Brad DeGraw from AZDoneForYou.com knows quite a bit about narrowing down the perfect product to sell on Amazon, how to negotiate with suppliers, market products and get reviews and sales. Listen in as he walks us through the process of getting samples, involving an inspection company, getting insurance, researching competitors, and creating images, titles, bullets, a description, and testing pricing. When selling on Amazon, be sure to notice customers’ problems, fantasies, and desires to avoid becoming another “me-too” product.
Quotes:
“Find the problem or fantasy desire that exists in the marketplace. It doesn’t have to match who you are—it just has to align with a proven model of success.” – Brad DeGraw
“Don’t just talk about the product. Don’t make it too technical—talk about the benefits, how it enhances people’s lives, and how it makes them better.” – Brad DeGraw
“If you can save yourself time, money, and—most importantly—stress, do it. You can always get money back, and you always have another day, but minimizing the stress you’re building in your life is what we really thrive on.” – Brad DeGraw
Takeaways:
02:14 Amazon is the new Walmart, offering entrepreneurs a chance to change their income level by selling the right product.
08:13 Always aim for a minimum 300% markup when selecting products to sell on Amazon, with 5x markup being ideal.
11:09 Keep initial product orders small to minimize risk and allow quick improvements based on early customer feedback.
14:26 Outsource technical tasks like product listing and graphics creation to experts who can execute them more effectively.
22:58 Success in product creation comes from understanding customer problems, fantasies, and desires through careful review analysis.
Omar Zenhom from Webinar Ninja wants you to use webinars to make your business stand out. You can present a live webinar (on or off camera), automated webinars, summits, and hybrids. Your first webinar could simply be a Q&A session where you answer common questions. Webinars can also serve as a nice bridge for you to become a better public speaker and sell from the stage.
Quotes:
“Trust is the most valuable asset you have in your business, and you want to earn it. The whole point of the webinar is to build trust with your audience.” – Omar Zenhom
“Delivery is really what we’re rehearsing here—not the content. The content is something you should already know, because it’s what you’re talking about.” – Omar Zenhom
“The hardest part of doing a webinar is just doing your first one—so get that out of the way first.” – Omar Zenhom
Takeaways:
00:33 Webinars are powerful lead generation tools that capture email addresses, allowing direct follow-up with interested audiences.
03:02 Trust and transparency are paramount – always clearly communicate whether a webinar is live or automated.
17:39 Your first webinar should be a simple, low-pressure Q&A session to build confidence and understand audience needs.
22:30 Rehearsing webinar delivery is more critical than knowing content, focusing on engaging presentation techniques.
30:31 Webinar platforms should simplify technology so hosts can concentrate on delivering valuable content.
Kevin Donlin from MarketingMultipliers.com has been an online copywriter and direct response master for over 23 years. Copywriting is salesmanship multiplied, and Kevin has tons of amazing advice about how to write copy (and web pages), that get attention and sell. Sell with a credible deadline, don’t devalue your offers, and use clear (simple) wording.
Quotes:
“If you never quit, you will succeed. It’s as simple as that. The people who quit are the ones who fail.” – Kevin Donlin
“There’s no penalty for clarity. If you think so—if that concept offends you—you’re going to struggle in your marketing.” – Kevin Donlin
“The cure for writer’s block is research. If you run into writer’s block, it’s because you didn’t do your research.” – Kevin Donlin
Takeaways:
07:12 Research and time are critical ingredients in producing high-quality marketing copy and business strategies.
13:26 Simplicity in marketing communication trumps complexity, making your message clear and easy to understand.
37:21 Consistent daily actions and never giving up are the true paths to building a successful business.
40:01 Creating multiple versions of marketing materials, especially headlines, increases the chances of finding truly compelling content.
44:53 Support from peers and accountability groups can significantly accelerate entrepreneurial growth and overcome challenges.
Jennifer Hancock from HumanistLearning.com wants to teach you humanistic business management, which means you integrate ethics and critical thinking when dealing with team members, contractors, or even cranky customers. Stop rewarding bad behavior, and instead, examine how you respond (and what you reinforce), use confident body language, and finally, be calm, measured, and direct.
