Recent Updates
317: Business Building for Musicians and Rockstars: Use Your Website, Email Marketing and Social Media to Build a Following with Female Entrepreneur Musician Bree Noble
Bree Noble is a female entrepeneur musician who noticed that musicians share quite a few similarities with entrepreneurs in other niches: they all tend to be plotting/crafting/tweaking but are stuck on a path of creating new projects without finishing them. As a result, they've spent most of their time recording an album but very little time marketing, and as a result, their business somewhat half-baked.
Bree explains that musicians need to setup a real web presence, especially a homebase. That doesn't only mean posting on Facebook... it also means creating a modern looking blog with a .com domain name and landing pages. It means building an email list with a squeeze page, running Facebook ads, recording behind the scenes videos, posting on Twitter and Instagram, possibly using crowdfunding, and using Facebook Live to build that following.
Quotes:
“They've got all these ideas coming into their head all the time—new songs, ways you can market, shows you can do. Those are cool. Those are great. I don't want to stop you from having those. But if they don't have anything to do with your 90-day goals, I want you to write them down, put them in what I call an inspiration vault, and save them for later.” – Bree Noble
“The CD does not create fans. Your fan base is your vehicle to sell CDs, do live shows, and actually make money—not the actual recording of the CD.” – Bree Noble
“They don't realize that if they don't work on the marketing side, they're eventually going to run out of money and won't be able to keep doing the thing they love.” – Bree Noble
Takeaways:
02:22 Musicians must treat their music career like a business, not just a creative pursuit.
12:09 Focus on one big goal for 90 days and create a clear plan to achieve it.
33:06 Spend 80% of your time marketing and 20% creating content to build a successful music career.
07:14 Build a fan base before expecting industry professionals to discover and support you.
17:54 Create a strong online home base with a well-branded website that represents your music and allows fans to connect.
Resources
- Female Entrepreneur Musician (Official Site)
- 19 sources of income for musicians (Website)
- NoiseTrade (Website)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:51 — 35.6MB) | Embed
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316: Run Your Business and Your Life with P.I.E.K. Efficiency: Organize, Experiment, and Course-Correct Your Path to Freedom and Success with the 5 Dollar Dinner Mom Erin Chase
Erin Chase from 5DollarDinners.com is a busy mother who realized she could help others live their lives by becoming more organized through PIEK efficiency: Plan, Implement, Evaluate, Kill.
Listen in as she explains how she grew from affiliate ads into paid classes and membership sites. She explains how she made her course and membership site different compared to "recipe" or "meal planning" sites as well as how she developed the software to make it truly stand out.
Quotes:
“When you go from spinning backward to spending forward, you can use all that emotional and mental energy on whatever else in your life you need to spend it on, instead of food.” – Erin Chase
“I want you invested in this, and I want you to succeed. The best way to do that is for you to invest in it.” – Erin Chase
“I've always been a bit obsessed with efficiency—more so than productivity. I’d call myself a pretty productive person, but I want things to be efficient, both in my own work and within our team.” – Erin Chase
Takeaways:
06:36 Efficiency and productivity are critical skills that can be developed and applied across personal and professional life.
14:58 Creating a list of 20 family-favorite meals helps break routine cooking patterns and expands meal variety.
21:46 Small morning decisions and organizational habits can prevent a cascade of stress and poor choices throughout the day.
25:08 Developing software or tools should focus on intuitive design that allows users to navigate without extensive instructions.
28:49 Many entrepreneurs struggle with implementing plans and evaluating project progress, which hinders business growth.
Resources
- 5 Dollar Dinners (Website)
- Grocery Budget Makeover (Website)
- PIEK Efficiency (Website)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:14 — 28.6MB) | Embed
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315: Delete, Delegate, Do: Defeat Overwhelm, Maximize Your Revenue, and Create Time with Business Productivity Expert Nancy Gaines
Nancy Gaines is a business productivity expert who wants to remove your stress, give you more time in the day, and help you live up to your full potential by becoming your best self. Done is better than none, so you need to throw out that to-do list and find a better way of getting things done. Nancy can help you to free up one hour in the day, overcome fear/overwhelm, chunk light tasks together, and so much more. Make money, save, then systematize.
Quotes:
“Anything you do in your business more than twice should have a repeatable system. Anything you do more than three times should be automated, so it runs by itself.” – Nancy Gaines
“Done is better than none. Most people are too afraid to take action because it's not perfect.” – Nancy Gaines
“Everything can be undone. There are very few things in life that you can't undo.” – Nancy Gaines
Takeaways:
04:28 Focus on your highest and best use of time by outsourcing tasks that cost less than your hourly rate.
08:46 Chunk similar tasks together to reduce time wasted switching between different types of work.
14:33 Use the "333" method: delete three tasks, delegate three tasks, and focus on three priority tasks.
17:50 Create systems for any business task you do more than two times to increase efficiency.
21:22 Take action, even if it's not perfect, because "done is better than none."
Resources
- Nancy Gaines (Official Website)
- HireMyMom.com (Website)
- Full Contact: (Get Additional Information About Your Leads)
- InfusionSoft: (Small Business CRM Software)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:38 — 26.2MB) | Embed
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314: Day Job to Dream Job: Have a Plan B, Become Your Own Boss, and Enjoy What You Do While Making Money with Kathy Brunner
Kathy Brunner says that you must have a Plan B where you hope for the best but plan for the worst. She's an expert in helping people either change career paths or retire and become full-time entrepreneutrs. 70% of her clients end up starting a business and 30% simply need a career change. Many times, her clients initially come to her feeling burned out, a disconnect, or no way to control her work day.
Her solution is to ask a series of thought-provoking questions, such as:
- What decisions in the past have you regretted? (very few, so take the risk that improves your life)
- What decisions have you made based on the opinions or suggestions of others? (most likely ones that you're unhappy with today)
- What decisions are you glad you made? (usually, those that involved taking a leap of faith)
If you're ready to break the cycle of being too comfortable, then listen in to what Kathy has to say.
Quotes:
“Sometimes people need to leave a job because, even if they've had expert training in it, done it for many years, and done it well, they just don't have a passion for it anymore.” – Kathy Brunner
“The number one thing that holds many people back is what their mind tells them they can't do.” – Kathy Brunner
“For many people, what someone else has already planned for them is what they've settled on for themselves.” – Kathy Brunner
Takeaways:
01:37 Always have a Plan B, as job security is never guaranteed.
