off -- that's what scheduled blog posts and scheduled autoresponder emails put in the queue in advance are all about (bonus if people can't really tell if they're live or pre-scheduled)...

Many people (not you personally, but others) are working too hard and not working smart enough. They could get a lot more done in less time AND possibly use these few days off to plan their next move or squeeze in an hour here and there...

What about eBay? Amazon? Retail stores? There are tons of people buying. And if you say that's apples and oranges because I run an online business... well... aren't there some people out there who are using this end of the year time to look into running their own online business?

Sure, grandma won't buy an e-book or course but grandma might give those grandkids gift cards or money that they'll use to build their business

This is the last chance for many business owners to lock-in their purchases (business write-offs) for tax time -- for example, I bought myself Google Glass (now discontinued) during the holidays one year...

And most importantly, what's the difference if you setup a web page in late December 2016 that gets sales in January 2017? February or March 2017? You have to set it up in the first place...

"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." -- Zig Ziglar

What's the easy answer? You need to setup, at the very least, an opt-in page and a sales letter using Paper Template.

Of course take a bunch of time off to get that perspective, recharge your batteries and figure out your next move... but what counts is not so much thinking or planning, but ACTION...

Setting up a web page that sells something is the best ACTION you can take this holiday season, and using WordPress plus Paper Template is the best way to do it quickly while also having all the little features you need.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:00 — 4.6MB) | Embed

Why Are You Emailing Me On Christmas?

December 25, 2016

"Why are you emailing me on a weekend / holiday?"

That's the response I get every now and then and I hope that's a response you get in your business -- why is that I hope you get it?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 13:45 — 12.6MB) | Embed

Because if people are unsubscribing from your list, if you have (a small percentage) of refunds, if (a few) people have some nasty things to say about you and your values...

Then it means you've actually done some things in your business and you've built a big list of buyers...

Very few people treat their online business like the machine that it can be and should be and it's some wasted potential.

For example: what if you spent about 20 minutes and grabbed 12 interesting YouTube videos? Maybe yours or maybe you found them... either way... schedule one in your blog for the first Friday in January 2017, another for February 2017, etc.

Those are 12 touches you've just made with you and your subscribers...

And how about this: go into your email autoresponder (you do have one and you are building a list, right?) and schedule a message for that Saturday sending people to your blog post, and maybe even a quick Sunday one reminding them to check it out if they missed it.

If you have a product or membership site for sale, or heck, even a 2.99 Kindle book... I'm guessing that you haven't promoted it for a solid 5 days in a row lately!

Look at the second week in January. Think of four pretty good reasons or interesting things about your Kindle book. Schedule a quick email for Monday with a subject line and about 5 sentences saying... you probably have this problem... here's the solution and it's in my book...

Tuesday... you might have problem #2 and here's solution #2 and the details of that solution are also in my book... repeat for Wednesday and Thursday...

On Friday, don't worry about piling on even more information... just say... I've been giving you these solutions all week, it's shit or get off the pot time, here's my book.

That right there is a whole week you can take off your business in 2017 and no one will ever have to know. Come back and see how many sales you brought in...

Very few people take advantage of scheduled emails and they're available in every email autoresponder service. Schedule some emails to help fill out the calendar and keep "touching" those customers (but not in a weird way)...

You can get content cranked out easily (I have a system for writing blog posts called R.A.T.G.U.M. and one for email marketing called P.A.I.N.T.) if you follow some sort of a template or system... and then let the machine (that autoresponder sending emails on a schedule) do the rest...

And there's even better news: every autoresponder also has a "sent" folder... so... you can take the greatest hits of your email marketing and pile them into a follow-up sequence so that any new subscriber to your list gets your best stuff...

I happen to think that MY best stuff is contained inside this course:

Time Management on Crack

More than a few people have told me that this is the guide they re-visit every year when they want to refresh and renew the important marketing stuff. I hope that's not too braggy and I also want you to check it out as soon as you see this, even though it's hoilday time.

(The holidays are great time for me to go through a course, read some stuff, or watch some videos so that I get a little bit of a break from all the "usual" stuff.)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 13:45 — 12.6MB) | Embed

Online Business Success: Why Some People “Make It” With Internet Marketing (And Others Don’t)

December 24, 2016

This scares the heck out of me and maybe you can relate...

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:58 — 8.2MB) | Embed

I'm not sure how long you've been building your online business, buying courses and plugins, how long you've been on different marketers list and seen the affiliate contests and big launches...

I ask myself these sorts of super scary questions all the time:

"If such and such had a million dollar launch back in 2014, why haven't I heard anything from them since?"

"If this other marketer made 2 million dollars in a day back in 2012, why are all their websites dead and gone just 5 years later?"