Jennifer says that angry customers respond in one of three stats: a child state (where you respond that you want to help but need to wait until they calm down), an adult state (where they are calm and professional), or a depressed state (where they “ghost” you).
Quotes:
“Humanistic business management is about being a good person and using your business to do good while also making money.” – Jennifer Hancock
“If you’re in business for yourself, obviously you want to make money, but if that’s your only reason for being in business, you might make decisions that are unethical.” – Jennifer Hancock
“An adult, compassionate thought is recognizing the other person as fully human and worthy of your compassion.” – Jennifer Hancock
Takeaways:
01:40 Scientific understanding of behavioral psychology can help manage interpersonal dynamics and workplace challenges.
04:10 Personal ethics should be consistent across professional and personal environments.
14:21 When facing difficult interactions, remain calm and avoid rewarding bad behavior to encourage positive change.
22:02 Treat customers and team members with compassion, understanding their emotional state can help resolve conflicts more effectively.
37:34 Workplace culture can shift when a few individuals consistently model professional, ethical behavior.
Justin Cooke from Empire Flippers and the Web Equity Show has a marketplace to help you buy or sell a web business. His service has not only sold standalone websites, but also Amazon Associates, Kindle, and FBA businesses. Listen in as he tells you what pitfalls to avoid as both a buyer and seller.
Quotes:
“The truth is, at the smaller end—people are looking at multiples of profit, so your business has to be making money.” – Justin Cooke
“If you get to the point where you’ve got another business blowing up, sell it off earlier rather than later.” – Justin Cooke
“The money you put into the business isn’t necessarily going to add to its value.” – Justin Cooke
Takeaways:
06:30 Online business value is primarily determined by consistent monthly net profits, not development costs or personal investment.
13:05 Marketplace brokers like Empire Flippers provide critical vetting and guidance to reduce risks for buyers and sellers.
19:04 Collaborative investment models allow people with different skills and capital to jointly own and operate online businesses.
22:23 Buying an online business requires practical skills like WordPress management, content creation, and traffic generation.
24:27 Entrepreneurs should plan to sell businesses when they have stable 12-month earnings and are no longer passionate about the project.
Sophie Howard from Aspiring Entrepreneurs sold one US Amazon account in mid 2016 for over 7-figures USD. She developed the Minimum Viable Brand for physical products to be sold online at premium prices and scale fast. She loves sourcing products from around the world, usually in places where no one else is looking.
Quotes:
“If you’re not growing on Amazon, you’re actually going backward because everyone else is chasing the people doing well.” – Sophie Howard
“I don’t want to run an empire. I don’t want an enormous team. I don’t want to work 60-hour weeks. I want to pick my kids up from school and play every afternoon.” – Sophie Howard
“I’m really focused on profitability and having a smart, small, scalable system for these brands, then being able to sell them, and keeping my time focused on growing the businesses—not being too busy in the businesses.” – Sophie Howard
Takeaways:
04:05 Building multiple low-volume products across a brand is smarter than banking on a single high-selling product.
06:41 Amazon businesses are most valuable when they’re built as scalable assets that can be sold, not just income generators.
18:27 Continuous learning and skill development are critical for staying ahead in the rapidly changing e-commerce landscape.
27:10 Successful e-commerce requires deep understanding of brand psychology, including color choices, packaging, and customer identity.
28:07 Sourcing unique products from less-competitive markets creates stronger brand differentiation and reduces direct competition.
Dan Meadors from The Wholesale Formula sells products on Amazon. But he wasn’t satisfied with retail arbitrage (buying products at discount stores and selling them on Amazon) or private labeling (creating a branded physical product). Instead, Dan works with existing brands to get them more reach on Amazon.
He discusses his thought process (find products that Amazon doesn’t sell themselves, sells 50-60 per month, and he’ll start with a monthly volume of $500-$600 per month). Many times, Dan find some easy low hanging fruit and improves the product description, adds images and bullet points. He also looks for add-ons that complement that Amazon product.