07:57 Passion and skills can be transformed into successful business opportunities.
10:55 Burnout often stems from feeling underappreciated and lacking control in your work environment.
18:46 Your mindset is the biggest barrier to making significant career changes.
23:46 Identify past decisions driven by others' opinions to break free from limiting beliefs.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:13 — 26.7MB) | Embed
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313: CPA on Fire: Market Yourself, Setup the Proper Legal Business Structure, and Save More of the Money You Earn with Josh Bauerle
Josh Bauerle is the CPA on Fire. He provides accounting advice and services for many successful entrepreneurs such as John Lee Dumas of Entrepreneur on Fire. Listen in as he explains what entrepeneurs need to know (choose the right business entity, don't want until tax time, separate your business and personal bank accounts and credit card) as well as how he's marketed himself online and discovered his unique hook.
Quotes:
“Anytime you can show people exactly how it's going to correlate to their money and put more money in their pockets, that gets people interested.” – Josh Bauerle
“You have to constantly be willing to fail. You have to constantly be willing for people to say no to you. And every once in a while, it's going to work—and when it does, it makes up for all the no's and all the failures, and more.” – Josh Bauerle
“You need to have those numbers. You should be able to go at any point in the year and say, ‘Okay, year to date, I've made this much, I've spent this much. This is what I can do to improve.” – Josh Bauerle
Takeaways:
06:01 Separate your business and personal finances to track expenses accurately and maximize tax savings.
10:07 Choose the right business entity based on your income level to potentially save thousands in taxes each year.
19:20 Build your business by providing value to other entrepreneurs' audiences through podcasts, blogs, and strategic partnerships.
21:53 Understand your business numbers to make smarter financial decisions about reinvestment and personal income.
24:45 Always be willing to fail fast and test new business ideas with minimal upfront investment.
Resources
- CPA on Fire (Website)
- Four Finance Lessons Entrepreneurs Can't Afford to Miss (Free Report)
- Contact Josh: josh@cpaonfire.com
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:01 — 28.4MB) | Embed
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312: Create a Magical Solution, Entertain Your Prospects to Make Sales, and Build a Huge Online Influence with the Ultimate Weight Loss Coach Nagina Abdullah
Nagina Abdullah from Masala Body is a weight loss coach who lost 40 pounds through an interesting weight loss method (replacing sugar and other unhealthy substances with spices such as cinnamon and turmeric). Listen in as she explains her journey to monetize that passion with an online bootcamp and coaching program.
Quotes:
“Weight loss is 80% food, so you don't really need to exercise in the beginning—it just comes off.” – Nagina Abdullah
“Instead of telling people everything, tell them one thing they can do. Simplify it, break it down, and give them one simple thing.” – Nagina Abdullah
“People actually listen when they're paying money for something. They don't listen to free advice as much.” – Nagina Abdullah
Takeaways:
02:02 Simplify complex advice into one actionable step to help people take initial action and build trust.
15:35 Charging premium prices creates client commitment and increases likelihood of achieving desired results.
26:49 Develop multiple income streams while maintaining job stability to reduce financial risk.
30:42 Build genuine media relationships by showing authentic interest in their work, not just seeking personal exposure.
33:47 Continuously refine your business offering based on client feedback and market response.
Resources
- Three Recipes to Banish Late Night Cravings (Gift For Listeners Of The Robert Plank Show)
- Masala Body (Nagina's Official Site)
- Spice Yourself Skinny (8 Week Program)
- Food 2B Fit (10 Week Jumpstart)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:11 — 34.0MB) | Embed
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311: Disruptive Advertising: Boost Organic Search Engine Rankings, Master Pay-Per-Click Ads and Optimize Your Site with Chris Dayley
Chris Dayley from Disruptive Advertising is an expert when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and conversion optimization. Many SEO agencies are short sighted and simply look for a "trick" to provide their clients, such as ranking them in Google.
However, Chris and his agency like to make data-driven decisions. A "great" looking website is an essential ingredient, but they also run A/B tests, think about what the customer is expecting to see on the page, improve load time, and use the data from heatmapping software (HotJar) to change navigation.
Additionally, Chris says that every website needs to have: a value proposition (identified by the audience), a call-to-action (that they can identify in 2-3 steps), content (watch how much they're consuming), clarity/conciseness/readability, removal of all diversions/distractions (such as banner ads), and handling any anxiety people have when visiting that website.
Quotes:
“The hardest part for a lot of businesses is, number one, actually doing it, and then number two, it can kind of be a blow to the ego.” – Chris Dayley
“When there are a lot of offers, people can get really overwhelmed, and it's much less likely that they will click on the one thing they want.” – Chris Dayley
“The hardest part for a lot of businesses is, number one, actually doing it, and number two, it can be a blow to the ego.” – Chris Dayley
Takeaways:
03:21 Traffic without conversion is pointless for business growth.
12:56 Always test website elements scientifically before making major changes.
17:30 Small website changes can dramatically improve sales performance.
20:27 User behavior data matters more than personal website design preferences.
28:40 Mobile websites should be customized, not just made responsive.
Resources
- A/B Testing Starter Guide (Website)
- Disruptive Advertising (Website)
- HotJar (Website)
- Visual Website Optimizer (Website)
- Google Optimize (Google Optimize)
- Diesel Power Gear (Website)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:21 — 29.6MB) | Embed
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310: Become an Online Superhero by Creating a Socially-Focused Business with Leon Jay
Leon Jay is the author of How To Become A Superhero: Build A Better Business And Help Save The World" and his website is SocialPreneur.tv. He quickly realized the money isn't everything, and that it's all about the 4 R's: reduce, reuse, recycle, and restore.
In our discussion today, Leon shares how you can not only find that higher purpose that's greater than money, it can actually make you more money and give your business that "differentiator" to stand out in the marketplace. Your Purpose leads to your Passion, which leads to the right People, and you discover the Place you need to be, which leads to Profit.