The short answer is that they didn't systematize and checklist-ify their business using a something like this:

Time Management on Crack

Tons of internet marketing names have completely disappeared from the face of the planet and I don't think they were abducted by aliens... so why do some people seem to:

Have made money back in the day but seem to be struggling now (not really mailing or promoting)...

OR: Been super successful back then but now I can't find any websites or even what I bought from them...

What's the difference? Here's what I think it is...

1. they actually have a way to make consistent money over time (as opposed to the huge launch where 30% goes to refunds and 60% to affiliates)...

... A launch of any kind with affiliates is a great way to build a list, but if you don't monetize that list into some recurring passive income within a few months, you'll find that the list goes cold/stale and you'll have to rebuild it every year...

2. they have fun with this internet marketing thing (hint: seeing money come in every day from your efforts is a huge way to have fun with your business)

There are going to be up's and down's in your business and what's frustrating sometimes is that you DON'T get paid while you're building something (sales letter, product, membership site) but then you DO get paid after it's done -- so you have to "have faith" and enjoy the adventure, be an entrepreneur and rise to the challenge to overcome whatever obstacle is in front of you

3. they reinvent themselves every few years: I see some people trying to teach article marketing and "how to make an e-book" using the same stuff they taught 10 years ago...

It's perfectly ok to sell your best and classic stuff, and if it's still selling, keep promoting it! It would be a waste to just throw away old products and websites if they still deliver great value... BUT...

I believe that you and your business are screwed if you aren't looking to reinvent yourself every 3-5 years or so.

I used to be known as just a PHP programmer
Then a WordPress person
I sold low priced plugins for a while
Then transitioned into high ticket courses
Then built software into our courses
And now we're building some software-as-a-service tools such as Website Remote

4. and finally, successful people use systems, templates, and checklists so they can get those daily repetitive tasks (writing content, creating videos, running webinars) completed (those add up to a lot over time) AND have fun doing what pays the bills and get to the creative and weird stuff...

I take tons of time off in my business and you don't even know it because everything still runs... emails still go out, membership sites take orders and the help desk tickets are still answered. All those recurring payments come in every morning, and I want that for you too.

If you feel like in 2016 you could have done more, you were burned out every once in a while and didn't know why or how to avoid it (or shorten the burnout length of time) next time, if you weren't having fun, if you felt like you started more things than you finished... and you want to CHANGE THAT in 2017, then I believe this is the guide for you:

Time Management on Crack

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:58 — 8.2MB) | Embed

209: The New Brand You: Work with Your Ideal Clients and Discover What You Were Made to Do with Julie Broad

December 23, 2016

Julie Broad from Have More Influence asks, "If money wasn't a factor, what would you do?"

Julie Broad is a Canadian entrepreneur, real estate investor, and author. She holds an MBA and has been recognized with the Top 20 Under 40 award for Vancouver Island. Julie started her career in sales and developed a "Freedom 35" plan to create financial independence through real estate investments. She successfully built a real estate training and investment business, and later transitioned into helping entrepreneurs build their personal brands. Julie is the author of two books: "More Than Cashflow" and "The New Brand You," both of which became Amazon bestsellers. Her work focuses on helping introverts and new entrepreneurs learn effective selling and branding strategies.

She wants to help you serve instead of sell and think about how you can help others. As a result, you can become the name people know about a given subject. She also tell us about her adventures in real estate, book publishing, online training, and more.

Quotes:

“When I shifted my focus to how I could help this person instead of how I could secure the deal or win the client, everything changed for me.” – Julie Broad

“Ultimately, I think it all comes back to taking action, because I wouldn’t have figured out any of these things if I hadn’t taken action.” – Julie Broad

“It's hard to play both roles. If you're constantly thinking that this person might not do the work or invest in you, then you won’t be able to fully commit and genuinely coach them.” – Julie Broad

Takeaways:

02:34 Create content that reveals real, unfiltered stories to stand out in your industry.

08:36 Use partnerships and existing platforms to jumpstart your business growth.

14:04 Take consistent action and be willing to pivot when your current strategy isn't working.

23:49 Build a brand that attracts clients instead of chasing them through traditional sales methods.

28:49 Focus on serving others rather than selling, which makes communication easier for introverts.

Resources

Have More Influence (Blog)
The New Brand You (Book)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:01 — 32.1MB) | Embed

208: Authority Selling: Win the “Zero Moment of Truth” Game and Use Your Authority Positioning Assets to Get More Business with Mike Saunders

December 22, 2016

Mike Saunders from MarketingHuddle.com (author of the book Authority Selling) tells us about the Zero Moment of Truth.

Mike Saunders is an authority marketing strategist who helps business owners enhance their competitive edge by building expertise and authority. He is the host of Business Innovators Radio and the author of "Authority Selling," a book published with an endorsement from Tom Hopkins. Mike runs Marketing Huddle, a company that assists entrepreneurs in developing their professional brand through strategic positioning. He specializes in helping clients create authority positioning portfolios and has a unique system for helping professionals become published authors without writing a single word.