Quotes:
“We started approaching it from the perspective of serving first, like we wanted to help our brands actually succeed on Amazonl.” – Dan Meadors
“Our value is not necessarily in selling products; our value is in better serving our manufacturers.” – Dan Meadors
“I went from being a person who traditionally had a job and basically had to build my life around that job to being able to do what I want.” – Dan Meadors
Takeaways:
08:14 Creating repeatable systems is more important than simply hiring more people when growing a business.
14:36 Finding untapped product niches on Amazon requires creative thinking and looking beyond mainstream brands.
19:35 Wholesale selling allows entrepreneurs to start with minimal upfront investment and scale systematically.
20:19 Improving product listings can significantly boost sales without massive marketing investments.
30:13 Building strong relationships with smaller brands creates mutual business growth opportunities.
Harry Campbell is The Rideshare Guy who is an expert on ridesharing, which is basically peer-to-peer transportation. Anyone (including you) can register to become an Uber (or Lyft) driver using the app, and earn a side income driving your car around. There are also options for things like UberEats (food delivery), Turo (rent your car or rent cars from individuals), and Postmates (peer to peer package delivery). Harry also discusses the Mystro app that combines Uber and Lyft into one app for you. You’re in for a real treat with this episode, so be sure to tune in if you haven’t already.
Quotes:
“Driving for Uber and Lyft is great for many kinds of people who have side gigs, businesses, or are entrepreneurs because it helps you practice basically all the things you would need as a real business owner.” – Harry Campbell
“Consumers still love the product because they get into the car and connect with the driver; they’re not necessarily connecting with the company itself.” – Harry Campbell
“If you can get over that initial fear and apprehension and just go out and try these things, you never really know what will happen.” – Harry Campbell
Takeaways:
09:30 Ridesharing offers a flexible side income opportunity with low entry barriers, requiring only a relatively new car, smartphone, and passing a background check.
19:50 Strategic driving during peak hours like Friday and Saturday nights can significantly boost earnings, with potential to make $30-$40 per hour during busy periods.
28:00 Successful rideshare drivers treat the gig as a small business, understanding nuances like insurance requirements, tax implications, and passenger/driver rating systems.
29:47 Exploring multiple rideshare and delivery platforms can maximize income potential and provide diverse earning opportunities.
32:53 Networking and building relationships with passengers can create long-term advantages, especially in smaller markets.
Khierstyn Ross from CrowdfundingUncut.com is a crowfunding specialist who can make your Kickstarter or Indiegogo online fundraising campaign a huge success. She visits us today to talk about beta launch validation. Get on the phone with the customers on your list, not to sell, just to get feedback. Find out what they’re struggling with, and have them give you a reason why they “wouldn’t” buy from you to gauge those objections. She also talks to us about the success of her private webinars and 6-week courses.
Quotes:
“Successful crowdfunding comes down to three things: having the right product-market fit, having the right resources to boost your campaign, and having the right team to put it together.” – Khierstyn Ross
“What I thought I knew about my audience was very different. I didn’t realize how much money I was leaving on the table by not getting on the phone with people.” – Khierstyn Ross
“It’s powerful to be able to talk to your audience as you’re growing it and figure out what they want.” – Khierstyn Ross
Takeaways:
04:09 Success in crowdfunding depends on building an audience and generating initial momentum within the first 48 hours of launching a campaign.
12:01 Consultants can scale their business by transitioning from one-on-one services to group coaching or membership models that provide more comprehensive support.
14:45 Direct customer conversations are crucial for developing products that truly meet market needs, even if it means getting on the phone with potential clients.
16:45 Pricing and positioning should be flexible, with a willingness to adapt based on direct feedback from your target audience.
26:23 Transparency and clear expectation setting are critical when conducting customer discovery calls and potential sales conversations.
(Seriously, the price increases in just a few hours from $127 to $147, so you are about to lose 20 bucks just because you waited when we both know you should have jumped on this.)
And here’s why it’s important that you create a podcast (iTunes radio show) even if that means a couple short (5 minute) audio only episodes this year:
First, the Popularity of “Mr. Jackass” Is On the Rise
And you’re probably wondering… what can I do to get that sort of attention on my marketing and my websites, if not more?
What can I do to avoid being passed over, lost in the crowd?