Quotes:
“In every problem lies an opportunity within its solution. So if you look around and see all the problems in the world, we're surrounded by opportunities in finding solutions for those problems.” – Leon Jay
“If each of us tries to focus on solving one specific problem, then with seven-plus billion people on the planet, we would eventually make some serious impact.” – Leon Jay
“All the best heroes are ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary.” – Leon Jay
Takeaways:
03:37 Every business problem contains an opportunity for creating a meaningful solution that can positively impact the world.
10:13 Successful businesses can differentiate themselves by matching product quality while adding a social or environmental mission.
17:33 Entrepreneurs should prioritize purpose over profit, starting with understanding what truly matters to them.
31:21 Fear often blocks people from pursuing their true purpose, but taking the first step is crucial to making a difference.
25:24 Businesses currently contribute to global problems, and conscious entrepreneurs must work to reduce their negative impact.
Resources
- How to Become a Superhero (Book)
- SocialPreneur.tv (Website)
- EcoStore cleaning products (EcoStore Website)
- Zen Bags (Reusable Shopping Bags)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:37 — 31.7MB) | Embed
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309: Fail Less and Grow More: Focus on Your Marketing, Discover Your Buyer’s Journey, and Use Both Tactics and Strategies with Growth Partner Chris Deardorff
Chris Deadorff from The Market Compass (contact him at info@themarketcompass.com) is a marketing professional from Boulder, Colorado. His business model is to become a "growth partner" with startups who need a more strategic approach.
Chris noticed that many startups are focused too much on tactics (i.e. a case study or video) and are missing the strategy side. Startups need to know their objectives, find their target audience, and understand the buyer's journey. They can start that process with a simple 2-page marketing plan.
Quotes:
“Marketing is about truly growing your business by telling a compelling story about why your product or service will make your customers' lives better.” – Chris Deardorff
“I can't emphasize enough the importance of being strategic about marketing. It doesn't have to take a lot of time, but it will save you a ton of time and money, and make your marketing more effective.” – Chris Deardorff
“If you want to have good marketing, you have to provide some sort of incentive. To really get their attention and to get them to engage, you have to provide some sort of incentive.” – Chris Deardorff
Takeaways:
00:30 Startups need to view marketing as a growth engine, not just advertising.
02:59 Strategic marketing matters more than random tactics for startup success.
07:13 Create a simple two-page marketing plan that outlines clear objectives and quarterly goals.
18:23 Pay for quality market research to truly understand your customer base.
23:43 Build marketing systems that can run with minimal manual intervention.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:49 — 23.6MB) | Embed
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308: How to Quit Your 9-5, Motivate Yourself, Experience the Entrepreneur Lifestyle, and Take Action with Ryan Grant
Ryan Grant from the Online Selling Experiment decided that working for someone else (as an accountant) simply wasn't for him. In order to make "the jump" from a corpoate 9-5 to becoming a full-time entrepreneur, Ryan decided he needed to have the following in place:
- $500-$1000 per month income from 10 hours per week (which he could 4X if he had to in an emergency)
- A cushion of money (savings)
- A stream of real estate income (Ryan occupied one end of a duplex, rented out the other end, and found a roommate to share his unit as well)
Since going full time, Ryan has built and scaled a business (with employees) with Amazon FBA. He started with retail arbitrage, then expanded to wholesaling and private labeling. Listen to what he has to say about system thinking, self motivation and avoiding bright shiny objects.
Quotes:
“Ideas are only worth something once they're executed, and you won't really know what you're capable of or what's possible until you try.” – Ryan Grant
“The only person to keep you motivated and to keep you going is yourself.” – Ryan Grant
“Most people tend to bite off more than they can chew. I've taken that approach and found that it doesn't actually lead to results in very many places. It leads to doing a bunch of things at a fairly low level.” – Ryan Grant
Takeaways:
04:03 Start planning your business exit strategy while still working your day job to ensure a smooth transition.
16:51 Proactively manage potential isolation in entrepreneurship by intentionally creating social interactions and networking opportunities.
18:28 Systematize one business method completely before adding new income streams to prevent spreading yourself too thin.
22:45 Avoid chasing multiple shiny objects simultaneously, which leads to doing many things poorly instead of excelling in one area.
25:36 Take small, concrete actions to test a business idea, like scanning product barcodes with a free app and investing $50-$100 in initial inventory.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:02 — 25.7MB) | Embed
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307: Elevate Your Brand, Create Evergreen Podcasts, and Build an Audience with Podfest Founder and Tampa Event Planner Chris Krimitsos
Chris Krimitsos has run over 1700 live events in the Tampa, Florida area, created the Florida Podcaster's Association, and most importantly, runs the PodFest conference for podcasters in Orlando every year. He explains to us how he built a following for his live events and how to get your branding right (start with problems and people instead of keywords).
He also has a very concept called evergreen podcasts: look at the 5-10 frequently asked questions (FAQs) on your sites and create a podcast episode answering each of those questions in order to have a podcast that promotes your offers forever.
Quotes:
“Audio strategically placed well within the podcast medium makes it searchable online content that people might stumble upon.” – Chris Krimitsos
“Keep your feet on the ground and your eyes on the stars. Take action and prioritize what truly needs to be done.” – Chris Krimitsos
“If you have a business and want people to truly understand what you do, replace the FAQs on your website with a five- or ten-episode evergreen podcast.” – Chris Krimitsos
Takeaways:
05:02 Networking and personal connections can be more effective than broad marketing strategies.
13:37 Most podcasters are introverts who prefer speaking into a mic without seeing their audience.
18:29 Build your brand by understanding what unique experience or information you can provide to your target audience.
22:06 Create podcast content that addresses specific audience pain points and provides clear value.
27:53 Marketing your content is just as important, if not more important, than creating the content itself.
Resources
- Email Chris: chris@podfest.us
- Podfest Conference (Site)
- The Messengers documentary (Site)
- The Messengers podcast (Podcast)
- Shake Creative (Website)
- Chris (Twitter)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:46 — 30.0MB) | Embed
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306: Success, Positioning, Aspiration, Inspiration, and Perspiration: Start a Movement with Giving Back Podcast Host Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe has interviewed over 100 social entrepreneurs in the Giving Back Podcast to bring attention to the charity-based movements created around the world. He shares how he built his podcast, as well as the common threads he's discovered while interviewing these experts who are giving back.