Every business has a "Moment of Truth" where a customer discovers if that business delivers on their promises or not. These days, the "Zero" Moment of Truth exists -- where your future customers check the online breadcrumbs of your business before they even interact with you. Mike tells us how to educate those customers and provide a consultation as opposed to an outdated presentation or sales pitch.

Quotes:

“You can start as the big fish in a small pond, and as you develop and grow, that pond expands, becoming larger and larger over time.” – Mike Saunders

“It's about establishing yourself as an expert and authority by taking on the roles of educator and advocate for your target audience.” – Mike Saunders

“People are busy, and they carefully choose how to spend their moments of time.” – Mike Saunders

Takeaways:

04:14 Know your target audience precisely, not just a broad group of potential customers.

10:53 Being interviewed on a podcast builds more trust than simple advertising or coupons.

14:27 Modern consumers research businesses thoroughly before making first contact, known as the "zero moment of truth".

18:06 Having a book, media mentions, and speaking engagements increases your perceived value and expertise.

22:41 You can create a book without writing by being interviewed about your business expertise.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:09 — 28.5MB) | Embed

207: Publish a Book and Discover Your Ideal Audience with Jan Bear

December 21, 2016

Jan Bear is a professional book publishing consultant who specializes in helping independent solopreneurs write and publish books. She has expertise in book design, interior layout, and guiding authors through the writing process. Currently, she is working on a book titled "You, Author" which aims to help people who don't see themselves as traditional writers create compelling books. Jan runs Author Impact Publishing, a website dedicated to helping professionals use books to attract clients and build their business reputation.

Jan Bear from Author Impact Publishing has three simple questions for you:

Who's your audience
What do you want to accomplish with your book?
What does this book have to do with your career over a lifetime?

By having a clear plan for your book, and knowing your goals, you can avoid many of the usual author mistakes such as trying to "writing for everybody" AND you can publish something with consistency that matches the mood of your reader.

Quotes:

“If you're trying to write for everyone, remember that there is no such thing as "everyone"—it's simply an abstract idea. However, by narrowing down your audience to a specific group, you can refine your approach and shape the direction your book takes.” – Jan Bear

“You don't need to sell a single copy of your book if you're using it to attract clients and enhance your reputation. In other words, if you're earning profits through related opportunities, you can give away every copy of your book.” – Jan Bear

“You always need another pair of eyes to make sure your book is good.” – Jan Bear

Takeaways:

05:19 Identify your specific audience before writing a book to create a focused, impactful message.

13:19 A book can serve multiple purposes beyond sales, such as attracting clients and building professional reputation.

16:05 Book design matters - font choices and interior layout can subtly influence reader perception and engagement.

24:38 Get outside help to overcome writing roadblocks, whether through editors, proofreaders, or support groups.

23:25 Don't let perfectionism or rushed writing prevent you from completing your book.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:14 — 27.7MB) | Embed

206: Overcome Adversity: Find Centeredness, Calm and Focus with Heather Choate

December 20, 2016

Heather Choate was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 29 while ten weeks pregnant.

Heather Choate is a bestselling author and entrepreneur who overcame significant personal challenges. After being diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant with her sixth child, she fought through treatment and maintained her writing career. Her memoir, "Fighting for Our Lives," ranks in the top 10 women and Christian memoirs on Amazon. Heather now runs the Panda Sphere Project, an online coaching business where she helps others develop mental strength and overcome personal obstacles. She is a mother of six children and has built multiple successful businesses while navigating her health crisis.

By overcoming this unexpected adversity (as well as other up's and down's) Heather was tested to the max. During this time, she mastered using deep meditation (and visualization) for focus (and strength), anchoring (for confidence), and quiet focused times during the day (for calmness and clarity). Tune in to discover how to listen to your own voice, do what you love, and follow your passion.

Quotes:

“We live in the distraction age, so it's really hard to stay focused unless you do that training time.” – Heather Choate

“Life is short; we don't know how long we'll be here. Therefore, we need to do what we love, pursue what fulfills us, and find passion and meaning in life.” – Heather Choate

“We know the answers to our questions better than we realize; we just need to trust ourselves and rely on our gut feelings or intuition.” – Heather Choate

Takeaways:

01:32 Use anchoring techniques to tap into positive emotional states when you need confidence.

10:01 Visualization and mental preparation can help you stay calm during high-stress situations.

15:26 Find work that truly fulfills you, even if it means making significant career changes.

19:38 Take time for quiet self-reflection to understand your true goals and desires.

21:35 Seek mentorship and coaching to gain clarity and overcome personal challenges.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:14 — 23.1MB) | Embed

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