Second, You May Have Been Told to “Get Out More”
They tell you to network more, or maybe even land yourself some affiliates or joint venture partners…
This is just my opinion, but in the last few years, offline marketing events have been either too small (just a handful of people so you don’t get to meet the people you need to meet) or THOUSANDS of people, and it’s such a huge event that you and “that next partner (or client) of yours” never get a chance to meet just because there are so many dang people in attendance!
Also, many of those social groups (cliques) have already been established, so those people who would be a perfect match for your business might not give you the time of day. Heck, even if you find that special someone (business-wise)… what the heck do you say to them? “Here’s my URL, mail to my stuff?”
Here’s what’s always worked for me: I tell the person, “When you get home, email me and we’ll record a 20-minute podcast episode talking about you and what you do.” (They usually have a business card to give me, so I can follow up if they forget.)
You don’t even have to attend offline events if you don’t want to. Email marketers you know, and even people who are guests on other podcasts. Good luck sending a “cold email” to get someone to buy from you. But a cold email to land a podcast guest to help THEM promote their business? Easy…
This is what’s great about this strategy: if they flake and the interview (over Skype) never happens, that “candidate” just weeded themselves out. If the interview goes great, you have an “in” with them and they now owe you a favor, because you promoted them first. And, if you decide that person was a dud or you’re just too busy to partner with them, you have an “out” (to not do business with them) because you already did your part to get your word out about them…
Just imagine, just for fun, if you had landed a young Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Gary Vee, Tim Ferriss, Pat Flynn, Jeff Bezos or Grant Cardone on your show for a quick 20 minute chat? Before they were famous and while they were still on their way up?
Doesn’t it make sense to interview someone now (in 2017) who grows up to be the Ryan Deiss of 2019 or the Armand Morin of 2021?
Here’s the best part: are you nervous and awkward on the phone? Great! Me too. With podcasting, YOU are interviewing THEM so THEY are doing all the talking. That guest is 10 times, if not 100 times more nervous than you because THEY are trying to impress YOU (and your listeners with their thoughts, ideas, insights, takeaways, and websites).
We show and tell you what kinds of questions to ask in the Podcast Crusher course, but for the most part, ask about what they do, what makes them different, what valuable lessons would have saved them years of mistakes, and maybe even what mistakes they see happening in the marketplace…
Third, Even If You Don’t Want Guests to Create Content For You (For Free)…
I guarantee that you can speak out a podcast episode if you type out three questions your customers might have (no matter what niche) with three sub bullet points for each to guide you along, then talking for 5-10 minutes is easy.
And, once you’ve recorded that episode, you have a blog post, a podcast episode in the iTunes app, a link from Apple to your site, a new listing in Stitcher Radio and the Google Play store, plus, if someone is SUBSCRIBED to your podcast, that episode will auto-download to their device.
Creating a podcast is free, you can create unlimited podcast shows, publish as little or as often as you want, with short or long episodes, in any niche, talking about any subject, alone or with guests…
BUT! Creating a Podcast is “Hard” If You’re “Just Fumbling Around”
There are a few technical steps, and like most technical things, there are about 1,000 different people giving you conflicting advice about how to do it…
And I want to give you the fast, fun, easy, inexpensive way using Podcast Crusher:
P.S. But again, click through to that link NOW because the price goes to $147 in just hours from now.
Quotes:
“With podcasting, you are the host, so no one really cares how you sound. You are interviewing them, so the guest is doing all the talking—and that guest, I guarantee you, is 10 times, if not 100 times, more nervous than you.” – Robert Plank
“Creating a podcast is free. You can create unlimited podcast shows and publish every day, five times a day, once a month, or once a year—as little or as often as you want.” – Robert Plank
“There is no shortage on the internet of people taking something simple and making it complicated.” – Robert Plank
Takeaways:
00:10 Starting a podcast is simple and doesn’t require perfect audio quality – just create content that matters.
02:38 Podcast interviews are an effective networking strategy that can help you connect with potential business partners without attending expensive offline events.
05:27 Interviewing rising stars or up-and-coming professionals can create valuable future connections and opportunities.
07:32 A single podcast episode can generate multiple content formats, including blog posts and listings on various podcast platforms.
10:18 Podcasting allows for flexible content creation, with no limits on episode frequency, length, or topic.