Quotes:
“Passion is crucial. Things will get tough—really tough. The one thing that will carry you through hard times is your passion.” – Rob Lowe
“For the most part, or sometimes entirely, these organizations are made up of volunteers. A key aspect is engaging them and presenting opportunities.” – Rob Lowe
“I'm not really smart enough or wise enough to be a coach or a mentor, but what I do bring is that I am a very good accelerator.” – Rob Lowe
Takeaways:
03:14 Finding and highlighting unsung heroes who are making a difference can inspire broader community involvement and create meaningful social impact.
08:00 Inspiring others through personal action can create a ripple effect of community engagement and positive change.
17:19 Success in social impact follows similar patterns to business success, requiring passion, focus, and perseverance.
21:47 Organizations thrive when they genuinely listen to volunteers and match their skills with meaningful opportunities.
26:58 Building a successful movement requires connecting people, resources, and helping them accelerate their goals.
You can contact Rob by emailing him at givingbackpodcast@gmail.com and enter "Heard of you on the Robert Plank podcast" in the subject line.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:36 — 28.0MB) | Embed
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305: Boost Your Confidence, Get More Opportunities, and Discover Deals with Negotiation Consultant Kwame Christian
Negotiation consultant Kwame Christian from the American Negotiation Institute wants to give you the confidence (competence breeds competence) to get what you want in your business relationships with others. Go into negotiations with information beforehand, ask open-ended questions, then adjust (be flexible). Use curiosity to find the right deal, and discover if a deal exists. Spend 70% of your time listening and 30% of your time speaking.
Quotes:
“Negotiation isn't the art of deal-making; it's the art of discovering deals.” – Kwame Christian
“Competence breeds confidence. Success or failure in negotiations isn't determined by your ability to think quickly and deliver witty retorts; it's rooted in thorough preparation beforehand.” – Kwame Christian
“Every negotiation begins with an ask. We need to articulate our needs, and that's where most people stumble.” – Kwame Christian
Takeaways:
01:49 Negotiation is about discovering deals, not forcing predetermined outcomes.
09:33 Research your counterpart thoroughly, like you're preparing for a first date.
14:59 Practice "rejection therapy" to build confidence and overcome fear of asking.
17:50 Create high-value service packages with multiple elements to expand client budgets.
21:49 Ask open-ended questions and listen 70% of the time during negotiations.
Resources
- American Negotiation Institute (Website)
- Negotiate Anything podcast (Podcast)
- Kwame Christian (LinkedIn)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:09 — 24.9MB) | Embed
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304: Don’t Be Forgotten or Passed Over Online, Create a Membership Site Instead
Do you fear being "forgotten" online? What if you put in all this time, money, and energy, and it doesn't lead to making money?
What if, 1.5 years from now, you look back and realize that all the work you've done building an internet presence, putting in the work day-in and day-out, pursuing your dream, all amounted to nothing? (scary)
I'll be completely honest. You SHOULD be afraid of time running out, and going out of business, but (possibly) not for the reason you think...
Worried About Online Competition? You SHOULD Be!
- YouTube users watch over 1 billion hours of video content per day, and according to the Wall Street Journal, that's set to eclipse TV viewership in 2017.
- Over 6,000 books are published PER DAY according to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), (1200 in China and 800 from the U.S. alone -- every single day)
- As of late 2016, 60 million business are actively marketing on Facebook (4 million of them using paid ads)
Are You Worried About Giving Up, Burning Out, or Quitting?
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are 28.8 million small businesses in the United States, and only one-third survive ten years. 82% of businesses fail because of cashflow problems, either not being cashflow-positive or from mis-management.
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that: 400,000 new businesses appear every year, but in that same year, 470,000 close up shop!
The good news is: being a lean startup or "one person business" is easier that ever. According to a study performed just a few years ago, 8.6% of the U.S. workforce consists of solopreneurs and is expected to grow to 24 million people by 2018. Compare that to a McDonald's franchise that costs $750,000 in LIQUID assets to start-up, in addition to about $1 million in startup costs and now you're forced to pay up to 12% in gross sales back to that corporate office... no thank you.
And, I'm sure you've experienced those moments of doubt, uncertainty, and panic about what you're doing with this "Internet" stuff.
Are You Worried That Your Internet Business Will Eventually Fail, Leaving You With Nothing To Show But A Lot Of Wasted Effort?
- I'm sure that you have way more ideas in your head than you have time to implement in just 24 hours every day
- Chances are, you've started more projects, websites, and membership sites, than you've finished
- I imagine that, like me, you've seen one or two sites out there and been JEALOUS that they beat you to the market -- and -- probably set something up better than you had imagined
- It is my hope that you've skipped right past the low-baller stuff like affiliate marketing, CPA, solo ads and banner ads and instead looked to the low-hanging fruit of making money online: membership sites
Now, have you thought about this?
What If, Without A Guide, You Sort Of "Fudge It" And Crank Away From Membership Content?
Again, without anyone to guide you, what if you created a "sales letter" and added some stuff to get people to buy?
What if you only "guessed" about price points, where to get traffic, how to setup drip content, weren't sure about membership software or where to host your site, your design (website theme)? Doesn't that seem like only 1 possible way to go right and about 200 ways to go wrong?
(In the same way you might embark on a cross-country road trip with GPS vs. no map and no direction... how likely is it, with random trial-and-error, that you'll arrive at your destination?)
Can I Make It Simple For You?
First, decide who you are and what you do. What solutions you have to offer. How can you help "me" to get what I want? (With stock trading, real estate, WordPress, etc.)?
Seriously, don't skip this. What will I HAVE at the end of your course and your training? For example, if you teach me how to sell on eBay, I shouldn't end your course with "some ideas" on how to sell on eBay. I should end with actual SOLD ITEMS on eBay! An important distinction.
Setup WordPress (I want to show you that) and install a simple membership plugin (I'll give you Wishlist Member for free too), and take payments with something like PayPal (also free, they just take a very small percentage).
Create something called a sales letter that convinces people to join, and a button where they can join and pay you money.
They pay that money, and create an account in a membership site of yours (even if they made ONE single payment with nothing recurring) to get access to some downloads.
Now, this is important.
Please Avoid "tricks!"
Don't drip content or try to pad stuff, just deliver a simple solution to a simple problem that people have.
Membership sites, including creating content, making a sales letter, getting sales, preventing refunds, and producing evergreen income, is within your grasp, as long as you give yourself permission to finish what you start.
Look, I realize that these days, you have a ton of things distracting you. But! Here is what you should NOT do if you fear having a failing online business:
- do NOT ignore everyone around you jumping on the membership site, online course, WordPress, passive income bandwagon. You will NOT wait it out! Membership sites and online courses are not fads, anymore than the Internet was a fad, or Facebook was a fad, or PayPal was a fad
- do not run into panic mode and give your content away for free, or run to low-ticket offers, or delete your list and try to sell to a "handful of $5000 clients"... without name recognition, traffic, a huge list, affiliates and JV partners, and other offers, that simply won't work
- do not continue on the path you're going now, hoping that things will stay the same. Imagine if you marketed online in 2017 with only a 2007 knowledge of how things are done? What about a 1997 mindset? You must keep up to date, and membership sites are the answer
Here's What You MUST Do Now:
- Decide that you'll create a membership site (more specifically, a course) instead of "playing" with blogging (which takes years to pick up), coaching (best way to get a coaching client, hand-holding based on your course), or thinking about it without taking any action
- Solidify what SOLUTION you could deliver to your people in four simple milestones of 60-90 minutes per milestone
These are just two of the actions you should take if you care about your future, your financial well-being, your legacy, and your family.
It's time for you to stop fearing success, stop fearing membership sites and create passive income (leverage) for yourself in 2017.
Quotes:
“Do not ignore everyone around you jumping on the membership site, online course, WordPress, passive income bandwagon. You will not wait it out.” – Robert Plank
“Membership sites and online courses are not fads—no more than the internet was a fad, or Facebook was a fad, or PayPal was a fad.” – Robert Plank
“It's time for you to stop fearing success, stop fearing the technical aspects of membership sites, and start creating passive income leverage for yourself—right now.” – Robert Plank
Takeaways:
03:20 Online competition is fierce, with millions of businesses fighting for attention across digital platforms.
05:15 Creating a membership site is the smartest path to building sustainable online income.
06:30 Focus on delivering clear, actionable solutions that help customers achieve specific results, not just provide vague ideas.
07:45 Stop waiting and start taking real action on your online business ideas instead of endlessly planning.
08:30 Membership sites and online courses are not temporary trends, but long-term business strategies with proven staying power.
Hop on this path to get started:
Membership Cube: Create Your Membership Site Today
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303: Ten Closely Guarded Membership Site Insights (Breakthroughs) to 10X Your Online Income
Here's what Lance Tamashiro and I have to say about membership sites:
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This is perfect for you if you've been CONFUSED with all the overwhelm/choices when it comes to creating a COMPLETE and PROFITABLE membership site...
Ever heard anyone say: "just use one of these 10 plugins, one of these 10 themes?" And been left more confused when you started? Yeah, me too...
Membership Site Solution
What helps instead: is, first, have a clear plan of action. Use WordPress to host it on YOUR OWN website. We'll give you the theme (design) and plugins to take payments and do everything else.
We include a special tool inside our Membership Cube course that sets it all up in 1-click:
Your theme, plugins, and "framework" for content so you can edit to make it your own...
Worry about the "fancy" stuff later. It's easier to edit crap than air. Don't let yourself get bogged down with unnecessary choices.
Second, keep things simple. Don't get in your own way creating 2 months or 6 months of content out of the gate. What's the point if no one will see it?
Focus on completing that membership site and creating the BARE MINIMUM so that someone could join TODAY. If that means you only have time for a single web page (sales letter) with a one-time payment button for $50, that's something you'll put in place TODAY (a must-have) and improve on a rainy day if and when you feel like it (a nice-to-have).
Create a way for people to buy access first,
because you don't want to wait until the last minute to do that AND you don't know if you'll feel like it later...
Do It Before Your Time Runs Out
Third (and in keeping with having a clear plan and keeping things simple), do it FAST. Chances are you're the most excited about your membership site NOW and, six months from now, if a "membership site" is a burden that you never setup, you'll never finish. Do it NOW while it's still fresh on your mind...
Fourth, only focus on the things that matter (this is called "80/20"). Drip content, how "pretty" your site looks, are NOT things that could double or triple your income, so focus on the low-hanging fruit instead...
Fifth, sell something that solves a real problem, as opposed to what seems "interesting" to you. This alone is HUGE and most of your competition (most) doesn't get this...
- what if you sold access to a membership site about how to knit your own cable knit sweaters? Is that an actually a DESPERATE problem people are willing to pay money for? (I doubt it)
- how about a course on how to flip real estate or lose weight (Yes! People are asking for that, looking for that, and buying that, so you just have to add your own unique spin on it)
- a course about how to get better grades, how to learn to play the tuba, how to save money couponing, how to quit your day job in 9 years... are people really asking for that AND looking to pay money for it?(Probably not)
- on the other hand... drone racing, dating, weight loss (some very specific solution or method), stock market trading... people want those things
Have a Purpose (Don't Just Run Out the Clock)
What's great about having a real purpose, keeping it simple, doing it fast, focusing on what matters, and solving a problem: you can get to the money FASTER because you're not letting a bunch of things get in your way... you have course-correction. It's good to make mistakes in this case, because every mistake leads to more money...
Listen, I started with info-products and membership sites by teaching something super nerdy... computer programming... and was it a super sexy topic? Heck no, it wasn't...
I quickly realized that my buyers were made of up two groups: other nerdy programmers like me who wanted to pick up some new skills (who refunded often and didn't pay all that much)... and...
Actual business owners who had websites and wanted to use my plug-ins and templates to make more money with their online business. People who wanted some simple instructions on how to write copy for web pages, create podcasts, and so on...
The point is: put some stuff out there, see how people use it and adjust your business based on what those HIGH DOLLAR buyers use, and want. Not just what you "guess" will sell...
Do people care about how many years you've been in business, how many hours you put into creating videos or even how many hours of videos total? Not really... they care about the RESULTS that you will give them.
Technical Challenges Shouldn't Stop You
Six, and getting into technical terms here but not too much, membership sites are just "on" or "off." If someone buys, they have access. If they refund, they don't have access. If they pay you money on a payment plan (which you can add later), they get access. If they cancel that payment plan, it sends a signal to your membership site to cut off access. On or off. Simple.
(Also not getting technical, but membership sites allow you to have "levels" which means you can sell multiple products from just one site.)
Seven, everything is un-doable on the internet, and even moreso with membership sites. I know someone who has been "thinking" about creating a membership site for the last 6 years, and still doesn't have one, and I know the exact reason!
The reason: he thinks "the cost of members downloading content" will cost too much. He hasn't made progress on his membership site in 6 years because a problem that does not currently exist (no content AND no members). Don't become another statistic. Stop thinking about it, because most things that you think are problems, are NOT problems. (Your web host does not charge you when people download or watch content).
Eight, bring your students (buyers) from point A to point B (this is an "online course" that you'll sell for $100-$500 per person).
How much does a book cost? 99 cents on Kindle? How about an audio book? 9 dollars on Audible? What about a uDemy course? 20 bucks? Why?
Because, a regular "book" only contains chapters. Lists. Tips. That's "cheap"...
Instead, figure out where your course will END, and what people will HAVE at the end. Not what they'll learn or know, but what they'll have setup...
Then, break it down into four milestones. Example:
END GOAL: podcast is setup with episodes, traffic, and guests
Module 1: create and publish your first podcast episode
Module 2: add music, graphics, and more content
Module 3: rank your podcast
Module 4: promote your podcast with pre-selling, sponsors, and affiliate products
Each "module" is 60-90 minutes with an assignment (we call it a challenge) to make sure your people don't get overloaded with tips and possibilities. Instead, they take action.
Bonus: by having a membership site that has a clear end-goal (light at the end of the tunnel) -- and not useless monthly tips that last forever --
Nine, and speaking of taking action, DON'T create the content first. Don't launch with all the bellsand whistles like extra bonuses and training calls, software, and coaching.
Save that for the next time you promote your offer. That's a bonus you can add in. And, you can wait until you get some initial customers and ask a few of them (1-on-1 and privately) if XYZ bonus that you were thinking of adding would be welcomed. That way you're giving your best buyers what they want, again, instead of guessing... so...
- Have a clear plan of action (so you know when you've arrived at your goal)
- Keep it simple
- Do it fast
- Focus on what matters (don't spend too much time on upsells or video #20 if no one has joined and watched video #1)
- Solve a real problem
- Membership sites are just "on" or "off" (they're a member in good standing or they aren't)
- Everything is un-doable with membership sites (don't stress out about future technical problems that may or may not happen)
- Get your buyers from Point A to Point B (milestones)
- Don't create the content first -- make the membership site first, including the buy button
And... the BEST thing I can tell you today to get up and running with your membership sites:
Ten, don't start with a "monthly forever" site right out of the gate.
It makes a lot more sense (to me) to create one solution that solves one problem. Charge one single payment. They pay, they get access. If they stop paying, they lose access.
That's the best bang for your buck right now. You can add payment plans, upsells, and monthly stuff later. What's important right now is that you create a membership site tonight, so you can get it in place, get that first paying member, make money --
Finally get rewarded for your online efforts (as opposed to continually starting new projects, not finishing, and not seeing any real results)...
Create a membership site. Keep it simple. Our Membership Cube course will get you to do that:
Join Membership Cube Now to Get Everything You Need for Your Membership Site
(in One Place)
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302: Blogging, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Content Marketing, and Working from Home with Joseph Hogue
Joseph Hogue from My Work From Home Money is an online entrepreneur, and on the podcast, he explains how he built his business by spending 30 hours per week blogging plus 20 hours per week with freelance writing.
Quotes:
“Websites are real estate development in a digital format.” – Joseph Hogue
“You have to have a passion. You have to start with a passion for the subject, because the money won't be there immediately, and it's going to grow slowly over time.” – Joseph Hogue
“An online business is just that—a business. And you have all those other little parts that you have to learn and understand.” – Joseph Hogue
Takeaways:
06:09 Start with action and adapt quickly, rather than over-planning your online business strategy.
11:52 Maintain a structured daily work schedule to avoid procrastination and feel good about your progress.
17:57 Treat your online business like a real business, addressing all aspects including SEO, sales, and communication.
20:25 Use broken link building as an effective, scalable strategy to improve your website's search engine ranking.
27:57 Choose a niche you're passionate about, as money won't come immediately and you'll be writing about this topic for a long time.
Resources
- My Work from Home Money blog (Blog)
- Peer Finance 101 (Website)
- Crowd 101 (Crowd Funding Blog)
- Screaming Frog (SEO Spider Tool)
- Ahrefs (Backlink Research)
- BuzzStream (Track Conversations With Influencers)
Joseph's Schedule
- 7:30-10:30AM: Just write
- 10:30-11:00AM: Check traffic & emails
- 11:00-11:30AM: Blog commenting & sharing
- Afternoon: Writing & products
- 1-2 hours: Reading, research, monetization, affiliates, ideas
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301: Market Yourself as An Authority Figure, Clean Up Your Social Presence, and Build a Service People Use with Anthony Couch
Anthony Couch from GetSuitable has created a tool called Cachet that cleans up social media. Listen in as he explains what people need to do to keep themselves "hireable" and likable on social media, as well as the struggles and breakthroughs he's had gaining popularity from social media, as well as his trials and tribulations getting his apps to catch on.
Quotes:
“I'm not passionate about helping people hide who they are. I'm passionate about helping people avoid losing opportunities for things they did years ago.” – Anthony Couch
“Whatever you do for a living, you have to have your social presence reflect you as a professional.” – Anthony Couch
“We need to build a product that our customers or ideal users want, instead of building something that we have to sell them on.” – Anthony Couch
Takeaways:
02:26 Cleaning up inappropriate social media content is crucial for future employment opportunities.
10:25 Social media profiles should reflect your professional identity and career goals.
13:40 Reading and sharing industry-specific content demonstrates professional growth and commitment.
21:35 Using strategic hashtags can help build a professional online brand and attract relevant followers.
25:03 Employers view blank or hidden social media profiles as suspicious and potentially problematic.
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300: Systems, Coaching, Peer Support, Massive Action, and Focus with Jason Treu
Motivational speaker Jason Treu wants you to enjoy better relationships in your entrepreneurial journey, career changes, and business transitions. He says that there are three pillars to success:
- have the right systems, processes, strategies, and best practices
- find coaching and mentors to shrink the path to where you want to go
- get peer support, others who know your pain, and develop relationship building skills
Jason provides a great deal of actionable advice in our discussion today to make those three items the best they can be. For example:
- To improve your networking opportunities at events, research some of the speakers and perhaps high-profile attendees. Aim for 25 or so people. Pitch meetings beforehand, offer value, and interview them for podcast episodes
- To locate a great mastermind, join one that costs money, dig into who's leading that group, and try it out for a meeting or two
- To find an amazing mentor who's on their way up but is still approachable, read blogs and find successful people who look like rockstars but aren't quite to the "Pat Flynn" level yet
Quotes:
“Everything we accomplish in life is with or through other people. So unless you're out there actively building relationships in the right way over time and managing those, you're leaving a significant amount on the table.” – Jason Treu
“If books could solve our problems, then no one would need coaching. It just doesn't work like that.” – Jason Treu
“Do what 99% of people aren't willing to do, and you will be significantly more successful, especially over the long term.” – Jason Treu
Takeaways:
02:05 Most personal limitations stem from childhood experiences and beliefs learned before age 10.
08:41 Success relies on three key pillars: systems/strategies, coaching/mentorship, and peer support.
16:50 One powerful connection can open doors to multiple unexpected opportunities.
22:48 Finding emerging experts who are skilled but not yet top-tier can provide high-value, cost-effective coaching.
26:32 Entrepreneurs must understand their core purpose and have clear metrics beyond just money and listeners.
Resources
- Social Wealth (Book)
- Jason Treu (Official Site)
- Jason Treu's (Blog)
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299: Organize a Virtual Summit for Instant Traffic, Credibility, Subscribers and Sales with Tom Morkes
Tom Morkes and his company Insurgent Media specialize in virtual summits, affiliate marketing, and book launches.
A virtual summit is a virtual online event where 10 to 30 subject matter experts each present in their sub-area of expertise with you as the organizer. This is a fantastic way to build a list, get credibility, and network with your peers. He walks us through his entire 4-6 month process in 5-6 phases that he plans with clients:
- strategy/planning: 1 month (two half-hour calls)
- research/recruitment: celebrities, leaders, popular/interesting topics (14 days for research, 2 months for recruitment)
- trust building: start conversations
- pre open-cart / pre-promotion: 2 weeks
- summit: 1-2 weeks
Tom also discusses upsell opportunities. For example, summits are not very evergreen and tend to contain specific, cutting-edge information, while a membership site (which you can have as an upsell) contains evergreen information. You can also have a lot of fun with your summit and offer it for free, but later charge for replays and shownotes.
Quotes:
“The nature of a summit is that it's live to some degree. It's exciting because it's happening now, so it's cutting-edge material.” – Tom Morkes
“There has to be congruence across everything you do. There has to be a purpose behind it.” – Tom Morkes
“Summits that work best are selling something beyond just content—some kind of service, software, experience—not just ‘here’s more content.” – Tom Morkes
Takeaways:
01:55 Virtual summits are powerful lead generation tools that offer free, high-quality education to potential customers.
12:42 Successful marketing campaigns focus on solving specific problems within a narrow, well-defined niche.
27:16 The most effective summit upsells are services or experiences, not additional content.
25:50 Virtual summits work best as time-sensitive, live events that create excitement and urgency.
29:46 Selling more content after a free content-rich summit is challenging and often ineffective.
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298: The Leadership Gap: Unleash Your Greatness (and Potential) By Rethinking the System with Lolly Daskal
Executive Leadership Coach Lolly Daskal, author of The Leadership Gap, says that entrepreneurs fall into one of seven archetypes: the Rebel, Explorer, Truth Teller, Hero, Inventor, Navigator, and Knight. Knowing your type allows you to identify your gap and achieve greatness.
For example, if you're a "rebel" then you lack confidence and suffer from impostor syndrome. In this case, identifying your uniqueness can be the key to improving your competence and confidence.
Lolly also opens up about her morning ritual where she reads a book every morning and lists what she's grateful for. Every evening, she also asks herself, "What did you do well today" And, "What can I do better tomorrow than I did today?"
Quotes:
“Within all of us, I believe we have greatness, and my job is to unleash that greatness for every single client I work with.” – Lolly Daskal
“Confidence isn't believing in yourself, but knowing that you're able to do the things you need to do.” – Lolly Daskal
“Imposter syndrome comes from always looking over your shoulder and thinking, ‘I need to be like this one, and I need to be like that one.’ The truth is, you need to be like no one but yourself.” – Lolly Daskal
Takeaways:
05:24 Confidence alone isn't enough; true leadership comes from developing genuine skills and competence.
09:16 Daily self-reflection rituals can help individuals track personal growth and avoid comparing themselves to others.
11:21 Continuous learning through daily reading can expand perspectives and improve professional capabilities.
17:23 Leaders should focus on understanding their unique strengths rather than trying to imitate someone else's path.
20:55 Vulnerability and sharing personal stories can create deeper connections with teams and clients.
Resources
- Lolly Daskal (Official Site)
- The Leadership Gap (Book)
- Lolly Daskal (Twitter)
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297: LinkedIn Ads: Target Professionals and Get Your Message to Specific Targets with AJ Wilcox
AJ Wilcox, an advertising specialist from B2Linked, wants to tell you about LinkedIn ads. They're not for every type of business, but they're great for specific B2B targets, for example, enterprise-level medical companies and high-dollar software as a service companies (where deals are worth $15,000 or more).
Quotes:
“If you're not making $15K from a deal, LinkedIn's initial cost per click is probably going to be too expensive, and you should probably stick to Facebook ads.” – AJ Wilcox
“When you're on LinkedIn, people are either thinking about their work or their career. So when you give them an offer that helps augment either of those, they're really eager to participate in it.” – AJ Wilcox
“LinkedIn is awesome because most people don't check it nearly as often as they do Facebook. So if you're showing ads, those ads are going to have a higher lifetime.” – AJ Wilcox
Takeaways:
02:20 LinkedIn ads work best for B2B companies with high-value transactions over $15,000, targeting specific professional audiences like HR departments or enterprise software sellers.
10:11 LinkedIn's ad targeting allows hyper-specific audience selection based on job titles, company sizes, departments, skills, and professional groups, making it powerful for precise marketing.
11:12 LinkedIn ads require less frequent creative refreshes compared to other platforms, with ads typically maintaining effectiveness for 28-33 days.
17:03 Successful LinkedIn ad strategies involve testing multiple ad variations, understanding conversion bottlenecks, and creating landing pages that make job opportunities or offers feel special.
22:14 When creating LinkedIn ad campaigns, name audiences by their professional characteristics instead of content names, which helps track performance and create evergreen campaigns.
Resources
- B2Linked: LinkedIn Ads Performance (Agency)
- How to Target Your Ideal Prospect on LinkedIn (Article)
- AJ Wilcox (LinkedIn)
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296: Create a Great Customer Experience, Build an Environment Where People Love to Work, and Solve a Real Problem for Lasting Change with Kenneth Bator
Kenneth Bator from BTCINC.net says that you should align your brand, culture, and strategy for maximum results. Pay attention to the little details that your customers love, that keep you consistent and removes your decisions. Write and implement service standards. For example, you may always show up 15 minutes to meetings, greet customers in a certain way, or respond to calls and emails within 3 hours.
Also, ask yourself: 1. Who do I want to serve, and 2. What problem do I want to solve?
Quotes:
“People aren't buying products and services. They're buying solutions to their problems.” – Kenneth Bator
“If you're going to put a service standard on paper, you darn well better have the resources and the wherewithal to adhere to it.” – Kenneth Bator
“If you're the smartest guy in the room, you're probably in the wrong room.” – Kenneth Bator
Takeaways:
04:47 Create a consistent, detailed customer experience that goes beyond just delivering a product or service.
05:18 Write down clear service standards to remove decision-making friction and ensure team consistency.
14:57 Focus on solving specific problems for a well-defined target audience rather than trying to serve everyone.
16:53 Understand that customers buy solutions to their problems, not just products or services.
22:03 Regularly review and adjust your business standards and offerings to maintain brand alignment.
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295: Discover Your Content Personality: Thought Leadership, Branding, and Content Strategy with Shannon Hernandez
Shannon Hernandez from MShannonHernandez.com and Content Strategy Academy wants you to take a content personality quiz for a very important reason: the content you're creating (audios, videos, books, live streaming) is most likely clashing with your personality.
Listen in as Shannon shares content ideas with us (benefits, drawbacks, why vs. alternatives), how to pace yourself, stay in alignment, and attract the right people into your business.
Quotes:
“Don't be who you're not. People will see through that—whether it's your message, your marketing, or the content you're putting out into the world.” – Shannon Hernandez
“When you're having fun in your business and fun in life, it's fun to keep going, it's inspiring, and you're getting results.” – Shannon Hernandez
“Honor people's time and space, and let's give them what they need right away.” – Shannon Hernandez
Takeaways:
07:43 Matching content creation to your personality helps you enjoy marketing and attract the right audience.
15:22 You don't need to create content in every format - focus on your top two content personality types.
18:31 Quality matters more than quantity when producing content for your business.
22:05 Consistency in content creation builds your brand's reputation and expertise.
23:25 Give yourself permission to stop creating content that feels like a chore.
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294: Sell Both High and Low Ticket, Put Out Tons of Touches (Content Marketing), and Choose Course-Correction Over Perfectionism
Sell Both High and Low Ticket
- Membership Cube: full price or payment plan
- Video Sales Tactics: just get them buying again
- Funnel, levels, conversions
Content Marketing Touches
- Go the extra mile
- It's ok to look homemade and authentic
- Don't slow down (put out tons of podcasts and blog posts to see where you're at, restaurant menu mentality)
Course Correction
- The Mirror: if someone criticizes you about something, they're secure about that themselves.
- Don't ignore $1000 because you're looking for $100,000
- Repetitions, checklists and templates (move the raw materials around) -- same podcast interview questions, 3x3 for podcasting
- Be aware but still optimistic
Quotes:
“Price doesn't matter that much. A lot of marketers obsess over the price, putting all their energy into thinking they'll have something really high-priced or really low-priced, and they don't give much thought to their offer, their package, or the problem it solves.” – Robert Plank
“It's okay to look homemade and authentic, as long as you need to pump out a bunch of stuff.” – Robert Plank
“If someone criticizes you about something, it's usually because they themselves are insecure about that thing.” – Robert Plank
Takeaways:
05:57 Price doesn't matter as much as the value and problem-solving capability of your product.
07:18 Build a list of buyers by offering low-ticket items that get people to take action and spend money.
12:03 Don't let perfectionism stop you from putting out content - it's better to start and improve over time.
16:07 Consistently create content across multiple platforms to keep your audience engaged and growing.
24:57 Have both high-ticket and low-ticket offers in your product lineup to cater to different customer needs.
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293: Kindle Machine: Build a Loyal Fanbase, Drive Traffic and Become a Self-Published Author with Adam Houge
Adam Houge is a preacher, teacher, novelist, and #1 international best-selling author of over 100 books on the Christian faith. A health crisis forced him to become a full-time Kindle author, and he's learned all the secrets about Amazon's ranking algorithm, how to produce lots of books quickly (and consistently), how to research books, get lots of buyers and reviews, and send traffic.
Quotes:
“Turn your lemons into a lemonade stand and share it. Turn your mess into a message, and share that with others.” – Adam Houge
“If you can't get it in front of eyes, you can't get it out there. If it's a product you're trying to sell, the more eyes you get on it, the more you're going to sell.” – Adam Houge
“A target audience isn't defined by who you are targeting—it's more about the interest that they have.” – Adam Houge
Takeaways:
10:35 Set clear, achievable writing goals to overcome procrastination and boost productivity.
19:18 Build an engaged email list to drive consistent book promotions and gather reviews.
22:15 Focus on defining a specific target audience and genre before creating multiple books.
25:46 Understand and adapt to platform algorithms to maintain book visibility and sales.
29:58 Invest time in crafting a compelling book description, as it's your primary sales tool.
Resources
- Adam Houge (Official Site)
- Adam Houge's books (Books)
- The Fanbase Formula (Free Video Series)
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